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==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
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This comic is a reference to the {{w|United States federal government shutdown of 2013|US government shutdown in 2013}} that had been ongoing for a week and was still current as of the time of this comic. Under some circumstances, the United States Federal Government {{w|Government shutdown in the United States|can temporarily shut down}} pending budget legislation being passed by the United States Congress. These shutdowns are typically due to political disagreements between the President, the House of Representatives, and the Senate. Due to the shutdown, numerous government services and facilities are shut down, often resulting in many logistical issues for the public.
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{{incomplete}}
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Under some circumstances, the United States Federal Government {{w|Government_shutdown_in_the_United_States|can temporarily shut down}} pending budget legislation from the United States Congress. These shutdowns are typically due to political disagreements between the President, the House of Representatives, and the Senate.
  
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Over the years, various conspiracy theories have been proposed claiming that the United States Government is not controlled by publicly-elected officials, but rather by one or more organizations that secretly control the actions of the government (sometimes termed a {{w|Shadow government (conspiracy)|"shadow government"}}). In this strip, [[Randall]] writes a letter to the shadow government, telling them that the situation (having the country's government shut down) is embarrassing and asking them to fix the problem.
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Over the years, various conspiracy theories have been proposed claiming that the United States Government is not controlled by publicly-elected officials, but rather by one or more organizations that secretly control the actions of the government (sometimes termed a {{w|Shadow_government_(conspiracy)|"shadow government"}}).
  
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This comic also implicitly argues against the plausibility of the aforementioned conspiracy theories if one assumes that a shadow-controlled government would be more likely to operate with a singular purpose and therefore be less susceptible to paralyzing political disagreements. Randall previously alluded to this in the title text to [[1081|comic 1081]]: "Really, the comforting side in most conspiracy theory arguments is the one claiming that anyone who's in power has any plan at all." This is one of several comics in which Randall expresses dismay at how many intelligent people can fall for absurd conspiracy theories; see comics [[258: Conspiracy Theories]] and [[690: Semicontrolled Demolition]], among others.
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[[Randall]] jokes on the {{w|United_States_federal_government_shutdown_of_2013|US government shutdown in 2013}}, that has been ongoing for a week and is still current as of the time of this comic, by writing a letter to the shadow government, telling them that this situation is embarrassing and asking them to fix the problem.
  
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The title text addresses the leadership of the shadow government in more colloquial terms, asking if they are suffering from personal problems that are impeding their ability to keep things under control. This is patronizing, and thus hilarious.
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This comic may also be subtly arguing against the plausibility of the aforementioned conspiracy theories if one assumes that a shadow-controlled government would be more likely to operate with a singular purpose and therefore be less susceptible to paralyzing political disagreements. That is to say, if an outside organization were controlling the US government, then it would demonstrate more competence than the US government is currently exhibiting.
  
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The message, as titled, is in the form of an "{{w|Open letter|Open Letter}}", being a directed and 'personal' message to a person or group of people which is nonetheless intended by the sender to be publicly aired (unlike a standard commentary or editorial, which is intended for public consumption, but addresses the concerned 'target' almost as an aside). In some cases this may be to ensure the correspondence is not kept confidential by the recipients and/or that the public as a whole are ''also'' indirectly addressed ('Cc'ed) in the correspondence, without having to compose a companion piece for that purpose. In this case, however, it may additionally be because the intended recipient(s) are not so easily identified for direct communication, and a public airing would ensure 'delivery' even without compromising the integrity of the message.  Open Letters are often aired (or pre-copied, verbatim, from actual correspondence) in one or area or other of the public media, and while web-comics aren't ''necessarily'' the most publicised of forums, the xkcd readership almost certainly leads to covering both the 'named' recipients and the intended public view.
 
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===Addressees===
 
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Addressee !! Brief Description
 
! Addressee !! Brief Description
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Freemasonry|The Freemasons}}|| Fraternity claiming the legacy of medieval stonemasons. Some of the {{w|Founding Fathers of the United States}} were members of the organization. Organised in local groups, the so-called ''Lodges''.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry The Freemasons ]||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Illuminati}} || Secret society formed in Bavaria to further the ideas of {{w|enlightenment}}. Although officially banned in 1785, many conspiracy theorists believe the organisation might have survived and is still secretly exerting influence.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illuminati Illuminati] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Scientology}} || A church founded by science-fiction writer {{w|L. Ron Hubbard}}. Often criticised for alleged {{w|brainwashing}} of its members and accused of hiding commercial interests behind religious claims.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology Scientology] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|FEMA}} || Agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, that has been granted extensive authorisations in cases of emergency and is therefore believed to act as an entity independent of governmental control. Conspiracy theorists also claim that FEMA has been building concentration camps to silence conspiracy theorists.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Emergency_Management_Agency FEMA] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|New_World_Order|The New World Order}} || Not a secret organisation itself, but rather the concept of establishing a totalitarian system controlled by an elitist group in this list.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_World_Order_(conspiracy_theory) The New World Order] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Federal_Reserve|The Federal Reserve}} || Central state bank system of the United States, therefore to some degree able to control the monetary circulation of the {{w|US Dollar}}.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Reserve_System The Federal Reserve] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Citigroup}} || One of the four biggest American financial service corporations. Considered by the {{w|Financial Stability Board}} to be a {{w|Too big to fail|"systemically important financial institution"}}.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citigroup Citigroup] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Halliburton}} || International corporation offering technical services, especially in the field of oil and gas production. Also a major supplier for the {{w|US military}}. Halliburton was in the headlines for unethical business practices and connections to the former US Vice President {{w|Dick Cheney}}.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halliburton Halliburton] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Google}} || Corporation offering Internet services, most notably the {{w|Google Search|Google search engine}}. Known for collecting massive amounts of data about its users in order to sell personalised advertisement. The idea of secret plans of Google has been mentioned in comic [[792]].
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google Google] ||
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Holy See|The Vatican}} || Central government of the {{w|Catholic Church}} and residence of the {{w|pope}}. Historically important not only as a religious authority, but also as a {{w|Papal States|secular political power}}.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican The Vatican] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Bilderberg_Group|Bilderburg (correctly: ''Bilderberg'')}} || Annual conference of important politicians, bankers, directors of major corporations and other {{w|List of Bilderberg participants|people of influence}}, therefore considered the quintessential elitist meeting.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilderburg_Group Bilderburg] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Walmart}} || American retail corporation, best known for the eponymous chain of warehouse stores. As of January 2013, Walmart is the world's largest public corporation by revenue.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walmart Walmart] ||  
 
