Government shutdowns carry with them many risks, both political and physical. One major risk comes from the air travel industry when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not have funding and air traffic controllers don’t show up for work. There needs to be accountability for federal workers, especially those who hold people’s lives and livelihoods in their hands. Don’t get me wrong: being an air traffic controller is one of the most stressful jobs on the planet and one mistake can cost hundreds of lives. Still, I am of two minds: as a person, I can see why someone would opt not to show up to work if they are not getting paid, even if back pay is involved. However, when air travel continues through a government shutdown, air traffic controllers have a duty to show up to work and ensure their fellow citizens get to their destinations safely, even when it’s inconvenient. President Trump recently called on air traffic controllers to return to their jobs immediately or face pay repercussions while giving a $10,000 bonus to their colleagues who came into work regardless of the shutdown. This follows basic business principals and is a great move by the president. By docking pay for air traffic controllers who didn’t show up to work and giving bonuses to those who did, President Trump is sending a clear message that failing to do one’s critical job amid a shutdown will not fly. Now, of course President Trump’s demand did not come without criticism. Biden Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg came out of the woodwork to go after the president for his move, claiming that President Trump “wouldn’t last five minutes as an air traffic controller.” To give grace to both President Trump and former Secretary Buttigieg: they both have long resumes of stressful jobs. President Trump’s experience as a leader in the business world and former Secretary Buttigieg’s service as a Naval intelligence officer both offer their own stressors, but neither of them would be a good fit as an air traffic controller. Still, only one of the two — Buttigieg — has directly interfaced with air traffic controllers in his governmental role, and his record is horrendous. Per his successor Secretary Sean Duffy, former Secretary Buttigieg oversaw 85 near misses over the Potomac before the tragic crash over the Washington-Reagan National Airport in D.C. earlier this year. And that’s just D.C. Under former Secretary Buttigieg’s watch, there were 10 fatal plane crashes, seven serious non-fatal crashes, and seven crashes resulting in minor injuries in the first month of the Biden administration. In the same time period under the second Trump administration there were five fatal crashes and two with minor injuries while the first Trump administration saw 11 fatal crashes. Still, regardless of what the actual data says, there are plenty of current and former officials who will peddle objective lies to score political points and attempt to shift blame away from their own actions. For example, instead of working to address the system that could have seen hundreds of lives lost under his leadership, former Secretary Buttigieg chose to focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and other progressive causes. This was not lost on DOT employees, with a former air traffic controller calling out the former secretary over his record while she was at the department. Secretary Duffy rightly pointed out that FAA training standards were lowered on Buttigieg’s watch and the current leadership of the Transportation Department is having to clean up the mess. Now, I am aware that my job is incredibly different from that of an air traffic controller and does not carry as much (if any) life-or-death risks. However, many people in other professions that do share these risks, such as medical professionals and law enforcement officers, show up to work regardless of pay or not. They understand that there is a societal greater good that needs to be addressed regardless of any given situation and act accordingly. There needs to be accountability for federal workers, especially those who hold people’s lives and livelihoods in their hands. Now is not the time for lies and half-truths to advance a political agenda, nor is it the time to shirk one’s work as a public servant. To be a public servant means to serve, even when it’s inconvenient to your wallet. Anything less than that level of commitment should not be anywhere near critical jobs like being an air traffic controller. READ MORE from Houston Keene: Laid Off State Department Employees No Longer Have to Hide Their Resistance The Rise Up Legal Defense Network Is About Obstruction, Not Justice Houston Keene joined Democracy Restored after a career working in Congress and as a nationally syndicated journalist covering politics, including the executive branch and government ethics. Houston was born in Austin, Texas, and is a proud father, husband, and Baylor Bear.