by Aidan Adams-Campeau

Last month, the Republican party shut down the government in an attempt to gain concessions regarding the Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law in 2010. In an attempt to gain leverage, the House Republicans refused to pass a continuing resolution on next year’s budget, a position which, if held, would lead to a government shutdown, a default on US debts, and likely financial calamity. The congressmen and congresswomen responsible for this destructive strategy need to be held responsible for their reckless behavior by being voted out of office. This extreme form of political posturing is immensely damaging to our country, and American voters need to send a clear message that they will not tolerate it.

Republicans enthusiastically subverted the democratic process to further a political cause, repealing Obamacare, even though they had already conceded on that issue years prior. Though Republicans are allowed to be remorseful over a law that they passed, it is unacceptable for these politicians to force the government to grind to a halt because of their displeasure. At best, this political move was a tantrum thrown by officials holding some of the most prestigious jobs in government. At worst, it was a calculated decision which placed the interests of a select few Tea Party Radicals above the interests of both the citizens of America and the democratic system.

In either case, all of those responsible for inciting this recent government shutdown have proven themselves unfit to possess so much power and responsibility. Even those who agree with these politicians ideologically need to reassess their support, as the House Republicans were completely unsuccessful and received absolutely no concessions as a result of their experiment in political brinksmanship. Instead, they embarrassed the United States on a global level by hijacking the government with a ransom demand of defunding Obamacare.

The House Republicans responsible for the shutdown have shown themselves to be inept as strategists, incapable as politicians, and dangerous as leaders. The government shutdown has hurt America’s international reputation immensely, making our government look disorganized and dysfunctional. One security insider commented that “shutdowns suggest to allies that the U.S. political system is less stable and reliable than it should be for a country on which they depend for their security.” The Republicans who caused this are national embarrassments. They need to be treated as such, and voted out of office at the next possible opportunity.

Sources: Washington Post, Time, National Journal