Part 10/12:
Senator Rand Paul raised a philosophical point, questioning the true necessity of some government functions during shutdowns, asking, "If a government employee shutdown happens and no one notices, were they truly essential?" This rhetorical question underscores criticisms of the expansive reach of government programs, many of which are viewed by Conservatives as non-essential.
Meanwhile, critics accuse Democrats of leveraging the shutdown to push for stimulus spending on initiatives like benefits for illegal aliens, rural hospital grants, and foreign aid, rather than focusing on urgent economic priorities like inflation, jobs, and government reform.