FYI - PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS

We are in very trying times right now and as I write this we are in the 10th day of the government shutdown.  Realizing that the following information may not be of much comfort to you, it is still important to know that this is not, by far, the first time the government has been in this situation which only serves to tell you  that we've made it through before and, with God's help, we will make it through again.

 

Shutdown #1:  9/30 - 10/11/76 (10 days) Pres. Ford;     
                     Democrats controlled both Houses

 

Shutdown #2:  9/30 - 10/13/77    (12 days) Pres. Carter 

Shutdown #3: 10/31 - 11/9/77     ( 8 days)          "

Shutdown #4: 11/30/12/9/77       ( 8 days)          "
Shutdown #5: 9/30 - 10/18/78     (18 days)         "

Shutdown #6: 9/30 - 10/12/79     (11 days)         "
 Grand Total Shutdown Days =  57

                    Democrats controlled both Houses

                    Jimmy Carter was a one-term President

Shutdown #7:  11/20 - 11/23/81  (3 days) Pres. Reagan
Shutdown #8:  9/30 - 10/2/82      (1 day )          "
Shutdown #9:  12/17 - 12/21/82  (3 days)         "
Shutdown #10 11/10 - 11/14/83  (3 days)         "
Shutdown #11 9/30 - 10/3/84      (2 days)         "
Shutdown #12 10/3 - 10/5/84      (1 day )         "
Shutdown #13 10/16 - 10/18/86  (1 day)          "

                    Dems controlled House; GOP controlled Senate
Shutdown #14 12/18 - 12/20/87  (1 day)  Pres. Reagan
                    Democrats controlled both Houses 

Shutdown #15 10/5 - 10/9/90     (3 days) Pres. Geo. H.W. Bush
                    Democrats controlled both Houses

Shutdown #16 11/13 - 11/19/95  (5 days) Pres. Clinton
Shutdown #17 12/5/95 - 1/5/96   (21 days)      "
                    Republicans controlled both Houses

Somehow, in the past, the President, Senate and House were able to work together to come together for the good of the country.  It is doubtful that derogatory epithets such as "terrorist", "racists", "bombs strapped to their chests" were indiscriminately tossed around because the opposition didn't agree.  Even more amazing is the fact that the GOP managed to stay mainly unified instead of people within the party castigating them.

This information was exerpted from the Washington Post @ www.washingtonpost.com/blog/ .
For a complete detail on the 'why' of each of these shutdowns, you can find that also at the above provided hyperlink.