As Tuesday, October 1 neared, a breadth of government officials’ breath was shortened. They became increasingly nervous about the event that would strike both their communal reputations and arguably the most important responsibility that the Legislative Branch has for America: to fund the government and to pass bills.

If everyday matters have prevented you from following the news recently, you may be a bit puzzled by the above statement. Fortunately, John Boehner, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, can synopsize in one pithy statement how he, and many other people of the Republican party, view the issue: “Our message to the United States Senate is real simple: The American people don’t want the government shut down, and they don’t want Obamacare.”

It may seem quite obvious how to mitigate the consequences of this issue: get rid of the “unconstitutional” health care-system that controls the minimum standards of all health insurance plans sold off and on the exchange. If only it was that simple. So, in the meantime, it may seem that the American people may have to ride this one out until who knows when. Those with jobs that have been deemed “non-essential” will have to endure the pains of unemployment and still pay taxes. We’ll just have to wait for a compromise.