Blog Betty (Thomas Friedman is a Great Man was an online novel): 10/26/25

Saturday, November 01, 2025

Don't know about you but I count 6 Supreme Court justices who belong in prison

Today, Mary McCord and Andrew Weissmann have an essay at THE NEW YORK TIMES:

Writing for the majority in last year’s presidential immunity case, Chief Justice John Roberts said that granting sweeping immunity was necessary to avoid an executive branch that “cannibalizes” itself. Without it, he argued, a president would be left “free to prosecute his predecessors, yet unable to boldly and fearlessly carry out his duties for fear that he may be next.” The majority extended absolute immunity to a president who orders the Department of Justice to conduct “sham” investigations.

In the year since, rather than preventing the weaponization of prosecutions, the court has unleashed it.

Mr. Trump’s direction of the prosecutions of his perceived enemies — notably James Comey, the former F.B.I. director, and Letitia James, the New York attorney general — has illustrated the folly of Chief Justice Roberts’s rationale. Between the court’s dissolving potential liability for bogus fraud investigations and Mr. Trump’s neutering of executive branch rules governing the independence of the Justice Department, the court has seemingly left the president free to target anyone he wishes.

We both worked for the Justice Department for many years, serving under presidents of both parties, including Mr. Trump. During that time, there were internal rules limiting the White House from communicating with department prosecutors about whom to investigate and prosecute criminally. Recall the 2016 episode when Loretta Lynch, who was overseeing an investigation of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email account and server, bumped into Bill Clinton on an airport tarmac. It caused a hue and cry by raising the mere specter of a former president having an audience with the attorney general about a pending case.

Compare that kerfuffle to now. Mr. Trump has openly called for the prosecution of his perceived enemies and forced out his own appointed prosecutor for standing in the way. The Supreme Court’s immunity decision enabled this boldness on two fronts. It perversely helped to legitimize the idea, embraced by Mr. Trump, that as president he can do pretty much anything he wants — even try to overturn the results of a free and fair election. It also signaled that the president need not fear criminal liability for charging a political enemy with a crime, even where the facts and law do not support it, in violation of that person’s constitutional rights.

The Crooked Court. The six crooks on it should be imprisoned for life. They have failed to uphold the Constitution and they have harmed democracy in more ways than anyone can count. They lied to get on the Court and they are part of a well planned conspiracy to hijack this nation.

Again, they belong in prison.

Donald is a Convicted Felon and a sociopath and The Crooked Court enables him. Joe Patrice (ABOVE THE LAW) has another must-read column:

The Department of Justice placed two federal prosecutors on administrative leave after filing a sentencing memorandum that described the January 6 riot as a, well, riot.

The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.

Continuing to moonlight as a witness protection program for violent insurrectionists, Pam Bondi’s DOJ came down on Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White of the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office, following a sentencing memo proposing 27 months for January 6 alumnus Taylor Taranto. Outside of his January 6 resume, which earned him a pardon from Trump, Taranto was arrested after bringing “two guns, a machete and hundreds of rounds of ammunition” to Barack Obama’s house — after Donald Trump posted the former president’s address — and posting a picture of himself with the caption “We got these losers surrounded!”

Taranto was found guilty of illegal gun possession and false information stemming from another public claim suggesting he was going to blow up the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

But then Valdivia and White prepared a sentencing memo seeking 27 months and citing Taranto’s participation in the January 6 “mob of rioters” while describing his criminal history. This description has the benefit of being, you know, entirely accurate. It also has the detriment of being entirely not how Donald Trump likes to hear his beloved thugs described.

John Roberts is the worst Supreme Court Chief Justice ever. History books will slam him for the way he destroyed the Court and how his partisan and hack actions eroded trust in the institution.

"The Snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

Friday, October 31, 2025. Crazed psycho Chump wants to bring back the nuclear arms race, does RAW STORY pay Alexander Willis for the pro-Donald Chump propaganda he keeps turning out, cowardly Francesca Fiorentini is out to pimp for Platner and it's not going well for her on BLUESKY, and much more.

There is no historical precedentTo put the words in the mouth of the president?There's no such thing as a winnable warIt's a lie we don't believe anymoreMister Reagan says, "We will protect you"I don't subscribe to this point of viewBelieve me when I say to youI hope the Russians love their children too

"Russians," written by Sting and Sergei Prokofiev, first appears on Stings THE DREAM OF THE BLUE TURTLE

The man is nuts. Of course, we are speaking of Donald Chump. What's he done this time? Davis Winkie and Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy (USA TODAY) report:

President Donald Trump announced on Oct. 29 that the United States will "immediately" resume nuclear weapons tests, a move he said is needed to ensure the country keeps up with its rival nuclear powers.

In a Truth Social post, Trump touted progress made on nuclear weapons modernization during his first term. But he warned that China's nuclear weapons buildup will place Beijing's arsenal on equal footing with the United States and Russia "within 5 years."

He needs nuclear testing? Well he needs cognitive testing but, no, he doesn't need -- nor does the world -- nuclear testing. The demented and depraved Donald is attempting to restart the arms race. That's how sick his mind is. David E. Sanger and William J. Broad (NEW YORK TIMES) remind:

Mr. Trump’s own senior official in charge of nuclear testing — Brandon Williams, a former one-term member of Congress from upstate New York — was asked point-blank during his confirmation hearing in April whether the United States needed to go back to explosive testing.

“I would not advise testing, and I think we should rely on the scientific information,” Mr. Williams said, referring to such things as data gathered from supercomputer modeling. But he quickly noted the decision would be made “above my pay grade.”

Andre Damon (WSWS) points out, "In the decades before testing was banned, over 2,000 nuclear detonations were conducted, more than half of which were carried out by the United States. These tests sickened communities both inside the American West and throughout the South Pacific and rendered entire areas uninhabitable." Jon Gambrell (INDEPENDENT) reports:

Trump’s comments came in a post on his Truth Social website just before meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping. In it, Trump noted other countries testing weapons and wrote: “I have instructed the Department of [Defense] to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately.”

The president’s post raised immediate questions. America’s nuclear arsenal is maintained by the Energy Department and the National Nuclear Security Administration, a semi-autonomous agency within it — not the Defense Department. The Energy Department has overseen testing of nuclear weapons since its creation in 1977. Two other agencies before it — not the Defense Department — conducted tests.

Trump also claimed the U.S. “has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country.” Russia is believed to have 5,580 nuclear warheads, according to the Washington-based Arms Control Association, while the U.S. has 5,225. The two countries account for nearly 90% of the world’s atomic warheads.

US last carried out a nuclear test in 1992

The whack job really needs medical supervision -- immediate medical supervision. William J. Broad (NEW YORK TIMES) explains:

The last underground explosive blast at the Nevada Test Site occurred on Sept. 23, 1992. Its power was reportedly quite small — a third of the Hiroshima bomb’s — and no public information seems to exist on the test’s purpose.

That same year, at the Cold War’s end, the United States voluntarily gave up the explosive testing of nuclear arms and eventually talked other atomic powers into doing likewise.

Then, in 1993, President Bill Clinton announced plans for a treaty in which all nations would forgo all nuclear blasts. This meant banning tests even underground, the last permissible zone.

Although the 1996 test-ban treaty never officially went into force, it created a global norm. The long, hard process of hammering out a global consensus on the merits of a ban, embraced by all the thermonuclear states at the time, led to a more stable era. Gone were the shock waves that had regularly radiated from underground test sites and ricocheted around the globe.

Since then, the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France have tested no weapons.

As some have focused on the huge damage he's doing to our country, Chump's turned his destructive eye to the whole world.

See Ben this morning for more on Chump's stupidity that risks the entire world.

Speaking of the world, Chump never had a peace plan. He put in a pause or a cease-fire in Gaza. It's not holding. A number of you are e-mailing about a ridiculous and offensive piece RAW STORY published yesterday. I didn't see it until the e-mails. When I read through some of those e-mails, I thought, "It's going to be Alexander Willis again." And it is. Again? From Saturday's "RAW STORY, please stop spreading Donald Chump's lies:"

What's up with RAW STORY? Are new writers just stupid or are they deliberately lying? Marcia's already called out one nut job who appeared to arguing for Chump and now we have Alexander Willis who writes a really bad article about Chump's social media posts late Friday night and early Saturday morning.

Lousy? I think it needs to be pointed out that while he's posting to social media our government remains in shutdown -- the shutdown he caused. I think it needs to be pointed out that late night posting isn't time working nor is it benefitting his health. I think it especially needs to be pointed when he's lying.

And he's always lying.

Why did Alexander Willis repost Chump's lies and not call them out? Willis treats the lies as fact. What the hell is going on at RAW STORY?

There is no proof that, after January 6th, phone calls of members of Congress were listened in on. I guess they could have used the NSA for archival recordings potentially. There's no other way for you to after the fact tap a phone call. After January 6th, as the government investigated the treasonous insurrection, they got the toll slips. Toll slips only tell you who a number called and the duration of the call. In the immediate hours after Marilyn Monroe's death, the Secret Service seized the toll slips from the phone company. It told them who called the number and who called from the number. It did not tell them the contents of any phone call.

Charles Grassley may not be lying. He's so old, he may truly not understand. He's 92 years old and really needs to retire.

But whether he's lying or just confused, Grassley does not know what he's talking about.

Chump does know the difference between a tap on a phone call and toll slips -- he's known the difference long before he was president and it had to do with some of his father's illegal actives which is a whole other story. But he does know the difference.

If Alexander Willis is unable to explain coherently that false charges repeated in the RAW STORY articles are false charges, then that's a writer who needs to find another outlet.

This is an Alexander Willis problem. And it needs to be looked at. It's not a RAW STORY program. They have many solid writers. And RAW STORY does not normally report or 'report' the way Aelxander Willis did on the toll slips. Click here for the garbage Willis wrote re: Gaza.

"Officials in the Trump administration are panicking as the president’s Gaza peace deal runs the risk "

"President Donald Trump brokered a historic peace deal "

"As part of Trump’s peace plan, his administration"

It was not a peace plan. I'm tired of the f**king stupidity and the f**king lying. Does the use of the F-word make clear how sick I am of this? A peace plan -- pay attention those who are deeply stupid -- requires all parties getting together for negotiations. This was a cease fire or what the press called a cease-fire under Joe Biden. It was a pause. We didn't accept the lie that Joe had done a cease-fire (we noted it was a pause) and we certainly won't elevate Chump's pause into a "peace plan." What the hell is up with Alexander Willis who keeps working Republican talking points into his articles for RAW STORY?

We don't note COMMON DREAMS anymore. Too many whores who helped depress turnout in the 2024 election. We don't have time for whores. Brett Wilkins focused on many issues at that site including Gaza which he always did a good job on. So I went looking and here's his article on the same topic Willis 'wrote' 'about' -- click here -- and he calls it a cease-fire throughout. He never calls it a peace deal. He never licks Chump's anus the way Alexander Willis does ("a historic peace deal").

I don't trust Alexander Willis and he's either a propagandist (for Chump) or a really bad writer (two at RAW STORY say he's a really bad writer). Regardless, we can't afford him. When we're in a battle to save this country, we can't afford someone at a left site ignoring reality and bending the truth to make Donald Chump look better.

Reality can't make him look any worst. He is the absolute worst and Americans know that or are slowing figuring it out. Jacob Gardenswartz (SCRIPPS NEWS) reports:

Health insurance premiums for plans bought on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces, often known as Obamacare, are set to increase by an average of 26% in 2026, according to a new analysis released Tuesday evening by the health research group KFF.

But that number could grow significantly if lawmakers fail to reach a deal to extend the COVID-19 era expanded tax credits that help offset ACA premium costs. And when pressed on that fact, Trump administration officials have tried to obfuscate, at times going so far as to falsely question the veracity of data highlighting the increased costs.

On Wednesday, the so-called “window shopping” period began for Americans in 30 states that rely on the federal exchange, healthcare.gov. Those consumers can now input their information and see what the costs for their 2026 plans will look like before enrollment officially begins on Nov. 1.

According to the KFF analysis, Americans who get their insurance through the federal exchange will actually see their premiums increase an average of 30%. The 20 states that run their own ACA exchanges will see increases of 17% on average.

But without the extension of the expanded tax credits, the amount Americans pay each month will increase by 114% on average, KFF finds. Indeed, 92% of Americans received some sort of tax credit to offset ACA costs in 2025. While not all the credits will be going away, millions could be hit with what KFF described as the “double whammy” of rising premium costs and declining government help.

Will Alexander Willis dress that up to make Chump the savior of healthcare? Will he whore himself out further to come up with a piece insisting Chump' moves on healthcare are "historic"? There is reality and then there are the words that flow out of Chump's sewage spout. Kinsey Crowley and Kathryn Palmer (USA TODAY) report:

Trump has told reporters while jetting between Malaysia, Japan and South Korea that his poll numbers were high as he toyed with the idea of pursuing a third term. Though on Oct. 29, he admitted that the Constitution limits him to two terms.

But polls consistently tell a different story: His approval rating is historically low and steady, despite a tumultuous first nine months. Here is what Americans think of Trump's job performance, the "No Kings" protests and the government shutdown.

In an Economist/YouGov poll of 1,623 U.S. adult citizens conducted Oct. 24-27, Trump's approval rating slipped to 39%. It also found 58% disapprove, giving a net approval of -19 points, the lowest of his second term, according to the pollster. However, it is only two points worse than the previous week's poll. The poll's margin of error is 3.5 percentage points.

Chump's just a cheap liar. It's repetitive, not a new observation at all; however, it remains true and the truth needs to be repeated. Joe Light (BARRONS NEWS) reports:

President Donald Trump on Thursday touted his trade deal as a major win for U.S. soybean farmers. But even if China upholds the agreement as described by the administration, U.S. farmers at most are likely merely to see a return to the status quo before the 2025 trade war began rather than a meaningful breakthrough.

