The Real Damage of The Government Shutdown. Authored by Shea Carlberg, GWU (25). Edited by Diya Kumar, GWU (26).
We’re on Day 8 of the government shutdown and the Trump administration has taken on an aggressive campaign targeting Democrat-led cities.
Like many of my peers, I wasn’t nearly as tuned into politics during the last shutdown in the winter of 2018 as I am now. Today, I overheard furloughed workers talking on the Metro and in the advocacy spaces at which I work, waiting and wondering how long they can hold onto work. Small businesses, contractors, and anyone deemed “non-essential” are particularly vulnerable. Not to mention the US’s longest shutdown—also under Trump—spanned two months. So every analyst I’ve listened to give their thoughts on the situation have pledged not to predict how long we will have to endure this. They do, however, all warn that more social programs will be cut as law enforcement troops expand their presence to new states.
Shutdowns have become entangled with lawsuits and political maneuvering. Back in 2018, Trump used the shutdown to halt discoveries in a state-led lawsuit against him for accepting emoluments, or gifts, from foreign officials at his DC hotel. This time, a federal judge declined to block Illinois’ and Chicago’s lawsuit against the deployment of the National Guard, effectively creating an “occupied” state and city. Legal battles like these are drawing national attention, even as Washington grinds to a halt.
Tensions are also rising among federal employees. The largest federal workers’ union is suing the administration for automated out-of-office emails from furloughed staff that blame the Democrats for the shutdown.
Looking beyond the blame-game agenda of political parties, deeper consequences fall on minority-owned businesses and workers who were already at risk. We need to pay attention to those who are most affected by a government with its lights out. Each day of a shutdown jeopardizes an estimated $487 million in government small business contracts, according to Federal Procurement Data of 2023. And with the Bureau of Labor Statistics temporarily offline, we can’t yet see the full impact on unemployment trends. This includes the already rising and significant rate of job loss among Black women.
In short, while lawsuits and political theater dominate the headlines, the real damage is what I am seeing right in front of my eyes. It is felt by workers and small businesses caught in the crossfire of a government gone dark.
Credit Links: