The Chuck Schumer Problem is Pathetic
PDS Published 11/10/2025
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Congress is one step closer to ending the longest government shutdown in history.
And it’s all thanks to Democrats who have given in without getting the one thing they’ve been demanding for the past forty days.
And specifically, we’re talking about eight senators in the Democratic caucus –which was the exact number Republicans ended up needing last night to break the filibuster.
Right, together, with the one Republican holdout being Rand Paul, they voted on a package that includes a stopgap funding bill that would only reopen the government through January 30th.
That said, the package also includes several bills to fund some government operations for the entire fiscal year – which is through September 2026 – including agricultural programs, military construction, and veterans’ affairs.
And maybe most notably, with that, this would include full-year funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – otherwise known as food stamps – which has been one of the most contentious areas of fallout from this whole thing.
And actually we’ll get into some updates on that later.
But beyond that, the Senate deal would bring back federal employees fired during the shutdown and guarantee pay to those who either worked without pay or were furloughed – something that’s normally provided but that Trump threatened to withhold.
What’s missing, however, is an extension of the enhanced tax credits that millions of Americans rely on to lower costs for health insurance purchased through the Affordable Care Act.
Instead, the deal just sets a date for a vote on extending ACA subsidies to take place in December – with no guarantee whatsoever that it would clear the Senate let alone the House.
And so the backlash within the Democratic party has been severe – with people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez saying:
“People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.”
“Working people want leaders whose word means something.”
And with that, you’ve also have Axios reporting that House Democrats are talking about supporting primary challengers to their colleagues in the Senate –
Something that was also reportedly discussed when the upper chamber voted to fund the government in March.
And on that note, you’ve had Rep. Ro Khanna coming after Chuck Schumer – even though he wasn’t among those who voted for the deal – saying:
“Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced. If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”
You’ve also had Bernie Sanders criticizing the move not only from a policy perspective but from a politics one – arguing that this is the exact opposite of what Dems should’ve taken away from their domination on election day last week:
“...what the election showed is that the American people want us to stand up to Trumpism, to his war against working class people, to his authoritarianism. That is what the American people wanted. But tonight, that is not what happened. So we've got to go forward, do the best that we can to try and protect working class people, to make sure that the United States not only does not throw people off of health care, but ends the absurdity of being the only major country on earth that doesn't guarantee health care to all people. We have a lot of work to do. But to be honest with you, tonight was not a good night.” (0:56-1:34)
And with that, he’s not alone in arguing that this is the wrong move from a pure politics point of view – especially as most voters blame Trump and Republicans for the shutdown.
Although, notably, you’ve also had one of the Democrats who won an election last week – Abigail Spanberger, Virginia’s new Governor-Elect – backing the deal.
And with that, one of the state’s Senators, Tim Kaine, was also among those voting for the deal – with something to keep in mind there being that Virginia is home to thousands of federal workers.
But with that, you had Kaine arguing that this is the move that gives the best chance of getting the ACA subsidies extended, saying:
“Lawmakers know their constituents expect them to vote for it, and if they don’t, they could very well be replaced at the ballot box by someone who will.”
You’ve also had Jacky Rosen of Nevada, another Senator who voted for the deal, essentially arguing that it wasn’t worth trying to outlast Republicans because they were more willing to let Americans suffer – saying in a statement:
“Unfortunately, it’s become clear as we go deeper into the second month of this Republican government shutdown that President Trump and Washington Republicans are weaponizing their power in alarming ways to inflict unimaginable pain and suffering on working people….”
“Trump and his Republican cronies on Capitol Hill do not give a damn about hurting working people, and their conduct over the last month has been nothing short of appalling.”
But with all that, I will say, this isn’t set in stone.
It could take days for a final bill to move through the Senate.
And the House, which has been out of session since September 19, would then need to come back to Washington to vote as well – with likely almost every Republican needed to get it passed.
And while they may not ultimately get much say in the matter, you’ve had Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries vowing Democrats would "fight" against it – adding:
“Donald Trump and the Republican Party own the toxic mess they have created.”
But in the meantime, while all that’s playing out, the effects of the shutdown are only going to continue to be felt – and they will continue to be felt even after it ends.
Right, as one example, U.S. airlines just canceled more than 2,000 flights yesterday for the first time since the shutdown began, and there were more than 7,000 flight delays, according to FlightAware.
But also you’ve had officials saying the country’s long-time shortage of air traffic controllers may only end up worse even after all this ends.
With Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy saying some have been speeding up their retirements lately – saying “Up to 15 or 20 a day are retiring.”
