39 Comments
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Public Servant's avatar

Public servants like me are suffering. My partner already lost her civil service career earlier this year. Your support matters to help us resist fascism: https://democracydefender2025.substack.com/p/government-shutdown-public-servant-emergency

Christina Weinhaus's avatar

So sorry you and your partner are caught in the middle of this. The stress must be immeasurable! There is huge support for change. Know that we are with you in solidarity. I know that won't pay the bills, but I hope for big change soon. Hope the Courts continue to hold the line on government firings.

Megan Rothery's avatar

Reach out (beyond your own) to as many in the Senate and House as you can. All of this is bigger than an “I only represent my constituents” issue.

Use/share this spreadsheet (bit.ly/Goodtrouble) as a resource to call/email/write members of Congress, the Cabinet and news organizations. Reach out to those in your own state, and those in a committee that fits your topic. Call. Write. Email. Protest. Unrelentingly. We deserve better ❤️‍🩹🤍💙

Kath Delaney's avatar

Thank you for this excellent resource.

Megan Rothery's avatar

You’re welcome! Thanks for being aware and active right now!

Rebecca A Schwartz's avatar

This is the most embarrassing administration in the history of the United States. Time to impeach Trump and others in the administration.

TLM's avatar

why aren't these stories told on the media ?

Ed Weldon's avatar

The media exists almost entirely to make money. If they say anything the government doesn't like the money will be taken from them by the government rather than given to their owners. So the media owners say only things that everybody including the government wants to hear or read.

Meanwhile the government has a special army whose job is to cause fear by disappearing anyone they think opposes them or whose removal will create more fear in the people. Sometimes the media reports the "disappearing" as a continuing reminder of the need for people to obey the government.

The government hires people who are not the smartest among us, but who have special disappearing skills. The day will come when we see pictures of these people sitting at tables with earphones on. Just like it was in 1946.

Chris Soden's avatar

We can only hope you are right about them receiving the justice they deserve

Satish Chohan's avatar

Let the Government shut down, be the start of undoing of this corrupt man, his foot soldiers and the SC 6/3 cabal in Kimonos. These foot soldiers are the brain and muscle behind the crook who has slipped into power while we were sleeping. Our fight is a long term because these foot soldiers who are the republican party, republican senate, Citizens United, Federalist Society, Alec, Heritage Foundation and all the Robber Barons with billions in their deep pockets have been working on this project for decades, in the interest of few. Why, because robbing from a vibrant richest democracy financed by 350 million tax payers, is a much more rewarding than robbing from a failing totalitarian regime in Russia or China. Note, this is why they are pushing for dismantling democratic institutions here, breathlessly, to escape accountability. Hakim and Chuck, please exercise the only power left in our nation for citizens. Shut down the government, until they revise the budget to provide a small share of benefit for 350 million citizens before the deep pocket family get billions.

Phil Johnson's avatar

One and done. Now we have to move onto the stage of getting the solons and representatives to do what we elected them to do in the first place: represent "we, the people". That's all.

ICE has to be remade into a justified and courteous arm of the "democracy" - - and not at the expense of the already impecunious taxpayers. I am 84 and my SS allotment went DOWN LAST year because Medicare took a bigger bite out of it, despite whatever COLA raise was applied by the 2025 regime, er, whoever, last year.

Just got my property bill for this year (CA); went up to $6300+ this 2025-26 version.

(That's a whole another can of fish, but endemic of how bad it is to be a senior in CA).

Mary Jane Zander's avatar

For me, having to listen to these posts, as opposed to reading them is problematic , in that I prefer (and find it more useful) to read this information and keep my political views private.

I can be much more effective that way. Please go back to written communications.

SusanKDg's avatar

Then don't listen. Stop the narration and click on the Transcript box just below the date. It opens up to what Heather says in the letter.

Kath Delaney's avatar

For many, many people who are vision impaired, having Heather read her posts is much easier for accessibility purposes as well.

Deb Berggren's avatar

You can also invest in a pair of headphones

jeffrey bryan's avatar

Hard to fathom these actions against people who “ look different “

William Lowry's avatar

We have seen far too many examples of the lawless of ICE. We have to stop.

Pat Dundon's avatar

Why has no one asked how practical it is to expect an over 60 human to adhere to physical fitness standards of the US Marine Corps?

It is folly to fire senior officers who have the most valuable experiences on earth in any military setting because they do not have the ability to pass a physical fitness test designed for combat troops.

The present U.S. government is preparing to intimidate its own citizenry while destroying it military leadership. Isn’t that treason?

Phil Johnson's avatar

Probably yes, it is treason; everything else Mr. T. has done has been, at minimum, useless, if not just plain beyond selfish, too selfish for an yclept "leader".

Stephen Brady's avatar

tRump Oct-25 seems to be a far worse incarnation of tRump Sept-25. His goal can only be an utterly cowed populace.

DC Policy Geek's avatar

And, today, a white male veteran who's been peacefully protesting near McPherson Square in DC for years got detained. The people detaining him refused to say why he was being detained, what law(s) he'd violated (if any), what the charges were or where he was being taken. There's safety in numbers, folks! Also, if you're active in Indivisible or similar groups, please share this Substack with them of ideas on how states can fight back wrt the economic/financial strategies being used to target Blue states, including Blue states forming compacts to collectively fight back. https://open.substack.com/pub/cmarmitage/p/trump-cut-funding-to-16-dem-states?r=c3b0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

Phil Johnson's avatar

I am pretty sure I don't have to waste time and space, but, just in case - - the WMVet should be able to file a civil suit against, what, ICE ? local police? the gummint?

I am hoping that civil suits can include punitive damages claims in these situations. Of course, right now, taxpayers are bearing the brunt of all these unnecessary, useless situations that our Commander-in-Chief is so proud of.

Gene B's avatar

Trump and allies clearly are using the federal government to promote their political agenda, rather than addressing the critical needs of this nation and its citizens. We must resist nonviolently and increase our “good trouble” to thwart this continuing and expanding illegal injustice.

I find “www.justsecurity.org” an excellent way to start every weekday with up-to-date news with citation to original sources.

Peace and strength for the journey forward.

Phil Johnson's avatar

Thank you for that. The trickle of news remedies is growing into a flood...

JC Humphries's avatar

This is all Trumps pay backs to his fellow players who have supported him. He can’t afford to bail out US Farmers (many who helped Trumpget into office.) Eventhough they put him into office I still feel for them and their families. Trump is not for real Americans or even his flock.

THIS MAN IS OUT TO RECK ANERICA AND HAND IT OVER TO HIS RICH BASE!

What a sad situation we are in because of HATE!

Jesus did not have an ounce of hate in his heart! That is what christianity is about!

robert e williamson jr's avatar

Trump does not care what happens and it's very obvious. He needs to be jailed.

Mary Kay Marrello's avatar

Missed this earlier today as I was running errands. It is packed with important information that doesn’t make the news which indicates how quickly Trump and Republicans are working to take over permanently.

While ICE is dominating the headlines and they are unjustly harassing and arresting indiscriminately, there’s a lot of other illegal Republican activity going on.

One that’s been barely received any press is that Trump/ GOP Congress cancelled 8 billion dollars in blue state projects… (how ironic, since Biden actually instituted infrastructure projects in more Red states than Blue states.)

We must be relentless in spreading the truth and sharing Heather’s letter and her research.

Joan Conger, PhD's avatar

Will Congress come back as a lawmaking body with power of the purse? Or will Presidents Vought and Miller have by then taken over the Treasury and Homeland Security, respectively? Will the GOP continue to simply not work with anyone to create any appropriations at all? I’m trying, I promise, to see any Normal coming back in the near future, but I can’t see anyone giving back the power they’ve just taken. Sigh. Call, write, talk, share, network, and NVDA October 18.

Linda Price's avatar

Is there any strategic plan, action coming from the Democratic National Party , to fight the severely anti- democracy and endless abandonment of the constitution?