In light of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, it’s blatantly obvious that the country is in dire need of three things: a Great Gatsby themed Halloween party, a newly renovated Lincoln bathroom in the White House and of course, a $250 million ballroom.
Each of those things President Donald Trump has done since Oct. 20 — twenty days into the government shutdown, which has now become the longest ever in the country’s history.
However, Nov. 1 did not just bring in changes to the White House, but changes to the lives of the estimated 41.7 million US citizens who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, each month. Among these citizens are over 750,000 residents of Alabama whose state legislature is not in the position to carry the burden of paying for absent SNAP benefits, nor should it be required to.
In an effort to help lighten the financial blow that will arise out of this loss, Gov. Kay Ivey announced that Alabama will be utilizing its emergency funds to donate $2 million to eight Alabama food banks that serve the 67 counties. In tandem with these funds, the Alabama Department of Human Resources will also be providing an additional $3 million to food banks and $300 per child for families that participate in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
In an announcement, Gov. Ivey stated, “Alabama cannot be both the state and federal government,” and that is nothing short of the truth. Alabama is not the only state that feels the weight of having to support its residents without the funds that are normally available to them. Certain states such as Maryland, Delaware, Hawaii and Louisiana, to name a few, are allocating direct financial aid to provide SNAP benefits for those who need them. Unfortunately, not all states are able to do this.
SNAP is a federally-funded program that is meant to diminish food insecurity. Emphasis on federally-funded. The federal government is the one that needs to carry the weight of the consequences halted SNAP benefits create and take immediate action.
While millions are facing immense food insecurity and fear of not being able to provide for their families, the president is busy decorating, blaming democrats and threatening in a Truth Social post that SNAP will not be renewed until “the Radical Left Democrats open up government.”
The White House has since come out and clarified that the Trump administration will be partially funding SNAP benefits in compliance with the ruling of a federal judge in Rhode Island who demanded that the Trump administration administer full SNAP benefits as soon as possible. However, the USDA warned it would take weeks or months for individuals to receive benefits.
Nonetheless, it is troubling times when the leader of the free world can not be bothered to at least refrain from insensitive political threats while millions are living in fear. While the blame of the government shutdown, and its subsequent consequences, could be put on either party, it is safe to say that the sheer frivolity of the executive branch is nothing short of distasteful.
Great Gatsby parties are a smack in the face to citizens struggling to survive. Americans don’t care about marble bathrooms with gold sinks, they care about whether or not their children will have food. It is the job of the federal government, not the states, to support the people of this country.
