It’s week five of the US government showdown and no end looks in sight as both sides are entrenched in their positions.
The row is over funding for the notorious Wall along the US/Mexican border.
US President Donald Trump wants $5 billion towards funding his pet project and election promises.
The opposition Democrats, who hold sway over Congress have said no way and nothing has changed for weeks.
Around 800,000 federal workers have been laid off because of the conflict and tens of thousands more in front line jobs, like air traffic control, are working without pay.
The impasse has revealed the underlying problems of Trump’s White House.
Cabinet cronies with no political experience
He and his Cabinet cronies have little experience in politics and seem to have a poor understanding of their responsibilities and obligations to the people of America and other countries.
They repeatedly stir up controversy by applying non-government attitudes to their day-to-day work.
Take commerce secretary Wilbur Ross. A self-proclaimed millionaire with no experience at such a high level before.
He has suggested laid-off workers borrow cash to pay their bills rather than go to food banks.
The backlash caught him by surprise. Financial experts pointed out someone needs a salary to fund a loan and laid off workers have no money coming in.
No pay? Then get credit
So, Ross tried to clarify what he had said and put his foot in his mouth again – and dismissed 800,000 people as unimportant.
“You’re talking about 800,000 workers, and while I feel sorry for the individuals that have hardship cases, 800,000 workers. If they never got their pay – which is not the case, they will eventually get it, but if they never got it, you’re talking about a third of a percent on our GDP. So it’s not like it’s a gigantic number overall,” he said.
Then Trump waded in with both feet explaining Ross meant stores and supermarkets could let government workers have their groceries on credit.
“Ross was probably trying to suggest that supermarkets and banks would be willing to float customers unable to pay. They know the people, they’ve been dealing with them for years, and they work along,” Trump said.
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