Every so often, our readers appreciate a dose of editorial reality. This is not an attack on the Democratic Party, nor is it an attempt to berate lifelong Democratic voters. In fact, many of the most patriotic, community minded people I know are Democrats. But there comes a point when the actions of political leadership in Washington must be held up to the light—especially when those actions harm the very people they claim to represent.
For decades, Americans have suspected that Congress cares little about its constituents and far more about its own comfort, privilege, and political survival. It’s no wonder: many enter Congress with modest means and leave as millionaires. And while most of us lack the resources to trace every suspected thread of influence and self interest, our instincts are rarely wrong. Gallup’s March 2026 survey puts Congress’s approval rating at 15%. That means 85% of Americans—Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike—disapprove of the job Congress is doing. Yet this same Congress expects us to take them seriously while they collectively create chaos and hardship for millions of Americans.
And at the center of this dysfunction is the Democratic leadership in Washington—specifically Senator Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries—whose refusal to compromise has prolonged a partial federal government shutdown now stretching beyond a month.
A Shutdown With Real Victims—Including Democrats
Congress has repeatedly failed to reach the 60 vote threshold needed to fund the Department of Homeland Security. As a result, TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and CISA are operating without pay. These are not abstract agencies—they are staffed by real people with real families, many of whom are Democrats.
Proof that Democratic leadership is failing its own base:
1. The Shutdown is now one of the longest in U.S. History
Democratic leaders say they oppose the bill because it includes immigration enforcement funding for Border Patrol and ICE. But these agencies protect all Americans. Why object to funding the very people who keep our borders secure and our communities safe?
2. TSA Officers—Tens of Thousands—Have Missed Paychecks
Hundreds have quit. Absences have doubled. Families are struggling. These are not Republican families or Democrat families—they are American families. Yet leadership in Washington seems unmoved.
3. Airports Are in Chaos
Three hour lines. Closed PreCheck lanes. Delayed flights. Exhausted passengers. Airline employees are stretched thin. Many of these frustrated workers and travelers are Democrat voters. Their inconvenience and suffering is ignored.
4. Coast Guard, FEMA, Secret Service, and CISA Employees Are Working Without Pay
For over a month, these patriots have been forced to seek charity, food banks, or second jobs. These hardships do not fall along party lines. Democrat families are being pushed toward poverty while their leaders refuse to act.
5. The Iran War Is Escalating
Cyberattacks. Drone threats. Rising global tension. Yet Democrat leadership refuses to fund DHS—the very department responsible for protecting Americans at home.
6. Crime From Illegal Immigration Affects Everyone
Democrat leaders insist that concerns about criminal illegal aliens are exaggerated. But the victims of rape, robbery, assault, murder, and trafficking are not exclusively Republican. Democrat families suffer too. Democrats are often the victims, yet leadership refuses to acknowledge this reality. And then, there’s the SAVE Act.
Perhaps the clearest example of Democrat leadership disregarding its own voters is the opposition to the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship and voter ID for federal elections.
Here’s the inconvenient truth: Over 80% of Democrat voters support voter ID. They believe in honest and secure elections. They believe in protecting the integrity of the vote. They believe that only American citizens should cast ballots in American elections. Yet Democrat leadership calls these measures “voter suppression.” Why? Because they know their base is shrinking—and they need new voters. Their opposition to the SAVE Act aligns perfectly with their open border policies and their refusal to deport or prosecute criminal illegal aliens. The pattern is unmistakable.
Democrats Deserve Better Than This
The Democrats I know, my friends, neighbors, colleagues, and business associates, are intelligent, patriotic, and grounded in common sense. They are not calling for open borders. They are not defending criminal behavior. They are not demanding boys compete in girls’ sports. And they certainly have no objection to showing an ID to vote. They simply want a safe, stable, prosperous America. Yet their Democrat leaders in Washington are consumed by a singular obsession: stopping Donald Trump at any cost—even if that cost is the well being of their own constituents.
Meanwhile, media outlets like CNN and MSNow amplify the hostility, division, and fear, painting Trump as a villain while downplaying atrocities committed by the Iranian regime, which murdered 32,000 of its own citizens and recently publicly hanged three teenagers for demanding freedom.
With Congress at a 15% approval rating, it’s clear that Democrat leadership is not in the majority—the American people are. And when Democrats, Republicans, and Independents unite around common sense, accountability, and national security, the political landscape shifts. This November, voters, especially Democrat voters, will decide whether they want more chaos, more shutdowns, more open borders, and more disregard for their safety—or whether they want a stronger, healthier, safer America for future generations. One thing is for certain: We will get what we deserve.
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