Government shutdown ends

President Trump signed a bill last night to reopen the federal government after a 43-day shutdown, the longest in United States history. Congressional Republicans promised to hold a vote in December on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, which prompted six Democrats to vote in support of a temporary funding bill. Yet the bill only funds the government through January 30, so lawmakers still have to settle their disagreements about next year’s budget. The fact that even the temporary bill increases America’s national debt beyond $38 trillion indicates that if and when a compromise is reached, it will not address the main issue with government spending: catastrophic debt.