On a quiet and somewhat dull Thursday...

[shadowkat]

The temperature dropped outside. It's now in the 70s. As Breaking Bad put it - night and day outside today.

At work, I ran into a neighbor in the lobby of my building (it's all Crazy Org).

He saw me, first. Told me this was his last day - he was retiring. (I honestly thought he was retired. He is definitely older than me.) We pass all the time in the laundry room and elevator - he lives across the hall from me with his family. He has a dog, and a neurodivergent son, who I think has either Touretts or Ausbergers?

Apparently he was a legal investigator for one of the agencies in Crazy Org since roughly 1993. I was somewhat envious - it sounded more interesting than editing legal documents and financial analysis and negotiations. I'm admittedly bored and frustrated at the moment. It's making me cranky? Well that and struggling with sleep, lingering chest congestion, and brain fog.

Below is a photo of Crazy Org today, standing tall against a gray sky.



It was bound to happen - that I'd run into a neighbor as they are retiring, considering Crazy Org employs over 75,000 New Yorkers.

I took a walk at lunch - it was mild, pleasant even, and overcast - also the last day of school in New York, apparently, so not that many tourists wandering about mucking up the works. Or many bikes for that matter.

And I saw a wild turkey in Battery City Park. Breaking Bad and I decided that the turkey probably escaped from Staten Island via the Ferry. [ETA: Where the turkey came from was/is a joke. We've no clue. We were just joking that it escaped a farm in Staten Island and came by ferry. (Which didn't happen). And since the photo is horrible - no I did not approach the wild turkey.]





Other than that the day was slow. So slow, I worked on my novel, played with spreadsheets, and played on my phone. Art History Major is off to see her family in Ohio.

***

Some good news?

The Senate Parliamentarian managed to take a hatchet to the Big Shitty Bill. Apparently you can't just add everything you like to a reconciliation bill which is meant to balance the government's budget. It's basically an accounting bill - that gets quickly passed because it's needed to balance a budget. They tried to add a bunch of stuff that had zip to do with that to the bill, which is in violation of the Senate's rules.

Parliamentarian removes medicaid cuts from Reconciliation Big Beautiful Bill

Violations Continue to Mount on Big Beautiful Bill

As one commentator aptly put it - adding the things the Republicans did to the Bill would be akin to balancing your household budget and adding a fancy new car for yourself.

For those who have raised valid concern following the Parliamentarian rulings knocking out some of the worst aspects of the GOP’s budget bill, Thune has reiterated no overruling.

***

R.I.P Bill Moyers

"Legendary journalist Bill Moyers has died at age 91. Moyers was the former White House press secretary under President Lyndon B. Johnson, and leaves behind a distinguished legacy in American journalism. Over five decades, he became known for his in-depth interviews and thoughtful documentaries on programs such as Bill Moyers Journal and Now with Bill Moyers. A champion of public broadcasting, Moyers received more than 30 Emmy Awards, nine Peabody Awards, and the National Humanities Medal for his contributions to civic discourse. Rest in peace, Bill."

Comments

[wendelah1]

I predict the deficit ballooning tax cuts will pass, leaving it to the next Democratic administration, assuming there is one, to make budget cuts. There will never be a Democratic majority in the Senate again, not in my lifetime. Maybe in yours. And we remain in the grip of the "dictator from day one."
What a world.

[shadowkat]

I think you are wrong. I see things shifting. NYC just elected Zohran in its primary election. And, there's huge protests around the country. Also more and more Republicans aren't running for re-election, and more Democrats are winning.

And they really gutted the BBB. And, it may not get the votes. Also, more and more Senators and Congress folks are turning against it.

I have a law degree and have worked in government at various levels since high school. It would be like me giving you medical advice?

[wendelah1]

Excuse me?

I hope I didn't offend you by expressing my political opinions? I thought that was okay here. If it isn't, I will stop. I am pessimistic about nearly everything right now but I didn't mean to sound harsh or argumentative. For the record, I would not be offended if you offered me medical advice. I retired at 57; I'm now nearly 72 so I'm hardly up-to-date. If asked for advice, I most often tell people to talk to their doctor. lol. I follow COVID news because I'm still wearing masks, etc. I follow breast cancer research a bit because I had breast cancer. I follow stories about abortion rights.

[shadowkat]

Sorry, I didn't express myself very well - I'm afraid. It's hard to sometimes.

Jay Kuo on FB says it better than I?

"The defeatist talk does the work of the fascists for them. This reaction is understandable and laden with defeatism and cynicism. It literally does the work of the fascists for them, while belittling the work of those fighting hard for our democracy.

If firefighters were fighting a fire in your neighborhood with all their force, would you cluck your tongue and tell everyone around you, "it's all going to burn down anyway?"

Because that is what you sound like when you say our democracy is over when our battle has barely begun...

So if you're coming here to spout doom and gloom, please knock it off, or I'm going to start charging a $5 donation to the ACLU each time you do it."

I think it's kind akin to telling an ill patient they will die, and there's no hope - when nothing could be further from the truth? I'm not saying be positive, but knock it off with the doom and gloom.

[wendelah1]

Got it.