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|-
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| {{w|Rothschild_family|The Rothschilds}} || Family of Jewish financiers that was later elevated into European nobility. Believed to exercise influence through considerable wealth. The subject of conspiracy theories since the mid-19th century, when they amassed the largest fortune in world history.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rothschild_family The Rothschilds] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Knights Templar}} || Originally a medieval Christian military order of considerable influence, the Knights Templar were inspiration for many successive (secret) organisations that are sometimes believed to undermine governmental authorities. There is also an {{w|Knights Templar (Freemasonry)|eponymous order}} affiliated with Freemasonry. It may also be a reference to the ''{{w|Assassin's Creed|Assassins Creed}}'' video game series, in which several historical figures are claimed to have been Templars.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Templar_(Freemasonry) The Knights Templar] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program#Conspiracy theories|HAARP}} || Ionospheric research project of the US military. Believed by some conspiracy theorists to conceal attempts to control the weather and trigger catastrophes.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Frequency_Active_Auroral_Research_Program#Conspiracy_theories HAARP] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|United Nations|The UN}} || Large intergovernmental organization; most countries (193) in the world are members, with Palestine and the Vatican having observer status at the UN. It has little direct power unless its member states choose to cooperate.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations The UN] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Skull and Bones|Skull & Bones}} || A secret society at the {{w|Yale University}} that has many influential American politicians amongst its members, including former Presidents {{w|George H. W. Bush}} and {{w|George W. Bush}}, as well as former Secretary of State {{w|John Kerry}}.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skull_and_Bones Skull & Bones] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Bohemian Grove}} || Campground of the private {{w|Bohemian Club}} in San Francisco, known for hosting an annual encampment of club members and selected guests who are among the most powerful men in the world.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemian_Grove Bohemian Grove] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Political activities of the Koch brothers|The Koch Brothers}} || Owners of the second-largest private company in the USA, known for supporting libertarian and conservative political causes.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_activities_of_the_Koch_brothers#Political_activity The Koch Brothers] ||  
 
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|-
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| {{w|George_Soros|George Soros}} || Business magnate and investor, known for supporting liberal political causes.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soros_György George Soros] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|The Trilateral Commission}} || {{W|Think tank}} and associated meeting, emphasizing cooperation between North America, Western Europe, and Japan; founded by {{w|David Rockefeller}}
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_Military_Order_of_Malta The Knights of Malta] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Sovereign Military Order of Malta|The Knights of Malta}} || Religious order that was once a sovereign state; contemporary {{w|Malta|Republic of Malta}} is not controlled by this order.  Its exact status now is debated; it considers itself a "sovereign subject of international law" and has observer status at the United Nations.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Federal_Regulations The CFR] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|Council on Foreign Relations|The CFR}} || Acronym for the {{w|Council on Foreign Relations|Council on Foreign Relations}}. Foreign policy think tank in the United States
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExxonMobil Exxon Mobil] ||  
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{w|ExxonMobil|Exxon Mobil}} || Major petroleum corporation; third largest company in the world, by revenue
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zionism The Zionists] ||  
 
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|-
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| {{w|Zionism|The Zionists}} || Political movement favouring the creation of a Jewish homeland, a goal achieved with the creation of the state of {{w|Israel}}. In a conspiracy-theory context, it references the belief that wealthy and powerful Jews (such as the above-referenced Rothschilds) control political and social institutions, as presented e.g. in the (fake) {{w|Protocols of Zion}}.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vril#Vril_society The Vril Society] ||  
 
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|-
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| {{w|Vril#Vril society|The Vril Society}} || The "Vril" are a hidden subterranean race from the novel ''Vril, the Power of the Coming Race'' by {{w|Edward_Bulwer-Lytton|Edward Bulwer-Lytton}}. The novel allegedly inspired a "Vril Society" in Nazi Germany; however, there is no real evidence that the society existed, much less that it had the influence sometimes ascribed to it.
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| [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reptilians The Lizard People] ||  
 
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|-
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| {{w|Reptilian humanoid|The Lizard People}} || Secret snake-men, similar to the aliens from ''{{w|V (franchise)|V}}''. This is probably a reference to the conspiracy theories of {{w|David Icke}}, which include the idea that an ancient race of god-like, shapeshifting Lizards have interbred with humans, and that these half-bloods now secretly control the world.
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| and everyone else who secretly controls the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_government_of_the_United_States US Govenment] ||  
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| and everyone else who secretly controls the {{w|Federal government of the United States|US Government}} || Note the implicit notion that so many different groups each have control, which makes no sense.
 
 
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{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
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[[Category:Politics]]
 
[[Category:Politics]]
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[[Category:Conspiracy theory]]
 

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