Blame the shutdown on citizens who prefer politicians to vanquish their opponents rather than to work for the common good
The recent government shutdown in the United States has become the longest in history, lasting over 40 days and significantly impacting citizens across the nation. While many point fingers at politicians for this extended disruption, the underlying issue may be more complex, involving the behavior and expectations of the electorate. As political polarization has intensified, Americans have increasingly prioritized partisan loyalty and spectacle over competent governance. This shift has fostered an environment where obstructionism is rewarded, and cooperation is viewed as weakness. The current shutdown exemplifies this trend, as both major parties have engaged in blame games rather than seeking meaningful compromise, leaving over a million government employees unpaid and essential services disrupted.
The article emphasizes two types of polarization that contribute to this dysfunction: political polarization, which highlights the divide between the two major parties, and belief polarization, which occurs within party lines, leading to more extreme views and less tolerance for dissent. As citizens become more entrenched in their beliefs, they grow increasingly antagonistic toward opposing views, creating a cycle of animosity that permeates everyday life. This social segregation has transformed political engagement into a lifestyle choice rather than a policy-driven dialogue, with politicians capitalizing on this animosity to galvanize support. Consequently, the focus has shifted from serving the common good to winning elections by stoking fear and indignation, further entrenching the divide and perpetuating government dysfunction.
As the shutdown nears a potential resolution, the article warns that merely postponing policy debates could lead to future shutdowns if the electorate continues to prioritize partisan dominance over effective governance. It calls for a shift in citizen expectations, urging Americans to demand competent leadership that transcends party lines. Only by fostering a political culture that values collaboration and compromise can the cycle of shutdowns and government dysfunction be broken, ultimately restoring the fundamental purpose of government to serve its people.
Who is really responsible for the longest government shutdown in history?
iStock/Getty Images Plus
The United States was founded on the idea that government exists to serve its people. To do this, government must deliver services that promote the common good. When the government shuts down, it fails to meet its fundamental purpose.
While government shutdowns are not new in the U.S., most have lasted
less than a week
. At 40 days, the current shutdown may
well be on the way to an end this week
, as enough Senate Democratic caucus members have voted with Republicans on a measure to reopen the government. But it will remain the
longest in the history of the nation
.
When the government shuts down for such a long time, it inflicts
hardships, anxieties and irritations
on its citizens. You might wonder why elected officials allow lengthy disruptions to happen.
It is common to
blame the politicians
for the shutdown. However,
as a philosopher who researches democracy
, I think the fault lies also with us, the citizens. In a democracy, we generally get the politics we ask for, and the electorate has developed a taste for political spectacle over competent leadership.
American democracy has grown
increasingly tribal
, leading us to become more invested in
punishing our partisan rivals
than in demanding competent government. We are infatuated with the spectacle of
our side dominating the other
.
Understandably, politicians have embraced obstruction. They have learned that deadlock can pay, because they have the support of their voters in behaving this way. Politics is no longer about representation and policy, it’s now about vanquishing and even humiliating the other side.
U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan speaks at a press conference with other Senate Democratic caucus members who voted to restore government funding, in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 9, 2025.
Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images
More fervent, not better informed
To see this, we must examine polarization. Let’s start by distinguishing
two kinds of polarization
.
First is political polarization. It measures the divide between the U.S.’s two major parties. When political polarization is severe, the common ground among the parties falls away. This naturally undermines cooperation. That
Republicans and Democrats are politically polarized
is certainly part of the explanation for the shutdown.
But that’s not the entire story. As I argue in my book “
Civic Solitude
,” the deeper trouble has to do with
belief polarization
.
Unlike political polarization, which measures the distance between opposing groups, belief polarization occurs within a single group. In belief polarization, like-minded people transform into more extreme version of themselves: Liberals become more liberal, conservatives become more conservative, Second Amendment advocates become more pro-gun, environmentalists become more green, and so on.
Importantly, this shift is driven by the desire to
fit in with one’s peers
, not by evidence or reason. Hence, we become more fervent but no better informed.
Additionally, our more extreme selves are also more tribal and conformist. As we shift, we become more antagonistic toward outsiders. We also become more insistent on uniformity within our group, less tolerant of differences.
Animosity and obstruction
The combination of intensifying antagonism toward those on the “other side” and escalating cohesion among those on “your side” turns all aspects of life into politics.
In the U.S. today,
liberals and conservatives are heavily socially segregated
. They live in different neighborhoods, work in different professions, vacation in different locations, drive different vehicles and shop in different stores. Everyday behavior has become an
extension of partisan affiliation
.
Ironically, as everyday life becomes politically saturated, politics itself becomes
more about lifestyle
and
less about policy
.
Research
suggests
that while
animosity across the parties
has intensified significantly, citizens’ disagreements over policy have either
remained stable or eased
. We dislike one another more intensely yet are not more divided.
This paints a grim portrait of U.S. democracy. Note that this condition incentivizes politicians to
amplify their contempt
for political rivals. Politicians seek to win elections, and stoking negative feelings such as fear and indignation are
potent triggers of political behavior
, including voting.
Consequently, when citizens are belief-polarized, animosity and obstruction become winning electoral strategies. Meanwhile, politicians are released from the task of serving the common good.
U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks during a news conference with House Republican leadership at the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 6, 2025.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Channeling contempt
It is no surprise that discussions of the shutdown have consistently focused on blame.
The Republicans, who hold the congressional majority, have sought to score points by
depicting the shutdown as the Democrats’ fault
. Several
official
websites
maintained
by the
federal government
included
statements
denouncing
the
shutdown
as
strictly
the
doing of the Democrats
. Their aim has been to channel citizens’ frustration into contempt for the Democratic Party.
At the beginning of the shutdown, House Speaker Mike Johnson claimed that there was “
literally nothing to negotiate
” with congressional Democrats.
But there’s the rub. Democratic government is fundamentally a matter of negotiation. Neither winning an election nor being a member of the majority party means that you can simply call the shots. The constitutional procedures by which our representatives govern are designed to force cooperation, collaboration and compromise.
Thanks to polarization, however, these noble ideals of political give-and-take have dissolved. Cooperation is now seen as
surrender to political enemies
. That’s very clear in many
Democrats’ outraged reactions
to the eight senators from their caucus who
have now voted with Republicans to end the shutdown
.
Meanwhile, more than 1 million
government employees haven’t been paid
, many
crucial government services
have been interrupted, diminished or suspended, and, with the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, travelers are experiencing
flight disruptions
. While there may be
an end to the shutdown
on the near horizon, any deal could simply postpone crucial policy debates and could well end in another shutdown in the new year.
The key to avoiding this kind of failure is to become a citizenry that demands competent government over partisan domination.
Robert B. Talisse does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
