Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻
LightNews LightNews
banner
dalfen.bsky.social
Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻
@dalfen.bsky.social
5.8K followers 4.6K following 3.1K posts
A center-blue dot. FBR 💙
🇺🇦 in solidarity.

Vive la résistance.

MBA. 🩺. In quasi Gilead (SOS)
Writer of words 🐰🐍
A roll of the dice. A juxtaposition.

🌿 🦋 ⚾️
🌈🏳️‍⚧️ ally & non-childless cat lady

🍟- snark
🧐- analysis
🤿- deep dive

https://mstdn.social/@dalfen
Posts Replies Media Videos
dalfen.bsky.social
Since 2022, #ACA subsidies were set to expire at 2025’s end.

But only “enhanced premium credits” for income up to 400% of poverty (less than ~$62,600/yr—individual). Subsidies for those making less than $15,660 would remain.

#USA
—
www.hca.nm.gov/wp-content/u...
—
www.congress.gov/crs-product/...
As part of relief legislation enacted in response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic and related economic disruption, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA; P.L. 117-2). Among the act's provisions was one that expanded eligibility for the PTC and enhanced credit amounts. For tax years 2021 and 2022, ARPA temporarily • eliminated the maximum income limit (400% of FPL) for PTC eligibility purposes, leaving only the minimum income threshold (100% of FPL), and • reduced applicable percentages and eliminated indexing, which resulted in larger subsidy amounts (compared with ACA-only rules). These changes were extended for three additional tax years, 2023 through 2025, under the FY2022 Budget Reconciliation Law (FY2022 Reconciliation; P.L. 117- 169).® The sunset date established under the FY2022 Reconciliation for the enhanced PTC provision is January 1, 2026. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48290 Accessed: 26 October 2025 at 1612 CST
October 26, 2025 at 9:20 PM
dalfen.bsky.social
2🧵

Article screenshots:

Trump is demolishing the entire East Wing to make way for his White House ballroom. 👀🚨

“When Mr. Trump first announced his plans for the ballroom, he pledged that the East Wing wouldn't be touched by the construction.”
~~~

www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10...
Trump is demolishing the entire East Wing to make way for his White House ballroom. Image caption: Demolition of the East Wing of the White House continued on Wednesday. Alex Kent for The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10/22/us/trump-news Accessed: 22 October 2025 at 1504 CST Image caption: Demolition of the East Wing of the White House continued on Wednesday. Alex Kent for The New York Times The White House is demolishing the entirety of the East Wing to make way for President Trump's $200 million ballroom, a construction project that is far more extensive than he initially let on, a senior administration official said on Wednesday. The tear-down should be finished by this weekend, according to the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the plans. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10/22/us/trump-news Accessed: 22 October 2025 at 1504 CST The White House is demolishing the entirety of the East Wing to make way for President Trump's $200 million ballroom, a construction project that is far more extensive than he initially let on, a senior administration official said on Wednesday. The tear-down should be finished by this weekend, according to the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the plans. When Mr. Trump first announced his plans for the ballroom, he pledged that the East Wing wouldn't be touched by the construction. "It'll be views of the Washington Monument. It won't interfere with the current building. It'll be near it but not touching it," the president said. "And pays total respect to the existing building, which I'm the biggest fan of." https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10/22/us/trump-news Accessed: 22 October 2025 at 1504 CST "It'll be views of the Washington Monument. It won't interfere with the current building. It'll be near it but not touching it,' the president said. "And pays total respect to the existing building, which I'm the biggest fan of." But, upon further evaluation, the White House determined it was cheaper and more structurally sound to demolish the East Wing to construct the ballroom, rather than build an addition, the official said. The new structure will also have enhanced security features, the official said. Mr. Trump is raising tens of millions in private donations to fund the project, the official said. The president plans to contribute some of his own money as well, though the amount has not been determined, the official added. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10/22/us/trump-news Accessed: 22 October 2025 at 1504 CST
October 22, 2025 at 8:28 PM
dalfen.bsky.social
What’s that expression—

Liars of a certain feather flock together

…or something like that.

___

#USA #politics #MyThoughts
Trump says he has commuted sentence of former US Rep. George Santos in federal fraud case The New York Republican was sentenced in April after admitting last year to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of 11 people - including his own family members — to make donations to his campaign. By The Associated Press • Published 20 mins ago • Updated 5 mins ago
October 18, 2025 at 5:57 AM
dalfen.bsky.social
Good thing the House is taking another paid staycation next week though lol…

It must be exhausting for them to get nothing done.

#USA #politics 🍟
—

Federal courts have run out of money; only limited operations until shutdown ends~

abcnews.go.com/Politics/liv...
Federal courts have run out of money; only limited operations until shutdown ends Starting Monday, all federal courts will no longer have funding to sustain full, paid operations. While judges will continue to serve with pay, members of the nation's 33,000-court staff will either perform limited tasks unpaid or be put on furlough. It will be up to each individual court to triage which cases and duties warrant unpaid work. There will likely be delays in cases up and down the judiciary. The Supreme Court remains unaffected as it is not subject to annual appropriations. -ABC News' Devin Dwyer https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/government-shutdown-live-updates Accessed: 18 October 2025 at 0031 CST
October 18, 2025 at 5:54 AM
dalfen.bsky.social
‘You have one job’ (🙄) as the expression goes.

They would have all be fired weeks ago in the private sector. Not so in Congress. They don’t do their job AND continue to receive a hearty paycheck.

(Funded by taxpayers)

#USA #politics #MyThoughts
News Caption, 16 October 2025 THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. The impossible politics that mean the shutdown is set to drag on Image: House Speaker Mike Johnson walking, others trail behind
October 16, 2025 at 3:18 PM
dalfen.bsky.social
Tell me you threw $20 billion at a country to sway an election without telling me you threw $20 billion at a country to sway an election

#USA #politics #Argentina
Trump Says 'We're Gone' If Milei Loses Vote, Rattling Market Trump touted trade as a way to help bolster the Latin American economy. Bloomberg headline 14 October 2025
October 15, 2025 at 12:46 AM
dalfen.bsky.social
Slow Burn—

• US companies have been absorbing most tariff-related cost increases & gradually passing the burden onto US consumers by way of higher prices.

• Companies will likely raise prices further in coming months.

#USA #economics #business #prices #inflation
—
www.reuters.com/world/us/how...
The image shows a line graph comparing the prices of imported and domestic goods in the U.S. over time. It highlights an increase in the prices of both imported and domestic goods (with imported goods increasing more) since the implementation of tariffs under the Trump administration. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/how-united-states-is-eating-trumps-tariffs-2025-10-13/ Accessed: 13 October 2025 at 0904 PST
October 13, 2025 at 4:12 PM
dalfen.bsky.social
Like Pfizer, #AstraZeneca is getting a 3-year reprieve on having certain Trump #tariffs levied on its pharmaceutical imports.

hmmm—

“Both companies said the details of their arrangements were confidential” 👀
~~

#USA #politics #Pfizer #healthcare #health #DrugPrices
—
www.cnn.com/2025/10/10/p...
Trump announces deal with AstraZeneca aimed at lowering drug prices UPDATED OCT 10, 2025 V By Tami Luhby, Adam Cancryn, Meg Tirrell
October 12, 2025 at 2:42 AM
dalfen.bsky.social
23 seconds of a cat eating corn 🌽
Sound up!

I don’t know if cats are supposed to eat corn, but it’s adorable!

#cats #Caturday #CatSky #pets
October 12, 2025 at 12:39 AM
dalfen.bsky.social
This would be my tribe lol if I weren’t a dolphin.

In solidarity 👊🏼🐸

#Portland
Three people are dressed in large, green frog costumes, standing together at a nighttime event. One of them is holding a sign that reads "FROGS TOGETHER STRONG," featuring illustrations of two frogs holding hands.
October 11, 2025 at 3:30 AM
dalfen.bsky.social
Lol #MyThoughts -

1) So if I can’t go to a rally but I express my First Amendment rights in other ways, will I get a check too? 🤔😂

2) Also, it’s clear they see America as being only for them and their ideals.

