Was govt. shutdown needed?

The media exploitation of the recent federal government shutdown has brought Americans from the Pacific to the Atlantic to question the abilities of our members of Congress. Many argue that shutting down the government was an irresponsible and rash action; but perhaps it was the only option. The government shutdown is a reflection of the way our government is intended to operate when divided on issues.
With the birth of our nation the Founding Fathers created three separate branches of government to instill a system of checks and balances with the intent that no branch would ever become more powerful than another.
Congress, as a part of the legislative branch, not only is responsible for writing the laws, but also for making them on behalf of their constituents. As elected officials they represent the masses and must consider their states when voting and enacting laws.
As citizens, we elect these officials because we believe they will act with our best interests in mind. In the case of the government shutdown, enough of these representatives did not find the proposed budget and Obamacare to be in the best interest of their people, and therefore did not approve the budget. In accordance with checks and balances, the 16-day shutdown ensured the executive branch, the President, from being too powerful.
In a discussion of the topic in Professor Rich Clark’s Congress and the Presidency class, the students, much like the nation, were split on the issue. However, the purpose of our government is not to entirely dominate the nation or to simply pass legislature to avoid controversy. The purpose of our government is to most accurately represent the best interests of the people through separated powers.
The reopening of the government and compromise to raise the debt ceiling in the early morning hours of Oct. 17 ensured the return to work for hundreds of thousands of Americans. Congress was able to buy more time to find appropriate compromises that will better the majority of the American people. Though the current economic and social climate of the nation is not at an ideal state, it is perhaps the only option available in order for our government to operate as our Founding Fathers intended.

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