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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIn Trump country, Republicans cheer on shutdown: The 'government is our biggest enemy'
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2019/01/20/trump-country-republicans-cheer-federal-shutdown/2549255002/"It kind of makes me question what they do on a day-to-day basis," says Paul James, 31, who runs the town's sole medical marijuana dispensary. "If I don't miss them, what were they doing?"
Sure, some folks are worried that their relatives in the military aren't getting paid right now. Others are worried about access to federal loan guarantees or getting their tax refunds on time. More than a handful believe the shutdown makes the country look foolish. But generally, Craig's residents are unfazed by the shutdown that's approaching one month and showing no signs of ending. They point out that federal employees eventually will get their salaries even though some didn't even work and that many of those nonessential workers are getting a lengthy vacation.
For many Craig residents, the shutdown remains mostly abstract: The federal government isn't a big employer here, and people are mostly worried about how air-quality regulations are slowly squeezing the life out of the coal mines and power plants. That helps explain the popularity of GOP candidates, where voting for Republicans comes as naturally as breathing, regardless of how you feel about the president. This is a town where pickups and SUVs rule the roads and renewable energy is often scorned as unreliable and unproven.
Here, the shutdown is an initial victory in President Donald Trump's fight to shake up and pare down federal bureaucracy. Trump drew more than 80 percent of the votes in the 2016 election in this county, and for his supporters, every day the federal government isn't interfering in their daily lives is a win.
"Just remember, Trump has never been a politician," says Chris Nichols, a city councilman whose shirt with a faded monogrammed "M" reminds people that he used to own several McDonald's franchises. "And maybe that's what's firing up his base."
Kablooie
(18,572 posts)And see how they feel then.
LonePirate
(13,386 posts)They are a fraction of the country's population; yet the media wants to interview each and every one of them while ignoring the thoughts and opinions of the rest of the country.
Stargazer09
(2,131 posts)I dont really understand it, either.
Nobody is going to change the minds of most of the people in small towns. Most of them have spent their entire lives in their little bubbles, and they are perfectly happy (and proud) of their beliefs.
ansible
(1,718 posts)That "fraction of the country's population" is why that orange asshole is in charge right now. Never underestimate and belittle the enemy.
TexasBushwhacker
(20,044 posts)uponit7771
(90,225 posts)sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)UniteFightBack
(8,231 posts)Beartracks
(12,761 posts)Cattledog
(5,897 posts)who repeatably voted against the The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) until his daughter
was in an accident and had to use a wheelchair.
ooky
(8,886 posts)Trump up until the day her paychecks stopped, and then said he was "hurting the wrong people".
Demovictory9
(32,324 posts)someone proposes oilrigs off the coast of Florida
duforsure
(11,882 posts)And his government over ours. trump and putin hate Democracy , it would hold them accountable , and they especially hate the rule of law, and a free press. It all exposes their corruption , and abuses of power to rob the people and the government of billions for themselves , and like putin has done to russia and its people there. That's what trump wants to do here for his own personal financial gains from it like putin has done. Putins stolen 100's of billions from the government and the russian people.
oasis
(49,152 posts)sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)The suckers will feel the pain when their mom gets cancer and they have to hold a fundraiser to pay for chemo, because Republicans refused to extend Medicaid for them.
Vinca
(50,170 posts)They hated Obamacare until they got sick, they hated gays until their son came out, some of them have a hard time hating undocumented immigrants because they're a good chunk of the work force on big farms with limited resources and lots of crops to pick or animals to feed. But the article brings up a point that should be investigated. Is the real purpose of Trump's shutdown an effort to decrease the size of government by getting employees to quit and not replacing them?
LastLiberal in PalmSprings
(12,539 posts)He is attacking all three branches of government. He dismisses the hard work of the intelligence agencies in favor of Putin's sage advice. He attacks the free press on a daily -- almost hourly -- basis. He attacks the Justice Department and the FBI.
He shuts down the government, blames the Democrats, then brings back tens of thousands of people to work without pay. He trashes long established alliances with other governments in favor of kowtowing to powerful dictators. He disrespects the military. He lies on an hourly basis.
He is an agent of Russia, and should continue to be called out as such.
We've got to stop waiting for Godot -- er, Mueller -- to show up and save the day. Start the impeachment process now!
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,041 posts)That agent of Russia is a convenient tool for the GOP to further erode public education, social programs, and the federal government in general.
Trumputin should be impeached and the Russiapublicans exposed for what they are.
scarytomcat
(1,706 posts)he put us on a path that we need to turn from
WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT, THE GOVERNMENT IS US
ooky
(8,886 posts)lovemydogs
(575 posts)I worked for Housing. And we followed the federal housing but, were part of city or county.
It still burns me when people put down government employees as worthless or lazy.
We did far more work then in the private sector.
And did not get the big money.
We felt a sense of mission. A need to help those who were hurting, ect.
We loved the work because of our love of helping people.
But, we earned our paychecks.