A crisis of compromise: Veteran budget expert warns this shutdown could reshape how Americans trust their government
A government on pause and a democracy under strain
For G. William Hoagland, senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center and a veteran of more than three decades on Capitol Hill, this shutdown is unlike any he's seen before.
"This is a long shutdown compared to previous ones," Hoagland told CBS Atlanta. "What's different about this shutdown is that the administration has found ways to reprogram funds to keep certain programs running — often the ones it supports politically."
Hoagland, who has helped negotiate major spending bills under both Republican and Democratic leadership, says this shutdown — now stretching beyond a month — affects every federal agency, a rarity even in modern Washington gridlock.
"In the past, you'd have a few agencies spared," he said, referencing the partial shutdowns of the Clinton and Trump years. "This time, everything's frozen. And that's what makes it so disruptive."
What's really at stake: economic slowdown and public trust
While headlines focus on unpaid workers and closed parks, Hoagland warns that the less visible costs may be even greater.
"The Congressional Budget Office just projected a one-percent reduction in GDP growth this quarter," he said. "That's real money lost — and it trickles down to jobs, local economies, and state budgets."
He added that the damage to public confidence could linger far longer than the economic hit. "One of the most important things a democracy can do is simply keep operating," Hoagland said. "Every shutdown chips away at Americans' trust — and at the world's faith in our ability to govern ourselves."
Shutdowns have become political leverage
In Hoagland's view, this shutdown is both symptom and cause of America's deepening political polarization.
"The founders based our democracy on compromise," he said. "But we've become so polarized — right and left — that finding middle ground is almost impossible."
He notes that the fight over healthcare subsidies, known as premium tax credits, echoes previous shutdowns over Medicare and the Affordable Care Act. "Every major shutdown since the '90s has revolved around health care," he said. "Until we find a sustainable way to control costs, we'll keep ending up here."
The need for reform: Stop using shutdowns as a weapon
After decades in the Senate and now at the Bipartisan Policy Center, Hoagland has developed a few concrete ideas for reform.
At the top of his list: an automatic continuing resolution, which would keep the government funded at baseline levels whenever Congress misses a budget deadline.
"You shouldn't have to use a shutdown as leverage for political purposes," he said. "There's already bipartisan interest in this idea — even Senator Ron Johnson has floated similar proposals."
He also supports biannual budgeting, giving lawmakers two years instead of one to negotiate spending — and reducing the constant cycle of crisis. "Maybe it wouldn't fix everything," he said, "but it would slow down the chaos."