{"id":46380,"date":"2025-11-05T22:05:31","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T22:05:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/?p=46380"},"modified":"2025-11-07T00:04:42","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T00:04:42","slug":"americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/","title":{"rendered":"The Real Cause of the Government Shutdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

The government may be shut down. But when it comes to political theatrics, the show goes on.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n

The government shutdown is basically America\u2019s version of parents fighting while the kids hide upstairs, wondering when dinner will be ready. Mom and Dad (that\u2019s Congress) are too busy screaming at each other over who \u201cstarted it\u201d to actually parent. Meanwhile, the kids (that\u2019s us) are left scrounging the pantry, surviving on crushed-up Triscuits from the bottom of the box.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s pretty much where we are now: families waiting on delayed food assistance (SNAP) benefits, hundreds of thousands of federal workers missing paychecks, and travelers watching airport lines snake longer as staffing thins. None of these problems will be resolved until Congress reaches a consensus on how to spend the latest budget proposal.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the heart of the shutdown is a fight over how much to spend on federal programs like Medicaid and SNAP, and whether to tighten rules on who gets help or extend subsidies that keep healthcare and food assistance affordable.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Where the Breakdown Happens<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Both political parties say they want to help underprivileged Americans. They just differ on how to do it.<\/span><\/p>\n

On one side, many Republicans say the biggest problem with programs like Medicaid and SNAP isn\u2019t the idea behind them. It\u2019s <\/span>how the money is managed<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Their 2025 budget plan <\/span>called for <\/span><\/a>\u201cenhancing Medicaid program integrity.\u201d It pointed out that the federal government has made about <\/span>$2.7 trillion in improper payments<\/b> since 2003, which they say shows how much money is slipping through the cracks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some lawmakers have also pushed for stronger rules to make sure benefits only go to eligible households. As Rep. Ralph Norman <\/span>put it<\/span><\/a>, these reforms are about \u201cprotecting Medicaid for the truly vulnerable.\u201d Republican leaders argue that adding work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents would keep the programs focused on short-term help\u2014what they call preventing \u201ccradle-to-grave dependence.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u200b\u200bOn the other side, Democrats are focused on protecting coverage and making sure people don\u2019t lose access to food or healthcare because of politics or paperwork. Their main goal right now is to <\/span>extend federal subsidies<\/b> that help lower- and middle-income Americans afford health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Those subsidies, first expanded during the pandemic, are set to expire soon unless Congress renews them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Democrats argue that letting those subsidies lapse would cause <\/span>millions of Americans\u2019 premiums to spike<\/b>, pushing families to drop their coverage altogether. \u201cWe shouldn\u2019t punish people for working hard and still struggling to afford care,\u201d <\/span>said<\/span><\/a> Sen. Ron Wyden, chair of the Senate Finance Committee. \u201cThese subsidies have been a lifeline for working families.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

They\u2019ve also pushed back against deeper cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, saying they\u2019d leave veterans, seniors, and working parents without essentials.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Political Theater<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In addition to the policy divides, there\u2019s a whole lot of political theater at play. For many in Congress, a shutdown isn\u2019t just a policy fight\u2014it\u2019s a performance. Lawmakers on both sides often use it as a chance to rally their base and build their personal brands, turning the drama into campaign fuel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Holding out during a shutdown can signal to supporters, <\/span>\u201cI didn\u2019t back down.\u201d<\/span><\/i> It\u2019s a way to prove loyalty to party values and score points with primary voters who prize ideological purity.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the cameras are rolling, grandstanding can look like strength. A hardline speech on the House floor or a viral post about \u201cstanding firm\u201d can energize small-dollar donations and shore up political capital. But the tradeoff is costly: every day the standoff drags on, food assistance is delayed, paychecks stop, and agencies go dark.<\/span><\/p>\n

The result is a cycle of symbolic wins and real-world losses. Neither side wants to appear weak, so both dig in deeper. Budgets expire, deadlines pass, and the machinery of government sputters to a halt. Not because compromise is impossible, but because <\/span>disagreement is politically advantageous.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The People Affected<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As Washington remains stuck in gridlock, many Americans stare down empty fridges and an increased fear of losing health coverage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Take Brandy Monovic, a single mom in Colorado who relies on SNAP benefits. \u201cI’ve cut down eating three meals a day to eating one meal a day,\u201d she <\/span>says<\/span><\/a>. \u201cI don’t have as much energy. I’m tired. I’m hungry a lot. I drink water to try to help with the hunger pain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Or think of <\/span>Erin Jackson-Hill<\/span><\/a>, a 56-year-old woman from Anchorage, Alaska, who has allergies, asthma, and severe hip pain. She currently pays nearly $500 a month for premiums. If subsidies disappear, she plans to forgo insurance and pay for her asthma and allergy medications out of pocket, a decision that leaves her with few options if her hip condition worsens. “I’ll have to go bankrupt in order to pay for it,” she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

