On Oct. 1, the United States government shut down as a result of partisan disagreements over government spending. As federal workers prepare for missed paychecks and politicians throw blame back and forth online, most Americans just scroll past the headlines. 

It’s not that people don’t care—in fact, according to an AP-NORC poll, 54% of U.S. adults call the shutdown a “major issue.” The real problem is we’ve learned not to expect much from the federal government anymore, with political chaos fading into the background of American society. According to a poll conducted by Partnership for Public Service, only 33% of Americans trust the government. This is an incredibly alarming statistic, and while some pushback has occurred—including the No Kings Day protests on Oct. 18—further action is required to bring about change. 

As someone who tries to stay informed about politics, I even find myself scrolling right past the posts discussing the government shutdown. I see the articles detailing the harmful rhetoric utilized by politicians to pass the blame to the other political party, and all I do is sigh. Dysfunction within the federal government is nothing new; however, resigning to the dysfunctionality is a serious problem.

If we allow month-long government shutdowns—which cause significant problems for federal workers who are losing pay and the many others who rely on government programs, including SNAP benefits—to become the norm, political issues will only become greater in the United States. 

When people turn their backs to politics, it opens the door for partisanship and short-term wins to replace real problem-solving. While one group or another may finally get what they want at the end of the shutdown, this halting of government action has serious repercussions for Americans, chipping away at people’s trust in the system meant to help us. Slowly, as people get more used to the dysfunctional system they are governed by, they believe it will only get worse, and this is just how things go. 

However, that belief is exactly what keeps the system broken. When people are not keeping their leaders in check, democracy—a system based upon that ideal—fails. While cynicism might seem easier than caring during dark times, that is exactly what allows dysfunction to take charge. 

While politicians stand on their pedestals and point fingers at each other, the issue at hand is not which party is to blame for the shut down. It’s that so few of us are surprised. The greatest danger to our democracy isn’t just that our government keeps breaking down—it’s that we’ve gotten so used to watching it happen. 

Regardless of which political party you align with, it is important to keep our leaders in check during times like these. While members of Congress are continuing to be paid during the shutdown under protections in Article I, Section 6 of the Constitution, millions of Americans are losing out on pay and other government benefits as the shutdown continues. If we want a government that actually works for us, we cannot afford to tune it out. We must hold our leaders accountable before dysfunction is all we know. 

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Mady Kiser at [email protected].