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Can the Two Parties Even Keep the Government Open?

Lura Forcum, March 13.

 Hi friends,   

Government shutdowns aren’t just one party’s fault—they happen because both Republicans and Democrats fail to complete their most basic duty: passing annual appropriations bills on time. Instead, Congress frequently relies on last-minute stop-gap measures, like the continuing resolution passed before the holidays, to delay real negotiations.

This cycle of "governing by crisis" is fueled by hyperpartisanship, where each side prioritizes political battles over functional governance. In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson will need Democratic votes to pass a funding bill, given expected Republican defections. Meanwhile, in the Senate, Democratic support is also essential to meet the 60-vote threshold. And tensions with the White House over its handling of federal funds have further complicated negotiations.

Both parties have contributed to this dysfunction, making government shutdowns a recurring threat. While bipartisan proposals like the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act could help, Congress has yet to act.

Until lawmakers listen to voters demanding more bipartisanship and responsible governance ahead of political maneuvering, shutdowns will remain a feature of Washington’s broken budget process.

Best,

Lura

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IC Mailbag

Why does it seem like there’s talk of the government shutting down every few months?

It seems like there’s talk of the government shutting down so often because of the gamesmanship that has come with passing appropriations bills or a continuing resolution. There are various reasons why this continues to happen, either every few months or each year. The primary cause is the hyper-partisanship that infected Congress, which makes even the most routine of tasks, like passing a bill to fund the federal government, very difficult.

Do either of the two parties benefit from government shutdowns?

Politically, sometimes, at least in the short term, but shutdowns are ultimately a race to the bottom. No one comes out unscathed. Shutdowns are a symptom of a hyper-partisan pathogen in the political system.

The polling tells us the public tends to blame Republicans for government shutdowns, even in the rare instance when it hasn’t been their fault. Of the past four government shutdowns, Republicans initiated three of them. The political consequences, though, have been limited. At the end of the day, government shutdowns hurt trust in institutions and make it harder for independent voters to see what they want the most out of Congress, which is for both parties to work together.

What are the next steps for Congress following Trump’s speech to Congress last week?

Congress has to pass a continuing resolution to keep the federal government open, finalize a budget resolution to start the process for the tax cut and border bill through budget reconciliatio, and pass the tax cut and border bill. The biggest challenge for Congress in the first six months of the year is how to handle is the debt limit. The votes around the debt limit are the most consequential votes Congress will take this year because of what could happen if the federal government defaults on its debts.

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