Thursday, January 17, 2019

Donald Trump and the misery of shutdown

The misery of shutdown America as record closure hits day 26

Sobbing workers plunged into poverty are turning to charities for food, while an unrepentant Donald Trump refuses to budge on day 26 of the record closure.

January 17, 20198:05am

0

While US President Donald Trump cheerfully served up burgers at the White House, federal employees in their fourth week without pay were turning to charities for help.
The record-breaking government shutdown is on its 26th day, and the poorest Americans have been hit hardest as wages stop and services grind to a halt.
Staff at food banks told news.com.au there were tears as some of the 800,000 workers working without pay or on leave without pay sought a lifeline for their families.


But Mr Trump has refused to budge on his demand for $US5.7 billion ($A8 billion) for a border wall, and Democrats will not increase their offer of $US1.3 billion ($A1.8 billion) for security.

Donald Trump refuses to budge on his border wall demands on the shutdown’s 26th day, with workers turning to charities for food. Picture: Mandel Ngan/AFP
Picture: Mandel Ngan/AFPSource:AFP

Donald Trump refuses to budge on his border wall demands on the shutdown’s 26th day,

Huge queues delayed travel at airports including Atlanta, with security officers absent or working without pay. Picture: John Spink/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP

Huge queues delayed travel at airports including Atlanta, with security officers absent or working without pay. Picture: John Spink/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via APSource:AP

On Tuesday local time, the White House invited rank-and-file Democrats from the House of Representatives to lunch with the President, bypassing party leaders in an effort to gain support for his wall on the US-Mexico border. They refused to attend.
Meanwhile, organisations in cities including New York, Tampa and Chicago extended their hours to hand out items including groceries, nappies and pet food to federal workers. Capital Area Food Bank in Washington DC said 2200 federal employees had visited its pop-up locations.
A church in Dallas, Texas was handing out gift cards to workers on leave without pay or working without pay. Hunger Free America launched a hotline and website to help unpaid federal workers apply for benefits and locate food pantries.
Neill Bogan, senior director of development and communications at New York Common Pantry, told news.com.au the organisation had seen federal workers sobbing over their desperate situation.
“We had several visits by federal workers seeking food during our distribution days last week,” he said. “We expect a good many more this week when we distribute Wednesday through Saturday.
“Our staff who have worked with the visitors recount that they have been emotional, and in at least one case in tears, about needing to seek help at a food pantry, saying, ‘We never expected to have to do this.’”
Thousands have applied for unemployment benefits and are using their savings to get by. Others told news.com.au they were only spending money on essentials while they looked for new jobs.
Growing numbers of staff were calling in sick, including parents who cannot risk paying for childcare without knowing when they will next receive any money. Many are concerned they will miss their next pay cheque on January 25, with no sign Mr Trump or the Democrats are prepared to compromise in the border wall funding stand-off.
While those working will receive back pay, the shutdown will still have lasting negative effects.
David Van Slyke, dean of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, warned in The Hill of a future “brain drain” as people are put off government jobs — plus a hike in prices by contractors who are currently filling gaps and agreeing to be paid later.

Mr Trump presided over a meal of junk food at the White House for college football champions Clemson Tigers, with his chefs on unpaid leave.

Mr Trump presided over a meal of junk food at the White House for college football champions Clemson Tigers, with his chefs on unpaid leave.Source:Twitter

Farmers are not receiving subsidies, manufacturers do not know how much materials will cost and food and drug safety inspections have stopped.
Air travel has been hit particularly hard, with the Transport Security Administration Union saying some staff had quit.
“TSA agents in the New York area … they make an average salary of $35,000 ($A50,000) a year,” Gabriel Pedreira, legislative and political organiser for American Federation of Government Employees, told Metro US. “That’s not a lot of money. When you’re only making $35,000 a year in the New York area and you miss a pay cheque, that hurts.”
Miami Airport closed a terminal and passengers missed flights at Atlanta airport, the busiest in the US, with queues of 90 minutes at security and six lanes closed.
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said on Tuesday the shutdown would cost the company about $US25 million in revenue this month as fewer government contractors and employees are travelling. These costs are only likely to be passed on to passengers.

Most Americans do not support the President’s plan for a $US5.7 billion wall on the US-Mexico border. Picture: Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP

Most Americans do not support the President’s plan for a $US5.7 billion wall on the US-Mexico border. Picture: Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFPSource:AFP

“We had federal employees who were literally taking Christmas presents that were wrapped and ready to give, and taking them back to the store,” Randy Erwin, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, told CBS News. “They were hunkering down for lean times,.”
Federal prisons, the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Housing and Urban Development are all operating with a skeleton staff.
National parks are closed as toilets overflow and litter piles up, popular tourist sites including the Smithsonian, National Portrait Gallery and American History Museum are shut and the Coast Guard has suspended safety checks and ship maintenance.
Coast Guard Commandent Admiral Karl Schultz said in a statement that Tuesday marked “the first time in our Nation’s history that servicemembers in a US Armed Force have not been paid during a lapse in appropriations.” The Red Cross said it would be providing financial support.
The FBI has petitioned the US Government to reopen and allow it to get on with protecting the safety of Americans.

