Friday Roundup: Government Shutdown Drama, Idaho’s Abortion Ban & a Gooey Date Cake
3 small things you can do, 5 stories you should read & some things to make your life better
It’s been one of those weeks where you can feel the stakes rising: Congress is fumbling the bag, Trump is abandoning protections for women’s lives (again), and his economic policies seem to be actively trying to make everything worse. We are heading towards a big budget showdown where I’m really pushing for Democrats to put up a fight. There’s a real chance to demand accountability before Republicans get another free pass at governing by crisis.
And in the middle of all this, life goes on. There’s still joy to be found: a critically endangered chimp was just born, Dolly Parton’s love story is as iconic as ever, and I have a gooey date cake recipe that might make everything feel just a little better.
So here’s the plan: we stay informed, we take action, and we make space for the things that bring us hope. Three small things you can do today? Call your rep and demand a real budget, commit to buying one less thing from Amazon, and drop a hopeful story in the comments. Let’s keep each other going.
Donald Trump has now declared, instead of the Budget being a “big beautiful bill” he wants Congress to pass a “clean, temporary government funding Bill.” Democrats have said that in order to support any budget, they want a guarantee that Trump and Musk will spend funds the way Congress appropriated them (ie: stop firing the federal workforce and shuttering departments). Trump and Republican House Leader Mike Johnson want to do a “CR,” a continuing resolution that just maintains the current budget until September. It’s the congressional version of an extension on their homework. If Republicans want to govern, they should govern, and Democrats should hold their ground. All of this comes to a head on March 14th - if there’s no budget the government will shut down. I think the Democrats should stand their ground and demand accountability. Call your reps using this language and it sends that message:
SCRIPT: Hi, I’m a constituent and I’m calling to demand that Congress vote on a budget and not pass a continuing resolution.
Share one thing that gave you hope today – People are more likely to stay engaged when they feel like their efforts matter. Whether it’s a political win, a great community initiative, or just a good conversation, sharing hopeful stories keeps people motivated. Join us in the comments to share your good news.
Choose one thing you will no longer buy from Amazon. You can see our suggestions for Amazon swaps here.
