A Shutdown Is Not a Strategy — It’s a Failure. Once again, our federal government has allowed politics to grind this country to a halt — and once again, it’s the people who can least afford it who are paying the price.
A Shutdown Is Not a Strategy — It’s a Failure: Let me be clear: I am disgusted. We’ve seen this movie too many times. Politicians dig in, refuse to compromise, and act like shutting down the government is just another strategy move. But this isn’t a game. Every time Washington plays politics with the budget, real Americans suffer.
When the Lights Go Out, the Bills Don’t: When federal employees are told to stay home without pay, they don’t stop having mortgages, medical bills, or grocery needs. When WIC and SNAP benefits are cut off, it’s not a “policy adjustment.” It’s a mother at the checkout counter who suddenly can’t pay for formula. It’s a veteran wondering how the country he served could turn its back so easily.
And then there are the so-called essential employees. That sounds noble — but in reality, it means they are required to work without a paycheck. Air traffic controllers, TSA agents, border officers, correctional staff — they keep showing up because if they don’t, America stops moving.
“What happens when the people who keep our skies safe decide to take their own recess?” Airports close. Flights are grounded. Supply chains break down. Safety suffers. And all because Congress couldn’t do its job.
The Hypocrisy at the Top: Meanwhile, the very people responsible for this dysfunction — members of Congress, cabinet officials, and the President — still get paid. Their checks keep coming in on time, every time. They go home, make speeches, hold press conferences, and act indignant — all while collecting salaries from the same taxpayers who are struggling to get by.
If this country truly believes in accountability, it should start at the top. When the government shuts down, every Senator, every Representative, and yes, the President, should stop getting paid. Not a dime. Not a dinner. Not a government-funded flight.
And don’t tell me, “Oh, but the President donates his salary back to the government, so he’s a good guy.” Please. Trust me — the President and his family are not going hungry this Friday. They’re not sitting at the kitchen table deciding which bill to skip this month. They’re not watching their WIC benefits get cut or wondering if their paycheck will bounce. So spare us the optics.
Shared Sacrifice Should Be Shared: It’s immoral to ask federal employees to work without pay while elected officials live comfortably on guaranteed salaries. It’s wrong to cut off food assistance while the White House dinner menu doesn’t skip a beat. It’s shameful for Congress to take recess while the country they’re supposed to be running is falling apart.
We love to talk about “shared sacrifice.” But let’s be honest — the sacrifice isn’t shared at all. It’s dumped on working families, single parents, veterans, and the federal employees who keep this country functioning. Meanwhile, the people making the mess remain fully protected from it.
A Simple Solution: No member of Congress, the President, or senior appointed official shall receive pay during a lapse in government funding. No budget? No paycheck. No compromise? No comfort...Maybe then, shutdowns would stop being political weapons and start being seen for what they really are — failures of leadership. Because courage doesn’t mean drawing a hard line and refusing to budge. It means doing the hard work of finding solutions when it would be easier to grandstand. Real leadership means putting the people you serve above your pride and your politics.
Democracy or Dysfunction: The President shouldn’t be dining on the government’s dime while children are denied theirs. Members of Congress shouldn’t be cashing checks while TSA agents and air traffic controllers work without pay. That’s not democracy — that’s dysfunction.
Government shutdowns are not an acceptable tool. They’re a betrayal of the public trust. I’ve been in public service long enough to know that governing is hard. Budgets are complicated. Priorities clash. But when elected officials stop remembering who they work for, they start working only for themselves. And that’s when faith in government dies.
Accountability Isn’t Optional: How can a government claim to represent its people when its leaders are the only ones protected from the pain they cause? If we truly want accountability, we need fairness. We need a system where power doesn’t come with insulation — where lawmakers feel the same pressure as the families depending on their decisions. Because if the government’s shut down, everyone — and I mean everyone — should feel it. Maybe then, the people with the power to stop it finally will.
WHILE I BREATHE 