What would you have done?

More to the point: What will you do?

We know both Michigan U.S. senators, Democrats Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin, refused to split with their caucus to vote for a proposal to end what is now the longest U.S. government shutdown in our history, more than 40 days. Senate Democrats, most of them, anyway, voted against the agreement, as it did not include ongoing enhanced tax breaks for those who purchase health insurance via the Affordable Care Act.

The seven Democrats and one independent who voted to end the shutdown on a temporary basis argued that their constituents, as well as citizens across the nation, had suffered enough. Plus, the deal does require a separate specific vote in December on ACA (“Obamacare”) benefits, which changes the politics of the issue dramatically.

Unlike Munich in 1938, both Democratic decisions – to vote for or against the proposal – are defensible positions. So, if you had a seat in the U.S. Senate, how would you have voted? And now that our senators have voted, what will you do?

In pondering your response, remember that government shutdowns are a growing hazard in governing. And understand this shutdown added a dark new element to the debate.

Fights over what and which programs will be funded have existed throughout our history. But just plain “shutting down” the government has been employed as a political weapon just since the 1990s. 

A shutdown, frankly, is a misnomer. After all, the courts haven’t closed, our military and police forces are still operating, air traffic controllers (unpaid, of course) are still doing their best to keep the skies safe, masked-badgeless immigration agents are still snatching folks, the president still plants his butt behind the C&O desk (the Resolute Desk,

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