Because members of Congress are not like the rest of us once they are inducted into the hallowed halls of the Capitol building, they enjoy some perks when they travel. Once at the airport, they head for the special desk airlines have for them.
Some of these perks involve upgrading seats, airport escorts through TSA screening, and rebooking.
Delta Airlines announced Tuesday that it is suspending the special desk for Congress until the DHS funding issue is resolved.
In a statement, they wrote, "Due to the impact on resources from the longstanding government shutdown, Delta will temporarily suspend specialty services to members of Congress flying Delta. 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,”
Oh, poor babies. This action probably means an end to the DHS shutdown because Congresscritters aren't going to stand for losing their perks and they're certainly not going to stand in line while they wait for TSA screening with the other members of the public suffering through long lines.
I'm sure it won't be long now. HOWEVER...
The scuttlebutt right now is that Republicans are contemplating a second reconciliation bill where they add some things in the odious SAVE Act that might pass, like incentives for states to require ID. Those "incentives" would be tied to funding states received under the 2002 Help America Vote act so that states which failed to comply would lose federal funding for federal elections.
Said reconciliation bill is said to include funding for DHS but not ICE, as though that's a concession after ICE got an extra cool billion in the Big Ugly Bill.
Republicans may have a big problem, though. The Freedom Caucus is a "ride or die" on the SAVE Act. No compromise is acceptable to them. And over on the Democratic side, the perfectly reasonable demands that ICE de-mask, follow the rules for due process, and obtain judicial warrants are being rejected out of hand, meaning no Democrat should cross the aisle for a watered-down SAVE Act and bullshit about not funding ICE when it's already been funded.
I'm guessing other airlines will also suspend their special desk for Congress. How will Ted Cruz get to Cancun if he has to stand in those lines?
In the meantime, I'm watching the reconciliation bill closely.
