The ongoing partial government shutdown has caused quite a stir in Washington, and it’s like a dramatic game of dodgeball, where everyone is trying to avoid being hit by the political fallout. This shutdown started 25 days ago, and, as expected, it’s been causing a cascade of effects. President Trump remains optimistic, hoping that some Democratic senators will cross party lines to support reopening the government with a clean bipartisan continuing resolution—just a fancy way of saying, “Let’s get back to work, folks!”
As the days go by, more and more federal workers are feeling the crunch of the shutdown. It’s like watching a balloon slowly deflate, and Prime-time TV doesn’t even feature this reality show. One of the members of Trump’s cabinet facing these challenges is Lee Zeldin, the current administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and former Congressman from New York. Zeldin was recently in the New York studios, discussing how the shutdown impacts his agency. With the EPA operating off multiyear funding, Zeldin was relieved that they weren’t entirely out of funds. However, the situation is serious, and the agency is having to make tough calls.
Unfortunately, the EPA has had to furlough about 4,000 employees recently, the largest wave so far, bringing the total staffing levels down substantially. At the start of the year, the EPA had over 16,000 staff members, and thanks to some reshuffling, they are down to about 12,500. Believe it or not, this downsizing is expected to save the agency around $750 million a year. So, in some twisted sense, perhaps the silver lining here is that less is indeed more.
Zeldin has made it clear that amidst the shutdown madness, he and the team at the EPA are busy trying to cut through a lot of outdated regulations, which some like to call the “green new scam.” The idea is pretty straightforward: it is possible to protect the environment while also allowing the economy to thrive. This isn’t black and white, folks! Zeldin has claimed that in less than a year, they’ve accomplished more deregulation than has been done across all federal agencies over multiple presidencies. Now that’s some serious number crunching, right?
In addition to tackling the internal operations at the EPA, Zeldin emphasized the need for America to be self-reliant and harness its resources. This is vital not only for economic stability but also for national security. Here’s the kicker—while they work toward energy independence, they’re not just focused on oil but also on rare earth metals and other critical resources in the U.S. Given the past restrictions, it’s clear that a shift towards domestic production would mean cutting ties with those less environmentally conscious overseas suppliers, like, oh I don’t know, China?
With all these ongoing changes and challenges, Zeldin made a point about the future and how important it is for Americans to stay informed about political developments, especially in New York. Many individuals are fleeing the state for greener pastures. When voters head to the polls, they should be thinking long-term instead of just what’s happening in the present. The decisions made today can impact the landscape of tomorrow, particularly in a state where the future seems a bit uncertain with the prospect of some less-than-desirable candidates on the ballot.
So, as the clock continues ticking on this shutdown, the hope remains that cooler heads will prevail in Washington. The priorities are clear: reopening the government, supporting federal workers, and ensuring that agencies like the EPA can continue to do their jobs without the added stress of furloughs and cutbacks. While the current situation is far from ideal, there’s always a glimmer of hope that with determination, hard work, and perhaps a little bipartisan cooperation, President Trump’s administration can weather the storm and keep moving forward.
