Amid discussions about furloughs and firings of federal employees, we often forget that most are ordinary citizens trying to make ends meet. Some hold these jobs for the benefits they provide, and others because they genuinely enjoy helping people and take pride in where they work. We must not lose sight of the people behind these jobs, nor dismiss them as dispensable, useless or unnecessary.
As of this writing, nearly 750,000 federal employees have been furloughed, and hundreds of thousands more are working without pay. And these employees represent those running critical services that the federal government administers and oversees for everyday Americans. The Federal Aviation Administration, for example, has faced unprecedented stress due to staffing shortages at major airports. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reported that staffing-related delays jumped from a typical 5% to 53%. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 130 staff members from its infectious disease team have been laid off. The U.S. today faces multiple health challenges, including measles being at its highest since 1992, a surge in flu deaths, and whooping cough cases near historic peaks. The Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo have closed because of the shutdown. Meanwhile, the WIC program, which serves vulnerable mothers and children by providing them with money for food, is facing funding shortages. And while national parks remain partially open, the staff shortages could potentially lead to vandalism and environmental damage, something that was seen during previous government shutdowns.
And of course, we can't forget the IRS. Reportedly half of its workforce is planning on being furloughed. No doubt many Americans -- particularly many conservatives who want to see the end of the IRS -- are cheering this move on.
And it's not just federal employees who will be impacted. It's everybody, whether you work for the federal government or not. As a result of the loss in government services, experts estimate that a monthlong shutdown could result in an additional 43,000 job losses outside of the federal workforce, and consumer spending could decline by $30 billion due to the ripple effects that it can cause across industries.
This shutdown has differed from previous ones. It is true that just about every shutdown is weaponized politically in some way, primarily because a government shutdown is, generally speaking, going to be the result of both major parties refusing to compromise on key political issues. However, President Donald Trump has overtly politicized the process. Trump has explicitly stated, "We're only cutting Democrat programs. I hate to tell you, but we are cutting Democrat programs. We will be cutting some very popular Democrat programs that aren't popular with Republicans, frankly." And he certainly has made good on that promise, and he will continue to use that as leverage in his attempt to force Democrats to advance the funding bill.
At least Trump is taking efforts to ensure that the very people who keep our country free, who put their lives on the line to protect the interests of our nation and our freedoms, are being protected. On Oct. 15, over 1.3 million active-duty military members were scheduled to miss their first full paychecks. However, Trump announced that he had identified funds to ensure military pay, and he reallocated approximately $8 billion from Pentagon research and development budgets in order to do so.
Unfortunately, there's no end in sight. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is responsible for permitting the funding bill to advance in the Senate. On the last go-around, he compromised with Republicans, which caused a major firestorm from Democrats, particularly the more progressive ones. He was called to resign, and many called for him to be primaried. If he compromises again and Democrats lose funding for the Affordable Care Act or emergency Medicaid for illegal immigrants and others, then Schumer may face a real challenger for the first time in many years in his next campaign.
Government shutdowns hit everyone. That's why our elected officials must compromise, even if it may cost them politically. Billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of livelihoods are at stake, and not just federal workers'. This isn't about them; it's about the people they serve. If you're pressuring officials to prolong a shutdown or threatening to primary or force them to resign for choosing governance over grandstanding, then you, too, are not part of the solution. You're the problem.
Armstrong Williams is manager/sole owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast owner of the year. To find out more about him and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
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