The Costs of the Democrat Shutdown

DEMOCRATS WANTED THIS SHUTDOWN FROM THE START

Democrats held the American people hostage for 43 days and received nothing for their childish actions.
Instead of supporting a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government open – which they did 13 times during the Biden administration – Democrats demanded a $1.5 trillion spending spree that would have only funded the government for one month.
From day one, Democrats openly embraced this needless shutdown.

Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer : “Every day gets better for us.
House Democrat Whip Katherine Clark : "Of course there will be families that are going to suffer… but it is one of the few leverage times we have.”
Bernie Sanders: “[If] you reopen the government and we lose our leverage…”
Chris Coons: “Frankly, this is our only moment of leverage.

Even as workers across the country told Democrats to reopen the government, they didn’t listen.

Everett Kelley, President of the American Federation of Government Employees: "It’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today.”
Nick Daniels, head of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association union: “Congress must pass a clean [CR] to immediately end the government shutdown.”
Multiple pilots unions called on Congress to pass the Republican-backed continuing resolution.
Airlines for America, who represent major U.S. airlines, urged Congress to pass the clean CR.
Teamsters Union President Sean O'Brien pleaded with Democrats to pass the clean CR.
Hundreds of travel businesses told Democrats to pass the clean CR as the shutdown negatively impacted the travel industry.
The International Association of Fire Fighters called on Congress to open the government as federal fire fighters were working without pay.

THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE DEMOCRAT SHUTDOWN

The Democrat shutdown cost the economy $7 billion in its first month according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
One month into the shutdown, America’s travel industry had already lost more than $4 billion.
Millions of Americans who rely on government assistance were hurt by Democrats.

42 Million SNAP beneficiaries were only able to receive up to 65% of their benefits.
Over 100 Head Start programs, which provide early education and child development resources to low-income households, lost funding.

The Federal Reserve cannot make informed decisions since monetary government agencies are no collecting economic data.
Medicare and Social Security had extended wait times due to reduced staff.
$15 billion in weekly federal contracts – funding that businesses across the country rely on – was cut off.

The Small Business Administration estimated that thousands of small businesses have been blocked from receiving billions of dollars in loans.
Unlike federal employes, contractors are not eligible for backpay, resulting in wage losses for millions of Americans.

TRAVELERS, TRANSPORTATION WORKERS, AND THE AIRLINES WERE SEVERELY HIT BY THE SHUTDOWN

If you experienced a delayed or canceled flight, you can thank a Democrat.
13,000 air traffic controllers worked without pay, which created flight disruptions and travel delays to due ‘ sickouts’ and mass absences.

Some air traffic controllers reportedly took second jobs as Uber drivers and restaurant servers just to put food on the table while they aren’t receiving pay.

The Federal Aviation Administration was eventually forced to reduce flight capacity by 10% at major airports, resulting in thousands of canceled or delayed flights per day.
Halloween weekend was brutal for the airline industry.

New York City airports saw nearly 80% of their air traffic controllers absent at some point.
Airports across the country from Newark to Houston experienced multi-hour ground delays.

The problem only grew worse as this past Sunday , airlines were forced to cancel more than 2,700 flights.
By Tuesday, major airlines canceled 6% of their flights and on Wednesday, nearly 1,000 flights had already been canceled.
Many Americans have been forced to spend heavily on rental cars to reach their destination.

THE SHUTDOWN’S EFFECTS WENT FAR BEYOND JUST AMERICANS’ POCKETBOOKS

Democrats put national security at risk since the agency responsible for overseeing the U.S. nuclear stockpile was forced to furlough a majority of its employees.
Upkeep at national cemeteries were reduced and delayed.
Veterans Day parades, ceremonies, and various events were canceled.
The National Zoo and the Smithsonian museums were forced to close in our nation’s capital.
Unpaid federal fire fighters – who already are working 72 hours a week – had to find other jobs to supplement their income.

DEMOCRATS WANTED THIS SHUTDOWN TO INFLICT AS MUCH PAIN AS POSSIBLE

As he was grandstanding and bemoaning in public for the shutdown to end, in private, Chuck Schumer persuaded some in his caucus to prolong the shutdown as long as they could.
Schumer is now the most unpopular Senate Democrat leader on record.
The Democrat Party that now openly embraces socialism believes Schumer isn’t far-left enough, so calls for a primary challenge are only growing louder.

The vast majority of Democrats fought to keep the government closed to the very end, proving they’d rather appease their far-left base than protect the people they represent.

99% of House Democrats voted no against the clean CR Wednesday night.
None of the Senate Democrats who voted for the CR to open the government are up for reelection in 2026.

Despite the horrible costs of their shutdown, Democrats think the pain and suffering was a good thing.

Democrat Senators John Hickenlooper and Jack Reed said the shutdown was “worth it.”

Hakeem Jeffries called the shutdown a “valiant fight.”

Originally published here.

The Patriot Post® · The Costs of the Democrat Shutdown