Let them eat balls! That’s basically what Trump and his Republican minions are saying about the 40 million people who are about to go hungry in this country.
The Trump Administration decided to cut off the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), often referred to as “food stamps,” on Nov. 1, claiming that “the well has run dry” regarding funding.
Of course, the only thing that has run dry is whatever shred of compassion Republicans have for people who need help. Granted, it wasn’t much to begin with.
Republicans are more interested in blaming Democrats for anything and everything than they are in governing. That’s not new. But their lows have gotten lower.
To be clear, Republicans literally run every branch of government right now. They have majorities in the House and Senate, the presidency, and even the Supreme Court. And yet they claim that Democrats just won’t let them open the government back up.
But the fault of the shutdown falls entirely on Republicans. They do not care about the vast majority of Americans. If they did, their policies would reflect that. Looking at their policies, it’s clear that the only people they care about are the rich.
This was made especially clear as Trump simultaneously cut SNAP and bulldozed the East Wing of the White House to build a fucking ballroom paid for by people like Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos.
Oh, we can’t possibly afford to feed people. But we’ve got plenty of that sweet, sweet bulldozer money.
It’s clear Trump doesn’t want the government to open back up because it is giving him an excuse and a method to get rid of what he calls “Democrat programs.” Which is to say any program that helps anyone. This includes SNAP.
The shutdown has also turned the federal government‘s online presence into Trump’s cruelty playground.
An excellent example is a message posted on the USDA’s website, which literally blames two of the right’s favorite scapegoats — immigrants and transgender people — for SNAP’s defunding and, really, the entire government shutdown writ large.
“Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program,” the USDA website reads, grossly misrepresenting the truth.
“We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats,” the message continues. “They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.”
An inflection point, indeed. Very cute for Republicans to portray themselves as powerless against the mean ol’ Democrats. That is hardly the case.
What Democrats are actually holding out for is health insurance subsidies that are about to expire and raise everyone’s health insurance premiums. We already have one of the most expensive healthcare systems in the world, not to mention one of the least efficient. This will make that worse. It will also kill people, because the number of uninsured people will go up.
Of course, the so-called pro life party doesn’t care if people die. But you would think they’d at least think of the economic implications. Healthcare is a big part of the economy and when fewer people are insured, fewer people will use those services, and when fewer people use those services, fewer healthcare workers will be needed, which means medical offices and hospitals will close. And this will hit rural areas hardest. The party’s own.
Look, I’m not happy with the Democrats. Their weak sauce approach to fascism spreading like wildfire across the country angers me greatly. Especially the folks floating the idea that, gosh, maybe the party has been too nice to trans people and immigrants. That is absolute bullshit. They are so desperate for the votes of the transphobes that they’re leaving trans people and their allies behind.
As I was writing this column, I learned about the death of Lia Smith, a young transgender woman.
I also encountered the encapsulation of why the Democrats shifting to the “center” (which is actually right-lite) is so infuriating and unforgivable.
Writer and musician Jael Holzman wrote on Bluesky: “a trans girl in vermont was kicked off her swimming team and committed suicide and at the very same time, the discourse in d.c. today is about whether the democratic party should’ve abandoned her sooner in order to win votes. a day in an american life.”
One young trans woman’s life is worth all of the transphobe votes in the world and certainly more than the Democrats could ever persuade to vote for them.
If you are in crisis and need support, please call the Trans Lifeline at 1-877-565-8860, visit The Trevor Project (for LGBTQ+ youth) or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
