Who’s Really to Blame for the Shutdown?

 

This week marks yet another frustrating moment in our nation’s political history: the federal government has shut down because the leadership failed to do their job. It’s not the fault of faceless bureaucrats or distant forces. It’s the fault of the people at the top — and yes, that includes our President.

1. What’s happened
The U.S. government entered a shutdown on October 1, 2025 because Congress failed to pass necessary appropriation legislation and no continuing resolution was enacted. That means funding for large parts of the federal government stopped — agencies must halt non-essential operations, furlough many workers, and essential operations carry on under funding uncertainty.

2. Why this didn’t have to happen
Shutting down the government is not inevitable. It happens when those at the top choose escalation over compromise. The budget process is laid out: Congress drafts and passes appropriation bills (12 in total each year) or a stopgap continuing resolution. When leadership fails to ensure those bills or resolutions pass, it becomes political brinkmanship.

3. Who is in control — and why they must accept blame

·         Congress holds the “power of the purse” under Article I of the Constitution. It must pass funding legislation.

·         The President has a role: he or she signs bills into law or vetoes them; engages with negotiation; sets tone for executive branch.

·         Leadership in both branches must assume responsibility for system‐failure. Yet when the government shuts down, we too often hear blame placed elsewhere: “It’s the other side’s fault,” “They didn’t negotiate,” “They obstructed.” But leadership is not absolved by pointing fingers.

4. Why the President must ‘man up’
If you are the President, you are fundamentally responsible for the functioning of the executive branch —and by extension, for level-setting in budget and funding matters. The buck stops at the Oval Office in terms of posture, negotiation stance, and ultimately accountability.
When the government shuts down, the message to the American people is: “We couldn’t manage to keep things running.” The President’s refusal or inability to lead the effort, resolve conflict, compromise when needed, or force the process forward is a dereliction of duty.
Public‐opinion polls now reflect this: 58% of Americans blame the President (along with 58% blaming Congressional Republicans) for the current shutdown. If leadership is unwilling to accept that, we undermine accountability and strengthen the idea that “politics happens to us” rather than because of us.

5. The cost of inaction
This isn’t just politics. Shutdowns matter concretely:

·         They impose huge economic costs. According to Treasury/White House material, the U.S. economy could lose up to $15 billion per week this time.

·         Essential services are disrupted, federal workers furloughed or working without pay, programs delayed.

·         The message to citizens is that our government cannot deliver reliably — which degrades trust.

6. The narrative must change
When we treat shutdowns as inevitabilities or “just how Washington works,” we abdicate responsibility. The narrative needs to shift from “both sides standing firm” to “leaders failed and must answer for it.”
It’s not enough for the President to say “Well, Congress wouldn’t cooperate.” If you lead, you also push, you negotiate, you redirect, you compromise — and you own the failure if you don’t.

7. What should happen next

·         The President should publicly accept the failure, commit to a timeline for reopening the government, and direct executive agencies to prepare.

·         Congress must pass, and the President must sign, the needed appropriations or a temporary resolution — not play rescuers later.

·         Leadership must rebuild trust. That starts with admitting you screwed up, then showing action.

8. Final Word
Yes, politics is messy. Budget fights are contentious. But the job of leadership is to manage the mess, not let it blow up. When the government shuts down, the failure is not some mythical “other side” — it is the leadership who lets the process collapse. And the President, above all, is in the hot seat.
It’s time to stop deflecting and start owning up.