Let's talk about the GOP's block on TSA funding risking airport closures.... - Belle of the Ranch

[TexasTowelie]

Well, howdy there Internet people. It's Belle again. So, today we're going to talk about the GOP's block on TSA funding risking airport closures.

Back on March 13th, we went over how Senator Patty Murray of Washington, who is a top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, asked for unanimous consent on a measure that would fund Department of Homeland Security agencies that weren't involved in immigration enforcement. The Republican party blocked the attempt to fund TSA, FEMA, and so on, so they could use them as leverage to get Democrats to fund ICE and Border Patrol. There will be a link below.

Senator Gary Peters of Michigan called out the GOP fake outrage and said that Republicans blocking it “would send a very clear signal that they are not interested in opening up TSA at our airports, FEMA for natural disasters, or CISA protecting us from cyber threats.”

Not even a week later and Republican refusal to pay employees is starting to show signs of creating major issues. Trump's acting deputy TSA administrator, Adam Stahl, said, “As the weeks continue, if this continues, it's not hyperbole to suggest that we may have to quite literally shut down airports, particularly smaller ones, if callout rates go up.”

Of course, the Republican line is that Democrats are blocking funding DHS despite the attempt to fund everything except immigration that was blocked by Republicans. They're still out there with the same talking points that fly in the face of them blocking the funding for about 50,000 TSA security officers who are having to work without pay. About one out of 10 didn't show up last Sunday. Hundreds have quit. Major airports are seeing anywhere from a third to a half of their TSA staff fail to show.

Think about the situation the workers are in. They've gone a month without pay. The federal government was once seen as a stable job. Think about dealing with the rising inflation because of Trump's tariffs. You're not getting a check, but you still have to show up at work. That's annoying. But now Trump starts an elective war that he can't really justify that sends gas prices through the roof. You're having to go to one of the pop-up food banks being established for federal government employees. And all of this is because Republicans don't want to let the rest of DHS get funded so they can use the livelihoods of American workers as leverage.

Why do they need leverage? Because they don't want to pass the pretty basic reforms of the immigration related agencies.

Hey, but Trump said they'd promise not to deport US citizens if their funding was extended. Think about why that needs to be a promise in the first place.

On a wider level, disrupting airline travel right now when the tourism sector is already getting hit because of boycotts started in response to Trump's tariffs probably isn't going to help the economy that's already straining.

Anyway, it's just a thought. Y'all have a good day.

[kacekwl]

1. With all the panic about TSA workers

aren't Democrats yelling about this block by the Republican party ? Have not heard much about this at all. Meanwhile Republicans are blaming democrats at every turn. Come On.