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As another government shutdown has begun, the usual blame game is already in full swing. Donald Trump and his Republican allies are quick to point fingers at Democrats, claiming they’re unwilling to “negotiate.” But let’s be clear: this crisis was not born of stalemate — it was engineered.
Trump wanted this shutdown.
This isn’t speculation — it’s strategy. His former Office of Management and Budget director, Russ Vought, has openly embraced using a shutdown to permanently fire tens if not hundreds of thousands of public servants — people who forecast our weather, respond to disasters through FEMA, research diseases at NIH, and protect public health through the CDC. These are not “deep state” villains — they’re the backbone of the services Americans rely on every single day.
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And as this sabotage unfolds, Trump continues to ignore court rulings and steamroll ahead with devastating tariffs that raise the cost of groceries, vehicles, and everyday essentials for working families. Declaring domestic threats and calling for our cities to be military training grounds against American citizens.
But instead of working to cushion the blow of a shutdown — to shield American families from unnecessary suffering — the MAGA agenda is intent on amplifying it. Why? Because the pain is the point.
This isn’t just about budgets or border policy. It’s about power. It’s about using the machinery of government to dismantle itself and replace it with authoritarian control. It’s about firing scientists and nurses while elevating cronies and extremists. It’s about destroying government so they can own whatever’s left.
And make no mistake — this is not just a Republican shutdown. It’s a Trump shutdown, willed into being by a man who sees chaos not as a cost, but as a tactic. His GOP allies in Congress are either complicit or too cowardly to stop him.
So, what should the American people be watching for?
Not just who to blame — but who uses this moment of crisis to hurt Americans further. Who treats the shutdown as an opportunity to dismantle your government, your rights, and your access to basic services. Watch for the smiles behind the sabotage. Watch for those who see opportunity in your pain.
And more importantly — decide what you will do.
Because this shutdown is not just a political fight in Washington. It is a test for the rest of us.
Will we fund a war against ourselves?
Will we be silent while healthcare is stripped from seniors, meals are taken from children, and disaster response is shuttered during a climate crisis?
Will we bankroll billionaires and foot the bill for fascism?
Will we fund an administration that at every turn thwarts the rule of law and our constitution?
Or will we rise — visibly, loudly, and unapologetically — and say: No more.
No funding for fascism.
No dollars for dictatorship.
No bankrolling a war on the American people.
This is not about shutting down a party. It’s about shutting down a war on our democracy. We must make it clear: this is our government, our future, and our fight.
Stand up, America. The time is now.

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