As part of the trade deal, China committed to buying 12 million metric tons of soybeans this year, as well as to purchasing a minimum of 25 million metric tons of the crop annually for the next three years, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview with Fox Business’s Mornings with Maria on Thursday. Bessent said he expected Trump in the future would convince Chinese President Xi Jinping to increase their commitment.

“Our Farmers will be very happy! In fact, as I said once before during my first Administration, Farmers should immediately go out and buy more land and larger tractors,” Trump said in a Truth Social post, also pointing to other agricultural products China said it would buy.

However, the 25 million tons to which China committed are roughly comparable to what the country purchased in 2024, before the trade war started, noted Beacon Policy Advisors analyst Owen Tedford.

The thing about the ranchers? This is their livelihood. Chump's a liar but he's a really dumb liar. At this point, he can't afford to lose any support. But lies like this? They drive your support away.

His lie this week that gas prices will soon be at $2 a gallon? That ticks people off if they're paying attention. But his lies regarding what cattle ranchers are dealing with and will be dealing with (and his suggestion that they just buy more land)? They go to his seeing them as a mark, they go to his attempting to con them. And when you're losing money over his con, it becomes a lot more serious.

They're not going to forget this and they aren't going to forgive -- nor should they.

Let's do another topic.

If you missed it, a certain group doesn't want most of us to enter Democratic Party headquarters through the front door.

No, we're expected to use the back door. Those of us who are women (of any race), men of color, LGBTQ+, Jewish, Muslim, etc. Basically, if you're not a White straight cis gender male with a belief in Jesus Christ, you're not allowed in the front door. Grasp that as you read Michelle Goldberg's ridiculous columns ('he's not dead because people tell me he's not!'). We don't link to trash so go search THE NEW YORK TIMES for it. It's her effort to join Tricksters Turning Tricks for Graham Platner.

The dues are rather steep for the club, you have to sell your soul.

And even with that high price, turns out your whoring may not work for you.

Take poor Francesca Fiorentini. Backing up a rape denier -- he denies rape -- just imploded her 'feminist' credentials for anyone stupid enough to still think she was a feminist -- loud and ugly women may fit the old media stereotype of feminism but, point of fact, we're not all loud and ugly. Now it's shame, shame everyone on BLUESKY knows her name. She was back to pimping the sexist, racist, homophobic, rich boy who worked for Blackwater Graham Platner. She tried to pimp Branko's lie-riddled article. 81 people clicked on the "heart" for her post.

81.

Capt. Dustos, Vampire Hunter got the first reply: "The person who lied is Graham Platner, about his NAZI TATTOO."

Francie got 81 hearts and Capt Dustos? 959.

Believe that's similar to being ratioed. Poor Franci.

SuperChill noted, "Evidence points to Platner knowing it was a Nazi tattoo but gaslighting the public about it. Why OP thinks they have a special ability to discern Platner's true nature and motivations is a mystery. Unfollowing OP." Guess how many liked SuperChill's comment? 285.

Dan Tuke also called out the nonsense "As someone with a tattoo, married to someone with several, and friends with many more people with ink, I don't know a single person who accidentally got a Nazi tattoo" which got 173 hearts and "But, if somehow I did end up with one -- s**t maybe a bachelors party in Vegas goes REALLY sideways -- the FIRST think I would be doing is sprinting to the nearest tattoo parlor/laser removal place I could find to fix it" with 118 hearts.

So deeply unpopular even on the BLUESKY thread she started.

You may remember 'brave' Francie getting snaps and props from The Circle Jerk back in March because she left THE YOUNG TURKS. This was how long after TYT had declared war on transgender people? In other words, Francie, you didn't do anything brave as you continued to be a part of an outlet promoting transphobia and promoting White Nationalism -- let's be clear that's what Nose Job Ana's become -- was the nose job, in fact, necessary for her to be accepted by other White Nationalists?

Francie was a joke then as well. She is one of the reasons we don't highlight ZETO that often. Mehdi I have no problem highlighting. But I had to block Zeteo on YOUTUBE due to the horrid people they hired. I don't really think it's your business that a woman had a mastectomy. No, I don't. And if she had one and was public about how she lost her mother to breast cancer, I especially think you back the hell off. But one strike for ZETEO for hiring that liar wo attacked the woman who had a mastectomy and then another for Francie and then one for their Socialist who poses as a Democrat and was allowed to lie in two segments in a row.

Love and respect for Mehdi -- who we still note -- but, no, not going to pimp ZETEO. And what is it about these charisma free podcasters that led them to ever think they could be a stand up comedian? Francie, you're not funny. Again, you're loud. But even that doesn't make you Sam Kinison. Who may have actually been physically cuter than Francie.

Kevin M. Kruse has a great thread on Platner and his groupies. Ragnarok Lobster notes, "This is why Bernie Sanders loves Graham Platner: like Bernie, Platner is a bitter White man who blames everyone else for his personal shortcomings." Francie also wants you to know Platner passes "the smell test." So did Cenk. Until he fired her. Let that sink in. For all her 'brave' pretense, she'd probably still be with TYT if Cenk hadn't fired her in March.

I want to again note Tressie McMillan Cottom (NEW YORK TIMES):

I cannot swear to know the minds of men like Murphy and Sanders. But, were I a betting person, I’d wager someone else’s riches that they know racism and xenophobia are inextricably linked to America’s inchoate understanding of class politics. They know that “working class” has become a powerful political totem of its own — a discursive sleight of hand used to separate out white voters’ concerns as more legitimate, more materially grounded, more important than other voters’ concerns.

These senators are demonstrating a willful blindness that has become endemic in the Democratic Party. Their rhetoric — and the conventional wisdom that flows from it — suggests that we cannot talk about economic solutions without abandoning our commitment to the Black, Latino, gay, transgender and female poor that are the lifeblood of the Democratic Party’s base. The conceit at the heart of that belief is that poor white people are too racist, and too uniquely ignorant of their racism, to vote in their best interests. Therefore, Democrats have to accept a little racism to win the working class.

It is an old argument. History will tell you that negotiating with racism or fascism or authoritarianism never ends well.

Be sure to check out THE NEW YORK TIMES editorial "Are We Losing Our Democracy?" And let's note two important videos on Chump's Epstein scandal.

A lot of e-mails expressing outrage over the new direction of CBS under its owner. Don't. There are enough things to fret about. A group of us worked -- and are working on -- making sure Chump's Branson on the Potomac is a failure. We're also preparing for PARAMOUNT+. The new owner thinks he can shape the country. He can't. But We The People can shape -- harm -- his pocket book. And that's a long term lesson he'll be taught if he can't learn reality quickly. There's no audience for what he wants to do. He's pissed off the artistic community going after Colbert and trying to boss Taylor Sheridan around. For years, Rupert Murdoch thought he was going to have impact but to survive FOX had to program shows that were not conservative and didn't reflect conservative values. David Ellis (who looks like THE MIDDLE's Brad played by Brock Ciarlelli) has never really had to prove himself in the entertainment business. He's in over his head and he's going to learn that lesson quickly and adjust or he's going to lose his money.

