BY MIKIE NEGRETE
TIMES STAFF
In the days leading up to the longest government shutdown the United States has ever seen, the media was pummeling viewers and readers alike with stories revolving around the back-and-forth bickering between President Donald Trump and Democratic congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer.
The two sides found themselves unable to reach an agreement when it came to allocating funds for security at the U.S.- Mexico border, and on Dec. 22, 2018, the federal government entered into its shutdown that lasted for 35 days.
So, who’s at fault for the shutdown that left a ridiculous amount of federal workers without pay for over a month?
While Democrats and Republicans alike have been quick to pit the fault of the shutdown on one another, neither party is completely right when it comes to the issue of placing the blame.
At the end of the day, the pettiness of both parties is what led to the longest shutdown of the federal government in our country’s history.
It took the unwillingness of Trump, Pelosi, and Schumer to come to an agreement for the government to shutdown.
Neither side is completely innocent. When the U.S. has a divided government the way it does today, it will always require a willingness of Democrats and Republicans alike to work with one another to reach a compromise when trying to pass any law, and our country’s leaders failed us this time around.
The shutdown led to many federal workers not receiving pay, and as a result of not receiving pay, calling in sick from work, which led to increased security risks across the country.
The number of TSA agents refusing to show up to work led to increased flights risks and increased flight cancellations all over the country through the duration of the shutdown.
In addition to airline security suffering, government websites for the U.S. Department of Justice, the Court of Appeals and NASA all found their websites insecure during the shutdown because of the expiring of their .gov certificates.
Additionally, members of the U.S. Coast Guard suffered food shortages, as many were forced to rely on food pantries to get them through the month-long shutdown.
Regardless of if you feel you were personally impacted or not by the government shutdown, you were. During the shutdown, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended non-essential work, which includes the individuals who inspect the food we consume.
The FDA considers 33 percent of their food inspections to be high-risk, putting all Americans at risk.
Don’t buy the false narrative that the shutdown fell solely on the shoulders of one party; it took the poor leadership of both sides of the aisle to lead.
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