Congress avoided a government shutdown with a last-minute deal. Another crisis “averted.” Another reminder that governing has become permanent brinkmanship.
The breakdown:
- Debt ceiling games: Both parties know default would devastate the economy. Yet it’s still used as a hostage.
- Budget cliffs: Deadlines become weapons, not planning tools. Governing by panic, not policy.
- Trust deficit: Citizens see the chaos and conclude the system is broken. They’re not wrong.
Avoiding shutdown isn’t success. It’s survival. A government that survives by cliffhanger isn’t strong. It’s brittle.