Shutdown 'Chaos' Fears: Military Aid Still Flying High
In 2019, the Trump administration warned of grounded flights and airport delays, framing a government shutdown as a national crisis, which it was for many federal workers. Yet, during similar fiscal squabbles, the spigot for specific foreign aid programs rarely chokes. The same political will that creates shutdown 'chaos' for domestic services often finds ways to bypass funding freezes for
military allies. One might wonder why budget impasses threaten air traffic controllers but rarely interrupt the regular flow of billions in military assistance, regardless of the administration. It seems certain 'essential' services are more essential than others. Perhaps our airspace anxieties could be calmed if we viewed funding our own government with the same urgency as funding foreign
militaries.