There are not a lot of good fiscal choices in this moment but every single alder playing business as usual should squirm a little. Now isn't the time to walk down the middle of the street. It's time for Budget Bill Pullman. (And as always Charles asks the best questions)

And when the inevitable One Future Illinois comes for it I would remind people that our city was just assaulted by its own govt so we are drawing down militarized police presence, we are investing in healing and restoration, we are acknowledging the role strong community played in public safety.

Yesterday @cafetacbva.bsky.social asked me what I would do about the budget if I was the mayor and I think he's in a tough spot but here's the winning message "Trump brought the war to Chicago & I'm going to deliver the peacetime budget Chicago deserves" And then I would...

www.thebenjoravskyshow.com/charles-hend... I had the honor to be a quest on the Ben Joravsky show. A legendary journalist who's work spans over 40 years. Thank for giving us a voice. Especially in these trying times. The Studs Terkel of this generation!

www.thebenjoravskyshow.com/charles-hend... I had the honor to be a quest on the Ben Joravsky show. A legendary journalist who's work spans over 40 years. Thank for giving us a voice. Especially in these trying times. The Studs Terkel of this generation!

Tonight was a very bad night.

Demand an audit of USDA’s budget now. Senate is still around. Call all of them day and night. Why are they fighting distributing the SNAP funds??? It’s beyond absurd.

The Border Patrol operates on a principle of terror as deterrence and like many other organizations who subscribe to extremist ideology about power and the family they try to control parents by threatening harm to their children.

@inkstickmedia.com is doing absolutely vital work, and they also happen to be some of the most talented and driven people I’ve ever worked with. When you support them now, your donation doubles for NewsMatch: inkstick.substack.com/p/help-inkst...

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025... Another good read. When will we learn that taxing these mf will help with the economy. Neoliberalism has been a failure in which the economic inequilty between the wealthy and the working class poor is at biggest divide in American History since 1800's.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/live... Americans will be going hungry. It's absurd that the Republicans and Trump Administration are going to withhold emergency funds, especially with the holiday season around the corner. And they lie about not having any funds left to feed children and our elderly.

If SNAP serves ~1 in 8 Every person in the US - each person in your household - must donate an entire day's worth of food per week to compensate. If you know 3 people who do not donate, you'd need to donate 12 meals/week Point: do everything you can; also PUSH bc there is only 1 realistic solution

thetriibe.com/2025/10/mill... I didn't fight for the country to have our children go hungry in America. Every child around the world deserves to have food in their belly.

Once again I am furious that Rollins was confirmed with bipartisan support even though she is a long time benefits cut enthusiast who believes that it is morally correct and good policy to take food away from people.

This is not legal and they do have resources to shift that ensure SNAP benefits are paid. They are choosing to take food away from nearly 42 million Americans, which includes nearly 1 in 4 children.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025... Good read. I'm not surprised by what he said at all. Be aware of the 2028 elections. He didn't want to leave office the first time and he's going to do it again for 2028 presidential elections.

inkstickmedia.com/trumps-terro... Here is another amazing article written by the great Tyler Hicks from Inkstink Media. If you haven't read the piece yet, I highly recommend you do. It's very informative and powerful.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i... Pretty good read about the use of the 25th amendment.

TODAY — At the No Kings rally in Chicago, organizers recognized the work of independent news outlets including The TRiiBE and Unraveled Press, and nonprofit newsroom Block Club Chicago. Video: CBS Chicago

One thing this moment in Chicago has opened up for me is how many people want to be more involved in each other's lives but aren't sure what the first steps are or if their care is wanted or welcomed. I have a lot of appreciation for the people who are creating more spaces for people to connect.

www.chicagomag.com/news/chicago... A good read. Communities aware ness, participation and engagement is the key to counter this madness.

Please follow local #Chicago media doing critically important reporting @thetriibe.com 👇

youtube.com/shorts/WDHFe... Great video from the Triibe on what Chicagoans can do to help out our communities throughout the city. Love the reference to the underground railroad! Good job, Triibe we need voices like you more than ever now.

www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio... I am so disgusted with this article. Has the Washington Post gone down the toilet so much now that they did an article on VA disability fraud. Instead of focusing on Billonares gripping the system and ICE gespto tactics. Have you became the NY Post now.

apnews.com/article/nati... This is not about crime and safety. In contrast, it's about martial law for 2026 and 2028 elections.

Until June 24, the rule for holding immigrants at Broadview was 12 hours. Then the Trump Admin quietly changed the rule, increasing the max to 72 hours. And still they're holding people beyond that time as well.

