Its not secret at this point that the government shutdown has majorly affected SNAP, EBT, and even Healthcare benefits for millions across the country. While I don’t rely on those benefits myself thanks to the well off position my family is in, I know several people who do rely on those social programs. While California and other states, cities, or even private businesses have taken it upon themselves to provide support during this time, it is still troubling to see that while millions begin to lose these programs that they rely on to give food to their children, or healthcare products to their elders, the Trump administration decided hours before these benefits run out, to have a “Gatsby” style party with gold and white ornaments, as well as some barely clothed women who just danced in giant wine glasses. Now, while I am completely unaffected by these changes in benefits, it shocks me to my core the lack of sympathy and empathy many have had towards this situation.
Many claim that these benefits exist only for people to abuse of them, that they essentially steal food from those who actually use their own money to do so. That they shouldn’t be able to buy things like steak and cooked rotisserie chicken. That the diet people who receive these benefits should have is that of a nutraloaf, a flavorless but nutrient rich food fed to prisoners when they misbehave. My response to that is utter disgust, because there is absolutely no reason we should be denying people the simple privilege of having flavored food. The fact that we think letting SNAP beneficiaries buy a raw steak or rotisserie chicken is worse than allowing our tax dollars go towards a “Gatsby” party is absolutely fascinating to me.
Frankly, I do not care if my tax dollars are spent on feeding people and providing healthcare. Especially because my tax dollars are currently being spent on golf trips, the bankrolling of a war in a country I would never visit for moral reasons, and on the very illegal remodeling of the White House. It is ridiculous that many are still excusing this behavior from our President, yet insist that I am getting robbed blindly by people who want to put food on the table for their family. I could care less if someone uses SNAP to buy steak! In fact, good for them. I am glad they put a nice meal on their table every so often.
If you asked me what I would like my tax dollars spent on, I will always respond with healthcare, food assistance, and public transit. I would much rather my money fund a war against famine, joblessness, and sickness than I would for a war against innocent people or against a politician who doesn’t agree with your opinion. I will use a phrase that my own peers who disagree with me use commonly, “Facts don’t care about feelings.” The fact is millions of Americans will starve without SNAP or EBT. The fact is without healthcare, people will die or get severely sick for something that could’ve been solved by a simple doctors visit. The fact is that the majority Americans oppose the war in Gaza, because it is wasting tax payer dollars on a war that is allowing for the unwarranted removal of an entire people. If that war were truly about terrorism, we would be going after Hamas, not the people of Gaza.
Now I know that was a tangent, but it is a necessary tangent because it explains how we have decided that going to war, hosting “Gatsby” parties, and funding the golfing trips (which if I may say is incredibly boring after going more than twice a month to golf) that do absolutely nothing to help us. While our federal workers and welfare beneficiaries go unsupported, our government has decided to simply argue instead of negotiate. The GOP and Democrats must sit down to negotiate before our federal workers permanently quit, and our own neighbors begin to lack nutrition. This isn’t just a tantrum, this is now pure rage because I think many people like myself are sick and tired that our government can walk over us, forgetting that they aren’t the top of the world.