Learn something

[Diogenes]

Scott Jennings just made a FOOL out of 25-year-old Democrat wunderkind, David Hogg.Hogg used his time on CNN to blame Republicans for the government shutdown, even accusing @ScottJenningsKY of not caring about people in his home state on ACA subsidies.

He was silenced pretty quickly.

HOGG: “The entire reason the government is not open right now is because Democrats refuse to be complicit in having millions of Americans, including 100,000 in Kentucky, you’re home state if I’m remembering correctly Scott, that rely on ACA, that would see their premiums rise several dozen percent.”

When Jennings finally jumped into the discussion, he came armed with the facts and Hogg didn’t stand a chance.

JENNINGS: “But David, you would admit that the ACA was a Democrat legislation, yes?”

“And you would admit that the subsidies that we’re talking about now were passed by Democrats, yes?”

“And you would admit that the sunset provision in the subsidies, which comes up at the end of the year, was in place because of Democrats, yes?”

“Now you want to make it a Republican problem. These are not the same issues.”

“You could open the government today and then you could negotiate with Republicans about ACA subsidies.”

“And by the way, my suspicion is and you know this, there are probably and I know there are some House Republicans that would love to negotiate on it, but under duress, under a hostage taking situation, connecting disconnected issues.”

“And now you’re throwing SNAP onto it. You’re throwing all the federal workers who aren’t being paid onto it, all because of this fight that you wandered into, because of your wing of the Democrat Party.”“

YOU ALL led to this SNAP crisis. You all led to this crisis of the government being closed and you don’t know how to get out of it!”

https://twitter.com/x/status/1985553138976182693

View: https://x.com/overton_news/status/1985553138976182693

 

[Into the Night]

I understand.

While the core principles haven't fundamentally changed since the 1981 PATCO strike era, modern rules (as of 2025) emphasize facility-specific qualifications even more stringently due to increased airspace complexity, technology integration (e.g., ADS-B and automation tools), and safety protocols.

Under the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) standards for the Air Traffic Control Series (GS-2152), controllers "must possess or obtain, within uniformly applicable time limits, the facility ratings required for full performance at the facility where the position is located." These ratings cover knowledge of local terrain, landmarks, radio aids, communication circuits, and procedures unique to that site—e.g., Seattle's high-traffic coastal approaches differ vastly from Chicago's en route center flows or a rural tower's low-volume ops.


New hires now complete FAA Academy basics (2–5 months in Oklahoma City), then get assigned to a specific facility for 1–3 years of on-the-job training (OJT) and classroom work tailored to that location. Only after passing facility-specific exams and proficiency checks do they earn Certified Professional Controller (CPC) status for that position. Transferring? You'd need recertification at the new site, often taking months of OJT.

Each of the FAA's 400+ facilities (towers, TRACONs like Seattle Approach, en route centers) has unique traffic patterns, weather challenges, and equipment. Universal certification could risk errors in high-stakes environments handling 50,000+ daily flights.

In 1981, Reagan bypassed these rules via emergency measures:

• Military controllers (from Air Force, Navy, Army) were temporarily detailed under FAA supervision, not as fully certified civilians. They handled ~50–60% of flights without location-specific recertification, thanks to military training overlap (e.g., radar and procedures).

They handled primarily non-radar positions, not controlling aircraft, but handling flight strips and paperwork while they were training.
This is why the number of flights was reduced during this time.

• Today, even military vets get hiring preference but still require facility-specific OJT and certification at their assigned site—no direct "plug-and-play" across locations. The FAA now prioritizes this to avoid the 1981 disruptions (e.g., flight cuts), amid ongoing shortages.

The FAA could theoretically invoke emergencies again (e.g., via Title 49 USC § 40113 for military support), but it’d still involve oversight and likely some tailored training, not a blanket "no certification needed."

The military ATC isn't getting paid any differently than civilian ATC. Until the government reopens, they are not getting paid.

 

[Diogenes]

The military ATC isn't getting paid any differently than civilian ATC. Until the government reopens, they are not getting paid.

Democrats must bend the knee for that to happen.

 

[EdwinA]

I did find one piece of the Bill I think should be deleted. It's the clause that states people here on green cards have to wait five years to qualify for SNAP bennies. WTF ???? Their employers who own those green cards should be held entirely responsible for feeding them. The companies who want the green cards are responsible for their bennies, not the Feds. Same for all those who hire illegals the Democrats want to hand out bennies to. Not a big enough deal to demand a filibuster, in any case.