The Government Shutdown: Why Our System Fails on Purpose

American Angst

Boo! In this Halloween edition of American Angst, political philosopher Dr. Michael Bailey leads a brisk, illuminating tour of the current government shutdown and what it reveals about our constitutional machinery. Michael lays out why both parties share blame in different ways, but, more importantly, why the structure itself incentivizes brinkmanship over basic governance. He explains how the Senate filibuster concentrates leverage, why “who’s actually in charge?” is maddeningly opaque to voters, and how that erodes democratic accountability.

Moving beyond the headlines, Michael compares the U.S. system to parliamentary models that either compel compromise or trigger new elections—mechanisms that keep the lights on. He analyzes the human stakes (unpaid federal workers, SNAP risks, ACA premium credits) and unpacks why shutdowns persist: party primaries, committee gatekeeping, leadership dynamics, and the political rewards of dysfunction. The result is a clear, digestible framework for understanding not just this shutdown, but our recurring cycles of stalemate.

The views expressed on American Angst are solely those of the participants and do not represent any organization.