And the base of that is that I am a believer in limiting harm to others. The thought that government should be used to better the lives of as many people as possible. And, that it should definitely help those that are ‘ the least of these’.
So, why, I can be angry at the 8 Democratic Senators who went along with the Republicans.. we never should have been put in the position between choosing people who were being starved vs healthcare. In what world should this have remotely been a choice?
I REALLY have no tolerance for those who claim that there are NO DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE POLITICAL PARTIES.
REALLY?
SERIOUSLY?
In this day and age, you can purse your lips to say that?
Excellent Post from The Establishment Bar on this topic from this week:
Dead Americans Can’t Get Healthcare
Posted by Proud Establishment Dem
November 11, 2025
The time to end the shutdown was November 5, 2024.
That is the only time that the American people had the opportunity to prevent what happened on late Sunday night. This was more than a six week government shutdown; this was a ten-month mission by a party of goddamn psychopaths who inherently opposes the social safety net. Who inherently opposes the fact that Obamacare provides affordable healthcare to 22 million Americans. Who openly and willingly are preventing the swearing-in of a United States congresswoman in order to protect a platoon of pedophiles. They are who they said they would be. Project 2025 publicly codified their beliefs and broadcasted it to anyone who was listening. Despite all this, 6 million Democrats said no to Kamala who had previously said yes to Joe Biden and 89 million Americans couldn’t be bothered to walk a few blocks and engage in our democracy’s most simple task of voting. We, as a country, sealed our fate on that November evening.
Since January, Democrats have been in the minority. Meaning there isn’t a whole helluva lot they can do. This is why the Senate was able to appoint terrible people like RFK, Jr. This is why the big, beautiful bill passed without a single Democratic vote. But when the clock approached October 1st, Democrats suddenly had a chance. You see, Congress must vote to fund the government each fiscal year and while that vote requires a simple majority in the House, it requires a 60 vote threshold in the Senate. That means that Republicans suddenly needed the votes of at least 7 Democratic senators to keep government open. For the first time, Democrats could negotiate with Republicans for policies that would benefit the American people. Democrats honed in on the ACA subsidies which were set to expire at the end of the year. Were Congress not to renew these subsidies, then healthcare costs would spike for over 22 million Americans starting in January. The government shutdown was the Democrats’ only way to bring this issue not only to congressional Republicans but to the American people.
It was the political equivalent of a hostage blinking in Morse code. Not everyone would notice, but those that did would see something terribly wrong. Over the course of 40 days, Republicans made it clear that they wanted nothing to do with extending the ACA subsidies. They believed that the public would be on their side. This belief continued into November when the government shutdown caused SNAP recipients to not receive their monthly benefit. With 42 million Americans now on the verge of even more extreme food insecurity, Democrats worked the courts to try and compel the Trump Administration to do the right thing. But with Republicans more than happy to let poor people starve, Democrats were left with a choice: continue the fight or take what they can get and try to come back for more.
Remarkably, Democrats came away with a fairly significant haul which includes a continuing resolution that funds the government through January 30th. That gets millions of government employees back on the payroll and prevents what would have likely been utter chaos with a reduced air traffic control workforce working during the holidays. SNAP will be funded through the fiscal year, giving 42 million Americans breathing room once again. There will also be a scheduled vote on the ACA subsidies in December and while it isn’t wrong to be skeptical of this vote, remember that Republicans now own either going back on their word or voting against extending the subsidies, causing massive healthcare increases in 2026. Oh, and let’s not forget that with the House back in session, Mike Johnson finally has to allow Adelita Grijalva to be sworn-in, thereby giving us the 218th and final necessary member to discharge a vote on releasing the Epstein Files, something Johnson and the entire GOP have been actively working to prevent over the last seven weeks.
Dead Americans can’t get healthcare. Meaning that as much as we would want both SNAP and ACA subsidy extensions, that was never going to be an option with both on the table from the heartless GOP. So the question boiled down to what was the best deal Democrats could get despite their opponent holding the winning hand. But using poker as an analogy, sometimes you play a hand even though you know you’re going to lose. That’s what Democrats did here. There was no way of winning. But getting the GOP to fully fund SNAP, to swear in Adelita Grijalva, to hold a public vote on ACA subsidies changes the game down the line. The GOP still holds all the chips, but the game is out in the open. The cruelty being the point is now more visible than ever. The SNAP program is overwhelmingly more utilized in red states and those red states just saw their elected officials willingly refuse to fund the program that so many of them rely on to survive. What we witnessed over these past 40 days was the most heartless, inhumane political party in American history not give a flying fuck about millions of its voters. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t hide their disdain for the poorest among them. And this wouldn’t have been possible had Democrats not held the line for as long as they did.
