@htwdbstto.bsky.social
Dabbler in law, data, democracy, and digital comms/surveillance discussions with a side of Alexandria, VA local musings. 🫠
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Call the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and they will connect you with your senator's office.
No matter how they voted last night, every one of them has a say in maintaining Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin as their caucus leaders. Every one of them is accountable here.
No matter how they voted last night, every one of them has a say in maintaining Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin as their caucus leaders. Every one of them is accountable here.
November 10, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Call the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and they will connect you with your senator's office.
No matter how they voted last night, every one of them has a say in maintaining Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin as their caucus leaders. Every one of them is accountable here.
No matter how they voted last night, every one of them has a say in maintaining Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin as their caucus leaders. Every one of them is accountable here.
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yes senator they're roasting you on Bluesky, sir
yes full roast sir, the communists, the wine moms, Bill Kristol, they're all roasting you, sir
no, sir, I haven't seen him in Waiting for Godot, but he's roasting you, too, sir
yes full roast sir, the communists, the wine moms, Bill Kristol, they're all roasting you, sir
no, sir, I haven't seen him in Waiting for Godot, but he's roasting you, too, sir
November 10, 2025 at 12:34 AM
yes senator they're roasting you on Bluesky, sir
yes full roast sir, the communists, the wine moms, Bill Kristol, they're all roasting you, sir
no, sir, I haven't seen him in Waiting for Godot, but he's roasting you, too, sir
yes full roast sir, the communists, the wine moms, Bill Kristol, they're all roasting you, sir
no, sir, I haven't seen him in Waiting for Godot, but he's roasting you, too, sir
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reminder to any ambitious Dems waiting in the wings: announcing a primary challenge right now to a squishy Democrat who’s up in 2026, whether they voted tonight to shine Trump’s shoes or not, will almost instantaneously be awash in cash. fortune—and a primary challenge—favors the bold.
November 10, 2025 at 2:14 AM
reminder to any ambitious Dems waiting in the wings: announcing a primary challenge right now to a squishy Democrat who’s up in 2026, whether they voted tonight to shine Trump’s shoes or not, will almost instantaneously be awash in cash. fortune—and a primary challenge—favors the bold.
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The most Democrat consultant-brained piece of this was making it a procedural fight about ACA subsidies — that, if extended for a year, would help the GOP in the 2026 midterms anyway — instead of making it stand against Trump’s lawlessness and corruption.
But that would require believing in things.
But that would require believing in things.
Major concession from Democrats here is enhanced ACA funds aren’t extended. Preserving them was Dems’ central demand in this fight. They secured a promise of a vote (which Thune has been offering for weeks), but that could still fail. Even if it passes, Johnson has made no promise of a House vote.
Tentative Senate deal to end shutdown, multiple sources tell me & @frankthorp.bsky.social:
—CR through Jan 30
—Approps minibus
—Fully funds SNAP
—Reverses Trump’s shutdown RIFs
—Promise of Senate vote on ACA subsidies by Dec second week (details/outcome uncertain)
—Led by King/Shaheen/Hassan
—CR through Jan 30
—Approps minibus
—Fully funds SNAP
—Reverses Trump’s shutdown RIFs
—Promise of Senate vote on ACA subsidies by Dec second week (details/outcome uncertain)
—Led by King/Shaheen/Hassan
November 10, 2025 at 2:30 AM
The most Democrat consultant-brained piece of this was making it a procedural fight about ACA subsidies — that, if extended for a year, would help the GOP in the 2026 midterms anyway — instead of making it stand against Trump’s lawlessness and corruption.
But that would require believing in things.
But that would require believing in things.
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The model of holding individual senators responsible is broken here. The retirees clearly agreed to take the fall. Which is why the nos should get no credit for voting no unless they move to oust Schumer
November 10, 2025 at 3:20 AM
The model of holding individual senators responsible is broken here. The retirees clearly agreed to take the fall. Which is why the nos should get no credit for voting no unless they move to oust Schumer
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if you genuinely think Schumer and Democratic leadership opposed this & Republicans coincidentally got exactly the number of votes they needed to avoid a filibuster and none of those votes are from Democratic Senators who are up for reelection in the midterms next year, I have a bridge to sell you.
November 10, 2025 at 3:05 AM
if you genuinely think Schumer and Democratic leadership opposed this & Republicans coincidentally got exactly the number of votes they needed to avoid a filibuster and none of those votes are from Democratic Senators who are up for reelection in the midterms next year, I have a bridge to sell you.
