Unless Republicans extend subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), premiums for ACA enrollees will “spike 75%.” The tax cuts for billionaires included in the Big Ugly Bill will create such a budget shortfall that it will trigger over $536 BILLION in Medicare cuts over a decade. Those in rural areas will be deeply affected by these and Medicaid cuts.
The attacks on “Woke” are disgraceful. Radical right-wing Project 2025 politicians continue to attack a word that best translates into love of one’s fellow human beings. The dysfunction threatening our democracy requires immediate action to address partisan extremes. Let’s come together to bring back the norms and values that make our system work.
Last week, the President stated that his “most likely next targets” for sending troops into cities to “fight crime” were Chicago and New York. In response, on Monday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker gave a blistering speech at a press conference in Chicago condemning the action. Here is the full speech.
Immigration and border security enforcement have gone haywire. The current government is building concentration camps and sending innocent people, along with criminals, to these camps and to countries that they don’t hail from, all without due process. The only solution that a vast majority of the American public want is complete control of the border, deportation of undocumented criminals, a vibrant and consistent immigration program to keep our economy growing, and most of all a pathway to stay and work here for the vast majority of undocumented folks with long term ties and no criminal record.
After months of speculation, the President finally told Texas Congressional Republicans earlier in July that he aims to gain five seats from the mid-census redistricting in Texas. Instead of using this Special Session to provide flood relief and disaster mitigation, Gov. Abbott is exploiting the tragedy to serve the President’s unpopular and damaging agenda. Texas needs a non-partisan districting commission to keep both parties from playing the gerrymandering game.
Donald Trump has consistently and egregiously lied since the beginning of his political career to the point where there is a dangerous and reprehensible disregard for truth and the U.S. Constitution and democracy itself. This disregard is undermining the economy and leaves the U.S. with a deficit of more than $36 trillion.
A recent Greater Edwards Aquifer seminar summarized which water-related bills passed and did not pass during the Texas Legislature’s last session.
We have recently seen two horrendous attacks on innocent Jewish people. The attacks expressed continued hatred of the Jews by many Americans. This coupled with a 360% surge in anti-Jewish hate in the U.S. according to the ADL, and a rise in political violence in the U.S. as evidenced by the assassination of Melissa Hortman, means we must condemn antisemitism and all forms of hatred and bigotry.
In this hurricane season, NOAA has predicted 13-19 named storms with 6-10 as hurricanes and 3-5 of those as major. Musk’s DOGE has begun the decimation of NOAA by firing probationary employees and impounding (illegally) Congressional appropriated funds. Many wonder if the U.S. will be able to handle this storm season or if lives will be needlessly lost by the administration’s decisions and incompetence. Texas will not fare well with these decisions so contact your reps and senators.
Kindness is simply being friendly, generous, and showing compassion towards others, without expecting anything in return. It’s about thinking and acting with consideration and caring for our fellow humans on our journey through life. When I feel an unkind thought start to emerge, I try to think of the folks who are my kindness heroes: Kurt Vonnegut, Lady Gaga, and Willie Nelson.