1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am deeply upset about Trump’s deploying the National Guard in our cities. Deploying military forces to American cities absent a real emergency is a gross misuse of power. It undermines civilian control, weakens democracy, and places both communities and service members in harm’s way. The Guard is meant to serve neighbors in times of disaster, not to patrol streets for political theater. Why is Congress not doing more to stop him? Second, I understand that Trump is threatening to not provide back pay to federal employees who are furloughed during the shutdown. How dare he? First of all, they are guaranteed pay because of a law he himself signed in 2019. Second, this shutdown isn’t their fault—it’s on the Republicans for refusing to extend our healthcare subsidies. Punishing federal workers—or anyone, for that matter—because Republicans want to take healthcare away from Americans and give that money to rich people is a really, really bad look. Don’t do it.