There are no good choices when negotiating with domestic terrorists, which is how we have to view the modern GOP. But Democrats have never been the party to let innocent people suffer. Ensuring that 42 million Americans receive SNAP benefits through the holidays was the most pressing, urgent need. If the shutdown had gone into the holidays, who’s to say that our media wouldn’t have blamed Democrats for any travel disruptions? For families starving at Thanksgiving and Christmas? Our media would splurge in its pants knowing that they could blame Democrats for any pain and suffering rather than Republicans. Meanwhile we get into January and the ACA open enrollment window closes. Health insurance costs skyrocket without a vote. All so Democrats can feel good about holding the line? Child, please.
Fuck the GOP. But fuck any bandwagon Democrats who are now parroting Republican talking points. This was the best worst option. Period. None of us are privy to the conversations Chuck Schumer and Democratic leadership are having. The fact that folks like AOC, Bernie Sanders, and Ro Khanna hate the deal should lead us to believe it was the right deal to make. Because as we’ve seen, this trio of turds loves to bitch and moan anytime Democrats make the right decision. It’s their brand to be anti-Dem no matter the circumstances. They’d much rather make a stink on social media than go out to their districts and tell their SNAP beneficiaries that they won’t be receiving funds over the holidays because of Democrats’ “principled” stance. Democrats have to be the adults in the room or else innocent people suffer and die. If you don’t understand that, then you’re not better than your GOP counterparts.
Rest of this excellent piece at the link above.
Democracy Docket (@DemocracyDocket) posted at 3:14 PM on Fri, Nov 14, 2025:
NEW: Missouri Republicans are in a “bare-knuckle brawl” to create legal delays in hopes of sabotaging a citizen-led ballot measure aimed at blocking the state’s new Trump-backed gerrymander ahead of a major Dec. 11 deadline. https://t.co/DfHGSa18Go
(https://x.com/DemocracyDocket/status/1989441827989061714?t=ICoasCrZqcfjfv_0exWFCg&s=03)
Suzie rizzio (@Suzierizzo1) posted at 0:35 PM on Fri, Nov 14, 2025:
This was ICE seeing a black man walking down the sidewalk in Chicago & decided to stop their vehicles & jump out & pursue him because they say they have a right to get his identification which is not true! They had no probable cause & he definitely wasn’t Hispanic a U.S citizen! https://t.co/HUlwmnabns
(https://x.com/Suzierizzo1/status/1989401846625005990?t=QBg6HiOro3E-h-roZM_B6w&s=03)
Democracy Docket (@DemocracyDocket) posted at 10:53 AM on Fri, Nov 14, 2025:
NEW: California AG Rob Bonta asked a federal court to block Trump’s “never-ending” National Guard deployment in Los Angeles. Though the ICE protests Trump used to justify the military presence have subsided, the state said about 101 soldiers remain in LA. https://t.co/fyZOO1pgv2
(https://x.com/DemocracyDocket/status/1989376261492265266?t=OyY1Tk2h9gmkNyNw_mGG8w&s=03)
Adam Serwer
@adamserwer.bsky.social
The “Epstein Files” saga shows that Republicans were only ever interested in using sexual assault as a pretext to smear political rivals and deprive LGBT people of their constitutional rights
Olivia Julianna 🇺🇸🦅🗳️
@0liviajulianna
I *need* everyone over 35 to understand that a lot of young voters / first time voters DO NOT understand how important the ACA is or how transformative this law was.
https://x.com/0liviajulianna/status/1989357027601387678?s=20
THEE ENTIRE PHUCK
Zoe Tillman
@ZoeTillman
NEW: DOJ has been in settlement talks with Michael Flynn — Trump’s first national security adviser seeking $50M for his prosecution by ex-special counsel Robert Mueller — and Stefan Passantino, a Trump I White House lawyer who accused the House Jan. 6 committee of privacy violations, court records show
https://bit.ly/4hWdolc
https://x.com/ZoeTillman/status/1989338116453282007?s=20
Kaivan Shroff
@KaivanShroff
NEW: Found in the Epstein email dump…
A disgusting comment about women being lower IQ than men from former Harvard University President Larry Summers.
