We asked readers to share their thoughts about the government shutdown and Congress, via our Facebook page or by email. Here are some of their thoughts:

• “What kind of Americans are willing to see workers sent home, government-funded daycares closed, and our national parks gated? The kind of Americans who have secure salaries, and great medical benefits!  And that don’t care about people, the suffering economy, or our image to the world. Shameful!” – Eileen Connolly

• “I say that we sweep the lot of them out while the government is closed.” — Jeff Glidden

• “Very damaging for the reputation of our government and for the citizens’ belief in our government. Unfair for all who have been ‘immobilized’ by the inaction of our Congress.” — Tina Doucette

• “Totally the fault of the extremist Republican minority. Boehner could end this in a heartbeat by simply bringing a clean funding bill up for a vote. A majority of the House would pass it immediately. His speakership is more important to him than keeping the government open.” — David Larsen

• “I’m tired of hearing ‘it’s the law,’ then the bigwigs don’t have to follow it. If it’s good for one, it’s good for all … but they know it stinks to high heaven!” — Rebecca Hart

• “Both sides have raised the debt ceiling almost 80 times and that’s not working out either.” — David Gordon

• “The biggest complaint about ACA is that it was passed with only Democratic votes. This is an opportunity to compromise: Reps do a CR with ACA included; and Dems agree to re-work ACA so that 25% of Reps agree to it or else it is delayed until that level of bipartisanship is reached.” — Scott McLeod

• “The lawmakers care only about themselves and could not care less about the voters. They are selfish and out of touch with reality. All of them need to go back to kindergarten to learn how to play well with others and that their actions have consequences.” — Sheryl Simpson

• “It’s good. We’ve been coasting on dreams too long; we need some reality. Let it be shut down for months. We need a wakeup call.” — Kyle Fletcher Baker

• “If they can’t reach an agreement the only people that should be on unpaid leave are the members of Congress and the president. That would motivate them.” — Alicia Leeman

• “I don’t see that the Republicans had much of a choice but to stand their ground, considering that the Democrats are not compromising or even talking about the real problems. … Neither side should be paid while they argue about this and that the exemption for Congress and their staff should be withdrawn.” — Ron Cormier

• “It is hard to understand why the GOP would want to take a stance against people being able to have access to affordable healthcare. They have no empathy for the people who are affected by their less-than-admirable decisions.” — David Jani

• “I think it is a crime to watch the radical Republicans in their expensive suits, with excellent health care, holding the average ‘Joe’ hostage for their radical ideology. Congress is never hurt, but the middle class always is. Maybe it is time to withhold our taxes until Congress grows up.” — James Masterson

• “It’s a disgrace and an insult to taxpayers. Our government has been hijacked by special-interest groups on both sides of the aisle and our elected officials no longer represent the American people. At a time when our economy needs stability for taxpayers our elected officials are using ideological issue to divide us. It’s a complete disgrace.” — Steve Link

• “Shameful. You (not me) voted these fools in. THIS is why I’ll never vote. We may as well have trolls and unicorns running Capitol Hill. Results would be the same.” — Jay Sanborn

• “Time to pare down government programs and politicians. Too much of each. Let the federal government stay shut down and show them we can get along without them. Stop sending tax dollars to D.C. … AND … Augusta!” — Tom Connolly

• “The only positive side to this government partial shutdown is people are now realizing how much the government controls us. I’ve never seen so many liberals preaching Republican beliefs recently.” — Eric Taylor

• “Bring Congress up on terrorism charges for all the fear they’re perpetuating.” — Stephanie Umbro

• “Congress still gets paid. Why? ‘Essential personnel’ – since when is behaving like petulant children considered essential to any job?” — Donna Stevens

• “We’ve got to quit electing big-spending, high-taxing liberals! Liberalism makes everything worse! I cannot think of one single liberal success story!” — Warren Donaldson

• “Hillary’s going to have a field day with this in 2016.” — Steve Reaves