"Obama cancels the rest of Asia trip, citing difficulties of travel during shutdown"

Last Thursday, President Obama had to recuse himself from two regional summits to handle the quarrel of the budget in Congress that shut down the federal government. Obama made this decision because the shutdown, which was completely avoidable in his eyes, is setting back the government's ability to create jobs, which would be done advocating American advancement and exporting in Asia. Obama was originally scheduled to visit the Southeast Asian countries of Indonesia, Burma, Malaysia, and the Philippines. At the regional summit, Obama was hoping to negotiate with the Russian president over the crisis in Syria and the fate of Edward Snowden, the one who leaked crucial documents about the American government's extensive wiretappings. Experts have said that Obama's inability to make it to the summit will deal a crucial blow to the Obama Administration, as the Chines will probably be able to slowly break off relations with the United States.

I believe that the effects of the government shutdown are a fascinating display of what happens when there is a lack of cooperation amongst politicians. The shutdown has also cost us the opportunity to negotiate for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade agreement that would include over twelve nations. If America is to truly progress as a country, our politicians must learn the meaning of the word "compromise". If our politicians do not learn to compromise in the future, then all of us will suffer. I personally predict that, given the quarrelsome state of our government, another shut down in the future is incredibly probable.