• brap@lemmy.world
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    7 hours ago

    This might be a stupid question but I’m not from the US so bear with me.

    If your “government” keeps not doing its job due to choosing to shutdown, how long until you decide this government isn’t doing its sole task of governing and get rid of it and form another?

    • dhork@lemmy.world
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      7 hours ago

      We elect our politicians on a set schedule, and keep our Executive and Legislative branches separate. So, the next opportunity to “form a new government” is next November, when we re-elect the entire House and 1/3 of the Senate.

      And keep in mind what this shutdown actually is. It is a failure to pass a law that appropriates money to government agencies. Not all government spending is subject to appropriations – in particular, Congress is still getting paid, because their salaries are not subject to yearly government appropriations.

      Why can’t these agencies just continue to spend money? Because Congress made it illegal to exceed appropriations. This shutdown is not a bug, it’s how our politicians have set things up, on purpose.