Teagan Goddard‘s Political Dictionary (a kind of “urban dictionary” for wonks) defines the Washington Monument strategy as follows:

Named after a tactic used by the National Park Service to threaten closure of the popular Washington Monument when lawmakers proposed serious cuts in spending on parks. * * * The strategy is used at all levels of government in an attempt to get the public to rally around government services they take pride in or find useful. Closing libraries on certain days of the week or reducing days of trash pick up appears to have the same effect.

Does this strategy really work? Does it ever backfire? Also, is this why the current “government shutdown” is mostly symbolic? After all, Congress and the federal courts are still open for business …

Bonus Link: Betting market in how long the shutdown will last