Update 899 — Shutdown in Stalemate;Trump Resorts to Partisan Scare Tactics The government funding stalemate for the fiscal year starting October 1 resulted in a shutdown this week with no end in sight. Meanwhile, the Trump administration took a partisan turn, canceling infrastructure funding in blue cities/states and using agency web pages and email autoreplies …
Update 898 – Govt Stuck in Shutdown:Drill Down on Off-Ramps and Impact At 12:01 a.m. this morning, the federal government was thrust into a shutdown, as Congress failed to pass short-term funding that would keep the government running past yesterday’s expiration of fiscal year 2025. Democrats and Republicans are split over proposals for a short-term …
Update 897 – Trump’s Shutdown Threat:Mass Gov’t Firings without Budget Deal Congressional leaders remained at an impasse this week on federal government funding beyond October 1, leaving four days until a government shutdown kicks in, absent an agreement. Democrats want healthcare concessions in exchange for their votes – seven of which are necessary to reach …
Update 877 – Rulings and OBBB Process,Mamdani Win, Prices, Entitlement Reports The Senate parliamentarian continued her review of the GOP’s reconciliation bill (OBBB) this week, shooting down Medicaid cuts crucial to the fiscal balance of the bill. This straw may have broken the camel’s back, as calls to overrule or dismiss the Senate’s referee following …
Update 872– The Trump-Musk Meltdown:Elon Attacks OBBB… But to Any Effect? Yesterday, President Trump and Elon Musk’s disagreement over the projected deficit impact of Trump’s reconciliation package erupted into public view on social media. While the dust seems to have settled somewhat as of today, this split raises questions about Musk’s political influence going forward. …
Update 842 — Constitution under Attack;Administration’s Assault on Law Expands This week saw new and continued attacks by the Trump administration on federal law and constitutional norms via dismantled programs, dismissed civil service workers, and personal data breaches, with more to come threatened. The emerging constitutional crises, accommodated by the GOP, are being challenged in …
Update 840 — Week of Chaos, Confusion; GDP Growth Slows in 4th Quarter 2024 The country was plunged this week into a frenzy of chaos and confusion amid the Trump administration’s on-again, off-again freeze on federal grants and loans spending. The broad and vague memo released by the OMB Monday was rescinded on Wednesday but …
Update 839 — Fed Hits Pause on Rates;OMB Does Likewise on Spending Freeze The Federal Reserve hit pause, as expected, on interest rates at the conclusion of its first rate-setting meeting of the year this afternoon. The interest rate decision comes less than two weeks after President Trump was sworn in for a second term …
