babs
@bandrade.bsky.social
Reposted by babs
Part of this week’s newsletter was inspired by the post below. Was there a way to show the distance between normal Americans and the super wealthy?
1/8
www.howtoreadthisch.art/putting-the-...
1/8
www.howtoreadthisch.art/putting-the-...
November 15, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Part of this week’s newsletter was inspired by the post below. Was there a way to show the distance between normal Americans and the super wealthy?
1/8
www.howtoreadthisch.art/putting-the-...
1/8
www.howtoreadthisch.art/putting-the-...
Reposted by babs
Collecting these to send along to Senate Democrats. You don't need to give your name or contact info and if you do, I won't pass it along.
How much did your insurance premiums increase this year? Please add your story to the incredibly unscientific survey.
forms.gle/DX4pD29sibCB...
forms.gle/DX4pD29sibCB...
My Health Care Horror Story
Provide info, vent!
forms.gle
November 11, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Collecting these to send along to Senate Democrats. You don't need to give your name or contact info and if you do, I won't pass it along.
Reposted by babs
Hey @support.bsky.team What is going on with Sarah Kendzior? Why was she suspended with no explanation? Are you doing this to lesser-known people that we’re never going to find out about?
November 11, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Hey @support.bsky.team What is going on with Sarah Kendzior? Why was she suspended with no explanation? Are you doing this to lesser-known people that we’re never going to find out about?
Reposted by babs
Dick Durbin suffers from a terminal case of Senate Brain, in which the big prize is a handshake deal with your distinguished colleagues where they'll allow you to hold a meaningless vote that you can then point to with pride to your constituents as they go broke from crushing medical bills.
Durbin said critics of his vote “need to understand how the Senate works”
November 10, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Dick Durbin suffers from a terminal case of Senate Brain, in which the big prize is a handshake deal with your distinguished colleagues where they'll allow you to hold a meaningless vote that you can then point to with pride to your constituents as they go broke from crushing medical bills.
Reposted by babs
Jesus Christ, @kaine.senate.gov, getting a pinky promise to hold one single vote on ACA funding is not "a path toward fixing the health care mess" anymore than a lottery ticket is a "path toward fixing my personal finances"
“Um well there aren’t even any Senate Dem Press releases saying they support the deal”
Sen Tim Kaine: Hold my beer
Sen Tim Kaine: Hold my beer
November 10, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Jesus Christ, @kaine.senate.gov, getting a pinky promise to hold one single vote on ACA funding is not "a path toward fixing the health care mess" anymore than a lottery ticket is a "path toward fixing my personal finances"
Reposted by babs
Schumer and the Dems are about to teach Trump the lesson that they’ll cave whenever he abuses power to sufficiently hurt people.
November 9, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Schumer and the Dems are about to teach Trump the lesson that they’ll cave whenever he abuses power to sufficiently hurt people.
Reposted by babs
Any food which has gotten to poor families the states must send agents to reclaim the food before it is eaten or face new federal penalties
“.. The Agriculture Department issued the command in a late-night Saturday memo .. That guidance threatened to impose financial penalties on states that did not “comply” quickly with the government’s new orders.”
@tonyromm.bsky.social #SNAP
www.nytimes.com/live/2025/11...
@tonyromm.bsky.social #SNAP
www.nytimes.com/live/2025/11...
November 9, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Any food which has gotten to poor families the states must send agents to reclaim the food before it is eaten or face new federal penalties
Reposted by babs
Is it good politics to ask the Supreme Court if you can continue starving people?
November 8, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Is it good politics to ask the Supreme Court if you can continue starving people?
Reposted by babs
The absolute collapse of their stupid AI ruse — hopefully followed by a massive wave of tech regulation and imprisoning the politicians who enabled this — cannot come soon enough.
November 7, 2025 at 12:06 PM
The absolute collapse of their stupid AI ruse — hopefully followed by a massive wave of tech regulation and imprisoning the politicians who enabled this — cannot come soon enough.