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Any D running for Senate in 2026 must vow to oust Schumer as leader. Maybe he would quit
November 10, 2025 at 3:08 AM
Any D running for Senate in 2026 must vow to oust Schumer as leader. Maybe he would quit
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Any Democratic senator, at any moment, could've derailed this by calling for Schumer's replacement and casting their colleagues as MAGA collaborators, thereby shifting the Overton window. But they're all in on it. This was always a team effort.
November 10, 2025 at 2:39 AM
Any Democratic senator, at any moment, could've derailed this by calling for Schumer's replacement and casting their colleagues as MAGA collaborators, thereby shifting the Overton window. But they're all in on it. This was always a team effort.
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Sanders: That is a totally meaningless gesture. You can get 100 votes here and it won't mean anything because the House is not going to take it up.
November 10, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Sanders: That is a totally meaningless gesture. You can get 100 votes here and it won't mean anything because the House is not going to take it up.
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A reminder - last March, republicans promised to restore $1.1B in funding to DC in exchange for funding the government, and Mike Johnson never took it up in the House.
a cartoon girl in a blue dress is kneeling in a field holding a bag
ALT: a cartoon girl in a blue dress is kneeling in a field holding a bag
media.tenor.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:07 AM
A reminder - last March, republicans promised to restore $1.1B in funding to DC in exchange for funding the government, and Mike Johnson never took it up in the House.
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But what do you think about current Dem leadership and are you calling for a change after this massive failure? That's power you have right now.
We should be asking this and related questions of all Senate Dems. Stay tuned for more tomorrow.
We should be asking this and related questions of all Senate Dems. Stay tuned for more tomorrow.
Tonight, I am voting no on a procedural vote on an appropriations deal that would re-open the government. Since July, I have been clear: to earn my vote, Republicans would have to do something to bring down the cost of health care for working and middle-class Michiganders. (1/4)
November 10, 2025 at 1:37 AM
But what do you think about current Dem leadership and are you calling for a change after this massive failure? That's power you have right now.
We should be asking this and related questions of all Senate Dems. Stay tuned for more tomorrow.
We should be asking this and related questions of all Senate Dems. Stay tuned for more tomorrow.
If you are pissed about Dems caving tonight for NOTHING call Warners office tmrw and see if he will back up his mouth with actual action or show it was all for show (spoiler, it probably is). Even so, demand Dem leadership change.
Warner is up for reelection. He was widely seen driving towards surrender behind the scenes, but he's voting no in public because it's unpopular. The real question is whether he supports a senate leadership change. If not, someone who supports senate leadership change should primary him.
But I cannot support a deal that still leaves millions of Americans wondering how they are going to pay for their health care or whether they will be able to afford to get sick.
November 10, 2025 at 2:36 AM
If you are pissed about Dems caving tonight for NOTHING call Warners office tmrw and see if he will back up his mouth with actual action or show it was all for show (spoiler, it probably is). Even so, demand Dem leadership change.
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It doesn't actually matter if Chuck Schumer votes for this or not.
If he can't keep his caucus unified to protect healthcare for over 10 million Americans, he should resign as leader.
If he can't keep his caucus unified to protect healthcare for over 10 million Americans, he should resign as leader.
November 10, 2025 at 12:50 AM
It doesn't actually matter if Chuck Schumer votes for this or not.
If he can't keep his caucus unified to protect healthcare for over 10 million Americans, he should resign as leader.
If he can't keep his caucus unified to protect healthcare for over 10 million Americans, he should resign as leader.
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Schumer can be removed from his Dem leadership role this week - 23 Dems (and/or independents) just have to vote to depose him
And they should, given this is his fault.
And they should, given this is his fault.
This is a lovely sentiment but Schumer isn't up for re-election until 2028 and he knows this. At which point he will be 77/78. There's no mechanism to recall a sitting senator AFAIK.
Let’s be clear: Chuck Schumer is the one ending this shutdown, no matter how the votes read.
Chuck Schumer is claiming that he’s voting no, while letting other Senators (Fetterman, Kaine, King, etc) do HIS dirty work.
He must be removed from his leadership & primaried for the sake of this country
Chuck Schumer is claiming that he’s voting no, while letting other Senators (Fetterman, Kaine, King, etc) do HIS dirty work.
He must be removed from his leadership & primaried for the sake of this country
November 10, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Schumer can be removed from his Dem leadership role this week - 23 Dems (and/or independents) just have to vote to depose him
And they should, given this is his fault.
And they should, given this is his fault.
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Important to understand this. There's a reasonable chance that your Dem Senator who voted against it and is acting mad now was in on the play. It's the same reason why they scheduled the surrender for AFTER the election this week. They didn't want people pissed at Dems right before an election.
