Recently the government has shut down and caused a lot of problems for families. Some people affected by the shutdown could not go grocery shopping because they did not have food stamps. Small business had been shut down because the government office was closed, people’s insurance had been cut, and court cases had been delayed.
Donald Trump caused the shutdown because Congress did not appropriate the amount of money he wanted in the budget to build a portion of the wall along the southern border. Trump has stated numerous times that Mexico would pay to build the wall, but former President Vicente Fox and the Mexican government stated “they will not be paying for the wall.”
Around this time of the year is when people file for their taxes but many people are worried that they will not receive their tax refund on time. As of today, the government offices are still open. On Feb.15, President Trump declared a national emergency. A nation emergency is temporary power that allow the president to deal with a crisis. When Trump declared the national emergency his purpose was to get federal money so he could start construction on the wall.
Many student around Cabrini receive benefits from the government such as insurance, financial aid, or food stamps.
“The shutdown will not only affect my taxes but this will also affect other benefit supplements I receives,” Viola Varfley, sophomore biology major, said.
“I have filed my taxes already, but if the government decide to shut down this will not only affect me but everyone around me and more a lot of benefits are going to be no longer available,” Sira Diarrah, sophomore health science and biology, said.
Other students who are unemployed are not focused about their taxes their main concern is whether or not they will receive unemployment compensation. If the government decides to shutdown, they will not receive their unemployment compensation which affects their everyday lives.
“I am not preparing myself for the shutdown. I’m more concerned if I will receive my unemployment compensation,” Varfley said.
There are some student who simply do not depend on the government and did not file for their taxes. Since the last shutdown, some people have decided to prepare for the next shutdown by storing food and water in their house. This way families will not wait for money to be refilled on their food stamp cards.
“I am not worried or concerned about the government shutting down again because I am not dependent on this government. I have not filed my taxes nor am I expecting a tax refund,” Brierra Woods, senior psychology major, said.
