Rory Stolzenberg
@rorystolzenberg.bsky.social
renewable energy tech by day. legalizing housing by night. sometimes vice versa.
planning commissioner in charlottesville
planning commissioner in charlottesville
Revealing a trump card of being unwilling to let millions starve as opposed to... revealing that they'll cave for no clear reason whatsoever?
November 10, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Revealing a trump card of being unwilling to let millions starve as opposed to... revealing that they'll cave for no clear reason whatsoever?
Plus we wouldn't have gotten a ruling on the merits, we would have just gotten another shadow docket stay! Which would've been perfect cover for caving *and* a tool to bludgeon the administration/SCOTUS with.
November 10, 2025 at 4:14 AM
Plus we wouldn't have gotten a ruling on the merits, we would have just gotten another shadow docket stay! Which would've been perfect cover for caving *and* a tool to bludgeon the administration/SCOTUS with.
I agree with (2), but there's a pretty big difference between the procedural posture of "there's a fund for unspecified SNAP emergencies that can be used for half the month's budget, plus probably some other funds somewhere to make up the rest" and "Congress appropriated SNAP, now disburse it."
November 10, 2025 at 4:13 AM
I agree with (2), but there's a pretty big difference between the procedural posture of "there's a fund for unspecified SNAP emergencies that can be used for half the month's budget, plus probably some other funds somewhere to make up the rest" and "Congress appropriated SNAP, now disburse it."
tbf there was clear movement from the GOP in the last two days on healthcare and it's a bit bizarre that they didn't get something as a concession on that front to claim victory.
also would have been tactically better to let SCOTUS block SNAP and use that as their excuse for caving
also would have been tactically better to let SCOTUS block SNAP and use that as their excuse for caving
November 10, 2025 at 3:52 AM
tbf there was clear movement from the GOP in the last two days on healthcare and it's a bit bizarre that they didn't get something as a concession on that front to claim victory.
also would have been tactically better to let SCOTUS block SNAP and use that as their excuse for caving
also would have been tactically better to let SCOTUS block SNAP and use that as their excuse for caving
We just saw them fail to nuke the filibuster after several days of Trump demanding it — it'll take serious pressure (probably another, longer shutdown) before they actually do it.
And they obviously aren't getting 8 Dem votes for ACA repeal or a national abortion ban.
And they obviously aren't getting 8 Dem votes for ACA repeal or a national abortion ban.
November 10, 2025 at 3:36 AM
We just saw them fail to nuke the filibuster after several days of Trump demanding it — it'll take serious pressure (probably another, longer shutdown) before they actually do it.
And they obviously aren't getting 8 Dem votes for ACA repeal or a national abortion ban.
And they obviously aren't getting 8 Dem votes for ACA repeal or a national abortion ban.
yuuup. though i guess at least with monetary transfers to states like SNAP, it's somewhat easier to overturn impoundments in court than for things that require executive branch execution
November 10, 2025 at 3:34 AM
yuuup. though i guess at least with monetary transfers to states like SNAP, it's somewhat easier to overturn impoundments in court than for things that require executive branch execution
right, SNAP comes back as part of the continuing resolution anyway. the CR funds programs according to the previous budget amounts. but the CR agreed to today only goes through January, and the SNAP funding lasts through Sept.
so next time the CR runs out & a shutdown is triggered, SNAP stays on
so next time the CR runs out & a shutdown is triggered, SNAP stays on
November 10, 2025 at 3:21 AM
right, SNAP comes back as part of the continuing resolution anyway. the CR funds programs according to the previous budget amounts. but the CR agreed to today only goes through January, and the SNAP funding lasts through Sept.
so next time the CR runs out & a shutdown is triggered, SNAP stays on
so next time the CR runs out & a shutdown is triggered, SNAP stays on
Whichever way you stand on how things should be, there are clear benefits for Ds to wait to force that nuke until a time 25% closer to when the trifecta is broken instead of now. Still lots of damage that can be done between ~April and Jan 2027, but less than between now and Jan 27.
