I think the Medicaid issue is (deliberately) confusing. From my understanding there will not be a line item that says “Medicaid” with a $ amt beside it. Rather it’s the way they are going to distribute funds to States-imposing per capita caps, block grant funding based on a formula or lowering the federal match. Any of these will cause budget shortfalls at the State level and the States will then have to figure out how to cover the costs or make cuts. So at the federal level they are able to say they are not making cuts-eventually the States will
PLUS, many people don't even know they are on Medicaid due to it being called by different names in different states. This FB post (with link to a *.gov site) was shared by Jay Kuo: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1VmWsS5h8k/
Today, feeling as dark as the skies about my suburban, PA, home I decided that the only way to finally move would be to leave a voice mail thank you for the truly very spectacular Chrissy Houlahan, our D Rep. I couldn't get through my thank you without sobbing. But it felt good to be able to thank someone in government for comprehensive communications, crowded and informed town halls, her support of the appropriate world order, and her voting for all the right bills. There are still good people in DC.
Perhaps it helped me most of all. I am still crying—truthfully still crying. But I am breathing a little better for having been able to tell someone something good.
Please take a few minutes and comment (per instructions on this proposal on the Federal Register)...
NEPA Proposed Dissolution
On Tuesday the Federal Register published a document regarding NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act, the 1969 Magna Carta of our environmental laws) in which the Trump Adminstration wants to gut. It's very first step in selling off OUR Public Lands. There is a 30 day comment period and EVERYONE should tell their Senators and Congress members. And any associated important outlets. I have a deep background educationally, some professionally, and definitely personally in the environmental field. This is one blockbuster of a challenge. But we can overwhelm with input and help protect our conservation/environmental resources.
Thanks for the link to leave public comments. Is there background about the threat that can inform comments? Any guidance, suggestions would be very appreciated.
I would review the existing comments to get guidance. Also simply reading about the amazing story of NEPA can show how it laid down the history of environmental protection like when Yellowstone NP was designated in 1872. There is far more to the Yellowstone story that is hardly perfect.
But the story of NEPA is a true bipartisan evolution in valuing the world around us. The next year Earth Day would first be celebrated.
A representative from Congressman Gimenez office in Miami said the budget bill didn’t have anything that would cut Social Security and Medicare, when I called. So I read  part of the bill. The bill has over 4 ½ billion dollars to be reduced from Ways and Means, responsible for these programs.
Don’t let these people fool you… This happened to me before I read your email today.
Thank you Jess! Scott Dworkin had very good things to say about you this morning and I had to tell him that I am proud to know you. We lost everything but LInda's studio in the fire, but we are staying focussed and keeping up as well as we can. As I say to Scott and others "Kick Butt!!"
Regarding the divorce with Amazon, there is a very good E reader made by Rakuten Kobo, just like the paperwhite, it has several sizes and levels, and it is very well recommended. It’s a Japanese company which has a base in Canada. Their e-book availability is as extensive as Amazon, Amazon hasn’t yet figured out how to stop other people from publishing books. Give that a try. I am going to buy one and start switching my new book purchases over to that
All I can report is that people in central Illinois DO NOT believe there will be any cuts to things they need or care about. Blissful ignorance all around and the Trump flags are still flying. Local tiny newspaper is nothing but praise for Musk and Trump. We are not breaking through.
For the last few days I have focused most of my calls on the budget resolution, and I am very grateful for all of the work you do to keep us informed and to share ideas for action items. The idea of cutting absolutely critical services to pay for the tax cuts for billionaires is unconscionable, cruel and inhumane.
However, another area of enormous concern for our country are many of the things that are happening globally. On sites like yours, I haven't seen many ideas for action items for push-back for the new Putin/Trump Alliance, Trump's ditching of Ukraine (and now T blaming them for starting the war with Russia ), the abandonment of NATO, and for the gutting of USAID. Is there a reason for that or is it just that we are being bombarded with some many issues at once, that we can't respond to them all?
I've started calling the leadership and members of the Foreign Relations Committee- https://www.foreign.senate.gov/about/membership to express my grave concerns as I figure as committee members they serve the whole country not just their own constituents. Do you see a problem with that?
I have also called Susan Collins and Tom Cole as chair people of the Appropriations Committee with concerns about the handing over control of the federal finance system to DOGE. In the past I've called only my congresspeople but since two of the three are Democrats, I've been looking for ways to contact more Republicans.
