T W I W C

Category: Postscapes

Using town names as cues, these postcards turn places and politics into commentary. Spread the word with a quick share.

  • Coward, SC #025

    Coward, SC #025

    [Outgoing Mail]

    Oct 03, 2025 | Postscape #025

    President Trump has fired important economic officials, like the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, who’s in charge of tracking job numbers. Trump said the numbers were unfair to him but there’s no proof of that. Right after a weak jobs report came out, he fired the official like a coward. He also tried to remove a Federal Reserve governor, which caused legal headaches because those positions have protections.

    These actions shakes trust in the government’s economic reports, which everyone relies on to understand if the economy is doing well. When people don’t trust those numbers, businesses get cautious, hiring slows down, and it becomes harder for people to make good choices about their jobs and money. Plus, tariffs and trade problems are already causing prices to go up and job losses in some industries. So adding this confusion around economic data just makes things tougher for everyday Americans.

    The impact of Trump’s 2025 firing of economic officials and tariffs on Coward, South Carolina, mainly affects the state’s manufacturing and trade. Coward is a small town reliant on exports like cars and farm products. South Carolina exports billions in these goods, primarily trading with countries such as Canada, China, and Germany.

    Bottom line: firing these officials makes the economy feel less stable and confuses people who just want to know if they can keep their jobs and pay their bills. It’s a shaky situation that adds uncertainty to already difficult economic times.

    SOURCES

    https://www.opb.org/article/2025/08/02/trump-labor-statistics-jobs-report/

    https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/ex-fed-treasury-chiefs-urge-supreme-court-not-let-trump-fire-cook-2025-09-25/

    Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow for firing of Fed governor
  • Goobertown, AR #024

    Goobertown, AR #024

    Oct 03, 2025 | Postscape #024

    The Trump 2025 administration has been a disaster for the average person. Massive new tariffs on imports mean it’s you who’s paying, not foreign companies. Economists say these tariffs could cost the typical American household about $3,800 a year. Health and education protections are under attack too. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is being rolled back, making things worse for those with pre-existing conditions. And the talk of dismantling the Department of Education, which manages $1.6 trillion in student loans, creates uncertainty for young borrowers. Then there’s the administrative meltdown of purging 300,000 federal workers under the guise of “efficiency.” That leads to slower services and less oversight, making government less competent exactly when people need it to be. The chaos isn’t just a headline. It’s why everything feels a bit harder and more expensive.

    Skyrocketing input costs, trade war tariffs, and slashed federal support have led to generational farms collapsing. Many Arkansas farmers are facing bankruptcy and are pleading for immediate government aid to survive this year. The delayed aid promised by the administration is not arriving soon enough, risking the loss of a third of Arkansas farms. The agricultural collapse threatens not only farmers but local economies and food supply chains as well.

    SOURCES

    Tracking regulatory changes in the second Trump administration

    https://budgetlab.yale.edu/research/where-we-stand-fiscal-economic-and-distributional-effects-all-us-tariffs-enacted-2025-through-april

  • Santa Claus, IN #023

    Santa Claus, IN #023

    Oct 01, 2025 | Postscape #023

    Congress passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB), making many changes permanent, particularly from the 2017 tax cuts. The key update for families is the maximum credit, now $2,200 per kid, plus an inflation adjustment starting in 2026. However, while the top credit increased, the refundable portion remains capped at $1,700, leaving low earners without full benefits. Now, parents must have a valid Social Security Number (SSN) to qualify, cutting out about 2.7 million American kids from the credit.

    In Indiana, OBBB carries significant long-term risks for healthcare access, social safety nets, and services critical to lower-income and vulnerable populations. These downsides especially impact rural healthcare infrastructure, social welfare programs, and education support. Public opinion reflects concern, with two-thirds of people viewing the bill unfavorably after learning about increased uninsured rates, hospital funding cuts, and reduced Medicaid spending.