And then, another example, the more than 42 million Americans who rely on food stamps?
They’ve been helpless as the Trump administration has fought tooth-and-nail not to give them the aid they’ve qualified for.
Right, first, the White House refused to tap contingency funding to keep that help coming through November.
Then, two federal judges ruled that the administration had to make use of that money, but the administration announced it would only partially fund the program for November.
You then had a judge coming back and say it should dole out the full benefits, but the Supreme Court stayed that order so an appeals court could weigh in.
And over the weekend, the administration took that opportunity to tell states to stop issuing full benefits and even “undo” distributions that had already been made.
But the appeals court quickly weighed in and said again that Trump must give out the full benefits.
And while that may be a win, all this back and forth means food aid has already been delayed for tens of millions of people, some have only received a fraction of the help they usually get, and others are still waiting, unsure if their payments will ever arrive.
And so ultimately, while the potential end of the shutdown is so sorely needed in so many ways, there’s also this question about what the consequences of these Democrats rolling over will be.
I have my own thoughts and opinions, and I would love to hear your’s in those comments down below.
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But this actually brings us to our next story, because, now that the shutdown could be wrapping up, some argue this means we can get the ball rolling on another issue: swearing in Adelita Grijalva (Add-uh-lee-tuh Gree-hall-vuh) and releasing the Epstein files.
And it seems that, after six weeks in limbo, that finally might happen.
With Punchbowl News reporting this morning that Speaker Mike Johnson plans to swear Gree-hall-vuh in before the government funding vote.[]
Right, we’ve talked a bit about this, Gree-hall-vuh won a special election back in September to represent Arizona in the House.
But Johnson has come up with excuse after excuse as to why she can’t be sworn in yet.
Though, a lot of people don’t buy those excuses, and instead think he is trying to delay her signing a discharge petition that will force the House to vote on a measure to release the Epstein files. []
Because, what do you know, it needs 218 signatures to pass, and she would be the magic 218th.
So, once shutdown news started developing, tons of people argued he was fresh out of excuses to keep icing Gree-hall-vuh out.[][][][]
And now, if this early reporting pans out, her swearing in is around the corner.
Which means it potentially won’t be long until she signs the petition and the Epstein door is back open.
And even though you had Democrats in the Oversight Committee still slamming Johnson, saying he should have done this weeks ago, []
The news comes at a very significant time, because we just learned that Ghislaine Maxwell is reportedly seeking a commutation from Trump.
We learned this in a letter that Rep. Jamie Raskin just sent to Trump claiming that the House Judiciary committee received new information and documents from a whistleblower, []
And those documents indicate that Maxwell is:
“working on filing a ‘Commutation Application’ with your Administration — demonstrating either that Ms. Maxwell is herself requesting you release her from her 20-year prison sentence for her role as a coconspirator in Jeffrey Epstein’s international child sex trafficking ring, or that this child sex predator now holds such tremendous sway in the second Trump Administration that you and your DOJ will follow her clemency recommendations.”
According to the whistleblower, Maxwell is also getting preferential treatment at the minimum-security prison she just happened to be transferred to over the summer not long after meeting with Deputy AG Todd Blanche. []
Right, with the letter saying that staff at Federal Prison Camp Bryan “have been waiting on [her] hand and foot.”
She has reportedly had customized meals delivered to her cell, gotten private meetings with guests who were allowed to bring computers enabling her to contact the outside world, and she got to fucking play with a puppy!
In fact, one of the top officials at the prison has apparently even complained that he is “sick of having to be Maxwell’s bitch.”
And recent reporting from NBC News backs some of this up, with the outlet obtaining emails where she said she was much “happier” at this facility, writing:
“I feel like I have dropped through Alice in Wonderland's looking glass.”
NBC also reviewed an email she sent her attorney regarding her commutation application and the documents in it. []
So in his letter to Trump, you had Raskin writing:
“You should not grant any form of clemency to this convicted and unrepentant sex offender. Your Administration should not be providing her with room service, with puppies to play with, with federal law enforcement officials waiting on her every need, or with any special treatment or institutional privilege at all.”
With Raskin demanding that Trump make AG Blanche available for a public hearing to address these allegations.
And also asking that Trump answer a handful of questions, like:
Has he discussed a commutation with Maxwell or anyone in his administration?
Did he direct anyone to give Maxwell preferential treatment, and what have Maxwell’s attorneys and associates promised him?
And this is not the only recent effort for transparency on this case we have seen from lawmakers,
Just last week they requested an interview with ex-Prince Andrew, who lost his royal titles over Epstein allegations.
