Ruth McDonald
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ruthielizabeth.bsky.social
Ruth McDonald
@ruthielizabeth.bsky.social
750 followers 370 following 42 posts
#HealthPolicy staffer at U.S. Senate

@umich and @illinois alum. Opinions my own.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Ruth McDonald
altnps.bsky.social
Why aren’t the Epstein files released yet? Still being doctored up with black Sharpies?
November 29, 2025 at 4:33 PM
ruthielizabeth.bsky.social
Also the US Senate doesn’t use AI at all in any kind of official capacity, making them completely vulnerable and even reliant on hearsay, which the majority are more likely to get from executives, not workers.
carnage4life.bsky.social Dare Obasanjo @carnage4life.bsky.social · 3d
A study by Dayforce shows 87% of executives use AI for work, compared to 57% of managers and just 27% of employees.

I think this explains the massive disconnect we see in how CEOs talk about AI versus everyone else. It also raises the question of how useful it truly is for frontline work?
Execs are embracing AI more than their employees are, new research suggests
Research from HR software company Dayforce suggests that executives are leaning into AI far more than their employees.
www.businessinsider.com
November 29, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Reposted by Ruth McDonald
justinwolfers.bsky.social
Demolishing the East Wing of the White House before finalizing plans for what will be built above its ruins is a near-perfect metaphor for Trump's approach to economic policy. The only difference is the wrecking crew doesn’t claim the rubble is evidence of unprecedented growth.
November 29, 2025 at 3:46 PM
ruthielizabeth.bsky.social
This is unjust
ewong.bsky.social Edward Wong @ewong.bsky.social · 2d
NEW: The New York Times got a State Dept. cable telling diplomats to destroy visas that had been approved and printed to give to Afghans. And diplomats are told to do scheduled interviews but not grant visas. US shuts all legal entry routes for Afghans. Our story: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/u...
Trump Pauses All Asylum Applications and Halts Visas for Afghans
www.nytimes.com
November 29, 2025 at 4:21 PM
ruthielizabeth.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
An investor called $140,000 the new poverty line. Experts disagreed but said he had a point.
Michael Green’s tally of the costs of raising a family in the U.S. today is going viral, even if some economists scoff at his math.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 29, 2025 at 4:20 PM
ruthielizabeth.bsky.social
How Congress can still get health care subsidies in place for 2026 www.statnews.com/2025/11/06/h... via @statnews.com
How Congress can still get health care subsidies in place for 2026
Some are saying it’s too late to get health care subsidies back in place for 2026. They’re wrong.
www.statnews.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Reposted by Ruth McDonald
hunterw.bsky.social
NEW: I took a long look at the Proud Boys and found some of their most extreme chapters are sharing ICE recruiting materials on encrypted apps and even suggesting members have joined up. talkingpointsmemo.com/news/in-the-...
The first Antifa Counter Terrorism Task Force Trump already gave so many of us jobs with ICE. We may have to start recruiting soon to fill all these spots.
October 14, 2025 at 3:32 PM
ruthielizabeth.bsky.social
wapo.st/3W4mySQ
The U.S. saved him from the Taliban, but now it wants to send him back
He supported America’s war, escaped Afghanistan and started a family in the U.S. Then ICE arrested him. If he is deported, he expects the Taliban to kill him.
wapo.st
October 14, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Reposted by Ruth McDonald
oversightdemocrats.house.gov
TO ALL FEDERAL WORKERS: if you were illegally fired today and have information of wrongdoing or abuse of power by the Trump Administration, our whistleblower tip line is open.

