Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
@notabattlechick.bsky.social
Purple-haired civil servant. Public Diplomacy person. Historian. Author. Educator. Leader. Tar Heel. COVID Long-hauler. Doodler. Procedural-drama obsessed smart lady. Cat servant. 2x speed audiobook aficionado. Occasional trouble maker. All views my own.
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
So what I’m hearing is he wants to send money to people to say, subsidize their purchase of private insurance off of a centralized marketplace? Genius! Why didn’t we do that earlier?!?!?
Trump: "I want the money to go into an account for people where they buy their own health insurance. It's so good. The insurance will be better. It'll cost less. Everybody is gonna be happy. They're gonna feel like entrepreneurs. They're actually able to go out & negotiate their own insurance"
November 11, 2025 at 1:14 AM
So what I’m hearing is he wants to send money to people to say, subsidize their purchase of private insurance off of a centralized marketplace? Genius! Why didn’t we do that earlier?!?!?
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
Feature not a Shutdown bug.
Latest on SNAP: The Trump admin said the US Supreme Court should keep $4 billion in food aid on hold, vowing to keep waging a legal fight to reduce or delay assistance to millions of low-income families -- even as there's movement in Congress to reach a deal to reopen the government buff.ly/mdtC1NU
Trump Officials Vow to Renew Food-Aid Fight at Supreme Court
The Trump administration said the US Supreme Court should keep $4 billion in food aid on hold, vowing to keep waging a legal fight to reduce or delay assistance to millions of low-income families.
www.bloomberg.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Feature not a Shutdown bug.
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
So this is about the fourth time I've seen a media outlet blare out that President Trump is doing Tariff Checks!!!!!!! before about 2-3 paragraphs in they finally mention "Oh yeah, by the way this would require congress and also they aren't collecting enough money to actually do this."
“.. The plan could cost the US government double what it's projected to take in for 2025 and undercut Trump's argument that tariff revenue will be used to help pay down federal debt.” 🤡
@bloomberg.com
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
@bloomberg.com
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
November 10, 2025 at 10:57 PM
So this is about the fourth time I've seen a media outlet blare out that President Trump is doing Tariff Checks!!!!!!! before about 2-3 paragraphs in they finally mention "Oh yeah, by the way this would require congress and also they aren't collecting enough money to actually do this."
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
Just imagining the media on Earth 2 on a day when President Harris's aides are fighting to withhold food stamps and raise healthcare prices for tens of millions of Americans while she hosts a former affiliate of al-Qaeda and ISIS in the Oval Office
November 10, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Just imagining the media on Earth 2 on a day when President Harris's aides are fighting to withhold food stamps and raise healthcare prices for tens of millions of Americans while she hosts a former affiliate of al-Qaeda and ISIS in the Oval Office
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
Happy week, everyone! 🌲
November 10, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Happy week, everyone! 🌲
Or, you actually understand PERFECTLY WELL how insurance works, you’re just a dissembling, ingenious, asshole
Tell me you don’t understand risk pools without telling me you don’t understand risk pools
November 10, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Or, you actually understand PERFECTLY WELL how insurance works, you’re just a dissembling, ingenious, asshole
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
Tell me you don’t understand risk pools without telling me you don’t understand risk pools
November 10, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Tell me you don’t understand risk pools without telling me you don’t understand risk pools
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
While we're at it, why do we pay for a fire department when most houses don't even burn down.
Tell me you don’t understand risk pools without telling me you don’t understand risk pools
November 10, 2025 at 6:46 PM
While we're at it, why do we pay for a fire department when most houses don't even burn down.
Or, hear me out: only 8 voted for it because that was the exact number that needed to vote for the kind-of-shitty best-worst option, and the Caucus (yeah, all of ‘em) spent Wednesday to Sunday figuring out who was going to take the hit and how.
Politics, baby!
Politics, baby!
Listening to these 8 Dem Senators explain their vote convinces me that they are either idiots or liars. Either is plausible.
November 10, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Or, hear me out: only 8 voted for it because that was the exact number that needed to vote for the kind-of-shitty best-worst option, and the Caucus (yeah, all of ‘em) spent Wednesday to Sunday figuring out who was going to take the hit and how.
Politics, baby!
Politics, baby!
