Couldn't We at Least Balance the Budget While in Shutdown Mode?

   We need to redesign our government shutdowns. So, here we are, having averted another one. But, I cannot help but wonder why we cannot save some money during these shutdowns.
   Here's what I mean: We have a $21 trillion debt. We can see we should be spending less. And, our government shutdowns only result in a portion of the government being shut down.
   So, if most things don't shut down, why can't we do this in a way that shuts down just that portion of the government we would shut down if we were balancing our budget?
   I guess here's the trick to that: Government check-writing is put on hold during a shutdown. Government workers don't receive their checks. But, it doesn't mean the bills aren't going to be paid. It doesn't mean government workers won't get retroactive pay when they return to work. The spending continues, it just continues with an IOU.
  What does come to a halt is some of the work. Some workers are off while others still report to work even though they won't be reimbursed for what they do until later.
   So, when we are told that during a shutdown only, say, 17 percent of the government is actually shutdown, what does that mean? Does it mean only 17 percent are told they don't need to report to work?
   I have heard it suggested that when they designed the shutdown process -- when they decided what would and would not be shut down -- they designed it so it would hurt. That way, we all scream and cry and plead with our leaders not to inflict the shutdown upon us.
   I do not know whether that is true. I rather think that everything hurts. If you shut down the parks, that hurts. If you take someones welfare check, that hurts. If you deprive a government worker from an on-time paycheck, that hurts.
  Everything hurts. Any cut in the budget hurts. Anything not paid on time hurts. Anything shut down even though it will be funded later hurts.
   Maybe we should sit back and realize what all this means: Maybe it simply underscores that we cannot and should not attempt to balance the budget, for to do so means cutting things we cannot live without. Balancing the budget means hurting too many people. We need to look no further than these shutdowns to see that balancing the budget is a bad idea.
   Now, do not think I actually mean that. I do beg to differ with that view. My thought is, we should reduce the size of our government -- even though it is going to hurt.
   And, so, why not make these shutdowns a time when we do de-fund some of the government? If we can see we actually ought to be keeping to a budget all the time, why not at least require that we balance it when we are supposedly in shutdown mode?
  We should review our rules governing shutdowns. We should prioritize our spending to cut those things needing to be cut if the budget is ever to be balanced. Just do it for the week or so during the shutdown. That's all. Can't we at least practice a balanced budget for that long?