We want to hear from you. All whistleblowers are federally protected.
Report Potential Wrongdoing Under the Trump Administration
Whistleblowers play a vital role in helping Congress conduct our constitutionally mandated oversight responsibilities. If you have knowledge of corporate or government corruption and abuses of power; insights into the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein and his associates; or information regarding potential wrongdoing or waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars, your disclosure can make a difference.
oversightdemocrats.house.gov
October 10, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Reposted by Ruth McDonald
sbagen.bsky.social
Another great piece from @citizencohn.bsky.social on RFK's imminent threat to vaccines -- particularly the one for Hepatitis B -- and a smart, deep dive into why that vaccine is so important. open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...
RFK Jr.’s Crusade Against Vaccines Hits Its Action Phase
His anti-vax–stacked advisory committee is expected to revise rules for life-saving hepatitis B vax.
open.substack.com
September 17, 2025 at 12:10 AM
ruthielizabeth.bsky.social
What a disaster this administration is
September 15, 2025 at 6:32 AM
Reposted by Ruth McDonald
joshtpm.bsky.social
beginnings of a recognition of the scale of the catastrophe they've created for their own core policy of reshoring industrial factories. still deputy secy of state mcrandoson probably wont cut it.
bloomberg.com Bloomberg News @bloomberg.com · Sep 14
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau expressed regret on Sunday over the recent detention of hundreds of South Korean workers in Georgia and said those who returned home will face no disadvantage when re-entering the US
US Official Offers Regrets Over Detention of South Koreans
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on Sunday expressed regret over the recent detention of hundreds of South Korean workers in Georgia.
bloom.bg
September 14, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Reposted by Ruth McDonald
gabbygiffords.bsky.social
I am heartbroken and furious over the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. Kids should be learning, laughing, making friends — not running for their lives on the very first week of school.

How many more children will live this nightmare before our elected leaders do something?
August 27, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Reposted by Ruth McDonald
whstancil.bsky.social
We're watching an almost exact replay of the initial Abrego-Garcia crisis, where Trump is behaving like an honest-to-god dictator and Democrats are tiptoeing around the issue because they're afraid to be seen defending immigrants, cities, whatever. They only see risks, not opportunities.
August 23, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Reposted by Ruth McDonald
statnews.com
Rare disease research has been caught up in a Trump administration crackdown on NIH grants being used to support international collaborations www.statnews.com/2025/08/06/n...
Rare disease patients caught in Trump crackdown on foreign grant awards
Rare disease research has been caught up in a Trump administration crackdown on NIH grants being used to support international collaborations
www.statnews.com
August 6, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Reposted by Ruth McDonald
librarycongress.bsky.social
NEWS: The Library of Congress has launched a significant upgrade to the Chronicling America website, the nation’s leading free resource for historical U.S. newspapers. newsroom.loc.gov/news/library...
Library of Congress Unveils Major Upgrades to Chronicling America Website
Library of Congress Unveils Major Upgrades to Chronicling America Website Enhanced Platform Improves Accessibility and Research Capabilities for Historic Newspapers The Library of Congress has...
newsroom.loc.gov
August 4, 2025 at 8:36 PM
ruthielizabeth.bsky.social
Amazing resource, especially for history students!! 💙
August 6, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Reposted by Ruth McDonald
librarycongress.bsky.social
It has been brought to our attention that some sections of Article 1 are missing from the Constitution Annotated (constitution.congress.gov) website. We’ve learned that this is due to a coding error. We have been working to correct this and expect it to be resolved soon.
August 6, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Reposted by Ruth McDonald
antonioesparza.bsky.social
Rep. @jamestalarico.bsky.social on Morning Joe:

“Before I went on Joe Rogan, I went on Fox News and the Christian Broadcasting Network.

We Democrats can’t be afraid of uncomfortable conversations with folks who may not agree with us yet.”
July 23, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Reposted by Ruth McDonald
jackjenkins.me
INBOX: Union for Reform Judaism, Central Conference of American Rabbis & American Conference of Cantors issue a lengthy statement declaring:

"Starving Gazan civilians neither will bring Israel the 'total victory' over Hamas it seeks, nor can it be justified by Jewish values or humanitarian law."
Reform Jewish Movement Statement on Starvation in Gaza July 27, 2025 - The ongoing crisis in Gaza is a devastating reminder of the immense human cost of war. Nearly two years into Israel's war against Hamas, Israelis are still waiting for the return of their loved ones held hostage, and innocent Palestinians are caught in a mounting humanitarian catastrophe. Hamas has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to sacrifice the Palestinian people in its pursuit of Israel's destruction, but Israel must not sacrifice its own moral standing in return. Neither escalating military pressure nor restricting humanitarian aid has brought Israel closer to securing a hostage deal or ending the war. While long-delayed and not-yet-certain to be more effective than previous efforts, we are encouraged by Saturday night's announcement that the Israeli military would revive the practice of dropping aid from airplanes and make it easier for aid convoys, including those from the UN's World Food Program, to move through Gaza along "designated humanitarian corridors," and to temporarily cease fighting in Gaza for a humanitarian pause. No one should be unaffected by the pervasive hunger experienced by thousands of Gazans. No one should spend the bulk of their time arguing technical definitions between starvation and pervasive hunger. The situation is dire, and it is deadly. Nor should we accept arguments that because Hamas is the primary reason many Gazans are either starving or on the verge of starving, that the Jewish State is not also culpable in this human disaster. The primary moral response must begin with anguished hearts in the face of such a large-scale human tragedy. Our tradition teaches that all people are created b tzelem Elohim — in the image of God. One consequence of this is the moral priority, which is affirmed throughout the Bible and rabbinic tradition, of feeding the hungry - both for the individual and for the self-governing Jewish community. More than a few members of t… Despite PM Netanyahu's calls to ignore these full members of his cabinet, their presence in this government has consistently morally compromised Israel's actions. Starving Gazan civilians neither will bring Israel the "total victory" over Hamas it seeks, nor can it be justified by Jewish values or humanitarian law. It's hard to imagine that this tragic approach will bring home the 50 remaining hostages, including the 20 who we pray are still alive. It's imperative that the Government of Israel ensures that the recently announced plans to deliver humanitarian aid succeed as Israel works with international partners to ensure its safe and sustained delivery and do whatever possible to reduce or eliminate the shootings and other injuries sustained at food distribution centers. We applaud Israel's green light for foreign nations to resume providing humanitarian aid to the Gaza population desperate for food and are confident that they will do all they can to ensure that such aid does not fall into the hands of Hamas. As Israel has effective control of 70% of Gaza, with the intent to remain in significant swaths of it, even if only temporarily, it should be directly involved, facilitate and cooperate with the international community, international humanitarian NGOs, and regional friends, to take urgently needed actions, such as these suggested by Israeli Reform rabbi and Member of Knesset Gilad Kariv: • To prevent the alarming number of civilian deaths in and around the food and humanitarian aid distribution sites. • Opening a significant number of food distribution centers at various locations across the Gaza Strip. • Large-scale entry of infant formula (especially liquid formula) and ensuring safe delivery to both functioning medical centers and the few remaining international aid facilities. • Establishing secure methods - potentially through cooperation with regional countries - for delivering food supplies to aid organizations and international agencies. • Resuming su… Finally, while it is imperative that Israel and the U.S. resume diplomacy to bring home all hostages and end this war, denying basic humanitarian aid crosses a moral line. Blocking food, water, medicine, and power- especially for children- is indefensible. Let us not allow our grief to harden into indifference, nor our love for Israel to blind us to the cries of the vulnerable. Let us rise to the moral challenge of this moment. Union for Reform Judaism Shelley Niceley Groff (she/her) North American Board Chair Rabbi Rick Jacobs (he/him) President Central Conference of American Rabbis Rabbi David A. Lyon (he/him) President Rabbi Hara Person (she/her) Chief Executive Officer American Conference of Cantors Cantor Josh Breitzer (he/him) President Rachel Roth (she/her) Chief Operating Officer
July 28, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Reposted by Ruth McDonald
jamespmanley.bsky.social
This can’t be real. Jeezus
kurtandersen.bsky.social Kurt Andersen @kurtandersen.bsky.social · Jul 28
Trump’s problem with Secret Service protection? Some agent is always there watching him cheat at golf.
July 28, 2025 at 3:19 AM
ruthielizabeth.bsky.social
Always Late? Blame Your Time Personality. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/25/w...
Always Late? Blame Your Time Personality.
www.nytimes.com
July 28, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Reposted by Ruth McDonald
bbkogan.bsky.social
The Speaker of the House is more interested in meeting an artificial deadline that has no actual impact on anything than he is with pesky details like “how many people would lose their Medicaid under his bill” or “how many children will go hungry under his bill”
Speaker Johnson tonight: "I don't put a lot of credence in what the CBO says - that's not really something that governs my decisions. We have a timetable we have to meet, and I hope they can do their work in time." Meredith Lee Hill @meredithllee •5h NEW: House Republicans won't know the final CBO estimate of the total megabill price-tag before they'll likely have to vote on it this week, three Republicans involved confirm ...
May 20, 2025 at 3:40 AM