Protesting workers called for an end to the government shutdown. Picture: Joseph Prezioso / AFP

Protesting workers called for an end to the government shutdown. Picture: Joseph Prezioso / AFPSource:AFP

During protests in Washington last week, workers held up signs that read, “My landlord is calling and I must pay.”
Some workers have sued the government through the American Federation of Government Employees. “Our members put their lives on the line to keep our country safe,” AFGE President J David Cox Sr said in December. “Requiring them to work without pay is nothing short of inhumane.”
Julie Burr, a transport department administrative assistant, told news.com.au she had taken on extra shifts at a second job at a bookstore. The 49-year-old single mother from Missouri also set up a GoFundMe and was considering selling her possessions to help pay the bills.
Families who receive food stamps and housing vouchers have been warned these are only funded to the end of February.
Problems at the US-Mexico border are only growing worse with immigration courts closed and unable to process cases.
Most Americans do not support the idea of a border wall, with 59 per cent saying it was not necessary to protect the border, according to a new poll from Quinnipiac University.
However, support for the wall is growing among Republican voters, despite many of them living in areas with the highest numbers of federal workers.
“I am concerned for my people,” said Gregory Blaney, an aerospace engineer working without pay running a NASA facility in Fairmont, West Virginia. But he told The New York Times: “I’m willing to endure some impact if it means border security.”
“We need the wall,” Jessica Lemasters, an accountant on unpaid leave (furlough) from the Treasury Department, told the newspaper. “I don’t like being furloughed, but it happens.”
Mr Trump has repeatedly rejected suggestions to reopen the government while negotiations continue, from Democrats and even his ally Senator Lindsey Graham on Monday.
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell refused to debate bills to this effect passed by the House of Representatives — and supported by several Republicans — without Mr Trump’s support.
The President has said he will not declare a national emergency to get the wall built using defence department funds, but appears in no hurry to find a solution to the impasse.
He has said he can “relate” to government workers, but believes he has their support.
On Tuesday morning local time, he retweeted a Daily Caller article by an anonymous senior Trump official that expressed a wish the shutdown would last “a very long time” and called it “an opportunity to strip wasteful government agencies for good”.

PROMOTED Weltbild Satire ist mein Lieblingstier - Satirische Gedichte. Wolfgang Hampel, - Buch

Wolfgang Hampel's very witty book 'Satire ist mein Lieblingstier' ( Satire is my favourite animal ) is No 1 Buecher de TOP List.

Wolfgang Hampels sehr witziges Buch ' Satire ist mein Lieblingstier' ( Satire is my favourite animal ) ist No 1 Buecher de TOP Liste.


Many greetings - viele Grüße

Mats 

buecher.de - Schnell, Günstig, Versandkostenfrei




Ich habe dieses Buch gekauft, weil Krimi-Königin Ingrid Noll Wolfgang ... sehr, daß wir die monatliche literarische Veranstaltung Vita Magica von Wolfgang Hampel bald einmal besuchen können.


Wolfgang Hampel's Satire ist mein Lieblingstier in Buecher de TOP list 



Satire ist mein Lieblingstier - Satirische Gedichte - Wolfgang Hampel
Informationen über die Kultveranstaltung "Vita Magica" der Akademie für Ältere in Heidelberg  

Wolfgang Hampel - Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal )

Betty MacDonald, a very special politician and a year ago 
 
Roger Cicero - ESC winner 2007  

Many ESC fans from all over the world are so very sad because we lost Joy Fleming - one of the best singers ever. 

Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel sings  'Try to remember' especially for Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund at Vita Magica September

you can join 



Betty MacDonald fan club



Betty MacDonald Society  



Vita Magica  



Eurovision Song Contest Fan Club 



on Facebook


Vita Magica Betty MacDonald event with Wolfgang Hampel, Thomas Bödigheimer and Friedrich von Hoheneichen



Vita Magica 


Betty MacDonald 

Betty MacDonald fan club 


Betty MacDonald fan club on Facebook


Betty MacDonald forum  

Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( English ) 

Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( English ) - The Egg and I 


Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( Polski)   

Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( German )

Wolfgang Hampel - LinkFang ( German ) 

Wolfgang Hampel - Academic ( German )

Wolfgang Hampel -   

Wolfgang Hampel - DBpedia  ( English / German )

Wolfgang Hampel - people check ( English ) 

Wolfgang Hampel - Memim ( English )

Vashon Island - Wikipedia ( German )

Wolfgang Hampel - Monica Sone - Wikipedia ( English )

Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( English )

Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( French ) 


Wolfgang Hampel - Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle - Wikipedia ( English)

Wolfgang Hampel in Florida State University

Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel 

Betty MacDonald fan club interviews on CD/DVD

Betty MacDonald fan club items 

Betty MacDonald fan club items  - comments

Betty MacDonald fan club - The Stove and I  
 

Betty MacDonald fan club groups 

Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund