http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_jHpLKxpcw&feature=youtu.be
Debate from Bellevue Video Yearbook on Youtube.
Video by Rae Rangel, Tessa Perez and Hailey Stolze
It is day nine of the government shutdown and though some civilian employees are back to work, Americans continue to be affected.
Senior Lilly Harkin’s mother, Angel DeGrace, an IT Technician for the United States Marine Corps at StratCom, was out of work on furlough. Though the shutdown directly affected her family, Harkin understands why it happened.
“I do understand why they have to do this but it does affect a lot of people,” Harkin said. “Parents being furloughed causes a lot of problems, especially in a military town like this one. There are people who [weren’t] being paid for any work and that causes lots of problems if [they] have to pay the bills.”
DeGrace, however, doesn’t support the shutdown.
“There are other changes they could make without holding our government hostage,” DeGrace said.
Senior Ryan Osgood works for the Commissary on Offutt Air Force Base. Until the shutdown is over, he is unable to work.
“I can no longer work so now the money I’ve saved up, instead of spending it on something I want, I have to save it for insurance, gas, [and] bills instead of actually having an income,” Osgood said.
Despite the economic effects, some republicans support The House’s decision to shut down. They argue The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) is unpopular among Americans, such as math teacher Dave Butler.
“I think that a lot of the American public don’t want The Affordable Care Act and there has to be somebody that says ‘wait, I don’t want it and I think we need to stop,’” Butler said.
According to Forbes’ article, “New Poll: Only One-Third Of Americans Support Repealing, Defunding Or Delaying Obamacare,” only 7% of voters felt “Congress should delay and defund the law.” However, only 26% feel “Congress should let the law take effect.”
The shutdown is expected to end at least before the debt ceiling is reached on Oct. 17, according to William Galston in The Guardian’s article “US government shutdown: our experts predict how it ends.” Until it does, the shutdown and The Affordable Care Act will continue to affect America.
Story by Hailey Stolze, Editor in Chief