With a letter saying that the House Oversight committee is “seeking to uncover the identities of Mr. Epstein’s co-conspirators and enablers.”
But it is worth noting that while Congress does have subpoena powers, because Andrew is a foreign national, he could just ignore this summons.
So we will have to see where any of this goes, whether it be with Prince Andrew, Ghislaine Maxwell, or how long it actually takes from this point to get Add-uh-lee-tuh Gree-hall-vuh sworn in and signing the Epstein petition.
But of course, I would love to know your thoughts on all of this.
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Donald Trump is handing out pardons like party favors and, this time around, Rudy Giuliani’s at the top of the list.
Right, according to US pardon attorney Ed Martin, Trump has signed presidential pardons for his former attorney Rudy Giuliani and 77 of his allies accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election. []
With some of the other names on the list including John Eastman, a lawyer who advised Trump’s 2020 campaign, and Sidney Powell, a conservative pundit who was a public face in the campaign for a minute.
The document Martin shared is apparently dated from Friday and reads that this pardon is “full, complete and unconditional” and that it, quote, “ends a grave national injustice perpetrated upon the American people following the 2020 Presidential Election and continues the process of national reconciliation." []
Now, many of the people on this list were those that led the push to pressure state legislatures to reject Biden’s victory.
Particularly in key swing states like Georgia - where Giuliani, Eastman, Powell, and even Trump himself were indicted back in 2023 by an Atlanta grand jury. []
But this pardon list very pointedly doesn’t include Trump - despite his firm stance that he can, in fact, pardon himself.
Which, as of right now, has gone unproven and untested.
Anyway, it’s important to mention that this pardon is pretty much entirely symbolic.
Right, it would only apply to federal charges and none of these people are currently facing any of those - but it doesn’t do anything for their state-level cases. []
Like for Giuliani in Arizona - he’s currently facing election interference charges because, according to the prosecutors, he was part of a scheme that was looking to - you guessed it - falsely declare Trump the winner of the 2020 election. []
And it’s not going to undo any of the other legal troubles Giuliani has found himself in because of that, either.
Including being disbarred from practicing law in New York after a judge said he, quote, “baselessly attacked and undermined the integrity of this country’s electoral process.” []
Though some outlets have pointed out that these pardons may prevent future administrations from targeting these people - which may be the entire point here. []
Regardless of the lack of teeth in this pardon for the moment, the White House is still patting itself on the back for undoing the work of the Evil and Terrible Joe Biden.
With Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying in a statement,
"These great Americans were persecuted and put through hell by the Biden Administration for challenging an election, which is the cornerstone of democracy,"
"President Trump is putting an end to the Biden Regime's communist tactics once and for all." []
With that, I’m going to pass the question off to you - what are your thoughts here?
Let me know in those comments down below.
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If you thought the stuff RFK Jr’s been doing and saying from his post in D.C. was crazy, just wait till you hear what his friends are saying down in Austin, Texas.
Because the anti-vax nonprofit he founded, Children’s Health Defense? It hosted a conference there over the weekend titled “Moment of Truth.”
[Clip, 00:05 - 00:11] Caption: “There needs to be a reckoning for Covid. The government lied to people from start to finish.”
With about a thousand people attending — you had activists, homeopaths, physicians, lawyers, parents (some with their autistic children), and for the first time ever: sitting politicians.
And although RFK himself wasn’t there, at least not in corporeal form, he was certainly there in spirit.
With vendors selling glass ornaments featuring his face, MAHA hoodies, MAHA scarves, hats reading “RFK JR WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING,” and even baby onesies emblazoned with “unvaxxed unafraid.” [Quote, find “hoodies” and Quote, find “unafraid” and Image]
But as much respect as there was for the health secretary, there was also some grumbling that he isn’t anti-vax enough.
With for example Ray Flores, senior outside counsel for Children’s Health Defense, complaining that Kennedy’s wasted too much time going after stuff like food dyes and ultraprocessed food when he should be focused on vaccines.
Saying, “We don’t want to hear about Froot Loops or doughnuts or anything else.” [Quote]
And Mark Gorton, the president of the MAHA Institute, calling the CHD’s website “some pretty weak anti-vaxxery” and arguing that “we need to be more boldly anti-vax.” [Quote]
As well as RFK’s former communications director, Del Bigtree, declaring: “God is an anti-vaxxer.” [Quote same link and B roll]
This as RFK has often claimed he is not, technically speaking, anti-vax; he just supports stricter clinical trials, greater transparency and freedom of choice.