A friend on Facebook who is a Trump voter and truly believes he is good at what he is doing, posted a list from DOGE that listed items that US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on, including $10M for "Mozambique voluntary medical male circumcision" and $2.3M for "strengthening independent voices in Cambodia." She posted the list, saying "I can’t believe how anyone would not be outraged by the amount of tax dollars wasted!!!" I know that she respects me. I would love if someone could help me kindly respond to her with information.
" Rubio terminated 5800 USAID contracts – more than 90% of its foreign aid programs – in defiance of the courts.
Here’s a list of just some of the lifesaving awards that were terminated. Nearly all were Congressionally mandated. They’ve saved millions of lives. 🧵
1. All malaria supplies protecting 53 million people, mostly children, including bed nets, diagnostics, preventive drugs, and treatments – terminated.
2. All tuberculosis programs, including the Global TB Drug Facility – terminated.
3, All supplies of US-manufactured emergency food packets for starving children on the brink of death – terminated.
4, USAID’s contract supporting deadly outbreak prevention, detection, and response, including Ebola and Bird Flu, in 50 countries – terminated.
5. All deployable U.S. teams for earthquake assistance – terminated.
6. All U.S.-backed development programming in Afghanistan, including maternal and child health services and girls education – terminated. (Estimated to cause >1,200 maternal deaths by 2028.)
7. Over 1,000 food kitchens in Sudan, a country with almost 25 million people experiencing acute food insecurity – terminated.
8. USAID’s contract for supplying essential medicines for maternal and child health in countries worldwide – terminated.
9. Services from the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation - just one organization - reaching 350,000 people on HIV treatment, including nearly 10,000 children and more than 10,000 HIV-positive pregnant women – terminated.
10. Every USAID program in the former Soviet countries in Central Asia, including health programs to combat tuberculosis, along with agricultural programs – terminated.
11. Screening program with the Mexican government to identify illicit drugs like fentanyl being smuggled at the US border. - terminated
Thank you! Can I ask that you consider bringing attention to this urgent issue?
Erin Reed ALERT! It just broke that tomorrow, the Senate will attempt a vote on a transgender sports ban. It will take 7 Democrats breaking rank in order to have enough votes to pass cloture... if 7 or more Dems do not hold steady, then the bill will likely pass. Democrats held very strong in the House and only lost two votes. If you have a Democratic Senator, call them and tell them to not allow the transgender sports ban to advance at https://myreps.datamade.us/. Full story here: https://www.axios.com/2025/02/27/senate-transgender-womens-sports
A small group of wealthy to unimaginably wealthy, cruel, immoral white American men, from Trump/Musk through their cabinet and the GOP leadership are all rushing to ruin the reputation of the US around the globe. Just the list of cancelled USAID programs described in today's NYTimes is heartbreaking.
And now this same group is scheming to wreak its selfish, immoral agenda on poor and needy US citizens so they can extend tax cuts for the top 1% of Americans. Really, it's embarrassing for all Americans. And our leader lives mostly in his 126 palatial estate in Florida.
Hopefully our protests will continue to grow and Trump's approval will continue to plummet.
At some point soon, Trump and his anti-american agenda becomes more of a liability than an asset to the GOP and they turn on him.
Regarding boycotting Amazon, Washington Post, Audible and Whole Foods are owned by Amazon. Consider adding them to your (permanent) boycott in addition to cancelling your Amazon Prime membership and shopping on Amazon (find what you need on Amazon and go directly to the manufacturer's site to buy). For books, it's a great time to support your local independent bookstore.
I just read about the horrendous death threats against Republican Congress members such as Tillis. I think we need to do something about this. If this is the reason they are all caving (rather than avoiding being primaried), as this article suggests - we need to help bring this to light and stop it somehow. Any thoughts? Maybe write letters to the editor? maybe call those who are threatened and offer our support in some way? I think this could be MAJOR!
The Department of Education just released a form to report DEI policies in public schools. I think we need to flood them with creative reports....https://enddei.ed.gov/
I really wanted to get into this but when I press submit it says access denied. Dang. I really wanted to complain that white kids in wealthy districts don’t have enough Stanley water bottles!
I think the Medicaid issue is (deliberately) confusing. From my understanding there will not be a line item that says “Medicaid” with a $ amt beside it. Rather it’s the way they are going to distribute funds to States-imposing per capita caps, block grant funding based on a formula or lowering the federal match. Any of these will cause budget shortfalls at the State level and the States will then have to figure out how to cover the costs or make cuts. So at the federal level they are able to say they are not making cuts-eventually the States will
Right.
PLUS, many people don't even know they are on Medicaid due to it being called by different names in different states. This FB post (with link to a *.gov site) was shared by Jay Kuo: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1VmWsS5h8k/
Oh, that is reprehensible! And not one bit surprising.
