Author: Carma Henry

Carma Lynn Henry Westside Gazette Newspaper 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 Office: (954) 525-1489 Fax: (954) 525-1861

     This Saturday marks one month of the federal government shutdown. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers—nearly 20% of whom are Black and 30% of whom are veterans—are missing their second paycheck. Families across the country will be forced to choose between paying for groceries, rent and medical care. President Trump and his allies in Congress are inflicting this pain because they would rather shut down the government than deal with the looming health care crisis that will explode costs for more than 170 million Americans.

    The U.S. Constitution—not any man, office, or political party—remains the supreme law of this land. When U.S. military generals take their oath, they swear not to a president, but to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” This sacred oath binds their allegiance to principle, not personality—to law, not loyalty.

      October is a crucial month for low-income families. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, is increasing food benefits in response to rising inflation, which this year has hit Americans’ wallets with higher grocery costs.