Ken Blackwell

Sen. John Kennedy by Ken Blackwell

Senator John Kennedy is set to introduce two bills tomorrow to revoke congressional pay during the govt shutdown! For too long, Washington politicians have played games while hardworking Americans foot the bill. When the government shuts down, families across this country feel it. Paychecks stop. Bills don’t. Federal workers are scrambling to cover rent, feed their kids, and keep the lights on. 

But Congress? They still get paid. They still collect their check while government workers wait and wonder if they’ll even make it through the month. It’s a disgrace. And today, Senator Kennedy stepped up and said what millions of Americans have been thinking: if Congress can’t do its job, then Congress shouldn’t get paid. 

Here’s exactly what he said — and it deserves to be heard by every taxpayer in America: “Like you, Mr. President, I’ve heard a lot of rumors that we’re that close to reaching an agreement. We’ve been that close for a week. Frankly, I hope I’m wrong in saying this, but I don’t think we’re really that close. I wish we were, and I hope we are. But I think we’re going to be in the shutdown a while longer. That doesn’t give me any joy to say that. In the meantime, none of our staffs are being paid. No federal employees are being paid. I got some numbers in this morning that federal workers have had to borrow $365 million so far during this 36-day shutdown just to pay their rent. Our military is only being paid partially. Our air traffic controllers are not being paid. People who receive SNAP payments are only being partially paid. I don’t think anybody wants to see anybody go hungry in America. And that’s not a partisan statement — that’s a bipartisan statement. There’s precedent for this, Mr. President. Some may say, ‘Well, this violates the 27th Amendment.’ I don’t think it does. That’s why I’m offering two different flavors of bills. But in 2013, President Obama did the same thing that I’m doing now. They were in a shutdown, and President Obama supported legislation that said if you don’t open up government by a certain date, then you’re going to lose your paychecks. And guess what? Members of Congress had an epiphany and they found religion. They had a Damascene moment — and they opened up government. And that’s all this bill will do. I’m not trying to grandstand. I wasn’t going to bring this bill when I got back here Monday. I heard all the rumors, like everybody else, that we were close. And I hope we are close. But we’re not close enough. So I’ll offer these bills tomorrow, and people can vote yea or they can vote nay. But what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” 

Think about that for a second. Federal workers have already been forced to borrow $365 million just to survive during this shutdown. Military members are only getting partial pay. Air traffic controllers — who keep our skies safe — are working without pay. SNAP recipients are hanging on by a thread. Meanwhile, the same people who caused the shutdown continue receiving a full salary, taxpayer-funded health care, pensions, and perks most Americans could only dream of. Where is the accountability? We send these people to Washington to represent us, not to enrich themselves. They take an oath, they make big promises on the campaign trail, and then when things get tough, they get paid to point fingers at each other on TV. No urgency. No sacrifice. No consequences. 

Senator Kennedy is right. There is precedent. Even Obama supported this idea during the 2013 shutdown. Democrats loved it then. The media didn’t scream about “norms” or “threats to democracy” then. But now? Now that a Republican is saying it, watch how quickly the political class and cable news crowd clutch their pearls. But the truth is simple — when everyday Americans don’t do their job, they don’t get paid. When small business owners face hardship, they don’t collect taxpayer-funded salaries. When blue-collar workers get laid off, they don’t get to vote themselves a paycheck anyway. So why should Congress? This shouldn’t be controversial. This is common sense.

-----

Contact Us

News for Southwest Mississippi and East Central Louisiana, including Adams, Jefferson, Franklin and Wilkinson counties and Concordia and Catahoula parishes.

Offices:
15044 Blue Marlin Terrace, Bonita Springs. FL 34135
601-431-2990

missloumagazine@gmail.com

Peter Rinaldi, publisher
Clarisse Washington, editor emerita