WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) penned this op-ed in LaPolitics’ Beltway Beat newsletter urging Senate Democrats to stop using the American people as leverage and vote to reopen the government.

Key excerpts of the op-ed are below:

“Senators are supposed to work for the American people, but some of my Democratic colleagues think the inverse is true. They believe the American people work for them, and this shutdown proves that they don’t mind making some work without pay to further their political agenda.”

. . .

“Senate Democrats, meanwhile, have refused to reopen the government unless we allow them to spend an additional $1.5 trillion on woke projects, including a bailout for their broken Obamacare exchanges, insurance for illegal immigrants, and renewed funding for NPR and PBS.

“As Democrats continue to pursue this delusional spending spree, the American people are suffering. Air traffic controllers, our troops, and other federal employees are working without pay. Families who rely upon the National Flood Insurance Program to protect their homes have been unable to secure new policies. And Louisianians who receive food stamps don’t know whether they’ll be able to buy groceries next week.

“Unlike my Democratic colleagues, I don’t see missing paychecks or empty dinner plates as leverage. That’s why I’ve been working to make sure that only members of Congress feel the pain of a shutdown.” 

. . .

“Most Democratic senators have refused to vote for these shutdown reforms because the loon wing of their party thinks it’s good to take the country hostage in exchange for socialist policies. But my sane Democratic colleagues know it’s wrong. It’s time for those Senators to buy a spine online and vote to reopen the country.”

Read Kennedy’s op-ed here.