What the GOP Shutdown Means for Jewish Americans

As Jewish Americans prepare for Yom Kippur, Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans have plunged our country into chaos with an unnecessary government shutdown.

This shutdown could have been avoided, and the American people know who’s to blame. Polling shows that voters hold Trump and Republicans responsible by a double-digit margin. And they’re right. Let’s break down why this is happening, what it means for Jewish Americans, and how Democrats are fighting back.

Why The Shutdown Is Happening

Trump’s Big Ugly Bill, passed in July, included devastating cuts to Medicaid, and Republicans are now refusing to save critical tax credits that help millions of Americans afford healthcare coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Last night, Senate Democrats made a final attempt to avert a government shutdown. Their bill, which would have extended government funding and ensured a continuation of affordable healthcare for millions of Americans, failed along a party-line vote. All Republicans voted against it.

It’s clear that President Trump and Republicans in Congress are determined to make healthcare more expensive, while Democrats are standing up for the American people in the fight for affordable healthcare and a functioning government. Republicans paved the way for a government shutdown and refused to negotiate to avert it. Trump clearly sees an advantage to a shutdown – he has threatened to fire 100,000 additional federal workers, he will ensure there’s no jobs report, and Congress cannot release the Epstein files. This is the Trump-GOP shutdown, and the path forward is unclear.

What This Means for Jewish Americans

Government shutdowns hurt all Americans, including Jewish Americans:

• Essential healthcare programs are at risk, including Medicaid and research funding that supports hospitals and life-saving treatments for our community members. If Republicans allow healthcare subsidies to expire, millions of Americans will see their healthcare costs rise by 75%. In May, 88% of Jewish Americans said they oppose cutting Medicaid.
  
• Federal employees will face missed paychecks, furloughs, and instability just before the holidays. Trump’s extreme cuts have been devastating for communities throughout the country, and he’s announced plans to fire another 100,000 federal workers.
• Security grants for synagogues and Jewish institutions will be thrown into jeopardy as Jewish Americans gather for Yom Kippur and amid rising antisemitism and increased threats to our safety. This is not the first time Trump has played games with our security – he previously froze the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which helps secure synagogues, day schools, Jewish community centers, and other places of worship.

How Democrats Are Fighting Back

Democrats in Congress want to pass a bipartisan bill that will fund the government, protect healthcare, and restore stability to our government. They need our support to counter Republican obstruction and disinformation. Join us in telling your elected officials to end the GOP government shutdown.

TELL CONGRESS: END THE GOP SHUTDOWN

Thank you for standing with us in this fight.

G’mar Chatima Tova.

Sam Crystal
Chief of Staff, Jewish Democratic Council of America