Please Sir, May I Have Some More?

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By Sarah Sweeney
November 10, 2025

Six weeks into the government shutdown and it appears our leaders are not interested in the health and safety of their constituents. It is unfortunate there has been no guidance or facilitation of negotiations by the White House to ensure people have access to the basic rights they are entitled to; rather, they present delays and barriers to accessing necessary funds which will only create more social unrest. Reportedly there are billions of dollars in reserve funding that could be used for this purpose, and the White House provided no comment other than to suggest they would not be tapping this source. Between federal layoffs, spending cuts, and pauses in loan and travel/visa processing, it is a wonder we are able to conduct necessary business anymore. The longer the government shutdown continues, the larger the deficit we will see in different areas of society.

I was in conversation recently with an active duty military person who explained they are not receiving an income during the government shutdown and are hopeful to receive back pay once the federal government is back online. In the meantime, they are expected to go to work each day and continue to defend our country without payment. I can only wonder as this extends to other government workers and their capacity to afford housing, food, transportation and clothes or basic needs for themselves and their families. What is the incentive to work for free if they cannot even put food on the table or pay their bills?

In Washington State, the Governor will be directing the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), an agency already financially struggling, to divert nearly $2.2 million per week to help fund local food banks and absorb the deficit left behind. The stoppage of benefits is estimated to impact nearly one million residents in Washington State. While this intended plan will provide necessary aid to residents struggling with food insecurity, I worry about the layoffs and budget deficits soon to follow for DSHS. After the last government shutdown, DSHS was susceptible to rolling furloughs and layoffs in offices responsible for processing and delivering basic food, medical and cash benefit programs and hasn’t fully recovered from a staffing perspective since that time.

As a public administrator I can appreciate the difficult decisions states face in ensuring the continued support of their residents, and I do not envy those responsible for funding social programs and figuring out where the money must come from. However, it feels like we are simply exchanging one vulnerability for another. If we cannot afford to pay people responsible for processing applications for our social programs, how will we be able to adequately provide those benefits if no one is there to do the work?

I have been a professional public administrator since 2018, and this is the second government shutdown that I’ve encountered since earning my degree. I consider the values and responsibilities we have as leaders in our communities and am dumbfounded at how our leadership can allow a situation like this to fester. While I cannot say I am fully knowledgeable of all the intricacies that go into a shutdown, I have had direct experience in the lingering effects of what this means for my community. I have had to tell SNAP and Medicaid recipients that I cannot help them because we have no money. I have had to deny services because there was no funding to support the programs they benefited from.

To me, it seems as though the government officials making these decisions should be the ones having to look their constituents in the face and tell them “no.” Rather, they sit behind a desk and debate narratives and interpret data (or lack thereof) to make decisions that will leave lasting consequences across the country. At what point do they recognize the value in getting back to business and making policy adjustments that will benefit our communities rather than tear them apart? It is our duty to do no harm, to support and engage with our communities and help meet the basic needs of the most vulnerable.

I googled “federal government” and read that it performs a multitude of functions aimed at maintaining the nation’s stability and promoting the well-being of its citizens. To me, our leadership is not meeting its mandate to care for and honor those it serves. As public administrators, we are responsible for advocating and pushing for leadership to do what is right for our country’s health and success, and we cannot do this well so long as we are holding each other at a stalemate.

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Author: Sarah Sweeney is a professional social worker and public administrator in Washington State. She may be contacted at [email protected]

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