Washington’s reckless shutdown has moved from abstract political theater to real pain at American airports, and ordinary travelers are paying the price. The Federal Aviation Administration announced an unprecedented 10 percent reduction in air traffic at 40 high‑volume markets as managers scramble to keep the skies safe while unpaid controllers skip shifts.
This crisis did not materialize by accident — it was caused by lawmakers letting the government go without funding and forcing essential workers to report to duty without pay. Air traffic controllers have been working mandatory overtime, taking second jobs, or calling out while they wait for paychecks that never arrived, creating dangerous strain on a system that depends on focus and training.
The results are already ugly: thousands of flights delayed, crowded terminals, and canceled plans for families trying to get home for the holidays. When certified controllers aren’t on position, the FAA is forced to “meter” traffic and slash acceptance rates, which means fewer takeoffs and landings per hour and longer holds for everyone.
Local leaders are even stepping into the breach because Washington refused to do its job, with Denver offering to pay airport staff upfront to avoid cutbacks — a desperate move that underscores federal failure. This is not leadership; it is abdication, and cities should not have to beg for permission to keep planes flying.
On Newsmax’s The Record with Greta Van Susteren, Rep. Troy Nehls rightly called out the political architects of this mess, pointing blame at Senate leaders who have allowed budget brinkmanship to ruin American travel and safety. Patriotic servants like our controllers are being used as pawns while Senate Democrats sit on the sidelines and grandstand instead of negotiating a real solution.
Make no mistake: this shutdown is a choice, and the people making that choice must be held accountable. Chuck Schumer and his Democratic allies have prioritized political leverage over the paychecks and focus of the men and women who keep our skies safe, and that failure deserves condemnation from every corner of the country.
Congress has a simple duty: reopen the government, pay our essential workers immediately, and stop using the livelihoods of Americans as bargaining chips. If Schumer wants to be remembered, let it be for doing the right thing — not for being the reason flights are grounded and families are stranded.
