Update no.1244

 Update from the Heartland

No.1244

10.11.25 – 16.11.25

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

To all,

 

The historic agony is finally over! I should add ‘at least for now’ since the funding extension at issue this week only lasts until the end of January. Now, we must pick up the pieces and repair the damage done by the president’s insistence upon shutting down the government to get what he wanted. Over the weekend, eight Senate Democrats caved and joined the MAGAts in a deal that does not help the less advantaged among us. They voted for the extension based on a promise to vote on the PPACA subsidy extension. Of course, the MAGAts have always told the truth (he said with dripping sarcasm), so we can believe them now.

The PPACA was signed into law by President Obama—{Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) [PL 111-148; 124 Stat. 119; 23.March.2010] [432]}. The law was far from perfect, but it was a helluva lot better than what existed prior to the new law—nothing. The Republicans / MAGAts want to return to that prior state—nothing. PPACA does not affect them, only the less advantaged among us. The PPACA was a small progressive step forward and a long way from the ideal state—universal health care for all.

Since the PPACA was passed and signed into law in 2010, the Republicans and now MAGAts have been trying feverishly to gut or kill the PPACA. For a decade and a half, they have repeatedly and consistently declared the PPACA was too expensive, not effective, and otherwise bad law. They have also proclaimed they were going to replace it with a new law that was much better, less expensive, and more effective. To the date of this Update’s posting, neither the former Republican Party nor the current MAGAt Party have EVER presented an improved healthcare plan, set aside a proposed legislation to replace and improve PPACA. All they do is flap their gums with not a twit of substance. The MAGAts have taken a ‘Let them eat cake’ attitude toward the people in need.

The Senate voted 60-40-0-0(0) to pass the amended HR 5371 bill. Eight Senate Democrats abandoned their party’s objectives in this legislative showdown. They were:

Cortez Masto (D-NV)

Durbin (D-IL)

Fetterman (D-PA)

Hassan (D-NH)

Kaine (D-VA)

King (I-ME)

Rosen (D-NV)

Shaheen (D-NH)

Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky voted against the bill. With the Senate passage of the HR 5371, the bill went back to the House for acceptance of the Senate amendments. Speaker Johnson finally called the House back into session after a nearly two-month hiatus. 

The amended HR 5371 bill went to the House, where it was passed on Wednesday [12.November.2025] by a vote of 222-209-0-2(2). 

Democrats voting for the bill:

Cuellary [D-TX]

Davis. [D-NC]

Golden [D-ME]

Gray [D-CA]

Perez [D-WA]

Suozzi [D-NY]

Republicans voting against the bill:

Massie [R-KY]

Steube [R-FL]

The president signed the funding extension into law Wednesday evening—Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026 [PL 119-037; H.R. 5371; House: 222-209-0-2(2); Senate: 60-40-0-0(0); 139 Stat. xxx]. He got his way on this one thanks to the eight Senate Democrats who caved to his demands.

There is zero question as to who I blame for this government shutdown. His obsession with rewriting history and erasing  Obama, Biden, and he will get to Clinton eventually. Except the orange one and Bill Clinton share a common thread. I feel considerable empathy for those among us who will pay a tragic price for the orange one’s malignant narcissism.  There should be no doubt about the character of the con-man-in-chief.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1243:

Comments to the Blog:

“Happy 250^th Anniversary to the USMC!

“The remaining MAGAts don’t follow fact and logic.

“The purpose of a business is to make money. The Preamble to the Constitution gives the purpose of the United States Government: ‘to form a more perfect Union, insure domestic tranquility, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,’ none of which Agent Orange has attempted to do. (He hasn’t done well in legitimate businesses, either.)

“The morning’s news is that eight Democrat Senators have voted to betray Americans dependent on ACA and other healthcare programs. I haven’t studied the full list yet, but I can assure you that progressives will work to replace them with more patriotic Americans. I’m a SNAP recipient, but the ‘general Welfare’ should be the first concern here.”

My response to the Blog:

A significant milestone in the history of the republic’s Marine Corps.

Yes, it is. I would only add that the purpose of business is to return shareholder value, which adds an important dynamic for the operation of public companies. You quote the Preamble correctly. I also agree with your condemnation of the orange one. I doubt he has ever read, set aside understands, the Constitution that he is charged by We, the People, to support and defend. That was my point. He does not meet any definition of a good businessman. I repeat, he is a conman, huckster, and snake-oil salesman; he is NOT a businessman.

Yes, they did. The amended bill (HR 5371) must go back to the House for concurrence and passage. I cannot imagine how heartless a person must be to stand against helping those less advantaged citizens among us. I write much more in this week’s Update (still working on it). I am absolutely certain the general Welfare is important to you, as it should be to all compassionate and caring citizens. Once more, we see the MAGAts for exactly what they are—“Let them eat cake.”

 

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)

Update no.1243

 Update from the Heartland

No.1243

3.11.25 – 9.11.25

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

To all,

 

As this Update is released for public scrutiny, United States Marines worldwide celebrate a quarter of a millennium of service to the Republic. The United States Marine Corps was created and formed in Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 250 years ago [10.November.1775]. As a proud Marine, I join my brothers to boldly say:

Semper Fidelis

 

I very rarely refer to the nonsense that comes across my screen that instigates a reaction from me. On Tuesday morning, I saw a posting on my Facebook feed that poked the bear.

Trump proved a businessman

can run the country better than

any politician ever could.

[redaction mine]

When I saw the posting of this message engraved on a stone tablet as if it was sent from heaven. I imagine the believers still believe. However, when I saw that posting, I saw it in an entirely different light.

Government is not, never has been, and never will be a business. There are myriad and distinct differences between a business and a government organization. That said, there are common threads. Governments should operate within their means, i.e., taxes must be raised to balance revenue against expenses of approved programs. Government is emphatically NOT a profit and loss entity.

If you like and want the chaos generated by the president and his minions, then you see the above message and think, ‘Yeah, buddy. Tear up that nonsense. End it all.’ Therein lies the difference, what I see him doing is destroying the very essence of what government is, for the common good. Congress decides that factor, not the president. The Executive is responsible for operating the programs and enforcing the law. The Executive does not make the law. This president insists on doing everything by executive fiat. He is NOT running a business. He is supposed to be leading a government. He has been doing what a minority of citizens want. He is NOT working for the common good.

No name is not and never has been a businessman. He is a conman, huckster, and snake-oil salesman, who has declared bankruptcy SIX times. Who does that? He sells worthless crap to innocent people, who, for reasons I know not, believe his pitches. He has left God-only-knows how many contractors holding the bag for his construction projects. He sells his name like it is a commodity. He is a known and persistent liar. How can anyone believe a word he says?

The posted image above says far more about his supporters than it does about him. He is what he is and always has been. What the posting says is his supporters care far more about getting what they want rather than deal with the messiness of democracy. As such, I vociferously condemn those who believe the message above and support no name.He deserves no respect! He will get none from me.

 

Once again, [the person who shall no longer be named, AKA no name, the orange one, the Felon, et al], has made history. He is the person charged (hired) by the citizens to lead the nation and ensure the Executive Branch runs smoothly. He is NOT doing what he is charged to do in accordance with the U.S. Constitution. There should be zero doubt that the tragedy of this shutdown belongs squarely and solely with no name—no one else.

 

The off-year elections were held in numerous states. No name claims he was not on the ballot and thus this week’s election had no meaning to him. Technically, he was not on the ballot directly. However, his influence was very much before some voters in multiple states. Governors in Virginia and New Jersey, New York City Mayor, and Proposition 50 in California were all lost by the MAGAt Party and no name—ihr Lieber Anführer. The results of this week’s election were a dramatic and unequivocal smackdown of the orange one. The mid-term elections will take place one year from now. This week’s voting does not bode well for no name and his MAGAt party.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1242:

“Thanks for your update. Can you visualise anything encouraging? That is indeed what we need across this sad planet we dwell on. There is fighting and disagreements across our lives. It has to stop, can you Cap see a solution?”

My reply:

The off-year elections this week in some states were quite encouraging. He claims he was not on the ballot, and technically, he was not. However, his influence was very much on the ballot, and he took quite the smackdown. If We, the People, vote, we can be done with this buffoon.

I have faith that one day we will mature as a species sufficiently to live in peace. Unfortunately, that day is probably not within my remaining life. In my Anod series of science fiction novels, I do envision that day of peace, although there is violence from outside the species as we encounter other creatures in the universe.

 

Comment to the Blog:

“We pay for what we get, but in elections, we learn the price after we make our choice. So do those we elect, because nobody can accurately predict the future.”

My response to the Blog:

Yes, we do, and that is exactly the point. As I look at this week’s off-year elections, we see record turnouts. Next year’s mid-term elections will be a crucial test. I am absolutely convinced that if people vote, the MAGAt Party will be relegated to the dust-bin of history; then, we can begin reconstruction after this era of destruction.

True, no one can predict the future. Mamdani is going to learn an important lesson. He does not decide. He must coax the City Council to pass laws that he can sign into law. We shall see how he does in a democracy.

 . . . Round two:

“Watching history ‘live as it happens’ has become more interesting. We shall see.”

