This federal worker household would be more than gratified to see a positive result from our pain and sacrifice. It's not just the paycheck; it's the harm to so many more Americans as services cease, as we have seen. It's not just an immediate loss of personal funds; it's the trickle-down effect of never catching up on delayed home and car repairs, medical needs, savings, and even discretionary spending--because the next shutdown always comes too soon.
I though Schumer did the right thing to avoid a shutdown right after Trump took office. We didn't know what the consequences would be. Now I believe that Dems must use this moment to insist on funding what was already allocated and to support what the majority of Americans want and need. They must also make this demand: that any agreements between Rs and Trump and the smarter people of this country must be honored, or all bets are off.
We're prepared to take the hit again. Civil servants know that if we don't, there won't be a civil service much longer, just a crony network.
I’m so sorry you and your family are taking the brunt of this. Agree completely with your assessment and your demand. Republicans lie like they breathe. This lawyer recommends getting EVERYTHING in writing, in triplicate, and notarized.
If anyone knows what the government needs to work, it’s federal workers. I am so grateful for your service to the country. I just wrote to my Senators (Murray and Cantwell) letting them know we have their backs and not to buckle. We have your backs, too.
This is the thing about movements; with success, they tend to start out small, but gain momentum as the success is recognized. There is an element of hope that lights the light and drives it forward. This is what we are beginning to see. It doesn't hurt that the MAGA/GOP continues to put itself into less and less of a popular position with its shameful acts.
Dems can keep their momentum up by not giving up on red districts or red states. Republicans do not own us. I am in a red state and welcome Dems to my district and state. Give us all something to hope for. It will not be easy but to make a valiant effort you just might change some minds. If the GOP is still able to piss off enough people and lately that’s not been to hard for them to do it just might make it easier. Dems must cash in on the GOP shit show.
I keep reminding myself why subscribe? I’m old my retina not working I can’t read small print. Life is too short to need many minutes to reaf a paragraph, never mind what I’ve writ
And the House and Senate can, working in conjunction, can override a presidential veto. It doesn't happen often, but there is precedent, and it can happen.
I really cannot see the advantage Republicans believe they are achieving through increasing insurance costs and withholding SNAP benefits. Could it just be Trump‘s stubbornness and their inability to cross him?
I know that you and Jen understand the history of Hitler's rise, his blitzkrieg, and the Holocaust. My father was a corpsman in the Army serving on troop ships in the Atlantic. As I child the subject of "Never Again" was one we heard in discussions as my sister and I grew up. Now we have a modern day despot who is well on his way to turning the country into a ruthless dictatorship. Yet the Contrarian keeps on with the happy talk and the cute pet pictures. When I shelled out my $500 to be a founding member, I'd hoped for my realisitic analysis. While delighted over the election wins and inspired by the first three speeches, it was Gavin Newsom who sounded the alarm as it should have been sounded. Thus I was up at midnight writing s second act to the Substack I wrote wrote earlier in the day. The end result became "A Two Act Substack: 1) If Trump's presidency was a TV series it would have jumped the shark and been cancelled a long time ago. 2) Newsom warns about Trump sending in his own sharks." Here> https://halbrown.substack.com/p/a-two-act-substack-1-if-trumps-presidency
Thank you for supporting The Contrarian to the level that you have. Consider the fine journalism and investigavive writing that you are supporting and compare it to any of the outporing of pablum that the "legacy media" is providing these days. A little lightness of pets and reports on positive gains (happy talk as you call it) is a balance that's far from out of place. We appreciate what is presented to us here.
I'd like to see someone address my complaint. It is one I have shared in lots of other comments. The matter of pet posts isn't of particular importance to me though I my dark view of thing see it as have an orchestra playing at Aushwitz. I was a psychotherapist for 40 years and well understand how people are loathe to be sucked into a pit of despair at the current situation and want to cling to every threat of hope. I also understand how people want to feel that THEY are doing something. I go to every national protest, I write a Substack every morning, but I do not delude myself in thinking anything I do will stop Trump's authoritarian juggernaut.
I wrote about how great my partner and I felt after the Tuesday victories until Gavin Newsom came on and threw ice cold water on the good feelings reminding up that Trump had already shown how he was willing to use the military as enforcers big cities including Portland where I live.
Well isn't Newsom telling the truth that we are all observing? Your forty years ans a psychotherapist seems to have soured you. By the way, hope is not a threat, it's a promise. As for "deluding yourself that anything I do will stop...etc." So what's the other option? Doing nothing but carping is no help. Anything that you can do can help, unless of course, you have given up. OK, it's a scold. I admit it.
