The federal shutdown that began Wednesday morning has sent shockwaves through the federal workforce after Republicans and Democrats failed to come to an agreement on a funding bill.
In total, the federal workforce includes roughly 2 million people, according to the Congressional Research Service.
South Carolina’s federal workforce is around 25,000 strong, and while some workers have not been furloughed, they will have to continue work without pay for the duration of the shutdown if deemed an essential worker.
Medicaid, Medicare, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and veteran benefits will continue because they are still funded for the time being, while other programs like WIC, which is additional food support for women and children, is at risk of losing its funding under an extended shutdown.
The National Park Service is also running at a lower capacity, with some services such as restrooms and trash collection being nixed temporarily. However, the NPS did state that most trails, memorials, and lookouts will remain open.
Republicans and Democrats are at an impasse over extending federal subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, without which premiums will increase for Americans using health exchange policies. That’s on top of large cuts made to Medicaid after President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” was passed in July.
The political parties are also stuck in a back-and-forth, laying the blame for the federal shutdown on each other’s side.
Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune accused New York Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats of “bowing” to liberal ideology.
“Democrats have bowed to the far left, and they’ve shut down the federal government,” Thune said during a speech to the Senate on Wednesday. “Democrats are well aware of the damage of a government shutdown. We’ve heard from them time and time again. But apparently, none of that matters to Democrats today.”
Schumer disputes this, however, and wrote on social media that cuts to Medicaid are putting financial strain on families, while billionaires get tax breaks.
“Republicans shut down the government because they can’t be bothered to protect health care for Americans across this country,” Schumer wrote on X. “Premiums are set to more than double! Americans cannot afford this.”
South Carolina U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, who is vying for the Republican nomination for South Carolina Governor, announced on social media that she will be forfeiting her wages during the shutdown.
“If an E1 soldier making $27-28k basic pay isn’t getting paid, neither should Congress. I am foregoing my pay until Dems get it together, pass a clean CR and fund the government,” Mace wrote on X. “Leader’s lead. Leaders don’t ask their employees to do something they themselves would NOT do.”
However, Chris Cooper, a political analyst at Western Carolina University said in an interview prior to the shutdown that voters are watching and are aware of who is actually in control of the government.
“The Republicans control all the parts of the federal government,” Cooper said. “They control the presidency, they control the House, they control the Senate, voters do know that, and I think they will be the ones to get the bigger blame, and voters will kind of blame the entire system.”
Cooper credited the political divide between Republicans and Democrats as one of the major reasons why they are unable to work together.
“I think we’re in the mess we are in because we haven’t been this divided and polarized as a country in this country since the civil war,” Cooper said. “To agree with the other side is seen as a weakness, it’s seen as not just going against yourself, but aiding the enemy, unfortunately.”
