The federal government isn’t working, so why should be paying them? That’s controversial documentary filmmaker Michael Moore’s simple solution to the government shutdown. It’s pure civil disobedience.
Moore urged federal workers to stop attending work in protest over the ongoing government shutdown that has left 800,000 people either furloughed or working without pay.
Appearing on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" on Thursday to promote his new documentary “Fahrenheit 11/9,” Moore said that “this guy [Trump] doesn’t want the government to be reopened. He certainly doesn’t want the Department of Justice to be opened."
“Any sane person—even if they’re for the wall—knows this is crazy that we’re in month two of this. Nobody should be working without pay,” he explained. “Federal workers, don’t go to work without pay.”
Moore also called on rest of the American citizenry unaffected by the partial shutdown to show solidary with federal employees.
“We, the people, we shouldn't be supporting anything that requires someone who's not paid working for us. We should not fly. You know, don't fill out your tax return for the IRS.”
Moore also called on criminals not to commit crimes during the shutdown because “the FBI is not being paid”.
Federal employees aren’t walking out because they are prohibited from doing so by law. Legally, they can’t strike in protest of the conditions of the government shutdown. If they do, they face criminal prosecution or can be barred from working for the government indefinitely.
Moore is also calling on everyone to halt air travel, which could force an end to the shutdown. It’s also possibly unsafe at this point as increasing numbers of Transportation Security Agency (TSA) employees are calling in sick because they’ve fallen on hard times. Related: How The M&A Trend In Gold Could Spark A Precious Metals Bull Run
Unions representing pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers warned Thursday that there is now an "unprecedented" level of risk in flying.
President Trump said Thursday that community businesses such as grocery stores and banks will likely "work along" with employees looking to make ends meet.
The remarks followed controversial comments made by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who said that federal employees should take out a loan rather than using food banks to survive during the shutdown.
"Perhaps he should have said it differently. Local people know who they are when they go for groceries and everything else, and I think what Wilbur was probably trying to say is that they will work along," the president said adding that Ross has "done a great job."
Indeed, several banks have pledged to help federal workers whose pay has been impacted by the shutdown. Also, numerous other businesses have also offered various assistance programs to federal workers. Grocers, however, were hearing about their planned assistance for the first time from Trump.
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In breaking news Friday afternoon, Trump announced a short-deal deal to temporarily reopen the government. It’s a stop-gap deal that would last for three weeks, ending on February 15, while talks over border security continue. There was no mention of border wall funding.
So for now, that’s possibly civil disobedience averted.
That announcement comes at the same time as the arrest by the FBI of longtime Trump friend and advisor Roger Stone on charges that he lied and attempted to interfere with a witness to gain access to Democrat’s hacked emails during the 2016 presidential campaign.
By Fred Dunkley for Safehaven.com
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