Well, here we are on day 35 of the government shutdown, and the Senateās latest attempt to reinstate federal paychecks has spectacularly flopped.
Kudos to Senator Fetterman for bravely crossing the aisle, but itās clear that the Democratic Party has decided to play its little game of āchickenā with TSA employees and other DHS agencies, leaving many wondering if they truly care about the federal workers who keep our skies safe.
The irony of playing hardball over immigration policy while folks are standing in grueling security lines is just too rich to ignore.
Whatās wild here is that the Democrats are putting the brakes on reopening just to bolster their political leverage.
Apparently, they think their base would prefer long lines at the airport over a compromise with the very security agencies they claim to support. Itās as if theyāve forgotten that a government shutdown also means families canāt pay their bills, and TSA agents, usually so friendly when weāre madly trying to catch a flight, are left empty-handed while Congress plays their version of political roulette.
Senators Hoeven and Kennedy have both pointed out the refreshing, albeit rare, opportunity for bipartisan negotiations, but it seems the Democrats are more committed to posturing than progress. Itās a classic case of āIād rather hold the government hostage than give in to what might even be called common sense.ā
If they donāt pull their heads out of the sand soon, theyāll not only keep the TSA swamped, but theyāll also be facing the wrath of voters who have had just about enough of this political soap opera.
In the end, the only winners in this chaos might be the vendors selling snacks in TSA lines, as irritable travelers grab a bag of chips to pass the time. Maybe Congress should take note: People are hungry for solutions, not snacks or endless debates. Itās a shame they canāt seem to feed that appetite.