This is a blog I was hoping not to have to write.

Foolishly I thought our selfish and egotistic politicians holding the federal workers hostage as pawns in a game of “We’re going to win no matter what it takes!” would be over by now and things would be starting to get back to normal.

Far from it.

Back in Washington, both sides are still at a stalemate, one side saying they’ll give a little bit here and a little bit there, but without the “wall” there’s no deal.

The other side says there’s not going to be funding for “the wall” but we’ll give you other things instead.

So instead of sitting down at that impartial table and negotiating in good faith, and working out a compromise that both sides can live with for now, neither side is willing to give on the one thing they’re each adamant about.

While 800,000+ people remain furloughed or working without paychecks for the fifth week. While these people are wondering how they’re going to make it thru this week, and the next, and buy food for their family, keep a roof over their heads, heat their homes, and put gas in their cars and trucks.

It’s not a minor matter. It’s not a matter of saying “oh well, they’ll be ok. They’ll eventually get paid. They can just tighten their belts and live with it. Somebody will help them. They’re at home relaxing, enjoying their kids, and saving money on child care! It’s like a vacation for them!”

Seriously????

They’re on vacation?? I beg to disagree.

“And the ones who’re working without pay right now, they’re really the good guys because they know it’s all worth it in the end, and they’ll be fine as well. There are food banks out there they can go to.”

This makes me ashamed. It makes me sad. It makes me furious. And it disgusts me.

There is no excuse for any of this, and there is no excuse for the lack of compassion for those affected that I keep hearing from the mouths of so many who are NOT affected. Except for the few who say “one of my family members is affected and he/she is fine with it because he/she knows it’ll eventually be ok.”

Well that’s great for them. But most of these workers are not lucky enough to afford this shutdown to go on any longer. And then what will happen to them!? Yes they can take out a loan, possibly, but most cannot qualify for a large enough loan which will cover all their bills. What then? Another loan? Probably not going to happen.

Personally, if I didn’t get paid for five or more weeks, I’m sorry but I’d be having a really tough time. I’d be stressed, worried, and wondering if I could pay any of my bills with the meager unemployment checks I finally started getting. And it would certainly affect my job performance if I were working with no paycheck!

By the way, let’s not forget that many of these workers who are on the job with no pay are working under Homeland Security, which is the agency responsible for border security. Which is what this shutdown is supposedly all about. Explain how that makes any sense.

I know many of you reading this will agree with me, and many sadly will not. We each have a right to our opinions, but recently many people have told me in no uncertain terms how horrible I am that I don’t support what’s being done “for the greater good.” I don’t understand how this is the right thing to do.

Well I don’t support it. And I certainly don’t understand it.

I don’t support leaving hundreds of thousands of people suddenly furloughed or working without pay while supposedly mature adults argue like spoiled children. And if this continues there will be thousands more affected because of decreased spending at grocery stores, restaurants, and other businesses, which can affect those employees’ jobs. It’s going to become a vicious cycle.

Depending on how long it continues people could lose their homes, their vehicles, and have to choose between life saving medications such as insulin or chemotherapy or eating. No, they aren’t being given a pass, my friends. This is serious.

I don’t support causing the stress in these families’ lives.

I don’t support using these people as pawns to get someone’s way.

If another country was doing something similar to their government employees, our political officials would be outraged. They’d be condemning that government. But I guess doing it here is different, because it’s for a “good cause.”

There’s no good cause that justifies this.

And what’s even more frightening is the lack of compassion I’m seeing from those very people who should have it. There’s no real concern, and no empathy. They don’t think about the big picture because it’s not affecting them personally. At least not yet.

It’s a sad commentary on our country. And it’s a sad commentary on so many who profess to have a huge heart for those who are in need, yet think it’s ok for our elected officials to put so many people in need for their own political objectives.

This country is losing its compassion; its heart. It’s forgotten, or ignoring, the principles our country was founded on.

Many of you who read this will continue to call me names, accuse me of not understanding, and tell me if I’m so concerned about other people I should pay their bills for them. Well unfortunately I’m in no position to do that. I wish I were.

All I can do is speak my opinion and urge the two political parties to stop this senseless game, put our people back to work, and start the healing process.

If they don’t, I’m scared it will be more than a loss of compassion. It may very well be the end of our nation as we once knew it.

Republicans and Democrats need to end their allegiance to their particular political parties and give it to the people who they’re supposed to be serving.