Brenda Miller, a broadcast journalism major, likes to remind her friends that the Republican party is only one half of the legislative brand of government, but "they still managed to buckle the Democrats to their knees," with limited leverage during heated federal budget negotiations Friday night.
Miller welcomed nearly ten students into her room, during a time when other students are often out dancing at the club. She hosted a "Countdown to Shutdown" viewing party in the last hours of Friday night. In her room, a platter of mixed vegetables and chips sat next to a stack of political articles about the government shutdown.
The viewing party started at 10 p.m. in the East Towers and came to an end at midnight.
Miller hosted the event, which was advertised on FaceBook, to help inform students of what was going on with the government, she said.
"I didn't know if more than five people can gather in one dorm room," Miller said. "And I didn't want to get in trouble."
Leading up to the possible shutdown, partisan quarrels topped media headlines for weeks, which threatened to disrupt federal fiscal operations for the next six months. Republicans and Democrats had until the midnight of April 8 to present a federal budget for this upcoming fiscal year or the government would shut down. Minutes before their deadline issues surrounding the shutdown were resolved.
If the government was to shut down, as last seen in 1994, facilities, operations and payments deemed essential will continue, while others viewed as nonessential, would stop.
For instance, national parks and national museums would close, while the Post Office, and the D.C. Metrorail system will still be open.
Melvin Collier, who aspires to be a politician, attended the event in Miller's room and said it was a valuable opportunity for students who were concerned about the shutdown.
Collier is a political science senior that interns on Capitol Hill twenty hours a week. If the government were to shutdown, Collier "wouldn't have to go to work and wasn't allowed to do work while out of the office.
Like Collier, Brittney Rodgers, a political science junior, interns on Capitol Hill and was sent home early on Friday.
"I saw people grabbing their plants and everything," she told the crowd, as Miller went around her room asking the attendees to speak about their personal reactions of the looming government shutdown.
The good and bad consequences of a government shutdown led the night's heated discussion.
"I just want students to have a healthy conversation about what's going on in today's politics, no matter what party they are associated with," Miller said.
A portion of the federal budget finances thousands of college students and cuts to the education sector hit students where it hurts the most—their wallets.
"I pay for my education. So I am scared to see what next year has to offer," Rodgers said.
A scary night turned into a political celebration, as students cheered and "exhaled," Miller said.
The Speaker of the House, John Boehner and President Barack Obama announced that they have averted a government shutdown, just moments to spare Friday evening, under a tentative bill that would cut nearly $40 billion from federal spending.
The White House, this week, will present a long-term deficit reduction plan and to decide whether to raise the debt ceiling Thursday and Friday. The decision to raise the debt limit is scheduled to be issued by mid-May.
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