You’re right! They all had a little powwow and decided OK which one are you guys can retire early or which one you guys are retiring early or retiring now y’all are gonna vote for this shit. What a nightmare those are supposed to be our freaking Democratic leaders Jesus Mary and Joseph on a bicycle! I can’t even believe this crap. It’s never ending lies and BS
It may be strategy. NOT A DEAL.... takes both houses of Congress. Terms casn be renegotiated.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.): Co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to extend the Obamacare subsidies for a year, indicating an openness to compromise.
Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.): Has voiced concern over the "dramatic increases" in premiums his constituents would face without the subsidies and was one of more than a dozen House Republicans to sign a letter calling for their preservation.
Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.): The main sponsor of a bill to extend the subsidies for a year.
They do not receive a lifetime salary. They can contribute to their retirement like other federal employees, though the vesting rules are different. It's complicated, use Wikipedia.
"The factual bottom line is that retired U.S. senators can often obtain health coverage after leaving office, but that coverage is not an unconditional, lifetime, government-paid benefit; eligibility depends on plan history, enrollment duration, and program-specific rules, and retirees frequently bear premium costs—especially immediately after separation—unless they satisfy the conditions permitting continued government contributions [2] [3] [1].
For taxpayers, the exposure is limited compared with the myth: the federal government already subsidizes FEHB for a broad class of employees and retirees, and the arrangements for Members mirror that system rather than constituting a unique, unlimited entitlement."
I suspect Schumer pulled a MAGA trick: he knew he'd be thrown out for sure if he voted for it so he got the dems who were either gonna retire or wouldn't face reelection in 2026 to do what he himself wanted done: cave. Disgusting.
We have been given ample reason. And yes, it's very sad, but well earned by their actions over time. Trust can be lost in a day but takes years to build.
Are you serious? I don't believe it, and even if he is "sad," he should resign as leader because it was his failure to keep the party together. He got bupkis for the people and the party.
You are right. I guess that I'm just feeling a bit tired and Iwas being a little sarcastic. But that's enough! Time to get up and fight back! You should have voted right, Schumer! The vote count didn't matter as much as the demonstration of your commitment.
Retirement from elected office cannot be allowed to stand. We, the People, must insist on term limits for all elected officials until it becomes law of the land. I'll put this as kindly as I can... because the voting public is too fickle to do what's correct in the voting booth and vote out those elected officials who are not representing their constituents
Mostly it’s a huge number of people who are too busy, don’t have the time or energy, and often not the education, to delve into politics. They see a familiar name and vote.
Ralph, when the legislators retire/leave Congress they still receive LIFETIME salary and healthcare benefits! Besides term limits, these benefits I mentioned should be stopped also.
Just retirement like we all get. Or those that get just social security, then they would understand what the working class of America have been through. They just don't care.
Airlines funded Senators cast their votes last night! Gotta fly for thanksgiving. Got those air traffic controllers SLAVES working!! You don’t really think many of these congress clowns listen to us? Corporations vs billionaires. Dems vs repugnants. Only Progressives and progressive independents care about humans and our environment which will either sustain or destroy us, depending on human decisions.
Want some hopeful news? Watch this stunning podcast by Allison Gill on The Breakdown, who has inside info on the Epstein files and how they relate to the shutdown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEi77Ibr7r8
Thousands of FBI and DOJ investigators now know what's in the files, which they learned while being locked down and forced to go through them to redact Trump's name. Thanks to the incompetence of Bondi and Patel, the files were placed with *unrestricted access* on a server used by 4 different agencies and two departments. It will be impossible to keep those files from being released to the public because so many people saw them—and the agents who did were so emotionally disturbed by what they saw that many of them needed breaks. They will be motivated.
The Epstein/ Maxwell prosecutors like Maureen Comey have propbaly seen all of them and can testify to what they saw. If records are missing, it's on the FBI and DOJ.
The new stuff, money laudering brings up stuff I hadn't thought about. CIA, DIA records. Was Epstein a CIA asset, plant, a double agent? How about all the witnesses? Guiffre was only one of maybe a thousand victims.
Black letter law: Relevant evidence is that which leads to other evidence.
When I was working, a "metadata" cottage industry erupted. In the law, there's a concept of ":wasting" i.e. deceiving by forging or modifying documents. Not too many written decisions, because most cases settle when culprits are disclosed but...
Metadata is "data about data" that provides information about other data to make it easier to find, use, and manage. Metadata investigations use hidden data within files and digital communications to reconstruct events, establish timelines, and verify information in both digital forensics and traditional investigations. This "data about data" can reveal crucial details like when a file was created or modified, who created it, and the user's activity, making it a vital tool for uncovering evidence, identifying discrepancies, and proving or disproving claims.
We put on several continuing judicial education programs.
That's what I thought until I saw Allison Gill's podcast. Hope you're wrong, but pretty sure you're right about the CIA involvement in Epstein's "honeypot" blackmail scheme regardless, plus there are ties between Epstein, the Mossad, and Maxwell and her father.
I agree that they had a powwow, & it was a group decision as to who would take the blame. But after last week’s elections & once the magas rejected the ACA 1 year extension, there was no leverage left.
What would extending the shutdown accomplish?
The magas are NOT going to sustain ACA.
But as long as the shutdown went on, maga mouse Johnson could say:
“When the gov opens, we’ll fix healthcare”
“When the gov opens, we’ll swear in Grijalva”
Now there’s no excuse.
*The courts ordered SNAP benefits to be paid. The people who receive benefits during the first week of the month received their benefits this weekend. The rest of the benefits will be distributed on time.
*Congresswoman Grijalva will be sworn in.
The Epstein files will be released.
*Federal workers can go back to work for the holidays.
*MAGA can “present” their healthcare plan- which doesn’t exist
So, when this CR expires in January, democrats will be in a much stronger position to restart negotiations.
I definitely get your point. I was really hoping that maybe Raskin and Schiff would get some kind of legal argument going. I mean, there are some great minds down there. I think that they would figure something out shortly.
Honestly- I think they have figured it out. Remember, this CR expires end of January. Having given maga mouse Johnson the “open gov” he wanted, let’s see what they do about health care, the Epstein files, I think the tariffs will be over-ruled by then. Will they have to pay that $ back?
I think the D.O.J. will have been found guilty of at least 3 retaliatory prosecutions….
If we had maintained the shutdown- it would’ve worked to their advantage. It would’ve been a stand off causing more harm.
Yap you bet ya ass I’am ! Trump has no checks and balances right now. If he is not stopped project 25 is fully implemented and the America is the new Russia ! See I read agenda 47 5 times and it’s scared the pants off me ! As independent I run out and vote blue up and down the ballot in the 24 election. In the Midterms I’m voting blue ! I’m not stupid 8 Democrats will not stop that ! Grew up ..
I believe they truly believed it was the best deal they could get for people who are in pain right now. Let's listen to them, not be so quick to judge, and not criticize without fully hearing their rationale.
I don’t think there was any good resolution. It’s easy for us to be angry with the eight, but I am not one of those people who doesn’t have a job., who doesn’t have a paycheck, and who doesn’t have enough food. They voted to help when the Republicans would not and I am very sure that people will not forget what the Republicans have done. Healthcare fight goes on, but the Democrats are on the right side of it.
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
Thank you, as I figured I was the only one who felt this way. I’m deeply disappointed and wish this would not have happened, but everyone is insisting they know that these democrats did this for whatever reason, none of it good, when we don’t really know why.
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
I’ve listened to a few of them. I continue to hold most of them in high regard. ( Not you Fetterman). I was becoming far more worried about what irrational or dangerous steps #47 could take when Congress is incapacitated. There was never a clear end, in my opinion.
Remember whose constituents these folks serve.
I do not believe for one minute any of them were worried about their airline flights home, or anywhere else.
Do I have faith in Senator Schumer? Nope ! Never did. But I didn’t have a high regard for Harry Reid, either….
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
Dems lost the ACA debate, but won the shutdown. Now the pressure is on MAGA Mike to reopen the House, pass the compromise bill and watch Epstein docs flood the House floor! 😂🤣😂🤣😅
And the next big battle: January! When Congress & Rump fail to extend the ACA subsidies, we do it all again in a couple months, after we give our poor, starving citizens, our federal workers and our flight controllers a happy Thanksgiving and merry Christmas!
Bullshit. If it was a “win” every democratic senator would have voted for it. It was pure cowardice and nothing more. Put out 2 old people who are retiring and 6 who won’t need to run again for 5 or 6 years. Dems got weary and afraid of the fight. Period.
I agreed with the United democratic front for the shut down. It showed strength & unity & drove the election wins, which were VERY tangible. But once maga rejected the ACA 1 year extension, there was no more leverage.
The shutdown became an advantage for maga. It provided cover. MAGA mouse johnson used it to say:
When the government opens, we’ll work on health care…
When the government opens, we’ll swear in Grijalva”.
They can’t hijack SNAP benefits anymore, thank you Federal Courts.
Federal workers can go back to work for the holidays.
This resolution expires in January, so we start over.
What is the advantage of prolonging the shutdown?
It takes a lot more courage to vote against your own party. True leaders can’t always sit at the kool kids’ table. Sometimes making the unpopular move in order to achieve the long term goal must be done.
most politicians are neither smart nor strategic (and may i add neither are they authentic). and with all the wealth they accumulate on the congressional gravy train, they are no longer one of the people… liberal meandering got us in this mess, and i don't see it being able to get out of the mess… the 7 million who protested on the streets were angry and pissy about how the dems are all talk and no action… if politicians and strategists would get out of their offices and walk with the people protesting on the streets i may come round to your point of view that smart and strategic is a good plan…and not just an excuse…
Sorry, tired of hearing about the holidays. This has nothing to do with them. I'm much more worried about subsidies for Obama care and the rest of ALL the crap Trump is involved in. Those are long term problems that must be fixed. I doubt you're going to have a happy ho ho when you're either going to lose your Healthcare in the near future. Or when your family suddenly disappears with ICE.
Lawrence, as always the #1 political commentator on tv, points out that the 5 Dems who switched their position got 271 R’s to cave on their steadfast opposition to a compromise bill. This compromise bill:
1. Increases SNAP benefits (not just restore them);
2. Requires every government worker fired by Rump during the shutdown (all 4000 of them) to be re-hired AND awarded back pay;
3. Requires Rump to give back pay to ALL federal workers affected by the shutdown, whether fired or not;
4. Rips up & tosses out MAGA Mike’s bill that he & his ReTrumplicans passed in the House;
5. Requires MAGA Mike now to get almost all of his R members on board with the Senate compromise bill;
6. Means that MAGA Mike will have to swear in the new AZ rep, who will sign on to the “release the Epstein files” discharge petition that guarantees a vote on (and passage of) that resolution; and finally
7. Contains an empty promise that the ReTrumplicans will hold a vote on extending ACA benefits.
When the ACA vote fails, the Dems can do it all over again in a couple months.
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
IMHO people are over reacting. With respect to the Senate vote, it's not over. It will bring the House back to session. Jeffries says he'll hold the line. May lead to further negotiations.
Hopefully it'll be Epstein time. The most recent revelations involve money laudering allegations.
I keep posting. According to Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) Trumpepstein may cause an "Epstein bomb" causing over 100 Republican members to "jailbreak" from Trump.
Unfortunately most of them are either not running again or won't be running until 2028. So we all need to have long memories for the ones who are still trying to stay in the Senate. The fact that they're not up for re-election in 2026, or ever, makes it even more egregious that they caved in! Way to go out on a bad note. Those Senators who are retiring just tanked their own legacies permanently!
No doubts about it. Democrats must stand tall for the well-being of all American citizens since Republicans have lost their moral compass common decency!
I'm willing to accept the resignation right here and right now and I'm sure millions of others are as well. If they're going to vote with the Republicans they might as well leave office now cuz they aren't doing us a damn bit of good. That's my opinion anyway
Oh I don't know making sure that Democrats stand their ground and they fight to keep the price of health insurance down for over 20 million Americans and they fight for SNAP benefits for over 40 million Americans and just in general doing the right thing for all Americans versus the GOP that just want to give tax breaks to the billionaires and screw the little people.
I AM one of those Americans who lost my healthcare. My ACA monthly premiums have already increased from approx $50 to $1,058.78; my insurance already lapsed. Neither of my employers schedule workers for more than 29 hours a week so I’m not eligible for employer provided insurance. MAGA rejected the proposal to extend ACA benefits for 1 year so extending the shut down wouldn’t change that.
SNAP
Federal courts ordered SNAP payments to be paid; people who receive benefits during the first week of each month received their benefits this weekend; the remainder of the benefits will be paid on time. So, SNAP benefits are no longer being withheld.
MAGA mouse Johnson used the shutdown to say:
*”Once gov is re-opened, we’ll fix healthcare”.
*Once the gov is open, we’ll swear in Grijalva”.
MAGA mouse Johnson no longer has that excuse.
Maga can present their health care plan(they won’t bc they don’t have one & always intended on dismantling ACA to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy.
Now, the Epstein files can be released.
Now federal workers can go back to work thru the holidays.
This CR expires in January. Having given the magas an opportunity to keep their word (which we know they won’t), Democrats will be in a much stronger negotiating position at the end of January & with the continued maga broken promises, we will have more converts & independents with us.
I am one of those Americans whose monthly premium went from approx. $50 a month to $1,058.78. I can’t afford it, so my insurance has lapsed. I have pre-existing condition. Neither of my employers schedule workers for more than 29 hours, so I don’t qualify for employer provided insurance. MAGA is NEVER going to sustain ACA. That’s not going to change until democrats have a majority in both chambers, so extended shut down doesn’t fix healthcare.
Federal courts ordered SNAP payments to be paid. People who receive SNSP benefits during the first week of the month received their benefits this weekend. The rest of the benefits will be distributed on time. So SNAP benefits are no longer an issue.
As long as the shutdown continues, maga mouse Johnson has cover to say:
We’ll fix healthcare when the gov re-opens…
We’ll swear in Grijalva when the government re-opens.
An extended shutdown could have forced the GOP to allow the ACA supplemental cost coverage of what the government pays to extend to at least the end of 2026 so yes it could have done some good but we had eight Democrats cave.
For sure. Even Schucks Tumor who orchestrated this betrayal wasn't even required to vote yes on this betrayal. He let himself off the hook and found others betrayers to do his dirty work.
I'm genuinely curious as to what sources folks can point to that suggests that Schumer actually planned this whole thing. I'm not trying to be difficult, honest. I'm just one of those people who likes to separate fact from opinion.
