The government may be open, but the tensions have not come to a close.....

After sixteen days, the government shutdown has officially ended, and Congress can finally move on from their debates about the shutdown to other issues. Even though they have come to an agreement, the bipartisan tensions can still be seen. Congresswoman Nita Lowey issued a statement that displayed her content with the reopening, but still blamed the GOP for the shutdown. “It is incredibly disappointing that Republicans have put our economy and American families at such great risk. I want to ask them: was it worth it?” (http://polhudson.lohudblogs.com/2013/10/16/congresswoman-nita-loweys-statement-on-the-government-crisis-resolution/)

While the government has been reopened, it seems like the Democratic agenda is still to bash the Republicans. By citing jarring statistics  about the effects of the shutdown that include economic downturn and eight-hundred thousand furloughed federal workers, Lowey, along with the Democratic party, is showing more party loyalty than concern for the country. I think that Lowey’s goal is for people to side with the Democrats; this has become more of a party issue than a national issue as it should be.

With the reopening of the government, Congresswoman Lowey has been “selected by House Democratic leaders as of three House Democratic Members to serve on a conference committee in the wake of a bipartisan agreement to reopen the government and avoid an economically disastrous default crisis” (

http://polhudson.lohudblogs.com/2013/10/17/lowey-one-of-three-dems-named-to-committee-after-budget-crisis/).  Lowey’s party clearly has faith in her abilities as a congresswoman; it is interesting to wonder the motives of this appointment but Lowey’s party. Did they appreciate how she handled the government shutdown in terms of her public statements? Do they like her policy ideas about America’s economy? Or do they like her investment in blaming the GOP for the shutdown? Perhaps a little bit of both?

Sources

http://polhudson.lohudblogs.com/2013/10/16/congresswoman-nita-loweys-statement-on-the-government-crisis-resolution/

http://polhudson.lohudblogs.com/2013/10/17/lowey-one-of-three-dems-named-to-committee-after-budget-crisis/

http://pearlriver.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/lowey-pleased-by-legislation-ending-shutdown-disappointed-it-took-so-long