The government shutdown looms just days away, and still no agreement is in sight. With bipartisan efforts to find common ground coming up short, the country stands on the brink of a crisis with no end in sight.
For the past two weeks, President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats have been locked in reoccurring talks on a budget bill and possible compromise measures to fund the government. While progress has been made in some areas, no specific deal has materialized, leaving lawmakers and citizens unsure of the fate of the government.
The main point of contention between the two sides lies in the funding for Trump’s controversial border wall. Trump has repeatedly said he would not approve a budget unless he secured at least $5 billion for the wall, while Democrats maintain they will not vote for any legislation that includes money for the wall.
If an agreement is not reached within the next few days, the government will be forced to shut down. This would force thousands of government workers to be furloughed and leave numerous government agencies without the funding needed to keep them running. Social Security and Medicare, however, would still be able to operate without disruption regardless of a shutdown.
The consequences of this shutdown are wide-ranging and could have disastrous effects on the American economy. With no sign of agreement on the horizon, a shutdown seems more likely and Americans will see what impact it could have shortly.
