The Prolonged Government Shutdown: A Historical Context of Presidential Power

The current government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, is a manifestation of President's Donald Trump's exercise of unprecedented command over the federal government. This shutdown, which began in December, has sparked a David-and-Goliath struggle between Trump and the Democratic Party, with both sides employing tactics that have redefined the funding fight and potentially reshaped the federal budget.

Key Takeaways:

• The modern phenomenon of government shutdowns began in 1980 with a series of legal opinions from Attorney General Griffin Bell, who argued that the law restricting government spending after authority from Congress expires is based on the Antideficiency Act of 1870.
• The Trump administration has introduced a distinctly political edge to the funding fight, using the shutdown to reconfigure the federal budget for the president's priorities and exert unprecedented control over the government.
• Democrats have been emboldened by the Trump administration's tactics, voting repeatedly against a Republican-backed bill to reopen the government, and arguing that voters will ultimately hold Republicans accountable for the pain of the shutdown.
• The current shutdown is the longest in U.S. history, with federal employees, including lawmakers' own staff, having gone almost an entire month without full paychecks.
• The Trump administration has tapped research and development funds to pay active-duty service members, and has introduced a plan to initiate layoffs for more than 4,000 federal employees who work in areas perceived to be Democratic priorities.
• Democrats are fighting not only to reopen the government but also to halt Trump's expansion of presidential power and protect affordable healthcare plans offered under the Affordable Care Act marketplaces.

Statistics:

• The current government shutdown is the longest in U.S. history, with federal employees having gone almost an entire month without full paychecks.
• More than 4,000 federal employees are facing layoffs as a result of the shutdown
• The Trump administration has tapped research and development funds to pay active-duty service members.
• The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps about 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries, was paused on November 1.
• Air travel delays threaten to grow worse amid the shutdown, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warning of potential delays and cancellations.

Sources:

• Griffin Bell, Attorney General, and his legal opinions in 1980 (as cited in the article)
• Washington Post, "The long history of shutdowns" (no date provided in the article)
• Charles Tiefer, former acting general counsel for the House and a professor emeritus at the University of Baltimore School of Law, as quoted in the article
• AP News, "Government Shutdown: Timeline of Key Events" (no date provided in the article)
• The Associated Press, "Government Shutdown: What's at Stake" (no date provided in the article)