US barrels toward another government shutdown showdown

President Biden and Vice President Harris met on Feb. 27, 2024, with congressional leaders to avert a shutdown. AP Photo/Evan Vucci 4 essential reads by Bryan Keogh, The Conversation President Joe Biden summoned congressional leaders to the White House on Feb. 27, 2024, in a bid to avoid a government shutdown. Democrats and Republicans remain far apart on funding the government, as a group of hard-right lawmakers demands spending cuts and conservative policies such as new restrictions on abortion access as part of any agreement. A short-term spending deal reached just a little over three months ago, which averted the last threatened shutdown, gave Congress two deadlines: March 1 and March 8, 2024, with different departments closing down if funding isn’t passed by each date. If following U.S. politics feels a little like “Groundhog Day,” you’re not alone. The Conversation has been covering the increasingly frequent shutdown close calls in recent years by asking experts in politics, economics and other fields to provide context and explain the consequences of a government shutdown. The following is a roundup of some of those articles from our archive. 1. A shutdown is the wrong way to negotiate a budget The small band of...