By Fletcher Word,
The Truth Editor
Confusion reigned on Wednesday, January 29, as local Democratic elected officials attempted to sort out what President Donald Trump’s White House and Office of Management and Budget were attempting to by freezing government funding on trillions of dollars in grants and loans.
The confusion was exacerbated by conflicting statements from the White House stating that the freeze was rescinded because a federal judge had placed a pause on the order, while the press secretary’s statement claimed that the order was still in place.
The order, issued Monday night, January 27, was an attempt to purge the government of what President Trump has called a “woke” ideology. A federal judge in the District of Columbia temporarily blocked it Tuesday afternoon, but the lack of clarity sent schools, hospitals, nonprofits and other organizations scrambling to understand if they had lost their financial support from the government
In Toledo, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur gathered local elected officials and non-profit agency leaders for a press conference to announce that the time has arrived to organize and fight the expected onslaught of decrees from the White House ending programs to aid Americans of all types.
“We will fight with every ounce of strength that we have to fight,” said Kaptur opening the press conference and setting the tone for the rest of the speakers.
Those speakers included Lucas County Commissioners Lisa Sobecki and Pete Gerkens.
“Freezing the funding causes nothing but cause chaos and destruction,” said Sobecki. “And that is what they want – chaos and destruction.”
“We better stand up and get our act together,” said Gerken. “We won’t back down so let’s start putting our collective voices together … organize and mobilize, otherwise they win”
In addition to the elected officials who spoke, a number of non-profit leaders also addressed the issue of the funding freeze since their agencies and those they serve will be dramatically impacted by the withdrawal of federal funds, where it continues with this particular executive order from the White House, or happens at some later point in this four year presidential term.
Doni Miller, CEO of Neighborhood Health Association, was among those who addressed the funding issue.
“We provide health care to anybody without [regard to who has] the ability to pay,” she said of her agency which operates 13 clinics within Lucas County. “Health care is a right which is fundamental … if the American dream is within our reach, we have to stop politicizing health care.”
Miller noted that if such freezes continue, either now or at a later time, there will be no second chances for so many of those in need of the services that agencies such as NHA provide.
“The damage can be irreversible,” she said. “We have an opportunity to be pro-active.”