Turk is going to be a beauty. And an asshole.

Damn Solensia injections! 😆

Mostly, though, Sherm is a snuggle butt

My now-senior Sherman is a snuggly lap cat and a pure delight. Unless he is jumping on all the high furniture, trying to steal things and get my attention. (Video of Sherman causing mayhem courtesy of cat sitter 🤣)

Here is my honest-to-god question for people who are arguing that Dems “should have kept the fight going” (which I take to mean keep the government shut down)

And note, on Tues night, I said the same, even as a furloughed Fed!

How long? What would equal winning or require a concession?

- forces Johnson to bring the House back and swear in Grajilvas
- allows fires-up House Dems to take the bully pulpit on healthcare
- re-opens critical federal services (yes, the Government does actual work — Dems know this, as do Dem voters.)

REAL HARM was being done every day it was closed

It’s a shitty deal. No doubt.
I don’t think it’s complete capitulation.

- it front-funds SNAP for FY26
- it un-fires employees RIF-ed *during the shutdown* (e.g. all of the DC CDC office)
- ensures back pay for furloughed employees (the admin has threatened to not pay)

(Continued in next reply)

I am so sorry your premiums are skyrocketing. It’s cruel and unfair and unsustainable. And I wholeheartedly believe that keeping the government shut down longer wouldn’t have made a difference. And that FUCKING SUCKS. And the promised vote is a nothing burger. We have to fight a new way.

The full 23B reserve fund could have funded Nov and Dec, but it would have depleted the full emergency reserve, which is — in reality — a BAD IDEA

Good job Dinner kittens!

Of those:

1) is viable - your base will hate it, but you have enough “squishes” who are retiring, always-yes (King, Fetterman) or whatever to take the heat, and you regroup, reattack in Dec/Jan, and gear up for midterms

2) exceedingly unlikely

3) I haven’t heard one yet (from literally ANYONE)

That offer was SO quickly and soundly rebuffed, it was laughable.

At that point, I think it’s pretty clear that ACA subsidies are NOT HAPPENING, *ever.*

And so the Dems have a calculation to make:
1) make a deal
2) wait for the R’s to nuke the filibuster
3) create a new victory condition

And when your good strategy fails, you don’t double down. That’s stupid!

It may have been clear that the strategy wasn’t working before the election.

Making a deal before the election would have ALSO been stupid. (See point 5b)

They made ONE moderating offer on Wednesday — 1 yr. Extensions