While many Ossining High School students have been overheard making light of the government shutdown, it is truly no laughing matter. It began over 2 weeks ago, on October 1st. when the government’s fiscal year began. By this point in time, Congress is supposed to propose a new budget plan. This year, the issue lies in the controversial Affordable Healthcare Act, more prevalently known by the colloquial name Obamacare. At the beginning of the 2013 finacial year, the Republicans created a budget plan that intended to strip funding for the Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act. The reason it did not pass is due to the Senate that would not accept the new budget on the basis that it directly violated the healthcare law; an action that quickly began the shutdown.
Republicans have jointly been regarded as being against Obamacare for a number of reasons. They claim that the plan would allow for a palpable sense of regulation that would undermine the rights that their Republican brethren would never concede. Another reason that the Republicans who are against the health care plan cite can be encapsulated by the quotations from one of our previous presidents, Ronald Reagan. He said that “I think the best possible social welfare program is a job/ as government expands, liberty contracts.” They believe that those who work hard for their wealth should not have to be taxed more than those who choose to live an unhealthy and unproductive lifestyle. On one last note, The Debt Ceiling has almost been reached and Republicans do not want another high-spending plan on the table to contend with other issues during a year when budget cuts are supposed to be made.
Democrats are pro Obamacare for an equal number of reasons. They believe that everyone has the right to “affordable healthcare” (many citizens are finding that the quotes from insurance companies are now not affordable), and they recognize that many citizens are hardworking but can’t always afford healthcare. Many of these citizens include those who work in retail or the fast-food industry, where a standard number of hours a week (or more!) can barely produce rent. Democrats are generally pro-federal government, meaning that they approach many situations with mores that suggest higher taxes and more government support for the majority of the population.
In recent news, the Democratic Senate has announced that any budget change that negatively involves Obamacare will not be passed. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, “We will not go to conference with a gun to our head.” But not all is lost. Government shutdowns are actually quite common. In fact, one happened almost every year from 1976-1995. This one is just very much stressed in particular due to the economic situation and the upcoming debt ceiling debate. Many federal services will continue to run despite the shutdown; such as mail, the military, and social security. But if you’re looking to achieve a permit or passport, you’ll be in for the long haul.
