The Great Former Senator From Minnesota And My T-Shirt

AL FRANKEN BOILS IS IT DOWN:

This week, Senate Democrats voted to shut the government down because of health care. Republicans want to keep all the Medicaid cuts and get rid of subsidies on the Affordable Care Act that have been in place since the pandemic, thereby increasing premiums by an average of 114%.

That is what this shutdown is about. Democrats want people to have health care and Republicans don’t give a damn. And polls show that the majority of voters get it — a Navigator poll showed that 48% of Americans would blame Trump and the Republicans for the shutdown, compared to 26% blaming Democrats.

As the cost of living continues to rise under Trump, his approval rating has gone below 40%. Americans want (need) to pay for health care. And yet Trump and the Republicans are making it even more inaccessible.

I’m proud of Democrats for taking a stance on this issue. At the end of the day, Republicans don’t care if people are hurt. Democrats do.

→ You know?  Not to say they won’t throw out the occasion roll of paper towels; but it’s really kinda true.

POSTCARD FROM LISBON

I made T-shirts for our trip because it’s so embarrassing — and deeply sad — to have to admit you’re from America these days . . . a country whose current leadership is aligned with bullies, murderers, and dictators; anti-science, anti-health, anti-climate, anti-free speech, anti-consumer, anti-labor, anti-professionalism, anti-reproductive rights, anti-due process.

So far, I’ve gotten a lot broad smiles and thumbs up.

That said, I want to stress that the “hate” meant here is hate like “I hate limoncello” (I really do, and now that we’re in Italy they thrust it upon us everywhere we go).

Or “I hate not getting enough sleep.”

Or “I hate tax loopholes for the rich.”

That’s the kind of hate on my T-shirt.

As in: “deeply dislike” . . . “reject.”

NOT hate like “I’d like to punch him in the face!” or “Jews will not replace us!” or tying someone to a fence in the brutal cold and beating him to death for being gay.

Or calling your opponents “scum.”

That kind of hate has no place on anyone’s T-shirt.

Also:

How can I be so short?  I must be standing in a pothole.