GUEST COLUMN, J. Basil Dannebohm
In April 2011, as Congress was working together to avert a government shutdown, Donald Trump was toying with the idea of a presidential bid. He addressed the possibility of a shutdown during an interview with Meredith Vieira on NBC's "Today” show.
"In my opinion, I hear the Democrats are gonna be blamed, I hear Republicans are gonna be blamed, I actually think the president would be blamed," Trump said. "I think it would be a tremendously negative mark on the president of the United States. He's the one that has to get people together."
Over the last 25 years, there have been 5 government shutdowns. One occurred during Barack Obama’s tenure. The latest shutdown, only nine months into Trump’s second term, brings his total to four.
It's worth noting that both the President and members of Congress still receive a paycheck during shutdowns.
Just how are they earning those paychecks?
Though largely for optics, Democratic members of the U.S. House are in Washington. Republicans were told by Speaker Johnson to remain at home, blame the left, and not to host town halls.
As for “the one that has to get people together?"
To avoid “a tremendously negative mark on the president of the United States,” the Trump administration is violating the Hatch Act by forcing government employees to create out of office email messages placing the blame squarely on the Democrats.
As the shutdown drags on, many conservative talking heads are alleging the “radical left” orchestrated a shutdown so undocumented immigrants could have access to free healthcare. Liberals largely blame the infamous Project 2025, an accusation Trump himself seemed to validate in a Truth Social post last week.
In fact, both parties share the blame.
While average Americans like you and I are the collateral damage of partisan politics, you know who isn’t feeling the brunt of the latest government shutdown?
Hint: It’s a nation that’s been making a lot of headlines lately – mainly for crimes against humanity.
The answer is Israel.
You might ask, “Why would a U.S. government shutdown have any impact on Israel?”
Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) passed under President Obama, the U.S. pledged $3.8 billion in annual military assistance to Israel. That amounts to over $10.4 million per day. In addition, the U.S. has provided significant emergency funding since the conflict in Gaza began.
Since 2023, the total aid to Israel, including both the annual MOU allocation and supplemental funding, averages out to nearly $59.5 million per day. Reports from organizations like Brown University's Costs of War initiative and news outlets such as the Associated Press note that figure is a "partial picture" of total U.S. support.
While Israel doesn’t offer free college, public universities are heavily subsidized, making tuition much lower than in many countries. Likewise, though Israel's healthcare is not entirely free, a universal system requires residents join one of four non-profit health plans funded by national income and health taxes. In America, the only healthcare initiative that comes close is Obamacare, which Republicans are largely phasing out.
Various polls suggest that voters of all political persuasions are growing weary of America’s unwavering and excessive financial support for Israel. Yet the only thing politicians in Washington seem to work together on is ensuring that Israelis are assured safety, access to outstanding healthcare, and affordable education. When it comes to providing the same for Americans, bipartisanship is a non-starter. Meanwhile, there isn’t a single state in the U.S. where a 40-hour minimum wage work week is enough to afford a two-bedroom apartment.
It’s not antisemitic to question why our politicians give $59.5 million per day to Israel while hardworking Americans struggle to put food on the table. Such a question is likely one of many reasons why they avoid town halls. Keep that in mind as your favorite partisan pundits feud like Hatfields and McCoys about who’s to blame for the latest shutdown.
The shutdown was probably a well-orchestrated distraction waged by both sides.
Don’t lose focus.
Hold your elected representatives accountable.
If they won’t answer your questions, vote them out -- even if it means voting for the other party. Partisan loyalty is a one-way street as far as politicians are concerned. They’re only loyal to billionaires, corporations, lobbyists, and Israel -- not you.
As the shutdown continues, Americans are forced to be the pawns in Washington’s latest game of chess. The board is on our backs, and the game will only stop when we collectively stand up and declare checkmate.
