The Tribune

The ongoing drama in Washington about making the passage of a government spending bill dependent on immigration policy is difficult for foreign observers to understand. Linking these unrelated matters in order to thwart legislation by the US Congress to fund government operations seems hard to justify. The consequent shutdown lasted for nearly three full days.

Although there have been a number of such shutdowns in the US in the past, it beggars belief that this has happened again in the world’s leading democracy that is supposed to be an exemplar and a beacon of freedom, good governance and efficiency as the leader of the free world. Objective commentators cannot see how a sophisticated governmental machine can be stymied by having its own operations closed down apparently on behalf of unauthorised immigrants whose longer term status remains to be determined. For the Democrats, in effect, to hold the government hostage on spending in order to obtain a deal on immigration is surely unacceptable in a modern democracy. It seems to indicate a dysfunctional system that ought to be reformed.

As an outsider, it is also interesting amid all this to observe the US media’s obsession with domestic and parochial matters, in particular political developments, at the expense of news about the rest of the world. Coverage of the shutdown has been practically wall-to-wall. For many Bahamians, who watch US television to keep informed about international affairs as well as deriving news from social media, it might be hard to think that anything is going on outside America. With the emphasis on the shutdown, it is as if -- to name just a few examples -- the nuclear threat from North Korea and Iran had disappeared, the problems of the Middle East had been resolved and that important developments in the European Union (EU) had been put on hold.

Here in The Bahamas we look to the US for our security and prosperity. As a small island state off the coast of Florida, we see no reason to deny our dependence on our giant neighbour for so many of our needs. So it is particularly disturbing for us to watch when the US appears to go off track on a major issue like immigration. In the debate about DACA -- the system of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals which applied to the children of illegal immigrants -- it is difficult to argue reasonably that the more than 700,000 young people affected, who have spent their entire lives since childhood in America and already have work permits, should suddenly be subject to deportation to countries they do not even know.

Nonetheless, the discussion rages on between those Republicans who strictly oppose any form of amnesty which, they argue, would open the floodgates to more illegals entering the country and Democrats who insist on fair and humane treatment of young people caught up in a situation for which they are not responsible.

While watching these developments which led to the shutdown, Bahamians wonder whether such an unsatisfactory outcome could happen here at home. The answer is that in our Westminster system of parliamentary democracy if the budget proposed by the Prime Minister on behalf of his government is not approved by the House of Assembly that would signify a loss of confidence in the government and a snap election would follow, leading to new legislators taking over.

Whereas the Prime Minister is a Member of Parliament and would normally be forced to resign in the face of a vote of no confidence, a US President is directly elected by the people and is independent of the legislature and cannot be removed.

Meanwhile, issues elsewhere in the world of major concern and which could affect US interests continue to develop; for example, in Europe where Britain’s departure from the EU has been described as the most momentous event in the continent’s history. Events have taken on a new momentum as phase two of the Brexit negotiations – the United Kingdom’s future relationship with the EU including a trade deal – will begin in March. This has been agreed following completion of the first phase which included the so-called divorce bill covering the UK’s existing commitments, protection of the rights of EU citizens in Britain and vice versa, and the border arrangements between Northern Ireland as part of the UK and the Republic of Ireland as an EU member state.

Britain is hoping to retain influence in Europe by building new bilateral relations with leading nations like France whose President made an official visit to London this month to discuss enhanced co-operation post-Brexit. But there are fears about the future of the EU with its faltering monetary policy, internal squabbles about immigration and growing “euroscepticism” as nationalist and populist leaders emerge in countries like Hungary, Poland and Austria.

Back in the USA, Congress has voted to reopen the federal government which is now funded until February 8. The test will be whether agreement can be reached by then on immigration. Whatever happens, outside observers wonder how long the flawed system under which a President can be faced with having to sign on to opposition policy demands in exchange for funding the government can be allowed to continue.