    SOURCES

    KFF Health Tracking Poll: Views of the One Big Beautiful Bill

    https://taxpolicycenter.org/taxvox/one-big-beautiful-bill-child-tax-credit-would-exclude-millions-american-children

    https://www.hrblock.com/tax-center/irs/tax-law-and-policy/one-big-beautiful-bill-taxes/

    https://bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/how-the-obbb-changes-to-the-child-tax-credit-will-impact-families/

  • Blue Ball, DE #022

    Blue Ball, DE #022

    Sep 29, 2025 | Postscape #022

    The proposed 2025 healthcare cuts, as outlined in the one big beautiful bill, were a massive shift. It boils down to two things: Medicaid and public health.

    The biggest target, Medicaid,-the safety net for the poor, the elderly, and the disabled-aimed at slashing over $1 trillion primarily by introducing work requirements, making it harder for eligible people to get healthcare.

    Then you have the public health agencies like the CDC and the NIH, lined up for cuts, cutting disease prevention programs.

    On top of that, they allowed enhanced subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace to expire, leaving millions facing rising premiums and dropping coverage.

    It’s about “eliminating waste,” but results in fewer insured, less research funding, and states left scrambling to pick up costs. It’s a huge burden shift from Washington onto the states, creating more problems than it solves. Get ready for a higher uninsured rate and more hospital closures.

    SOURCES

    https://equitashealth.com/blog/equitas-health-responds-to-1bbbs-unprecedented-cuts-to-medicaid-and-americas-healthcare-safety-net/

    https://globalbiodefense.com/2025/07/28/nih-budget-cuts-public-health-biomedical-research-crisis/

  • Smut Eye, AL #021

    Smut Eye, AL #021

    Sep 28, 2025 | Postscape #021

    The Epstein files highlight how Washington ignores the average citizen. Despite promises of transparency, the DOJ and FBI claimed there was no “incriminating client list,” citing national security as an excuse. This led to Democratic attacks on Trump while the White House dismissed it as a “hoax.”

    The situation illustrates the double standards in America, with the powerful evading accountability while ordinary people face a rigged system, fostering public cynicism and distrust. Ultimately, it shows a government that fails to act justly.

    SOURCES

    https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2025/trump-wants-epstein-story-buried/

    https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/how-trump-spent-years-stoking-dark-theories-and-why-hes-facing-epstein-case-blowback-now

  • Ding Dong, TX #020

    Ding Dong, TX #020

    Sep 27, 2025 | Postscape #020

    The small communities surrounding Ding Dong, Texas, rely on federal grants for support. President Trump’s August 2025 Executive Order on grant oversight has created uncertainty by putting funding decisions in the hands of a political appointee focused on the current administration’s “national interest.”

    This puts important projects like rural broadband expansion at risk, disrupts local utility companies, and adds pressure on rural service providers due to limits on “indirect costs.” Additionally, restrictions on grants for initiatives related to “racial preferences” or “gender or DEI ideology programs” could cut essential services for vulnerable populations, including mental health programs for veterans.

    Overall, the new oversight system favors political alignment over program stability, jeopardizing resource-limited rural organizations and their services.

    SOURCES

    1.

    https://news.aai.org/2025/08/14/exxecutive-order-oversight-federal-grants/

    2.

    https://www.wiley.law/alert-New-Executive-Order-Calls-for-Reforming-Federal-Grant-Oversight

    3.

    Older Americans Act (OAA) Grants (Administered by the Administration for Community Living – ACL): These discretionary funds are essential for in-home services and nutrition programs for seniors. State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) and MIPPA (Medicare benefits) grants are also key.

    Area Agency on Aging of Central Texas (AAACT) Main Page: https://ctcog.org/aging/

    Texas HHS AAA Grants Overview https://www.hhs.texas.gov/providers/long-term-care-providers/area-agencies-aging-aaa/aaa-grants-overview

    4.