Reposted by babs
A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women
🧵
🧵
November 6, 2025 at 8:43 PM
A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women
🧵
🧵
Reposted by babs
As noted today: Democrats are clearly winning the politics of the shutdown, and its Senators aiming to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory are being absurd.
prospect.org/2025/11/04/t...
prospect.org/2025/11/04/t...
November 5, 2025 at 2:03 AM
As noted today: Democrats are clearly winning the politics of the shutdown, and its Senators aiming to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory are being absurd.
prospect.org/2025/11/04/t...
prospect.org/2025/11/04/t...
Reposted by babs
Totally get that Senate Dems need to appear United - but if there are 8 Dems plotting to surrender to Trump who is disregarding court order on snap benefits - they need to urge those weak colleagues to be strong not betray their base & their constituents.
Good points Senator
Maybe remind your colleagues who think they are negotiating with GOP Senators that this is who calls the shots. They all answer to Trump and he wont even follow court orders to feed the hungry
so how can Thune or Collins be trusted
So don't cave now
Maybe remind your colleagues who think they are negotiating with GOP Senators that this is who calls the shots. They all answer to Trump and he wont even follow court orders to feed the hungry
so how can Thune or Collins be trusted
So don't cave now
Clarifying question: Does needlessly keeping food from working families make us great? Or is it keeping it from seniors on fixed incomes?
November 4, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Totally get that Senate Dems need to appear United - but if there are 8 Dems plotting to surrender to Trump who is disregarding court order on snap benefits - they need to urge those weak colleagues to be strong not betray their base & their constituents.
Reposted by babs
🚨🚨🚨The eight Sen Dems. according to @prospect.org who are looking to surrender to Trump:
- Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
- Jon Ossoff (D-GA)
- Gary Peters (D-MI)
- Mark Kelly (D-AZ)
- Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
- Peter Welch (D-VT)
- Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
- Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
May want to call their offices.
- Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
- Jon Ossoff (D-GA)
- Gary Peters (D-MI)
- Mark Kelly (D-AZ)
- Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
- Peter Welch (D-VT)
- Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
- Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
May want to call their offices.
“How can Democrats make a spending deal with someone who won’t honor it?
I guess the answer is: by getting a pinky swear.” - @ddayen.bsky.social on how Sen Dems are about to pull “defeat from the jaws of victory” prospect.org/2025/11/04/t...
I guess the answer is: by getting a pinky swear.” - @ddayen.bsky.social on how Sen Dems are about to pull “defeat from the jaws of victory” prospect.org/2025/11/04/t...
November 4, 2025 at 3:53 PM
🚨🚨🚨The eight Sen Dems. according to @prospect.org who are looking to surrender to Trump:
- Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
- Jon Ossoff (D-GA)
- Gary Peters (D-MI)
- Mark Kelly (D-AZ)
- Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
- Peter Welch (D-VT)
- Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
- Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
May want to call their offices.
- Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
- Jon Ossoff (D-GA)
- Gary Peters (D-MI)
- Mark Kelly (D-AZ)
- Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
- Peter Welch (D-VT)
- Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
- Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
May want to call their offices.
Reposted by babs
Using hunger as a bargaining chip for political gain is disgusting. The court has ordered the federal government to turn SNAP benefits on - and we’ll hold them to it. It’s time for this Admin to do their jobs.
November 4, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Using hunger as a bargaining chip for political gain is disgusting. The court has ordered the federal government to turn SNAP benefits on - and we’ll hold them to it. It’s time for this Admin to do their jobs.