I agree. I'm a big fan of facts over wild speculation and assumption making. So far I've heard nothing but the latter. Give me evidence. The more that people scream that Schumer orchestrated this, the less I am inclined to believe it.
Wild speculation, conspiracy theories, and online hysteria are not just from MAGA. I see it all the time from liberals.I t's disallusioning. Blue Sky is utter crap.
Progressives need to make sure that a progressive candidate is put in place to primary these 8 "Democrats". Establishment Democrats will find a rat Republican to become the Democratic candidate which is what they always do.
I resent your remark. I am from New Hampshire, and you impugn the integrity of both my senators. Both women were in the house, then governors for long periods of time. You may not agree with them, but you should do some homework before you call them rat republicans.
2 have announced their retirement (Durbin and Shaheen) and the other 6 won’t come up for re-election until 2028 or 2030. We, their constituents, need to play the long game and primary them when the time comes. They probably hope we’ll forget by then, but we won’t.
And Kelly is not up for reelection until 2028. I think we need to stop with the name-calling. Remember the two biggest wins last week were moderate Democrats.
Yes, finally some common sense among the wild negative name calling. Both my senators, Shaheen and Hassan, are moderate democrats who were both governors of New Hampshire.
Perhaps you should be less insulted by the disparaging of your NH moderate Democrats and more insulted that they contributed to increasing all of our insurance costs with their votes. I'm from MA and comparatively, you have nothing to brag about.
Well if the Cr did pass with the Healthcare subsidies through the Senate ! lol No way does Mike Johnson bring it to the house floor ! Dead on arrival! Let’s tell the truth here! The Democrats did fight for almost two months! The snap Benefits to me was a factor for the 8 Dems to panic and give in …
I don’t even feel they gave in. I think they got all of the leverage out of the shut down that could be gotten. I believe it was a strategic decision to put the magas back on the hot seat & take away their excuse for not fixing healthcare & not swearing in Congresswoman Grijalva.
I agree with you. Furthermore, holding out longer might have played into Trump's hands. We should all stay United and keep on pushing for next year and the midterms, and to keep fighting back on every issue now that the government's back open and we had such a great election day.
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
We are on the same page. I need to read Kaine’s statement.
I think the 8 vote was strategic. The shutdown served the purpose of galvanizing people to the poles. You are absolutely correct, after the elections, the shutdown began to work in maga’s favor. MAGA is NEVER going to fix or even sustain ACA-that will only happen when democrats control both chambers. Maga has to dismantle ACA & other “least of these” programs to pay for their tax cuts for the rich.
I got a letter from Kaine it was called Reopenimg the Government — just the title felt good
Okay here is his letter
Friends,
Last night I voted for a deal to reopen the government, and I want you to hear directly from me about why.
I said from the start that to earn my vote, we needed to be on a path toward fixing Republicans’ health care mess, and we needed to protect the federal workforce.
I voted “no” with my Democratic colleagues for 40 days because the GOP didn’t put anything on the table I could in good conscience vote “yes” on.
But over those 40 days, 2 million federal employees — and more than 300,000 in Virginia — were suffering. They missed two paychecks, with another around the corner. These workers, along with the millions of federal contractors who have been going without pay, have families that depend on them.
Beyond the pain of missing paychecks, hundreds of thousands of furloughed workers were wondering if they were next in line to be fired by Trump.
Tens of millions of SNAP recipients were going without benefits they rely on to put food on the table.
Air traffic was suffering nationwide — with real safety dangers.
And after 40 days, there was still no path to an Affordable Care Act vote. Republicans would not even debate an ACA fix until the government reopened — period.
So we negotiated for what we could get.
Last night’s vote paved the way to reopen the government with robust full-year funding for SNAP, WIC, and other important safety net services — because we just can’t let people go hungry.
All furloughed workers will return to work with backpay — so people can pay their mortgages, rent, and heating bills.
All the federal workers who Trump baselessly fired will be reinstated — and no federal agencies will be allowed to conduct mass layoffs for the duration of this funding bill.
Since Trump’s second term began, our federal workers have been constantly trashed. Tormented. Illegally fired. This deal is a big win for them.
Finally, last night’s vote gave us a path for an ACA fix to stop a devastating rise in premiums — something Republicans weren’t even willing to consider before last night. It’s not a guarantee, but I believe we can win this critical ACA battle if we fight for it together. We won’t win it if we turn to in-fighting.
And at a bare minimum, this fight will show the American people with complete clarity who is standing with them to make health care affordable, and who isn’t. That’s the real fight we need to focus on in 2026.
As we move forward, I will keep working toward a long-term government spending plan that supports Virginians and all Americans.
Ok . Whatever. What are they doing to stop ICE from abducting and dissapearing people. Not all of them are criminal immigrants. What about their families.? This isnt American Values in action. Its illegal kidnapping.
I see people doing as much as they can. Your logic is strange. Newsom is making it illegal to wear masks. Pritzger is doing things. I see many doing their best against an evil leader and his Gestapo. The government open again actually gives them more power. Like trying to get certain votes and financial oversight even if they don’t let them, there is a public record of it to hejp people see what is going on etc
Great comment. Yes I think people are hurting. The whole thing is really scary and it was going to backfire much longer. I don’t think they caved at all. I think it was strategic. And I really wish people would stop attacking them And Schumer.
I think some are bad faith actors to get is to think this is a loss instead of a win and push good people out,
Did you read the long one from someone else?
It was really good. Here it is.
My initial reaction was “oh no!” However, the more I thought about it, the Democrats moves last Friday and over the weekend make good sense.
Why?
1) Republicans were never going to get to “yes” on extending ACA premium benefits so what was the end-game? Government shut down for half a year? A year?
2) Dem’s reasonable proposal on Friday to open the govt. in exchange for a one year extension of ACA benefits made it clear Republicans weren’t interested in addressing healthcare. OK. Voters remember this next November.
3) Democrats have been very successful in focusing the shutdown on the issue of healthcare. Dems also revealed Trump’s willingness to weaponize food relief even restricting states from sending out SNAP benefits!
4) This is the first battle in a long war. It’s not over. In January we’re right back at it again.
5) What Democrats did win was an opportunity to put a bill on the floor of the Senate, have it debated in public, and Republicans will have to vote “yes” or “no” on extending healthcare premium benefits. The spotlight will be back on the Republicans once again.
6) The consequences of the shutdown were getting pretty dire. If a plane crashed who do you think the public would blame? The prospect of an air mishap was getting more realistic with every passing day. The public’s blame for the shutdown, now squarely on Trump and Republicans, could have quickly flipped.
And now…(this is not being discussed enough)
7) The House of Representatives will have to come back into session to vote on a budget extension. This means that the representative from Arizona will need to be seated and they have 218 votes to open up the Epstein file. A little jijitsu at work.
Democrats have an uncanny ability to take a win and turn it into defeat. The clutching of fists and screams of capitulation only gives Trump the appearsnce of a win. Take the win and yell it from the rooftop. The public sees who’s on their side. Dems had better stop blurring the lines by claiming defeat.
In the words of Sun Tzu in the Art of War: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
Yeah, I felt it right away. The state had a chance to vote for a hero in my mind Connor Lamb (I’ll have to check the spelling). Right away, I
thought, man did they blow it. Picked the wrong guy. But once the election was over, I hoped what I
Thought I saw was wrong. I cheered for him when he was sick. But something always felt inauthentic with some things. So here we are. Turns out I was seeing it right. And on this thinking. Mamdani is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I am non partisan. But I pretty much vote democratic (only voted for an independent once otherwise democrats) Democrats can see some of the shadow of the other side. But they don’t see their own shadow. AOC apologized for being wrong about Fetterman. Well, there are others and Mamdani is one of them. Should be interesting when she and others see they have made a similar mistake. Heard someone on Acosta’s show but I couldn’t respond without being paid subscriber saying things about well just his youth and charisma count for good — uh okay first of all I see his spirit and it is not good. And yeah when has youth and charisma been a bad thing? Hmmm integrity should be the most important issue. And if you have multiple high quality integrity people, then policy can be more important. Okay we’ll see how you handle what I just wrote.
In Tennessee, minimum wage hasn’t been increased since 2009; it’s still $7.25 an hour- which of course depresses all other wages. In 2009, the average 1 br apt. In East Tn was $450; now it’s $1100 a month. The average utility bill for a 1 br apt. Was $150-$200; now it’s $275-$350.
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
First of all, there's something really wrong in this country if one in eight families rely on SNAP to get by. We need to really do something about the minimum wage and taxing billionaires.
But I came here to say that the "Cavin' 8" don't realize that Trump's base only respects power....they have no idea about good governmental stewardship or anything else, so for the Democrats to give into bullying just strengthens Trump's base. They think it's Trump-as-Superman vs the mealy-mouthed Libruls, and they "won".
This wasn't a political move. The goal wasn't to miraculously get MAGA voters to vote for Democrats.
It was a GOVERNANCE move.
The goal was to stop the destruction of SNAP and the further destruction of the government that the GOP wanted.
And Trump's base has been entirely fooled by fake news. They have NO idea whatsoever of what REAL "strength" means. So whatever Dems do, the GOP media spin it into a win for the GOP, and they gobble it up. There is no reason to imagine that from now on, Democrats could/should do something to directly refute the fake news. It's way too late for that...
Here is how you save Democracy in 24 we had an election and 7 Million people stayed home ! Big mistake get out and vote people didn’t election have consequences!! Kamala Harris told Millions of Americans Trump and GOP are coming to take healthcare and people didn’t believe her !
Yes ! But in 24 we had election 7 Million people stayed home ! Kamala Harris told Millions of Americans Trump and his GOP were coming to take healthcare and here we are !!!!
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
After all of this, I dont think Senator Thune would have sent up legislation that he didn’t know the House would approve. The majority leaders do talk privately.
You can be sure maga mouse Johnson & Thune are on the same page. Even though they didn’t come to Washington, magas were still having their committee & conference calls. They weren’t talking to democrats or media, but they were definitely communicating. They’ve all admitted that in interviews.
I think (at least some) of the signers think that there will be a good faith nonpartisan group who will work on a reasonable healthcare plan for the U.S. That is part of the agreement. Certainly, the ACA is not the best we can come up with. The problem is that this has not happened so far in many past attempts and I have no confidence that there are enough reasonable R's to come up with one now (particularly with so many wacko and MAGA R's in Congress now ). Don't get me wrong---I don't agree with them caving (at this time) but I can understand why some D's were so pained by the results of the SNAP cutbacks.
I don't think so. They know the GOP wants to destroy the ACA. It's just that with a separate vote, the GOP won't be able to hide behind Democrats because that's when they'll all vote against extending the tax credits.
And fighting for SNAP isn't "caving". It's taking responsibility. That's what ALL real leaders do.
The Courts have already shown they will not let SNAP benefits go unpaid. As long as the shut down continued, maga mouse Johnson had cover to say,”We’ll fix healthcare when the gov re-opens. We’ll swear in Grijalva when the gov re-opens”. Now they don’t have that cover. The ball is back in their court. Once maga refused the ACA 1 year extension proposal, it was clear they were dug in as long as there was a shut down. Remember this CR only lasts through January. So let federal workers return to work at least thru the holidays; fund SNAP without delays & other essential services (except ACA) thru the holidays; get the Epstein files released; see what the magas put up for healthcare resolution, and start over in Feb. My ACA monthly premium already increased from approx. $50 a month to $1,058.78 a month. My insurance has already lapsed. I don’t think continuing the shut down would accomplish anything else.
Nice dreams, Democrats had the winning hand, and they fumbled, and now we are all condemned to Trump's cruelty. The Old Guard of the Democratic Party needs to be retired to young progressives.
What would extending the shut down have accomplished? MAGAs rejected the proposal to extend ACA for 1 year; they’re dug in on that. The shut down gave cover to keep federal workers laid off, prevented the Epstein files from being released. The courts forced SNAP benefits to be paid- people who receive benefits in the first week of the month received their benefits this weekend & the remainder will be paid on time. ACA premiums have already gone up, extending the shut down doesn’t change that. This CR only lasts thru January; then we start over.
Yes. Also worth remembering that the ACA, as originally written, would have been much better than what we ended up with. In an effort to make the act bi-partisan and win republican votes, Democrats compromised a number of measures contained in the bill, weakening it. Republicans then rewarded the effort by not giving it a single vote. The GOP has been rotten for at least the last 30 years. Where there’s no honor, there can be no trust. Hard to bargain in good faith with Cheaters.
Without 60 votes in the Senate, the ACA could not pass. And Democrats at the time did NOT have 60 votes. So they HAD to compromise. That's how democracy works.
Turns out that the 60th vote needed had to come from someone who was on McCain's shortlist to become his VP.
Lieberman in the end voted for the ACA but forced Democrats to drop the public option, after Pelosi had already successfully passed it in the House.
The whole idea that Dems would be these naive idiots that the media so often depict is utterly ridiculous. They WORK with the GOP day in day out, so if anyone knows they cannot be trusted, it's them!
But yes, indeed, one of the reasons why it wasn't possible to install single payer (Medicare for All, ...) is because the GOP had been lying about it, and for decades. They WANT to destroy people's healthcare. Only when that finally sinks in and people stop voting for them will this disaster end.
Thanks for your input. Yes, the ACA’s passage was complicated & Ted Kennedy passed away then too. Here’s what I found at Ballotpedia.
“ In July 2009, House Democrats introduced the Affordable Health Care for America Act, the precursor to the Affordable Care Act. The House passed the bill on November 7, 2009, with the votes of 219 Democrats and one Republican (Rep. Joseph Cao (R-La.)). Thirty-nine Democrats and 176 Republicans voted against the bill. On December 24, 2009, the Senate passed its version of the bill 60-39, with all Democrats voting in favor of the bill and all Republicans but one voting against it (Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) was not present for the vote).[3]”
I do not believe the republicons will ever negotiate. They got what they wanted and will laugh about it. Pay for it not or pay later, we will not gain from this agreement whatsoever.
I think we agree. The 2025 plan said they would dismantle healthcare and they did. We will not solve the healthcare crisis until we have a majority in both houses. I think people will be surprised to see how many republicans will support a health care plan when voters flex their muscles, maga is diminished, and the pressure is reversed.
There are too many magas in congress right now to even sustain ACA, let alone fix healthcare. We MUST stay united, get a majority in both houses; then we can fix it.
