The
New York Times has a
standout editorial on the FAA shutdown. Why is it a standout?
First, the Times understands correctly that this shutdown is about union rights, not rural airport subsidies. And it points out the, uh, imbalance between the $16.5 million in subsidies we're supposed to decry as wasteful and the $200 million in taxes the FAA stands to lose each week it's closed. Both those things are big, because they're points that so much of the traditional media has repeatedly missed.
But the truly big remarkable thing is that there's no "both sides are responsible" crap to be seen. The editorial points a clear finger at the real culprits:
What has happened to the Federal Aviation Administration in the last few days should remind everyone of the costs of the Republicans’ obstructionism and their slash-and-burn budget games.
And:
Next time voters hear Republicans talking about taking a principled stand against government spending, they should keep this sorry and cynical tale in mind.
The Times tends to bend too far backwards to avoid being tarred with claims of liberal bias (as if there's anything it could do to avoid that). So an editorial this tough and clear-sighted shows just how extremist House Republicans' actions are.