As the days pass since the government shutdown began last week, it seems as though its effects are hitting a little close to home—for some, it’s too close. Sixty families have been forced out of their home in a nearby Las Vegas area today due to the fact that their house is technically a part of the Lake Mead Recreational area—a government property.
Given only a 24-hour notice, all residents have been asked to vacate their property for the remaining duration of the shutdown. The government considers these homeowners to be “visitors” and put in the same category as tourists and campers although they own and have been residents of their homes for years. These residents are being treated as though they are trespassers in their own homes.
If any of these residents refuse to leave their home, they will be issued a citation and sent to jail if they refuse to pay it.
The shutdown is entering its second week and has caused a lot of unexpected turmoil. It’s hard for me to believe that this is something that can actually happen in an advanced society such as our country. This has gone beyond just the closing of our government funded parks to effecting even the small business owner and countless other organizations that depend on the federal government for funding.
It will be interesting to see what kind of conclusion is reached to end this mess. However, I am more convinced that this will be more of an “all for nothing” kind of effort whose pros will not outweigh the cons.