Tag: #TrumpShutdown

Posted on

House Approves Reopening Govt + Robert Irwin’s Dance Tribute To His Dad + More

House of Representatives votes 222-209 to end federal government shutdown

Happy Hump Day! Some news items for your mid-week reading.

• New York Times: The House of Representatives voted 222-209 to end federal government shutdown with six Democrats voting to support it, and two Republicans voting against it.

• Daily Dance: Wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin and pro Witney Carson dance a lovely Foxtrot to “Footprints In The Sand” by Leona Lewis in honor of his father, Steve Irwin. It amazes me Robert had no prior dance experience. The icing on the cake is his sister, Bindi, at the end of the dance. Continue reading “House Approves Reopening Govt + Robert Irwin’s Dance Tribute To His Dad + More”

Posted on

Senate Passes Bill To Reopen Govt, Now Heads To The House

U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. (via Depositphotos)

The U.S. Senate has approved a stopgap spending bill that will end the longest government shutdown in American history once the measure is passed in the House of Representatives.

The Senate-passed package will provide stopgap funding for much of the federal government through January 30, giving lawmakers a couple more months to work out agreement on nine of the dozen full-year spending bills. Continue reading “Senate Passes Bill To Reopen Govt, Now Heads To The House”

Posted on

Senate Dems Offer Deal To End Shutdown + More News

Some news items for you as we head into the weekend:

• Axios: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) says Dems would vote to end the shutdown in exchange for a one-year extension of expiring ACA tax credits.

• Kenneth-in-the-212: Check out this week’s round-up of LGBTQ publications including the ‘Foodie Edition’ of HotSpots! Magazine.

• OUT: 5 highlights from last night’s NBC special Wicked: One Wonderful Night previewing the upcoming sequel Wicked: For Good.

• Grammy Awards: Barbra Streisand, Cynthia Erivo, Lady Gaga, and more have been nominated for 2026 Grammy Awards. Kendrick Lamar scored 9 nods. Competing for Best Musical Theatre Album are Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her, Gypsy, Just in Time, and Maybe Happy Ending. Continue reading “Senate Dems Offer Deal To End Shutdown + More News”

Posted on

White House: Massive Firings Of Federal Workers Have Begun

Donald Trump (via White House Flickr)

Here’s the “you knew this was coming” part.

The White House budget office announced today that “substantial” firings of federal workers have begun in an attempt to exert more pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the government shutdown continues. Continue reading “White House: Massive Firings Of Federal Workers Have Begun”

Posted on

States With Most Same-Sex Couples + The Amazing Mark S. King + More

Gay couple in the park (via Depositphotos)

Some news items I thought worth your time:

• The Advocate: Check out this Top Ten list of states with the most same-sex couples living together. One hint – my state is number 4.

• Kenneth-in-the-212: This week’s round-up of the latest LGBTQ publications including the ‘Miami Spice’ issue of Wire Magazine. Continue reading “States With Most Same-Sex Couples + The Amazing Mark S. King + More”

Posted on

Hegseth Assembles Military Leaders To Fat Shame Them + More News

fat shame

Some news items from the day:

• X: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the top 900 U.S. military commanders away from their posts around the world to assemble in Washington to tell them to not be fat – “It’s not a good look.”

He said everyone, from top leaders to entry service members, should be in shape. Not sure if he’s told our commander in chief. Continue reading “Hegseth Assembles Military Leaders To Fat Shame Them + More News”

Posted on

Report: #TrumpShutdown Cost US Economy $11 Billion

Donald Trump's knee-jerk reaction to criticism by Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, which triggered the longest government shutdown in US history, cost the US economy $11 billion, reports the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
Donald Trump

Donald Trump’s knee-jerk reaction to criticism by Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, which triggered the longest government shutdown in US history, cost the US economy $11 billion, reports the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

The analysis takes into account lost output from federal workers, delayed government spending and reduced demand.

Via CNBC:

The report, which was released Monday, estimated a hit of $3 billion, or 0.1 percent, to economic activity during the fourth quarter of 2018. The impact was projected to be greater during the first quarter of 2019: $8 billion, or 0.2 percent of GDP.

Although most of the damage to the economy will be reversed as federal workers return to their jobs, the CBO estimated $3 billion in economic activity is permanently lost after a quarter of the government was closed for nearly 35 days.

“Among those who experienced the largest and most direct negative effects are federal workers who faced delayed compensation and private-sector entities that lost business,” the report said. “Some of those private-sector entities will never recoup that lost income.”

Posted on

President Agrees To End #TrumpShutdown Without Funding For Border Wall

Donald Trump announced today that lawmakers have reached a deal to end the longest government shutdown in the history of the country, and fund the government through February 15.

After 35 days of posturing by the president, the agreement includes zero money for his proposed border wall.

From The New York Times:

President Trump agreed Friday to reopen the federal government for three weeks while negotiations proceeded over how to secure the nation’s southwestern border, backing down after a monthlong standoff failed to force Democrats to give him billions of dollars for his long-promised wall.

The decision paved the way for Congress to quickly pass spending bills that Mr. Trump will sign to restore normal operations at a series of federal agencies until Feb. 15 and begin paying again the 800,000 federal workers who have been furloughed or forced to work for free for 35 days.

Trump made note during his announcement that he still has “a very powerful” option to get his way (most probably declaring a ‘national emergency’) but didn’t want to use that “at this time.”

It’s difficult to imagine how Trump can spin this as anything other than wasting five weeks and inflicting financial hardship on the American people.

And Ann Coulter, who goaded Trump into the shutdown, is furious:

Posted on

Trump Agrees To Postpone State Of The Union Address Until #TrumpShutdown Is Resolved

President Trump said late Wednesday that he would deliver his State of the Union address once the federal government reopens, capping a day of brinkmanship with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who told the president that he was not welcome to deliver the speech in the House chamber while the government is partly closed.
Nancy Pelosi (L) and Donald Trump (R)

From The New York Times:

President Trump said late Wednesday that he would deliver his State of the Union address once the federal government reopens, capping a day of brinkmanship with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who told the president that he was not welcome to deliver the speech in the House chamber while the government is partly closed.

“As the Shutdown was going on, Nancy Pelosi asked me to give the State of the Union Address,” Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter shortly after 11 p.m., hours after he had said he would look for another venue for the speech. “I agreed. She then changed her mind because of the Shutdown, suggesting a later date. This is her prerogative – I will do the Address when the Shutdown is over.”

House Democrats continue to say they are willing to give Trump substantial amounts of money for border security (technology, manpower), just not for his beloved wall.

The Senate will vote to day on two different proposals – one that supports Trump’s demands, one that funds the government shutdown to an end without funding ‘the wall.’

Neither proposal is expected to get the necessary 60 votes in the Senate to pass, although 3 Republicans – Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colorado), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), have signaled they would vote for the continuing resolution that would reopen the government.

Speaker Pelosi circled back one more time for clarity: