They’re starving public services so corporations can cash in.
“More than $115 million in FEMA recovery funds for North Carolina remain frozen, leaving rural counties unable to clear debris or rebuild after Hurricane Helene.” — Washington Post, Aug. 8, 2025
In just the past few weeks, we’ve seen disaster relief slammed with red tape—and FEMA isn’t the only example. Public services across the country are being starved, stalled, or sold off.
These aren’t random setbacks. They’re deliberate moves in a long campaign to strip the government of its ability to serve the people and hand that power to private interests.
The U.S. Constitution says it clearly—twice, in the Preamble and Article I listing the powers of Congress: Our government exists to “promote the general Welfare.”
But that founding promise is being ignored—if not actively destroyed.
Trump and his allies aren’t just mismanaging government. They’re also trying to break it. The goal? To make room for private corporations to take over the services that the government once provided for the public good.
“Five schools in Phoenix’s Roosevelt District are closing as Arizona’s voucher expansion drains money and enrollment from public classrooms.” — Washington Post, Aug. 5, 2025
Health care? Education? Clean water? Disaster relief? If you want them, you’ll have to buy them—if you can afford them. And if not? You’re on your own.
This isn’t some accidental drift. It’s a deliberate, long-term strategy rooted in far-right ideology. Since Reagan, libertarian billionaires and conservative politicians have pushed a “small government” agenda that shifts power from public institutions to private interests.
What they call “freedom” really means freedom for the rich—and fewer rights, protections, and opportunities for everyone else.
This is how democracy gets hollowed out. Slowly. Systematically. Under slogans about cutting red tape or balancing budgets, they gut the programs that serve real people—and replace them with profit-driven alternatives that answer only to shareholders. They “privatize” them.
“USPS will cut hours and staff at dozens of rural post offices this fall, consolidations critics warn are paving the way for privatization.” — NPR, Aug. 11, 2025
But here’s the thing: Government already works in countless essential ways—and that’s precisely what they want to destroy.
From Social Security to school lunches, Medicare to clean drinking water, public education to disaster relief—these programs matter, and millions of people rely on them every single day.
If Trump and his allies succeed, it won’t be some theoretical shift. It will mean:
Your parents can’t afford their prescriptions.
Your grandchild’s school loses funding.
Your town has no help when the next wildfire or flood hits.
Your vote is harder to cast—and easier to ignore.
This is not just about policy debates. This is about survival, justice, and what kind of country we leave behind.
“Drugmakers have filed new lawsuits to stall Medicare’s drug price negotiations, delaying promised savings for millions of seniors.” — New York Times, Aug. 6, 2025
So, what can we do?
👉 Call out the lies. When someone says, “Government doesn’t work,” ask them: What would you cut—Social Security? Public schools? Clean water? Remind them: If the government is gutted, we all lose something.
👉 Talk to the discouraged. Listen to why they’ve lost faith, but help them connect what they care about with what’s really at stake. Acknowledge the flaws. Then make the case: Weakening government won’t fix anything. Strengthening it will, and it’s what our friends, families, and futures depend on.
👉 Defend what’s working. Show up. Speak out. Go to school board and city council meetings. Public programs serve us. Let’s protect them.
👉 Back the groups holding the line—and pushing for better. Volunteer. Donate. Share their work.
👉 Vote. Local races don't feel flashy—but they shape whether these services survive.
We don’t need permission to be angry. We have every right. Because this isn’t a game, it’s a power grab. It’s our money, our services, our democracy they’re tearing apart.
That’s not just mismanagement. It’s sabotage.
So yes—get mad. Get loud. And don’t let them take any more without a fight.
We’re not just angry. We’re awake. And we’re not going to take it anymore.
Related Resources and Commentaries
U.S. Constitution—The Constitution defines the framework of the federal government of the United States.
Supporting Liberal, Progressive, Democratic Officeholders & Candidates—A guide to advocacy and training groups that build Democratic power and promote liberal and progressive leadership.
Advocacy Groups by Issue—More than 60 organizations to help you take action where it matters most.
Online Guides for Writing Letters to the Editor—Organizations that provide useful advice and tools for writing effective letters to the editor.
Conflict Resolution & Community Healing—Tools and support for navigating inner tension, interpersonal friction, and group conflict.
It’s Time to Make the Powerful Pick a Side—No More Neutrality: Hold Leaders Accountable for What They Do—and Don’t Say.
He’s Supposed to Enforce the Laws, Not Dismantle Them—When the Constitution Bleeds, Democracy Suffers.
Isn't the Government Supposed to Help People?—'Promoting the General Welfare' is Not Optional. It's a Constitutional Duty.
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