As the partial government shutdown entered into its fifth day, President Trump suggested that he’d drag the ordeal out even longer if he doesn’t get the $5 billion for the construction of the US-Mexico border wall that he’s demanded — a complete non-starter for Democrats.
As Vox points out, around 400,000 federal workers have been furloughed as a result of the shutdown and another 400,000 will go to work without any immediate pay. Only federal agencies that fall under the parts of the government that have yet to be funded will be affected.
As Christmas approached, people started taking to social media to share their stories about being affected by Trump’s shutdown, utilizing the hashtag #ShutdownStories.
Tweeting to Trump, Emma Poon wrote: “I don’t want a stupid wall. I want to go to back to work and get paid to do so. My mother died recently, it is the holidays, and I have bills to pay. I don’t have time for your immature bullshit. Not this year. Not ever.”
Another Twitter user complained that the shutdown is preventing her from getting answers about a hit-and-run accident from the Department of Transportation.
“I need to contact the Department of Transportation to track down the commercial vehicle that hit me but I can’t get answers on who hit me until the government opens,” @wburke81 tweeted. “I use my car for work, and school.”
One woman said she may have to dip into her retirement savings to help her daughter who has been furloughed.
“My daughter is furloughed. Sole breadwinner,” @mississippi1962 tweeted. “I have enough cash to get her family through January. If it goes longer, I will dip into retirement savings. Whatever it takes to protect my daughter and my grandkids.”
Some more examples can be seen below:
Day 5…. I literally had to redo my whole budget for January to make sure we good #ShutdownStories #singlemom #providerforasickparent the last shutdown I was in the same boat with a parent in the hospital smh
— mys_jackie (@MzSassy_J) December 27, 2018
Coast Guard family living in the Bay Area. Who’s going to cover our bills with this shutdown? My husband is still working but may not get a Paycheck. #unacceptable #shutdownstories #paytheuscg
— Maiwenn Powell (@Maikaeian) December 27, 2018
https://twitter.com/SuzPump/status/1078078334834159616
https://twitter.com/daniellelyn18/status/1078072511236055045
https://twitter.com/legallybrnette/status/1078071945223057408
https://twitter.com/ADs_2401/status/1078071372763549696
My husband is active duty Coast Guard. Everyone thinks the military is getting paid during the shutdown, but the Coast Guard is facing no pay on the 1st due to being DHS and not DoD. We live in NYC, pay over $2K/month in rent, have a toddler and one on the way.#ShutdownStories
— Katy⚓ (@katyjb88) December 24, 2018
I am a single mother of 3 with no help. Not knowing if I can pay rent or feed my family next week is hard and all that’s on my mind this day of Christmas when I should be happy. My kids feel my anxiety too 😔 #ShutdownStories
— Michelle 🌻 (@mj4ever) December 25, 2018
From Vox:
With Democrats on track to take over the House on January 3, they’ve indicated that they could pass their own “clean” funding bill that would not include wall funding at that time, though it’s unclear if the Senate would support it.
Ahead of that deadline, the pressure is on for Republicans — who still have majorities in both chambers — to get something through Congress that is more palatable to Trump.
Featured image via screen grab/YouTube
