As Harriton girls and boys were digging out their patriotic Made in America apparel for USA day, the actual American government was putting a “shutdown” into effect. Ironic, isn’t it? Harriton teenagers wore their red, white and blue with pride while the government was closing all “non-essential” programs such as national parks, the Environmental Protection Agency and the live panda cam at the Smithsonian.

In 1982, the government shutdown in the United States shut down because of a disagreement on funding for the Nicaraguan Contras, however this only lasted for one day. However, there was also a government shutdown in 1955-6 that lasted over 21 days. How long will the government shutdown of 2013 last? Probably longer than Harriton’s own USA day.

Congress and the House of Representatives’ inability to agree on appropriation bills, which will fund federal agencies, prompted this shutdown. As of right now, Congress cannot agree on proper fund distributions since many conservatives do not support federal funding to the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as ‘Obamacare’. In order to end this government shutdown, Congress will have to pass a bill to fund the government, but there is no major pressure to do this quickly. Congress can wait for as long as they please, while still being paid, until their constituents push them to action.

It is unknown how long we will be experiencing these shutdown effects. As a patriotic high school student, the government shutdown will probably not affect your daily life, but there are some major changes that the American people will experience. During a shutdown, museums and national parks close, which decreases tourism revenue in the US, causing tourist industries and airlines to loose millions of dollars. In addition, many government processes will act much slower. If you are interested, get a passport quickly, as this activity is being funded on limited money that could run out soon. And, forget trying to get your new drug approved right now.

Hopefully no Harriton students are trying to get drugs approved but if you and your family are planning a trip to the Grand Canyon, it is a good time to reconsider. All forms of social media sights and classroom discussions are showing various opinions about the government shutdown. Senior, Greg Costa, said, “It’s ironic that our school celebrates its country on the day that the United States government hinders the economic progress of the people.” Sophmore, Peyton Miller, mentioned “Harriton showed more USA spirit today than congress did, and that’s saying a lot.” Eileen Wickline, a senior, remarked “It’s funny, but I mean, hey, we can use a little country pride on a day like this #murica.” The fact that Harriton students are showing their patriotism today of all days may be ironic, but it is also fitting. A government shutdown does not mean that all government employees go home and all US citizens are upset, but instead increases the pressure for Congress to work together and come to a decision about funding for the Affordable Care Act and other important government agencies.