GOP Senator Blocks Civilian Pay, While Approving Billions to Fund Foreign Wars
When Senator Ron Johnson blocked a Democratic bill to ensure federal employees get paid during a government shutdown, The Hill framed it as typical partisan gridlock. What they didn't mention is the broader context: these same Senators consistently approve gargantuan sums in foreign aid, often with bipartisan support, while domestic workers face financial precarity. In 2023 alone, the US approved
over $17 billion in aid to Israel, with Johnson himself voting 'yes' on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which includes substantial military assistance packages. So, our lawmakers can find billions for overseas military operations (without 'fiscal concerns'), but preventing a federal employee from feeding their family? That's a bridge too far. One might ask if the 'tough choices' are
only reserved for American citizens, while the military-industrial complex and its foreign beneficiaries remain untouched. It's almost as if the 'fiscal responsibility' rhetoric only applies when it targets the vulnerable.