October 3, 2013 9:54AM 

# The Federal Government Is Not the Country 

By [David Boaz](https://www.cato.org/people/david-boaz) 

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Rep. David Scott (D‑Ga.) [tells Republicans](http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/political-insider/2013/sep/29/how-georgia-voted-continuing-resolution-and-obamac/):

> *If you loved this country, you would not be closing it down.*

Congressman Scott is confused. The federal government is not the country. The country is not shut down. Indeed, not only is the country going about its business, it’s barely noticing the government shutdown, which is barely even a government shutdown.

One might say, “If you loved this country, you would not be imposing further government control over health care, or busting the caps in a federal budget that doubled in a decade.” But those are topics for another day.

##### Related Tags 

[Government and Politics](https://www.cato.org/government-politics) 

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