Reposted by babs
Sep 30: USDA issues guidance saying they can use contingency fund
Oct 10: USDA tells states to prepare for lapse
Oct 23: USDA deletes Sep 30 guidance
Oct 24: USDA says it can’t use contingency fund
Oct 31: Courts tell USDA to release funds
Nov 1: no funds go out
Nov 4: Trump says he’ll defy courts
Oct 10: USDA tells states to prepare for lapse
Oct 23: USDA deletes Sep 30 guidance
Oct 24: USDA says it can’t use contingency fund
Oct 31: Courts tell USDA to release funds
Nov 1: no funds go out
Nov 4: Trump says he’ll defy courts
The president says he will defy court orders and illegally withhold SNAP benefits despite there being money in the SNAP contingency fund that the Trump is required to use.
November 4, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Sep 30: USDA issues guidance saying they can use contingency fund
Oct 10: USDA tells states to prepare for lapse
Oct 23: USDA deletes Sep 30 guidance
Oct 24: USDA says it can’t use contingency fund
Oct 31: Courts tell USDA to release funds
Nov 1: no funds go out
Nov 4: Trump says he’ll defy courts
Oct 10: USDA tells states to prepare for lapse
Oct 23: USDA deletes Sep 30 guidance
Oct 24: USDA says it can’t use contingency fund
Oct 31: Courts tell USDA to release funds
Nov 1: no funds go out
Nov 4: Trump says he’ll defy courts
Reposted by babs
Today is only the beginning.
Our time has come, New York. Our time is now.
Our time has come, New York. Our time is now.
Today is only the beginning.
YouTube video by Zohran Mamdani for NYC
www.youtube.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Today is only the beginning.
Our time has come, New York. Our time is now.
Our time has come, New York. Our time is now.
Reposted by babs
Buckling now would make this entire painful endeavor worthless -- pain for pain's sake, without value, without resolution. So if one of these senators is yours, yell at them not to buckle.
Asked how optimistic he was of reaching a deal this week, Ossoff, who voted earlier this month to pay essential federal workers during the shutdown, said, “We need a resolution that does right by our constituents.”
8 Democrats sit at center of potential deal to end government shutdown this week
At least eight moderate Senate Democrats are meeting in hopes of finding a deal to end the monthlong government shutdown, but sources familiar with the closely held conversations say they will need st...
www.yahoo.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Buckling now would make this entire painful endeavor worthless -- pain for pain's sake, without value, without resolution. So if one of these senators is yours, yell at them not to buckle.
Reposted by babs
The post from the Reagan Foundation is just complete gibberish.
The ad did not, in fact, misrepresent Reagan's views. But the idea that anyone needs the Reagan Foundation's goddamn permission to use the publicly broadcast official remarks of a former president and/or edit them for brevity is crazy
The ad did not, in fact, misrepresent Reagan's views. But the idea that anyone needs the Reagan Foundation's goddamn permission to use the publicly broadcast official remarks of a former president and/or edit them for brevity is crazy
October 25, 2025 at 2:42 PM
The post from the Reagan Foundation is just complete gibberish.
The ad did not, in fact, misrepresent Reagan's views. But the idea that anyone needs the Reagan Foundation's goddamn permission to use the publicly broadcast official remarks of a former president and/or edit them for brevity is crazy
The ad did not, in fact, misrepresent Reagan's views. But the idea that anyone needs the Reagan Foundation's goddamn permission to use the publicly broadcast official remarks of a former president and/or edit them for brevity is crazy
Reposted by babs
In Constitutional Republics, the people are sovereign. They decide—through their elected representatives—what government polices, programs, and priorities deserve funding. Billionaires already corrupt the process. Now they want to bypass it entirely—and dictate policy directly by cutting checks.
In spite of the headline, there is the pesky legal matter that neither billionaires or anybody else can “give” money to “pay troops” or anything else. However, a great compromise would be for billionaires to pay more money into the general treasury through “taxes.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/25/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/25/u...
Donor Who Gave $130 Million to Pay Troops Is Reclusive Heir to Mellon Fortune
www.nytimes.com
October 25, 2025 at 4:27 PM
In Constitutional Republics, the people are sovereign. They decide—through their elected representatives—what government polices, programs, and priorities deserve funding. Billionaires already corrupt the process. Now they want to bypass it entirely—and dictate policy directly by cutting checks.
