Jose Andres offers free food to government workers for as long as shutdown goes on

[highplainsdem]

Source: The Hill

Famed chef José Andrés on Thursday offered free lunch to any federal employees in Washington, D.C., who are furloughed ahead of an impending partial government shutdown.

“And I will offer again Free Sandwiches to the poor men and women of the federal government, republicans and democrats, at every restaurant of mine in DC for lunch until they get paid again!” he tweeted.

-snip-

Andrés, a vocal critic of the president who was in a legal fight with Trump after he ended plans to run a restaurant in Trump's hotel in Washington, has offered free food and drinks in the past to workers during government shutdowns.

He also offered the winner of any of Trump’s proposed “Fake News Awards” free lunch and served sandwiches and drinks for student activists who attended the March for Our Lives anti-gun rally.

-snip-

Read more: https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/422429-jose-andres-offers-free-food-to-government-workers-for-as-long

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Link to tweet

[watoos]

1. Wonderful man,

and this thoughtfulness helps with the narrative, that Trump is a cruel man.

[BumRushDaShow]

2. Most federal workers do not live or work in the D.C. metro area

so regardless, folks are screwed.

[elleng]

5. Gov't. Employment Ranges From 38% in D.C. to 12% in Ohio.

Federal, state, or local government employs 17% of U.S. workers nationally.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/141785/gov-employment-ranges-ohio.aspx

[BumRushDaShow]

6. Retired 30+ year fed here

We have a large federal presence here in the Philly area since we also serve as the home for regional offices for a number of Departments/agencies and the federal courts - and that includes the oft-cited "National Parks" (including Independence Mall and all of the other historic Revolutionary/Civil War areas in the city and its metro area like Gettysburg). Plus a few bases still left in the tri-state area.

But whatever "free" happens from generous businesses in D.C. still doesn't help the folks here (including direct family members and close friends of mine).

[elleng]

7. So sorry you're not helped by Mr. Andres generosity.

(I'm a retired Fed employee too, here in MD, and assume my pension will still come thru.)

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Our retirement checks are not impacted by budget authority funds thankfully

But there will also be a double-whammy for feds because none of the CRs or appropriations have included any kind of pay raise.

(and this is supposed to be a "booming economy" which precludes the excuse of a pay freeze due to "economic problems" )

ETA - at least we are going to get a 2.8% COLA.

[bluevoter4life]

9. Current fed here

With 23 years left. Wish there was someone out here in Denver to do this. Meanwhile, I'll just show up for my scheduled shift of indentured servitude (FAA ATC)

[BumRushDaShow]

10. "With 23 years left"

OMG. Good luck.

What a nightmare with the shutdowns. I know during my career, there was the biggy December 1994 - January 1995 (actually 2 during that period thanks to Gingrich) and luckily my (non-DOD) agency was one of the few that actually had an appropriation, so we were the only ones working in our multi-agency building. There were a couple scares after that up until that 2013 one thanks to Green Eggs and Ham Carnival Cruz, and we were out of luck - had to come into the office to sign the furlough thing and then shut down the computers, turn off the blackberries, and go home for the next couple weeks. If you tried to "check in" by utilizing either device, you became an "unauthorized procurement".

What a friggin' mess these yearly threats of shutdowns are. And all the media does is stand in front of a national park entrance to film a ranger putting a "Closed" sign on a metal barrier while ignoring all the other departments/agencies that are critical to the very heartbeat of this country.

[bluevoter4life]

17. Thank you for your concern

I got hired into the FAA in 2012. In the short 6 years I've been in, I've been furloughed due to sequester, at least 3 shutdowns and my TSP has taken a beating the last 6 months or so. Fortunately I am young enough to recoup THOSE losses. If it wasn't for the fact that I absolutely love my job, I'd go back to the private sector.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. Yeah I think people forget about the sequester stuff

That Budget Control Act is still there. I think Congress is finally paying more attention to that to avoid the overages that would trigger sequesters and furloughs.

[SMC22307]

12. Then restaurateurs in all those other areas should step up...

like Jose Andres. Wouldn't that be awesome?

[BumRushDaShow]

13. The GOP, RW talk radio, and the M$M have so demonized government workers

that I doubt many will bother. They never did in the past - including during the 2013 Ted Cruz furlough that lasted just over 2 weeks (Oct. 1st - 17th), which impacted me as a fed (now retired) here in Philly at the time.

[SMC22307]

14. Oh, I know. And it's sad.

If we do shut down, Dems should make sure America understands it's the #trumpshutdown, thank Andres for his generosity and care, and ask others, in the spirit of Christmas and welcoming in a new year, to do the same. Even if it's a chicken salad sandwich and bag of chips... we need to take care of each other.

(A girl can dream.)

[BumRushDaShow]

15. I think those who are paying some tiny bit of attention are probably aware

but if they are not actively using those federal services, then they will probably not pay much more attention to it.

The departments that were funded included DOD (as usual - although they weren't back in 2013 until Congress passed cherry-picked funding for them and a few others), HHS (which is rare), and Labor. Everyone else will have "essential" and "non-essential" folks designated and a furlough will happen.

I just heard one of the hosts on CSPAN2 talking to a political analyst and there was mention that since feds were given Monday off by Executive Order and Tuesday is a holiday, the biggest impact (except for those agencies that have staff that normally work on weekends) would not come until next Wednesday as most would not be in the office come Monday anyway.

[Gothmog]

3. Chef Angres is a great man

[BigmanPigman]

4. What a humanitarian!

I've followed his efforts since I saw him with Tony Bourdain going to El Bulli before they closed on No Reservations about 8 years ago.. He sued tRump over immigrants and his DC restaurant.

[dhill926]

11. Great man...

has also helped a lot of fire victims and firefighters in California and I’m sure elsewhere.

[Hugin]

16. In a civilized country, if the government was forced to send their civil servants packing...

I'm sure the government would provide a crisis box containing; A letter of encouragement from the Prime Minister, A picture of the Queen, A small flag, A book of poetry written by their nation's most famous poets, A tin of tea and scones, twenty Dollars, and a shaving kit.

However, here in the US of A, the Republicans have sent them packing regularly with jack shit.

Along with all of the other citizens who aren't exactly like the Republicans... They hate them. Maybe, even more.

I salute, famed chef José Andrés, for recognizing and bringing the plight of those in need to the attention of the public and thank him for his kind offer.