    Health Center Program (Section 330) Grants (Administered by HHS/HRSA): The primary funding for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) which would be directly impacted by the EO’s call to limit indirect costs (overhead, rent, utilities) and the political oversight of grant renewals.HHS TAGGS (General Grant Info for HHS recipients like health centers): https://taggs.hhs.gov/

    5.

    Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) (Federal pass-through funds) and other HUD/HHS grants. These organizations are vulnerable to the EO’s criteria that vet against certain social initiatives or ideological alignment (Source 2.1 in previous answer).Families In Crisis News Article (Mentions funding challenges):

    https://citizenportal.ai/articles/5621519/Killeen/Bell-County/Texas/Families-In-Crisis-requests-Killeen-gap-funding-for-community-resource-center-operations

    Food Care Center Profile (Confirms non-profit status and community focus):

    https://www.guidestar.org/profile/75-2195539

    6.

    This video discusses the release of billions in grant money for schools after an administration review, which is an example of the kind of funding delay and subsequent release that can be caused by the new grant oversight process outlined in the executive order:

  • Tightwad, MO #019

    Tightwad, MO #019

    Sep 20, 2025 | Postscape #019

    The Trump administration has made significant cuts to federal Medicaid spending, reducing it by about $1 trillion over the next decade. Critics say these changes will harm children’s access to care, while increased administrative demands could make it harder for families with varying incomes to keep their coverage. These cuts aim to prevent fraud and protect vulnerable populations, yet it may result in fewer people covered. Children’s hospitals, which rely on Medicaid for a significant portion of their revenue, are at greater risk and the administrations failure to implement a policy for continuous health coverage for infants and toddlers is concerning. Opponents of the cuts continue to argue they will worsen health disparities, especially among children.

    Federal Medicaid cuts could hurt Tightwad, Missouri, by impacting low-income residents, children, and the elderly. These changes may cause local hospitals and clinics to struggle financially, possibly leading to reduced services or closures. This would make it harder for residents to access essential care, such as emergency services, home health, and mental health treatment. Low-income families might find it more difficult to maintain their children’s health insurance, creating gaps in care. Overall, the cuts could weaken the town’s healthcare system and harm its most vulnerable citizens.

    SOURCES

    Rural hospitals in Missouri already struggle to turn a profit. Medicaid cuts could force some to close
    Pain of Missouri’s 2005 Missouri Medicaid Cuts Holds Lessons for Today

    Missouri Health Matters

    ANOL

  • Nothing, AZ #018

    Nothing, AZ #018

    Sep 12, 2025 | Postscape #018

    As of late 2025, congressional oversight of the Trump administration is plagued by delays and partisan disputes, especially regarding Jeffrey Epstein-related files. Tensions increased after a controversial letter from the President was found in Epstein’s birthday book. The President’s executive order to close the Department of Education faced little resistance from Congress, raising doubts about oversight effectiveness. The administration’s investigations are seen as distractions. Concerns about transparency remain due to the Department of Justice’s lack of cooperation with oversight requests and ongoing legal disputes related to executive orders on education and civil rights, highlighting tensions between government branches.

    Stalled congressional oversight and new policies from the administration could hurt everyday Arizonans. Proposed cuts to federal funding for Medicaid and SNAP threaten healthcare and food security for many, including over 1 million children. The removal of clean energy tax credits risks billions in investments and thousands of jobs, leading to higher future energy costs. Additionally, new tariffs on imported goods may raise prices on everyday items, while a federal freeze on research grants could negatively impact local universities and tribal communities, affecting important projects and services. Overall, these policy changes could result in economic uncertainty, higher living costs, and reduced access to essential social services.

    SOURCES

    New Fiscal Analysis: The Economic Impact of Federal Medicaid Cuts in Arizona

    E&E News

    KJZZ

  • Volcano, HI #017

    Volcano, HI #017

  • Hazardville, CT #016

    Hazardville, CT #016