Its been, what?, a month of government shutdown and…I haven’t even noticed. But, according to the news that may change when the barbarous hordes that rely on government aid to eat discover that the free money isn’t flowing into their EBT card as usual.
The internet, a bastion of truth and fact, has all sorts of warnings that people buying groceries will be attacked by the EBT crowd for their groceries. And that there will be mass shoplifting. And looting. And….well, you fill in the rest.
Will this sort of thing happen? Probably in some cases as people get fueled by these same articles. But by and large I don’t think so. If youre too lazy to work for food youre probably too lazy to steal it. But, I’ve been wrong before.
What amuses me terribly is that there are organizations and food banks that are rushing to cater (literally) to the poor souls of federal employees who may be going hungry as this nasty and evil ‘shutdown’ goes on. The depth of my absolute indifference for the plight of federal employees simply cannot be measured. How can you work at a government job, with government benefits, at government wages, and government schedules, and somehow not be able to put away enough money in the bank to buy yourself groceries for a month? How does that happen?
If you’re folding shirts for $12 and hour for twenty hours a week at Cabelas….yeah, youre living on a tight budget if you have a budget at all. But working as a GS whatever for Uncle Sam seems to give enough that you should be able to tuck a couple grand into a mason jar in the backyard for emergencies.
But…you know what? I don’t care. It’s not a nice thing to say out loud, but I have virtually no concern for anyone on “food stamps”. I absolutely recognize that there are plenty of people who genuinely are unable to feed themselves for very legitimate reasons. And it’s a shame that those people have to share the moral outrage that is directed at the able-bodied and ambition-challenged parasites that most people think of when food stamps are mentioned.
Do you know what happens if someone I care about winds up in a situation where they can’t afford to feed themselves and they need to run to .gov? I feed them. And I help them get back on their feet. And I look out for them as they get their act back together. It is not a financial hardship for me to feed someone I care about. I’ve been hungry before and as a result I’m always sensitive about food. In fact, I generally refuse to eat in front of other people unless theyre eating as well because I can’t shake the feeling that if I’m eating and the other person isnt, then somethings wrong and I need to get them some food.
But for now, this ‘government shutdown’ only affects me in one way: it makes me more careful and observant around food distribution places like Winco, Costco, Albertsons, and any stop-n-rob I happen to be in. ‘Flash mobs’ seeking ‘food justice’ by looting the shelves at Kroegers isn’t likely to be a thing here in flyover country but you never can tell what’s going to happen.
And we have, as survivalists, heard for years that ‘society is three days of food away from collapse’ and ‘hungry people are dangerous people’. Any violence that occurs now isn’t going to really be out of hunger because short of an absolute societal collapse, it seems, to me, to be pretty difficult to starve in this country. Heck, we’re the only country in the world with fat poor people.
So, as far as Im concerned, the shutdown can go on for as long as it likes.
Agree 100%
This shutdown is pure politics
“But…you know what? I don’t care.” – yeah, same for me, too – I just don’t care – and while for most of the world I don’t care what they think when I say that, there are a very, very few people close to me for whom I try and find a better way to express that sentiment – “Gee, that’s beyond my capability to make a meaningful impact on that situation”, or “Being a senior citizen (or some other excuse), I’m on a fixed income, ya know”, or “I understand you concern – you are right, that’s a tough situation”. I still don’t care what they think, but I try and soften the impact of my thoughts – I gotta get along with them . . .
And prior to COVID who would have believed that a majority of freedom loving Americans would wear dirty face diapers, follow for the most part arrows in the stores and accept that church was closed due to COVID, but bars and restaurants were critical and open?
Who would have believed that a known drug scum “dying of asphyxiation due to an officers’ knee (in standard police restraint) saying “I CAN’T BREATHE” would lead to massive fiery but mostly peaceful per CNN reporting riots.
“Why sometimes I’ve believed as many as 6 impossible things before breakfast”
-The White Queen, Through the Looking-Glass
I suggest Commander that you give credit to the stupidity of people and the power of propaganda.
Logic is powerful but stupidity is stronger.
Agree here as well. I’ve made do when out of work for a long time, and others should too, barring physical disability or age or something. Anyone getting any income should be able to set aside a little rice, tuna, potatoes, canned goods, a little at a time. There is no excuse for not having some food in the house.
I expect any hordes of ‘hungry’ people would be in inner cities . Out here people are usually more civilized, and would take advantage of local resources.
During one of my unemployment bouts, I used to make ‘something from nothing’. Broth or stock from vegetable peels, saved tablespoons of leftover meat and vegetables to add in. Add some pasta or rice, and it wasn’t bad at all.
The only difference I notice with the shutdown is the lack of a pay check since I’m a federal employee (and this time I’m working, mostly, unlike before).
I’m sufficiently prepared that the shutdown isn’t affecting my finances so I don’t have any issues there, unlike MANY if my coworkers. It saddens me to see how many people have poor money management skills,
That’s the issue right there. When I hear about federal employees (other than junior enlisted military) being unable to buy groceries, I generally discount it. If it is true, how terrible must their budgeting skills be?
I worked for the state and was surprised how many of my fellow emlloyees, with a decent pay lived from check to check.
People don’t seem to notice that no politician is shooting about the “bills” being paid, aka fuel for the military,electicity for the capital building, food for the swamp people ,etc,etc,etc.
If they would only keep the country “shut down” until the 2026 elections! What a change that would make in Congress. And the country would learn that you don’t need the government and we can get by just fine without it.
My only caveat is that some live in a high trust society part of the world – even the urban outdoorsmen in those areas have an Understanding of what will be tolerated. Most in those areas have no idea of the very well planned plunder possible in places like Atlanta. Decisions were made well in advance as to targets and who will be in the group text.
And one must not discount the agitators that are so prevalent, now, thanks to there being a good paycheck for such courtesy of a certain very elderly man who wants to see the world burn. Those agitators are making their own plans with their useful idiots…I think the elections have kicked off a schedule of rapid Change. I will be Ready for Anything.
Agree.