If the Dems don’t start 📝selecting wolves in sheep’s clothing and keep listening to sabotaging thinking like replacing wisdom with young progressives — this will be a horrible idea
Integrity character wisdom etc When you bring in just youth this has problems beyond lack of wisdom. Do we know them? Are they who we think? Etc This will be a sabotaging strategy. I know there are bad faith actors that want this. They are using this and it’s not even a loss — to attack the 8 and Shumer. Listen, the enemy wants this
I love the strong progressives- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jasmine Crockett, mayor Elect Mamdani, Bernie Sanders, Governor Newsome…but I’m also stickin’ with Senator Schumer, Representative Jeffries, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Adam Schiff.
I’m a progressive, but if we want to achieve a land slide victory with a REAL mandate like last week’s champions earned, we can’t do it with progressives alone. We need moderates, and independents, AND maga converts.
We have to have a diverse leadership team with charisma & energy, bulldog fight, but also grace, dignity, forgiveness, and kind strategists with wisdom and experience.
We have to know how to except converts.
We have to grab their hand, not slap it.
We have to welcome them, not criticize them for past mistakes.
We have to give them a chance, show grace, be kind, make them comfortable, introduce them to joy!!!
Not shower them with suspicion mistrust.
I used to have a horrible opinion of all the Cheneys before the Jan 6 hearings; but I am a Liz Cheney convert. We may always disagree on how to best stimulate the economy, gun control, reproductive freedom, but I have no doubt that she will always defend our constitution. I believe her intent is good, she learned from her father but is NOT her father and she wants what is best for America.
I probably don’t want her running the EPA but I think she’d be great in the Justice department.
I think Chris Christy would be great in D.O.J. or State Department.
I want a soldier’s five star general running the Defense department, not some hair and make-up weekend Fox News host that uses his position to cosplay a 50 year old movie that glorified bad abusive military leadership. I don’t care what their party affiliation is as long as they only send troops into combat as a last resort. I want him or her to be smart enough to out-maneuver the enemy with intelligence & technology.
I want a championship team to get us the win and then to lead this country to reach our unrealized potential.
Really? I like Mamdani, but I haven’t really done a deep dive on him. But if nothing else, he energized new voters. Everyone is watching him more than any other elected official, so hopefully that will keep him honest. He’s studied a lot of other governments that provide universal health care, affordable housing, and things like daycare that enable people to pursue careers. 🤞🏽
The GOP can NOT be trusted to negotiate fairly in any of this and I think it is foolish to think that they would. How many times has the GOP does this to the Democrats and they keep falling for it? It’s ridiculous.
It is true that potentially none left have any good faith; any member that is trusting what the White House or Johnson is saying is duped. They are liars and worse. With that said, I think it was the best solution considering. They will just have to keep showing the people their games and desire to destroy, be cruel, and do the opposite of helping. Honestly, I think we will need the intervention of the Almighty combined with our best efforts to liberate us from this tyranny and horror.
My faith guides my opinion on public policy, but I don’t believe in proselytizing. It usually has the opposite effect. I only talk about faith when someone brings it up. But you are SO right about intervention. In my faith, we believe that as the strongest fallen angel, satan is more powerful than humans. Only God can protect us from & defeat satan. But it only takes “the faith of a mustard seed”…and where more than one gather…He will answer.
*We must stay united.
*We must defend and protect each other
*We must carry our brothers and sisters so they can be with us
*We must pray mightily
My favorite part of the Declaration of Independencei is the final clause:
“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
I agree that maga republicans cannot be trusted. But there have always been and will always be good honest republicans who want what’s best for this country- Howard Baker, John McCain. There have also always been democratic scoundrels too- Eric Adams, Cuomo, Linden B. Johnson.
No democracy will survive with only one party.
Democracy requires compromise, or you end up with chaos or authoritative autocracy.
If anything, we need a more pluralistic system, with real representation based on voting percentages- no more “winner takes all”. Thats how you end up with more disgruntled people than represented people; no more electoral system.
There ARE no SNAP benefits until MAGA Mike says there are. The Democrats got absolutely nothing. It will never pass the House, so all they did was piss everyone off.
November SNAP benefits have been distributed in response to several federal court orders; 5 billion in SNAP benefits were distributed this weekend, with the remaining to be distributed on time. Recipients don’t receive benefits on the same day. Benefits are staggered throughout the month.
Wolf in sheep’s clothing — it’s in the Bible. Doesn’t have to be a religious prophet just someone pretending to be one thing and really another in a certain kind of way. It matters not what he has studied or what he says or how much fake smiling and created political stuff he does. if he is a wolf and not a sheep. I hope Hochul wins. I think she will help.
There is a shadow on the right. There is a shadow on the left.
He is part of the shadow on the left. And by shadow I mean people’s blind spots, etc A lawyer was running in the race I really liked him. He had his number. See if you can find his feed. I’ll let you go the deep dive.
Look the Government had to reopen. Children were going hungry! The government workers were being laid off and not paid. Airport employees were working with no pay!
I agree with you. Dems should not be attacking the 8 and they should show how they are trying to fight for people while the other are trying to destroy. They were using the shutdown to destroy more.
I have already sent Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassen emails today expressing my disappointment and anger at their capitulation to the GOP! Jeanne Shaheen is retiring at the end of her term so she’s pretty much a lame duck to begin with. I’m very disappointed in Maggie Hassen. I understand they care about their constituents, hurting by not having food however capitulating to this GOP regime Should not have happened. We need to make sure the GOP gets blamed for everything!
I believe our democrates got the most they could have and that they accelerated the possibility those who are hurting will get relief. As an active food pantry volunteer, I have seen the pains of our people, and a doubling of of the number seeking first time help. That said, I do agree with you "We need to make sure the GOP gets blamed for everything!"
I understand very much the pain that people are suffering in the breadlines and at the food pantries. I’ve seen it. But this is a game to the GOP. They don’t care about anybody, but they’re wealthy friends and their selves.
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
Those who have announced and those planning to retire should do it now and let governors or a special election to get new folks in. No reason for Shaheen and Hassan to continue their lame duck tenures. Get some fighters in there to go to bat for us!
Hassan is up for reelection in 2026. I’m hoping somebody else will step up now for the Democratic Party. Chris Pappas, who is a congressman from New Hampshire is running for Jeanne Shaheen Shaheen seat. I’m behind him 100%. I don’t know who would take over for Hassan.
It was as if they said, after Tuesday's election, "How long will it take us to screw this up?" and then went for it. Angus King, my (Independent!) senator here in Maine, really disappointed. I made sure to convey this to his office. No point in hitting up Fetterman, he's a lost cause, but damn! Angus? UGH!!!! I'm pissed with you, Ben.
My initial reaction was “oh no!” However, the more I thought about it, the Democrats moves last Friday and over the weekend make good sense.
Why?
1) Republicans were never going to get to “yes” on extending ACA premium benefits so what was the end-game? Government shut down for half a year? A year?
2) Dem’s reasonable proposal on Friday to open the govt. in exchange for a one year extension of ACA benefits made it clear Republicans weren’t interested in addressing healthcare. OK. Voters remember this next November.
3) Democrats have been very successful in focusing the shutdown on the issue of healthcare. Dems also revealed Trump’s willingness to weaponize food relief even restricting states from sending out SNAP benefits!
4) This is the first battle in a long war. It’s not over. In January we’re right back at it again.
5) What Democrats did win was an opportunity to put a bill on the floor of the Senate, have it debated in public, and Republicans will have to vote “yes” or “no” on extending healthcare premium benefits. The spotlight will be back on the Republicans once again.
6) The consequences of the shutdown were getting pretty dire. If a plane crashed who do you think the public would blame? The prospect of an air mishap was getting more realistic with every passing day. The public’s blame for the shutdown, now squarely on Trump and Republicans, could have quickly flipped.
And now…(this is not being discussed enough)
7) The House of Representatives will have to come back into session to vote on a budget extension. This means that the representative from Arizona will need to be seated and they have 218 votes to open up the Epstein file. A little jijitsu at work.
Democrats have an uncanny ability to take a win and turn it into defeat. The clutching of fists and screams of capitulation only gives Trump the appearsnce of a win. Take the win and yell it from the rooftop. The public sees who’s on their side. Dems had better stop blurring the lines by claiming defeat.
In the words of Sun Tzu in the Art of War: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
Fantastic! Thank you wish you were giving some oriole advice. Like I hope Ben, Adam Kinzinger, and Newsom— all 3 I love — will read your amazing analysis — 🥇
I agree — I wrote the following—
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
In my opinion, the end game was to outlast the Republicans and make them entirely responsible for the pain. Public opinion was starting to sway toward the Democrats now that Trump's base was losing SNAP and the airlines were shutting down. But we blinked. And now Trump can crow that he "fixed it" and take credit for ending the shutdown. Democrats need to realize the game is different nowadays, Republicans cannot be trusted and they have only one end in mind: to turn this country into a giant plantation for the rich.
My initial reaction was “oh no!” However, the more I thought about it, the Democrats moves last Friday and over the weekend make good sense.
Why?
1) Republicans were never going to get to “yes” on extending ACA premium benefits so what was the end-game? Government shut down for half a year? A year?
2) Dem’s reasonable proposal on Friday to open the govt. in exchange for a one year extension of ACA benefits made it clear Republicans weren’t interested in addressing healthcare. OK. Voters remember this next November.
3) Democrats have been very successful in focusing the shutdown on the issue of healthcare. Dems also revealed Trump’s willingness to weaponize food relief even restricting states from sending out SNAP benefits!
4) This is the first battle in a long war. It’s not over. In January we’re right back at it again.
5) What Democrats did win was an opportunity to put a bill on the floor of the Senate, have it debated in public, and Republicans will have to vote “yes” or “no” on extending healthcare premium benefits. The spotlight will be back on the Republicans once again.
6) The consequences of the shutdown were getting pretty dire. If a plane crashed who do you think the public would blame? The prospect of an air mishap was getting more realistic with every passing day. The public’s blame for the shutdown, now squarely on Trump and Republicans, could have quickly flipped.
And now…(this is not being discussed enough)
7) The House of Representatives will have to come back into session to vote on a budget extension. This means that the representative from Arizona will need to be seated and they have 218 votes to open up the Epstein file. A little jijitsu at work.
Democrats have an uncanny ability to take a win and turn it into defeat. The clutching of fists and screams of capitulation only gives Trump the appearsnce of a win. Take the win and yell it from the rooftop. The public sees who’s on their side. Dems had better stop blurring the lines by claiming defeat.
In the words of Sun Tzu in the Art of War: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
First of all.......call in an expert at deprograming cult followers. Cut them off from attending their Christian Nationalist chuch and cancel their Grindr passwords.
Make sure the child porn sites are closed permanently. Cancel the cable so Fox News cannot be watched.
There may be a slight chance they see the light. Make sure they study the definition of empathy.........still is a longshot.
So what if an airplane went down due to an overworked, exhausted airport controller? This was a growing possibility. What if SNAP recipients went months without food? You really think the public wouldn’t have turned on Dems?
There are a lot of counterproductive things being injected — some by knowing bad faith actors. Rick Wilson is a bad faith a the and one time awhile ago started screaming at Dems to shut it fine! The government. This is from the dark. Unfortunately, many good people are being tricked and magnifying the propaganda which is very sabotaging. This is how the dark wins — they get both sides to work against their best interests. The person above who are claiming they just needed to keep going and make republicans responsible for all the pain is a lie. I suspect a number of these know what they are doing. Thank you for your beautiful comments of integrity, reason, and long suffering. Amen 🙏
Shutting the government down made sense yet the messaging about the end game was poor. The framing of why Dems would not support govt funding was: “Dems will not vote to re-open the government until Republicans support an extension of ACA premium supports” which then handed leverage back to Republicans (they never would vote to do so). However, what if our message was “Republicans refuse to address healthcare which they just blew up by gutting Medicaid and ACA and Democrats will not accept this. Until Republicans come to the table, we cannot support business as usual.”
No time limit is placed on the shutdown. All the pressure is on Republicans to deal with healthcare.Democrats control the message and maintain leverage.
When going to war, be clear about the end game and don’t lose control of leverage. Dems lost leverage when Trump demonstrated he was willing to burn the village to the ground to save it. While this made him look extreme and uncaring, Dems had to adjust their tactics or the pain in constituents was too great. We did maintain a focus on healthcare and in December will debate healthcare again. Republicans will sit in the hot seat.
I like what you wrote. I may have liked other things you wrote even more. I agree the Dems did not keep the messaging clear and it could appear like they were potentially just trying to get their platform instead of what you wrote that he was sabotaging the system without something else in place. However, I don’t agree with what most democrats are saying publicly (this includes those who are of good faith and those who are speaking propaganda while pretending to be Dems / basically wolves in sheep’s clothing as these exist on both sides of the aisle and pretend they are not working together). I think you wrote before about the real damage of lack of food, workers getting paid, layoffs, shutdown, potential real and fatal accidents with flights. As I read your excellent and more optimal messaging, I still don’t think the end goal of just letting other things that are also extremely important just crumble. I do not think the public would have liked it as their holidays were messed up. I was okay with the discomfort thinking.. yeah it would be on the orange beast. But it was more than discomfort and I do not think it would have made the Dems look good at all even though I understand their concern. I get they were trying to protect the health care but this left a vacuum for even more destroying. I think putting up a fight was very good. While I don’t think Angus expressed himself that great and a lot of people are tearing into him, I think he was right.. it wasn’t working, that’s because this regime with many in the regime don’t want to “succeed”, they want to steal, kill, and destroy (in the Bible). The people who are attacking angus saying yeah it was working look at the midterms and public opinion — that is mot equivalent with a mandate to keep the government closed no matter what. It meant, people were seeing the damage that was being caused. Every time I hear someone say they should have kept going and not caved, it rings false and not assessing the situation correctly. The messaging definitely needs to be better but I do not think that was the only problem. I think you wrote different messaging before. Like okay we tried and you can see they don’t want to help you etc and claim a win. One congressman thinks the only motive must have been hiding Epstein stuff because he said it was the only thing that made sense based on his previous experiences. He is not getting it. Many other people in the past have had some good faith and did not necessarily want to burn the place down. The orange beast and many others actually do want to burn the place down as you wrote. The destroyers along with their propaganda arm have made it so traumatic and confusing many have disengaged. And others are not doing the work to figure out who is really trying to hejp them and who isn’t. Caveat, while for awhile the Dems have had more good faith,there is a shadow growing within the dems. The solution will ultimately not be to be merely party line for anyone— it will be taking the time and struggle to really know the candidates and to SELECT and vote for the best ones.
So 6 months? 1 year? Trump would never let GOP Senators side with Dems. Do you think so? The strategy should have been clear: make Republicans the fall guys for destroying healthcare in America for millions of citizens. Mission accomplished.