 . . . my response to round two:

Yes, indeed, it is interesting to watch history play out . . . except this is definitely not the history I want to see. The MAGAts have made this country a far harsher place to live. I do surely hope the turn out we saw in this year’s elections continues for the mid-terms next year and the next general election in 2028. We will have to restore, reconstruct, and renovate the federal government, and it will take longer than the destruction.

 . . . Round three:

“People who ‘don't follow politics" have begun to experience its impacts on them. That might motivate them to vote.

“I'll keep the faith, noting that my faith right now is in history. The pendulum always swings back, and our recent elections felt like a change of direction.”

 . . . my response to round three:

Quite so. To me, the reason to vote in every election is to defend the Constitution and to move to a more enlightened tomorrow.

That is history’s record. I feel the same change of direction. That motivation must hold for at least three more years. We must end this nightmare we are immersed in now.

 

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)

Update no.1242

 Update from the Heartland

No.1242

27.10.25 – 2.11.25

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

To all,

 

[the person who shall no longer be named] continues to do what he has always done. The leopard cannot change his spots. The orange one does what the orange one does. I find my efforts to illuminate his myriad foibles, flaws, transgressions, violations, and abuses have become tedious and a waste of my precious time. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. And so it goes. The MAGAts voted, and they have exactly what they wanted—destructive chaos, a dysfunctional federal government, insulting our international friends and allies, and a U.S. Constitution being carved up like a plump holiday goose.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1241:

Comment to the Blog:

“You and I vote from a sense of obligation. Others understand only that there are two major parties, and ‘if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.’ The MAGAts stand for something, however insane. The DNC Democrats don’t stand ‘for’ anything, and haven’t since Clinton. I hope they might mean something next year, based on Mamdani, AOC, and others, but the DNC has opposed all progressives.

“No name has proven that he’s a dangerous buffoon, twice more. We already knew that. We need someone to stand in contrast to him.

“I support Mamdani for the same reason New Yorkers do: he offers to address the issues that affect real people like me. Most of Wall Street hates him, of course, because he wants them to pay their fair share of taxes. The only problem I have about that is that the AI bubble is about to burst and decrease billionaires’ incomes.

“Re last week’s discussion: the other problem about disarming Hamas is that it leaves Palestinians with no defense at all against Israel.”

My response to the Blog:

Well said and agreed. The midterms next year will be crucial and may well be pivotal. The NYC mayoral election may well be a litmus test for next year. We shall see.

Yes, oh so true, however, he is the properly and duly elected president. I do not blame him for his buffoonery. I blame all of those citizens who have chosen to ignore his gargantuan character flaws to vote for him and to enable him, and the 18M citizens who chose not to vote in 2024. They carry the responsibility for what has happened. That man has been what he is since childhood; he has not changed and will not change. Yet, good citizens (and some bad) voted for him and still support him. They want chaos, so we have chaos.

If I lived in New York City, I would vote for Mamdani as well. We need compassion, understanding, and respect. I am all in favor of fair share. I want those who are capable, to pay the same effective tax rate as me. Just because they are wealthy, does not make them royal or even special.

The people of Gaza would be far better off without Hamas in any form. It is up to the rest of us to stop the right wingers in Israel from attempting to subjugate the Palestinians. They deserve their own sovereign state. An armed Hamas is not a defense organization; it is a terrorist group. Please remember Hamas attacked Israel, just as Russia attacked Ukraine; not the other way around.

 . . . with follow-up comment:

“The Orange Menace isn’t a new phenomenon. Those behind him and their kind have always known that a significant percentage of the population can be used via their fear of the ‘other,’ with the other being any handy target. Here we are again.

“The elections are fascinating, if a bit scary.

“I don’t like Hamas at all, but the Palestinians need protection from Israel and their co-conspirators here.”

 . . . along with my follow-up response:

No, he most definitely is not. He has been who he is for all his adult like and probably most of his childhood, thanks to his parents who enabled him. Quite so. Like any accomplished con-man, he has studied a body of American people and played directly to their predilections. He has sold them worthless snake-oil and convinced them it is a wonderful elixir and cure-all; and, they believe.

Scary indeed. The MAGAts are a clear minority of the electorate, and yet, because they consistently vote, they appear to be a majority. I suppose many people do not directly feel or care about the actions of the federal government, so they say why waste my time becoming informed and voting. I feel a much larger responsibility to the republic. I can find no positive in the destructive chaos that man has induced in our (not his) government and this once grand republic.

Israel did not attack Gaza and Hamas. They reacted to defend themselves. Hamas is a terrorist organization. The illegal and ill-advised settlements on the West Bank should be absorbed by and transferred to Palestine. The inhabitants of those settlements should be given a choice, move to Israel or become Palestinian. Unfortunately, Palestine has no effective defense or law enforcement organization, so they would be dependent on an international force presumably from the Arab States with back-up from Europe and the United States.

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)