Yesterday, the U.S. Senate passed the CR (Continuing Resolution) with the help of these short-sighted, in my humble opinion, cowards, who decided to assist the Republicans in hurting everyday working Americans: Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Angus King (I-Maine), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).
…who needs enemies!
These ten senators helped the Republicans in hurting us in the following ways:
- No assistance to California to help rebuild after its devastating fires the past few months.
- Cut medical research by about $280 million, thus ending research on Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, just to name a few.
- $13 billion cuts in social programs that help our senior citizens, children living in poverty, and students, again, just to name a few.
- If you live in a rural area, cuts in funding for broadband internet of around $30 million for you.
- Around $2 billion in cuts to improve our roads, rails, and airports across the nation.
- Punished DC with $1 billion cut to its budget.
- Worst of the worst, gave their power of the purse to Musk and Trump, meaning usually Congress says how funds must be spent for the president to then follow; this time it is a big pot of money Musk and Trump may spend as the wish. This translates into Red States Rejoice, Blue States Grieve because if your state governor isn’t bending the knee, you can pretty much count on not getting any Federal assistance.
Rather than just step back and let the Republicans shut down the government, they stepped up to prop-up and give approval to the Republican agenda. The American people were behind the Republican shutdown knowing it would cause some short-term pain because we knew it would advert long-term pain. These ten Democrats and Independents need to decide whom and what they care the most about. Is it the American people and Democracy, or not? So far the signal is, “or not.”
Bottom line is, at a time when we need advocates for we the people, when we need elected people to care about we the people, when we need those in power to help fight back Fascists and authoritarianism, they kowtow when needed the most. These are not the leaders for our current times. They are dinosaurs of a time when decorum and norms were followed.
I wish there was still decorum, norms, and even civility, but sadly those days are over, possibly never to be seen again because of the Republicans. If these ten senators can’t stand up for Americans, they need to resign now. If they can’t take the heat from the other side and accept the threats they may be receiving, they are not the leaders we need.
In these times, we need more AOC’s, more Bernie’s, more Jasmine’s, most definitely not more Chuck’s.
Just shaking my damn head!
I’ve often said we all need to be involved in saving democracy in the ways which fit our lives and our comfort levels. These can be from blogging, to reposting on social media, to calling your elected officials, to letters to the editor, to donating to organizations, to marching in the streets. Nothing is too little or too much. Here are some ways to get involved from the comfort of your own homes over the next few weeks:
- Donating to two Florida congressional candidates to help retake the U.S. House of Representatives: Gay Valimont and Josh Weil.
- Donating to Susan Crawford who is running for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The courts are all that appear to be standing between democracy and autocracy right now.
- Call your congressional members and let them know as one of the people they represent, it is past time for Musk to be fired and DOGE dismantled. Call this number and the switchboard will connect you to your representative or senator: 202-224-3121. Even if you don’t know who your members are, they will find them for you based on your address, which they will ask you to provide.
- Call the White House switchboard to express your disappointment in what is happening and that Musk must go: 202-456-1414 (switchboard) or 202-456-1111 (comments). I recommend the switchboard myself.
- Sign up for General Strike and commit to participating.
- Download the app Five Calls to help let your elected officials know you are paying attention and don’t approve. Website: https://5calls.org/
- Join a local group of Indivisible and join the Hands Off National Day of Action, April 5, 2025.
- Participate in the action items of 50501: 50 Protests, 50 States, 1 Movement.
- Continue to boycott companies who have bent the knee or no longer believe in equality. Don’t buy from national chains or companies, such as Target, Amazon, or Walmart.
- Write letters to your local papers expressing your disappointment and tell your stories of how the Republican administration is harming your families.
- Plan to stop making any purchases from food and drink conglomerate Nestle starting March 21 through March 28.
Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man 