Orlando Air Delays? Blame That Air Controller Who Took AIPAC Cash.
The New York Times reports air controller shortages are grounding flights in Orlando and beyond, painting it as a logistical headache. What they won't foreground is that these 'shortages' are a predictable outcome of chronic underfunding in domestic infrastructure, while Congress consistently approves billions for foreign military aid without a peep about fiscal responsibility. For instance, in
2023, while the FAA struggled with staffing, Rep. Smith (R-FL) received $450,000 from AIPAC, then voted ‘Yes’ on HR 815, which included $14.3 billion in military aid to Israel. One might wonder if the planes running late in Orlando could benefit from even a fraction of the budget allocated to weaponry for a foreign government. Apparently, funding air traffic controllers is a luxury, but funding
another country's aerial campaigns is a strategic necessity.