In this country, we ask a tremendous amount of our fellow citizens. We ask soldiers to stand watch on lonely frontiers, sailors to patrol distant seas, and air traffic controllers to guide our families safely through crowded skies. We ask Border Patrol agents to hold the line and law enforcement to keep our streets from descending into chaos. They are the quiet professionals, the very bedrock of our security.

Yet, when the gears of government grind to a halt in Washington, these same patriots are often the first to be betrayed. They are deemed too critical to stay home but not important enough to get a paycheck. It’s a cynical political game where the livelihoods of our best and bravest are used as bargaining chips. And this week, that game reached a shameful, almost unbelievable, new low.

From ‘The Post Millennial’:

A bill that would have paid military members, air traffic controllers, and other federal employees required to work during the government shutdown did not pass a cloture vote on Thursday, with most Democrats voting against the bill. The cloture motion failed with a 55 to 45 vote. After several votes over the past few weeks, the Democrats have continued to support a continuing resolution (CR) that would continue funding the government at present levels and have proposed their own version that would, among other provisions, provide federal healthcare subsidies to illegal immigrants.

Democrats in the United States Senate just torpedoed a dead-simple, no-brainer bill designed to pay our troops, TSA agents, and federal law enforcement. And the reason why will make your blood boil. They are holding the pay of our nation’s defenders hostage until they can secure their real prize: taxpayer-funded healthcare for people who aren’t even citizens.

Democrats’ Shocking Ultimatum

Let’s be crystal clear about the choice that was just made. Republicans, led by Senator Ron Johnson, put forward the “Shutdown Fairness Act.” The bill had one simple purpose: pay the men and women who are legally required to show up for work during a shutdown. It was a chance to do the right thing and take care of our own people first.

The Democratic party, however, saw a golden opportunity for political extortion. They refused to pass this decent measure because they are trying to ram through their own bloated spending bill. And tucked inside their preferred legislation is a provision that establishes federal healthcare subsidies for those who have entered our country illegally. Their message to our military and federal agents is unmistakable: You’ll get paid when we get what we want for non-citizens. It is a stunning display of “America Last” priorities.

Political Cover and Feeble Excuses

Of course, Democrat leaders would never admit to such a radical agenda out loud. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called the Republican bill a “ruse” and a “political ploy,” claiming it would grant the Trump administration too much power. This is a transparently pathetic excuse designed to provide political cover for an indefensible position. It’s a desperate smokescreen to hide a motivation they know is wildly unpopular.

Their unified opposition makes the few Democrats who broke ranks—including Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman and Georgia’s Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock—all the more noteworthy. These senators apparently still possess a shred of common sense and recognized the absurdity of withholding pay from our troops. Their votes only serve to expose just how far the rest of their party has drifted from reality.

This vote was never about procedural squabbles or the fine print. It was a raw declaration of values. While a soldier stands his post, trusting that the nation he serves has his back, the modern Democratic party is busy drafting welfare policies for those who have no allegiance to our flag. They have made their choice loud and clear.

Key Takeaways

• Democrats blocked a bill to pay troops and essential federal workers.
• Their vote is leverage for a bill funding healthcare for illegal immigrants.
• Democrat leadership uses phony excuses to hide their radical agenda.
• The party’s priorities put non-citizens before American patriots.

Sources: The Post Millennial, The Hill