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NATO, Government Shutdown
Sara L
March 17, 2025
Happy Monday! Welcome to this week’s issue of SparkCivic, where we break down a few topics, dive into their lingo and history, and wrap it all together with a game 🥳
What’s one goal you have this week? Hit reply and let me know.
In This Issue
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Foreign Policy
What’s Going On Between the U.S. and NATO?
Current News
President Donald Trump has hinted at the possibility of the U.S. withdrawing from NATO, expressing concerns over the financial burden of defending Europe.
In 2014, NATO members pledged to spend 2% of their GDP (gross domestic product) on their defense by 2024.
In 2014, three member countries met the 2% spending goal. In 2024, 23 out of 32 members met this goal.
Lesson
What is NATO? NATO, the “North Atlantic Treaty Organization”, was founded in 1949. It was created to, among other reasons, counter the expansion of the Soviet Union and communism during the Cold War.
Who were the first members? NATO started with 12 countries: United States, Canada, Britain, Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Portugal.
Has NATO expanded? Over time, it expanded to 32 nations. The most recent additions are Finland 🇫🇮 and Sweden 🇸🇪 !
Why does the U.S. care about Europe’s security? The United States’ involvement in Europe allows them to project power and values globally. An alliance with European nations also allows the U.S. to contain threats from nations like Russia more credibly.
Why would the U.S. leave NATO? Some argue NATO drains U.S. resources, reduces U.S. military independence, forces America to defend Europe while Europe doesn’t do enough, and distracts from bigger threats in different geopolitical regions like China.
What message would leaving send? A U.S. withdrawal could weaken NATO, encourage Russia and China to act more aggressively, and make European countries question America’s commitment to global leadership.
Poll:
What are your thoughts on NATO?
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Washington, D.C.
So We Avoided a Government Shutdown?
Current News
In recent weeks, the U.S. government faced a potential shutdown due to funding disagreements between the parties in Congress
On March 14, 2025, the Senate passed a six-month spending bill with a 54-46 vote, sending it to President Trump for signing, avoiding a government shutdown (for now).
This caused significant division within the Democratic Party. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's backing of the bill and praise by President Trump led to criticism from prominent Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who felt the party conceded too much.
Lesson
Why do shutdowns happen?
Government shutdowns occur when Congress fails to pass a budget or temporary funding bill to keep federal agencies running. This usually happens because lawmakers can’t agree on spending priorities.What happens during a shutdown?
Many federal workers are sent home without pay (furloughed), while essential employees (like military, air traffic controllers, and TSA agents) continue to work, but disruptions may occur such as not receiving pay. National parks, museums, and some government services may close or slow down.How many have there been?
Since 1976, there have been 20 “funding gaps”, 10 of which have led to shutdown procedures. The longest one lasted 35 days in 2018-2019.How do they end?
Congress eventually reaches a funding agreement, often through a temporary deal, and the president signs it into law. Then, government operations return to normal, and federal workers get paid back.
Quiz:
What does it mean to be "furloughed"?
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That’s all for now! See you next week.
Questions? Hit ‘reply’ and let’s connect.
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