SIMS: The Schumer Shutdown Continues

With no end in sight to the government shutdown, New Hampshire is losing millions of dollars during the most popular time of year for visitors. Families are skipping meals, veterans are losing vital support, and small businesses are teetering on the brink of collapse. There are roughly 9,000 federal employees affected by this shutdown within the state of New Hampshire.

And for what? For extending COVID-era Obamacare subsidies passed by a Democrat-controlled Congress in 2021, which were intended to be temporary by the same politicians who now want to make them permanent.

As Patrice Onwuka wrote in The Hill, the Left’s approach amounts to “cut[ting] off aid to the poor to give the rich cheaper insurance.” Indeed, these subsidies disproportionately benefit higher-income households and entrench policies that undermine workforce participation—they also create a healthcare system that is more, not less, affordable, since insurance companies are incentivized to hike up premiums if the ACA expansion continues and allows them to take ever-increasing amounts of hard-earned tax dollars in the form of subsidies.

The Left bears the burden for this fiasco. The only reason the government remains closed is because some politicians have refused to prioritize a clean continuing resolution, a bipartisan lifeline that has averted crises 13 TIMES in the past four years. New Hampshire Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan have voted against the continuing resolution to fund the government every time it has been voted upon this month. This shows they care more about pushing their agenda than actually helping their constituents. Sen. Shaheen keeps talking about finding a “bipartisan compromise,” but has done nothing to lead by example and end this shutdown.

The economic consequences of this shutdown could be devastating to New Hampshire. Federal dollars flowing into the Granite State account for one-fifth of the state’s economy. For every week that the government is shut down, New Hampshire is losing $62 million in Gross State Product, accounting for nearly $270 million per month. Small businesses across the state are losing $14 million per month as the Small Business Administration’s loan distributions are paused. It is estimated that consumer spending will decline by about $100 million per month, harming the local economy.

Congresswoman Katherine Clark, who holds a leadership position in the Democratic Caucus, bragged recently about how families will suffer, but they are “leverage” that has to be used. Tell that to the 80,000 New Hampshire residents who rely on federal assistance for food. Not to mention, as the colder months move in, the New Hampshire 28,000 households who rely on Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to heat their homes are threatened.

To illuminate the human stakes, Independent Women launched the” Gridlock hurts real people” campaign last week, collecting raw, unfiltered stories from those caught in the shutdown’s crosshairs.
One New Hampshire resident responded, echoing economic concerns, saying, “New Hampshire is a popular vacation destination for families during autumn months. This shutdown will cost the state and our thriving tourism industry millions as visitors will be reluctant to visit our state’s beautiful national park if Park Rangers are off the job. In other words, every day is not getting better for hard-working Americans. Please open the government now!”

Another Granite State resident responded, echoing similar sentiments, urging Senators to end the shutdown and embrace bipartisanship.

With each stalled negotiation, the shutdown’s collateral damage — delayed cancer treatments, unpaid mortgages, skipped school lunches — only gets worse and worse. Economists estimate the fiscal hit could top $10 billion by month’s end, but dollars can’t capture the eroded trust or the quiet despair settling over households.

It’s time for those on the Left to drop the posturing and embrace the bipartisanship they’ve praised in better days. Pass a clean continuing resolution today. Fund the government through the holidays, then return to the table for the substantive debates on spending, subsidies, and security that define our democracy. Our troops, our veterans, our families — they can’t wait for the next election cycle. They need action now.

Bronwyn Sims from Nelson, NH is a Chapter Leader and Leading Member at Independent Women’s Network.

Steve: Please welcome Bronwyn as a regular contributor to GraniteGrok.com.