Let's wind down with this from Senator Patty Murray's office:

NEW FROM NEW YORK TIMES: Obamacare Prices Become Public, Highlighting Big Increases

NEW FROM KFF: ACA Insurers Are Raising Premiums by an Estimated 26%, but Most Enrollees Could See Sharper Increases in What They Pay

SEATTLE TIMES: WA residents shopping for health insurance hit with sticker shock

***WATCH PRESS CONFERENCE HERE, DOWNLOAD HERE***

Washington, D.C. – Today, on the 30^th day of the Republican government shutdown and ahead of Open Enrollment beginning nationwide this Saturday, November 1^st, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA)—Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee—held a virtual press conference with Washington State Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer and constituent Bridget Provalenko of Bellingham, whose family relies on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits to afford health insurance.

At the press conference, Senator Murray discussed how inaction by Republican Members of Congress will force Washingtonians to pay significantly more for health care next year. Last week, Washington state’s ACA marketplace, Washington Healthplanfinder, opened its “window shopping” period, allowing Washingtonians to look at health coverage plans for next year—and most are seeing dramatic increases in their premiums thanks to Republican inaction. Customers can start signing up for a plan and officially shopping for coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder once Open Enrollment begins on November 1^st. On average, premiums for ACA plans in Washington state are spiking by 21 percent. Nationwide, 22 million Americans who buy health care through the ACA exchanges will see their health care costs skyrocket next year without the tax credits, premiums are more than doubling on average, and these higher costs will push 4.8 million people off their health coverage over the next decade. A Washington-state specific fact sheet on the ACA tax credits is HERE.

“Republicans don’t even have the tiniest inkling of an actual health care plan! They never have. But Democrats have a pretty simple plan to address the immediate crisis: save these tax credits, and stop premiums from doubling, tripling, quadrupling, or worse. Now, Republicans may have shut down the government over this, but they will not shut down the debate. People in Washington state and across the country are not going to be silent when they log on and see their monthly premium is going to go through the roof. They are already speaking out,” said Senator Murray. “There are over 220,000 people in Washington state alone who rely on the premium tax credits to afford health insurance. And that is literally just one percent of the 22 million people in the country who rely on them. In our state, families who lose their support are going to see their premiums more than double on average. I am hearing from families who have done the math and gotten their notices. They check online, and learn that their health insurance plans will cost hundreds—in some cases thousands—more each month… I am going to keep shouting it from the rooftops: later is too late. People are window shopping for health plans now. Open enrollment is this Saturday. That is when these price hikes really become a reality, and families who feel priced out of their coverage may just give up.”

Senator Murray played a critical role in passing the enhanced premium tax credits in the American Rescue Plan in 2021 and extending them in the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, and she has been fighting for months to make sure these important health care tax credits don’t expire, including cosponsoring multiple pieces of legislation—the Health Care Affordability Act and theProtecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act—that would make them permanent.

“Hard working people have relied on these tax credits to buy health insurance for themselves and their families. Some of these people have serious health conditions. For them, the idea of going without coverage can literally mean the difference between life and death, unless Congress takes immediate action to extend them the enhanced premium tax credits will expire at the end of the year,” saidWashington State Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer. “More than 216,000 Washingtonians in the individual market qualified for enhanced premium tax credits. That’s about two thirds of our enrollees. These subsidies are what help people afford and keep coverage. If Republicans let the enhanced premium tax credits expire, the exchange estimates that up to 80,000 Washingtonians will drop their health insurance. I’m afraid this will cause us to backslide on our state’s historically low 4.8 percent uninsured rate. That means higher costs and strains on our health care system. As people put off preventative care, these effects will be felt by people across the state, but will hurt some of our rural communities.”

“Being self-employed, we have to go out and find our own insurance, which we have done over the past few years. Fortunately, last year, we qualified for the credits on the ACA, and it’s made a huge difference. It was able to keep our premium the same as it was the prior year, which was amazing for us,” said Bridget Provalenko of Bellingham, whose family uses the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Exchange to afford health insurance. “Health insurance isn’t a Democrat or Republican issue, it’s an American issue… I just want people to understand that health insurance is very important to people. We need it. We need to make it affordable.”

Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered on today’s press call, are below:

“Thank you all for joining this call today, because right now, families in Washington state and across the country are window shopping for health insurance coverage for next year. And they are coming face-to-face with the reality that their monthly premiums are set to skyrocket, all because of Republicans’ inaction.

“Democrats have been clear, all year long: we want to stop these price hikes and we want to save the ACA tax credits that millions of families rely on.

“But Republicans have been silent. Or worse, they’ve shrugged their shoulders. They’ve essentially said, ‘Don’t look at me, I never wanted to lower health care costs in the first place.’

“So they have literally now shut the government down instead of talking with Democrats about health care. Which is probably because Republicans don’t even have the tiniest inkling of an actual health care plan! They never have!

“But Democrats have a pretty simple plan to address the immediate crisis: save the tax credits, and stop premiums from doubling, tripling, quadrupling, or worse.

“Now, Republicans may have shut down the government over this, but they will not shut down the debate. People in Washington state and across the country are not going to be silent when they log on and see their monthly premium is going to go through the roof. They are already speaking out.

“There are over 220,000 people in Washington state alone who rely on the premium tax credits so they can afford their health insurance. And that is literally just one percent of the 22 million people in the country who rely on them.

“In our state, families who lose their support are going to see their premiums more than double on average. I’m hearing from families who have done the math and gotten their notices. They check online and learn that their health insurance plans will cost hundreds—in some cases thousands—more each month.

“I have heard from families trying to figure out if they can go without daily necessities—maybe have fewer, smaller meals. I have heard from small business owners wondering if they will just have to close up shop and look for a job with employer-sponsored coverage.

“I’ve heard from people who simply can’t afford it no matter what and are just preparing to just go without health insurance entirely next year. They’re skipping checkups, they’re rationing prescriptions, and they’re rolling the dice on their health.

“This is heartbreaking. It is happening nationwide and it is completely unacceptable to me. The Republican response has been silence. The Republican solution is ‘later.’

“I am going to keep shouting it from the rooftops: later is too late. People are window shopping for health plans now. Open enrollment is this Saturday. That’s when these price hikes really become a reality, and families who feel priced out of their coverage may just give up.

“Every single day Republicans waste, this problem is going to get worse and harder to solve. Every day.

“So we are not going to stop sounding the alarm. We are not going to stop lifting up the stories of real families who are facing the real price hikes Republicans want to pretend don’t exist. And we are not going to stop demanding they join us at the table, and work on actually solving this and reopening the government as soon as possible.

“If Republicans want to bury their heads in the sand or plug their ears, that’s their choice. But guess what? We are going to bring a shovel. We will bring a megaphone. And we will do everything we can to make sure the American people are heard.

“So thank you all for being here, and I’m glad to be joined by two people who can speak about this issue firsthand: Patty Kuderer, our Insurance Commissioner in Washington state; and Bridget from Bellingham. Bridget, thank you for being here to share your story.”

