Shutdown story is surreal

The national headlines seemed out of place. "Government shutdown" just aren't words Americans expect to see, averted or otherwise. I mean, come on; this isn't Tunisia. The mammoth U.S. doesn't just collapse. Right?

Wrong. Unlike other examples of government shutdowns in modern history, ours haven't been military takeovers or failed autocracies. This is America, so naturally it's about money. Not that politics leave the picture.

Had Congress done nothing, the U.S. would have officially run dry on March 4. To delay that, Tuesday the Republican-controlled House (where spending bills start) passed a bill to fund government agencies on an emergency budget for two more weeks. Wednesday the Democrat-controlled Senate approved. The temporary spending bill cuts $4 million from the current budget, eliminating earmarks and certain programs the president recommended be cut (museums, railways, solar energy, reading, etc.).

The fix is temporary. By March 18 Congress must agree on a budget or the feds cease operations. Since 1980 they've had a contingency plan for an "orderly" shutdown, so it wouldn't be a "Twilight Zone" experience. Emergency services and certain constitutional offices - including Congress - may continue. Our cash is still there, but the authority to spend it isn't, not without an approved budget.

The Antideficiency Act of 1870 ceases operations of federal agencies and programs if Congress fails to enact funding. The highest concentration of shutdowns numbered 16 between 1977 and 1996 and lasted three to 17 days. The longest was a 21-day standoff between President Clinton and Speaker Newt Gingrich. That furloughed 800,000 workers, delayed passports and other applications, suspended 600 toxic cleanups, and closed 368 national parks. Consider the private sector fallout, such as tourism.

This drama adds to the recent theme in local news: civil discourse. Humans are bound to bicker. The higher the stakes - public education, the national budget - the more likely is argument. Here's hoping all sides argue constructively, rather than destructively. Time demands no less.

Sholeh Patrick is an attorney and a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Sholehjo@hotmail.com