1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

Government workers MUST receive backpay after the shutdown To the President: Do not use federal employees as pawns in your childish budget game. These are real people. Real families. People trying to feed their children, pay their rent, make their car payments, and support our economy. The shutdown is not their fault. Withholding their backpay would have a minuscule effect on the budget, but a potentially devastating impact on their lives and communities. This is strictly a political ploy. How dare you play games with people’s lives and livelihoods? You should be ashamed of yourself for even considering it. Cruel, petty, anti-American. To my congresspeople: If the president attempts to withhold backpay under this new interpretation of the law, YOU must ensure money is appropriated to pay these hard-working civil servants. Time and time again during this administration, Congress has shirked its responsibility to exercise fiscal control. It’s time for you to finally DO YOUR JOB. Protect American citizens.