###

The following sites updated:

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Science post Blue Dogs, squirrels, cats

When I've had more than enough from Chump and the Crooked Court, I check in on science. So this is a grab bag science post. First up, blue dogs? I've heard of yellow dog Democrats, but blue dogs? Tom Hale (IFL SCIENCE) reports:

Dogs with blue fur have been spotted snooping in Chernobyl, the restricted area surrounding the epicenter of the infamous nuclear disaster. Rest assured, the dogs have not changed color due to any freakish mutation from decades of radiation – the explanation is likely to be far more mundane, if not a little bit gross.

Speaking to IFLScience, researchers from the Dogs of Chernobyl program confirmed that their geotagged images were authentic, noting that at least three blue dogs were documented in Chernobyl on October 6, 2025.

After a few failed attempts to catch the tinted dogs, the team eventually found a likely culprit: a nearby porta-potty.

“They appear to have been rolling in a substance that had accumulated on their fur. We are suspecting that this substance was from an old portable toilet that was in the same location as the dogs; however, we were unable to positively confirm our suspicions,” Dr Jennifer Betz, Veterinary Medical Director for the Dogs of Chernobyl program, told IFLScience.

"We are not in any way saying that it is related to radiation in Chornobyl," she added.

Next up, liking that bird's nest in your tree? Are you sure it isn't a squirrel's nest? Emily Hannemann (BIRDS & BLOOMS) explains:

Often, especially in fall, large clusters of leaves seem to show up on tree branches. Many might assume those are bird nests, but more critters than birds build their homes in trees.

Alissa Kakatsch, assistant turkey and pheasant ecologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, says squirrels build two kinds of nests. The first, she refers to as a den — these nests show up inside existing structures, such as tree cavities, boats or buildings. The second, called a drey, you might spot in your yard.

“The standard squirrel nest would be up in trees, and it would be made of twigs, leaves, and other, softer material on the inside,” Alissa says. “Those, you’ll typically see high up: 20 to 25 feet, or even 35 feet high in the trees.”

So, the structures you’d find that look like massive clusters of leaves in the treetops likely aren’t bird nests. They’re dreys!

One key to distinguishing a squirrel nest from a bird’s nest is to check the size. According to Alissa, while both birds and squirrels can build nests on forked tree branches, squirrel nests tend to be larger. “Also, typically birds’ nests will be secluded or more hidden,” Alissa notes, “and they won’t be as open in the branches of trees where you can see.” Red squirrels build nests in pine trees, while gray squirrels are typically responsible for the dreys we spot in treetops.

Let's move over to cats. Amy Glover (UK HUFFINGTON POST) writes about why cats lick people:

According to PetMD, we can’t be 100% sure (typical felines) ― but one of the leading theories vets have is that your cat might lick you to get closer to you.

“Mothers groom their kittens and cats may groom one another, which is called allogrooming,” the publication shared.

This helps to strengthen social bonds and increases a sense of belonging (aww).

Blue Cross’ animal behaviourist, Claire Stallard, said that allogrooming is the most likely reason your cat is licking you.

Other causes may include your cat seeking attention from you, your cat liking the taste of your skin (yes, really ― be careful with this if you’re wearing lotions, fake tan, or perfume), and them identifying you as a part of their group.

"The Snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

Wednesday, October 29, 2025. Chump's war on immigrants continue to terrorize everyone including children, his destruction of the US economy continues, some Democrats and 'Democrats" rally behind racist, sexist, Nazi-tattooed Graham Platner, and much more.

The US economy suffers and Chump's tantrum last week has resulted in predictions that EV vehicles will be selling better in Canada than the US. This all results from Chump's tantrum. The editorial board of THE ALBANY TIMES UNION notes:

In the wake of a TV ad released by the province of Ontario that utilized excerpts of a speech from President Ronald Reagan denouncing tariffs, President Donald J. Trump's announced a decision to break off trade talks and impose an additional 10% tariff on Canadian products.

In his continued attempt to destroy US auto, Chump made a little sales pitch in Japan to US troops. Harry Thompson (DAILY BEAST) explains:

President Donald Trump has told a hangar full of American military personnel to go and buy Japanese cars. The president was speaking aboard the USS George Washington, docked at the Yokosuka naval base on Tuesday. “They’re going to be putting auto plants all over the United States to the tune of $10 billion,” Trump said, wearing a white USA baseball cap. “So that’s Toyota, so go out and buy a Toyota.”

Rhian Lubin (INDEPENDENT) adds, "Japan exported over 1.37 million vehicles to the U.S. last year, according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, and cars are the country’s top export to America. On the flip side, American cars have proved a tough sell in Japan, which imported fewer than 17,000 American cars last year, according to the Japan Automobile Importers Association."

And, again, Chump's tantrum from last week. Brad Anderson (CAR SCOOPS) reports the latest:

After Stellantis and GM scaled back production in Canada, the federal government has decided to limit how many tariff-free vehicles they can import into the country.

This is bad news for the Detroit automakers and has already prompted warnings from both of them, along with Ford, that reduced investment could follow, potentially denting Canada’s manufacturing base.

Samuel Joseph (FODMAP) notes that Detroit is one of the 14 cities expected to be heaviest hit by Chump's tariffs:

As the historic center of the U.S. automotive industry, Detroit is profoundly exposed to tariffs on imported steel, aluminum, and auto parts. Any increase in the cost of these components forces car manufacturers to raise prices or slow production.

Detroit is also highly dependent on trade with Canada, which has historically been a key export market for U.S.-made vehicles and parts. Retaliatory tariffs from Canada would directly cut into the demand for goods produced in the “Motor City,” impacting thousands of manufacturing jobs.

Where's the strong economy? Are we going to have to wait for Chump to leave to provide jobs to Americans again? Tom Peterson (PENNY GEM) reports, "Amazon announced it will cut up to 30,000 corporate jobs on Oct. 27, 2025 – about 10% of its ~350,000 white-collar workforce. This is 'the largest reduction in Amazon’s corporate workforce in the company’s history,' surpassing the 27,000 cuts of 2022–23. The decision shocks Seattle and ripples through the tech sector." Tomi Kilgore (MARKETWATCH) adds of UPS, "The company disclosed that through September, it had reduced its workforce by 34,000 employees, which represented 6.9% of the approximately 490,000 employees it had at the end of 2024. UPS also closed 93 leased and owned buildings this year. The company had said it planned to cut 20,000 jobs and close dozens of buildings this year." Because of another one of Chump's tantrums, we no longer have the jobs report from the Labor Dept. We do have the ADP National Employment Report which isn't as exhaustive but REUTERS reports, "ADP's employment report showed private payrolls decreased by 32,000 jobs in September."

Matthias Binder (24/7 FOOD RECIPES) looks at increased prices and points out, "CPI data shows that jewelry and watches have risen 5.5% in price, while coffee - one of the nation's most imported goods - jumped nearly 10%. The U.S. produces less than 1% of its own coffee, making it especially vulnerable to tariffs on key suppliers like Brazil and Switzerland. Even traditionally stable goods like bananas have seen price increases. Banana prices jumped 4.9% between April and August. Because almost all bananas in the U.S. market come from Central and South America, import tariffs have made an impact on one of America's most common grocery staples."

And, of course, Chump has betrayed American cattle ranchers. Lindsey Granger (THE HILL) observes:

For years, Donald Trump built his brand on an “America First” trade agenda: protecting U.S. workers, punishing foreign competitors, and pulling supply chains back home.

That was the promise. But now, in a scramble to drive down grocery prices, his administration is turning to Argentina for beef — quadrupling imports to 80,000 metric tons. That’s not “America First.” That’s foreign beef before American ranchers.

Trump has spent the last month railing about grocery prices and pledging relief at the checkout aisle, promising “a deal” to “bring the price down.” The short-term fix he’s landed on is foreign supply, even if it runs directly against the platform that got him elected. Ranchers, who benefited from high demand and elevated beef prices, are watching their own president undercut them to bail out another country’s economy.

And the timing isn’t subtle. POLITICO reports the average price of ground beef is $6.32 a pound, up about 14 percent since Trump took office, and meat is still one of the biggest drivers of overall grocery inflation.

Per last night's panel discussion on THE 11TH HOUR WITH STEPHANIE RUHLE, elected Republicans let Vice President JD Vnce have it yesterday regarding what's happening to cattle ranchers and how this needs to be addressed immediately.

Beef's not the only meat with a soaring price. At DELISH, Megan Schaltegger wants to talk turkey:

Wholesale turkey prices are predicted to hit $1.32 per pound this year.

That figure is a 40% spike from 2024's average, driven by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreaks.

Experts say that retailers will still prioritize meal bundles and turkey deals.

The crispy October days flew by, Halloween is basically here, and we'll be quarreling with relatives around the Thanksgiving table before we know it! It's just about time to plan the menu—and your most controversial dinner-table topics.

While riling up Uncle Joe might be second nature, shopping for the big holiday family dinner may not be as easy—at least on your wallet. A new U.S. Department of Agriculture report predicts wholesale prices for frozen turkeys will jump to $1.32 per pound this year—a 40% spike over 2024's average.

And it won't just be more expensive—it may be harder to snag a turkey. too. According to the USDA report, the price spike is a direct result of lower supply: a surge of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (a severe bird flu) outbreaks in late 2024 and early 2025 majorly affected flocks (and also led to the egg shortages and price spikes). In fact, farmers reportedly raised 5 million fewer turkeys in 2025 than the year prior, and 50 million fewer than in 2016.

Now the good news: budget-friendly retailers are still offering their typical Thanksgiving meal bundles. "Retailers typically use turkeys as a loss leader," David Ortega, professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University, told CBS News. "That is, they price them very competitively—sometimes even below cost—to draw shoppers into stores ahead of Thanksgiving."

Chump's an economic hit man. He certainly assassinated the US economy. Which is why Lucia Mutikani (REUTERS) reports, "U.S. consumer confidence eased to a six-month low in October amid worries about the availability of jobs in the near-term, offering more ammunition for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates again on Wednesday."

"Media: They fail to note the pattern of ICE lies but make time to defend this year's John Fetterman" went up last night and Ava and I are covering a number of items. But for this right now, I want to zoom in on the push behind the appalling Graham Platner. Jen Psaki brought him on to her show last night to let him defend himself. Why?

Per BALLOTPEDIA, these are the people currently running for the Dem nomination for US senator from Maine (Republican Susan Collins currently holds the spot):

Submit photo	Natasha Alcala (D)
		David Costello (D)
	Submit photo	David Evans (D)
		Tucker Favreau (D)
	Submit photo	Andrea LaFlamme (D)
		Janet T. Mills (D)
		Graham Platner (D)
	Submit photo	Daira Rodriguez (D)
		Jordan Wood (D)

Jordan Wood would be a good guest for Jen if she could get away from trying to save Graham. Janet? Janet's the governor and the whole nation knows she can stand up to Donald Chump. It's not as though Maine has nothing but Platner to go for.

His comments, his lies, his everything should have gotten real pushback long ago. Instead, they want to waste our time and your time trying to 'save' the new John Fetterman. Bernie endorsed him!!!! Yeah, old man Sanders -- a man who forces campaign staffers to sign NDAs when the racism gets too much in his campaign office -- did endorse Platner. He also endorsed Fetterman. And he endorsed TYT's Cenk. I'm never impressed with any of the White men Bernie Sanders endorses, nor should you be.

They would rather -- behind the scene operators -- give the nomination to Platner instead of (a) someone worthy and (b) someone who is not going to be destroyed by his Republican opponent.

And that's what would happen with the liar Platner. The Branko Marcetics and the whores at COMMON DREAMS will have no influence over the Republican candidate. They've spent weeks covering up for and lying for Platner and hissing and smearing those who have raised serious issues with regards to what this-never-elected to anything man with a Nazi tattoo has been saying online for years.

In fact, Branko published a column (at JACOBIN) on Monday defending Platner. 3229 words. He needed 3229 words to defend Platner. That's your first clue that he's not your best candidate to rally behind. The only real truth I spotted in the column was in the headline "You’re Being Lied to About Graham Platner" and, if Branko's confessing, it is true -- Branko is lying to you about Graham Platner. (Including the lie that he read all of the social media posts Platner's done -- he clearly missed the deleted ones that CNN found). He's a racist, homophobic, sexist, rape denier who, yes, served in the US military but, more to the point, also was part of the Blackwater mercenaries long after Blackwater had to repeatedly change their name to try to escape the stigma of their many outrageous actions which did include getting US service members killed as well as Iraqi civilians as well as . . . Oh, Branko, it's so much more than just Platner's Nazi tattoo.

Turning to Chump's immigration war, Josh Marcus (INDEPENDENT) reports:

Two members of the Illinois National Guard say they will refuse orders to carry out the Trump administration’s long-stated goal of sending federal troops into Chicago.

“It's disheartening to be forced to go against your community members and your neighbors," Staff Sergeant Demi Palecek, a state legislative candidate, told CBS News. "It feels illegal. This is not what we signed up to do."

Captain Dylan Blaha, a congressional candidate in the state, had similar reservations, accusing the Trump administration of “actively dismantling our rights — free speech, due process, freedom of the press.”

"Look at 1930s, 1940s Germany," Blaha added in an interview with the broadcaster. "There is a point where if you didn't stand up to the [Nazi secret police] Gestapo, are you just actively one of them now?"

The Guard members could face a court martial, imprisonment, or a discharge if they refuse a lawful order.

Why would they take such a stand? Because Chump's war is terrorizing civilians and ICE is breaking the laws. Alex Woodward (INDEPENDENT) notes:

The border patrol chief commanding dozens of federal agents in Chicago has been ordered to appear in court every day after he and his officers faced a wave of allegations that they violently detained protesters and indiscriminately fired tear gas into neighborhoods.

Greg Bovino, the top Customs and Border Protection official for Donald Trump’s mass deportation operation in Illinois, was ordered to testify in federal court Tuesday after protesters suing the administration accused Bovino and agents of repeatedly gassing residents in violation of a judge’s restraining order.

In court filings, protesters accused agents of shooting chemical agents at close range and pointing a gun at one demonstrator while saying “bang, bang” and “you’re dead, liberal.”

