To the Editor,

At 12:00 AM October 1st the Federal Government “shut down”. The federal Government’s fiscal year runs from October 1st to September 30th, and this year Congress could not agree on a budget, primarily due to the partisan divide on the issue of Obamacare. With no budget for the next fiscal year, federally run programs and jobs have been halted. House Republicans insist on passing any new spending bill that includes provisions to defund, derail or otherwise chip away at Obamacare. Senate Democrats are just as insistent that the spending bill will not.

As Congress continues to be stuck in a stalemate; the American People Suffer. Over 800,000 people are not going into work today, while millions of others are, and are not sure of whether or not they will get paid. Congress has agreed that the Military will get paid for their work along with other “essential” staff, including Congress themselves.

This argument has to end. The fact that Congress cannot agree and will not compromise is utterly unacceptable. To quote a former United States President, “A house divided against itself cannot stand”. Abraham Lincoln was correct; these childish antics have to stop. Regardless of whether or not Republicans in the House believe what they are fighting for is just, they simply cannot win this debate. This shut down is weakening our economy, our political system and our image as the greatest democracy in the world. I encourage Americans to write letters to their elected representatives and remind them that they were elected for a reason, that reason being to better America.

Austin Swan, SGA Commuter Senator.