Friends,
As of tonight, this government shutdown is the longest in American history — and the devastating impacts reach every one of us.
More than 41 million people across the country, including 5.5 million Californians, are wondering how they'll afford groceries as SNAP benefits continue to be delayed. And when they do finally receive their November benefits, they'll get only a fraction of their usual support because Trump and the USDA have illegally refused to fund the program in full.
More than a million federal workers aren't getting paid — along with tens of thousands of federal contractors who keep critical public services running.
Head Start programs are closing their doors, forcing 65,000 children out of classrooms and leaving parents scrambling to find childcare or forced to give up work altogether.
Air traffic controllers are working without pay, leading to delays now — and setting the stage for chaos as families prepare to travel for the holidays.
When families go without essentials and workers are left without paychecks in an already costly economy, the damage doesn't stop there. Our local economies suffer. Small businesses struggle. The ripple effects reach every community.
While Trump focuses on building a ballroom in his gold-plated White House, American families are paying the price. And with Thanksgiving just weeks away, the contrast couldn't be clearer. Trump is feasting in luxury while millions of Americans don't know how they'll afford the basics — let alone a turkey.
Let's be perfectly clear about how we got here: none of this is an accident. Trump has chosen to unlawfully and cruelly leave vulnerable Americans high and dry, just to force Democrats in Congress to back legislation that would strip millions of people of their health insurance. It's callous, it's illegal, and it's immoral.
Let's be clear: our society should be judged by how we treat our most vulnerable. On that measure, Trump gets an F.
If you're angry, good — we should be. What's happening is wrong, and it's on all of us to stand up and fight back. I'll keep doing everything in my power to protect Californians and hold this administration accountable, but I can't do it alone.
If you can, please chip in today — not just to keep up the fight, but also to say clearly and unmistakably that cruelty will never be the law of the land.
I know not everyone can contribute right now — and that's all right. There are so many ways to help: Call your members of Congress. Donate to your local food bank. Peacefully protest this administration's unlawful actions. And keep showing up for the most vulnerable people in your community.
Thanks for being a part of this team.
Rob
Rob Bonta
Attorney General of California
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