Protesters also allege masked agents tossed tear gas canisters while hanging out the window from the passenger seat of an unmarked SUV and “unleashed violence” the morning before a Halloween parade in a Chicago suburb, where agents allegedly tackled three people, including a 67-year-old U.S. citizen, before filling the streets with tear gas.

“That was the instance, as well, where children were present and they were dressed up in their Halloween costumes,” Illinois District Judge Sara Ellis said Tuesday.

“Those kids were tear gassed on their way to celebrate Halloween in their local school parking lot,” she said. “These kids, you can imagine, their sense of safety was shattered ... and it’s gonna take a long time for that to come back, if ever.”

Tear gassing children. That's what is' come to now in Chumpland as a Convicted Felon destroys our great nation and puts thugs on the street to terrorize. Rebecca Schneid (TIME) reports:

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, the architect of some of President Donald Trump’s harshest immigration policies, has claimed that federal agents carrying out arrests and deportations are immune from prosecution.

In a recent interview on Fox News, Miller hit out at opposition to the Trump Administration’s plans to carry out the largest mass deportation in United States history, accusing Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker of “seditious conspiracy” for his attempts to block those efforts and threatening his arrest.

Miller also announced in a message to agents with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency: “You have federal immunity in the conduct of your duties. And anybody who lays a hand on you or tries to stop or obstruct you is committing a felony.”

ICE and Border Patrol agents have been the tip of the spear for Trump’s hardline deportation agenda, deploying to cities around the country to conduct arrests and raids of anyone in the country illegally.

No, idiot, it doesn't work that way. If it did, crooked cops, crooked FBI agents, crooked anything could just breaking the law. It doesn't work that way and only a depraved soul like Stephen Miller would think otherwise. Kathryn Rubino (ABOVE HE LAW) writes:

Last we checked in with U.S. District Court Judge Sara Ellis, she didn’t seem pleased with U.S. Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino. Bovino heads the Trump administration’s military presence in Chicago, Operation Midway Blitz, and there were some pretty serious allegations (and video!) that federal agents — and Bovino specifically — violated a temporary restraining order issued by Ellis.

A group of journalists, protesters, and clergy sued the Trump administration over the military occupation of Chicago, and Ellis issued a TRO limiting the tactics federal agents can use. Amongst the banned methods of riot control include the use of tear gas and other kinds of noxious gas unless there is an immediate safety threat. But over the weekend, Bovino was caught on camera throwing canisters of tear gas into a crowd without any warnings or verbal orders to disperse. It sure isn’t a good look.

So the judge hauled Bovino into court today to impress upon him the seriousness of the TRO and what sorts of actions are off limits. Specifically, Judge Ellis is deeply concerned that Border Patrol’s actions in using tear gas without appropriate warnings actually impacted innocents, specifically kids dressed in Halloween costumes, headed to a parade.

And that is why people have to stand up to Chump's illegal war and illegal actions. AP covers a typical Chicago day now that ICE terrorizes the city:

“Mommy, mommy, mommy,” he repeated, clinging to her.

His mother, Molly Kucich, had been grocery shopping when her husband called, panicking. She heard “immigration raid.” Then: “tear gas.”

She abandoned her grocery cart and drove as fast as she could to her toddler and his 14-month-old brother, who, on that warm October Friday, were among the hundreds of Chicago children caught suddenly in the turmoil of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

Parents, teachers and caregivers have been grappling ever since with how to explain to children what they’d seen: how much to tell them so they know enough to stay safe, but not too much to rob them of their childhood. A toddler shouldn’t know what a tear gas canister is, Kucich said.

“I don’t know how to explain this to my kids.”

We've covered the low standards set for ICE recruits. The whole country is appalled. A new development? Alex Reimer (QUEERITY) reports:

Like millions of Americans, Josh Sorbe is outraged over the egregious conduct of ICE agents.

So the D.C. resident and politico decided to let out his frustrations in the gym, and prove a point along the way.

The Atlantic recently published a story about the wannabe Gestapo-like agency’s “athletically allergic” recruits, who can’t pass a simple fitness test. Before receiving their badges–which many don’t wear as they seize community fixtures and even U.S. citizens from city streets–new recruits must do 15 push-ups, 32 sit-ups and run 1.5 miles in 14 minutes.

For members of law enforcement, the standards aren’t supposed to be demanding. Previously, only a smattering of applicants couldn’t pass.

[. . .]

With bare minimum requirements–pass an open-book test, don’t be a criminal–the majority of American adults have the heft to be ICE agents. But there appears to be a selection bias at play: people with actual skills can find more meaningful work than rounding up tamale vendors and day laborers.

That includes Sorbe, who works as a spokesperson for the Senate Judiciary Democrats. A former college athlete, the South Dakota native would run laps around most ICE recruits.

Literally. To close a recent workout, Sorbe decided to try the vaunted fitness challenge.

He passed in 12 minutes.

But some new ICE agents struggled to make it through. And still became ICE agents.

Let's wind down with this from Senator Patty Murray's office:

Murray: “People across America—across party lines, across economic backgrounds, and across nearly every divide imaginable—are now speaking out… The time has come to hold President Trump accountable for raising prices on families across the board.”

Current effective tariff rate is 18 percent—the highest since 1934; Trump’s tariffs could push nearly one million Americans below the poverty line next year

Trump’s tariffs will cost WA state nearly 32,000 jobs; $2.2 billion in revenue over the next four years if fully implemented

***WATCH: Senator Murray’s full floor speech***

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor ahead of upcoming Senate votes on three Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to end the vast majority of the tariffs President Trump has arbitrarily imposed, which are costing American families thousands of dollars and crushing small businesses across the country.

Tonight, the Senate will vote on S.J.Res.81, which would cancel Trump’s 40 percent tariffs on Brazil by terminating the emergency declaration that provides the legal basis for the tariffs. Later this week, the Senate will vote on two more Joint Resolutions of Disapproval that would similarly revoke Trump’s tariffs by canceling the emergency declarations that underpin them: S.J.Res.77, which would end Trump’s 35 percent tariffs on Canadian goods, and S.J.Res.88, which would terminate Trump’s across-the-board tariffs on nearly all countries—which include 10 percent tariffs on imports from nearly all countries and tariffs of up to 40 percent on more than 60 countries.

On the Senate floor, Senator Murray hammered Republicans in Congress for their outright refusal to put an end to Trump’s pointless trade war and price hikes on American families, and their willingness to hand over Congress’ constitutionally-granted power to impose tariffs.

“President Trump has single-handedly raised taxes more than any President in my lifetime. He has, without any consultation or approval from Congress, imposed billions of dollars in new tariffs,” Senator Murray said. “These are taxes paid for by the American people. They hurt small business owners who need raw materials that just aren’t available here in the United States. They cut off crucial export markets for our farmers when other nations inevitably retaliate. And they are sending prices soaring across the board, from big things like cars, to everyday essentials like groceries. Trump’s tariffs have already raised retail prices for families by 5 percent, and this year alone, his tariffs are expected to cost American households an average of $1,800. That is staggering. Still, nearly every single Senate Republican has refused to vote with us to end this chaos… People across America—across party lines, across economic backgrounds, and across nearly every divide imaginable—are now speaking out. The time has come for Republicans to actually listen. The time has come to hold President Trump accountable for raising prices on families across the board. The time has come to end President Trump’s new taxes on everything.”

