Your Sept. 28 article “Maryland will pay a price whether there’s a federal shutdown or not” underscores a truth Marylanders know too well: When Washington deadlocks, it is our families and communities who pay.

Shutdowns are not governing. They are hostage taking. Federal workers are told they are “essential” and must work without pay, or “nonessential,” sent home as though their work doesn’t matter.

Both labels are wrong. The people who keep planes from colliding, cure diseases, protect civil rights and deliver benefits are not bargaining chips. They are Marylanders.

The financial math is brutal. Missed paychecks mean mortgages delayed, child care bills piling up, grocery spending cut back. Small businesses feel the squeeze in days. Maryland lost hundreds of millions in wages and revenue during the 2018–19 shutdown. Another crisis will do the same — not because the money is gone, but because leaders refuse to govern responsibly.

And the stakes go beyond paychecks. Health care is on the line. Governing responsibly means ensuring stability for workers and dignity for families. Stripping health care coverage to pass a budget is not belt tightening. It is cruelty, plain and simple.

Marylanders are resilient. Neighbors step up, volunteers fill gaps and communities hold together. But resilience should not be policy. Responsible governing means protecting both the livelihoods and the health of our people, without forcing them to choose between the two.

Shutdowns don’t just punish politicians or political parties. They punish all of us. Responsible leadership should mean ensuring this never happens again.

Christopher S. Jennison is an employee of the Federal Aviation Administration. He lives in Silver Spring.

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