6 Ways The Republican Forced Shutdown Will Hurt Kids

Republicans have shut down the government. Even though their party lost the presidency by 5 million votes, lost several Senate seats, received half a million fewer votes than Democrats in House races, and failed more than 40 times to repeal Obamacare, House Republicans have demanded that President Obama and Senate Democrats implement the economic agenda that they lost the election on in November.

Their demands are so outlandish that Democrats, and even some reasonable Republicans, are left shaking their heads.

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1. Child Poverty

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If this government shutdown lasts two months, the economy will go back into an official recession. The last recession drove 2.7 million CHILDREN into poverty. And with GOP efforts to cut back on SNAP (food assistance for people living in poverty), how do Republicans expect these children to eat?

2. Early Childhood Education

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This shutdown could immediately cut about 19,000 Head Start and Early Head Start spots. That means that thousands of kids would be kicked out of their preschool programs midyear. The shutdown will also close the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center, an innovative school run through the Smithsonian Institution. Keep in mind, studies show that these programs reduce crime, raise student achievement and help working families.

3. Sick Children

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Because of the government shut down, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be unable to support the annual seasonal influenza program and outbreak detection.

4. School Field Trips

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All National Park Service facilities and visitor centers will not open. School field trips to monuments and historic sites, such as the Statue of Liberty, Independence Hall and Alcatraz, will be cancelled.

5. Healthcare

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The National Institutes of Health is not able to admit new patients, including children. It also will not be able to initiate new protocols or take action on grant applications, and it will be forced to discontinue veterinary services.

6. Child Welfare Services

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Programs that respond to and investigate child abuse will lose funding. These programs are essential to children's safety. Leaving them unfunded is as irresponsible as leaving a child home alone.

So...

This leaves you wondering why Republicans are willing to do this to our nation's children. Is scoring a political point that costs millions of dollars and hurts our nation's children really worth it for House Republicans?

While Ted Cruz stalls in the Senate, and House Republicans seem unable to comprehend the need to keep the government functioning, children are left feeling the pain and the rest of us are left banging our heads against our desks.

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We've pointed out that this government shutdown hurts kids, but all we seem to get from House Republicans is…

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UPDATE - Shutdown: Day 1

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Rather than talking to Democrats, House Republicans continue to negotiate with their own caucus. It's like watching them play Ping-Pong with themselves.

House Republicans refused to work with the Senate or the White House, and they shut down the government. Now, 800,000 hardworking people are furloughed. On the bright side, healthcare exchanges open today, giving millions of Americans access to healthcare.

Shutdown Day 2—WIC benefits halted for women and children

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As Speaker John Boehner and the House Republicans play “eeny, meeny, miny, moe” with funding the government, federal aid for administration and benefits under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which pays for food, healthcare referrals and nutrition education for low-income women, pregnant mothers and children, has been halted. Yet members of Congress continue to receive their paychecks without delay.

Shutdown Day 3 - Sexual assault investigations put on hold

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The GOP-forced shutdown has caused the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights to suspend investigations into colleges and universities that are alleged to have violated federal law in the handling of sexual violence on their campuses.

Shutdown Day 4—Boehner's game

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House Speaker John Boehner stated, "This isn't some damn game," despite the fact that it's his caucus that caused the shutdown in the first place. While House Republicans are the "happiest" they've been in a while, according to Rep. Michele Bachmann, the American people are sick and tired of the GOP games.