Let Them Eat Cake

By Addison Bruce

Photos courtesy of PBS News, AFP

Marie Antonionette is depicted to say, “Let them eat cake” in response to her people dying of starvation and running out of bread. She is so privileged and blinded by royalty that she fails to see that there is no other food for the citizens to eat. Although she most likely never said it, it shows the blissful ignorance of millionaires toward people who don’t have enough money to survive. As many families are being stripped of their Medicaid, government-issued benefits, rights, and safety, our president, Donald J. Trump, is prioritizing other things. Instead of focusing on and spending money on truly meaningful societal reform, he is covering the White House in the “highest quality” gold and constructing a ballroom to impress people who visit the government building. It speaks volumes that you have to decorate the White House with gold just to get the sliver of validation you crave.

In the “Big Beautiful Bill,” Trump defunded many foundations that went to things like climate change, education, and science.) He made enhancements for nuclear forces, he is funding Immigration and Law enforcement, and he is funding the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program(All found here: 139 STAT. 79). These are examples of where Trump’s priorities lie. Notice how we don’t need them? Notice how an increase in funding to immigration and law enforcement is only “needed” because he is deporting people based on the color of their skin and not if they are a legal citizen? Notice how Trump is funding the Edward Byrne Memorial, a memorial dedicated to a white New York police officer, but not the George Floyd memorial? Notice how he is making advancements to the nuclear force when we would only need that if we were to get into a war, and he is the one inching us closer to one?

While he raises prices, destroys the economy, and makes things easier for billionaires, he is decorating the White House in gold. Not to mention the fact that he is blaming Democrats for the debt to America. Since we are in so much debt and because our president is not doing his part to uphold the views of both political parties, we have to have a government shutdown for who knows how long. On the Department of Housing and Urban Development website, there is a pop-up message stating, “The Radical Left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people unless they get their $1.5 trillion wish list of demands. The Trump administration wants to keep the government open for the American people.” The left would not have a “wish list” if Trump didn’t defund everything progressive they have worked for. It has now been 27 days since the government shut down, as of October 27, 2025, and Trump is building a ballroom as an extension to the White House. Trump himself says the ballroom will be $300 million. The ballroom was originally estimated to be $200 million, the cost increased by $100 million, and he is getting it paid for by “private donors.” We cannot ignore the question; if our president and other billionaires will spend $300 million and more on useless designs and architecture, where is the money when it comes to free healthcare? Where is the money when it comes to SNAP benefits, which have been completely shut down? Where is the money when it comes to the well-being of the citizens of his country? When you become president, the oath you give goes “I solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Our president fails to remember that the Constitution is for the people, the president is for the people. The strength of our country is built on powerful leaders but those leaders seem to only be old white men who only cater to their own needs and thrive on ego and money. I wonder what the issue could be?