Despite the president’s bragging about getting the Coast Guard paid during the shutdown, it turns out it’s only for one check — leaving “Coasties” to worry about how they pay for their groceries past the 15th. One community in Michigan stepped up in a big way.
On New Year’s Day, Trump retweeted Ronna Romney McDaniel, the chairwoman of the RNC, who had posted a flattering article in the notoriously right-wing Washington Examiner about Trump’s “personal intervention” in the effort to make sure that Coast Guard personnel got paid during the government shutdown. To many observers, it looked like Trump was yet again attempting to curry favor with military voters at the expense of everyone else — truly an unhealthy tactic for the morale of both the armed forces and of civilians.
.@realDonaldTrump made sure the men and women of the Coast Guard continue to get paid during the #SchumerShutdown.
Meanwhile, Democrats refuse to work with our president to enhance border security.
https://t.co/iPmHClZSaQ— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) December 31, 2018
Trump and McDaniel left out the part about how DHS rules actually require the government to continue to pay Coasties through the end of the year regardless of whether or not the rest of the government was funded. Nevertheless, “hero” Trump “found a way” to make it happen (i.e., complied with rules he was forced to comply with).
So hooray, right? Armed forces commanders praised the President’s swift action to, uh, do exactly what he was supposed to. But according to the official social media manager for the Coast Guard, Petty Officer Second Class Diana Sherbs, all is not five by five:
This approval only covers the Dec. 31, 2018 paycheck. It does not guarantee a paycheck on Jan. 15, 2019. Meeting active duty and reserve military payroll for January 2019 will require a fiscal year 2019 appropriation, a continuing resolution, or passage of an alternative measure.”
That’s where businesses like Bayside Market in Traverse City Michigan come in.
Bayside has set up an account for Coasties that other businesses and even customers can contribute to — a “tab” if you like — for members to shop for groceries on until government funding comes through. Because while Trump is celebrating the New Year’s miracle of getting these warriors half a month’s pay, Coasties are worried about what they’re going to feed their kids after that meager amount dries up.
This kind of charity is always a wonder to behold, and you can see in the video below just how much their community loves these servicemembers. But watching the President act like he’s (a) done them some favor by simply complying with DHS rules and (b) like that money is supposed to be life-saving or something is a stark reminder of how out of touch Donald Trump and the Republicans are with everyday Americans.
Watch the video from NBC News here:
Featured image via screen capture