My "not giving up" hopefully is demonstrated by writing Substacks like today's: "With stories like 'Armed Immigration Officers Drive Away With Toddler After Detaining Father' is it any wonder people like me think of the Gestapo and SS? Nazi parents might have told their children that if they studied hard they might grow up to be like Dr. Mengele. MAGA moms might tell their kids to learn to be cruel so they can be like Tom Homan." Here's the link: https://halbrown.substack.com/p/with-stories-like-armed-immigration
I have not soured on people who want to change being able to change, sometimes with therapy and sometimes with spiritual guidance and sometimes with by themselves with a personal commitment. But both my work and life experience I believe has made me a hard-nosed realist. I have not given up. However I do not believe that false optimism serves a useful purpose. Sadly I think that many of the efforts, noble as they are, to thwart Trump are just slowing him down. They are bumps in the road. Even so I think when we can we should construct those speed bumps. I applaud Norm and oher lawyers who have done a great job with their lawsuits.
I write my Substack hoping to both inform and educate. I am a believer in the wisdom to Sun Tzu from The Art of War about deeply knowing yourself and your enemy so you can defeat them. This is why I have written so much about Trump's psychopathology. I attempt to look at things with what I hope is an original slant, and I admit sometimes I offer a snarky comment or AI illustration to use parody to make a point. People like Trump can't stand being mocked. See: Overview of my psychological analysis of Donald Trump https://www.halbrown.org/2025/11/hal-m-brown-msws-psychological-analysis.html
Thanks for pointing this out. Both books had an impact on me and I shouldn't confuse them. I knew Richard Cook very well. He wrote "Classical Chinese Combinatorics: Derivation of the Book of Changes Hexagram Sequence." Here's a review: https://www.biroco.com/yijing/cook.htm
This federal worker household would be more than gratified to see a positive result from our pain and sacrifice. It's not just the paycheck; it's the harm to so many more Americans as services cease, as we have seen. It's not just an immediate loss of personal funds; it's the trickle-down effect of never catching up on delayed home and car repairs, medical needs, savings, and even discretionary spending--because the next shutdown always comes too soon.
I though Schumer did the right thing to avoid a shutdown right after Trump took office. We didn't know what the consequences would be. Now I believe that Dems must use this moment to insist on funding what was already allocated and to support what the majority of Americans want and need. They must also make this demand: that any agreements between Rs and Trump and the smarter people of this country must be honored, or all bets are off.
We're prepared to take the hit again. Civil servants know that if we don't, there won't be a civil service much longer, just a crony network.
I’m so sorry you and your family are taking the brunt of this. Agree completely with your assessment and your demand. Republicans lie like they breathe. This lawyer recommends getting EVERYTHING in writing, in triplicate, and notarized.
If anyone knows what the government needs to work, it’s federal workers. I am so grateful for your service to the country. I just wrote to my Senators (Murray and Cantwell) letting them know we have their backs and not to buckle. We have your backs, too.
I'm curious: Do your work colleagues also blame Republicans? Or are they blaming Democrats?
Funny, blame is the last thing on people's minds. In fact, we're deciding how much we can spend to donate to the food bank.
Thanks Norm--great summary of where we are. Hold tough Dems--no one year deal.
This is the thing about movements; with success, they tend to start out small, but gain momentum as the success is recognized. There is an element of hope that lights the light and drives it forward. This is what we are beginning to see. It doesn't hurt that the MAGA/GOP continues to put itself into less and less of a popular position with its shameful acts.
Dems can keep their momentum up by not giving up on red districts or red states. Republicans do not own us. I am in a red state and welcome Dems to my district and state. Give us all something to hope for. It will not be easy but to make a valiant effort you just might change some minds. If the GOP is still able to piss off enough people and lately that’s not been to hard for them to do it just might make it easier. Dems must cash in on the GOP shit show.
Great explanation of the options. And one that gives hope.
I keep reminding myself why subscribe? I’m old my retina not working I can’t read small print. Life is too short to need many minutes to reaf a paragraph, never mind what I’ve writ
Another scenario:
Both the House and the Senate could eventually do the right thing, only to have tRump veto it.
And the House and Senate can, working in conjunction, can override a presidential veto. It doesn't happen often, but there is precedent, and it can happen.
A 2/3 vote to over-ride a veto is a "fat-chance" scenario.
I didn't say that it was likely, nor am I stupid enough that with the current majority in Congress in place that it will happen.