The caucus meeting was just to orchestrate who would fall on the sword but not be up for a vote in 2026.
so currently defectors are:
Kaine (2030)
Shaheen (Retiring)
Hasan (2028)
Fetterman (2028)
Durbin (Retiring)
CCM (2028)
Rosen (2030)
King (2030)
Kaine (2030)
Shaheen (Retiring)
Hasan (2028)
Fetterman (2028)
Durbin (Retiring)
CCM (2028)
Rosen (2030)
King (2030)
November 10, 2025 at 2:11 AM
Important to understand this. There's a reasonable chance that your Dem Senator who voted against it and is acting mad now was in on the play. It's the same reason why they scheduled the surrender for AFTER the election this week. They didn't want people pissed at Dems right before an election.
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No senator, I don’t think a fundraising email strikes the right tone tonight.
November 10, 2025 at 1:42 AM
No senator, I don’t think a fundraising email strikes the right tone tonight.
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They're treating Trump illegally firing federal employees like it's leverage, not a criminal act.
“A bipartisan Senate deal has been reached to fund the government through January 30 and to set a vote on an Affordable Care Act bill in December, in a major sign the government shutdown is poised to end, according to a source…
The deal includes a reversal of Trump’s firings of federal employees”
The deal includes a reversal of Trump’s firings of federal employees”
Senate reaches deal to extend government funding in major sign shutdown is poised to end | CNN Politics
A bipartisan Senate deal has been reached to fund the government through January 30 and to set a vote on an Affordable Care Act bill in December, in a major sign the government shutdown is poised to e...
www.cnn.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:23 AM
They're treating Trump illegally firing federal employees like it's leverage, not a criminal act.
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if they were going to cave anyway they should’ve done it a week ago to spare SNAP recipients the agony.
November 10, 2025 at 12:54 AM
if they were going to cave anyway they should’ve done it a week ago to spare SNAP recipients the agony.
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"It will be quite something if the Dem reaction to ending the shutdown undoes most or all of the internal party goodwill that was built in early October, but that's not an impossible outcome here." —Matt Glassman (Congressional expert, Georgetown) @mattglassman312.bsky.social x.com/MattGlassman...
November 10, 2025 at 1:03 AM
"It will be quite something if the Dem reaction to ending the shutdown undoes most or all of the internal party goodwill that was built in early October, but that's not an impossible outcome here." —Matt Glassman (Congressional expert, Georgetown) @mattglassman312.bsky.social x.com/MattGlassman...
@kaine.senate.gov @markwarner.bsky.social Reading reports that your Dem colleagues are going to vote for meaningless concessions and betray the base/those of us who have sacrificed during this prolonged shutdown. Makes me angry enough to message you for the 1st time. You working to fix this?
November 9, 2025 at 9:46 PM
@kaine.senate.gov @markwarner.bsky.social Reading reports that your Dem colleagues are going to vote for meaningless concessions and betray the base/those of us who have sacrificed during this prolonged shutdown. Makes me angry enough to message you for the 1st time. You working to fix this?
Reposted
Call the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and they will connect you with your senator's office.
If you're represented by one of the squishier centrists, be sure to make a call. Now.
If you're represented by one of the squishier centrists, be sure to make a call. Now.
Sounds like the squishes in the senate caucus are ready to pull the plug with no ACA changes. This is real. If you want to register your opinion you shld call yr senator in the next hour. They not only want to reopen w/nothing. They want cover from their colleagues who still want to hold out.
November 9, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Call the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and they will connect you with your senator's office.
If you're represented by one of the squishier centrists, be sure to make a call. Now.
If you're represented by one of the squishier centrists, be sure to make a call. Now.
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Chris Murphy: "There will be pretty substantial damage to a Dem brand that has been rehabilitated if on the heels of an election in which the people told us to keep fighting, we immediately stop... if we surrender without having gotten anything, I worry it'll be hard to get them back up off the mat"
November 7, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Chris Murphy: "There will be pretty substantial damage to a Dem brand that has been rehabilitated if on the heels of an election in which the people told us to keep fighting, we immediately stop... if we surrender without having gotten anything, I worry it'll be hard to get them back up off the mat"
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🧵HOW TO CALL CONGRESS AND FIGHT FASCISM 🧵
The US Capitol Switchboard is (202) 224-3121. Save that number in your phone.
(1/x)
The US Capitol Switchboard is (202) 224-3121. Save that number in your phone.
(1/x)
December 20, 2024 at 8:51 PM
🧵HOW TO CALL CONGRESS AND FIGHT FASCISM 🧵
The US Capitol Switchboard is (202) 224-3121. Save that number in your phone.
(1/x)
The US Capitol Switchboard is (202) 224-3121. Save that number in your phone.
(1/x)
Reposted
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.
November 7, 2025 at 3:08 AM
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.