Congressional Republicans have once again discovered an effect of the shutdown that they don't like, so they're once again springing into action. This time, the shutdown effect about to be reversed is the delay in death benefits for troops killed in action. The House is expected to pass a bill Wednesday afternoon restoring the speed with which the $100,000 death gratuity arrives, with a Senate vote and President Obama's signature to quickly follow:
That is because many members of Congress were surprised by reports that families of fallen soldiers had not been receiving the death gratuity benefit considering they had passed legislation, which President Obama signed into law the night before the shutdown began, that authorized "pay and allowances" to be distributed to troops and their families during the shutdown. Some said the decision to not distribute these benefits was a misinterpretation of that law by the Pentagon.
This follows the established pattern that if the shutdown (or sequester, or whatever else) has an effect Republicans don't like, it comes as a surprise to them and is doubtless the fault of whichever part of the administration was tasked with reading Republican minds and then carrying out their intentions with sharply limited resources. Apparently congressional Republicans never learned the classic childhood lesson that actions have consequences, sometimes unintended ones. But really, guys, you shut down the government and it won't only be the poor people and government workers you're trying to hurt who get hurt. This is not something to be constantly blaming others for.
And as horrible as it is to contemplate what it must be like for military families to suffer the loss of a loved one and financial stress at the same time, don't you think Republicans could show, say, 10 percent of the concern for the 9 million women and babies who stand to lose nutrition assistance, women who need domestic violence shelters, and so many others being hurt by the shutdown that they're showing for the few families affected by the death benefits delay? Just 10 percent!