124 Comments
User's avatar
Eileen Gordon's avatar

Watching CSPAN, hearing each side blame the other,is infuriating. So many lies. The American people deserve better. When government shutdown happens Congress should not be paid, they didn’t do their jobs. They are taking their orders from Trump, not the people they are working for, namely us.

Some of our representatives need to retire, some should examine their conscience, some should be impeached.But our government is stuck in the mud and cannot function. And the American people are suffering.

Expand full comment
Terry's avatar

I especially like your idea about none of them getting a paycheck if the government is shut down. Or a sliding scale: the richer they are the least (if any) they'll be paid. And THEY should have to contribute to and be on Social Security and not get other retirement benefits too.

Expand full comment
Ken Lowe 🇨🇦's avatar

Their "above board" paychecks are not going to be an incentive to get them to return.

Speaking fees and other donor dollars will keep their heads well above water during a protracted shutdown.

Expand full comment
Rose Cassie's avatar

Most of them are millionaires anyway.🏴‍☠️🙄🖤😝

Expand full comment
Leah Baum's avatar

That’s why Madison Cawthorne who got voted out for his childish behavior is running for governor in a state he doesn’t live in. He misses the money. He was the one who said republicans attend cocaine fueled orgies. 😂

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment removed
Oct 1
Comment removed
Expand full comment
Leah Baum's avatar

vdw is a scammer don’t hit the link it’s spam. Instead report and block.

Expand full comment
Jason Brown's avatar

I don't think it should be this way, but Congress actually still gets paid during a shutdown.

Expand full comment
Leah Baum's avatar

Since the military doesn’t get paid members of Congress shouldn’t get paid either.

Expand full comment
Edie Sadowski's avatar

And live like the rest of us working stiffs!

Expand full comment
Helena Wren's avatar

I thought that as an non American- politicians would have more incentive if none of them were being paid during a shutdown. Also the government law system is nuts - a near government shutdown due to funding seems to happen regularly ie every few years.

Expand full comment
Ed Clemensen's avatar

ON republican watches

Expand full comment
Becky Schneider's avatar

We should only be paying them for 3 days a week because that's all they usually work.

Expand full comment
Ed Clemensen's avatar

That is true, A$174,000 base pay is ridicules

Expand full comment
BestGrammy3's avatar

It's happened twice in 8 years. 1st was 38 days (longest shutdown in American history... BOTH under trump

Expand full comment
DW's avatar

They get to vote themselves a raise as well. Mud isn't what I would use to describe what they are ALL stuck in. Stinking pool of crap rather and I am being polite.

Welcome Fascism people, this is NOT what our families sacrificed for during WWII. This is no longer the U.S.A.

Expand full comment
Terry's avatar

What are democrats lying about? Granted I didn't watch CSPAN. I have read multiple articles on this, and the same things keep being reported.

Mage claim looney leftists want illegal aliens 👽 to receive Medicaid, Medicare and everything and anything they receive financially from the government for their lifetimes.

Maga claim looney leftists want free transgender surgery for children.

Democrats keep telling magas in congress that undocumented immigrants don't receive anything, they want this written down. They also don't want anyone (which would be US citizens) removed from the ACA, basically removed from whatever healthcare we the people have.

The only lies I've heard repeatedly come from the right.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

trump's AI posts don't help the situation, at all.

Expand full comment
Theresa Anspaugh's avatar

That man is beyond evil. Have I ever told you how much I HATE him? Where is the trillions of dollars that came in from the tariffs? Did he just put it all in his pocket??

Expand full comment
BestGrammy3's avatar

Building a $200,000,000 ballroom 😐😑😐🥴

Expand full comment
Ed Clemensen's avatar

And destroying American Culture for his own benefit

Expand full comment
Edie Sadowski's avatar

PROBABLY DID!

Expand full comment
Ed Clemensen's avatar

Yep

Expand full comment
Hans Casteels's avatar

So let me think. Oh wait - “ national emergency”. Done. Elections:cancelled. Perfect.

Expand full comment
Ken Lowe 🇨🇦's avatar

I don't want to be right, but I have a belief that Drumph will start an armed conflict so as to indefinitely suspended elections... If his body holds out that long.

Expand full comment
Edie Sadowski's avatar

I hope it doesn't

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment deleted
Oct 1
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
Ed Clemensen's avatar

Run them right from their transports to the fanciest Restaurants in Town. give them free meals and ask them if their fathers who fought against this type of thing would be proud of them

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment deleted
Oct 1
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
Ed Clemensen's avatar

I'm surprised that Putin didn't drop a bomb on the place, What a stupid target

Expand full comment
Nita Uno's avatar

I have a sinking gut feeling that you and Ken are right, Project 2025 is on schedule. Shady JD isn’t any better, he and porn-lovin’ Mike Johnson make me want to hurl. This regime needs to go somewhere else.

Expand full comment
Cheryl Foster's avatar

We hear you Michael!! We've been spreading the TRUTH about the TRUMPSTER for TEN YEARS and will continue!!

Expand full comment
Ed Clemensen's avatar

I got kick off of Youtube for that very thing

Expand full comment
Sharon S Glover's avatar

I will spread the words by text and maybe people will understand why the Dems won't give in. So many don't know this info. Thank you for all you said.

Expand full comment
Public Servant's avatar

Thank you Michael. A government shutdown is going to harm many public servants. My partner was fired from her DEI civil service career earlier this year. Now the rest of us are all at risk: https://democracydefender2025.substack.com/p/dei-public-servant-fired

Expand full comment
Ed Clemensen's avatar

Hey Trump's first shutdown, stole Christmas from millions of kids of public servants. I find it ironic that Mara-Lago looks a lot like Grinchville and Trump's actually favorite color is green

Expand full comment
Edie Sadowski's avatar

Trash makes Scrooge look like a boy scout!

Expand full comment
Ed Clemensen's avatar

Thank you

Expand full comment
Susan Meeker-Lowry's avatar

So far MAGA representatives don’t seem to care what their constituents think or want. Even as more of them are waking up, it’s not making a difference. Reps simply ignore their constituents or, if they get in the way, have them arrested or even “detained” (if they’re not white men). The goal is to cause maximum pain and suffering. What did t. say? I don’t give a damn? That’s what they all feel. At 73, I hope I don’t end up on the street. I don’t have enough $ to keep me afloat more than one month w/o social security, SNAP, Medicaid. And with winter coming, living in a cold state (NY), I need that fuel assistance too. Many of my older friends are in the same situation. None of us voted for T. I wish all NY’s income taxes could stay within the state. Then I know I’d likely be fine. But … who knows what will happen. I’ve been an activist for my whole life. We did have some victories. All have been undone.

Expand full comment
Sharon S Glover's avatar

You will continue getting ur Social Security, food stamps (?), so you won't be totally without money and food. The repubs. Blame it on the Dems. We don't want to lose our benefits, the repubs don't care. I don't know why they are going agAinst the people unless they are that afraid of Trump. If the repubs. Just told Trump NO we wouldn't be in this shape. Don't blame the Dems; they don't want us lose our benefits either.

Expand full comment
Susan Meeker-Lowry's avatar

I’m putting blame where it should be : on MAGA and those who refuse to stand up against the threats, and those who put more value on their corporate donors than the rest of us (which unfortunately includes some democrats). Food stamps is what is now called SNAP. If the shut down continues more than a month, those benefits may not be sent because states (especially red states) depend on federal funds for things like SNAP and Medicaid payments. Social security will be okay for a bit longer, hopefully. There are literally NO guarantees with the current insanity that is our government.

Expand full comment
Edie Sadowski's avatar

Alot of the jerks who voted for Trash and Co are on SNAP MEDICAID AND MEDICARE!

Expand full comment
Susan Meeker-Lowry's avatar

Yes they are. Just as they will be impacted with their closest hospital is forced to close, and their mom’s nursing home too, so where is mom to go? The street or their spare room? I wonder what pain it will take to cause them to wake up.

Expand full comment
Nita Uno's avatar

This is a pedophile protecting cruel and greedy republican shutdown, brought on by a pedophile protecting cruel and greedy president, pure and simple.

There’s enough money to refurbish a 13 year old foreign plane he gets to keep, adding a ballroom that he and he alone wants, and totally destroying the Rose Garden to add a ton of ugly concrete and heat to the grounds. There should be enough money to take care of our people. And what is it with every damn wall, table, and door being uglied up with ugly gold crap! This ain’t Russia and the White House ain’t mar-a-lago. Ugh

Expand full comment
Edie Sadowski's avatar

Well said!🤢🤢🤢🤮

Expand full comment
john king (MY HUMBLE OPINION)'s avatar

If America was being invaded by Russian troops would you have the courage to stand and fight to save your country?

What's happening right now is no different. Donald Trump is a traitor. He has repeatedly demonstrated his fealty to Vladimir Putin. Trump and his Republican regime are betraying America. They are actively destroying your country before your eyes. They have declared you the hostile enemy.

Will you have the courage to stand and fight to save your country?

Expand full comment
ramona j's avatar

I am. Will I be effective 🤔 probably not. At five feet 2 and older than Id like to be ,probably not. WE NEED the power of able-bodied AMERICAN soldiers who took an oath to protect us ,to honor it. Also, need to get the dangerous fascists out.

When will someone inforce real justice . Not this reality show Holocaust repeat.

Expand full comment
Anti Fascist to the Bone's avatar

You know you’re all going to suffer as long as those pesky illegals are getting tax dollars. Lmfao. How stupid can people be to even let these fucktards even have a microphone. I am pleased with a couple of mainstream guys today for calling out Flaming Mike Johnson and his cross dressing weirdo friend Jessica Diane Vance with their bullshit. Good start, that will prove to be far too little and far too late. Trump wouldn’t have even made it in 2015. If Walter Cronkite or Barbara Walters were still alive. They’d have smacked that lying short dick fool down every time he opened his gaping sewer of a mouth.

Expand full comment
ramona j's avatar

Well said. What is the problem with telling this fuckin guy NO!

There must be a change made. A drastic one. A new start . I do not see that, yet.

Expand full comment
Protect the Vote's avatar

Cheeto And His Downfall: Hatred Mixed With Dementia

As the dementia of Cheeto evolves, he has said publicly, “I hate Democrats” This is not only divisive but wants to take the country backwards to the late 1800’s when the working class was ridden rough shod by the wealthy “robber barons” which today are called billionaires

So the demented madman and emotionally impaired Cheeto is now posting AI generated vile Nazi propaganda of Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, having the portrayed images making abusive lies about their own party’s constituents

Our military leaders listened to a ridiculous and deranged Disaster in Chief yesterday and they know that he is not well And the Congressional Nazis know that Cheeto is not well And the American people know the depravity and political perversity that Cheeto and his regime displays will make our country if allowed to continue as sick as he is

Expand full comment
Edie Sadowski's avatar

Where's the military?

Expand full comment
DW's avatar

The line was when he couldn't say he should support the Constitution.

Hang tough and write all your reps to support OUR Democratic way.

I am on the short list of there cuts. Anyone like me is on that list of S.S.A. or Disability.

I would Rather lose it than cave in and I would be homeless like many, many more and worse off than I. I know it's coming if the Fascist Regime stays in office.

Expand full comment
Kevin Smith's avatar

A republican WH, senate and congress… don’t know how to run the government. Blaming the democrats, the independents and the American people for their failure to govern. See you incompetent morons at the polls. You’re going down!!!

Expand full comment
Rose Cassie's avatar

I’m having trouble understanding why Dems aren’t keeping track of all the lies and suing GOP for defamation! Should be worth millions. 💰 (Which would help get Dems elected.)

Expand full comment
Kay G's avatar

The current Supreme Court is compromised

Expand full comment
Rose Cassie's avatar

Compromised? I’d call it blatant CORRUPTION given a felon immunity from committing crimes.

Expand full comment
Judi Lakin's avatar

Why does no one ask why they want to inflict economic pain on Americans while giving huge tax breaks to the billionaires. If Trump has actually brought in $17T there should be plenty in the till to maintain the current system. MAGAS are going to get increased premiums as well as Democrats.

Expand full comment
Tim Wefler's avatar

He hasn’t and won’t bring in $17 trillion.

Expand full comment
Judi Lakin's avatar

I know that , but he has said it numerous times and this can be a way to get something out side wants.

Expand full comment
Carla Frenchko's avatar

Perhaps I am naive or want to believe that people are essentially good; but, how can so many people be so soulless and sadistic?

Expand full comment
Tim Wefler's avatar

Remember Germany during WWII.

Expand full comment
Carla Frenchko's avatar

I understand that; but, I believed we were much more civilized. Again, I mentioned I wanted to think people were better than that.

Expand full comment
Pandora’s Box's avatar

That was one of our failures sadly. That and thinking people were rational.

Expand full comment