Senate Democrats were dealt a severe blow yesterday morning when the country’s largest federal workers union called for a swift end to the government shutdown.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), a union representing more than 800,000 government workers, released an open letter calling on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his caucus to vote for a House-passed bipartisan spending bill to reopen the government.
Schumer and a majority of Democrats have voted against a clean funding measure to reopen the government a dozen times — and will vote on a spending bill to end the shutdown for a 13th time as soon as today.
Be informed, not misled.
Senator Chuck Schumer and his sidekick, Washington State's pride and joy, Patty Murray, were taken to task yesterday by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) for their gamesmanship with our country.
In an open letter, AFGE national president Everett Kelley said, “It’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship. Put every single federal worker back on the job with full back pay — today.”
“It’s long past time for our leaders to put aside partisan politics and embrace responsible government,” Kelley added. “A strong America requires a functioning government — one that pays its bills, honors its commitments, and treats its workforce with respect by paying them on time.”
The AFGE and other federal worker unions have long been seen as a core constituency of the Democratic Party. The union endorsed Kamala Harris, the failed Democratic presidential nominee, in 2024.
Today marks Day 28 of the government shutdown that continues to stretch on despite mounting financial distress for Americans who receive federal paychecks or depend on federal food aid programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
I mentioned yesterday on our radio program that Timothy Mellon, the grandson of former Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon, has provided $130 million to pay American troops during the government shutdown. He had hoped to be anonymous, but the New York Times reported it.
Mellon contributed $50 million to Donald Trump's campaign last year. President Trump calls him a true "patriot and friend."
AFGE gives Democrats their marching orders.
Everett Kelley said, "This week, Congress pushed our nation into the fourth week of a full government shutdown – an avoidable crisis that is harming families, communities, and the very institutions that hold our country together. Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight."
Today I’m making mine: it’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship. Put every single federal worker back on the job with full back pay — today.
As president of the American Federation of Government Employees, I represent over 800,000 federal and D.C. government workers who serve with pride and professionalism.
They ensure our skies are safe, our veterans receive care, our borders are protected, and our food is inspected. They come from every political background and every corner of this nation. What unites them is a simple belief: that service to country is honorable work.
The AFGE letter, first reported by NBC News, comes as a majority of federal workers missed their first full paycheck of the government shutdown on Friday. Many federal workers have taken up temporary jobs and turned to food banks to make up the lost income.
Just three Senate Democrats — John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Jon Ossoff, and Raphael Warnock of Georgia — voted for legislation to pay essential federal workers and military personnel during the shutdown on Thursday.
NBC says, "The union believes the government should reopen now and workers should receive back pay, both those who have had to work without pay and those who have been furloughed for the last 26 days."
“None of these steps favor one political side over another. They favor the American people — who expect stability from their government and responsibility from their leaders,” Kelley said.
The House-passed continuing resolution, which has failed 12 times in the Senate so far, would expire on Nov. 21. The group says it would support either that resolution or one that would fund the government for a longer period.
We'll see what happens today.
Takeaway
What does a functioning government look like?
Consider six biblical principles embodied in the United States of America's Declaration of Independence.
1. Innate Human Dignity. From the beginning, the Bible asserts that all human beings are created Imago Dei, in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:27). The Declaration of Independence builds upon this foundational truth, declaring it is “self-evident” that every person is created equally with “certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
2. Natural Human Rights. The Declaration asserts that human rights are not granted by governments, but are inherent in human existence. Psalm 139:13-14 reflects that from the moments of human conception, when “you knit me together in my mother’s womb,” human life is “fearfully and wonderfully made.” The biblical passage highlights the intrinsic value of human life and implies its legal rights. The Declaration builds upon the biblical idea that individuals have rights to life and freedom first given by God.
3. Government by Consent. The Declaration maintains that governments can only derive their power “from the consent of the governed.” The Bible teaches that leaders are responsible for serving and protecting their constituents and be held accountable for governing righteously. Romans 13:1 states, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” Although this verse addresses submission to a governmental authority, it implies that the power of government derives from God’s ordination and the consent of the governed.
4. Right to Self-Governance. The Declaration states that “it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish” government and to “institute new Government,” free from oppressive rule. This idea reflects biblical themes of freedom, self-determination, and the belief that God’s people should play a role in shaping their society.
We see an example of participatory self-rule in Exodus 18:21: “But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.” This passage illustrates the principle that people select their leaders and participate in self-governance.
A New Testament example is found in Acts 6.
5. Right to Seek Redress. The Declaration establishes that people have a right to challenge their government for grievances and to seek redress when their rights are violated. Redress is a biblical principle. The Bible advocates justice for the vulnerable and upholds the rights of the marginalized. Proverbs 31:8-9 admonishes, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
6. Revolutionary Spirit. The Declaration of Independence, while not explicitly biblical, is built on the values and principles of the biblical ideals of human dignity, freedom, justice, and accountable governance.
The Bible contains narratives of individuals and communities standing up to injustice, oppression, and tyranny.
One example is the story of the Israelites’ liberation from Egyptian bondage in Exodus 3:7-10.
We see another example of standing against unjust and oppressive systems in Acts 5:29. When the governing authorities commanded the apostles to no longer teach in the name of Jesus, their reply was, “We must obey God rather than man."
- The values and principles reflected in the U.S. Declaration of Independence resonate with the biblical ideas of innate human dignity, natural human rights, government by consent, self-governance, seeking redress, and a revolutionary spirit.
- Although the American Declaration launched a revolution that reshaped the world’s geopolitics, the gospel of Jesus Christ continues to perpetuate the greatest revolution in the history of the world.
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Engaged. Be Prayerful.