And others at the event defended his position, with CHD’s Chief Scientific Officer Brian Hooker saying:
“I’m a scientist. I want to be more demure about the whole thing and a little bit more circumspect.” [Quote]
Then adding that if a “broad, sweeping epidemic” emerged, “and I was thoroughly convinced that the only way out of it was to immunize, I’d be for it.” [Same quote]
With CHD’s chief executive Mary Holland telling The Washington Post, “CHD is not anti-vax. We’re pro-informed consent.” [Quote]
But when you look at some of the other panels and booths at the conference, even that thin veneer of reasonableness quickly evaporates.
With there being one group called “Blessed By His Blood” that matches “mRNA tech-free blood donations to recipients,” as well as ProgenaBiome [Pronounce 00:33], a company that’ll analyze your poop. [Webpage]
[Clip, 01:07 - 01:13]
And Best EMF Products, another company that promotes products to protect against cellphone radiation.
Which seemed to be a big concern among attendees, because right at the start an organizer asked everyone to put their phones on airplane mode and turn off Bluetooth to minimize electromagnetic radiation. [Quote, find “bluetooth”]
Then later one speaker, Catherine Austin Fitz, warned people to use cash instead of credit cards, which can be tracked, and bemoaned the scourge of “digital ID systems and programmable money.” [Lead B roll into clip]
[Clip, 00:12 - 00:20] Caption: “We are financing the control grid that, ultimately if it goes into place, I say turns into a digital concentration camp.”
With her also warning that Bill Gates is “promoting an electric tattoo that goes under your skin,” to replace cell phones. [Quote]
Though to be clear, Microsoft is only exploring the idea of so-called “smart tattoos” — right, basically wearable sensors that would be attached to, but not inserted under, your skin — and Bill Gates isn’t on the company's board anymore anyway.
But you also had some much more high-profile names in the mix, including Republican Senators Ron Johnson and Rand Paul, both of whom attended virtually.
With Paul delivering a talk entitled, “Why Isn’t Tony Fauci in Prison?” And it was exactly what you’d expect. [Lead B roll into clip]
[Clip, 00:09 - 00:16, 00:41 - 00:50, 00:59 - 01:05] Caption: “People are impatient. They say, ‘why not just drag him in?’ We can subpoena him, and we will if we don’t get a voluntary agreement. … The problem is of course he was pardoned by President Biden, so is President Biden’s pardon valid? Is the autopen a valid way to do it? … I have recommended charges to the Department of Justice under Biden and again under Trump.”
With Florida’s surgeon general, the same one who compared vaccine mandates to slavery, also speaking, and he had some rather dramatic words for the press in attendance. [Lead B roll into clip]
[Clip, 00:13 - 00:29] Caption: “I saw reporters from The Washington Post and The Atlantic that represent these forces. I have nothing against them, but to be clear they represent forces that are working toward the enslavement of humanity.”
With that prompting The Atlantic’s Editor in Chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, to respond to The Post: “In fact, The Atlantic is not working towards the enslavement of humanity, but I appreciate his concern.” [Quote]
Then, if you were willing to pay a few hundred extra dollars for access to a special portion of the event, you got to see a conversation between the comedian Russell Brand and RFK’s wife, the actress Cheryl Hines.
Which is totally on brand for Brand; right, he’s been this big new agey Christian anti-vax conspiracy theorist for a while now.
[Clip, 00:05 - 00:21]
With MSNBC reporter Brandy Zadrozny [Pronounce 00:16] summing up his contribution to the event:
“Brand, flopped in an armchair with his shirt undone, rolled through manic monologues about all kinds of topics — catching lizards with Kennedy, his trials parenting a sick child, the strength of President Donald Trump’s handshake and French first lady Brigitte Macron’s alleged male member, ramblings that seemed to make Hines and some in the mostly white, older audience visibly uncomfortable.” [Quote]
But Hines’ presence was a bit more remarkable, because she has a career outside of politics, and for a long time her beliefs were kind of unclear.
Right, on the one hand, she’s been married to Kennedy since 2014, but on the other hand, Politico reported in 2021 that she had asked guests to a party to be vaccinated against Covid. [Quote, find “party”]
Then the next year, she called RFK’s comparison of people resisting vaccines to Anne Frank “reprehensible and insensitive,” and said her husband’s views were “not a reflection of my own.” [Quote same link]
But in recent months, she’s waded more and more into politics, taking RFK’s side on vaccine issues, standing by him at public events, and going on right-wing shows like Tucker Carlson’s.
So her appearance at CHD’s conference over the weekend was seen as kind of a confirmation that she’s a part of the movement now, if there were any doubts before.
