I liked the cartoon regarding a possible side effect of the government shutdown (Herald, Oct. 17).
So, here’s a thought I have offered over the decades whenever there was a government shutdown, and at 81, I have witnessed many of those shutdowns: Stop all paychecks and benefits to all members of the House and Senate, including their staffers. The same should happen to everyone in the White House, including Trump (not that he would notice), his advisers, all Cabinet posts and the entire West Wing. Would emptying the White House and both chambers of Congress have those furloughed workers crying, “Why me?”
Let these people who feel entitled to lay off, or fire, federal employees feel the same crush of income loss during a shutdown. Will they beg to get their jobs back? After all, a shutdown should affect those who caused it, as well as those who had nothing to do with it.
When Newt Gingrich shut down the government in December 1995, the (in)famous NYC shock-jock, Don Imus, suggested that Gingrich and his GOP colleagues must have adopted a new campaign slogan: “What’s the point of having power if you can’t abuse it?”
Flash forward to today: As the Republicans – who control all three branches of government – revel in the government shutdown while blaming Democrats, budget director, Russell Vought – a co-author of Project 2025 – remarked recently regarding the layoffs of federal employees, “We’re having fun.”
I rest my case.
David Ohman
Durango
