No food or no healthcare isn’t a choice, it’s a hostage situation.

“We are at a moment right now where people are asking themselves why can’t the Democratic Party defend this assault on democracy . . . and I would submit to you that if you can’t draw the line at genocide, you probably can’t draw the line at democracy.” -Ta-Nehisi Coates

I received this email about Democrats caving to end the shutdown from one of the SNAP recipients I spoke to:

A thread from the trenches of the Reality War 👇🏼

The spineless 8 + Schumer sold us out Call every day Kaine 202-224-4024 Cortez Masto 202-224-3542 Fetterman 202-224-4254 Rosen 203-224-6244 Hassan 202-224-3324 Durbin 202-224-2152 Shaheen 202-224-2841 King 202-224-5344 Schumer 202-224-6542

I still can’t my head around the fact that the person who gave this unhinged speech was re-elected four years later.

That’s what it is, what I was getting at about my texts this morning. Regular people don’t think I’m so crazy now.

The least most politically engaged people I know are texting me before 8am to say, “we won’t forget.” So I don’t know man.

There will be some "Wow you can't make these people happy" sentiment but what's really happening is the Dems are beginning to reap the consequences of not really believing in anything. Choreographed maneuvers, too clever by half talking points. People have just had it

“The graph here shows that you’re just having a false feeling about money!” what the hell is economics if NOT the study of how people feel and react about money?

American politics makes a lot more sense when you realize that the GOP is afraid of pissing off the GOP base, and the Dems are afraid of pissing off the GOP base, but neither party is afraid of pissing off the Dem base.

Yesterday my 9 yr old granddaughter witnessed a man being chased across yards & grabbed by masked gunman in their alley (Oak Park). A man was pulled off a lawnmower. Fences broken, gates shattered. Men were being zip-tied and thrown into black SUV’s. Helicopters fly in the neighborhood. It’s wrong.

Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer. He is a computer safety researcher. And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine. In under 1600 words. aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...

BUY (and read) THIS BOOK

@brandesstoddard.bsky.social uh oh

They should listen to episode 10.100 of Mike Duncan’s Revolutions Podcast to learn when that mythical moment will happen (spoiler, it won’t).

of all the things about this deal that are pissing me off this might have pissed me off the most

Whenever people get romantic notions about subsistence farming, I point out that, historically, people have taken the option to do LITERALLY ANYTHING ELSE if given the chance.

This is a fantastic series of posts about subsistence farming and why your ancestors will rise from the grave and smack you if you return to it after they got out.

You hear that @ossoff.senate.gov

To be clear, this deal still needs to go through a debate and amendment process and more 60-vote thresholds to pass the Senate, and then it must pass the House. There's still room for constituent pressure.

W/alt

Chuck Schumer Helps Pull Democrats Back From Brink Of Courage

MSNBC reported Schumer's office felt that the longer that shutdown went on, the more likely it was that people would start to blame the Dems. My kingdom for Democrats that don't govern out of fear. I've said it before and I'll say it again: The American people are far braver than their reps.

It appears that the Senate has lived up to my expectations of the Senate. But I'm voting no on this bill once it gets to the House. Cutting Americans healthcare and locking in assaults on Congress' power of the purse ain't gonna happen with my consent.

everyone said that people who disagree with the right wing shouldn't cede twitter, which i didn't agree with, but now i think leaving only Joyce Carol Oates could be funny

People need to understand that Chicago is a preview, not a culmination.

this is the best possible explanation for this photo the kids are truly alright

Anyway, I just called Chuck Schumer’s local office. A recording picked up, said that the senator was not available at this time, and hung up on me. So from one (former) elected representative to another: fuck you, Schumer. You’re no leader. And neither is any other Dem who votes for this.

So, listen, call Schumer’s office no matter where you live, no matter if you’re registered to vote. Leave a voicemail that says if Senate Dems cave without an ACA premiums fix, you will never vote for or donate to another Senate Democrat as long as he is Leader

okay leaving a voicemail for Schumer was cathartic actually I used my best “Middle Aged White Lady Demanding to Speak to the Manager” voice

Find your senators at reps.fyi or call 202-224-3121

A man rushed to the Broadview ICE facility searching for his wife. They followed every legal step, but ICE took her into another room and she vanished. He tracked her phone there when the signal died. Police told him to “look up her name online.” He sat in the parking lot, weeping, with no answers.

Its amazing how easily duped political reporters are by Republicans. Satisfied with the equivalent of getting keys jingled in front of them.

Reductions in Force not required by shutdowns, have never happened in any previous shutdown, and a judge has ruled they are illegal. The shutdown is an excuse, not a reason, for them to do what they wanted to do: destroy government.

Love this stuff.

“woke” is when you acknowledge that black people have contributed to the united states

if people’s kids are going hungry and it turns out the money for it went to the gold ballroom and they’re refusing to pay up because they can’t, I think one very particular category of French antiques will be coming back in fashion right quick if you know what I mean

CPL is an absolute palace to the people and these proposed cuts are abominable. Artificial austerity. Chicago folks, read this, check the links to bug the mayor and your alders—this can be fought and won.

I will also add: I can do this for evictions in Illinois too, if SNAP benefits being cut off or the government shutdown means you can't make rent.

"losing interest" is a batshit way of framing this. They're not losing interest, they CAN'T AFFORD shopping.

W/alt

Last Saturday we were pepper sprayed & my car was towed, but w many others, spent today at Broadview ICE. It was cold& rained. I gave others whistle kits & trail mix, others gave me gloves & a rain poncho. We shared rapid response info/tips& made connections to help this city more. Never giving up 💚

Probably a good way to tell right now if the job you’re applying for is run by absolute dumbfucks is to ask if they’re using AI.

pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.

the Iranian drought story is insanely undercovered. foreignpolicy.com/2025/08/07/i...

I mean,

when i was a kid, i used to be so good at this game at the arcade that other kids would stop playing and crowd around me. give me *their quarters* so i could keep going. fyi, this game was NO JOKE difficult. never won it. don't know if you CAN win it. but it was fun.