After the government of Ontario, Canada ran a TV commercial featuring a speech by President Ronald Reagan denouncing tariffs Saturday night during the World Series, President Trump announced an additional 10% tariff on Canadian imports and said that he was halting ongoing trade talks launched earlier this month.

Right now, the effective tariff rate in the U.S. is 18 percent, the highest tariff rate since 1934. Trump’s tariffs have already raised retail prices for families by 5 percent, and this year alone, Trump’s tariffs are expected to cost American households an additional $1,800 on average. A recent analysis from Yale Budget Lab found that Trump’s tariffs will likely increase the number of Americans living in poverty by 875,000 in 2026. Last month, a nonpartisan analysis by the Washington State Office of Financial Management found that if the current Trump tariffs stay in effect for the next four years, they will cost Washington state up to 25,000 jobs—and if Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs are fully implemented, they would cost Washington state $2.2 billion and 31,900 jobs over the next four years and significantly drive up the cost of food, clothing, cars, and much more.

Washington state has one of the most trade-dependent economies of any state in the country, with 40 percent of jobs in the state tied to international commerce. In 2024, Washington exported $57.8 billion of goods to the world, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), making Washington state the 9^th-largest state exporter of goods last year. Washington state is also the top U.S. producer of apples, blueberries, hops, pears, spearmint oil, and sweet cherries—all of which risk losing vital export markets due to retaliatory tariffs from key trading partners including Canada.

Senator Murray has been vocal in responding to Trump’s trade war, holding events in every part of Washington state, and hammering the Trump administration for driving up the cost of just about everything through their chaotic and thoughtless trade policies. When Trump first announced new tariffs, Senator Murray brought together leaders across Washington state to discuss how Trump’s trade war threatens Washington state’s economy, and spoke out on the Senate floor against Trump’s chaotic trade war, calling on Republicans in Congress to join Democrats in reasserting Congress’s power over trade. She has held several events across Washington state to hear directly from constituents and small business owners about how Trump’s tariffs are harming them—including in Tacoma, Yakima, Vancouver, Seattle, Skagit County, and Blaine, just across the border from Canada. On August 1^st, as Trump hiked “reciprocal” tariffs on some of our closest trading partners, Senator Murray held another virtual press conference with Washington state businesses to sound the alarm. She held another roundtable with small business owners in Vancouver in September, and last week, Senator Murray slammed Trump for the new port fees hitting ships at West Coast Ports as a result of Trump’s trade war with China.

Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below:

“President Trump has single-handedly raised taxes more than any President in my lifetime. He has, without any consultation or approval from Congress, imposed billions of dollars in new tariffs.

“These are taxes paid for by the American people. They hurt small business owners who need raw materials that just aren’t available here in the United States. They cut off crucial export markets for our farmers when other nations inevitably retaliate. And they are sending prices soaring across the board, from big things like cars, to everyday essentials like groceries.

“Trump’s tariffs have already raised retail prices for families by 5 percent, and this year alone, his tariffs are expected to cost American households an average of $1,800. That is staggering. Still, nearly every single Senate Republican has refused to vote with us to end this chaos.

“I’ll say it another way: Republicans are refusing to stop President Trump from raising taxes on working families.

“Now, we all saw Republicans move heaven and earth this year to shovel more tax breaks at billionaires. But when it comes to taxes on working families, well, they are downright eager to force families to pay more every time they go to the supermarket.

“I am not going to let this get swept under the rug. Especially not when Trump shows us every day that his tariffs are not about any sort of economic strategy, or any real ‘emergency.’

“Trump’s tariff policy is as strategic as a toddler who plays with a light switch.

“Last week, we saw Trump raise taxes on Americans because he was mad that Canada ran an ad quoting Ronald Reagan. That’s about as ridiculous as it gets.

“My state shares a border with Canada. There are countless families, and businesses that span our northern border. People who have built businesses that rely on strong trade relationships, from farmers who send their crops up north, to shops that bring in products, to towns that serve tourists and visitors that come down from our neighbors.

“And these Washington business owners are all having their livelihoods completely turned upside on a whim by President Trump.

“And again, let’s be clear: all Canada did to unleash more blind fury and boneheaded tariffs from President Trump was quote President Ronald Reagan.

“Now, for all the policies I disagree with, Reagan at least had enough sense to understand that we, the American people, are the ones who pay those tariffs.

“For my colleagues, these are the words Donald Trump doesn’t want you to hear. This is what Reagan had to say about tariffs—verbatim: ‘Over the long run, such trade barriers hurt every American worker and consumer.’ ‘Then the worst happens: markets shrink and collapse; businesses and industries shut down; and millions of people lose their jobs.’

“But you know what? If Republicans don’t want to listen to Reagan this time—well, then how about they start listening to American families, farmers, and small businesses back in their own home states.

“Because, as someone who has had countless discussions about tariffs with the people I represent back home, I have no doubt that Republicans’ own constituents will tell them firsthand just how painful Trump’s trade war has been for them.

“I have heard from business across my home state of Washington who are getting crushed by Trump’s tariffs. An Asian grocery store that sells goods you simply have to source from abroad, like green tea. Coffee shops that are getting hit, since most of our country can’t even grow coffee beans. Clothing stores that tell me they are struggling with higher prices for cotton canvas, zippers, threads, and buckles.

“And then there are farmers, across my state and across the country, that are getting boxed out of key markets by the trade wars Trump is starting left and right for no reason.

“And there the jobs at our ports that are threatened as every new chaotic tariff Trump decides to tweet out whittles away at imports and exports alike, grinds our bustling ports to an absolute standstill, and puts thousands of jobs in jeopardy.

“Foreign imports are down by a third at the Port of Seattle and Tacoma. The reality of Trump’s tariffs is painfully obvious to families and business owners who are bearing the brunt of this ham-fisted trade war.

“You can’t just ‘make it in America’ when the ‘it’ in question is fruits and vegetables we cannot grow at scale here in the U.S. You can’t just ‘make it in America’ when even making something here requires parts and raw materials from across the globe.

“There are just higher prices for working families, tighter margins for our struggling businesses, and even more worry for families and businesses being pushed to the edge. Families are feeling those price hikes every single day. Small businesses in my state and across the country are facing difficult decisions, and deciding whether they can afford to keep their doors open, right now.

“People across America—across party lines, across economic backgrounds, and across nearly every divide imaginable—are now speaking out. The time has come for Republicans to actually listen.

“The time has come to hold President Trump accountable for raising prices on families across the board.

“The time has come to end President Trump’s new taxes on everything.

“The time has come for Congress, us, to start asserting our authority on tariffs, instead of ceding every single part of our job to a President who has already joked he is the Speaker of the House.

“Is he going to start calling himself the Majority Leader too?

“I urge all of my colleagues: join me in voting for this resolution so we can start rolling back Trump’s taxes on Americans, and take some pressure off our families and small businesses in the states we are all here to represent.”

###

The following sites updated: