Shutdown

How the Trump Administration Weaponizes the Federal Government Shutdown

Dear readers,

As of this past Wednesday, the federal government has officially shut down. Thousands of workers have been furloughed, countless departments have suspended operations, and many crucial civil servants must now work without pay for an indefinite period. While this isn’t the first federal shutdown caused by a budget impasse (a 35-day shutdown, the longest in American history, occurred from late 2018 to early 2019 during Trump’s first term) the current economic and political conditions make this a uniquely concerning development.

The root cause of this shutdown is the GOP’s refusal to roll back cuts to Medicaid or extend health-insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans have no issue approving tax cuts for the billionaire class or funding Trump’s personal paramilitary, but they balk at helping ordinary Americans access health care or feeding impoverished children through SNAP. This is not only morally indefensible but also inconsistent with the supposed “sm…