The government shutdown is affecting travel and SNAP benefits

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, the Senate once again failed to get any movement
going on the shutdown, and they also failed yesterday to
pass a bill that would have paid some federal workers
during the government's shutdown. It's the Shutdown Fairness Act from
Republican Ron Johnson. Got fifty five votes but needed sixty
to move forward here, and the bill would have paid

(00:21):
troops and workers doing emergency jobs. But Democrats worried it
gave too much power to the White House to pick
who gets paid and who doesn't. Freaking Democrats, unbelievable Senate majority. Later,
John Thoone said on the Senate floor, Yes, say the
Democrats have opposed efforts to put the American people ahead.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Democrats have rejected every opportunity they've been given to put
the American people ahead.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
All they're far left face well, and there's other sides
to the story of Obviously the Democrats are blaming the Republicans.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Holland says employees shouldn't bear this burden.
Our belief is that no federal no one should bear
the burden or be punished for a shutdown.

Speaker 2 (01:02):
They have nothing to do with Man.

Speaker 1 (01:04):
And John Fetterman, Senator Democrat from Pennsylvania says workers deserve
the pay during the shutdown. I mean, I'm going to
vote for anything that's credible in a way to pay
our workers. Why who wouldn't want to vote to want
to pay all these people? Yeah, you know, here's the thing.
When the government shuts down, you know, the money stops flowing.

(01:25):
And that's what the shutdown is. We were not moving forward.
You got to have Congress playing ball together, you know,
to get get the government up and running. I mean,
if people don't show up because they shut down the government,
you know, and have been told, look, we don't have
the money because they basically put a lock on the
cash registers. And so when the shutdown happens, it's that's

(01:47):
what it is. It's a shutdown, and it's unfortunate. You know,
I agree with John Fetterman that you know, during the shutdown,
you can't I mean, these people are going to get
seriously behind in debt. You know, there's still question on
whether or not they're going to be you know, back paid.
The President says yeah, but he's also not really committed

(02:07):
it to one hundred percent back pay. So it's awful.
I think the Democrats are throwing a big wrench in
the cog of the wheel of moving forward with us.
Their refusal to come off of these subsidies with Obamacare
for illegals. It's just crazy. And now, as we've talked
about before, I mean, you look at the ripple effect

(02:28):
on this. It started with the air traffic controllers. Now
our secretary Transportation Secretary rather of Transportations, Sean Duffy is
expressing pretty big concern about the strain on Only air
traffic controllers do the government shutdown? But now here we go.
I mean, if you're going to be flying over Thanksgiving
and Christmas, maybe maybe not. I mean, Mack, you you've

(02:51):
got friends coming in from Cincinnati for the big weekend.
You guys have planned and they decided skip the airlines
for this very reason, right.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
Yeah, they actually ended up drop up or drimming down
from Cincinnati rather. But just as of today, in terms
of domestic flights, there have been five hundred and sixty
four delays and one hundred and fifty six cancelations.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
Yeah, and that number I think is just going to
increase the longer this thing goes on.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
Here, this is bizarre.

Speaker 1 (03:14):
Yeah, and here's another thing that is kind of troublesome
as well. Nearly forty two million in John Fetterman Democratic
Center from Pennsylvania was talking about this yesterday and bring
in common sense at the table, saying, look, you know,
I've got a lot millions in Pennsylvania that count on
the SNAP program, you know, to help those that are

(03:34):
challenged financially for.

Speaker 2 (03:35):
Food, not only families but veterans too.

Speaker 1 (03:38):
Yes, nearly forty two million Americans receive SNAP food benefits.
Now it looks like they may not be able to
use their cards starting November first. I mean that's a
week away.

Speaker 2 (03:48):
And something that I want like everyone to remember to
is if you have any kind of can goods that
you can afford to donate, or if you have a
Sam's clupper costco membership in some extra cash this month.
I mean, this is just a time where you should
heavily donate if you're able to shelters in food banks.

Speaker 1 (04:05):
Great great point. And the Department of Agriculture Now Warren
states on October tenth that there won't be enough money
to pay full benefits in November if the shutdown continues.
And even though October benefits went out normally because the
funding was approved before the shutdown on October first money
for November has not been set aside.

Speaker 2 (04:24):
Well, the irony in it is, of all months for
it to hit November right going in, and it makes
me want to cry thinking about it and thinking about
how families could potentially go without food during Thanksgiving, of
all holidays, or at all in general.

Speaker 1 (04:37):
But well, you know, I'm confident that this will be
fixed by the end of the month October. I know
it seems like there's no movement whatsoever. There hasn't been.
We're day twenty four into this thing, but I feel
that something's about the break loose here and they're going
to get it going.

Speaker 2 (04:53):
I certainly helps sound, you know.

Speaker 1 (04:54):
But you're making a great point, Mackenzie. If there's opportunity,
you know, and you have the means to to help
out more now than ever, you know, that's a good idea.
I think a trip to Costcos in order for me
as well. Good thinking.