Government Shutdown

       The government shutdown has been the highlight of the news media in recent weeks. The event has cast a shadow on the Affordable Care Act discussions, as well as the uncertainty in Syria and Egypt. Beyond the financial impact of Americans, it has resulted in a major distraction from issues that need to still be spotlighted and actively debated and resolved. So, how informative and accurate has the media been in disclosing stories about the shutdown? It appears that there are some articles and programs that give readers or views are well rounded perspective. To understand fully the cause and impact of a government shutdown, there has to be some back history researched. Many major networks have given little emphasis to the fact that this is the 17 time that congress has let the federal budget lapse. An Atlanta Journal Constitution article mentions, “It’s become a routine practice for both parties to try to force the president’s hand when it comes to the budget — leading to five shutdowns during the Jimmy Carter’s administration and eight under Ronald Reagan’s watch,” (Hagedorn, 2013). However, the media has emphasized how it will affect the general public repeatedly. The media has little attention for how it can be resolved, or why it is occurring in the first place. But, a constant display of how it can impact you financially is the concern being broadcast, and not always accurately. CNN released an article, “10 Ways a Government Shutdown will Affect Your Daily Life”, which list the number one impact being a negative reaction in the American psyche.
 Yet event this has occurred numerous times in the past several decades; it has just been over 17 years since we last had one. Is the shutdown an event that the media should be covering, absolutely! Perhaps it should be covered accurately, and there should be a discussion more about why it is happening and what can resolve the issue, rather the emphasis on how it will impact individuals. Although how it impacts all of us is important, it is also important to understand why it is happening now.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/23/politics/government-shutdown-daily-life/index.html

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/national/government-shutdown-history-lesson/nbCWq/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/30/absolutely-everything-you-need-to-know-about-how-the-government-shutdown-will-work/