Someone asked me to share what the (secret?) strategy was for the Dems, because I said something about Strategy being hard.
I made no claim to KNOW anything, or to have inside knowledge. I certainly don’t. But here’s my take:
I made no claim to KNOW anything, or to have inside knowledge. I certainly don’t. But here’s my take:
No, I make no such claim! Just that from my vantage point, it can be absolutely true that the Dems had a decent strategy for the shutdown (make it about a single issue: ACA subsidies), and they ran it very well, and that it didn’t work
Sometimes good strategies, well executed, fail
That’s the game
Sometimes good strategies, well executed, fail
That’s the game
November 10, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Someone asked me to share what the (secret?) strategy was for the Dems, because I said something about Strategy being hard.
I made no claim to KNOW anything, or to have inside knowledge. I certainly don’t. But here’s my take:
I made no claim to KNOW anything, or to have inside knowledge. I certainly don’t. But here’s my take:
It’s almost like the federal government does actual work
Also worth remembering that the govt can't actually be turned off indefinitely. Govt employees need money or they'll start looking for other work. This gets them backpay and lets us tackle ACA subsidies again in January.
November 10, 2025 at 6:26 PM
It’s almost like the federal government does actual work
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
The U.S. Air Force Academy's academic accreditation is under review following a formal complaint that the institution no longer has sufficient Ph.D.-level faculty as the federal government reduces its civilian workforce // Story by @thenoellephillips.bsky.social
Air Force Academy’s accreditation under review after cuts to civilian faculty
Concerned alumni and former faculty told The Denver Post they believe the academy is losing too many civilian Ph.D.-level instructors without the ability to replace them with qualified military mem…
www.denverpost.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:56 PM
The U.S. Air Force Academy's academic accreditation is under review following a formal complaint that the institution no longer has sufficient Ph.D.-level faculty as the federal government reduces its civilian workforce // Story by @thenoellephillips.bsky.social
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
Through the luck of the draw I’m not dependent on SNAP to eat and so one thing I’m not going to do is sit under my roof with a full belly and demand the shutdown go on indefinitely. And stop screaming about Dems caving and being cowards. You and I have NO idea what’s happening in private.
November 10, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Through the luck of the draw I’m not dependent on SNAP to eat and so one thing I’m not going to do is sit under my roof with a full belly and demand the shutdown go on indefinitely. And stop screaming about Dems caving and being cowards. You and I have NO idea what’s happening in private.
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
Hey, a lot of people are talking about changing affiliation from Democratic to Independent.
Let me tell you why you shouldn’t do that in Colorado.
One of the main ways to get a primary challenge candidate on a ballot is to caucus for your party. You need to be registered as a Dem to caucus.
Let me tell you why you shouldn’t do that in Colorado.
One of the main ways to get a primary challenge candidate on a ballot is to caucus for your party. You need to be registered as a Dem to caucus.
November 10, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Hey, a lot of people are talking about changing affiliation from Democratic to Independent.
Let me tell you why you shouldn’t do that in Colorado.
One of the main ways to get a primary challenge candidate on a ballot is to caucus for your party. You need to be registered as a Dem to caucus.
Let me tell you why you shouldn’t do that in Colorado.
One of the main ways to get a primary challenge candidate on a ballot is to caucus for your party. You need to be registered as a Dem to caucus.
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
Right, the answer isn't to abandon the party to these weasels.
The answer is to flood the party with people who will take it over and transform it.
The answer is to flood the party with people who will take it over and transform it.
Hey, a lot of people are talking about changing affiliation from Democratic to Independent.
Let me tell you why you shouldn’t do that in Colorado.
One of the main ways to get a primary challenge candidate on a ballot is to caucus for your party. You need to be registered as a Dem to caucus.
Let me tell you why you shouldn’t do that in Colorado.
One of the main ways to get a primary challenge candidate on a ballot is to caucus for your party. You need to be registered as a Dem to caucus.
November 10, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Right, the answer isn't to abandon the party to these weasels.
The answer is to flood the party with people who will take it over and transform it.
The answer is to flood the party with people who will take it over and transform it.
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
Speaker Johnson has literally said he's "not promising anyone anything."
For once, I believe him.
For once, I believe him.
November 10, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Speaker Johnson has literally said he's "not promising anyone anything."
For once, I believe him.