Today, feeling as dark as the skies about my suburban, PA, home I decided that the only way to finally move would be to leave a voice mail thank you for the truly very spectacular Chrissy Houlahan, our D Rep. I couldn't get through my thank you without sobbing. But it felt good to be able to thank someone in government for comprehensive communications, crowded and informed town halls, her support of the appropriate world order, and her voting for all the right bills. There are still good people in DC.
Those thank you's are so important!
Perhaps it helped me most of all. I am still crying—truthfully still crying. But I am breathing a little better for having been able to tell someone something good.
Please take a few minutes and comment (per instructions on this proposal on the Federal Register)...
NEPA Proposed Dissolution
On Tuesday the Federal Register published a document regarding NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act, the 1969 Magna Carta of our environmental laws) in which the Trump Adminstration wants to gut. It's very first step in selling off OUR Public Lands. There is a 30 day comment period and EVERYONE should tell their Senators and Congress members. And any associated important outlets. I have a deep background educationally, some professionally, and definitely personally in the environmental field. This is one blockbuster of a challenge. But we can overwhelm with input and help protect our conservation/environmental resources.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/25/2025-03014/removal-of-national-environmental-policy-act-implementing-regulations
Thanks for the link to leave public comments. Is there background about the threat that can inform comments? Any guidance, suggestions would be very appreciated.
I would review the existing comments to get guidance. Also simply reading about the amazing story of NEPA can show how it laid down the history of environmental protection like when Yellowstone NP was designated in 1872. There is far more to the Yellowstone story that is hardly perfect.
But the story of NEPA is a true bipartisan evolution in valuing the world around us. The next year Earth Day would first be celebrated.
And so forth...
A representative from Congressman Gimenez office in Miami said the budget bill didn’t have anything that would cut Social Security and Medicare, when I called. So I read  part of the bill. The bill has over 4 ½ billion dollars to be reduced from Ways and Means, responsible for these programs.
Don’t let these people fool you… This happened to me before I read your email today.
Yep. They're counting on our ignorance.
By the way, I called that office back and told them that they were liars, that I read the bill and how are they going to reduce 4 1/2 billion dollars?
What did they say?
That they would pass my comments on…
Right😵💫
Haha
Thank you Jess! Scott Dworkin had very good things to say about you this morning and I had to tell him that I am proud to know you. We lost everything but LInda's studio in the fire, but we are staying focussed and keeping up as well as we can. As I say to Scott and others "Kick Butt!!"
Oh no Ransom I am so sorry! Good God. Please let me know if there's anything we can do to help!
Regarding the divorce with Amazon, there is a very good E reader made by Rakuten Kobo, just like the paperwhite, it has several sizes and levels, and it is very well recommended. It’s a Japanese company which has a base in Canada. Their e-book availability is as extensive as Amazon, Amazon hasn’t yet figured out how to stop other people from publishing books. Give that a try. I am going to buy one and start switching my new book purchases over to that
Ooh good to know!
All I can report is that people in central Illinois DO NOT believe there will be any cuts to things they need or care about. Blissful ignorance all around and the Trump flags are still flying. Local tiny newspaper is nothing but praise for Musk and Trump. We are not breaking through.
Idiots..FAFO
Thanks Jess! Yeah republicans STILL think Americans are dumb. The math isn’t mathing
As always, Thank you Jess!! Off to make my calls!
Thanks, Anne!
For the last few days I have focused most of my calls on the budget resolution, and I am very grateful for all of the work you do to keep us informed and to share ideas for action items. The idea of cutting absolutely critical services to pay for the tax cuts for billionaires is unconscionable, cruel and inhumane.
However, another area of enormous concern for our country are many of the things that are happening globally. On sites like yours, I haven't seen many ideas for action items for push-back for the new Putin/Trump Alliance, Trump's ditching of Ukraine (and now T blaming them for starting the war with Russia ), the abandonment of NATO, and for the gutting of USAID. Is there a reason for that or is it just that we are being bombarded with some many issues at once, that we can't respond to them all?
I've started calling the leadership and members of the Foreign Relations Committee- https://www.foreign.senate.gov/about/membership to express my grave concerns as I figure as committee members they serve the whole country not just their own constituents. Do you see a problem with that?
I have also called Susan Collins and Tom Cole as chair people of the Appropriations Committee with concerns about the handing over control of the federal finance system to DOGE. In the past I've called only my congresspeople but since two of the three are Democrats, I've been looking for ways to contact more Republicans.
