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Friday, October 4, 2013

Government Shutdown

Last night a librarian told me that the District can fund the city libraries for two weeks during the shutdown. For this reason, and many others, let's hope the shutdown doesn't last that long.

As much as I'd prefer to avoid politics here, it's impossible during the government shutdown. The Republicans must allow our government to provide services to those in need and paychecks to those they've employed to offer those services. Of course, this includes individuals and families, adults and children. In the end, this shutdown reaches each one of us, regardless of whether we are being paid to work today or not.

This article in the Washington Post describes the most painful impacts of a government shutdown, including unpaid federal workers, veterans not receiving benefits, CDC halting the flu program, some food safety operations ceasing, potential disruption of the nutritional programs for women, infants and children, possible closing of Head Start programs and the interruption of disability programs. There's also the fact that scientific research and academic research are halted, weather information is stalled, and our security is at risk. CNN offers a complete list of what's been shutdown.

Click through to read more about WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) Food Nutrition Program, which has lost its funding, and available resources for families in need. Here are resources for veterans and military families. Please share other resources in the Comments section below.

I believe deeply that it is our duty to help those in need. The rich must help the poor and the healthy must help the sick. And government, through its many services, plays an important role in this duty. This duty should include offering universal health care, as many other countries do.

Of course, the government can always be improved and luckily we live in a nation that strives and succeeds, in part through elections, to make those improvements. We must each show our patriotism by critically examining our government and working to make it better. I hope our nation improves with time for our bambino and all of the bambini.

Since sometimes laughter is the best medicine, and offers the best explanations, check out Jon Stewart's commentary on the situation

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