China's reaction to the US government shutdown

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/indepth/2013-10/02/c_132768966.htm

This is a link to the Chinese Xinhua news network reporting on the US government shut down. The language used in it is critical, and the article was picked up on by other news websites, including the BBC and Australian Sky News.

In the Xinhua article, they describe the shutdown as America's "latest political failure". I think that this is a valid criticism. If a government gets to a point where internal disagreements cannot be solved and the government is shut down, it is a failure. By the government being shut down, it is not doing its job and so can be seen to have 'failed'. That the shut down could happen highlights that there are problems with the system.

Most of the criticism in the article seems to be for the disagreements between Republicans and Democrats. It states that "dysfunctional Washington" has "no political unity to redress its policy mistake". Although I agree with democracy, when there are only two opposing parties there is a danger of them coming to a standstill disagreement over things in which they are ideologically opposed. On the other hand, a one-party state runs the risk of becoming a dictatorship. I think that the criticism comes from political differences, but is again a valid one, as systems should be put in place in America to avoid stalemates such as the one they are facing at the moment.

Another criticism that the Xinhua article levels at the US is that it "has engaged in irresponsible spending for years". This is also something of a valid criticism. Even people in the US think that Obama has overspent and it is part of the reason for the shutdown. It is true that each successive president has spent more than the last, Obama having spent the most, although he increased the amount of government spending by a lower percentage than any previous president. The US does spend more than it has, but this is true of most governments. As to whether or not the spending was irresponsible is down to individual ideology.

Sources:

http://www.skynews.com.au/topstories/article.aspx?id=911858
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-24377617
http://www.policymic.com/articles/9069/has-obama-spent-more-than-any-other-u-s-president-in-history-yes-and-no
http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/federal_deficit_chart.html