US Government Shutdown Would Be Better Than Current State, Says Progressive Journalist
The US government shutdown that seems inevitable is being framed as a positive development by some progressive voices. In an opinion piece, journalist Judith Levine argues that the current state of the federal government is more harmful than no government at all.
According to Levine, a shutdown would have little impact on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has a substantial budget reserve to sustain its operations during a government shutdown. However, it would have significant consequences for other government agencies and programs.
Levine criticizes the current government's priorities, arguing that they are largely driven by partisan interests rather than the public good. The Pentagon's massive budget, the health and human services agency's emphasis on punitive policies, and labor regulations that promote white supremacy are just a few examples of how the government is misusing taxpayer dollars.
The journalist also draws on historical precedent, citing the Declaration of Independence's warnings about standing armies without consent from legislatures and the protection of military power over civil authority. She argues that the Trump administration has crossed this line, with the border patrol and ICE engaging in actions that are tantamount to war against their own citizens.
Levine suggests that a government shutdown could be a catalyst for more radical action, such as mass tax resistance or economic slowdowns. By forcing lawmakers to confront these issues, the shutdown could potentially lead to meaningful reforms and a reevaluation of the country's priorities.
Ultimately, Levine frames the government shutdown as an opportunity for Americans to ask themselves if they want to continue supporting a system that is so clearly out of touch with their values and needs. The choice is clear: either reform the current system or abolish it altogether in favor of something new and better.
The US government shutdown that seems inevitable is being framed as a positive development by some progressive voices. In an opinion piece, journalist Judith Levine argues that the current state of the federal government is more harmful than no government at all.
According to Levine, a shutdown would have little impact on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has a substantial budget reserve to sustain its operations during a government shutdown. However, it would have significant consequences for other government agencies and programs.
Levine criticizes the current government's priorities, arguing that they are largely driven by partisan interests rather than the public good. The Pentagon's massive budget, the health and human services agency's emphasis on punitive policies, and labor regulations that promote white supremacy are just a few examples of how the government is misusing taxpayer dollars.
The journalist also draws on historical precedent, citing the Declaration of Independence's warnings about standing armies without consent from legislatures and the protection of military power over civil authority. She argues that the Trump administration has crossed this line, with the border patrol and ICE engaging in actions that are tantamount to war against their own citizens.
Levine suggests that a government shutdown could be a catalyst for more radical action, such as mass tax resistance or economic slowdowns. By forcing lawmakers to confront these issues, the shutdown could potentially lead to meaningful reforms and a reevaluation of the country's priorities.
Ultimately, Levine frames the government shutdown as an opportunity for Americans to ask themselves if they want to continue supporting a system that is so clearly out of touch with their values and needs. The choice is clear: either reform the current system or abolish it altogether in favor of something new and better.
... i mean literally think about all these services we rely on, healthcare, infrastructure, education... they're all basically just suspended till someone agrees to fund them again. it's like we're living in some kinda dystopian novel where the only thing more broken than everything else is our politicians' ability to work together 
... it's time to ask ourselves if we wanna keep living in a system where the powerful get richer while the rest of us struggle 
Honestly, I think Levine makes some valid points about the government's priorities being off. Like, have you seen how much money we're throwing at the Pentagon? 
), but I do think we need to take a hard look at how it's being run. Maybe a shutdown could be just what we need to shake things up and get some reform done. It's time for us as citizens to demand better from our leaders! 
. Our gov't is like that one friend who always borrows money from you but never pays it back 
. It's all about the special interests and partisan drama instead of serving the people 
. I mean, have we seen how they treat ICE during a shutdown? Not much different than how they're treating the country 
. A shutdown could be like a wake-up call for lawmakers to get their priorities straight 
, but it's also possible that they just won't listen 
. Either way, I think we need some serious reform and less of this gridlock nonsense 
. Maybe it's time to start thinking about what kind of system we want instead of just tolerating the one we have 
. I'm not saying it'd be easy or painless, but sometimes you gotta shake things up before they can get better 
. I'm not sure a shutdown would be the best solution, but at least it'd force lawmakers to take a hard look at themselves and maybe do some actual reforms. Like, who wants to live in a country where the government is essentially supporting white supremacy? 
THE FACT THAT SOMEONE NEEDS TO SAY THAT A SHUTDOWN COULD BE BETTER THAN THE CURRENT STATE OF THINGS JUST SHOWS HOW BADLY WE'VE BEEN LED ASTRAY. IT'S NOT ABOUT PARTISAN INTERESTS, IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE OUR Taxdollars ARE BEING USED FOR THE PEOPLE, NOT JUST THE POWERFUL AND WELL-CONNECTED. 
! A government shutdown might sound crazy, but if it means we get to reevaluate what's going on with our country, I'm all for it 
. And let's be real, the priorities we have as a country are totally out of whack 
. Maybe this shutdown is just what we need to get lawmakers to listen and make some real changes 
. I'm with Judith on this one - let's take back control of our country and demand a better system! 
. I mean, we're stuck in this never-ending cycle of partisan bickering and it's suffocating the system 
. Judith Levine's got some valid points about how our priorities are all wrong 
, and ICE's border patrol actions are straight up unacceptable 
. A shutdown could be a wake-up call for lawmakers to re-evaluate what they're fighting for 