Speaking to @inkstickmedia.com, a military officer in California warned about the increasing “MAGA-fication” he's seeing inside the military. As Trump deploys troops to more cities, he says he's worried that some of his fellow soldiers have “softened at the idea of abusing their fellow people.”

inkstickmedia.com/lets-go-bash... Check out the article that I am in. Written by the great journalist Tyler Hicks from Instick Media. It's very enlightening and powerful piece. Thank you again, Tyler. We need more columnist and a voice from folks like you more than ever now.

"The Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender and the MacArthur Justice Center are petitioning the Chief Judge of Cook County Timothy Evans to prohibit arrests in and around courthouses without a warrant." abc7chicago.com/post/ice-chi...

youtube.com/shorts/_kWu_... Delivery man gives ICE the run around. Only in Chicago. I love my beloved city!

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025... This is absolutely disgusting. My thoughts and prayers to these families that have been detained. If we can't even protect children basic rights in this in the United States than we really have lost our minds.

www.audacy.com/wbbm780/news... It got ugly yesterday in the city council meeting. Alderman Lopez is absurd Alderwoman Fuentes has done more for immigrants than Lopez has ever done for the immigrant community as a city council member in our wonder city of Chicago. Lopez is the Fox News alderman.

www.thebenjoravskyshow.com/denali-dasgu... My good friend Denali kicking butt on Ben Joravsky show! The number 1 progressive pocast in the Chicagoland area. Folks should listen to it!

"The Agriculture Department said in a statement on Saturday that the report had become “overly politicized, and upon subsequent review, is unnecessary to carry out the work of the department.”" REMINDER: The Ag Sec is the co-founder of the America First Policy Institute

ktla.com/news/local-n... This is an incident everyone should read about. The 80 year owner of the car wash was seriously assaulted by ICE. I'm surprised this story hasn't picked up more traction.

"Under federal law, members of Congress have explicit authority to inspect immigration detention facilities, including conducting unannounced visits. State and city lawmakers don’t have that authority and must rely on DHS or ICE to approve such requests."

"The arrests came as part of a coordinated action by progressive Democrats, timed to amplify demands for Albany to reconvene and pass the New York for All Act. The bill would bar state and local agencies, including police and sheriffs, from sharing information or resources with ICE"

"Along with New York City Council’s proposed Trust Act—which would let people sue if city agencies unlawfully cooperate with ICE—the legislation is essential, Democrats say, to defend due process and prevent local governments from becoming de facto extensions of ICE."

www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news... The Trump Administration is now going using VA hospitals' facilities for staging ground for ICE raids. This is absurd and dangerous to veterans getting care.

Good morning,

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025... Trying to deport someone over minor driving violations that half Chicagoans have on their record. Now a man's dead and a family mourning over something ridiculous and avoidable. First it was hard criminals they said, now there going after your tio's and abuela's

www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i... This is a trying time for the most vulnerable people in the country. We need to stand up for these communities all over the nation. Being silent is being complacent. My thoughts and prayers to their families.

the illinois department of corrections is trying to use its emergency rulemaking power to ban almost all physical mail into state prisons. a hearing on the emergency proposal—which doesn't require public comment—is set for 9/16. (via @dmbrown-tboy.bsky.social) chicagoreader.com/news/make-it...

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025... This is called racial profiling plain and simple. As history has given us this is the basic foundation of facism.

thetriibe.com/2025/09/live... Couldn't make the demonstration this morning. But my thoughts and prayers were with the people today. Chicago is the birthplace of the labor movement. I'm sure we represented what is all about at the rally today!

thetriibe.com/2025/09/live... Couldn't make the demonstration this morning. But my thoughts and prayers were with the people today. Chicago is the birthplace of the labor movement. I'm sure we represented what is all about at the rally today!

www.reuters.com/world/us/chi... The National Guard Deployment is pointless. We just don't learn from history. When you occupy a city or any kind of terrority that doesn't want any part of this in most instances turns out to be a disaster in many different ways. Financially, Morality, and so forth.

Furthermore the bill "Requires a school to develop procedures for reviewing and authorizing requests from law enforcement agents attempting to enter a school or school facility by July 1, 2026" Every school admin is thinking about this as they write safety plans and run lockdown drills.

Rep Mike Kelly (IL 15)'s office got back to me about the Safe Schools for All Act. I'm glad they responded but the extent to which this guy and so many other people are bought in on "good guy with a gun" does not realistically assess risk or follow expertise or community experience.

The idea that safety and civil rights are preventing police from keeping us safe is not a credible claim. Just this month new footage emerged in from Robb Elementary in Uvalde, TX of parents urging law enforcement to enter the school during a shooting. Police did not enter for over an hour.