A friend on Facebook who is a Trump voter and truly believes he is good at what he is doing, posted a list from DOGE that listed items that US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on, including $10M for "Mozambique voluntary medical male circumcision" and $2.3M for "strengthening independent voices in Cambodia." She posted the list, saying "I can’t believe how anyone would not be outraged by the amount of tax dollars wasted!!!" I know that she respects me. I would love if someone could help me kindly respond to her with information.
The thread on Bluesky quoted below is by Atul Gawande, surgeon, writer ("Being Mortal," "Checklist Manifesto"), who formerly led Global Health @USAID.
Thank you
From a thread on Bluesky that might help. https://bsky.app/profile/agawande.bsky.social/post/3lj6rw56hy22b
" Rubio terminated 5800 USAID contracts – more than 90% of its foreign aid programs – in defiance of the courts.
Here’s a list of just some of the lifesaving awards that were terminated. Nearly all were Congressionally mandated. They’ve saved millions of lives. 🧵
1. All malaria supplies protecting 53 million people, mostly children, including bed nets, diagnostics, preventive drugs, and treatments – terminated.
2. All tuberculosis programs, including the Global TB Drug Facility – terminated.
3, All supplies of US-manufactured emergency food packets for starving children on the brink of death – terminated.
4, USAID’s contract supporting deadly outbreak prevention, detection, and response, including Ebola and Bird Flu, in 50 countries – terminated.
5. All deployable U.S. teams for earthquake assistance – terminated.
6. All U.S.-backed development programming in Afghanistan, including maternal and child health services and girls education – terminated. (Estimated to cause >1,200 maternal deaths by 2028.)
7. Over 1,000 food kitchens in Sudan, a country with almost 25 million people experiencing acute food insecurity – terminated.
8. USAID’s contract for supplying essential medicines for maternal and child health in countries worldwide – terminated.
9. Services from the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation - just one organization - reaching 350,000 people on HIV treatment, including nearly 10,000 children and more than 10,000 HIV-positive pregnant women – terminated.
10. Every USAID program in the former Soviet countries in Central Asia, including health programs to combat tuberculosis, along with agricultural programs – terminated.
11. Screening program with the Mexican government to identify illicit drugs like fentanyl being smuggled at the US border. - terminated
Thank you! Can I ask that you consider bringing attention to this urgent issue?
Erin Reed ALERT! It just broke that tomorrow, the Senate will attempt a vote on a transgender sports ban. It will take 7 Democrats breaking rank in order to have enough votes to pass cloture... if 7 or more Dems do not hold steady, then the bill will likely pass. Democrats held very strong in the House and only lost two votes. If you have a Democratic Senator, call them and tell them to not allow the transgender sports ban to advance at https://myreps.datamade.us/. Full story here: https://www.axios.com/2025/02/27/senate-transgender-womens-sports
A small group of wealthy to unimaginably wealthy, cruel, immoral white American men, from Trump/Musk through their cabinet and the GOP leadership are all rushing to ruin the reputation of the US around the globe. Just the list of cancelled USAID programs described in today's NYTimes is heartbreaking.
And now this same group is scheming to wreak its selfish, immoral agenda on poor and needy US citizens so they can extend tax cuts for the top 1% of Americans. Really, it's embarrassing for all Americans. And our leader lives mostly in his 126 palatial estate in Florida.
Hopefully our protests will continue to grow and Trump's approval will continue to plummet.
At some point soon, Trump and his anti-american agenda becomes more of a liability than an asset to the GOP and they turn on him.
Regarding boycotting Amazon, Washington Post, Audible and Whole Foods are owned by Amazon. Consider adding them to your (permanent) boycott in addition to cancelling your Amazon Prime membership and shopping on Amazon (find what you need on Amazon and go directly to the manufacturer's site to buy). For books, it's a great time to support your local independent bookstore.
I just read about the horrendous death threats against Republican Congress members such as Tillis. I think we need to do something about this. If this is the reason they are all caving (rather than avoiding being primaried), as this article suggests - we need to help bring this to light and stop it somehow. Any thoughts? Maybe write letters to the editor? maybe call those who are threatened and offer our support in some way? I think this could be MAJOR!
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/27/republicans-trump-threats
Certainly the FBI won’t be investigating those threats ….
so who can investigate? that's a problem!
The Department of Education just released a form to report DEI policies in public schools. I think we need to flood them with creative reports....https://enddei.ed.gov/
I really wanted to get into this but when I press submit it says access denied. Dang. I really wanted to complain that white kids in wealthy districts don’t have enough Stanley water bottles!