Expect the unexpected when flying, riding a train or driving.
Absolutely everyone in Congress: Senators, Representatives, staff and aides need to push to end this Trump shutdown as if their very lives depend on it. Their very lives DO depend on it. They travel as much if not more than any other group every single weekend flying from D.C. back to their respective homes in states around the country. I am sure there are some billionaires among them who have their own jets so they have no fear of flying with the common folk. But for those who use public air transport, it’s not safe while this shutdown is in effect.
Cutbacks in funding to TSA personnel is what I hear about the most from our corporate media moguls. Sure, smuggling a gun onto a plane or rigging bombs around airports are a risk of sorts, and the fact that TSA agents are refusing to come to work without being paid (I don’t blame them) is only a small part of what should have them afraid. And the fact that because of no funding to bring more TSA agents on board certainly makes it impossible to bring in any TSA replacements.
So what is worse than the above to cause our congressional leaders to maybe spend more time than usual in D.C. and avoid trips every weekend back to their homes? Well, what do you think about cutbacks to airplane maintenance? That budget has been cut as well, and those maintenance workers, whether considered “essential” or not, can hardly be expected to put their hearts and souls into making sure a plane is air worthy when they are wondering if the banks holding their mortgages will not foreclose on them as big banks love doing, or if they rent, will their landlords allow them to skate until Trump decides to stop playing games? Also, if this shutdown goes on long enough to eat up their reserves, then will they need to decide between putting gas in their vehicles to get to work or should they spend that money on feeding their families?
Just as an aside, they should also be very worried about eating, inasmuch as Trump has cut funding to the FDA and USDA. It is now perfectly okay to fertilize fruits & veggies with cow manure causing all kinds of illnesses to the people eating those veggies.
I hope Mitch McConnell will reconsider his position on refusing to bring any bills to the Senate floor unless he receives an iron clad guarantee from Trump he will sign the bill. It’s disheartening to say the least to see the leader of the Senate abdicate his sworn duties to the American people he is supposed to be serving to a certifiable lunatic/liar like Donald Trump.
