Five Brutal Consequences If Democrats Continue Government Shutdown

With a government shutdown underway because Democrats are demanding $1.5 trillion in new spending, here are five brutal consequences of the stoppage.

Troops Protecting America Will Go Without Pay 

Thanks to the shutdown, members of the military working to protect America will go without pay until new funding is approved. Despite not getting paid, military personnel will still be expected to stay on duty and perform their required tasks. 

“Military personnel on active duty, including reserve component personnel on Federal active duty, will continue to report for duty and carry out assigned duties. This includes duty involving excepted and, to the extent they can be performed without incurring new obligations, non-excepted activities,” according to the Department of War’s shutdown contingency plan. 

Civilian employees of the military who are not needed in support roles will be furloughed while the shutdown continues. At the same time, other federal law enforcement officers, such as those working for the Department of Homeland Security, will also go without pay. 

“Our [Homeland Security] law enforcement officers will continue to work throughout the Democrats’ Shutdown to make sure our homeland is safe and secure. More than 200,000 of these patriots will go without pay,” said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “The Democrats will be forcing over 150,000 officers and nearly 50,000 members of the military—our frontline of defense—to continue protecting our nation without pay.”

Credit: Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

Law Enforcement Operations

The shutdown could stifle the work of certain federal law enforcement task forces cracking down on violent crime across the country, the National Association of Police Organizations warned. 

“Federal funding for task forces will stop flowing,” the organization warned. “Federal grants, resources, and supports for state and local law enforcement will stop, leaving vital public safety initiatives in the lurch.”

The organization, which represents 250,000 law enforcement agents, stated that law enforcement personnel should not be expected to put their lives on the line without adequate compensation.

“To have them risk their lives without pay undermines support for the work they are doing and increases the stresses and strains the job puts on them and their families,” the organization added. “We are calling on all lawmakers to do the right thing and enact a continuing resolution to fund the government before time runs out.”

Veterans Will Lose Assistance

Military veterans will also lose access to key Department of Veteran Affairs assistance programs, according to the American Legion. They will no longer be able to receive transition program assistance or career counseling, regional benefit centers will be closed, and there will be no ground maintenance or placement of permanent headstones at VA cemeteries. Additionally, multiple hotlines will be closed. 

“President Trump opposes a lapse in appropriations, and on September 19, the House of Representatives passed, with the Trump Administration’s support, a clean continuing resolution to fund the government through November 21. Unfortunately, Democrats are blocking this Continuing Resolution in the U.S. Senate due to unrelated policy demands,” the VA said in a letter to veterans. 

Travel 

While airports will continue to operate across the country, there could be delays as thousands of Federal Aviation Administration employees are expected to be furloughed. Additionally, aircraft controllers and TSA employees will also be working without pay throughout the shutdown. 

“Under [President Trump’s] leadership, [the Department of Transportation] has hired 20% more air traffic controllers than the previous administration did in the same time period. Our team at the [FAA] did tremendous work to make this happen AHEAD of schedule,” said Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy. “Now, [Sen. Schumer] and [Rep. Jeffries] are holding their paychecks HOSTAGE to push their America Last agenda through Congress.”

“The American people shouldn’t have to suffer through endless delays and cancellations because Democrats are too busy fighting for benefits for illegal immigrants! Make it make sense!” Duffy added. 

Credit: Photographer: Shelby Tauber/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

Healthcare Programs Expire, Nutrition Programs Languish 

Certain healthcare programs have either expired or are expected to face delays as the shutdown continues. 

For example, the Acute Hospital Care at Home Initiative, which enables hospitals to obtain approval to treat Medicare patients with conditions such as respiratory diseases or bacterial infections at home, expired on Tuesday. The popular program required congressional approval to continue and had been benefiting approximately 1,200 patients per month. 

Two other healthcare programs that could be impacted by the shutdown are the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which provides low-income families with additional nutrition, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is intended to provide food benefits to low-income individuals. 

The programs will move forward “subject to the availability of funding,” and House Speaker Mike Johnson said they could be significantly hampered by the program. 

Vice President JD Vance told Ben Shapiro that he believed the shutdown was a politically untenable situation for Democrats, who voted Tuesday and Wednesday to block a temporary spending plan.

“You already see, I think, the Democrats cracking a little bit because they realize it’s such a preposterous position to say, ‘We’re gonna shut down TSA, we’re gonna not pay our troops because you guys won’t give us benefits for illegal aliens.’ It’s crazy, and I don’t think it’s a tenable political situation for them to be in,” Vance said.