SHUTDOWN’S SHADOW GROWS

While the majority of Americans may not feel it, those the shutdown affects are being hit hard

There is no greater example of Congress’ irrational fear of compromise than their contrived partial shutdown of the federal government.

Now 25 days old, the shutdown has forced hundreds of federal workers in Virginia to apply for unemployment benefits while families are urged to sell possessions, take up second jobs and request extensions on mortgages and other bills.

Many people would consider this a teachable moment for people holding — or seeking — public office, although it is not clear anyone involved in controlling the shutdown’s levers has learned a thing from this political disaster. Not the Democratic-led House; not the Republican-led Senate, not President Donald Trump or anyone in his administration.

Meanwhile, the economic repercussions of the shutdown are growing like an oil slick on water, affecting veterans, travelers, Coast Guard families and an increasing array of the general population.

About 420,000 federal employees are still working without pay because their jobs are considered essential to public safety and national security. An additional 350,000 are on furlough, sitting at home waiting for the government to reopen. Both groups are expected to get back pay when this fiasco is resolved.

The economic sting will heal for them in time. But what happens when the stinger carries venom?

For every soldier, airman and sailor still being paid, there is another contractor, cafeteria worker and groundskeeper who keeps our federal facilities running and who do not know when their next paycheck will come or for how much it will be.

The American people should also expect federally provided services to further erode during this shutdown.

In some of the country’s largest airports, travelers are waiting in longer lines because TSA checkpoints are closing because unpaid agents are choosing to remain home. Those closures include Atlanta, a major hub for Delta and a focus city for Frontier and Southwest, all of which also fly out of Norfolk International Airport.

Federal prisons staffed by correctional officers are working without pay. As are many federal employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA.

As many as 42,000 active duty Coast Guard members missed their first paycheck Tuesday, even though proposed legislation in Congress to restore pay for active duty, reservists, civilians and contractors sit idle.

The economic repercussions of this shutdown are being felt by mortgage companies, insurance providers and credit card companies that must decide whether to make adjustments and waive late fees for people who cannot pay on time.

Families that had used any extra income to eat at neighborhood restaurants and shop at local retailers cannot return to that practice until they receive a paycheck again.

Veterans who rely on retirement checks to cover bills have to find sources of income elsewhere until the government reopens, even if that means incurring a penalty for withdrawing money from government savings plans.

More than 550 federal workers who are furloughed have filed for unemployment benefits in Virginia, and the number continues to climb. Employees must repay any unemployment benefits they received if they get back pay when the government reopens.

Even conservatives who advocate for limiting the size and scope and role of government should have a hard time justifying the length of this shutdown and the impact has had on workers and their families.

Compromise is the only real solution to this standstill.

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell must consider spending bills that do not include the $5.7 billion the president urges for his wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The American people must not be used in a chess match in which they are regarded as mere pawns. And the lack of urgency Sen. McConnell is showing to make the next move is unbecoming of a politician with his experience. As Senate majority leader, he must think several steps ahead and act accordingly.

Sen. McConnell would be well served by offering a compromise that includes a legislative solution for thousands of undocumented immigrant children — known as Dreamers — who were brought here by their parents illegally and have lived in this country for years and sometimes decades. Democrats have pined for such a solution for years.

Until then, the shutdown drags on, and the American people lose even more faith in the political system that sits idle.

Consider letting your voice be heard by calling and emailing your congressman and women to let them know how the federal shutdown affects you. Find their contact information at usa.gov/ elected-officials.

Tell your federal officials that shutting down the government to settle political disputes is shameful, and they must generate solutions that protect our borders while addressing paths to citizenship for people who want to migrate to the United States.