Dear John,

The effects of a government shutdown are not theoretical.

They have real consequences that can be measured, quantified, and far-reaching. For example, when the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is interrupted, millions of people miss meals, putting a strain on local charities and food banks that are already struggling to meet the demand.

A halt or even a slight disruption in funding for Medicaid means that millions of Americans, especially those with chronic illnesses, will face medical emergencies, putting additional strain on an already overburdened healthcare system and leading to higher costs as people rush to emergency rooms for treatment that could have been managed with timely care.

There are many more ways that a government shutdown can harm people. Despite these impacts, extremist Republicans are blocking government funding legislation in order to please the MAGA base. Obviously, it’s more important to them to slash essential programs or impeach the president than just about anything else.

This is not governance; it is a self-serving power play at the expense of the people they are supposed to represent. Fortunately, we may only need a few Republicans to stop a shutdown, if Democrats stand united together to help keep it from happening.

Call on Congress to stand up to these extremists and demand that they avert a government shutdown by sending a direct message now.

There are 10 Republicans in the House that were elected in districts won by Joe Biden in 2020. They may be all we need to stop this insanity.

There’s no way to spin a government shutdown as good for America.

It would interrupt early education for children enrolled in Head Start, strain schools in low-income areas relying on federal funding, disrupt mental health services for our most vulnerable citizens, and undermine nutrition programs designed to support pregnant women and young children.

Whether it’s the never ending obsession with building a border wall or trying to tie Hunter Biden’s transgressions to President Biden, these Republican extremists are downright irresponsible and reckless to risk a shutdown over their hate-filled, xenophobic agenda.

It is clear that the concrete consequences of a government shutdown would be disastrous, impacting every aspect of our society. On the verge of a shutdown, with the deadline of September 30th looming large, Congress must prioritize the well-being of its citizens over the demands of a radical faction.

Demand your representative stand strong against these detrimental tactics and avert a government shutdown by sending your message now.

Thank you for taking action, let’s keep these extremists from shutting the government down.

Robert Reich
Inequality Media Civic Action