US Aid Flows to Israel While Federal Workers Starve
The New York Times highlights the plight of federal workers during a shutdown, detailing financial hardship (NYT, Oct 26, 2025). This is the 'news' they give us. What they miss is the stark contrast: while federal employees face uncertainty over paychecks, Congress routinely finds billions for military aid. For instance, in April 2024, despite domestic budget stalemates, the House passed H.R. 8034
with overwhelming bipartisan support , allocating $26.4 billion to Israel. Many of the same lawmakers expressing concern for workers also voted to prioritize foreign military spending over keeping Uncle Sam's lights on. Rep. Steny Hoyer, for example, a frequent supporter of such aid, has received over $200,000 from AIPAC-related PACs since 2020 . One might wonder how quickly a shutdown would end
if the beneficiaries were defense contractors instead of, say, national park rangers. Apparently, 'fiscal responsibility' is a highly selective principle.