#USA 🍟
Trump & the GOP are trying to* paint people peacefully assembling and expressing their grievances about their government (aka exercising their 1st Amendment rights) at upcoming nationwide "No Kings" rallies as "anti-American" and "paid agitators" 〜〜〜 ～～ * (c/o video clips on MSNBC, 10 October 2025)
October 11, 2025 at 3:07 AM
dalfen.bsky.social
/2

I found a reference—

It’s in the video embedded in this article—

“the transactions we did in terms of closing” — in 2024, when Trump was not yet president

➡️ Any ideas what he is talking about?

#USA #US #USpol #politics #law #trump
—

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
...transactions we did in terms of closing
October 11, 2025 at 2:55 AM
dalfen.bsky.social
/2

From:
X social media post— House Press Gallery @HouseDailyPress During today's pro forma session, the Clerk read a message from the Speaker designating Tuesday, October 14 through Sunday, October 19 as a district work period. 12:36 PM - Oct 10,2025 c/o “The Briefing” with Jen Psaki, MSNBC, 10 October 2025
October 11, 2025 at 1:52 AM
dalfen.bsky.social
Beyond that Congress is supposed to make spending decisions per the Constitution, I’m not sure that the Trump admin bailing out Argentina is legal when government is shut down.

#USA #USgovernment #USpol #politics #MyThoughts
The officials cautioned that the Antideficiency Act forbids the government from obligating or expending any money not appropriated by Congress, which means the government cannot incur new expenses during a shutdown, when funding has lapsed. The RIF process, which is extensive and involves promising severance payments, would probably be prohibited under the act, the officials concluded. Washington Post on Apple News Accessed: 10 October 2025 at 1210 MST
October 11, 2025 at 1:31 AM
dalfen.bsky.social
Beyond that Congress is supposed to make spending decisions per the Constitution, I’m not sure that bailing out Argentina is legal when government is shutdown.

#USA #USgovernment #USpol #politics #MyThoughts
The officials cautioned that the Antideficiency Act forbids the government from obligating or expending any money not appropriated by Congress, which means the government cannot incur new expenses during a shutdown, when funding has lapsed. The RIF process, which is extensive and involves promising severance payments, would probably be prohibited under the act, the officials concluded. Washington Post on Apple News Accessed: 10 October 2025 at 1210 MST
October 11, 2025 at 1:23 AM
dalfen.bsky.social
Nobel Peace Prize Goes to Venezuelan Opposition Leader—

The accolade was awarded to María Corina Machado for her work promoting democracy and fighting dictatorship in the country.

#NobelPrize #NobelPeacePrize #Venezuela
Nobel Peace Prize Goes to Venezuelan Opposition Leader: The accolade was awarded to María Corina Machado for her work promoting democracy and fighting dictatorship in the country. WSJ news headline, 10 October 2025 at 1511 MST
October 10, 2025 at 9:14 PM
dalfen.bsky.social
Trump admin begins laying off federal workers amid shutdown:

WH budget director #Vought said reductions-in-force were underway
—

The article does not say who #Trump is laying off, but makes it clear that conducting “reduction in force” (RIF) while the gov’t is shut down is likely illegal.

