As today marks the first day that furloughed Federal workers won't receive a paycheck, it's important to focus on the cutback or elimination of services that demagogue and moron Donald "Rump" Trump's government shutdown is causing. We've seen the stories about lines at airport checkpoints caused by furloughed TSA agents, IRS refund checks being delayed, or food inspections being curtailed. There's also a looming crisis in the farming sector, mainly due to price support checks not being issued to farmers, but also because benchmark data and information services that farmers rely on from the Department of Agriculture isn't available, or is available at a stiff cost via private companies. USDA-supplied information on harvests and crop inventories that help determine the market prices for the coming planting year has suffered from Rump's shutdown. Data regarding foreign crop production, which affects prices and supply, is also part of USDA's service effected by his tantrum.
As an indicator of whether Rump is losing support in his red cap heartland, watch the statements coming out of such Rethuglican farm state Senators as Joni Ernst (IA), Chuck "Assley" Grassley (IA), Ben Sasse (NE), and retiring Pat Roberts (KS). They might be the next wave to buckle on the shutdown under pressure from their constituents experiencing buyer's remorse. Then again, they may be more fearful of Rump's facts-impervious cult within that constituency than of economic ruin for their states.
(photo: Suckas!)
