Laurie Hertzel
@lhertzel.bsky.social
Book reader, book critic, author "News to Me: Adventures of an Accidental Journalist." Next memoir, "Ghosts of Fourth Street," pubs in 2026. I review for StarTribune, Washington Post, Boston Globe, LATimes and elsewhere. Teach in MFA program at UGA-Athens.
What a heinous thing for him to say. Not to mention totally inaccurate. But absolutely heinous.
November 14, 2025 at 12:05 AM
What a heinous thing for him to say. Not to mention totally inaccurate. But absolutely heinous.
That is it exactly. And it makes me feel despair. And it makes me furious at the Republicans, not the Democrats, because how do you work with sociopaths? It is not possible. There was no winning path for the Democrats. Just pain for the country
November 10, 2025 at 7:43 PM
That is it exactly. And it makes me feel despair. And it makes me furious at the Republicans, not the Democrats, because how do you work with sociopaths? It is not possible. There was no winning path for the Democrats. Just pain for the country
I saw a headline somewhere, maybe on yahoo, that said, “who are the winners and the losers with the end of the shutdown?” And it’s infuriating! This is not a game with winners and losers. This is our country and people’s lives. Better ask, who is starving and who is not
November 10, 2025 at 7:29 PM
I saw a headline somewhere, maybe on yahoo, that said, “who are the winners and the losers with the end of the shutdown?” And it’s infuriating! This is not a game with winners and losers. This is our country and people’s lives. Better ask, who is starving and who is not
Yes, I find it incredibly demoralizing that it is ending this way. But I just don’t see it ending of any other way and I see so much human suffering. If they extend the shutdown, how the hell does it end? When you have Republicans who don’t give a damn?
November 10, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Yes, I find it incredibly demoralizing that it is ending this way. But I just don’t see it ending of any other way and I see so much human suffering. If they extend the shutdown, how the hell does it end? When you have Republicans who don’t give a damn?
I see the Republicans doing whatever Trump tells them to do. And Trump does not care about human suffering. Trump does not care if people are starving, or if people lose their jobs or can’t get home for the holidays or have no healthcare. He doesn’t care about any of that and so he would be unmoved.
November 10, 2025 at 7:24 PM
I see the Republicans doing whatever Trump tells them to do. And Trump does not care about human suffering. Trump does not care if people are starving, or if people lose their jobs or can’t get home for the holidays or have no healthcare. He doesn’t care about any of that and so he would be unmoved.
No. I wish they had not caved. But it pains me to see them vilified when I don’t see any alternative. All I see is the shutdown extending forever. But I don’t agree with them and I do think we should continue to shut down. I know that sounds contrary, but it’s so complicated. I have no solution.
November 10, 2025 at 7:23 PM
No. I wish they had not caved. But it pains me to see them vilified when I don’t see any alternative. All I see is the shutdown extending forever. But I don’t agree with them and I do think we should continue to shut down. I know that sounds contrary, but it’s so complicated. I have no solution.
What would’ve forced them to sit down and negotiate?
November 10, 2025 at 7:13 PM
What would’ve forced them to sit down and negotiate?
i would like to see the ACA credits too--not temporary, but permanent! but i am looking at Mike Johnson and Donald Trump and realizing that these men are perfectly content with the government being shut down forever.
November 10, 2025 at 6:54 PM
i would like to see the ACA credits too--not temporary, but permanent! but i am looking at Mike Johnson and Donald Trump and realizing that these men are perfectly content with the government being shut down forever.
not my question. my question is: how would the shutdown have ended had the democrats not caved? does anybody believe that trump would have done anything to end it? that mike johnson would have?
November 10, 2025 at 6:53 PM
not my question. my question is: how would the shutdown have ended had the democrats not caved? does anybody believe that trump would have done anything to end it? that mike johnson would have?
and you honestly think they would have gotten that? how?
November 10, 2025 at 6:52 PM
and you honestly think they would have gotten that? how?
you can't primary people who aren't running for re-election. And how did you see this shut down end, if they had not done this? Truly curious.
November 10, 2025 at 6:41 PM
you can't primary people who aren't running for re-election. And how did you see this shut down end, if they had not done this? Truly curious.