#USA
Trump administration begins laying off federal workers amid shutdown White House budget director Russell Vought (of Project 2025) said reductions-in-force were underway. October 10 at 1:08 PM 2025 Washington Post on Apple News Accessed 10 October 2025 at 1148 MST The Trump administration moved to begin laying off federal workers Friday while the government was shuttered, fulfilling threats from President Donald Trump to take advantage of the closure to shave off still more parts of the federal workforce he dislikes. "The RIFs have begun," White House budget director Russell Vought posted on X Friday afternoon, using an acronym for reductions-in-force. A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the plans, confirmed that the RIFs were starting, and said "they will be substantial." The White House did not provide specifics on how many employees were affected, or at which departments. Washington Post on Apple News Accessed 10 October 2025 at 1148 MST The shutdown layoffs are the culmination of years of groundwork laid by Vought, an architect of the Project 2025 playbook for Trump's second term, which outlined a drastically reduced federal bureaucracy. Vought's office had threatened mass dismissals during the shutdown, perhaps even stretching into the hundreds of thousands, and told agencies they should "retain the minimal number of employees necessary." Trump told reporters before the shutdown that he might fire "a lot" of people, and once the shutdown began, Vice President JD Vance and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that cuts were coming, as well. The Washington Post previously reported that the dismissals were likely to total fewer than 16,000. The layoffs run counter to recent internal warnings from senior government officials that such dismissals are legally questionable. In the first days of the shutdown, officials privately counseled agencies against conducting reductions in force, or RIFs, while the government lacks funding, because it would likely violate the law, The Post reported this month. Washington Post on Apple News Accessed 10 October 2025 at 1148 MST The officials cautioned that the Antideficiency Act forbids the government from obligating or expending any money not appropriated by Congress, which means the government cannot incur new expenses during a shutdown, when funding has lapsed. The RIF process, which is extensive and involves promising severance payments, would probably be prohibited under the act, the officials concluded. That theory will now almost certainly be put to the test. Even before the layoffs began, they drew a legal challenge from several federal unions. Their lawsuit, brought against OMB and the Office of Personnel Management on Sept. 30 over threats of dismissals, argued that the administration has no authority or ability to conduct RIFs amid a shutdown, in part citing the Antideficiency Act. "Nothing in the Antideficiency Act or any other statute authorizes RIFs of employees who work in agencies or programs with a lapse in funding," the suit said. "Ignoring binding federal law is arbitrary and capricious." Washington Post on Apple News Accessed 10 October 2025 at 1148 MST
October 10, 2025 at 6:02 PM
dalfen.bsky.social
Happy Thursday!
Hope you have a great day!

#greetings
‘Good Morning’ graphic showing a mug of presumably coffee or tea on a ledge against a natural backdrop
October 9, 2025 at 9:11 AM
dalfen.bsky.social
Using tariff revenue (meant to bring down the national debt) to pay off farmers (who need a bailout because of the effects of tariffs)—

Like running around in a hamster wheel and getting nowhere.

And the government is not even open to make it happen!

#USA #winning 🍟
—
fortune.com/2025/10/08/t...
NORTH AMERICA• AGRICULTURE Trump's former USDA chief economist warns the shutdown makes the president's $15 billion farmer bailout a fantasy: "You can't just flip a switch' BY EVA ROYTBURG, BY SASHA ROGELBERG October 8, 2025 at 12:37 PM EDT
October 8, 2025 at 6:05 PM
dalfen.bsky.social
Morning, BlueSky!
A mug steaming tea or coffee on a table outside with the sun rising up behind low mountains in the background
October 7, 2025 at 10:21 AM
dalfen.bsky.social
”They think they can take care of drug trafficking, sex trafficking & child trafficking just by deporting people.”
~~

#USA #ICE #deportation #crime
—
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

(select screenshots below)
Trump's Immigration Push Diverts U.S. Agents From Drug, Money and Sex-Crime Cases Federal investigators are resigning, and morale is low, as they juggle complex cases and detain migrants Image: Federal agents detaining a man during a recent immigration enforcement raid in Chelsea, Mass. PHOTO: BRIAN SNYDER/REUTERS By Steve Fisher and Vera Bergengruen Updated October 6, 2025, 1:56 pm EDT https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trumps-immigration-push-diverts-u-s-agents-from-drug-money-and-sex-crime-cases-90b37cc9 Accessed: 7 October 2025 at 0052 PST A federal team in El Paso that once pursued child traffickers has been disbanded. A Kansas task force focused on stemming the flow of fentanyl has been redirected. Highway checkpoints near the southwest border— some on roads long identified as major drug-trafficking routes-have gone unstaffed. The shift reflects a broader realignment in federal law enforcement. Thousands of federal agents once tasked with investigating drug smuggling, sexual exploitation and organized crime have been redirected to immigration enforcement under President Trump's second-term push to accelerate deportations, according to current and former officials. The administration has set a goal of removing 3,000 migrants a day who are in the country illegally. To help meet that number, officials say, Homeland Security Investigations agents, Customs and Border Protection officers, Federal Bureau of Investigation officials and even the Postal Service have been pulled from their traditional duties to help track, detain and deport undocumented immigrants. https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trumps-immigration-push-diverts-u-s-agents-from-drug-money-and-sex-crime-cases-90b37cc9 Accessed: 7 October 2025 at 0052 PST The change is reverberating across the federal law-enforcement system, especially in HSI, an agency in the Department of Homeland Security that has long had a focus on transnational gangs. "It's not a very good time to be an HSI special agent," said Oscar Hagelsieb, a former top HSI official who retired after two decades in the field. Image: POLICE HSI agent in uniform, facing away from the camera https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trumps-immigration-push-diverts-u-s-agents-from-drug-money-and-sex-crime-cases-90b37cc9 Accessed: 7 October 2025 at 0052 PST For front-line officers, the choice is stark: take on "desk cases" that require minimal fieldwork or watch as complex investigations collapse. Some agents are processing low-level narcotics cases that can be managed with paperwork rather than undercover work or informant cultivation. The strategy of the Trump administration is to address crime through immigration enforcement, said David Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank in Washington. "They think they can take care of drug traf-ficking, sex trafficking and child trafficking just by deporting people," Bier said. Write to Vera Bergengruen at vera.bergen-gruen@wsj.com https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trumps-immigration-push-diverts-u-s-agents-from-drug-money-and-sex-crime-cases-90b37cc9 Accessed: 7 October 2025 at 0052 PST
October 7, 2025 at 8:08 AM
dalfen.bsky.social
So this is how it is now, I guess.

