Hi everyone,
The government shut down that barely made a blip a month ago is now the longest on record. People who rely on SNAP benefits aren't getting their money. Government employees aren't getting paid. Congress isn't getting anything done at all (which let's face it, isn't that unusual). And now planes are being stopped.
Just this morning, over 800 flights have been delayed or canceled. Transit Sec Sean Duffy announced yesterday that 10% of air traffic would be cut at 40 airports. Those airports include some of the busiest in the country in Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and New York City.
Meanwhile, the game of chicken in the Senate shows no sign of stopping. Democrats are demanding that the GOP allow for the extensions of Covid relief-inspired tax subsidies for Obamacare. The GOP is asking Dems to sign a continuing resolution that is literally Biden's budget, but the Dems want more.
Dems figure that the longer this all goes on, the more Trump and the GOP will be blamed. Dems have a way better messaging game and are more coalesced, making it easier for them to speak with one voice. Trump is saying to Senate Majority Leader Thune that he should terminate the filibuster and just get stuff passed, get all of it passed.
But Thune and some of his colleagues don't want to do that because they fear what the Democrats will do when they get back into office. What he doesn't seem to understand is that they will do it anyway. They staged a socialist takeover of New York City. They literally installed a socialist to lead the financial capital of the world.
And Thune and the others think there's some low beneath low to which they will not stoop? I'm all for principles and following a code of conduct, but this is politics and government, principles are for policy, not for process. There are reasons most of us don't have the stomach for public office, but these fellas chose this, were elected, and should get back to the business of serving the people instead of letting the country grind to a halt.
Libby