President Trump's Use of Government Shutdown as a Tool to Make Life Tougher for Millions of Workers
In an effort to gain leverage over congressional Democrats in the ongoing government shutdown, President Trump has adopted a callous calculus that benefits him at the expense of millions of workers and their families. By employing this approach, Trump is not only hurting vulnerable Americans but also potentially violating federal law.
One of the most egregious examples of this strategy is the Trump administration's decision to cut off funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, effective Saturday. This move will severely impact 42 million people - one-eighth of the US population - who rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table.
Despite assurances by the administration that contingency funds could be used to finance continued food benefits after November 1, it has now decided not to do so. The rationale behind this decision is dubious, as it claims that such funding can only be used for natural disasters, despite previous statements indicating otherwise.
This move will undoubtedly lead to increased hunger among millions of Americans, particularly low-wage workers and vulnerable communities. As Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois pointed out, "Working families are about to go without food assistance because Trump and congressional Republicans want to score political points and refuse to reach a deal."
Not only is the SNAP cutoff anti-worker, but it also raises serious questions about the constitutionality of the administration's actions. Legal experts argue that using contingency funding for anything other than natural disasters is not only permissible but essential.
Furthermore, President Trump has used this shutdown as an opportunity to threaten the backpay of 670,000 furloughed federal workers, a move widely seen as a strong-arm tactic to pressure congressional Democrats into agreeing to reopen the government and drop their demand to extend Obamacare subsidies. The administration's stance on this matter is at odds with its own previous legislation, which guaranteed retroactive pay for federal workers during shutdowns.
In another anti-worker move, President Trump has seized on the shutdown to announce permanent layoffs of 4,000 federal workers, a move that has sparked controversy among labor unions and experts. The injunction issued by Susan Illston, a federal district court judge in San Francisco, temporarily blocking these layoffs, highlights the illegality of such actions.
Throughout this ordeal, President Trump's actions have been characterized as cold, cruel, and calculating towards working-class Americans. By exploiting the shutdown to impose his will on vulnerable communities, he has demonstrated a callous disregard for their well-being. As Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO labor federation, noted, "This is a government that is by, and for, the CEOs and billionaires."
In contrast, any president who truly cared about American workers would take immediate action to address their concerns, such as extending Obamacare subsidies. By failing to do so, President Trump has left millions of Americans worried and without support during this critical period.
In an effort to gain leverage over congressional Democrats in the ongoing government shutdown, President Trump has adopted a callous calculus that benefits him at the expense of millions of workers and their families. By employing this approach, Trump is not only hurting vulnerable Americans but also potentially violating federal law.
One of the most egregious examples of this strategy is the Trump administration's decision to cut off funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, effective Saturday. This move will severely impact 42 million people - one-eighth of the US population - who rely on SNAP benefits to put food on the table.
Despite assurances by the administration that contingency funds could be used to finance continued food benefits after November 1, it has now decided not to do so. The rationale behind this decision is dubious, as it claims that such funding can only be used for natural disasters, despite previous statements indicating otherwise.
This move will undoubtedly lead to increased hunger among millions of Americans, particularly low-wage workers and vulnerable communities. As Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois pointed out, "Working families are about to go without food assistance because Trump and congressional Republicans want to score political points and refuse to reach a deal."
Not only is the SNAP cutoff anti-worker, but it also raises serious questions about the constitutionality of the administration's actions. Legal experts argue that using contingency funding for anything other than natural disasters is not only permissible but essential.
Furthermore, President Trump has used this shutdown as an opportunity to threaten the backpay of 670,000 furloughed federal workers, a move widely seen as a strong-arm tactic to pressure congressional Democrats into agreeing to reopen the government and drop their demand to extend Obamacare subsidies. The administration's stance on this matter is at odds with its own previous legislation, which guaranteed retroactive pay for federal workers during shutdowns.
In another anti-worker move, President Trump has seized on the shutdown to announce permanent layoffs of 4,000 federal workers, a move that has sparked controversy among labor unions and experts. The injunction issued by Susan Illston, a federal district court judge in San Francisco, temporarily blocking these layoffs, highlights the illegality of such actions.
Throughout this ordeal, President Trump's actions have been characterized as cold, cruel, and calculating towards working-class Americans. By exploiting the shutdown to impose his will on vulnerable communities, he has demonstrated a callous disregard for their well-being. As Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO labor federation, noted, "This is a government that is by, and for, the CEOs and billionaires."
In contrast, any president who truly cared about American workers would take immediate action to address their concerns, such as extending Obamacare subsidies. By failing to do so, President Trump has left millions of Americans worried and without support during this critical period.
no I mean, what's wrong with making life tougher for everyone? It's all about personal responsibility, right? 
But then again, 42 million people can't just magically find money to put food on the table... 
so maybe we should be helping them out instead of making it harder for ourselves. Wait, no I'm sure that's a terrible idea! 
We can't afford to be nice to everyone all the time. Unless... unless we do afford to be nice, and being nice is just being responsible? 
Ugh, my mind is totally made up now... or am I?! 
42 million people are gonna go hungry just cuz trump is being stubborn 
low-wage workers and vulnerable communities will be hit hard. why cant he see how his actions affect real ppl? 
federal workers getting backpay after shutdown is a no-brainer, but he's trying to strong-arm dems into agreeing on Obamacare subsidies. meanwhile, labor unions are speaking out against permanent layoffs of 4000 feds 
. I'm low-key worried about all those people who rely on SNAP benefits - 42 million people! 
. It's like Trump is playing a cruel game with their lives, using the shutdown as an excuse to make life even tougher for them 
. It's like he's more concerned with scoring points against Congress than helping the people who need him most 
.
.
what's going on?! 
federal workers & families affected by shutdown, no pay 
layoffs of 4k workers? 
not right 
politicians & admin need to put people over profit 
we gotta stand up for those who need help 
42 million people 
! How can they afford food on the table when their benefits are cut off 
. Trump should think about the people not just his own interests 
. Food banks will be flooded, and people will have to rely on friends & family for help 
. Like what's next? Holding workers' paychecks hostage? It's just politics, plain and simple, but the impact on those living paycheck to paycheck is real 
. Trump's got no qualms about putting millions at risk just to get his way. It's so not cool.
. I mean what kind of president uses a government shutdown to hurt everyday people? It's not just the 42 million people who rely on food stamps, it's all the low-wage workers and vulnerable communities who are going to get hit hard by this. And let's be real, this whole thing reeks of Trump trying to strong-arm Congress into getting what he wants without actually negotiating in good faith 
. And what's with the food stamp cutoff? It's not right, especially for 42 million people who need it to survive. It's a heartless move that will only lead to increased hunger and suffering 
.
42 million people rely on snap benefits what if they don't get them?? it's like a ticking time bomb waiting to happen 
and the fact that he's using this as leverage over congress is just low-key ruthless 
newsflash trump: hurting americans isn't going to get you the votes you want