Rapid Response: How do you end a shutdown?

4:30 PM, Oct. 4, 2013  |  Comments
A furloughed federal employee protests the government shutdown on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
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Question: What would you see as an acceptable end to the federal shutdown? And do you believe that's possible?

? The only acceptable solution is for the citizenry to insist on a balanced federal budget. It isn't likely because everyone is too accustomed to living above our means, sending the bills to our children.

Jon Held


? Congressional Republicans have taken the extreme, historically unprecedented step of trying to essentially nullify a law - Affordable Care Act - passed by popularly elected leaders and upheld by the Supreme Court. Why? The shutdown is costing us $200 million a day, and the law is still going into effect.

Frank Arnold


? Stop paying the representatives and senators in Washington, D.C. That will get things going again.

Daniel O'Connor


? The end should come shortly. It's just a practice run for the upcoming Great Default.

Kurt Fiech


? How has the federal government been "open" without a budget for five years?

Nate Pfeiffer

Wabash Township

? Congress compromised, now the president should put the so-called Affordable Care Act on hold for a year. Then some of the problems may be solved. It is shameful that he chooses to ostentatiously deny World War II vets access to their open-air monument and closes the self-funded Colonial museum in Virginia. Possible?

Claire Brigham

West Lafayette

? If the radical extreme of the GOP (yes, they are) would smarten up and realize the damage they are doing to the economy of this country before it's too late, we could get a "clean" continuing resolution and end the shutdown. However, I fear for our country right now.

Gale Charlotte

West Lafayette

? A one-year delay on the implementation of Obamacare, and no debt-ceiling increase. Not gonna happen, though.

Scott J. Brunton


? Republicans, quit using blackmail to try to win a fight they already lost. Offer bills that have a prayer of bipartisan support rather than one empty gesture after another. Pass single-payer universal health care.

Brian Primeau


? It would be nice if the leaders of both houses sat down like grownups and compromised on Obamacare and work on a plan to keep the government running. However, this is not likely, as they both blame the other rather than work on a solution.

Jon Sexson


? It's sad we can't ignore Congress. Heard that works with tantrums. However this ends, let's make it clear that being in Congress is an adults-only job. Or maybe we need young people in there. They have longer futures. Here's a mess, kids. Clean-up on Aisle You.

Rick Mummey


? President Obama and the Senate Democrats need to compromise and accept at least the one-year delay of the individual mandate.

Rob Keeney


? The House passing the budget without conditions. It is possible. As more people access insurance on the exchanges (single parents whose employers don't offer insurance and those with pre-existing conditions who couldn't afford former surcharges), delaying Affordable Care Act implementation becomes elitist at best and damaging to the economy at worse.

Mark Eutsler


? Obama grants a year optional delay. Let those who want it sign up. Those who don't want it have another year.

Jack Lahrman

Sheffield Township

? I would like to see spending realistically cut $600 billion per year and Obamacare defunded. The last 50 years proves it will not happen. Common sense has become extinct. Absolute foolishness prevails most of the time.

Mike Webster


? Only allow constitutional spending. Sadly, we are so far beyond that it will take years to reduce back down to it.

John Pickerill


? Somebody should tell the recalcitrant wing of the Genuinely Old (and white) Party how long the train's been gone, and they should quit whistlin' Dixie.

Ed Posey

West Lafayette

? I see an acceptable end if Obama got down on his knees crying like a little girl and say, "I'm so sorry Congress. Whatever you want for the umpteenth time. What's 'your' plan? Oh? That's fine with me and the American people. You always have the best ideas, and I'm so sorry I hurt your feelings."

Cliff Davenport


? Republicans, including our own t(errorist) party Congressman Todd Rokita need to get back to their constitutional duties and get over the fact they came up short in the last presidential election. Of course, it's possible - they have no choice.

Gordon Clark

West Lafayette

? A budget. Hopefully, a balanced budget. Ideally, a balanced budget and postponing Obamacare for one year. And a pizza. Barbecue chicken.

Jim Kalish


? To paraphrase Golda Meir: When Republicans love the United States more than they hate President Obama.

Furman A. Powell


? No changes to the Affordable Care Act. Funding for one year for the government and all veterans programs. No more games. Get to work fixing the mess. No, none of this will happen - only in Neverland. Signed, Peter Pan.

Ray Faber


? The Republicans need to end the shutdown and get back to working out the issue on the floor of Congress vs. the shutdown it has triggered. The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, and if the president gives in on this ransom demand, future actions of this sort will be routine. Is that how we want to govern?

Robert "Bud" Wang


? An acceptable end is a six-month continuing resolution, clear of political posturing and extortion. I'd rather see a bipartisan budget passed into law, but the extreme faction in the House has rejected every one so far. Possible? Certainly. The GOP leadership has only to remember what its job is.

Noemi Ybarra


? A one time national vote on Obamacare with only those having photo ID's allowed to vote. Possible? The king would never want to know the results. Not sure we can even make it to 2016 now.

Keith Schuman


? The House should send the budget to the Senate with only one addition - that both houses of Congress and the president have no exemption from any law they pass, including the Affordable Care Act. We should then be reminded of anyone voting against it at the next several elections.

Dan Sommers

West Lafayette

? I would appreciate both sides sit down at a table and agree on an end to the federal shutdown. What I am seeing happening is fifth-grade fighting, not leaders of our United States.

Shelby Branstetter


? I would find raising the debt ceiling and delaying the implementation of the Obamacare for one year acceptable. No one can agree what is in the law or what the premiums are going to be. Put egos aside; wait and get it right.

Terry Smith


? Acceptable would be for the tea partiers to grow up, do their job and get the government going again. They don't like the Affordable Care Act? Fine. Show some leadership and work on laws that will improve it or be better and replace it. Stop whining.

Mike Dudgeon


? I would like to see our representatives and senators sit down at the table and magically become statesmen. I would like to see them think of the welfare of our country instead of the party line. I don't pretend know what the answers are, but, by golly, they should. I don't like seeing my representative on TV pointing his blame finger at the other side. That is not what we are paying them to do. Work it out!

Chloe Harshman


? 1. Acceptable to me: Forego your daily pay, like 800,000 other federal employees, until you pass a budget. 2. Then resign. Congress is an embarrassment to America.

Don Wood

West Lafayette

? The right wing of the Republican party has bet the farm that the Affordable Care Act will fail and in the meantime will create another calamity to try their best to ensure that. As long as there is this mindset and the hatred of this president for whatever reason, I can't see a solution for something created by demagogues willing to limit cancer research for children and then make an issue when the park service tries to do it's job.

Bill Cochran


? A clean bill should be passed. It might be possible if the adults take over.

Mary Finnegan


? Fairness is, Congress loses their personal Obamacare subsidies, next allow individual Americans the same one-year waver as the crony corporations are getting, then pass the continuing resolution with the stipulation that the Democratic-controlled Senate must pass a budget this year, thus eliminating future continuing resolutions.

Edward Priest

Battle Ground

? An acceptable solution could result if elected congressional officials would act like sensible adults and show respect for others' views. The American people deserve better than we're getting from a Congress that is performing like spoiled children. I sense more and more Americans are reluctantly concluding: "A plague on both your houses." I find that sad.

Jim Hanks

West Lafayette

? Obama cannot try to take back what he gave in earlier concessions. Spending is way out of control, and Obama's Democrats and some greedy Republicans have got to stop it. Conscientious Republicans must stand firm. Stop spending and quit trying to blame those who are showing responsibility.

Tom Haynie


? Can I burn your house down?


Can I just burn your second floor down?


How about your garage?


You're not negotiating!

Jason Dufair

West Lafayette



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