My point is that nothing in the Constitution requires government shutdowns. Your comment about “the power of the purse” was fairly off base/misleading because it’s all political grandstanding.

This country existed for ~225 years with no government shutdowns. Yes, it has always been within Congress’s rights to be dumbasses, I didn’t suggest otherwise. I just want to be clear that nobody is forcing them.

Shutdowns are not caused by the Constitution or any quirk of American procedure. Newt Gingrich passed a law so he could hold the government hostage, and Republicans have gotten worse ever since.