(I graduated from the Law School and Kennedy School in 2022 — and can guarantee you some of the women faculty still experience nonsense like this.)
https://x.com/KaivanShroff/status/1988747136952090638?s=20
NEW: For the first time, the story of the 17 year old girl who testified that she had sex with Matt Gaetz for money.
She was living in and out of a homeless shelter. She was working at McDonald’s. She had just finished her junior year in high school. And she wanted extra money to try to save up to pay for braces to fix her teeth.
— Michael S. Schmidt (@nytmike) November 13, 2025
Dow Jones down 800 points today.
WASHINGTON — A top housing official in President Donald Trump’s administration has referred California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell to the Justice Department for a potential federal criminal probe, based on allegations of mortgage and tax fraud related to a Washington, D.C., home, according to a person familiar with the referral.
He is the fourth Democratic official to face mortgage fraud allegations in recent months.
Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, alleged in a letter sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday that Swalwell may have made false or misleading statements in loan documents.
Will point out that he has the healthcare that he stabbed others in the back from getting.
U.S. Senator John Fetterman
@SenFettermanPA
Statement from Sen. Fetterman’s Spokesperson:
“During an early morning walk, Senator Fetterman sustained a fall near his home in Braddock.
Out of an abundance of caution, he was transported to a hospital in Pittsburgh.
Upon evaluation, it was established he had a ventricular fibrillation flare-up that led to Senator Fetterman feeling light-headed, falling to the ground and hitting his face with minor injuries.
Senator Fetterman had this to say: ‘If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now!’
He is doing well and receiving routine observation at the hospital. He has opted to stay so doctors can fine-tune his medication regimen.
Senator Fetterman is grateful for the EMTs, doctors, and nurses who are providing his care.”
11:45 AM · Nov 13, 2025
https://x.com/SenFettermanPA/status/1989026864862507493?s=20
patently absurd
Down South Patriot
@kneis816
As hurt as I am for Americans right now, there is still no one else I would have chosen to step into this arena and give a shot to fixing this country. I think mostly, people feel insulted. Feelings are hurt. Trump explained how we were the forgotten citizens years ago. Then he showed us how we become/became the forgotten citizens. It blows my mind.
1:34 PM · Nov 12, 2025
https://x.com/kneis816/status/1988691949969093015?s=20
Kyle Griffin
@kylegriffin1
America’s Roman Catholic bishops have rebuked the Trump admin’s aggressive deportation campaign in a rare and near-unanimous statement.
“We as Catholic bishops love our country … we feel compelled now in this environment to raise our voices in defense of God-given human dignity.”
10:55 AM · Nov 13, 2025
https://x.com/kylegriffin1/status/1989014157711089800?s=20
Acyn
@Acyn
Trump: I want the money to go directly to you. You’ll go out and buy your own health insurance and you’ll negotiate different plans… you will be an entrepreneur for yourself.
https://x.com/Acyn/status/1988816368452653148?s=20
Kyle Griffin
@kylegriffin1
Thomas Massie to CNN on the Epstein files: “This vote is gonna be on your record for longer than Trump is gonna be president. And what are you gonna do in 2028 and 2030 when you’re in a debate … and they say, ‘How can we trust you? You covered up for a pedophile back in 2025.'”
8:50 PM · Nov 12, 2025
https://x.com/kylegriffin1/status/1988801558566609338?s=20
Good Morning, Everyone😊😊😊
100%. I think Schumer and Jeffries started gaming out this scenario after Trump was inaugurated. They were planning to “do something” all along and they knew that the vote to fund the government would be the opportunity to showcase Republican greed and cruelty on steroids. Had they “done something” earlier it would have been business as usual in the media and “The Left” (Dems suck). Like the number one rule of effective writing is “show don’t tell”, Dems needed a mega “show don’t tell” moment and they helped to create it. Choice of health care as focal point was brilliant also, It was simple and lent itself to effective visuals (“pay this today and this tomorrow”). The messaging was perfect. Led by Jeffries, Dems honed in on people losing healthcare because of greed in “BIg Bad Bill”. Their audience was the American people, not the Beltway Political Propaganda Complex who was furious because, well, Dem hatred is very lucrative business model.
I cannot begin to express how much I loathe “The Left” and their mouthpieces in both “legacy media” and “new independent media”. Marc Elias said if you’re focusing your anger at Democrats you’re helping Donald Trump and that’s where I am. I’ve cancelled and unsubscribed from many Substacks and You Tube channels and I refuse to let any “liberal” Donald Trump supporter pollute my pixels. I’ll have to stop because I could go on forever about how much I loathe “The Left” who I think is part of a psyop.