# Government shutdown

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-shutdown/670450>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 5, 2013, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-shutdown/670450 "2013-10-05T19:29:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dofe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ba0ec/32.png) [@dofe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dofe)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-shutdown/670450/1 "2013-10-05T19:29:42Z")

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Without changing the law or the Constitution, is there any method in which the government can avoid a shutdown in the future?

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-shutdown/670450/2 "2013-10-05T19:32:35Z")

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> [@dofe](#):
>
> Without changing the law or the Constitution, is there any method in which the government can avoid a shutdown in the future?

Grow up? I’m sorry, but if the law allows it, it will be done.

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**Author:** ![dofe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ba0ec/32.png) [@dofe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dofe)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-shutdown/670450/3 "2013-10-05T20:07:15Z")

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I understand that there is no legal way to prevent a shutdown other than by the will of the politicians. But I feel that the current state of events is as close to a constitutional crisis as I’ve seen in this country in my lifetime. My question is whether there is a procedural method to prevent one party from bringing such a large portion of the government to a halt.

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**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/government-shutdown/670450/4 "2013-10-05T20:37:15Z")

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Voting, primarily.

There is a parliamentary maneuver up the Democrats’ sleeve to try to force a vote on a bill that will end the shutdown, but that will take many days if it is successful.

There have been proposals - at least one bill sponsored by a House Republican - to automatically maintain current funding for 120 days if a budget isn’t passed on time. Those proposals have not gone anywhere in the past, and I would be shocked if they have a chance now.