Holidays Under Capitalism
The Spider-Men Are at it Again
Another holiday season, another government shutdown. At this point it’s practically part of the American tradition: right between “overpriced flights” and “frozen turkeys.” The best way to picture it is that Spider-Man meme: two (or three) politicians in suits pointing at each other, arguing over who’s to blame, while the rest of us are standing in line wondering if our paychecks or benefits are still real.
And while they’re playing blame tag, the fallout doesn’t wait. Millions of families who rely on SNAP benefits are staring down uncertainty again. It’s not abstract; it’s groceries. Eggs that jumped from $2 to $5 a dozen. Chicken that costs more than some cuts of steak used to. Lettuce (yes, lettuce) pushing five bucks a head in some places. Alabama’s already pulling emergency funds to keep food banks afloat. Minnesota says November benefits are on hold until this thing ends. The safety net isn’t fraying; it’s on vacation without notice.
Meanwhile, at the airport, the holidays are turning into a rerun of “Planes, Trains, and No Paychecks.” Thousands of TSA agents and air-traffic controllers are working without pay. Airlines are canceling flights because there’s literally no one left to keep the skies moving safely. Families save all year to visit relatives, and now they’re stuck refreshing flight apps like it’s a lottery.
It’s easy for politicians and pundits to frame this as another “lazy vs. hardworking” debate, or “big government vs. small government.” But look closer: shutdowns don’t care about party lines. They hit everyone who doesn’t have the luxury of ignoring them. They show how dependent our “independent” system really is: on farm subsidies, on benefits, on public workers who quietly keep everything from collapsing.
Every shutdown reminds us that the American economy is less a machine and more a Jenga tower: impressive while it’s standing, but terrifying once someone pulls the wrong block. And every year, we act surprised when it wobbles.
So here we are again: flights canceled, groceries inflated, benefits in limbo, and politicians pointing fingers like Spider-Men in a loop. Holidays under capitalism aren’t about joy or generosity anymore. They’re about endurance.
