merelygifted:

Christine, I am angry. The U.S. Senate just failed to end the Trump shutdown, making it the longest in U.S. history. Meanwhile, over 800,000 federal workers are not getting paid—and millions of people who rely on services every day are suffering.

The Trump shutdown has lasted over a month, making it the longest federal government shutdown in history—all because Trump insists on taking the government hostage over a racist, expensive, and ineffective wall.

This is just the latest incarnation of a long-term problem. Remember when New Gingrich and Republicans shutdown the government in 1995 and 1996? Remember when the Tea Party and Ted Cruz did it in 2013? Unless the Republican party changes—and don’t count on that—we can expect more shutdowns in the future.

It wasn’t always this way. Until 1980, the federal government was funded at its current levels (the default position) in the event that congress couldn’t pass budgets on time. This provided stability for the millions of government employees and contractors, like those whose livelihoods are currently in jeopardy.

U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) has proposed legislation that would end government shutdowns forever by taking us back to the way things were before 1980.

The Stop Stupidity Act would automatically renew the previous year’s funding, ensuring the government will remain open if legislators cannot agree on a budget. However, the salaries of members of Congress (or the President) would not continue to be paid, so they would still have incentives to pass a new budget.

We cannot let federal government workers—and the services they provide—become hostage to politically partisan battles time and time again. Enough is enough.

Sign the petition: No more government shutdowns—EVER. Support the Stop Stupidity (Shutdowns Transferring Unnecessary Pain and Inflicting Damage in the coming Years) Act.

Sign if you agree: No more government shutdowns—EVER. Here’s how we get there.