The American people are in a crisis; we can no longer afford the American Dream.

We work, and work, pay taxes, pay bills, and yet, we live paycheck to paycheck. Giving away hours of our precious short life trying to survive the growing costs of living while hoping for a divine break.

The recent government shutdown affected our Federal Government employees profoundly, whom on average, take home $97,456 per year and like an estimated quarter of Americans, live paycheck to paycheck. In Southwest Virginia, that sounds like a damn good salary and yet, after a month, Federal Credit Unions are extending $2.4 million in loans to Federal workers. The Navy Federal Credit Union processed 190,000 loans totaling more than $345 million, with zero interest charged and zero impact to member’s credit histories. Navy Federal also worked to assist members with managing more than $2.5 billion in loan balances.

In January despite mass firings and chaotic dismantling of government agencies at the direction of the Trump administration, federal workers were holding the line, and many got behind the democrats in support of their resistance during the shutdown, yet Senator Kaine and other democrats caved and gave into the Trump administration’s demands. Kaine claims he made this decision because Federal workers were not getting paid. “I sure don't mind being criticized for a judgment call," Kaine said. "I stood up yesterday in the caucus after I got the commitment that I needed for the protection of 2 million federal employees, and I said this commitment is enough to get me to 'yes,’”

Kaine’s vote was heavily criticized by Virginia democrats. Perhaps because the vast majority of Americans across the political party spectrum seemingly blamed the Trump administration for the shut-down according to various polling. In addition, Virginia democrats desperately want our elected officials to stand firm and fight the fight to the end. Many felt the embarrassing sting as Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, never one to miss an opportunity to degrade democrats, exclaimed: “Your “yes”, Senator Kaine is “dead on arrival”.

After the vote, those disappointed constituents were left asking themselves exactly why Senator Kaine would not want to fight and protect the Affordable Care Act and keep 7.7 million Americans from being disenrolled from Medicaid coverage and protect our most vulnerable citizens with guidelines for minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes? The welfare of 1.38 million dual eligible Medicare beneficiaries sat on the line. To them, those numbers represented their sweet “Mamey” and “Papaw”, moms and dads, aunts and uncles, siblings and beloved friends.

The group of Senators released statements explaining the reasons for their vote, however those critical of their decision wonder if our right to affordable healthcare is negotiable because our elected officials will never need to worry about the crushing costs of care? Are they so lucky that their salaries and insurance free them from facing the likes of, for example, a $14,00.00 dollar a month stay in a memory care unit at a nursing home?

Southwest Virginia democrats are now looking with a critical eye at who represents the common working person and their struggles. They want leadership that doesn’t sell out those who have circumstances that do not afford them the luxury of big salaries and affordable insurance policies. There is a feeling that this fight was a BIG one, and yet, democrats walked away humiliated as Trump et. all had a field day with the optics of the spectacle.

Just like the Republican party is not what it was ten years ago, the Democratic party is seeing a new wave of progressives and independents working together for a better future that puts people first. These young, progressive, independent thinkers are seeing the old way of doing politics is no longer working and there is a better, more humanitarian way of creating policy AND being accountable to their constituents.

1. https://www.federalpensionadvisors.com/post/average-salary-for-federal-employees

2. https://www.americascreditunions.org/news-media/news/credit-unions-provide-millions-relief-shutdown-affected-members

3. https://abcnews.go.com/US/top-labor-groups-break-federal-unions-demand-end/story?id=127055562

4. https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2025/06/26/yale-scientists-warn-medicaid-cuts-could-cause-51000-preventable-deaths/

5. https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/government-shutdown/why-sen-kaine-voted-in-favor-

Dispatch RELEASE — November 20th, 2025 — Joan Archer, Contributing Writer