Reposted by babs
This is not something I want to do, but as someone who was food insecure for a long time, here are some ways to get the most out of what you can get.
-if you have dietary restrictions or food aversions, spend some time thinking about what foods are safe. It sounds obvious, but—
-if you have dietary restrictions or food aversions, spend some time thinking about what foods are safe. It sounds obvious, but—
October 23, 2025 at 9:31 PM
This is not something I want to do, but as someone who was food insecure for a long time, here are some ways to get the most out of what you can get.
-if you have dietary restrictions or food aversions, spend some time thinking about what foods are safe. It sounds obvious, but—
-if you have dietary restrictions or food aversions, spend some time thinking about what foods are safe. It sounds obvious, but—
Reposted by babs
That’s the whole wing gone. No input, no process, no sense in which he believes himself bound by law or accountable to citizens. No sense of the public trust. Just a will to Temu Rococo the country.
October 21, 2025 at 8:32 PM
That’s the whole wing gone. No input, no process, no sense in which he believes himself bound by law or accountable to citizens. No sense of the public trust. Just a will to Temu Rococo the country.
Reposted by babs
It is hard to put into words how angry and sad this makes me feel. This asshole is destroying our nation and NONE of the cowards who are supposed to care about this are doing anything to stop him.
NEW: After The Washington Post reported Monday on the demolition of the "East Wing facade," a new picture obtained by Law Dork that was taken on Tuesday shows that a substantial portion of the entirety of the East Wing has been demolished.
October 21, 2025 at 8:21 PM
It is hard to put into words how angry and sad this makes me feel. This asshole is destroying our nation and NONE of the cowards who are supposed to care about this are doing anything to stop him.
Reposted by babs
Important farm labor update: Trump DOL is now planning to massively expand the H2A program.
Their logic? "Gee, all the farm workers are gone now. It's causing a food crisis. We just HAVE to run a crash-expansion of our slavery-prone H2A program."
prospect.org/politics/tru...
Their logic? "Gee, all the farm workers are gone now. It's causing a food crisis. We just HAVE to run a crash-expansion of our slavery-prone H2A program."
prospect.org/politics/tru...
October 8, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Important farm labor update: Trump DOL is now planning to massively expand the H2A program.
Their logic? "Gee, all the farm workers are gone now. It's causing a food crisis. We just HAVE to run a crash-expansion of our slavery-prone H2A program."
prospect.org/politics/tru...
Their logic? "Gee, all the farm workers are gone now. It's causing a food crisis. We just HAVE to run a crash-expansion of our slavery-prone H2A program."
prospect.org/politics/tru...
Reposted by babs
Bridging my current life in Chicago and my past life in D.C., I argue today at @newrepublic.com that Democrats should ~never~ vote to fund this government. Make John Thune blow up Senate rules and Republicans wholly own the U.S. extra-military military doing war crimes against us, funded by us.
The Case for the Forever Shutdown
Senate Democrats actually allowing the GOP to stop funding the government is only the first step. Now they have to make the case that Trump’s government is illegitimate.
newrepublic.com
October 8, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Bridging my current life in Chicago and my past life in D.C., I argue today at @newrepublic.com that Democrats should ~never~ vote to fund this government. Make John Thune blow up Senate rules and Republicans wholly own the U.S. extra-military military doing war crimes against us, funded by us.
Reposted by babs
honestly, there's no point in reconvening congress basically ever again if the executive branch claims unilateral authority over appropriated funds. democrats have nothing to gain by helping to obscure the fact that the republicans are trying to build a monarchy - let him have his rump parliament
October 2, 2025 at 3:27 PM
honestly, there's no point in reconvening congress basically ever again if the executive branch claims unilateral authority over appropriated funds. democrats have nothing to gain by helping to obscure the fact that the republicans are trying to build a monarchy - let him have his rump parliament