Overblown Fears over a Government Shutdown

The possibility for a government shutdown should policymakers fail to reach an agreement on spending is the topic du jour in Washington.  But really, calling a temporary inability to fund certain government functions a “shutdown” is a serious exaggeration. Argues Cato scholar Tad DeHaven, “Mandatory spending on entitlement programs is relatively unaffected. Moreover, exceptions are made for activities and personnel that are considered “essential” to protecting life and property. …In short, a government shutdown isn’t really a shutdown and it isn’t the big deal that politicians, pundits, and the media tend to make of it.”

• “Overblown Fears over a Government Shutdown,” Podcast with Chris Edwards
• “The House’s Budget Gambit Could Be Costly Politically,” by Tad DeHaven
• “Winning the Government-Shutdown Fight,” by Daniel J. Mitchell (from the 2011 shutdown fight)

http://www.cato.org/multimedia/daily-podcast/overblown-fears-over-government-shutdown