A brief history of government shutdowns (or 'scaled-back budgeting')

A partial government shutdown could be a blessing in disguise for not only defunding Obamacare, but defunding all the excesses of government, without affecting its obligations. This could be the best thing this President's done since being sworn into office!

Since this is all our failed media can focus on--never mind the impending tyranny foisted on the American people through the implementation of a reckless health care takeover--it might be beneficial to reiterate the facts about a so-called government shutdown, what that really means, and what the Obama administration wants you to believe it means (i.e., the pain they will purposely attempt to inflict solely for political gain).

First, a brief record of all our previous government shutdowns:

PAST FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS
Year	Beginning date (at midnight)	Length in Days	Ending date
1976	Thursday, Sept 30	10	Monday, Oct 11
1977	Friday, Sept 30	12	Thursday, Oct 13
	Monday, Oct 31	8	Wednesday, Nov 9
	Wednesday, Nov 30	8	Friday, Dec 9
1978	Saturday, Sept 30	17	Wednesday, Oct 18
1979	Sunday, Sept 30	11	Friday, Oct 12
1981	Friday, Nov 20	2	Monday, Nov 23
1982	Thursday, Sept 30	1	Saturday, Oct 2
	Friday, Dec 17	3	Tuesday, Dec 21
1983	Thursday, Nov 10	3	Monday, Nov 14
1984	Sunday, Sept 30	2	Wednesday, Oct 3
	Wednesday, Oct 3	1	Friday, Oct 5
1986	Thursday, Oct 16	1	Saturday, Oct 18
1987	Friday, Dec 18	1	Sunday, Dec 20
1990	Friday, Oct 5	3	Tuesday, Oct 9
1995	Monday, Nov 13	5	Sunday, Nov 19
	Friday, Dec 15	21	Saturday, Jan 6, 1996

With each, there was no collapse of governance to follow. As soon as the shutdown labeled occurrence was resolved, the government resumed (thus, continuing to spend the money of taxes collected). To put it in simple terms, supposed 'shutdowns' impose scaled-back budgeting on the government merely for a matter of days.

Next, let's understand what actually occurs during a partial shutdown. It's important to take note of the required services and functions of government that must continue under a government shutdown (which is basically why shutdown is a misnomer):

Heritage: If President Barack Obama “shuts down” the government by vetoing a continuing resolution (CR) that funds all government operations with the exception of Obamacare, or the Senate fails to pass such a CR, crucial services will continue without interruption. That includes all services essential for national security and public safety—such as the military and law enforcement—as well as mandatory government payments such as Social Security and veterans’ benefits.

The key fact, as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) itself has said, is that when there is a short-term lapse in appropriations, “the federal Government will not be truly ‘shut down’…because Congress has itself provided that some activities of Government should continue.” In fact, any claims that not passing a CR will result in a “shutting down” of the government “is an entirely inaccurate description” according to the DOJ.

Such a lapse in funding would be neither catastrophic nor unprecedented, but it would pare down government services to those most essential for “the safety of human life or the protection of property.” That would not include the hundreds of billions of dollars in the federal budget that are constantly squandered and wasted on frivolous, unnecessary, and unneeded programs.

Related links: OMB to agencies: Start making shutdown plans
The Facts: A Government Shutdown Won't Hurt the Military or Vets
There Are Worse Things Than Government Shutdowns

Now, here's how Obama plans to make Americans feel the pain of a government shutdown, when otherwise, based on every past shutdown, all the necessities and obligations have continued to be funded:

He's already begun to play the sympathy card, by making statement to the affect that the ‘threat of not raising the debt ceiling is being used to extort me' (because it's all about him, not about protecting the American people and their private property, you see). This undoubtedly leads into further efforts to detach himself from his unpopular policies.

However, in nearly the same breath, just as in the past, he will begin to threaten those mandatory services that the federal government is obligated to provide above and beyond his special interest agenda. You'll likely start to see a rehash of these headlines...

Obama threatens SS and Veteran checks if debt ceiling not raised
Obama: Social Security Checks Threatened If Debt Ceiling Deal Isn't Reached

But with just a little bit of fact checking, you quickly realize that these are politically motivated threats, that not to be discredited, have worked for this President in the past, so don't expect him to back down. However, we and our representation in Washington should be able to see them for what they are and not fall for them either.

Related link: Washington gets $200 billion a month, Social Security costs $50 billion a month, and Obama is threatening to starve Grandma?

Are you putting the pieces together? This man, his party, his administration is manufacturing another crisis that shouldn't be, nor needs to be. But because he cannot compromise, he's ready to demagogue and despotically place his boot on your throat.

Now is when we the people say 'Enough's enough!' and place our weight behind the effort among conservatives in the House and Senate to defund the Obamacare monstrosity. If his family, his corporate cronies, our Congress, their staffers, and likely Unions after it's all said and done, are exempt, then ALL of America should receive the same exemption.

And if they want to play hardball and shut the government down, hold them accountable when they, supported by a sycophantic media, attempt to make those they owe an obligation to (our veterans, the elderly, the disabled) suffer the most. These, in addition to the interest on the debt, can, have been and will be covered under a partial government shutdown. And every Republican politician elected shouldn't be standing back, waiting to be blamed. They should be in front of every camera and every microphone articulately explaining how this process works and why they're fighting for Americans (reference the very first statement made above if need be!).