This is unacceptable.

For a government that’s supposed to protect the people it’s not doing a great job of it. One can only imagine the stress that these workers must be feeling to know that their source of income is no longer providing. That stress must be increasingly worse for adults with children, because they are tasked with finding ways to still provide for their families. A few days of a government shutdown is understandable, forgivable even, but for it to go on this long without an end in sight is outrageous.  

Politically, I can’t help but feel as though society is in a hostage situation, with the government workers playing the part as hostages. The Republicans and Democrats both want something and are showing no sign of giving up. Until one side sways or they come to an agreement this shutdown will continue.  It seems very unfair that while the federal workers are caught in the middle and not receiving their paychecks, the politicians are still receiving theirs.

Many people on social media are saying they are fine with the shutdown, because it doesn’t affect them.  What they don’t realize is that thousands of people are still doing their normal jobs to mitigate the effect on the general public. For example, the Air Traffic Controllers, Aviation Inspectors, Customs and TSA Agents have all been working pro bono since December 22, 2018. Therefore the airline industry is still able to function, but with the TSA agents calling in sick, sparking the “blue flu,” lines are longer for travelers going through security. IRS workers are still working so that people will still receive their tax refunds. However, if the shutdown continues much longer, the public will begin to feel the pinch.

As of Friday, January 25th, the government has been shutdown for 34 days and two bills to end the shutdown were shot down. Federal workers will have missed a months’ worth of pay and, sadly, there is no end in sight.