For once, I believe him.
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
I can't vote for this post as long as it includes this pro-dog language, however parenthetical.
November 10, 2025 at 5:34 PM
I can't vote for this post as long as it includes this pro-dog language, however parenthetical.
Asking for 1.1 million federal employees (not including the military): how long should the government have been kept shut down to obtain a bicameral and presidential concession on ACA subsidies OR the Senate nuking the filibuster?
Seriously.
What *evidence* suggests either of these was close?
Seriously.
What *evidence* suggests either of these was close?
November 10, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Asking for 1.1 million federal employees (not including the military): how long should the government have been kept shut down to obtain a bicameral and presidential concession on ACA subsidies OR the Senate nuking the filibuster?
Seriously.
What *evidence* suggests either of these was close?
Seriously.
What *evidence* suggests either of these was close?
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
While I am as disappointed in the 8 cowards as anyone I will say it’s been pretty shocking how cavalier so many of you are with my ability to feed my family and keep a roof over our heads.
November 10, 2025 at 1:24 PM
While I am as disappointed in the 8 cowards as anyone I will say it’s been pretty shocking how cavalier so many of you are with my ability to feed my family and keep a roof over our heads.
I have thoughts, and they aren’t going to fit neatly into Bluesky posts. Briefly:
1. The deal sucks.
2. Probably not as much as you think it does.
3. It’s good to be mad.
4. FFS, be madder at the GOP.
5. Strategy is hard.
5b. Timing matters.
6. The fight isn’t over.
7. Go pet a cat. (Or a dog.)
1. The deal sucks.
2. Probably not as much as you think it does.
3. It’s good to be mad.
4. FFS, be madder at the GOP.
5. Strategy is hard.
5b. Timing matters.
6. The fight isn’t over.
7. Go pet a cat. (Or a dog.)
November 10, 2025 at 12:55 PM
I have thoughts, and they aren’t going to fit neatly into Bluesky posts. Briefly:
1. The deal sucks.
2. Probably not as much as you think it does.
3. It’s good to be mad.
4. FFS, be madder at the GOP.
5. Strategy is hard.
5b. Timing matters.
6. The fight isn’t over.
7. Go pet a cat. (Or a dog.)
1. The deal sucks.
2. Probably not as much as you think it does.
3. It’s good to be mad.
4. FFS, be madder at the GOP.
5. Strategy is hard.
5b. Timing matters.
6. The fight isn’t over.
7. Go pet a cat. (Or a dog.)
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
No health care, no deal.
November 10, 2025 at 1:33 AM
No health care, no deal.
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
Mark Kelly is a NO on the continuing resolution deal
November 10, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Mark Kelly is a NO on the continuing resolution deal
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
My red line has always been lowering health costs for Americans. Donald Trump and Republicans don’t want an agreement that meets that bar. I’m a no.
November 10, 2025 at 12:54 AM
My red line has always been lowering health costs for Americans. Donald Trump and Republicans don’t want an agreement that meets that bar. I’m a no.
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
I’ve voted 7 times to reopen the government in a way that holds Trump accountable for his lawlessness and prevents a health care crisis.
I’m prepared to work toward a compromise, but this “deal” before us does not come close to meeting those terms. Voting NO.
Full statement:
I’m prepared to work toward a compromise, but this “deal” before us does not come close to meeting those terms. Voting NO.
Full statement:
November 10, 2025 at 12:48 AM
I’ve voted 7 times to reopen the government in a way that holds Trump accountable for his lawlessness and prevents a health care crisis.
I’m prepared to work toward a compromise, but this “deal” before us does not come close to meeting those terms. Voting NO.
Full statement:
I’m prepared to work toward a compromise, but this “deal” before us does not come close to meeting those terms. Voting NO.
Full statement:
Reposted by Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt
So Josh Marshall has a rough one that is basically like 3 definite, several curious but there are others out there and few agree. And then names will pop up and then immediately have that person issue a statement they aren’t a yes without knowing the deal (like Hickenlooper). So 🤷♂️
November 9, 2025 at 11:26 PM
So Josh Marshall has a rough one that is basically like 3 definite, several curious but there are others out there and few agree. And then names will pop up and then immediately have that person issue a statement they aren’t a yes without knowing the deal (like Hickenlooper). So 🤷♂️