I really cannot see the advantage Republicans believe they are achieving through increasing insurance costs and withholding SNAP benefits. Could it just be Trump‘s stubbornness and their inability to cross him?
Democrats : "Everything in writing, in triplicate and notarized (Hypatia0761, above)". And explain to the public daily.
I know that you and Jen understand the history of Hitler's rise, his blitzkrieg, and the Holocaust. My father was a corpsman in the Army serving on troop ships in the Atlantic. As I child the subject of "Never Again" was one we heard in discussions as my sister and I grew up. Now we have a modern day despot who is well on his way to turning the country into a ruthless dictatorship. Yet the Contrarian keeps on with the happy talk and the cute pet pictures. When I shelled out my $500 to be a founding member, I'd hoped for my realisitic analysis. While delighted over the election wins and inspired by the first three speeches, it was Gavin Newsom who sounded the alarm as it should have been sounded. Thus I was up at midnight writing s second act to the Substack I wrote wrote earlier in the day. The end result became "A Two Act Substack: 1) If Trump's presidency was a TV series it would have jumped the shark and been cancelled a long time ago. 2) Newsom warns about Trump sending in his own sharks." Here> https://halbrown.substack.com/p/a-two-act-substack-1-if-trumps-presidency
Thank you for supporting The Contrarian to the level that you have. Consider the fine journalism and investigavive writing that you are supporting and compare it to any of the outporing of pablum that the "legacy media" is providing these days. A little lightness of pets and reports on positive gains (happy talk as you call it) is a balance that's far from out of place. We appreciate what is presented to us here.
I'd like to see someone address my complaint. It is one I have shared in lots of other comments. The matter of pet posts isn't of particular importance to me though I my dark view of thing see it as have an orchestra playing at Aushwitz. I was a psychotherapist for 40 years and well understand how people are loathe to be sucked into a pit of despair at the current situation and want to cling to every threat of hope. I also understand how people want to feel that THEY are doing something. I go to every national protest, I write a Substack every morning, but I do not delude myself in thinking anything I do will stop Trump's authoritarian juggernaut.
I wrote about how great my partner and I felt after the Tuesday victories until Gavin Newsom came on and threw ice cold water on the good feelings reminding up that Trump had already shown how he was willing to use the military as enforcers big cities including Portland where I live.
Well isn't Newsom telling the truth that we are all observing? Your forty years ans a psychotherapist seems to have soured you. By the way, hope is not a threat, it's a promise. As for "deluding yourself that anything I do will stop...etc." So what's the other option? Doing nothing but carping is no help. Anything that you can do can help, unless of course, you have given up. OK, it's a scold. I admit it.
My "not giving up" hopefully is demonstrated by writing Substacks like today's: "With stories like 'Armed Immigration Officers Drive Away With Toddler After Detaining Father' is it any wonder people like me think of the Gestapo and SS? Nazi parents might have told their children that if they studied hard they might grow up to be like Dr. Mengele. MAGA moms might tell their kids to learn to be cruel so they can be like Tom Homan." Here's the link: https://halbrown.substack.com/p/with-stories-like-armed-immigration
I have not soured on people who want to change being able to change, sometimes with therapy and sometimes with spiritual guidance and sometimes with by themselves with a personal commitment. But both my work and life experience I believe has made me a hard-nosed realist. I have not given up. However I do not believe that false optimism serves a useful purpose. Sadly I think that many of the efforts, noble as they are, to thwart Trump are just slowing him down. They are bumps in the road. Even so I think when we can we should construct those speed bumps. I applaud Norm and oher lawyers who have done a great job with their lawsuits.
I write my Substack hoping to both inform and educate. I am a believer in the wisdom to Sun Tzu from The Art of War about deeply knowing yourself and your enemy so you can defeat them. This is why I have written so much about Trump's psychopathology. I attempt to look at things with what I hope is an original slant, and I admit sometimes I offer a snarky comment or AI illustration to use parody to make a point. People like Trump can't stand being mocked. See: Overview of my psychological analysis of Donald Trump https://www.halbrown.org/2025/11/hal-m-brown-msws-psychological-analysis.html
The Art of War was written by Sun Tzu. Lao-Tzu wrote the Tao te Ching.
Thanks for pointing this out. Both books had an impact on me and I shouldn't confuse them. I knew Richard Cook very well. He wrote "Classical Chinese Combinatorics: Derivation of the Book of Changes Hexagram Sequence." Here's a review: https://www.biroco.com/yijing/cook.htm