Angus said they had two goals and neither were happening, He said they negotiated for some things. I think he mentioned they didn’t have a goal or end point beyond the first two which they tried and weren’t working. I completely agree. They tried to stand up. But these guys used it to cause more pain, suffering, and destruction purposely. I really do not see how keeping the government shut down longer than now was going to help the Dems, people saw they tried. If they did it longer with food benefits, WIC, more layoffs, no pay, air traffic control problems God forbid accidents, cancelling flights with holidays and I’m sure urgent things too, etc -/ they Dems were going to look bad. It was going to backfire. I am non partisan — I vote Democratic (all but once and it was an independent) but sometimes some have a harder time with hierarchal issues / triage
And some on here are spreading the hate are most likely bad faith actors. Unfortunately, I am also seeing a number of great people with excellent hearts and minds jumping to this conclusion and labeling and attacking. I think they are wrong. Or at the very least, it seems most of these people had good reasoning and voted their conscience for the people. I implore some to take a break, pray, commune with the Almighty and come back for the next round/ battle.
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
Let Dems celebrate our victory. Republicans look bad (healthcare and food) and the public knows who is supporting them. Want to talk about positive branding?
It was titled Reopening the Government and just that gent good
Friends,
Last night I voted for a deal to reopen the government, and I want you to hear directly from me about why.
I said from the start that to earn my vote, we needed to be on a path toward fixing Republicans’ health care mess, and we needed to protect the federal workforce.
I voted “no” with my Democratic colleagues for 40 days because the GOP didn’t put anything on the table I could in good conscience vote “yes” on.
But over those 40 days, 2 million federal employees — and more than 300,000 in Virginia — were suffering. They missed two paychecks, with another around the corner. These workers, along with the millions of federal contractors who have been going without pay, have families that depend on them.
Beyond the pain of missing paychecks, hundreds of thousands of furloughed workers were wondering if they were next in line to be fired by Trump.
Tens of millions of SNAP recipients were going without benefits they rely on to put food on the table.
Air traffic was suffering nationwide — with real safety dangers.
And after 40 days, there was still no path to an Affordable Care Act vote. Republicans would not even debate an ACA fix until the government reopened — period.
So we negotiated for what we could get.
Last night’s vote paved the way to reopen the government with robust full-year funding for SNAP, WIC, and other important safety net services — because we just can’t let people go hungry.
All furloughed workers will return to work with backpay — so people can pay their mortgages, rent, and heating bills.
All the federal workers who Trump baselessly fired will be reinstated — and no federal agencies will be allowed to conduct mass layoffs for the duration of this funding bill.
Since Trump’s second term began, our federal workers have been constantly trashed. Tormented. Illegally fired. This deal is a big win for them.
Finally, last night’s vote gave us a path for an ACA fix to stop a devastating rise in premiums — something Republicans weren’t even willing to consider before last night. It’s not a guarantee, but I believe we can win this critical ACA battle if we fight for it together. We won’t win it if we turn to in-fighting.
And at a bare minimum, this fight will show the American people with complete clarity who is standing with them to make health care affordable, and who isn’t. That’s the real fight we need to focus on in 2026.
As we move forward, I will keep working toward a long-term government spending plan that supports Virginians and all Americans.
I checked, and Pennsylvania does not have recall of elected officials. That means we're stuck with Fetterman for the duration. Unless he does something really heinous and gets himself tossed out.
My initial reaction was “oh no!” However, the more I thought about it, the Democrats moves last Friday and over the weekend make good sense.
Why?
1) Republicans were never going to get to “yes” on extending ACA premium benefits so what was the end-game? Government shut down for half a year? A year?
2) Dem’s reasonable proposal on Friday to open the govt. in exchange for a one year extension of ACA benefits made it clear Republicans weren’t interested in addressing healthcare. OK. Voters remember this next November.
3) Democrats have been very successful in focusing the shutdown on the issue of healthcare. Dems also revealed Trump’s willingness to weaponize food relief even restricting states from sending out SNAP benefits!
4) This is the first battle in a long war. It’s not over. In January we’re right back at it again.
5) What Democrats did win was an opportunity to put a bill on the floor of the Senate, have it debated in public, and Republicans will have to vote “yes” or “no” on extending healthcare premium benefits. The spotlight will be back on the Republicans once again.
6) The consequences of the shutdown were getting pretty dire. If a plane crashed who do you think the public would blame? The prospect of an air mishap was getting more realistic with every passing day. The public’s blame for the shutdown, now squarely on Trump and Republicans, could have quickly flipped.
And now…(this is not being discussed enough)
7) The House of Representatives will have to come back into session to vote on a budget extension. This means that the representative from Arizona will need to be seated and they have 218 votes to open up the Epstein file. A little jijitsu at work.
Democrats have an uncanny ability to take a win and turn it into defeat. The clutching of fists and screams of capitulation only gives Trump the appearsnce of a win. Take the win and yell it from the rooftop. The public sees who’s on their side. Dems had better stop blurring the lines by claiming defeat.
In the words of Sun Tzu in the Art of War: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
Sun Tzu had it right. It could be that this country will be taken over by Russia without firing a shot with Putin's man in the White House. Russian meddling in the 2016 election installed his puppet.
Yes all this. They're problem is messaging and infighting now. They need to get aligned and quickly that the onus is now on little mikey johnson to bring back his maga coalition for a vote. He can't behind it any longer.
Exactly… and they will see them for who they are — liars, bad faith
I agree — I wrote the following—
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
My initial reaction was “oh no!” However, the more I thought about it, the Democrats moves last Friday and over the weekend make good sense.
Why?
1) Republicans were never going to get to “yes” on extending ACA premium benefits so what was the end-game? Government shut down for half a year? A year?
2) Dem’s reasonable proposal on Friday to open the govt. in exchange for a one year extension of ACA benefits made it clear Republicans weren’t interested in addressing healthcare. OK. Voters remember this next November.
3) Democrats have been very successful in focusing the shutdown on the issue of healthcare. Dems also revealed Trump’s willingness to weaponize food relief even restricting states from sending out SNAP benefits!
4) This is the first battle in a long war. It’s not over. In January we’re right back at it again.
5) What Democrats did win was an opportunity to put a bill on the floor of the Senate, have it debated in public, and Republicans will have to vote “yes” or “no” on extending healthcare premium benefits. The spotlight will be back on the Republicans once again.
6) The consequences of the shutdown were getting pretty dire. If a plane crashed who do you think the public would blame? The prospect of an air mishap was getting more realistic with every passing day. The public’s blame for the shutdown, now squarely on Trump and Republicans, could have quickly flipped.
And now…(this is not being discussed enough)
7) The House of Representatives will have to come back into session to vote on a budget extension. This means that the representative from Arizona will need to be seated and they have 218 votes to open up the Epstein file. A little jijitsu at work.
Democrats have an uncanny ability to take a win and turn it into defeat. The clutching of fists and screams of capitulation only gives Trump the appearsnce of a win. Take the win and yell it from the rooftop. The public sees who’s on their side. Dems had better stop blurring the lines by claiming defeat.
In the words of Sun Tzu in the Art of War: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
So incredibly disappointing. However, in the next step in the process, I understand that these 8 can flip their votes, put a cog in the wheel. Let’s see if they come to their senses. Judy & Donna at The Red Lipstick Forum
Stop it. Democrats have an uncanny ability to take a win and turn it into defeat. The clutching of fists and screams of capitulation only gives Trump the appearsnce of a win. Take the win and yell it from the rooftop. The public sees who’s on their side. Dems had better stop blurring the lines by claiming defeat.
In the words of Sun Tzu in the Art of War: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
I’m hearing that so many people want to leave the Democratic Party because of this, so understandable right now. But that might be an overreaction to what a handful of senators just did. I certainly hope we can correct this course.
The stupid part is that the Democrats actually believe that the Republicans are going to discuss this once the CR is signed??They cannot be trusted. They will not discuss it again and the subsidies are lost forever.😡😡😡
xactly! I completely agree with you. It’s incredibly frustrating that Democrats keep falling for the same traps—acting as if Republicans will suddenly negotiate in good faith once they get what they want. History shows us they won’t. You’re right, the moment that CR is signed, the conversation ends and those subsidies are gone for good.
It’s infuriating to watch them trade away real progress for empty promises. We need leaders who understand that you can’t bargain with bad faith and expect integrity in return.
They know this. They've learned this by now. They need to get their messaging aligned now how it's on little mikey johnson to take his magat coalition off extended (paid) vacation and do their job.
Sucks but lots of people are already hurting because of this. Mikey won't have anything to hide behind any longer. If he doesn't come back to work, pretty obvious across the political spectrum he never operated in good faith.
Could it be a strategic move on the part of the Democrats? Those in need (including red states, obviously) have now felt the fear of losing SNAP benefits. Now they will see the reality of losing their health care or spending substantially more on insurance. In December, Congresspeople will have to publicly vote on ACA subsidies. Americans will see who is for them and who is not.
They need to be primaried and/or step down!!😡
You’re right! They all had a little powwow and decided OK which one are you guys can retire early or which one you guys are retiring early or retiring now y’all are gonna vote for this shit. What a nightmare those are supposed to be our freaking Democratic leaders Jesus Mary and Joseph on a bicycle! I can’t even believe this crap. It’s never ending lies and BS
I wonder who was paid what to cave in?
Maybe they're just weak. Heaven knows they are paid their salary for life so who gives a damn? They'll slink away and cash their checks.
It may be strategy. NOT A DEAL.... takes both houses of Congress. Terms casn be renegotiated.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.): Co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to extend the Obamacare subsidies for a year, indicating an openness to compromise.
Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.): Has voiced concern over the "dramatic increases" in premiums his constituents would face without the subsidies and was one of more than a dozen House Republicans to sign a letter calling for their preservation.
Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.): The main sponsor of a bill to extend the subsidies for a year.
Some integrity exists!
They do not receive a lifetime salary. They can contribute to their retirement like other federal employees, though the vesting rules are different. It's complicated, use Wikipedia.
"The factual bottom line is that retired U.S. senators can often obtain health coverage after leaving office, but that coverage is not an unconditional, lifetime, government-paid benefit; eligibility depends on plan history, enrollment duration, and program-specific rules, and retirees frequently bear premium costs—especially immediately after separation—unless they satisfy the conditions permitting continued government contributions [2] [3] [1].
For taxpayers, the exposure is limited compared with the myth: the federal government already subsidizes FEHB for a broad class of employees and retirees, and the arrangements for Members mirror that system rather than constituting a unique, unlimited entitlement."
https://factually.co/fact-checks/politics/do-us-senators-get-lifetime-healthcare-after-office-db2144
I suspect Schumer pulled a MAGA trick: he knew he'd be thrown out for sure if he voted for it so he got the dems who were either gonna retire or wouldn't face reelection in 2026 to do what he himself wanted done: cave. Disgusting.
I don't know if that is really true or not but it's very sad we all believe it's true.
We have been given ample reason. And yes, it's very sad, but well earned by their actions over time. Trust can be lost in a day but takes years to build.
Schumer is heartbroken over the failure of the vote.
Are you serious? I don't believe it, and even if he is "sad," he should resign as leader because it was his failure to keep the party together. He got bupkis for the people and the party.
You are right. I guess that I'm just feeling a bit tired and Iwas being a little sarcastic. But that's enough! Time to get up and fight back! You should have voted right, Schumer! The vote count didn't matter as much as the demonstration of your commitment.
Or given death threats.
PEOPLE! Stop killing our troops with your friendly fire!! Focus on the enemy!!!
Deserters are the enemy. We'll just put them before the firing squad and recruit others.
MTN.......Have some balls on this.........Chucles and Jeffries need to take their last AIPAC payement and leave the building.
American Airlines....all 8 get $$$ from airlines
Makes sense; very good sense with the threat of reduced flights. It's always about 💵💰💲
Retirement from elected office cannot be allowed to stand. We, the People, must insist on term limits for all elected officials until it becomes law of the land. I'll put this as kindly as I can... because the voting public is too fickle to do what's correct in the voting booth and vote out those elected officials who are not representing their constituents
Mostly it’s a huge number of people who are too busy, don’t have the time or energy, and often not the education, to delve into politics. They see a familiar name and vote.
^^^THIS^^^
Ralph, when the legislators retire/leave Congress they still receive LIFETIME salary and healthcare benefits! Besides term limits, these benefits I mentioned should be stopped also.
Just retirement like we all get. Or those that get just social security, then they would understand what the working class of America have been through. They just don't care.
Airlines funded Senators cast their votes last night! Gotta fly for thanksgiving. Got those air traffic controllers SLAVES working!! You don’t really think many of these congress clowns listen to us? Corporations vs billionaires. Dems vs repugnants. Only Progressives and progressive independents care about humans and our environment which will either sustain or destroy us, depending on human decisions.
I don’t believe that Congress needs to off for Thanksgiving. Hell, they’ve done been off for a month!! Make them work!!
If only we had a better rail system to serve as an alternative to airlines during busy seasons.
Yes, I'd love to take the train from the US to Europe. SMH.
Want some hopeful news? Watch this stunning podcast by Allison Gill on The Breakdown, who has inside info on the Epstein files and how they relate to the shutdown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEi77Ibr7r8
Thousands of FBI and DOJ investigators now know what's in the files, which they learned while being locked down and forced to go through them to redact Trump's name. Thanks to the incompetence of Bondi and Patel, the files were placed with *unrestricted access* on a server used by 4 different agencies and two departments. It will be impossible to keep those files from being released to the public because so many people saw them—and the agents who did were so emotionally disturbed by what they saw that many of them needed breaks. They will be motivated.
I've written about this many times.
The Epstein/ Maxwell prosecutors like Maureen Comey have propbaly seen all of them and can testify to what they saw. If records are missing, it's on the FBI and DOJ.
The new stuff, money laudering brings up stuff I hadn't thought about. CIA, DIA records. Was Epstein a CIA asset, plant, a double agent? How about all the witnesses? Guiffre was only one of maybe a thousand victims.
Black letter law: Relevant evidence is that which leads to other evidence.
When I was working, a "metadata" cottage industry erupted. In the law, there's a concept of ":wasting" i.e. deceiving by forging or modifying documents. Not too many written decisions, because most cases settle when culprits are disclosed but...
Metadata is "data about data" that provides information about other data to make it easier to find, use, and manage. Metadata investigations use hidden data within files and digital communications to reconstruct events, establish timelines, and verify information in both digital forensics and traditional investigations. This "data about data" can reveal crucial details like when a file was created or modified, who created it, and the user's activity, making it a vital tool for uncovering evidence, identifying discrepancies, and proving or disproving claims.
