How to fix the US budget
Business Daily
BBC
4.4 • 816 Ratings
🗓️ 8 January 2024
⏱️ 18 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Twice in 2023, the American government faced the prospect of having to shut down because politicians in congress couldn’t agree on a budget to fund it. Each time, a shutdown was narrowly averted – by last minute, short-term deals.
Now, a third deadline is looming in mid-January. It leaves politicians – with fierce disagreements over what services the government should pay for, and how – little time to reach an agreement.
We look at the impact of this uncertainty on businesses, and ask, in an election year, what can be done to bring the chaos to an end?
Presented and produced by Rob Young
(Image: An employee walks past a sign at the entrance of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History during a 35-day partial government shutdown in Washington, DC, January 28, 2019. Credit: Getty Images)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I was one of many people that were victims who was used by somebody who was psychopathic. |
| 0:06.3 | Let's tell this story. |
| 0:08.3 | World of Secrets, Season 2, The Disciples. |
| 0:12.1 | Listen now, wherever you get your BBC podcasts. |
| 0:15.8 | Hello and welcome to Business Daily from the BBC. I'm Rob Young. |
| 0:21.4 | America's politicians can't agree on how to fund the US government for more than a few weeks at a time, |
| 0:27.8 | raising the repeated prospect of the government having to shut down. |
| 0:31.8 | In this climate of seemingly perpetual uncertainty, |
| 0:35.9 | I believe business owners and the nation needs a sense of stability. |
| 0:40.5 | The frustration throughout the business world is equally raised. |
| 0:44.6 | We'll hear from a concerned business and we'll ask how the chaos can be brought to an end. |
| 0:50.0 | Everybody from our lawmakers to voters have gotten very accustomed to putting everything on the credit card. |
| 0:55.5 | And it's just so easy. It's not going to be easy to change those norms, but it's absolutely getting to the point where it's dangerous if we don't. |
| 1:03.6 | That's all in Business Daily from the BBC. |
| 1:08.9 | Twice in 2023, the American government faced the prospect of having to shut down |
| 1:14.5 | because politicians couldn't agree on a budget to fund it. |
| 1:18.6 | Each time, a shutdown was narrowly averted by last-minute short-term deals, |
| 1:25.5 | and politicians sounded mighty relieved. |
| 1:28.4 | We went from devastating cuts that would have impacted the health to safety and economic |
| 1:34.2 | well-being of the American people in 24 hours to a spending agreement that meets the needs |
| 1:40.8 | of the American people. |
| 1:42.8 | It's been a day full of twists and turns, |
... |
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