Imagine you are a mother, trying to get help finding a place for you and your children to sleep, but you cannot because specific government programs are being shut down as they are deemed “non-essential.” This is a crisis many Americans face nationwide, whether as important as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families(TANF), Medicare Telehealth, AHCAH or many other programs vital to everyday life for millions of Americans. What would you do in this situation? While some might consider turning to neighbors, family, or friends for help, this is impossible for many. Many people are beginning to realize that the system meant to protect them can also be the one that causes them harm. You also start realizing, this isn’t the Democrats’ fault, or the Republicans’ fault, it is our entire government’s fault.
Halle Amore-Bauer, who teaches history at Fieldston, noted that during shutdowns, “elected officials play the blame game and a lot of misinformation spreads on both sides, with truth somewhere in between.” This can lead to civil unrest and loss of trust in the government.
A government shutdown occurs when there is a lapse in funding within the United States government. Annually, Congress votes on new spending bills to help fund everything from classrooms to the United States military. While some programs are deemed essential and will continue to receive funding no matter what happens, hundreds will go under. Some government employees are expected to work without pay, such as those in the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), a division under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
As an alert to the American people, many government websites are permitted to have banners to signify that there may be a delay or halt to some programs managed under each department. These messages are required to remain nonpartisan under the Hatch Act. The Hatch Act is a law created by Congress that says government websites and employees must remain nonpartisan when on duty. However, campaigning or elected officials, like the President and Vice President, are mostly exempt from the Hatch Act. Under 5 U.S.C. § 7323(a)(1), a government employee can not “…use his official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election…” An example of a recent violation has been found on many federal government websites, as they stated the government is shut down due to the “radical left.” This can be deemed influencing a possible election and is a partisan message, a violation deemed unlawful. Especially in a time that causes division, our government leaders must be looking to unite and come to a solution.
These messages are bluntly inappropriate and reflect the integrity of the United States government. Both parties’ fault has led to the government shutdown and neither is showing any progress. Many Democrats are calling for the resumption of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) projects abroad in foreign countries. At some point, we must ask: Is DEI worth funding within the United States, let alone in other countries? Democrats are also asking to remove funding from the border security measures given in the Working Families Tax Cuts and apply it to Medicaid. It is essential to understand that Medicaid is a significant funding source, but our border security is also. Under the Trump administration, around 148 people are coming through the border a day illegally, and under Biden, it was estimated to be 5,000–9,000 a day. This is a 90% drop. And it is a prime example of the U.S. government using the money given to it appropriately. Democrats want to allow for Medicaid to be awarded to people who are not working, volunteering for at least 80 hours a month and those in no form of training program. This will make many American citizens lazier and dependent on government welfare systems. Republicans wish to remove Electric Vehicle (EV) promotions, and while many Republicans claim to be thinking of our environment, the people do not see it when removing things like this from spending. Many Republicans also wish to remove taxes on tips/overtime, which will lead to fiscal instability. Republicans are doing an abysmal job of portraying this shutdown by calling out many liberals in the news, when in reality it is the legislature’s fault for not agreeing on major issues; however, Republicans are still thinking critically about the laws they are passing. While it is essential to consider the laws being passed, it is also important to see how this shutdown affects all Americans.
Federal government employees populate many communities in the United States. A town called Alexandria in Virginia has a high number of government employees. Alexandria city councilmember Canek Aguirre said of these employees, “Those folks cannot pay rent, cannot pay real estate taxes, can’t go shopping. That is hurting the commercial base here… You are talking about child care, you are talking about restaurants, you are talking about just going to shop at Marshall’s to buy a shirt, right? Someone is not doing that anymore if they are staying home.” These impacts are widespread; they affect not just the federal government but the families that rely on the income and services they are expected to provide.
As stated earlier, this government shutdown is a feeble reflection of the United States. It can also show how low each party will go in proving the other wrong. Amore-Bauer explained that these communications “coerce people on both sides and decrease trust in government systems. Over the past 15 years, trust in institutions has decreased because media bias has become more sensationalized.” Many people look for media sources that try to provide an unbiased view, but fewer and fewer exist every year. Among the media, many major news outlets often skew either right or left, which is an issue many Americans face.
Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the American people to call out their government for its lack of leadership in our country. Amore-Bauer encourages her students to “engage in lateral reading,” and fact-check media sources from both sides of the political aisle. I urge many of you to write to your local congress representative, asking for the Hatch Act to be enforced and to hold people accountable. It is an American’s fundamental right to hold our government accountable, and I implore many of you to do so.