November 10, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Whichever way you stand on how things should be, there are clear benefits for Ds to wait to force that nuke until a time 25% closer to when the trifecta is broken instead of now. Still lots of damage that can be done between ~April and Jan 2027, but less than between now and Jan 27.
and maybe c) compromise-caucus Dems aren't exactly shouting "hey look we got this big concession so that we'll be able to endure the pain longer when we do it again in 90 days," probably because they want the deal to actually pass (i.e. get a bunch of R votes in the Senate+House)
November 10, 2025 at 3:14 AM
and maybe c) compromise-caucus Dems aren't exactly shouting "hey look we got this big concession so that we'll be able to endure the pain longer when we do it again in 90 days," probably because they want the deal to actually pass (i.e. get a bunch of R votes in the Senate+House)
Right, it's a) that the stated goal was ACA subsidies, and it's not totally clear there'll be another opportunity to fight for those, but also b) people are in a "Dems always cave" mood so it's not clear that there will *be* a shutdown fight in January (over ACA or whatever else) so it might be moot
November 10, 2025 at 3:12 AM
Right, it's a) that the stated goal was ACA subsidies, and it's not totally clear there'll be another opportunity to fight for those, but also b) people are in a "Dems always cave" mood so it's not clear that there will *be* a shutdown fight in January (over ACA or whatever else) so it might be moot
"Congress appropriated funds for the full fiscal year and Trump is refusing to disburse it" gives states a much stronger legal footing than "there's half a month's funding in an emergency funds account plus maybe USDA could find the rest of the month's somewhere." But he can try to impound it, sure.
November 10, 2025 at 3:01 AM
"Congress appropriated funds for the full fiscal year and Trump is refusing to disburse it" gives states a much stronger legal footing than "there's half a month's funding in an emergency funds account plus maybe USDA could find the rest of the month's somewhere." But he can try to impound it, sure.
SNAP gets funded through the end of FY26 (so 9/30/26) as part of the deal. Doesn't completely guarantee that it won't be withheld, but it won't be unfunded as part of the shutdown.
first saw it On Here somewhere, e.g.: bsky.app/profile/reic...
first saw it On Here somewhere, e.g.: bsky.app/profile/reic...
Welp, that’s the Senate side of the shutdown over, it seems.
November 10, 2025 at 2:58 AM
SNAP gets funded through the end of FY26 (so 9/30/26) as part of the deal. Doesn't completely guarantee that it won't be withheld, but it won't be unfunded as part of the shutdown.
first saw it On Here somewhere, e.g.: bsky.app/profile/reic...
first saw it On Here somewhere, e.g.: bsky.app/profile/reic...
There are quite a lot of bad things that can happen in 14 months with a trifecta and no filibuster! A clean repeal of the ACA (so no healthcare at all for many, not just hideously expensive) is just one of those.
November 10, 2025 at 2:51 AM
There are quite a lot of bad things that can happen in 14 months with a trifecta and no filibuster! A clean repeal of the ACA (so no healthcare at all for many, not just hideously expensive) is just one of those.
tbf there's probably some amount of "causing suffering and that's bad even if we won't be blamed," though this cave certainly retroactively makes them more likely to be blamed.
the steelman case is that when they do it again in january, there's no risk to SNAP and fed workers will be more prepared
the steelman case is that when they do it again in january, there's no risk to SNAP and fed workers will be more prepared
November 10, 2025 at 2:47 AM
tbf there's probably some amount of "causing suffering and that's bad even if we won't be blamed," though this cave certainly retroactively makes them more likely to be blamed.
the steelman case is that when they do it again in january, there's no risk to SNAP and fed workers will be more prepared
the steelman case is that when they do it again in january, there's no risk to SNAP and fed workers will be more prepared
Plus withholding SNAP funds is now off the table (or at least on much stronger legal footing to block) for the January shutdown.
November 10, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Plus withholding SNAP funds is now off the table (or at least on much stronger legal footing to block) for the January shutdown.
is torsten sløk your dad
November 9, 2025 at 2:36 PM
is torsten sløk your dad
+1 for slowly growing pile at home
November 8, 2025 at 3:17 PM
+1 for slowly growing pile at home
November 8, 2025 at 2:10 AM
pretty sure that was mostly drunk students on foot and not actual cars crashing into them
November 7, 2025 at 7:54 PM
pretty sure that was mostly drunk students on foot and not actual cars crashing into them
Is that about getting the large windows the modern market demands without going with a glass box?
November 7, 2025 at 4:03 AM
Is that about getting the large windows the modern market demands without going with a glass box?
Interestingly I recently learned that Dominion Energy (in VA at least) doesn't typically pass network upgrade costs onto the end users (at least residential ones). Would be very interested to learn how that policy came to be here, but didn't elsewhere.
November 6, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Interestingly I recently learned that Dominion Energy (in VA at least) doesn't typically pass network upgrade costs onto the end users (at least residential ones). Would be very interested to learn how that policy came to be here, but didn't elsewhere.