A Charade of a Shutdown

Closing the Government Was Impossible. Let’s Stop Pretending Otherwise.

On a flight out to California earlier this month, the two men seated next to me shared a chuckle about the government “shutdown,” then in its second week.

“It’s like the tree going down in the proverbial forest,” said Mr. Middle Seat. “If you weren’t told about it, you’d never notice.”

“Exactly,” nodded Mr. Window. “Just goes to show we’re better off without the whole darned thing,” he said.

Better off without what, Mr. Window? The government? Or this charade of a shutdown?

Shame on me for putting on my headphones to drown out …