The Democrats Caved

We protested, we got out the vote, and just as Congress should have felt empowered to keep charging ahead to press for negotiations or a compromise, the Senate conceded. The two leading excuses for folding were SNAP aid and federal workers going without pay.

Yes, it is wrong to let children go hungry. This is why Governor Newsom came through for Californians by holding emergency CalFresh food drives all over the state last week and making sure people got their full distributions (CalMatters: $80 million in state support.)

The only person to blame for SNAP being withheld is Trump who was fighting the courts to prevent the aid from going out. (PBS, 11/10/2025: Trump administration renews Supreme Court appeal to keep full SNAP payments frozen.) When Senate Democrats could put pressure back on the White House and Republicans for doing this to the American people, but they just.. gave up?

Federal workers have been dealing with staffing shortages ever since DOGE haphazardly came in and started pressuring agencies to reduce their headcounts. Some agencies, like the FAA, were already dealing with staffing shortages even before DOGE. Yes, air traffic controllers were already stressed, and then they were forced to work without pay. They were at a breaking point.

• NPR, 2023: Air Traffic Controller Shortage
• AP, 2/2025: 400 Cut at FAA by DOGE
• Forbes 11/6/2025: Air Traffic Controllers Quit
• NPR, 11/5/2025: Warnings of Tipping Point

Follow the Money

American Airlines, United, Southwest, and Delta all started pressing to reopen the government. 6-10% of flights were going to be cancelled during the busiest season of the year when ticket prices are double the amount compared to other times of the year. Do you think the airlines were more concerned about the well-being of the air traffic controllers or their profits?

The Shutdown Fight

The Medicaid expansion has been linked to a 39% to 64% reduction in the annual mortality rate for older adults gaining coverage (CBPP: Research on Medicaid Expansion Impacts.) It has been reported that premiums will go up 114% or to a point where people won’t be able to afford it and have to cancel their insurance. The combined loss of the ACA subsidies and cuts to Medicaid will have an estimated increased mortality of ~50k Americans annually (University of Pennsylvania: Health Impacts of HR1.)

Even those who are too selfish to care about other people should care about the fact their insurance rates are also going up. The lack of these subsidies impacts everyone, not just people on the ACA. That’s how risk distribution works with insurance.

I get my insurance through my employer and my share of the premium will increase ~$860 this year for a family plan. And to think, people were concerned about the price of eggs going up a few dollars.

We wanted to avoid needless long term suffering with the short term pain of a government shutdown. We didn’t get it. Congress is not coming to save us.

This isn’t over, we’ve only just gotten started

The definition of Zeal is “enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal,” or put simply: love in action. We will be holding food drives for the next 3 Solidarity Saturdays with food banks who have agreed to accept our donations. With inflation and tariffs increasing the cost of everything, people have been struggling to put food on the table. Now with the additional cost of healthcare, things are going to get that much harder.

Food Drive for Salvation Army
Saturday 11/15
9-11am
132 N China Lake Blvd
Donation drop off by the shopping center sign

Salvation Army has requested the following goods: Rice-a-roni, Cup of noodles, pasta, canned protein (tuna, chicken, beef, beef stew), cereal & granola bars, cans of nuts, boxed cookies & crackers, dried fruits, beef jerky, dry milk, bottled water, mac & cheese, single serving cups of fruit & pudding, cereal, oatmeal packets, and jelly/jam. No peanut butter needed, they have enough.

Survey

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