The Federal Funding Freeze is a Wake-Up Call: The Working Class—Trump Voters Included—Are Under Attack
Introduction: The Only Color That Matters is Green
Growing up in The Bronx, I learned early on that money talks louder than anything else. In a borough known for its resilience, diversity, and hustle, I used to say, “The only color that really matters here is green.” It’s not that racism doesn’t exist in The Bronx—it absolutely does. But something about the way this borough functions suspends all of that when it comes down to cold, hard cash. Whether you’re a Black business owner on Fordham Road, a Puerto Rican single mom working double shifts in Hunts Point, or a white construction worker in Throggs Neck, capitalism doesn’t care about your identity—it cares about what’s in your bank account.
There’s a long-standing myth that racism only exists in the South, while the North, with its progressive cities, somehow transcends those divides. That’s a lie. The reality is that money is the great equalizer in America—but only for those who have it. If you’re poor, struggling, or working-class? It doesn’t matter if you’re white, Black, Latino, or Asian—the system is designed to keep you there.
That’s why the recent federal funding freeze is such a wake-up call. While this move has been framed as a necessary budgetary measure, the truth is that it will devastate the working class—and ironically, it will hit Trump’s own voters the hardest.
Because here’s the real truth:
Poor white conservatives are not closer to being billionaires than they are to being broke.
The wealthy don’t care about your race, gender, or religion—unless it can be used to manipulate you.
And as long as working-class people keep fighting each other instead of fighting the system that exploits them, the rich will continue to win.
That’s been the strategy since the beginning of this country, and as this funding freeze shows, it’s still working. But it doesn’t have to.
The Oldest Trick in the Book: Divide & Conquer the Working Class
This isn’t new. It’s textbook American history—using race to divide the working class so that the rich can keep hoarding power and wealth.
President Lyndon B. Johnson said it best:
"If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you."
This strategy has been used for centuries—from the days of slavery to modern-day elections—because it works.
Reconstruction: The First Racial Divide & Conquer
After the Civil War, Black and poor white Southerners had a shared economic interest—both were poor, both needed labor rights, and both were being exploited by wealthy landowners.
So what happened?
Rich white elites passed Jim Crow laws to make sure poor whites and Black people never united. White workers were convinced that racial hierarchy was more important than economic justice. The rich kept getting richer, while both poor Black and white people stayed struggling.
Fast forward 100 years… and the same playbook is still being used today.
The Southern Strategy: Nixon & Reagan’s Racist Economic Agenda
In the 1960s and 70s, after the Civil Rights Movement, working-class white people had a choice:
Join forces with Black and Brown communities to fight for fair wages, unions, and government protections.
Side with white elites and fight against “big government” while still being exploited themselves.
Conservatives made sure they chose the second option.
Nixon’s Southern Strategy openly used racist fear-mongering to turn white working-class voters against government programs.
Reagan’s “Welfare Queen” myth convinced white Americans that Black single mothers were stealing their tax dollars—even though most welfare recipients were (and still are) white women in suburban areas.
The GOP slashed social programs under the disguise of “fiscal conservatism”—but in reality, the wealthy just took that money for themselves.
And here we are again—watching the same divide-and-conquer strategy play out in real-time.
1. Lessons from the Great Depression: A Crisis of the Working Class
The funding freeze is just the latest chapter in a long history of economic crises that disproportionately harm the working class. Let’s talk about the Great Depression, because it holds critical lessons for us today.
In the 1930s, millions of Americans—Black, white, immigrant, rural, urban—were plunged into poverty. Factories shut down, farms went bankrupt, and unemployment soared to 25%.
But here’s what’s important:
The wealthy didn’t suffer the same way. They tightened their grip on the economy, buying up foreclosed homes and bankrupt businesses.
Working-class people turned against each other instead of uniting. White workers blamed Black and immigrant workers for "taking their jobs."
The government used this division to justify excluding Black and Mexican workers from programs like Social Security and farm subsidies.
The result? The working class stayed divided, and the wealthy solidified their power.
One of the few things that saved millions was class solidarity during the labor movement. Workers organized strikes, formed unions, and demanded fair wages and protections. Programs like the New Deal only happened because workers pressured the government to take action.
The lesson here is clear: When the working class is divided, the wealthy win. When the working class unites, change happens.
2. The Funding Freeze Will Devastate Rural & Working-Class Trump Voters
The irony? Trump voters are going to be hit the hardest by this funding freeze.
Who Relies Most on Government Aid?
Rural America gets more federal assistance per capita than urban areas.
Trump’s strongest states—like West Virginia, Kentucky, and Mississippi—receive the most in federal benefits.
White Americans make up the largest group of welfare recipients, SNAP users, and Medicaid beneficiaries.
Yet, the freeze will halt funding for:
Rural hospitals, many of which already operate on razor-thin margins.
Farmers who depend on federal subsidies to survive unpredictable markets and weather.
Programs like Medicaid and SNAP, which are lifelines for low-income families in red states.
Case Study: The Opioid Crisis in Appalachia
In counties like McDowell, West Virginia, where opioid addiction rates are among the highest in the nation, federal funding for addiction treatment programs is a lifeline. Many residents rely on Medicaid to access rehab services and mental health care. A funding freeze could devastate these programs, leaving thousands without treatment. Yet, many of these same residents voted for Trump, believing his promises to “drain the swamp” and cut government spending. The irony is that the swamp they’re drowning in is one of poverty and addiction—and the funding freeze will only make it worse.