21 Comments
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Melissa Arenson's avatar

I'm fuming! What a desperately weak ending to what should have been a line in the sand.

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mac jordan's avatar

They should all be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

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Kasey Coff's avatar

The Borg Collective: you remember their motto? "Resistance is futile."

That's how I'm left feeling about the No Kings protests. We're left with a hollow non-crown.

That's how I'm left feeling about November 5. John Wilkes Booth's dying words, "Useless. Useless."

Most of all I'd like to know WHY. I don't buy this "responsible governance" bullshit. They could've chosen "responsible governance" back in September.

Okay, it was always a gamble, but the Democrats had the support of millions, urging them to stay strong. Even among the people most hurting from SNAP cutoffs and double / triple insurance premiums, so many were standing with them, supporting the hard fight.

What in hell happened?!?

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David Olson's avatar

What happened? Flight delays. When inconvenience finally hit the upper middle class.

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Kasey Coff's avatar

Thank you - I'd tap "Like" since I think you have the right of it, but labeling your words with a heart is more than I can bear right now... 😕

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Katy Bolger's avatar

The shit show goes on and on...

Do the pardons mean that Rudy, Sandy et al can practice law again? Can you imagine these proven corrupt lying liars will once again be jurists? What fn country did we wake up in?

Thank you for the update, Mary, and once again you send me in many different directions to see visuals hear audio and read stories of the amalgamation of news (aka the shit show) you wrap up daily. (Also, and not for nothing, your columns always have me clicking on a new tab to look up words, slang and phrases. In other words, you keep my brain working.)

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Bob's avatar

Midterms are coming. The Epstein files are worse than you think. Prepare for another coup attempt as it will soon be his only option to stay out of prison.

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Kasey Coff's avatar

He'll be dead before that happens. The coda will be "The greatest state funeral anybody ever seen!" Melania looks so good in black...

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Jane Dukuray's avatar

Mary Geddry, your writing is scorching. Thank goodness for that. The display in the halls of government is disgusting.

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XBarbarian's avatar

the big ugly bill passed the cuts to the ACA subsidies. THAT WAS WHEN THIS FIGHT SHOULD HAPPENED. the shutdown, after the fact, can't be seen as anything but performative. remember hungry people and SNAP shutdown?? the same voices rightfully screaming about that yesterday, and now mad the complicit dems caved? come on folks. the shutdown, after they already let the foxes in the hen house, was performative only.

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Katy Bolger's avatar

I gotta say, as a senior citizen, WE NEED NEW BLOOD IN CONGRESS. Chuck Schumer needs to stand down.

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Ellie Hampton's avatar

Except, in this case, Chuck was not among the eight. (He still needs to go, but we need to have a fire-brand, savvy Senator ready to step in...or we gain nothing).

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Lynne Avery's avatar

Once again, the Democrats cave under pressure, choosing to believe a "promise" from the Republicans. They still don't understand that Republicans cannot be trusted, ever.

Thanks guys, you just made the past of the past 40 days of suffering all for nothing.

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Lori's avatar

I think the Democrats won big with the shutdown by outing Trump and his Republican toadies as cruel and callous, and doing it in such a way that even low-information voters couldn’t miss it. Had they continued the fight, health-care premiums would have gone down—but only until after the midterms. And the price of this potential “win” was growing exponentially. I think this was a smart strategic move for Democrats.

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Katy Bolger's avatar

I don't know if I agree but let's keep up the good fight. If the Dems are smart and loud about ending the shutdown that the Republicans wouldn't end and therefore are the heroes. AND CHUCK SCHUMER NEEDS TO STAND DOWN.

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David Olson's avatar

It was extortion, pure and simple. But I gather your point is the Dems should stand down in the name of an immediate, necessary good. Will the R’s stay to their bargain to further negotiate ACA? I’m pessimistic.

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Patricia Davis's avatar

👏

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Julie Bannerman's avatar

Looking at the 8 “bipartisan” cavers, I note none will face voters in the 2026 midterms.

Disappointingly, 4 out of 16 Democratic women Senators are among those who rewarded Trump and Co. for their sadistic cruelty and illegality. They somehow overlooked how MAGA used the most vulnerable citizens as pawns while pampering billionaires and feathering their nests with our tax dollars.

A few specifics: Cortez Masto (NV), Fetterman (PA) and Independent Angus King (Maine) long ago advocated compromising with MAGA; none face reelection next year.

Shaheen (NH) and Durbin (IL) are retiring. Hassan (also NH) is up for reelection in 2028.

Kaine (VA) and Rosen (NV) were just reelected to the Senate so don’t face voters again for 5 more years.

MAGA operatives are cruel and careless people, corrupt to the core. Appeasing them is a path to nowhere safe, prosperous or healthy.

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David Olson's avatar

Somewhat disconcerting commentary, but, sadly, on it is on the mark. My take, there is a majority of Americans who are checked out. Some 94m who did not vote in the last election. The nutrition and health care for 44M Americans, an abstraction. It is a problem when flights are cancelled, when it inconveniences ‘me.’

IMHO, the financiers on Wall Street don’t get it. They slice and dice small companies ending livelihoods for profit in the name of efficiency. Or off shore for profit. Or create financial tranches built on sand. They buy the politicians to distract. What they miss is modern civilization is liberal, it aims for greater equity. So we the great unwashed bear it, until we bear it no more. Aux barricade.

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Patricia Davis's avatar

I’ll just repeat myself today..” laying bets to hear ‘ what the Republicans really meant was …” perhaps it’ll be more clear “in two weeks?”

SOS

🤦‍♀️

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Gillian Butler's avatar

Democrats seem to be able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. We need to organize, organize, organize. The people united will demand accountability.

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