We put on several continuing judicial education programs.
💯
I think the cia has a big share of these files and won’t release them.
That's what I thought until I saw Allison Gill's podcast. Hope you're wrong, but pretty sure you're right about the CIA involvement in Epstein's "honeypot" blackmail scheme regardless, plus there are ties between Epstein, the Mossad, and Maxwell and her father.
I agree that they had a powwow, & it was a group decision as to who would take the blame. But after last week’s elections & once the magas rejected the ACA 1 year extension, there was no leverage left.
What would extending the shutdown accomplish?
The magas are NOT going to sustain ACA.
But as long as the shutdown went on, maga mouse Johnson could say:
“When the gov opens, we’ll fix healthcare”
“When the gov opens, we’ll swear in Grijalva”
Now there’s no excuse.
*The courts ordered SNAP benefits to be paid. The people who receive benefits during the first week of the month received their benefits this weekend. The rest of the benefits will be distributed on time.
*Congresswoman Grijalva will be sworn in.
The Epstein files will be released.
*Federal workers can go back to work for the holidays.
*MAGA can “present” their healthcare plan- which doesn’t exist
So, when this CR expires in January, democrats will be in a much stronger position to restart negotiations.
I definitely get your point. I was really hoping that maybe Raskin and Schiff would get some kind of legal argument going. I mean, there are some great minds down there. I think that they would figure something out shortly.
Honestly- I think they have figured it out. Remember, this CR expires end of January. Having given maga mouse Johnson the “open gov” he wanted, let’s see what they do about health care, the Epstein files, I think the tariffs will be over-ruled by then. Will they have to pay that $ back?
I think the D.O.J. will have been found guilty of at least 3 retaliatory prosecutions….
If we had maintained the shutdown- it would’ve worked to their advantage. It would’ve been a stand off causing more harm.
Regardless,
WE MUST STAY UNITED!!!!
Rise up!!!!
RESIST!!!!
Yap you bet ya ass I’am ! Trump has no checks and balances right now. If he is not stopped project 25 is fully implemented and the America is the new Russia ! See I read agenda 47 5 times and it’s scared the pants off me ! As independent I run out and vote blue up and down the ballot in the 24 election. In the Midterms I’m voting blue ! I’m not stupid 8 Democrats will not stop that ! Grew up ..
Who were they! I'm appalled 😠😠😠
Stop the circular firing squads.
I believe they truly believed it was the best deal they could get for people who are in pain right now. Let's listen to them, not be so quick to judge, and not criticize without fully hearing their rationale.
I don’t think there was any good resolution. It’s easy for us to be angry with the eight, but I am not one of those people who doesn’t have a job., who doesn’t have a paycheck, and who doesn’t have enough food. They voted to help when the Republicans would not and I am very sure that people will not forget what the Republicans have done. Healthcare fight goes on, but the Democrats are on the right side of it.
It is time for them to listen to us, not for us to listen to them. Get it straight - They work for us.
You’re nuts! What the hell have democrats been doing the past almost 6 weeks? All of it was undone by 8 yellow bellied democrats.
How much is AIPAC funding them?????
Check out the web AIPAC web site that lists all the payoffs that members get.
Exactly!
Tim Kaine has written and released his rationale. Read it before the firing squad.
I agree with JVL and a few others.
I agree — I wrote the following—
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
One problem: It bolsters the MAGA talking point that it was the Dems who were responsible for this shutdown.
Thank you, as I figured I was the only one who felt this way. I’m deeply disappointed and wish this would not have happened, but everyone is insisting they know that these democrats did this for whatever reason, none of it good, when we don’t really know why.
Emotion doesn’t substitute for strategy.
I agree — I wrote the following—
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
I’ve listened to a few of them. I continue to hold most of them in high regard. ( Not you Fetterman). I was becoming far more worried about what irrational or dangerous steps #47 could take when Congress is incapacitated. There was never a clear end, in my opinion.
Remember whose constituents these folks serve.
I do not believe for one minute any of them were worried about their airline flights home, or anywhere else.
Do I have faith in Senator Schumer? Nope ! Never did. But I didn’t have a high regard for Harry Reid, either….
I agree with you on Fetterman. It's tough to figure out where he stands.
I agree — I wrote the following—
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
Calm down, everyone!
Dems lost the ACA debate, but won the shutdown. Now the pressure is on MAGA Mike to reopen the House, pass the compromise bill and watch Epstein docs flood the House floor! 😂🤣😂🤣😅
And the next big battle: January! When Congress & Rump fail to extend the ACA subsidies, we do it all again in a couple months, after we give our poor, starving citizens, our federal workers and our flight controllers a happy Thanksgiving and merry Christmas!
Bullshit. If it was a “win” every democratic senator would have voted for it. It was pure cowardice and nothing more. Put out 2 old people who are retiring and 6 who won’t need to run again for 5 or 6 years. Dems got weary and afraid of the fight. Period.
No, they gave the Rs just the number needed, 8, and all safe seats in 2026
Safe in 2926
That’s why you’re not in the Senate. I also wanted the shutdown to continue, but I understand why the 8 caved.
And remember how angry you are when it’s time to work to elect Dems next year! 😉
I agreed with the United democratic front for the shut down. It showed strength & unity & drove the election wins, which were VERY tangible. But once maga rejected the ACA 1 year extension, there was no more leverage.
The shutdown became an advantage for maga. It provided cover. MAGA mouse johnson used it to say:
When the government opens, we’ll work on health care…
When the government opens, we’ll swear in Grijalva”.
They can’t hijack SNAP benefits anymore, thank you Federal Courts.
Federal workers can go back to work for the holidays.
This resolution expires in January, so we start over.
What is the advantage of prolonging the shutdown?
It takes a lot more courage to vote against your own party. True leaders can’t always sit at the kool kids’ table. Sometimes making the unpopular move in order to achieve the long term goal must be done.
Not true. ! Hay we had election in 24 7 Million people stayed home ! Election have consequences ! People next time get off the couch
I S'POSE THAT IS A NICE WAY TO LOOK AT IT.....SEEING AS THE 8 FASCIST COLLABORATORS HAVE DONE THE DEED....AS SHAMEFUL AS THEY ARE.
Unhelpful response. Being angry and pissy is what Trump does. Dems need to be smart and strategic.
most politicians are neither smart nor strategic (and may i add neither are they authentic). and with all the wealth they accumulate on the congressional gravy train, they are no longer one of the people… liberal meandering got us in this mess, and i don't see it being able to get out of the mess… the 7 million who protested on the streets were angry and pissy about how the dems are all talk and no action… if politicians and strategists would get out of their offices and walk with the people protesting on the streets i may come round to your point of view that smart and strategic is a good plan…and not just an excuse…
Sorry, tired of hearing about the holidays. This has nothing to do with them. I'm much more worried about subsidies for Obama care and the rest of ALL the crap Trump is involved in. Those are long term problems that must be fixed. I doubt you're going to have a happy ho ho when you're either going to lose your Healthcare in the near future. Or when your family suddenly disappears with ICE.
Lawrence, as always the #1 political commentator on tv, points out that the 5 Dems who switched their position got 271 R’s to cave on their steadfast opposition to a compromise bill. This compromise bill:
1. Increases SNAP benefits (not just restore them);
2. Requires every government worker fired by Rump during the shutdown (all 4000 of them) to be re-hired AND awarded back pay;
3. Requires Rump to give back pay to ALL federal workers affected by the shutdown, whether fired or not;
4. Rips up & tosses out MAGA Mike’s bill that he & his ReTrumplicans passed in the House;
5. Requires MAGA Mike now to get almost all of his R members on board with the Senate compromise bill;
6. Means that MAGA Mike will have to swear in the new AZ rep, who will sign on to the “release the Epstein files” discharge petition that guarantees a vote on (and passage of) that resolution; and finally
7. Contains an empty promise that the ReTrumplicans will hold a vote on extending ACA benefits.
When the ACA vote fails, the Dems can do it all over again in a couple months.
Happy New Year!
Love that!👍👏👏👏👏
Great comment!
I agree — I wrote the following—
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
IMHO people are over reacting. With respect to the Senate vote, it's not over. It will bring the House back to session. Jeffries says he'll hold the line. May lead to further negotiations.
Hopefully it'll be Epstein time. The most recent revelations involve money laudering allegations.
Many Congressional Republicans privately admit Trump is nuts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNzVt7q0W5A
I keep posting. According to Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) Trumpepstein may cause an "Epstein bomb" causing over 100 Republican members to "jailbreak" from Trump.
Massive Congressional visits November 18.
https://www.instagram.com/flare.usa/p/DP_mdOyjdiG/
Visit CongressionalRepublicans.
https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/851451/
I think that if we play our cards right, many can be convinced by the election outcome to come forward.
That’s definitely reasonable. I’m definitely looking forward to the Epstein files coming out.
Unfortunately most of them are either not running again or won't be running until 2028. So we all need to have long memories for the ones who are still trying to stay in the Senate. The fact that they're not up for re-election in 2026, or ever, makes it even more egregious that they caved in! Way to go out on a bad note. Those Senators who are retiring just tanked their own legacies permanently!
No doubts about it. Democrats must stand tall for the well-being of all American citizens since Republicans have lost their moral compass common decency!
None of the 8 are running again or were just reelected.
Unfortunately non of them are up for election until 28. 😆🤫
Lol no up for election 🗳️ lol 😆 shut up 🤐
Some of them were elected last year and won't face another primary until 2030.
This helped me not be quite so infuriated
https://substack.com/@kerri249808/note/c-175877994?r=13qfb1&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
I'm willing to accept the resignation right here and right now and I'm sure millions of others are as well. If they're going to vote with the Republicans they might as well leave office now cuz they aren't doing us a damn bit of good. That's my opinion anyway
And cut their pay. Done.
That's my opinion also.
I agree with you completely 💯
I agree!
What would extending the shut down accomplish at this point?
Oh I don't know making sure that Democrats stand their ground and they fight to keep the price of health insurance down for over 20 million Americans and they fight for SNAP benefits for over 40 million Americans and just in general doing the right thing for all Americans versus the GOP that just want to give tax breaks to the billionaires and screw the little people.
I AM one of those Americans who lost my healthcare. My ACA monthly premiums have already increased from approx $50 to $1,058.78; my insurance already lapsed. Neither of my employers schedule workers for more than 29 hours a week so I’m not eligible for employer provided insurance. MAGA rejected the proposal to extend ACA benefits for 1 year so extending the shut down wouldn’t change that.
SNAP
Federal courts ordered SNAP payments to be paid; people who receive benefits during the first week of each month received their benefits this weekend; the remainder of the benefits will be paid on time. So, SNAP benefits are no longer being withheld.
MAGA mouse Johnson used the shutdown to say:
*”Once gov is re-opened, we’ll fix healthcare”.
*Once the gov is open, we’ll swear in Grijalva”.
MAGA mouse Johnson no longer has that excuse.
Maga can present their health care plan(they won’t bc they don’t have one & always intended on dismantling ACA to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy.
Now, the Epstein files can be released.
Now federal workers can go back to work thru the holidays.
This CR expires in January. Having given the magas an opportunity to keep their word (which we know they won’t), Democrats will be in a much stronger negotiating position at the end of January & with the continued maga broken promises, we will have more converts & independents with us.
I am one of those Americans whose monthly premium went from approx. $50 a month to $1,058.78. I can’t afford it, so my insurance has lapsed. I have pre-existing condition. Neither of my employers schedule workers for more than 29 hours, so I don’t qualify for employer provided insurance. MAGA is NEVER going to sustain ACA. That’s not going to change until democrats have a majority in both chambers, so extended shut down doesn’t fix healthcare.
Federal courts ordered SNAP payments to be paid. People who receive SNSP benefits during the first week of the month received their benefits this weekend. The rest of the benefits will be distributed on time. So SNAP benefits are no longer an issue.
As long as the shutdown continues, maga mouse Johnson has cover to say:
We’ll fix healthcare when the gov re-opens…
We’ll swear in Grijalva when the government re-opens.
An extended shutdown could have forced the GOP to allow the ACA supplemental cost coverage of what the government pays to extend to at least the end of 2026 so yes it could have done some good but we had eight Democrats cave.
It's even worse that 6 of them are exiting. They had nothing to lose and they chose this.
It was orchestrated that way. That hurts even more. It wasn’t just random turn coats. It was an orchestrated at the party level.
For sure. Even Schucks Tumor who orchestrated this betrayal wasn't even required to vote yes on this betrayal. He let himself off the hook and found others betrayers to do his dirty work.
I'm genuinely curious as to what sources folks can point to that suggests that Schumer actually planned this whole thing. I'm not trying to be difficult, honest. I'm just one of those people who likes to separate fact from opinion.
I agree. I'm a big fan of facts over wild speculation and assumption making. So far I've heard nothing but the latter. Give me evidence. The more that people scream that Schumer orchestrated this, the less I am inclined to believe it.
Wild speculation, conspiracy theories, and online hysteria are not just from MAGA. I see it all the time from liberals.I t's disallusioning. Blue Sky is utter crap.
Progressives need to make sure that a progressive candidate is put in place to primary these 8 "Democrats". Establishment Democrats will find a rat Republican to become the Democratic candidate which is what they always do.
I resent your remark. I am from New Hampshire, and you impugn the integrity of both my senators. Both women were in the house, then governors for long periods of time. You may not agree with them, but you should do some homework before you call them rat republicans.
2 have announced their retirement (Durbin and Shaheen) and the other 6 won’t come up for re-election until 2028 or 2030. We, their constituents, need to play the long game and primary them when the time comes. They probably hope we’ll forget by then, but we won’t.
How many of the traitorous 8 are funded by AIPAC!!!
Oy! Probably all of them 😫
NEVER FORGET THE TRAITOROUS 8!
And Kelly is not up for reelection until 2028. I think we need to stop with the name-calling. Remember the two biggest wins last week were moderate Democrats.
Kaine is not up for reelection until 2030. Just in time for Spanberger to finish her term as Governor and run for his seat.
Do not forget, and hold him accountable!
Fetterman is in until 2030 as well. I really need to question whether he is fit for office, especially after that stroke last year.
You're talk.\nIng about Mark Kelly he voted no
Sorry. The way he was being grilled on MSNBC this morning, I thought different.
That's okay 🙂 i've been on to make mistakes also
Yes, finally some common sense among the wild negative name calling. Both my senators, Shaheen and Hassan, are moderate democrats who were both governors of New Hampshire.
Perhaps you should be less insulted by the disparaging of your NH moderate Democrats and more insulted that they contributed to increasing all of our insurance costs with their votes. I'm from MA and comparatively, you have nothing to brag about.
Who are the insufferable 8?
Clearly, we would be much better off if those six had retired long ago!
I think those 6 are not leaving, but are simply not up for re-election next year.
Their vote could still make them vulnerable when they do come up for re-election IF their constituents remember what they've done.
See Punkette's comment below for a better explanation. Sorry - I didn't read far enough.
That won't come until 2030. To far off to matter!
Are they all on the AIPAC payroll???
Well if the Cr did pass with the Healthcare subsidies through the Senate ! lol No way does Mike Johnson bring it to the house floor ! Dead on arrival! Let’s tell the truth here! The Democrats did fight for almost two months! The snap Benefits to me was a factor for the 8 Dems to panic and give in …
I don’t even feel they gave in. I think they got all of the leverage out of the shut down that could be gotten. I believe it was a strategic decision to put the magas back on the hot seat & take away their excuse for not fixing healthcare & not swearing in Congresswoman Grijalva.
I agree with you. Furthermore, holding out longer might have played into Trump's hands. We should all stay United and keep on pushing for next year and the midterms, and to keep fighting back on every issue now that the government's back open and we had such a great election day.
Thank you. I agree.
I agree — I wrote the following—
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
Absolutely. Finally a sane voice here!
Not sure if that was girls, if it was thank you 😊
Lawrence O'Donnell's in depth look at the end of the shutdown link below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqe0Suhoats&t=758s
If you have not seen it already, EVERYONE here needs to watch this!
Thank you. At work today; but I’ll read it.
I like your comment, thank you
I agree — I wrote the following—
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
We are on the same page. I need to read Kaine’s statement.
I think the 8 vote was strategic. The shutdown served the purpose of galvanizing people to the poles. You are absolutely correct, after the elections, the shutdown began to work in maga’s favor. MAGA is NEVER going to fix or even sustain ACA-that will only happen when democrats control both chambers. Maga has to dismantle ACA & other “least of these” programs to pay for their tax cuts for the rich.
I got a letter from Kaine it was called Reopenimg the Government — just the title felt good
Okay here is his letter
Friends,
Last night I voted for a deal to reopen the government, and I want you to hear directly from me about why.
I said from the start that to earn my vote, we needed to be on a path toward fixing Republicans’ health care mess, and we needed to protect the federal workforce.
I voted “no” with my Democratic colleagues for 40 days because the GOP didn’t put anything on the table I could in good conscience vote “yes” on.
But over those 40 days, 2 million federal employees — and more than 300,000 in Virginia — were suffering. They missed two paychecks, with another around the corner. These workers, along with the millions of federal contractors who have been going without pay, have families that depend on them.
Beyond the pain of missing paychecks, hundreds of thousands of furloughed workers were wondering if they were next in line to be fired by Trump.
Tens of millions of SNAP recipients were going without benefits they rely on to put food on the table.
Air traffic was suffering nationwide — with real safety dangers.
And after 40 days, there was still no path to an Affordable Care Act vote. Republicans would not even debate an ACA fix until the government reopened — period.
So we negotiated for what we could get.
Last night’s vote paved the way to reopen the government with robust full-year funding for SNAP, WIC, and other important safety net services — because we just can’t let people go hungry.
All furloughed workers will return to work with backpay — so people can pay their mortgages, rent, and heating bills.
All the federal workers who Trump baselessly fired will be reinstated — and no federal agencies will be allowed to conduct mass layoffs for the duration of this funding bill.
Since Trump’s second term began, our federal workers have been constantly trashed. Tormented. Illegally fired. This deal is a big win for them.
Finally, last night’s vote gave us a path for an ACA fix to stop a devastating rise in premiums — something Republicans weren’t even willing to consider before last night. It’s not a guarantee, but I believe we can win this critical ACA battle if we fight for it together. We won’t win it if we turn to in-fighting.
And at a bare minimum, this fight will show the American people with complete clarity who is standing with them to make health care affordable, and who isn’t. That’s the real fight we need to focus on in 2026.
As we move forward, I will keep working toward a long-term government spending plan that supports Virginians and all Americans.
Thanks for reading.
—Tim Kaine
Ok . Whatever. What are they doing to stop ICE from abducting and dissapearing people. Not all of them are criminal immigrants. What about their families.? This isnt American Values in action. Its illegal kidnapping.
I see people doing as much as they can. Your logic is strange. Newsom is making it illegal to wear masks. Pritzger is doing things. I see many doing their best against an evil leader and his Gestapo. The government open again actually gives them more power. Like trying to get certain votes and financial oversight even if they don’t let them, there is a public record of it to hejp people see what is going on etc
Great comment. Yes I think people are hurting. The whole thing is really scary and it was going to backfire much longer. I don’t think they caved at all. I think it was strategic. And I really wish people would stop attacking them And Schumer.
I think some are bad faith actors to get is to think this is a loss instead of a win and push good people out,
Did you read the long one from someone else?
It was really good. Here it is.
My initial reaction was “oh no!” However, the more I thought about it, the Democrats moves last Friday and over the weekend make good sense.
Why?
1) Republicans were never going to get to “yes” on extending ACA premium benefits so what was the end-game? Government shut down for half a year? A year?
2) Dem’s reasonable proposal on Friday to open the govt. in exchange for a one year extension of ACA benefits made it clear Republicans weren’t interested in addressing healthcare. OK. Voters remember this next November.
3) Democrats have been very successful in focusing the shutdown on the issue of healthcare. Dems also revealed Trump’s willingness to weaponize food relief even restricting states from sending out SNAP benefits!
4) This is the first battle in a long war. It’s not over. In January we’re right back at it again.
5) What Democrats did win was an opportunity to put a bill on the floor of the Senate, have it debated in public, and Republicans will have to vote “yes” or “no” on extending healthcare premium benefits. The spotlight will be back on the Republicans once again.
6) The consequences of the shutdown were getting pretty dire. If a plane crashed who do you think the public would blame? The prospect of an air mishap was getting more realistic with every passing day. The public’s blame for the shutdown, now squarely on Trump and Republicans, could have quickly flipped.
And now…(this is not being discussed enough)
7) The House of Representatives will have to come back into session to vote on a budget extension. This means that the representative from Arizona will need to be seated and they have 218 votes to open up the Epstein file. A little jijitsu at work.
Democrats have an uncanny ability to take a win and turn it into defeat. The clutching of fists and screams of capitulation only gives Trump the appearsnce of a win. Take the win and yell it from the rooftop. The public sees who’s on their side. Dems had better stop blurring the lines by claiming defeat.
In the words of Sun Tzu in the Art of War: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
Also- I agree on Fetterman. I’ve never trusted him, something is off with him.
Yeah, I felt it right away. The state had a chance to vote for a hero in my mind Connor Lamb (I’ll have to check the spelling). Right away, I
thought, man did they blow it. Picked the wrong guy. But once the election was over, I hoped what I
Thought I saw was wrong. I cheered for him when he was sick. But something always felt inauthentic with some things. So here we are. Turns out I was seeing it right. And on this thinking. Mamdani is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I am non partisan. But I pretty much vote democratic (only voted for an independent once otherwise democrats) Democrats can see some of the shadow of the other side. But they don’t see their own shadow. AOC apologized for being wrong about Fetterman. Well, there are others and Mamdani is one of them. Should be interesting when she and others see they have made a similar mistake. Heard someone on Acosta’s show but I couldn’t respond without being paid subscriber saying things about well just his youth and charisma count for good — uh okay first of all I see his spirit and it is not good. And yeah when has youth and charisma been a bad thing? Hmmm integrity should be the most important issue. And if you have multiple high quality integrity people, then policy can be more important. Okay we’ll see how you handle what I just wrote.
Agreed here. I think this is a messaging win if the Dems would stop the infighting and get aligned on next step.
Little mikey johnson will look more obviously suspicious he has no interest in bringing his magat coalition back for a vote or to seta adelita.
In Tennessee, minimum wage hasn’t been increased since 2009; it’s still $7.25 an hour- which of course depresses all other wages. In 2009, the average 1 br apt. In East Tn was $450; now it’s $1100 a month. The average utility bill for a 1 br apt. Was $150-$200; now it’s $275-$350.
100% agree!
I agree
Great comment! I agree!
I agree — I wrote the following—
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
It wasn't panic. It was real moral leadership: we are NOT going to stop feeding America's hungry children only to make a point!
First of all, there's something really wrong in this country if one in eight families rely on SNAP to get by. We need to really do something about the minimum wage and taxing billionaires.
But I came here to say that the "Cavin' 8" don't realize that Trump's base only respects power....they have no idea about good governmental stewardship or anything else, so for the Democrats to give into bullying just strengthens Trump's base. They think it's Trump-as-Superman vs the mealy-mouthed Libruls, and they "won".
Yap the Republicans refused to raise the Minimum Wage. America is too expensive.
This wasn't a political move. The goal wasn't to miraculously get MAGA voters to vote for Democrats.
It was a GOVERNANCE move.
The goal was to stop the destruction of SNAP and the further destruction of the government that the GOP wanted.
And Trump's base has been entirely fooled by fake news. They have NO idea whatsoever of what REAL "strength" means. So whatever Dems do, the GOP media spin it into a win for the GOP, and they gobble it up. There is no reason to imagine that from now on, Democrats could/should do something to directly refute the fake news. It's way too late for that...
We do have Meidas & Legal AF now🙃. One of them topped 1 million subscribers this week & I think Meidas topped ALL news across ALL medias.!!!!
My ass it is
I agree Anne. The only wanna own the libs. Whatever that even means. 🙄
No they panicked period !
Period... ? That's how you'll save democracy? By fleeing any real debate and just yelling... ?
Here is how you save Democracy in 24 we had an election and 7 Million people stayed home ! Big mistake get out and vote people didn’t election have consequences!! Kamala Harris told Millions of Americans Trump and GOP are coming to take healthcare and people didn’t believe her !
Exactly, but that means that we vitally need more debates among citizens who disagree, rather than fewer.
Yes ! But in 24 we had election 7 Million people stayed home ! Kamala Harris told Millions of Americans Trump and his GOP were coming to take healthcare and here we are !!!!
No, put we will yank their Healthcare out from under them.
Thank you I like your comment!
I agree — I wrote the following—
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
But Mike Johnson and crew DO VOTE ON IT because the house has not seen the CR yet
Not with the changes that would have happened if the Healthcare subsidies were added !Mike Johnson is Trump ‘s little rat 🐀
After all of this, I dont think Senator Thune would have sent up legislation that he didn’t know the House would approve. The majority leaders do talk privately.
You can be sure maga mouse Johnson & Thune are on the same page. Even though they didn’t come to Washington, magas were still having their committee & conference calls. They weren’t talking to democrats or media, but they were definitely communicating. They’ve all admitted that in interviews.
I don’t think Thune would’ve presented legislation that the house would not support. The Magas still talk in private.
I think (at least some) of the signers think that there will be a good faith nonpartisan group who will work on a reasonable healthcare plan for the U.S. That is part of the agreement. Certainly, the ACA is not the best we can come up with. The problem is that this has not happened so far in many past attempts and I have no confidence that there are enough reasonable R's to come up with one now (particularly with so many wacko and MAGA R's in Congress now ). Don't get me wrong---I don't agree with them caving (at this time) but I can understand why some D's were so pained by the results of the SNAP cutbacks.
I don't think so. They know the GOP wants to destroy the ACA. It's just that with a separate vote, the GOP won't be able to hide behind Democrats because that's when they'll all vote against extending the tax credits.
And fighting for SNAP isn't "caving". It's taking responsibility. That's what ALL real leaders do.
The Courts have already shown they will not let SNAP benefits go unpaid. As long as the shut down continued, maga mouse Johnson had cover to say,”We’ll fix healthcare when the gov re-opens. We’ll swear in Grijalva when the gov re-opens”. Now they don’t have that cover. The ball is back in their court. Once maga refused the ACA 1 year extension proposal, it was clear they were dug in as long as there was a shut down. Remember this CR only lasts through January. So let federal workers return to work at least thru the holidays; fund SNAP without delays & other essential services (except ACA) thru the holidays; get the Epstein files released; see what the magas put up for healthcare resolution, and start over in Feb. My ACA monthly premium already increased from approx. $50 a month to $1,058.78 a month. My insurance has already lapsed. I don’t think continuing the shut down would accomplish anything else.
Exactly.
And SO sorry to hear that your premium already went from $50 to... more than $1,000. It's utterly immoral...
I am a person of faith. Everything happens for a reason.
Not everything … but hopefully God will turn it to good for you. 🙏 ✨
Nice dreams, Democrats had the winning hand, and they fumbled, and now we are all condemned to Trump's cruelty. The Old Guard of the Democratic Party needs to be retired to young progressives.
What would extending the shut down have accomplished? MAGAs rejected the proposal to extend ACA for 1 year; they’re dug in on that. The shut down gave cover to keep federal workers laid off, prevented the Epstein files from being released. The courts forced SNAP benefits to be paid- people who receive benefits in the first week of the month received their benefits this weekend & the remainder will be paid on time. ACA premiums have already gone up, extending the shut down doesn’t change that. This CR only lasts thru January; then we start over.
It would demonstrate that we DO NOT bow down, but Trump will take his cruelty to a whole new level. Just keep watching.
What a horrible idea
Excellent comment. Oh my goodness on the premiums!
Yes. Also worth remembering that the ACA, as originally written, would have been much better than what we ended up with. In an effort to make the act bi-partisan and win republican votes, Democrats compromised a number of measures contained in the bill, weakening it. Republicans then rewarded the effort by not giving it a single vote. The GOP has been rotten for at least the last 30 years. Where there’s no honor, there can be no trust. Hard to bargain in good faith with Cheaters.
That's false.
Without 60 votes in the Senate, the ACA could not pass. And Democrats at the time did NOT have 60 votes. So they HAD to compromise. That's how democracy works.
Turns out that the 60th vote needed had to come from someone who was on McCain's shortlist to become his VP.
Lieberman in the end voted for the ACA but forced Democrats to drop the public option, after Pelosi had already successfully passed it in the House.
The whole idea that Dems would be these naive idiots that the media so often depict is utterly ridiculous. They WORK with the GOP day in day out, so if anyone knows they cannot be trusted, it's them!
But yes, indeed, one of the reasons why it wasn't possible to install single payer (Medicare for All, ...) is because the GOP had been lying about it, and for decades. They WANT to destroy people's healthcare. Only when that finally sinks in and people stop voting for them will this disaster end.
Thanks for your input. Yes, the ACA’s passage was complicated & Ted Kennedy passed away then too. Here’s what I found at Ballotpedia.
“ In July 2009, House Democrats introduced the Affordable Health Care for America Act, the precursor to the Affordable Care Act. The House passed the bill on November 7, 2009, with the votes of 219 Democrats and one Republican (Rep. Joseph Cao (R-La.)). Thirty-nine Democrats and 176 Republicans voted against the bill. On December 24, 2009, the Senate passed its version of the bill 60-39, with all Democrats voting in favor of the bill and all Republicans but one voting against it (Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) was not present for the vote).[3]”
https://ballotpedia.org/Affordable_Care_Act
Yes.
Thank you for your awesome comments 🙏
I agree! All Americans should have healthcare.
I do not believe the republicons will ever negotiate. They got what they wanted and will laugh about it. Pay for it not or pay later, we will not gain from this agreement whatsoever.
Time to read more history and less fairy tales
I think we agree. The 2025 plan said they would dismantle healthcare and they did. We will not solve the healthcare crisis until we have a majority in both houses. I think people will be surprised to see how many republicans will support a health care plan when voters flex their muscles, maga is diminished, and the pressure is reversed.
I agree with some of your comment. I don’t think there are many good faith republicans left — insurrectionists gotta go
There are too many magas in congress right now to even sustain ACA, let alone fix healthcare. We MUST stay united, get a majority in both houses; then we can fix it.
If the Dems don’t start 📝selecting wolves in sheep’s clothing and keep listening to sabotaging thinking like replacing wisdom with young progressives — this will be a horrible idea
Integrity character wisdom etc When you bring in just youth this has problems beyond lack of wisdom. Do we know them? Are they who we think? Etc This will be a sabotaging strategy. I know there are bad faith actors that want this. They are using this and it’s not even a loss — to attack the 8 and Shumer. Listen, the enemy wants this
I love the strong progressives- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jasmine Crockett, mayor Elect Mamdani, Bernie Sanders, Governor Newsome…but I’m also stickin’ with Senator Schumer, Representative Jeffries, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Adam Schiff.
I’m a progressive, but if we want to achieve a land slide victory with a REAL mandate like last week’s champions earned, we can’t do it with progressives alone. We need moderates, and independents, AND maga converts.
We have to have a diverse leadership team with charisma & energy, bulldog fight, but also grace, dignity, forgiveness, and kind strategists with wisdom and experience.
We have to know how to except converts.
We have to grab their hand, not slap it.
We have to welcome them, not criticize them for past mistakes.
We have to give them a chance, show grace, be kind, make them comfortable, introduce them to joy!!!
Not shower them with suspicion mistrust.
I used to have a horrible opinion of all the Cheneys before the Jan 6 hearings; but I am a Liz Cheney convert. We may always disagree on how to best stimulate the economy, gun control, reproductive freedom, but I have no doubt that she will always defend our constitution. I believe her intent is good, she learned from her father but is NOT her father and she wants what is best for America.
I probably don’t want her running the EPA but I think she’d be great in the Justice department.
I think Chris Christy would be great in D.O.J. or State Department.
I want a soldier’s five star general running the Defense department, not some hair and make-up weekend Fox News host that uses his position to cosplay a 50 year old movie that glorified bad abusive military leadership. I don’t care what their party affiliation is as long as they only send troops into combat as a last resort. I want him or her to be smart enough to out-maneuver the enemy with intelligence & technology.
I want a championship team to get us the win and then to lead this country to reach our unrealized potential.
RISE UP!!!
RESIST!!!
I like Cheney; she has integrity. She knows the orange beast is dangerous . An enemy.
All for working with all who have good faith.
Mamdani wolf in sheep’s clothing. (Doesn’t matter what affiliation)
Really? I like Mamdani, but I haven’t really done a deep dive on him. But if nothing else, he energized new voters. Everyone is watching him more than any other elected official, so hopefully that will keep him honest. He’s studied a lot of other governments that provide universal health care, affordable housing, and things like daycare that enable people to pursue careers. 🤞🏽
The GOP can NOT be trusted to negotiate fairly in any of this and I think it is foolish to think that they would. How many times has the GOP does this to the Democrats and they keep falling for it? It’s ridiculous.
It is true that potentially none left have any good faith; any member that is trusting what the White House or Johnson is saying is duped. They are liars and worse. With that said, I think it was the best solution considering. They will just have to keep showing the people their games and desire to destroy, be cruel, and do the opposite of helping. Honestly, I think we will need the intervention of the Almighty combined with our best efforts to liberate us from this tyranny and horror.
My faith guides my opinion on public policy, but I don’t believe in proselytizing. It usually has the opposite effect. I only talk about faith when someone brings it up. But you are SO right about intervention. In my faith, we believe that as the strongest fallen angel, satan is more powerful than humans. Only God can protect us from & defeat satan. But it only takes “the faith of a mustard seed”…and where more than one gather…He will answer.
*We must stay united.
*We must defend and protect each other
*We must carry our brothers and sisters so they can be with us
*We must pray mightily
My favorite part of the Declaration of Independencei is the final clause:
“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
I agree that maga republicans cannot be trusted. But there have always been and will always be good honest republicans who want what’s best for this country- Howard Baker, John McCain. There have also always been democratic scoundrels too- Eric Adams, Cuomo, Linden B. Johnson.
No democracy will survive with only one party.
Democracy requires compromise, or you end up with chaos or authoritative autocracy.
If anything, we need a more pluralistic system, with real representation based on voting percentages- no more “winner takes all”. Thats how you end up with more disgruntled people than represented people; no more electoral system.
There ARE no SNAP benefits until MAGA Mike says there are. The Democrats got absolutely nothing. It will never pass the House, so all they did was piss everyone off.
November SNAP benefits have been distributed in response to several federal court orders; 5 billion in SNAP benefits were distributed this weekend, with the remaining to be distributed on time. Recipients don’t receive benefits on the same day. Benefits are staggered throughout the month.
I am 100% with Ben!!!
Ben is wrong . No way Mike Johnson being the CR bill to the house floor with healthcare subsidies in the bill ! It would be dead on arrival..
Wolf in sheep’s clothing — it’s in the Bible. Doesn’t have to be a religious prophet just someone pretending to be one thing and really another in a certain kind of way. It matters not what he has studied or what he says or how much fake smiling and created political stuff he does. if he is a wolf and not a sheep. I hope Hochul wins. I think she will help.
There is a shadow on the right. There is a shadow on the left.
He is part of the shadow on the left. And by shadow I mean people’s blind spots, etc A lawyer was running in the race I really liked him. He had his number. See if you can find his feed. I’ll let you go the deep dive.
Look the Government had to reopen. Children were going hungry! The government workers were being laid off and not paid. Airport employees were working with no pay!
I agree with you. Dems should not be attacking the 8 and they should show how they are trying to fight for people while the other are trying to destroy. They were using the shutdown to destroy more.
I have already sent Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassen emails today expressing my disappointment and anger at their capitulation to the GOP! Jeanne Shaheen is retiring at the end of her term so she’s pretty much a lame duck to begin with. I’m very disappointed in Maggie Hassen. I understand they care about their constituents, hurting by not having food however capitulating to this GOP regime Should not have happened. We need to make sure the GOP gets blamed for everything!
I’ve also let Durbin (IL) know exactly how I feel about his disgraceful vote.
I believe our democrates got the most they could have and that they accelerated the possibility those who are hurting will get relief. As an active food pantry volunteer, I have seen the pains of our people, and a doubling of of the number seeking first time help. That said, I do agree with you "We need to make sure the GOP gets blamed for everything!"
I understand very much the pain that people are suffering in the breadlines and at the food pantries. I’ve seen it. But this is a game to the GOP. They don’t care about anybody, but they’re wealthy friends and their selves.
By caving now it just gets worse
Great comment thank you
I agree — I wrote the following—
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
I agree with your post and I like your post.
As a nurse, I see them in true physical pain over not having adequate Healthcare or no Healthcare at all.
Those who have announced and those planning to retire should do it now and let governors or a special election to get new folks in. No reason for Shaheen and Hassan to continue their lame duck tenures. Get some fighters in there to go to bat for us!
Hassan is up for reelection in 2026. I’m hoping somebody else will step up now for the Democratic Party. Chris Pappas, who is a congressman from New Hampshire is running for Jeanne Shaheen Shaheen seat. I’m behind him 100%. I don’t know who would take over for Hassan.
As far as Hassan goes, can't they find a convicted Democrat Felon to run against Hassan . Maybe a used car salesman.
It was as if they said, after Tuesday's election, "How long will it take us to screw this up?" and then went for it. Angus King, my (Independent!) senator here in Maine, really disappointed. I made sure to convey this to his office. No point in hitting up Fetterman, he's a lost cause, but damn! Angus? UGH!!!! I'm pissed with you, Ben.
My initial reaction was “oh no!” However, the more I thought about it, the Democrats moves last Friday and over the weekend make good sense.
Why?
1) Republicans were never going to get to “yes” on extending ACA premium benefits so what was the end-game? Government shut down for half a year? A year?
2) Dem’s reasonable proposal on Friday to open the govt. in exchange for a one year extension of ACA benefits made it clear Republicans weren’t interested in addressing healthcare. OK. Voters remember this next November.
3) Democrats have been very successful in focusing the shutdown on the issue of healthcare. Dems also revealed Trump’s willingness to weaponize food relief even restricting states from sending out SNAP benefits!
4) This is the first battle in a long war. It’s not over. In January we’re right back at it again.
5) What Democrats did win was an opportunity to put a bill on the floor of the Senate, have it debated in public, and Republicans will have to vote “yes” or “no” on extending healthcare premium benefits. The spotlight will be back on the Republicans once again.
6) The consequences of the shutdown were getting pretty dire. If a plane crashed who do you think the public would blame? The prospect of an air mishap was getting more realistic with every passing day. The public’s blame for the shutdown, now squarely on Trump and Republicans, could have quickly flipped.
And now…(this is not being discussed enough)
7) The House of Representatives will have to come back into session to vote on a budget extension. This means that the representative from Arizona will need to be seated and they have 218 votes to open up the Epstein file. A little jijitsu at work.
Democrats have an uncanny ability to take a win and turn it into defeat. The clutching of fists and screams of capitulation only gives Trump the appearsnce of a win. Take the win and yell it from the rooftop. The public sees who’s on their side. Dems had better stop blurring the lines by claiming defeat.
In the words of Sun Tzu in the Art of War: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
Fantastic! Thank you wish you were giving some oriole advice. Like I hope Ben, Adam Kinzinger, and Newsom— all 3 I love — will read your amazing analysis — 🥇
I agree — I wrote the following—
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
So what was the end game?
In my opinion, the end game was to outlast the Republicans and make them entirely responsible for the pain. Public opinion was starting to sway toward the Democrats now that Trump's base was losing SNAP and the airlines were shutting down. But we blinked. And now Trump can crow that he "fixed it" and take credit for ending the shutdown. Democrats need to realize the game is different nowadays, Republicans cannot be trusted and they have only one end in mind: to turn this country into a giant plantation for the rich.
My initial reaction was “oh no!” However, the more I thought about it, the Democrats moves last Friday and over the weekend make good sense.
Why?
1) Republicans were never going to get to “yes” on extending ACA premium benefits so what was the end-game? Government shut down for half a year? A year?
2) Dem’s reasonable proposal on Friday to open the govt. in exchange for a one year extension of ACA benefits made it clear Republicans weren’t interested in addressing healthcare. OK. Voters remember this next November.
3) Democrats have been very successful in focusing the shutdown on the issue of healthcare. Dems also revealed Trump’s willingness to weaponize food relief even restricting states from sending out SNAP benefits!
4) This is the first battle in a long war. It’s not over. In January we’re right back at it again.
5) What Democrats did win was an opportunity to put a bill on the floor of the Senate, have it debated in public, and Republicans will have to vote “yes” or “no” on extending healthcare premium benefits. The spotlight will be back on the Republicans once again.
6) The consequences of the shutdown were getting pretty dire. If a plane crashed who do you think the public would blame? The prospect of an air mishap was getting more realistic with every passing day. The public’s blame for the shutdown, now squarely on Trump and Republicans, could have quickly flipped.
And now…(this is not being discussed enough)
7) The House of Representatives will have to come back into session to vote on a budget extension. This means that the representative from Arizona will need to be seated and they have 218 votes to open up the Epstein file. A little jijitsu at work.
Democrats have an uncanny ability to take a win and turn it into defeat. The clutching of fists and screams of capitulation only gives Trump the appearsnce of a win. Take the win and yell it from the rooftop. The public sees who’s on their side. Dems had better stop blurring the lines by claiming defeat.
In the words of Sun Tzu in the Art of War: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
Sun Tzu taught that preparationf for war is vital. Secrecy and knowing the enemy.........not throwing them a lifeline
Explain to us how we were going to get 12 Republicans to join us?
First of all.......call in an expert at deprograming cult followers. Cut them off from attending their Christian Nationalist chuch and cancel their Grindr passwords.
Make sure the child porn sites are closed permanently. Cancel the cable so Fox News cannot be watched.
There may be a slight chance they see the light. Make sure they study the definition of empathy.........still is a longshot.
Dems need to be more strategic and less emotional.
So what if an airplane went down due to an overworked, exhausted airport controller? This was a growing possibility. What if SNAP recipients went months without food? You really think the public wouldn’t have turned on Dems?
There are a lot of counterproductive things being injected — some by knowing bad faith actors. Rick Wilson is a bad faith a the and one time awhile ago started screaming at Dems to shut it fine! The government. This is from the dark. Unfortunately, many good people are being tricked and magnifying the propaganda which is very sabotaging. This is how the dark wins — they get both sides to work against their best interests. The person above who are claiming they just needed to keep going and make republicans responsible for all the pain is a lie. I suspect a number of these know what they are doing. Thank you for your beautiful comments of integrity, reason, and long suffering. Amen 🙏
Shutting the government down made sense yet the messaging about the end game was poor. The framing of why Dems would not support govt funding was: “Dems will not vote to re-open the government until Republicans support an extension of ACA premium supports” which then handed leverage back to Republicans (they never would vote to do so). However, what if our message was “Republicans refuse to address healthcare which they just blew up by gutting Medicaid and ACA and Democrats will not accept this. Until Republicans come to the table, we cannot support business as usual.”
No time limit is placed on the shutdown. All the pressure is on Republicans to deal with healthcare.Democrats control the message and maintain leverage.
