Our government, along with many other governments all over the world, has major problems. These problems can fall under the umbrella of social issues, foreign issues, health issues, defense issues, environmental issues, and in this case, economic issues. All of these previously stated issues directly relate to the state and status of our country, but the issue of economic problems (and defense) determines the longevity of our nation. You must have money to be a sustainable and powerful force. Out of all of the issues I previously stated, you might notice one similar aspect of them all is the fact that they revolve around the fluctuation of money and economics. Money rules our lives, country, and world, so would we not want to protect it? Every bit of money in our country is precious, especially tax dollars that are snatched right out of our pockets. If the government is taking money directly from our paychecks, surely we would want to make sure they are spending it wisely on necessary things, right? In the case of a government shutdown, the exact opposite happens. Our tax dollars are wasted. Our nation is negatively affected by government shutdowns through the effect of lost money, the effect of lost labor, and the effect of decreasing GDP.

You may not believe this topic affects you individually as a small fish in a giant pond, but let me assure you that it does. Like I previously stated, the money that the government is wasting is your money, the money that you earn. This valuable money could be spent on something important, like fixing potholes or providing defense for our country. Instead, this money is being thrown down the drain due to the uncompromising nature of the politicians we elect. It is obvious that shutdowns affect the individual as well as the country, but what can a citizen do to stop this from occurring. The simple way to do this is to hold the people you elect accountable. If they are causing this shutdown, call their office, visit their office, leave them a voicemail, or write them a letter. Any of these methods of communication open the eyes of politicians and make them realize that they will ultimately lose votes if they do not do what their constituents tell them to do. Another way to help prevent shutdowns from occurring is to simply register to vote and put that vote to good use. Vote for the politicians you trust, those that believe will serve our country best and take action in whatever improves the financial and social well-being of our nation.