These aren\u2019t abstract victims. They\u2019re individuals whose meals, bills, care access, and dignity are on the line. When the government shuts down, so does the help many count on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

An Invitation to Build<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We need to hold politicians accountable to the needs of the people. While the headlines rattle on, we can find solutions for our communities across divides.<\/span><\/p>\n

Support local businesses or nonprofits that fill in gaps. Nonprofits like <\/span>Feeding America<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>GiveDirectly<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Propel<\/span><\/a> and local food banks provide direct food assistance, emergency food boxes, and cash transfers. They won\u2019t replace large federal programs, but they cushion the fall when the federal machine hiccups.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Encourage cross-ideology conversations: you might be surprised how much you share when you step away from the shouting. More discussions across divides usually reveal shared values and lead to more problem-solving for what could benefit your communities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the civic level, show up where you are. A local church can start a weekend meal drive for families waiting on SNAP benefits. City councils can partner with nonprofits to keep clinics open for uninsured residents. Small businesses can donate supplies or sponsor temporary relief funds for furloughed workers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Because the shutdown reveals something: the machine breaks, but people don\u2019t have to. While Congress is stalled, real progress is possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014Alex Buscemi (abuscemi@buildersmovement.org<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s note:<\/strong> This article has been updated from a previous version to more accurately characterize each party\u2019s policy positions.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The government may be shut down. But when it comes to political theatrics, the show goes on.\u00a0 The government shutdown is basically America\u2019s version of parents fighting while the kids hide upstairs, wondering when dinner will be ready. Mom and Dad (that\u2019s Congress) are too busy screaming at each other over who \u201cstarted it\u201d to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":46381,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"collection_feed":[],"type_feed":[77],"class_list":["post-46380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Real Cause of the Government Shutdown - Builders<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Programs like SNAP and Medicaid are supported by a majority of citizens across the political spectrum. So why can\u2019t Washington get on board?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Real Cause of the Government Shutdown - Builders\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Programs like SNAP and Medicaid are supported by a majority of citizens across the political spectrum. So why can\u2019t Washington get on board?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Builders\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-11-05T22:05:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-07T00:04:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Builders_BlogImage_Newsletter-11.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1506\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"859\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"abuscemi\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#\/schema\/person\/70e349194917307728e72f5f246e3d95\"},\"headline\":\"The Real Cause of the Government Shutdown\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-05T22:05:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-07T00:04:42+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/\"},\"wordCount\":1062,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Builders_BlogImage_Newsletter-11.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/\",\"name\":\"The Real Cause of the Government Shutdown - Builders\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Builders_BlogImage_Newsletter-11.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-05T22:05:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-07T00:04:42+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#\/schema\/person\/70e349194917307728e72f5f246e3d95\"},\"description\":\"Programs like SNAP and Medicaid are supported by a majority of citizens across the political spectrum. So why can\u2019t Washington get on board?\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Builders_BlogImage_Newsletter-11.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Builders_BlogImage_Newsletter-11.jpg\",\"width\":1506,\"height\":859},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Real Cause of the Government Shutdown\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/\",\"name\":\"Builders\",\"description\":\"Rise Above Us vs Them. Be a Builder\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Real Cause of the Government Shutdown - Builders","description":"Programs like SNAP and Medicaid are supported by a majority of citizens across the political spectrum. So why can\u2019t Washington get on board?","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Real Cause of the Government Shutdown - Builders","og_description":"Programs like SNAP and Medicaid are supported by a majority of citizens across the political spectrum. So why can\u2019t Washington get on board?","og_url":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/","og_site_name":"Builders","article_published_time":"2025-11-05T22:05:31+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-11-07T00:04:42+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1506,"height":859,"url":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Builders_BlogImage_Newsletter-11.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/"},"author":{"name":"abuscemi","@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#\/schema\/person\/70e349194917307728e72f5f246e3d95"},"headline":"The Real Cause of the Government Shutdown","datePublished":"2025-11-05T22:05:31+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-07T00:04:42+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/"},"wordCount":1062,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Builders_BlogImage_Newsletter-11.jpg","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/","url":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/","name":"The Real Cause of the Government Shutdown - Builders","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Builders_BlogImage_Newsletter-11.jpg","datePublished":"2025-11-05T22:05:31+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-07T00:04:42+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#\/schema\/person\/70e349194917307728e72f5f246e3d95"},"description":"Programs like SNAP and Medicaid are supported by a majority of citizens across the political spectrum. So why can\u2019t Washington get on board?","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Builders_BlogImage_Newsletter-11.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Builders_BlogImage_Newsletter-11.jpg","width":1506,"height":859},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/11\/05\/americans-agree-on-snap-and-medicaid-why-cant-the-government\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Real Cause of the Government Shutdown"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/","name":"Builders","description":"Rise Above Us vs Them. Be a Builder","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46380","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46380"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46380\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46381"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46380"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46380"},{"taxonomy":"collection_feed","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/collection_feed?post=46380"},{"taxonomy":"type_feed","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type_feed?post=46380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}