US Government Shuts Down First Time in 17 Years

The US Government has begun shutdown of government agencies for the first time in 17 years after the Republican-led House of Representatives declined to approve a budget for next year despite President Barack Obama’s last-minute appeal.

The shutdown will affect over 800,000 government workers in the US and leave them with no pay till the deadlock is over. In addition, there will be no guarantee that they will receive the back pay at a later stage. The unemployment rate in the US will go up drastically due to this shutdown. The hospitals, parks and museums will close down.

Although the essential service and security will remain untouched, other government services will be badly affected, resulting in unprecedented hassles for the people. Obama has already signed a measure to ensure that troops get paid in the event of a shutdown. Obama’s ambitious healthcare program did not find the favor of Republicans.

The new online government health insurance coverage is aimed at providing healthcare services to millions of uninsured Americans. However, the Republican have rejected it, saying it would cause premiums to rise and prevent companies from hiring new workers.