Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Democrats, Republicans and President Trump are "failing to govern" amid the ongoing government shutdown.

Why it matters: Panetta warned that defense spending can't depend on a patchwork of continuing resolutions, and that the funding gap signals to adversaries globally that "democracy is not working." • "Pure and simple, it sends a message of weakness," Panetta told Axios' Colin Demarest on Wednesday at Axios' Future of Defense Summit. • "I know we're talking about the future of defense, but in a democracy, you're not going to have a strong defense without strong government." • Panetta said the U.S. has "enemies that are out to undermine our democracy," naming China, Russia and North Korea in particular.

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