GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS. IT IS NOW SAFE TO TURN OFF YOUR UNITED STATES.

We are currently experiencing the worst economic crisis since the great depression, but it's okay because the invisible hand of the free market is going to gently caress us while our New Empire accelerates its decline.

Apparently we have reached the part where Trump goes bankrupt and then runs away.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU:

• If you work for the government, you can't go to work tomorrow, sorry. At least, if your role is considered nonessential.
• You can't go to any national parks, sorry.
• You won't get paid if you are in the military.
• if you are not a US citizen, you can giggle and laugh at us incompetent Empire Citizens and our clown Emperor.
• If you are a US citizen, prepare to watch our economy take a massive blow.

Comments

[Pen Dragon]

Seriously?

[Alsvid]

4777939

Seriously.

http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/20/politics/what-next-government-shutdown/index.html

[Pen Dragon]

4777940
(We are doomed) *Thinking to myself* Eh, I'm sure we'll be fine :P

[Killer Rose]

We’ll be fine

[BatwingCandlewaxxe]

4777941
4778049
media.giphy.com/media/z9AUvhAEiXOqA/giphy.gif

[Zodiacspear]

Meh, it happened four years ago and they got it back up in short order, won’t be any different this time.

[RoyalBardofCanterlot]

See, this is why you need a parliament. Dividing your country between two warring factions just isn't efficient.

[Latrans]

I wonder what it says that this happens so often it's become routine...

4801465
The two party system in the US is a direct result of the 'winner take all' format of our elections. It is also near impossible for a third party to break into anything beyond local and state due to the legislative entrenchment. If you aren't publicly endorsed by one of the two major factions, you're going nowhere. It also does NOT help that a LOT of money is spent getting 'preferred' people into the candidacy. As a rough idea of just how that works...

Big Money: I have lots of money. If Easily Manipulated Person were to be supported by your party I would feel good about donating it to your cause.

Political party: I like having money. I actively exist to collect money so I can spend it making everybody think I'm awesome. I will push Easily Manipulated Person to the front of the line.

Big Money: This is obviously not bribery because I spent a lot of time and money convincing legislators to pass laws saying so.

I strongly suspect a variant of this happened four years ago...

Big Money: I want the other political party to win. If Objectively Horrible Person were to be supported by your party, thus increasing your chance of losing, I would feel good about donating to your cause.

This is, sadly, why people like Bernie Sanders will never be elected president regardless of their party affiliation. There is so much internal pressure within the political party to keep them down because they are not friendly to Big Money. Even if the general population likes them, they will be intentionally held back and/or sabotaged.