Our crippled government.
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| Steve Breen |
It has come to light that the Idiot-in-Chief didn't realize that a government shutdown means that the government shuts down. What did he think would happen? Who knows what goes on in that pea brain.
We do know that he proclaimed to the Democratic leadership and to America that he would "own the shutdown" and be "proud" to do it. We do know that he was poised to agree to sign a bipartisan bill (unabashedly supported in the GOP-controlled Senate) that would keep the government open without his $5.7 billion for the wall, but that he was bullied by right-wing media pundits into backtracking.
We do know that he ran on the promise that he'd build a wall and Mexico would pay for it, and that few want the stooopid wall other than him and his ever-shrinking base.
Now, he says, if he capitulates and agrees on a measure that re-opens the government, he will "look foolish." Son, I hate to tell you, but that ship sailed a long, long time ago.
He has been trying to spin it, saying "I wouldn't call it a shutdown I'd call it doing what you have to do for the benefit and the safety of our country" or "a strike." Ummmm. Another data point that this person is a moron.
The wall itself, as Nancy Pelosi has said, is immoral. It also would be expensive (it would cost much more than the $5.7 billion ransom) and ineffective. The way he is demanding it is definitely immoral and against our way of government. What is to stop him from other demands before he opens the government? What's to stop him from asking for $10 billion or more, instead of $5.7 billion? What's to stop him from demanding other ransom? We rebelled --and won-- against a King and his demands 242 years ago. We're not about to adopt one now.
And what about this "national emergency?" That's a perversion of the facts. The facts do not lie. Terrorists are not coming over the Southern border. All brown-skinned people are not terrorists. Nor are they dangerous. Nor are they taking jobs that Americans want. Nor are drugs coming primarily through Mexico. Nor that there is an increase in illegal immigration. Illegal immigration has actually decreased over the last few years, and immigrants are less likely to commit crime than citizens. But, the Foul One and his ilk do not pay attention to facts. Facts are inconvenient. The real national emergency? The troll who is occupying the Whitewash House.
This issue isn't about policy or rhetoric. The shutdown is damaging our nation in real ways. It's going to cost the nation a lot more than $5.7 billion by the time it's over.
What are the repercussions and costs to an extended government shutdown, like the one we have now, in its 18th day?
Cost to individuals and families. I ask each of my readers. Could you easily weather three weeks of not being paid? Or even one week? 800,000 of our fellow citizens are furloughed or working without pay. Plenty of them live paycheck-to-paycheck. This is hurting them.
Cost to the most vulnerable. The hungry are going to be hungrier, as their food assistance programs are unfunded. Many will not be able to buy groceries. It was announced today that food assistance programs will be funded through February, with benefits being paid early, but there is no guarantee for March should the shutdown continue.
Cost to the environment. Our national parks are being turned into toilets - literally. The damage will be lasting. Each one of us loses out when our national parks are inaccessible, at best, or utterly trashed, at worst. True to American form, volunteers have been helping out. Entrance fees, once forbidden to be used as such, are being dipped into for park maintenance, clean-up, and policing. They kept parks open with the hope to avoid backlash from closing the parks, like what happened during the shutdown in 2013, but the tragedy of environmental damage is going to be much deeper and more enduring than the inconvenience of not being able to visit the parks during a shutdown.
Cost to businesses. The service industries will be impacted. People who aren't working aren't buying coffee on their way to work. They aren't buying lunch. They aren't buying gasoline or commuting fare. Businesses surrounding National Parks will feel the impact when visitors cancel their plans. The Office of Personnel Management sent out a letter to federal employees suggesting that they do painting or carpentry work in exchange for rent. I am not only a Sister Resister, I'm also a small landlord. If my tenants weren't able to pay rent, I wouldn't be able to pay the mortgage on the property. Landlords don't need half-assed painters. They need mortgage money to pay the bank. Shall a small landlord offer carpentry work or a stint as a temporary teller in exchange for mortgage late fees? All kinds of businesses, directly and indirectly related to the government, are being affected.
Cost to safety. Transportation Security Administration employees are expected to work without pay during the shutdown, and most have been game to soldier on. This week there were reports of an increase in sick calls. TSA employees have been calling in -- or outright quitting -- so they can go work for real wages. It's affecting airport wait times, and there is a fear that the shutdown will directly affect our airport security. New hiring obviously can't happen during a shutdown either. Pilots associations have implored 45 to re-open the government for fear of safety and security issues.
Cost to taxpayers. The shutdown comes amid the tax season. Folks who are expecting tax refunds are eager to file and get their refund in their pocket. The IRS is on a shoestring staff and will not be able to process returns. The administration has announced that refunds will indeed go out, but House Majority Leader Rep. Hoyer (D-MD) contends that would be illegal. What kind of backlog will IRS workers face when they do get back to work?
Cost to productivity. Data is unavailable from government websites, and grant funding from the Department of Commerce, among other departments, is on hold. This could slow down university research as well as productivity in private enterprises.
Cost to the economy in general. The repercussions go far and deep. The government's cost is great. The employees will eventually get back-pay, whether they went to work or not. There is no revenue from fees and permits. The economy at large is severely disrupted, as I outlined above. It was estimated that during the 16-day 2013 shutdown the GDP growth was lowered 0.2% to 0.6%, costing the economy between $2 billion and $6 billion in lost output. Economic confidence could be hit, costing billions more.
The cost to our American Ideals. Our government was founded on a system of checks and balances. We are a Democratic Republic, and Toddler Tantrums are not listed in the U.S. Constitution. We must not give in to the demands of a despot.
This is where I would talk about *yawn* the Cheeto's Very Important Oval Office Address, but -- there's that gnat again -- the 10-minute address was just more of the same lies (see fact checks by FAUX News) given by a face as cold as the wall it wants to kiss. Not a single word to thank or even acknowledge the souls waiting for their paychecks. More lies. More invented crises (suddenly it's a humanitarian crisis? Talk to the jailed children "used as human pawns" for input on that one). The speech was just more fodder for fed-up citizens, comedians, and disappointed parents, Nancy and Chuck Democrat.
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| Mr. and Mrs. Democrat weren't angry -- just very disappointed. |
There are a few rays of hope. The House Democrats are proposing bills that would fund departments one by one. They will send these bills up to the Senate in the hopes of putting some pressure on them, and giving a way out.
Sen. McConnell (R-KY) is refusing to consider any bill that 45 won't sign. But our Constitution allows for passage of a bill despite a Presidential veto, by a re-vote with a two-thirds majority in both houses. We need to put pressure on our Members of Congress, and especially on Sen. McConnell. Some GOP senators are already starting to cave, including Sens. Murkowski (AK), Collins (ME), Gardener (CO), Capito (WV), and Isakson (GA).
This can't go on for long! We must act. Keep swatting at that gnat. And call your Members of Congress! Tell them your concerns. Give them an idea for a solution that would let the Great Big Orange Cheeto Ego an out -- without wall funding. Pressure them. This is what Democracy looks like.
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