Another week, another boat.

Legal questions be damned.

#USA #Venezuela
—

www.wsj.com/politics/nat...
U.S. Strikes Boat Off Venezuela Amid Questions Over Action Against Drug Gangs Hegseth says four people were killed when alleged drug-trafficking boat was hit Friday ******* ****** Image: STRENGTH. SERVICE. AMERICA. STRENGTH. SERVICE. AMERICA. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth addressing senior military leaders this week. PHOTO: ANDREW HARNIK/REUTERS By Lara Seligman October 3, 2025, 1:46 pm EDT https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/u-s-strikes-boat-off-venezuela-amid-questions-over-action-against-drug-gangs-6a8c83aa Accessed: 3 October 2025 at 1945 UTC President Trump ordered another lethal military strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the Caribbean early Friday, signaling the administration is undeterred by mounting legal questions about the campaign. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced in a social-media post that on Trump's orders he had directed a "lethal, kinetic strike on a narco-trafficking vessel" in the U.S. Southern Command region. The strike was conducted in international waters just off the coast of Venezuela and killed four men aboard, Hegseth wrote. The boat was affiliated with "Designated Terrorist Organizations," Hegseth said, using the same language included in a confidential notice the Pentagon sent to congressional committees on Thursday declaring that the U.S. is at war with the drug gangs. U.S. intelligence confirmed "without a doubt" that the boat was smuggling narcotics, Hegseth wrote. https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/u-s-strikes-boat-off-venezuela-amid-questions-over-action-against-drug-gangs-6a8c83aa Accessed: 3 October 2025 at 1945 UTC "These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over!!!!" Hegseth wrote. A video accompanying the social-media post showed footage marked "unclas-sified" of a boat being blown up. Shortly after Hegseth's tweet, Trump posted the video on Truth Social, noting that the boat was loaded with enough drugs to kill tens of thousands of people. "A boat loaded with enough drugs to kill 25 TO 50 THOUSAND PEOPLE was stopped, early this morning off the Coast of Venezuela, from entering American Terri-tory," Trump wrote. This is at least the fourth such strike in the Trump administration's expanding crackdown on what it says are Latin America-based drug gangs. The administration is facing mounting questions from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle about whether the military strikes are legal. https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/u-s-strikes-boat-off-venezuela-amid-questions-over-action-against-drug-gangs-6a8c83aa Accessed: 3 October 2025 at 1945 UTC In a classified briefing of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, lawmakers urged the Pentagon's top lawyer, Earl Matthews, to provide a better legal explanation for the campaign, The Wall Street Journal reported. Matthews repeatedly said Trump's designation of the gangs as foreign terrorist organizations granted the Pentagon authority to use military force against them, an argument that experts say isn't legally sound. He also refused to provide a written legal justification for the strikes. Write to Lara Seligman at lara.seligman@wsj.com https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/u-s-strikes-boat-off-venezuela-amid-questions-over-action-against-drug-gangs-6a8c83aa Accessed: 3 October 2025 at 1945 UTC
October 3, 2025 at 7:53 PM
dalfen.bsky.social
Project 2025’s Vought —

who Trump put in the center of gov’t as OMB (“budget”) director—

Has been salivating for months at the idea of cutting gov’t agencies, programs & civil servants.

