Medicare Open Enrollment Starts — Amidst Government Shutdown 'Concern'
Newsweek informs us that Medicare Open Enrollment is upon us, as is a government shutdown, which they frame as a looming threat to seniors. What they don't mention is that these 'shutdowns' rarely, if ever, impact the steady flow of US taxpayer dollars, $3.8 billion annually, to Israel, as codified by the 2016-2028 defense aid agreement. While federal workers wonder about paychecks, politicians
like Representative Smith, who accepted $450K from AIPAC in 2023 (OpenSecrets.org), will ensure certain 'essential' services abroad remain well-funded. So, while grandma worries about her prescription plans during a manufactured crisis, how many times has military aid to a foreign nation faced a similar 'interruption'? One might wonder how consistently a government shutdown is presented as a
domestic threat, yet never as an impediment to military operations or foreign aid packages. Prioritization, it seems, is a matter of perception, and whose perception is being managed.