As the Schumer Shutdown continues, public attention has focused on the imminent suspension of the food stamp program. Today two federal judges ordered the Trump administration, probably illegally, to continue making SNAP payments despite the fact that Congress has not appropriated money for them. The orders appear to violate Article I, Section 9, Clause 7, of the Constitution, which says ““No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law . . .”
More significant, in my view, is the fact that 8% of the American population is now on food stamps, a number that vastly exceeds the percentage who are unemployed. Spending on food stamps roughly doubled during the Biden administration; our effort should be to get SNAP spending down, not to fret about perpetuating it.
So far, the government shutdown has not affected most people, including me, in the least. But serious trouble is on the way: air traffic controllers are not being paid. The threat to airline safety is obvious. The nation’s major airlines are unanimously urging Senate Democrats to stop filibustering the continuing resolution:
Four of the nation’s largest airlines are pressing Senate Democrats to pass a clean stopgap spending bill to reopen the government amidst growing delays at airports around the country caused by staffing issues linked to the expiration of government funding a month ago.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told reporters Thursday “it is time to pass a clean CR,” sending a blunt message to holdout Democratic senators.
American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines are also pressing Democrats to relent and pass a House-approved bill to fund the government through Nov. 21.
These business people understand that the shutdown is 100% the responsibility of the 45 Democratic senators who have repeatedly filibustered the continuing resolution. Democrats can fool their ignorant base, but they can’t fool corporate America.
Kirby noted that federal agencies have been shuttered for a month, forcing air traffic controllers to work without getting paid.
For once, senators are feeling the consequences of their actions:
Senators faced 90-minute delays at Reagan Washington National Airport Thursday afternoon after they rushed to the airport to catch flights home after the last vote of the week. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a ground stop at National Airport on Thursday due to “staffing” issues.
Today there were ground stops and delays at all of the New York airports, precipitated by high winds but aggravated by a shortage of air traffic controllers.
If a commercial airplane crashes due to the Schumer Shutdown, it will be the worst PR disaster for the Democratic Party of modern times. I trust that won’t happen, but what will happen is cancellations, delays, and at some point a virtual cessation of air travel. That will hit the Democratic Party where it hurts: not SNAP benefits, claimed by the allegedly low-income, but the national and international travel that the Democrats and their funders continually engage in.
Speaking for myself, I have not noticed the Schumer Shutdown at all, so far. But I am scheduled to fly to Europe on November 16, and it is vital (to me) that Schumer throw in the towel before then. The good news is that many influential Democrats are in more or less the same boat.
So I am optimistic that the Democrats will surrender soon, and the Schumer Shutdown will end.
