Members of Congress will no longer receive special perks from Delta Airlines after Republicans caused chaos at the airports by refusing to fund the TSA and rising prices due to Donald Trump’s war with Iran.
Republicans refuse to pass a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security unless funding for Trump’s ICE Gestapo remains, a sticking point for Democrats due to national outrage over ICE violating constitutional rights and killing Americans. Democrats have repeatedly offered standalone legislation to fund the TSA so these vital airport security personnel get paid, but Republicans have shot those down.
Even Trump is standing in the way by refusing to make a deal, demanding the passage of his voter suppression bill first before he’ll even consider it. In short, while Republicans want everyone to believe that Democrats are the problem, the problem is clearly the GOP and Trump.
Along with the standoff over TSA funding, Trump’s war in Iran is also causing higher travel costs due to higher oil and gas prices. And so, airport chaos continues while fewer Americans are choosing to fly.
In response, Delta Airlines is temporarily suspending special perks for members of Congress, including the ability to quickly get through security checkpoints, seat upgrades, and airport escorts. In other words, they will be treated just like everyone else.
“Due to the impact on resources from the longstanding government shutdown, Delta will temporarily suspend specialty services to members of Congress flying Delta,” Delta said in a statement, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Next to safety, Delta’s no. 1 priority is taking care of our people and customers, which has become increasingly difficult in the current environment.”
Republicans could easily end this by passing the separate TSA funding bill and stripping Trump of his war powers to end the conflict in Iran. But they won’t because it’s chaos they want. The cruelty is the whole point, especially since the GOP wants to privatize the TSA so their rich buddies can make more money off the American people by holding their travel arrangements hostage.
With an election later this year, it’s time for voters to strip Republicans of their majorities in the House and Senate so Democrats can put an end to the chaos. For now, every airline should follow Delta’s lead. If ordinary Americans have to hurt, so should members of Congress, especially the Republicans who caused this mess in the first place.
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