It would make me happy to have something witty to say about the demotion of the East Wing of the White House, and the monster of a ballroom that (supposedly) will rise in its place. But I don't.
The money for this work is coming from "private donors." At the same time, the present government shutdown means SNAP and WIC coffers will -- probably -- run dry, just in time for Thanksgiving. There's some private help, but it's pretty paltry compared to the big government programs.
You don't have to believe that government food assistance programs are a good idea to understand that shutting them down abruptly is a bad idea. It's a rugpull, just as the heating season is starting up. It'd be one thing if Congress, after due debate, ramped them down, but this is, well, cruel. And all the more so in the light of a lavish building project for the Presidential mansion. It might be "The People's House," but don't count on getting in if you show up for dinner unexpectedly, no matter who's living there at the time.
States and cities and private food charities are scrambling to make up the shortfall, but they're not going to have enough. One of our local food banks has already extended help to Federal employees working without paychecks -- yes, they've opened the doors to the families of TSA agents -- so they're already under an extra burden.
Somebody tell me how this is making us great again?
Update
10 months ago
1 comment:
I wonder if farmers are finally figuring out they've been duped? The market for US soybeans has disappeared, with 85 percent of China's soybean needs now being met from Brazil, and another 9 percent from Argentina. US cattle ranchers have been asked to reduce prices in the face of the suggestion to import beef from Argentina. Wow.
I guess we're expected to shut up and enjoy the poop King Trump is dropping on us from his chonky fighter jet...another sign of the delusion at the top.
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