When going to war, be clear about the end game and don’t lose control of leverage. Dems lost leverage when Trump demonstrated he was willing to burn the village to the ground to save it. While this made him look extreme and uncaring, Dems had to adjust their tactics or the pain in constituents was too great. We did maintain a focus on healthcare and in December will debate healthcare again. Republicans will sit in the hot seat.
I like what you wrote. I may have liked other things you wrote even more. I agree the Dems did not keep the messaging clear and it could appear like they were potentially just trying to get their platform instead of what you wrote that he was sabotaging the system without something else in place. However, I don’t agree with what most democrats are saying publicly (this includes those who are of good faith and those who are speaking propaganda while pretending to be Dems / basically wolves in sheep’s clothing as these exist on both sides of the aisle and pretend they are not working together). I think you wrote before about the real damage of lack of food, workers getting paid, layoffs, shutdown, potential real and fatal accidents with flights. As I read your excellent and more optimal messaging, I still don’t think the end goal of just letting other things that are also extremely important just crumble. I do not think the public would have liked it as their holidays were messed up. I was okay with the discomfort thinking.. yeah it would be on the orange beast. But it was more than discomfort and I do not think it would have made the Dems look good at all even though I understand their concern. I get they were trying to protect the health care but this left a vacuum for even more destroying. I think putting up a fight was very good. While I don’t think Angus expressed himself that great and a lot of people are tearing into him, I think he was right.. it wasn’t working, that’s because this regime with many in the regime don’t want to “succeed”, they want to steal, kill, and destroy (in the Bible). The people who are attacking angus saying yeah it was working look at the midterms and public opinion — that is mot equivalent with a mandate to keep the government closed no matter what. It meant, people were seeing the damage that was being caused. Every time I hear someone say they should have kept going and not caved, it rings false and not assessing the situation correctly. The messaging definitely needs to be better but I do not think that was the only problem. I think you wrote different messaging before. Like okay we tried and you can see they don’t want to help you etc and claim a win. One congressman thinks the only motive must have been hiding Epstein stuff because he said it was the only thing that made sense based on his previous experiences. He is not getting it. Many other people in the past have had some good faith and did not necessarily want to burn the place down. The orange beast and many others actually do want to burn the place down as you wrote. The destroyers along with their propaganda arm have made it so traumatic and confusing many have disengaged. And others are not doing the work to figure out who is really trying to hejp them and who isn’t. Caveat, while for awhile the Dems have had more good faith,there is a shadow growing within the dems. The solution will ultimately not be to be merely party line for anyone— it will be taking the time and struggle to really know the candidates and to SELECT and vote for the best ones.
So 6 months? 1 year? Trump would never let GOP Senators side with Dems. Do you think so? The strategy should have been clear: make Republicans the fall guys for destroying healthcare in America for millions of citizens. Mission accomplished.
What is said here is counterproductive — whether knowingly or unknowingly. Some bad faith actors promoting these things.
Angus said they had two goals and neither were happening, He said they negotiated for some things. I think he mentioned they didn’t have a goal or end point beyond the first two which they tried and weren’t working. I completely agree. They tried to stand up. But these guys used it to cause more pain, suffering, and destruction purposely. I really do not see how keeping the government shut down longer than now was going to help the Dems, people saw they tried. If they did it longer with food benefits, WIC, more layoffs, no pay, air traffic control problems God forbid accidents, cancelling flights with holidays and I’m sure urgent things too, etc -/ they Dems were going to look bad. It was going to backfire. I am non partisan — I vote Democratic (all but once and it was an independent) but sometimes some have a harder time with hierarchal issues / triage
And some on here are spreading the hate are most likely bad faith actors. Unfortunately, I am also seeing a number of great people with excellent hearts and minds jumping to this conclusion and labeling and attacking. I think they are wrong. Or at the very least, it seems most of these people had good reasoning and voted their conscience for the people. I implore some to take a break, pray, commune with the Almighty and come back for the next round/ battle.
I couldn’t see it — I sent you my comment
Exactly!
I agree — I wrote the following—
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
Let Dems celebrate our victory. Republicans look bad (healthcare and food) and the public knows who is supporting them. Want to talk about positive branding?
Beautiful! Now if you could get this to some of the people saying counterproductive. things.
Here’s Kaine’s letter
It was titled Reopening the Government and just that gent good
Friends,
Last night I voted for a deal to reopen the government, and I want you to hear directly from me about why.
I said from the start that to earn my vote, we needed to be on a path toward fixing Republicans’ health care mess, and we needed to protect the federal workforce.
I voted “no” with my Democratic colleagues for 40 days because the GOP didn’t put anything on the table I could in good conscience vote “yes” on.
But over those 40 days, 2 million federal employees — and more than 300,000 in Virginia — were suffering. They missed two paychecks, with another around the corner. These workers, along with the millions of federal contractors who have been going without pay, have families that depend on them.
Beyond the pain of missing paychecks, hundreds of thousands of furloughed workers were wondering if they were next in line to be fired by Trump.
Tens of millions of SNAP recipients were going without benefits they rely on to put food on the table.
Air traffic was suffering nationwide — with real safety dangers.
And after 40 days, there was still no path to an Affordable Care Act vote. Republicans would not even debate an ACA fix until the government reopened — period.
So we negotiated for what we could get.
Last night’s vote paved the way to reopen the government with robust full-year funding for SNAP, WIC, and other important safety net services — because we just can’t let people go hungry.
All furloughed workers will return to work with backpay — so people can pay their mortgages, rent, and heating bills.
All the federal workers who Trump baselessly fired will be reinstated — and no federal agencies will be allowed to conduct mass layoffs for the duration of this funding bill.
Since Trump’s second term began, our federal workers have been constantly trashed. Tormented. Illegally fired. This deal is a big win for them.
Finally, last night’s vote gave us a path for an ACA fix to stop a devastating rise in premiums — something Republicans weren’t even willing to consider before last night. It’s not a guarantee, but I believe we can win this critical ACA battle if we fight for it together. We won’t win it if we turn to in-fighting.
And at a bare minimum, this fight will show the American people with complete clarity who is standing with them to make health care affordable, and who isn’t. That’s the real fight we need to focus on in 2026.
As we move forward, I will keep working toward a long-term government spending plan that supports Virginians and all Americans.
Thanks for reading.
—Tim Kaine
Fetterman just as well should have a big red R on his forehead. It may be his health but either way he needs to go
We need to defeat him.
I checked, and Pennsylvania does not have recall of elected officials. That means we're stuck with Fetterman for the duration. Unless he does something really heinous and gets himself tossed out.
The “they” here I’m afraid are the complaining Democrats who are announcing to the world ”we lost”.
My initial reaction was “oh no!” However, the more I thought about it, the Democrats moves last Friday and over the weekend make good sense.
Why?
1) Republicans were never going to get to “yes” on extending ACA premium benefits so what was the end-game? Government shut down for half a year? A year?
2) Dem’s reasonable proposal on Friday to open the govt. in exchange for a one year extension of ACA benefits made it clear Republicans weren’t interested in addressing healthcare. OK. Voters remember this next November.
3) Democrats have been very successful in focusing the shutdown on the issue of healthcare. Dems also revealed Trump’s willingness to weaponize food relief even restricting states from sending out SNAP benefits!
4) This is the first battle in a long war. It’s not over. In January we’re right back at it again.
5) What Democrats did win was an opportunity to put a bill on the floor of the Senate, have it debated in public, and Republicans will have to vote “yes” or “no” on extending healthcare premium benefits. The spotlight will be back on the Republicans once again.
6) The consequences of the shutdown were getting pretty dire. If a plane crashed who do you think the public would blame? The prospect of an air mishap was getting more realistic with every passing day. The public’s blame for the shutdown, now squarely on Trump and Republicans, could have quickly flipped.
And now…(this is not being discussed enough)
7) The House of Representatives will have to come back into session to vote on a budget extension. This means that the representative from Arizona will need to be seated and they have 218 votes to open up the Epstein file. A little jijitsu at work.
Democrats have an uncanny ability to take a win and turn it into defeat. The clutching of fists and screams of capitulation only gives Trump the appearsnce of a win. Take the win and yell it from the rooftop. The public sees who’s on their side. Dems had better stop blurring the lines by claiming defeat.
In the words of Sun Tzu in the Art of War: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
Sun Tzu had it right. It could be that this country will be taken over by Russia without firing a shot with Putin's man in the White House. Russian meddling in the 2016 election installed his puppet.
Let’s cool down.
I wrote a different post to Ben, encouraging the sane thing 👍🏻
Yes all this. They're problem is messaging and infighting now. They need to get aligned and quickly that the onus is now on little mikey johnson to bring back his maga coalition for a vote. He can't behind it any longer.
Their*
Exactly… and they will see them for who they are — liars, bad faith
I agree — I wrote the following—
Ben, please read Tim Kaine’s response. I’m sorry I think they negotiated for a decent amount on other desperate issues and I do not see how going longer was going to fix it. I don’t acknowledge he is president. He is a usurper of our government along with many others — insurrectionist / traitor . I agree one cannot negotiate with sociopaths. I hope the things Kaine wrote come to fruition. But listen, continuing the path wasn’t going to be the fix people were crying for. I hope people will see it was the Dems fighting for them I think if they had continued, it was going to start looking like it was the Dems shutting down the government and causing lay offs,, no pay, fear of no back pay, flights cancelled, accidents, etc. The midterms showed that the people do not like what is happening— that doesn’t mean we all want the government to stay shut down. They were using it to create more damage. Was the plan to go until the next vote? As angus said they didn’t have a goal past their immediate goals and they weren’t working. I do not think wins in the midterm means everyone thought the Dems had to jeep pursuing one course. There are no easy solutions here. Please stop attacking the 8. (Except I think Fetterman may be a turn coat for other reasons). I read other explanations and they seem like they are in good faith. I do not think it was cowardly at all. Actually, I think it might have been really brave. I didn’t go in depth with all but my feeling was that generally they voted their conscience in good faith for good reasons. I read Kaine’s reasons and I think they are very good and sound. I encourage you to reassess. Sincerely, one of your fans GS this was written before I heard one or more say they got promises from the White House — that’s useless. I thought when reading Kaine’s reasons he was voting because of the pain and damage to people because of the shut down. We will just have to show how they don’t want to help people in additional ways.
EXCELLENT POST!
Well said.
My initial reaction was “oh no!” However, the more I thought about it, the Democrats moves last Friday and over the weekend make good sense.
Why?
1) Republicans were never going to get to “yes” on extending ACA premium benefits so what was the end-game? Government shut down for half a year? A year?
2) Dem’s reasonable proposal on Friday to open the govt. in exchange for a one year extension of ACA benefits made it clear Republicans weren’t interested in addressing healthcare. OK. Voters remember this next November.
3) Democrats have been very successful in focusing the shutdown on the issue of healthcare. Dems also revealed Trump’s willingness to weaponize food relief even restricting states from sending out SNAP benefits!
4) This is the first battle in a long war. It’s not over. In January we’re right back at it again.
5) What Democrats did win was an opportunity to put a bill on the floor of the Senate, have it debated in public, and Republicans will have to vote “yes” or “no” on extending healthcare premium benefits. The spotlight will be back on the Republicans once again.
6) The consequences of the shutdown were getting pretty dire. If a plane crashed who do you think the public would blame? The prospect of an air mishap was getting more realistic with every passing day. The public’s blame for the shutdown, now squarely on Trump and Republicans, could have quickly flipped.
And now…(this is not being discussed enough)
7) The House of Representatives will have to come back into session to vote on a budget extension. This means that the representative from Arizona will need to be seated and they have 218 votes to open up the Epstein file. A little jijitsu at work.
Democrats have an uncanny ability to take a win and turn it into defeat. The clutching of fists and screams of capitulation only gives Trump the appearsnce of a win. Take the win and yell it from the rooftop. The public sees who’s on their side. Dems had better stop blurring the lines by claiming defeat.
In the words of Sun Tzu in the Art of War: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
I supported Fetterman when he was dealing with medical issues! Vocally and financially! I’m so disgusted and disappointed right now!
Fetterman was different when he started out. Now he sees which side of the bread has the butter on it.
So incredibly disappointing. However, in the next step in the process, I understand that these 8 can flip their votes, put a cog in the wheel. Let’s see if they come to their senses. Judy & Donna at The Red Lipstick Forum
Stop it. Democrats have an uncanny ability to take a win and turn it into defeat. The clutching of fists and screams of capitulation only gives Trump the appearsnce of a win. Take the win and yell it from the rooftop. The public sees who’s on their side. Dems had better stop blurring the lines by claiming defeat.
In the words of Sun Tzu in the Art of War: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
I’m hearing that so many people want to leave the Democratic Party because of this, so understandable right now. But that might be an overreaction to what a handful of senators just did. I certainly hope we can correct this course.
Are they being bombarded with phone calls, texts etc. ? They should be.
The stupid part is that the Democrats actually believe that the Republicans are going to discuss this once the CR is signed??They cannot be trusted. They will not discuss it again and the subsidies are lost forever.😡😡😡
xactly! I completely agree with you. It’s incredibly frustrating that Democrats keep falling for the same traps—acting as if Republicans will suddenly negotiate in good faith once they get what they want. History shows us they won’t. You’re right, the moment that CR is signed, the conversation ends and those subsidies are gone for good.
It’s infuriating to watch them trade away real progress for empty promises. We need leaders who understand that you can’t bargain with bad faith and expect integrity in return.
They know this. They've learned this by now. They need to get their messaging aligned now how it's on little mikey johnson to take his magat coalition off extended (paid) vacation and do their job.
Sucks but lots of people are already hurting because of this. Mikey won't have anything to hide behind any longer. If he doesn't come back to work, pretty obvious across the political spectrum he never operated in good faith.
I do not trust the Republicans as far as I can throw them!
Could it be a strategic move on the part of the Democrats? Those in need (including red states, obviously) have now felt the fear of losing SNAP benefits. Now they will see the reality of losing their health care or spending substantially more on insurance. In December, Congresspeople will have to publicly vote on ACA subsidies. Americans will see who is for them and who is not.
Stand strong, Meidas! Thank you for your strong words and stance. Those 8 are cowards. Absolutely no excuse for their actions. 💙🇺🇸🙏
Literally 50% of this post is an AD. Disgraceful. Also call for Schumer resignation. Clearly he is too weak to lead at min. Culpable at worst.
Yes, Ben! You are SO accurate. Manifesting the future and centering on that image will bring the desired result!
DINO=Democrats in Name ONLY
Thank you Ben💙💜