The US congress and the president determines whether there is a shut down or the government keeps running.

To do this, instead of budget, they do something called a continuing resolution or “CR” that will fund the government down the road by a few weeks, months, or days.

What Is A “CR?”

“A continuing resolution, or “CR”, is a temporary funding measure that Congress can use to fund the federal government for a limited amount of time.

Continuing resolutions are often employed to avoid a government shutdown and give lawmakers more time to enact the twelve appropriation bills that are necessary to fund the federal government for the full fiscal year.

What is the current funding situation for fiscal year 2019?

Currently, five of the twelve regular appropriation bills have been enacted for the full year; the rest of the federal government is operating under a CR.

On September 21, 2018, three of twelve appropriation bills for FY2019 were enacted — Energy/Water, Military Construction/Veterans Affairs, and Legislative Branch.

Two additional bills, for Defense and Labor/Health and Human Services/Education, were enacted on September 28.

The remaining seven bills were initially under a CR through December 7; that deadline has been extended through December 21. By that date, lawmakers will have to enact legislation covering the rest of the year or pass another CR to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Missing the October 1 deadline to enact all 12 appropriation bills is not unusual; in fact, that deadline has not been fully met since 1997.”

So far congress and the president have not done so and as a result we have a partial government shutdown.

Why No Budget?

What’s wrong with a yearly budget? Government expects us to live within our means shouldn’t the same hold true for them?

There is a very good reason that government doesn’t want a formal budget that they’re going to have to live with and follow.

Audits. — If there’s a yearly budget, each government agency must be audited and who wants us knowing how much money they’re spending and even worse how much they’re wasting. So piecemeal funding is the preferable way for our government to cover its tracks.

Some Final Thoughts

The childish behavior of both parties and the president is a glaring confirmation of how the needs of the parties vastly outweigh the needs of the people.

Putting people out of work to get your way is not what the American people had in mind when they stepped into the ballot box.

I’d suggest you write your congressman or woman or senator but as we all know that pretty much falls on deaf ears.

You’ll most likely get a nice form letter in the mail from a minimum wage staffer that they feel your pain but the will do nothing because you don’t have the right party affiliation.

Your only option is to sit back and watch this car wreck in slow motion as the playground antics continue.

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