Jimmy Kimmel announced his plan to curb government shutdown in a clever way
On Wednesday’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” host Jimmy took on the issue of the partial American government shutdown and presented some interesting solutions.
Jimmy started the show by stating that it will be an interesting year for Donald Trump, as he now faces real oversight since the Republicans took control of the house.
In case you might be wondering why the late night talk shows are mocking Trump's speech on the thousands of Americans who are suffering because of illegal immigration and the open border:
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 9, 2019
Chuck Schumer Sends Talking Points To Comedy Hosts To Parrot On TV https://t.co/Bq8cUrh3ta
That this is going to be the year “to make America great again, again” and that “Humpty Trumpty is very busy with his wall.”
As the partial government shutdown becomes more of an issue, having left over 800,000 federal employees without pay while working, Jimmy may have just started the beginning of something weird and wonderful.
"Starting tonight, ABC's @JimmyKimmelLive will be providing work to federal government employees impacted by the shutdown. Every night until the shutdown ends, @JimmyKimmel will put a government employee to work on his show," a Kimmel rep says. Video here https://t.co/1cDBnNolw2
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 8, 2019
But before he got to his genius solution, he continued to talk about the proposed border wall and Donald Trump willing to declare a state of emergency to get the funding to build one, joking that “every day of this presidency is a state of emergency.”
So in his bid to pitch in, Jimmy announced that he would get a federal employee to come work on the show every night for the duration of the shutdown. And without further ado, Jimmy welcomed the first federal employee on set to the show.
Jimmy Kimmel gives federal employees work during Trump's shutdown https://t.co/niINlcEGJA pic.twitter.com/OMuFNAqpen
— Mashable (@mashable) January 8, 2019
The host’s first new “employee” was a federal law enforcement officer and local union president, John Kostelnik, at the Federal Correctional Complex in Victorville, California.
Wasting no time in getting down to business after introductions, Jimmy asked John:
“Do you object to being used as a pawn in this fight over a wall?”
Without hesitation, John nodded with the response, “Absolutely.” Making further inquiries, Jimmy asked John whether they would receive pay for the time they had worked during the shutdown, when it finally concludes, to which John’s facial expression became serious and said, “We hope so.”
The had come to sort out the logistical matter for the evening and asked John if he “played a musical instrument of any kind?” Unfazed when John gave a nervous laugh stating that he hasn’t, Jimmy quipped:
"We have a tambourine, though, right? You can play the tambourine, right?"
And just like that John was part of the band, while Jimmy turned to the audience and said:
"That's called solving problems, folks."
For people like Sunny Blaylock, their household had gone from a dual income to none. Her husband, Seth had been deemed an essential employee and is working without pay.
"My son wants to sell art to pay our bills."
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) January 11, 2019
How are Americans coping with the government shutdown?
[Tap to expand] https://t.co/z398QwAEOn pic.twitter.com/dutJ1z4Jtu
Quickly approaching a month without pay, they’ve had to dip into their saving to pay bills, and are ok for now, but their money won’t last much longer.
Bitterly, Sunny said:
“I can’t just sit around with hope and my patriotism — that doesn’t pay.”
Their two young children are aware of the situation with one even offering to sell his drawings for some cash. There are thousands of similar stories, with some living from paycheck to paycheck sitting in real dire straits.
It's supposed to be payday.
— AJ+ (@ajplus) January 11, 2019
But paychecks are on hold for some 800,000 federal workers because of the government shutdown and people are struggling:pic.twitter.com/7gtZAOoKNb
Trump dismisses any reminder of what his decisions are doing to the hundreds and thousands of people suffering because he wants a border wall, he is of the opinion that people will just work around the fact that they are working without being paid.
While in the reality of the working citizens of the country, they have mortgage payments they can’t miss, they have children to look after and all the other myriad of expenses one can’t skip on. Blaylock said that she is apprehensive about some of her co-workers that can’t go without one paycheck, never mind more.
House joins Senate in approving a bill guaranteeing back-pay to federal workers affected by the government shutdown; bill now goes to the president's desk - @AlexNBCNews pic.twitter.com/kUbH0rWdzl
— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) January 11, 2019
Perhaps some big companies can follow Jimmy’s lead and employ a different federal worker every day. Imagine being in their shoes and what a difference it would make in your life if someone did that for you?
Shortly before Christmas Jimmy also focused on Donald Trump, and how his year ended and particularly what his Christmas was going to be like.
The 7 House members who voted against bill guaranteeing back-pay to federal workers affected by the government shutdown:
— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) January 11, 2019
Rep. Amash
Rep. Biggs
Rep. Gosar
Rep. Grothman
Rep. Massie
Rep. Roy
Rep. Yoho
Making a grim prediction on the show Jimmy mocked that it was not “going to be a very jolly one for the president of the United States,” the reason is that “Santa is bringing a stocking full of problems to Donald Trump.”
Jokingly Jimmy continued:
“It has been a terrible holiday season for him. He’s facing multiple criminal investigations; he’s losing cabinet members, he lost the House. And on top of everything else, the DNA tests he ordered came back, and Eric and Don Jr…. are his.”
During the segment, he focused on promises President Trump has made, Trump and his mistresses and their hush money, and how Rudy Giuliani spoke about payments made to people during the campaign to keep them quiet.
Let us be hopeful that the shutdown is resolved in the best possible way soon!
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