In the shutdown, he has more power (since Congress’s appropriations have run out)

www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Trump's Budget Chief, Slayer of Big Government, Moves Quickly in Shutdown Image: Russell Vought is taking aim at Democratic priorities and projects Russell Vought, White House budget director, speaks with reporters this week outside the White House. PHOTO: WILL OLIVER/PRESS POOL By Scott Patterson, Olivia Beavers and Siobhan https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/russell-vought-omb-director-government-shutdown-6dd92725 Accessed: 2 October 2025 at 1750 UTC WASHINGTON- Russell Vought has been planning for this moment for years. President Trump's budget chief-one of the main players in the government shutdown that has ground Washington to a halt-might also be one of its biggest beneficiaries, as the freeze gives him the opportunity to implement funding cuts he has long advocated. Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, was quick Wednesday to target Democratic priorities and projects. In a move that affected Democratic congressional leaders from New York, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Vought posted on X that a hold had been put on $18 billion in federal funds for New York City infrastructure work: a Hudson River tunnel project and a subway extension. https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/russell-vought-omb-director-government-shutdown-6dd92725 Accessed: 2 October 2025 at 1750 UTC The Transportation Department pinned the blame on the shutdown, saying a review of the projects' contracting policies and their relationship to diversity, equity and inclusion requirements couldn't move forward. "Without a budget, the department has been forced to furlough the civil rights staff responsible for conducting this review," the agency said in a statement. Vought also posted that $8 billion in Energy Department funds for climate projects would be canceled in more than a dozen Democra-tic-leaning states. He didn't specify which projects would be affected. Trump said he planned to meet Thursday with Vought to discuss which agencies would be targeted as part of far-reaching cuts at federal agencies, and signaled he would focus on agencies and programs that Democrats value. https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/russell-vought-omb-director-government-shutdown-6dd92725 Accessed: 2 October 2025 at 1750 UTC Last week, Vought issued a memo directing federal agencies to craft plans for widespread layoffs in the event of a shutdown. He told House Republicans on a conference call Wednesday that layoffs likely would begin in another day or two, according to people on the call. While he didn't specify how many layoffs were in the pipeline, one person familiar with the call said Vought indicated it would be consequential. 頭味 Image: Agriculture Department headquarters in Washington. PHOTO: PETE KIEHART/BLOOMBERG NEWS Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), a close Trump ally, predicted a shutdown might not last long, in part because of the specter of Vought. "This OMB guy, you need to watch him," Graham said. "I think there's definitely a downside to a shutdown for the system...I think he will try to wreak havoc on the workforce.” https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/russell-vought-omb-director-government-shutdown-6dd92725 Accessed: 2 October 2025 at 1750 UTC
October 2, 2025 at 6:21 PM
dalfen.bsky.social
The OPM’s Vought (of Project 2025) will use a government shutdown as an excuse to expedite the firing of federal workers.

#USA
OPM memo: Workers responsible for firings will work during shutdown Federal government employees who oversee firings will be allowed to continue working during a government shutdown, the Office of Personnel Management said in a memo Monday. The guidance appears to pave the way for the Trump administration to follow through on plans to lay off federal workers if the government shuts down. In another change in policy from past shutdowns, furloughed federal employees will be able to use government-issued computers - to check for emails announcing layoffs, OPM said in the memo. In past shutdowns, furloughed workers have been prohibited from using official laptops for any reason. -ABC News' Benjamin Siegel https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/trump-admin-live-updates/?id=126029955&entryId=126058273 Accessed: 30 September 2025 at 1616 UTC
September 30, 2025 at 4:18 PM
dalfen.bsky.social
War-ravaged Portland

(a pic from when I recently visited)
A cluster of white flowers with yellow-brown cone-shaped centers, surrounded by green foliage. The flowers are blooming under warm sunlight, with some buds visible. The background is a blurred natural setting. Taken in Portland, Oregon, USA
September 28, 2025 at 1:02 AM