In my opinion, the impending US government shutdown represents a ___ problem for our country.

👎 Very serious (48%) – "It's not that this year's shutdown is so damaging on its own; it's the fact that I can say "this year's shutdown." These shutdowns are growing more and more costly, damaging agencies' ability to plan for the future (including the DoD's ability to fund initiatives and operations that keep us ahead of the competition), diminishing public faith in governance, and hurting our reputation with the rest of the world."

• "It is concerning that a collective few are messing with the balance of living because their own agenda is thought to be more important. This mentality is divisive & selfish. They serve “the people” and are voted in to act accordingly."

"This is getting ridiculous our government is broken and can not agree on how to pay for itself. Meanwhile the people who refuse to learn how to compromising and make a realistic budget continue to be paid. While everyone else will lose out on a paycheck and many will be required to continue to work."

• "The current administration's spending is out of control and the gravity of pending shutdown after shutdown is a symptom of a much more serious problem. Of course it is a problem for the people facing furlough or the essential workers who will be asked to work without pay, but the deeper issue is that the White House keeps writing checks that it can't cash, sending our country deeper and deeper into debt. The only logical solution is to try and cut spending wherever possible from the budget."

📉 Somewhat serious (17%) – "Aside from the expectations of many people being forced to work without pay, the entire shutdown threat is a symptom of the tribalism and extremism that currently dominate our politics. Those are a greater threat to the country than anything else."

• "I am a federal employee, I've been through this before. If we don't get paid but have to come to work, then no one in Congress and the President's office should get paid."

📈 Not too serious (13%) – "Americas unsustainable debt crisis must be addressed and a shutdown may be the best way to magnify the need for fiscal restraint. Americas debt crisis needs to be brought to the fore of all political chatter and difficult decisions, that are not politically expedient, need to be made in short order. The drunken sailor spending spree to buy votes needs to end before the interest on the debt becomes unsustainable."

• "Sure. It is a problem. But, the bigger problem here is the amount of spending our federal government participates in. Someone needs to get a handle on the spending. When some "radical" republicans want to begin making changes, people get upset. I get that a deal is a deal & they shouldn't break the deal, but cuts absolutely have to be made!"

👍 Not at all serious (14%) – "Served 23+ years USAF - and most of the time - even in Korea- was told me and my team were not essential. Retired just before 9/11, eventually became Army civilian. Never considered essential. Furloughed a couple of times for shutdown. Always got some free vacation time and back pay when it was over. Just cut the crap and get back to work."

• "Spending not based on a zero base every year is absurd. There needs to be a mandatory reduction of actual spending and a significant cut in number of employees via attrition over the next 5-10 years!"

🤷 Unsure/other (8%) – "Same stuff as always. This happens once or twice a year anymore. The fact that they always solve it at the last minute makes it feel more like political theater than a real threat."