Poll Day! Where YOU get Polled!

First Topic: The Potential End of Mass Transit

Mass transit is in financial trouble. While ridership numbers are up since the pandemic kept everyone home, the Federal funds poured into the systems as “Covid Relief” are just about gone. All the large city systems are in some amount of trouble, here are just a few examples.

In NYC, Governor Kathy Hochul’s refusal to implement congestion pricing has caused delays to construction and denied $15 billion to the MTA for needed improvements. That plan would have charged drivers to enter midtown Manhattan, with the profits going to the MTA.

In DC, the Metro (aka “America’s Subway”) serves not only the District, but also suburban Maryland and Virginia. Whole communities have been developed near Metro stops in the suburbs. But this is part of the problem: DC, Maryland and Virginia must agree to funding levels. The system broke ground in 1968, and by 1976 everyone was aware of upcoming financial problems. It will fall off the fiscal cliff in 2028, if nothing is done. One proposal looks at increasing fares by 500% (not a misprint – five hundred percent) which would make travel unaffordable to most people who use the Metro. Full details here.

In the Philadelphia region, SEPTA is facing a crisis in 2025. Solutions include increased fares and service cuts, although that won’t be enough in the long run. And Philly needs SEPTA in 2026 when it hosts the FIFA World Cup, MLB All-Star Game and the nation's 250th anniversary.

Second Topic: Donald Trump is Suing DOJ

An attorney for former President Donald Trump has filed a legal notice announcing that his client plans to sue the Justice Department and the FBI for $115 million for alleged "malicious political prosecution" and "abuse of process." Source.

I like this. First, Convicted Felon Trump lawsuits rarely work out well for him. In early 2023, he and Alina Habba were sanctioned to the tune of $1 million dollars for their failed lawsuit against Hillary Clinton. The more than 50 post-2020-election suits were dismissed. All told, over the past 30 years, Trump has sued 4,095 individuals and entities. (And that number keeps going up). Full list here.

Second: DISCOVERY!!! Imagine what will go on in those depositions! The Convicted Felon has done so well in previous depositions, she said with dripping sarcasm.

Third Topic: the DNC

The DNC kicks off on Monday, with the pre-game show starting on Sunday. Currently, the lineup of major speakers includes President Biden on Monday, to kick things off. I think it will be a speech for the ages. Other speakers include President Obama, President Clinton, and Secretary of State Clinton. President Carter will be represented by one of his grandsons, and of course, the Wednesday acceptance speech by Governor Walz, and the capstone acceptance speech by Vice President Harris on Thursday. Note that all living presidents (or in Carter’s case, his rep) will attend. The only living Republican ex-president who is not a felon is George W. Bush, and he declined to attend the RNC. My personal feeling is that had he been asked, President Bush would have spoken at the DNC.

I CAN’T WAIT for the Convention. I plan to watch every single minute that I can. Planning a great snack line-up. If they stream during the day, I may need to take time off from work. Had my health been better, I would have taken a press pass to Chicago. I LOVE Democratic Conventions. How about you?

Final Topic: Does the Government Shut Down?

The ONE required job of the US House of Representatives is to fund the government. The 118th Congress is doing a terrible job on that. This current Congress is the least productive in history. Statista has the receipts.

And don’t blame the Senate. It’s ALL on the House, which can barely keep a Speaker. There are 12 must-pass appropriations bills, and currently, only about half have passed the House. A few weeks ago, instead of working on the rest, they adjourned for the summer. They’ll be back for 13 days in September, 0 (ZERO) days in October, and then 20 days for the remainder of the year. When they return after September, it will be after the election, which may change how MAGA looks at things.

As usual, the Freedom Chaos Caucus is planning on disrupting the ability of the House to get anything accomplished. For example, they are planning on attaching to any appropriations bill, the SAVE Act that prohibits non-citizens from voting. Since it’s against the law at the Federal level, and in all states, for non-citizens to even register, this is pretty silly. They want to do this in September so they can run on it in October. They may try and attach verbiage relating to outlawing abortions, or any other nonsense they can come up with.

Their plan hope is to fund a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government open, at current spending levels, until January. They believe (AND I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP) that Convicted Felon Trump will 100% win, and they’ll be able to rollback all sorts of spending in 2025. They do NOT want a CR to November or December, because then a deal would potentially be made which, with House and Senate Democratic pressure, along with White House pressure, could lead to appropriations bills through 30 September 2025.

Remember, Speaker Mike cannot get anything of worth passed in the House without help from Democrats. And it may not be in the Democrats’ best interests to save Mike this time. Think about it. Who controls the House? Republicans. Who is up for election on November 5th? EVERY SINGLE HOUSE MEMBER. What would it mean to campaign on the government being shut down for ALL of October (remember, they’re out of session) and being able to blame it completely on the do-nothing Republicans? Think that might help in purple CDs?

“I’m running on the issues, plus, the idea that they government should be open to provide you with the services you need, as opposed to my competitor, who basically voted to shut it all down. Might just be me, but I LIKE when ATC is available to help planes land and take-off. I LIKE when FDA inspectors are out finding things like listeria in my lunch meat. I LIKE when there are no hiccups in payments from the government to the voters.”

I once had a very enjoyable adventure due to a government shutdown. It’s in the footnote.¹

If you think the government will stay open, until when do you think the CR will last?

1. In 1995, the government shut down on December 16, which lasted to January 6th. It was the second shutdown that year. I had a road job, for which I had been hired in August. I was told when I was hired that there was a contest for our team every year to see who could get the best hotel room for the least cost. Turns out the prize was “bragging rights”. I was assured that I had no chance of winning because I was new, and everyone else on my team (ALL MEN) had been doing this a long time, and they knew the deal structure better. What they didn’t know is that I am a shopper extraordinaire - NO ONE outshops me!

I had to go to DC during the shutdown, and virtually every hotel room was $69, if you booked ahead with a no-cancellation policy. So I booked a room at the Hyatt. (Normal price back then for a standard room was $150 - 200/night). When I drove up, there were a number of car hops, and no other cars. When I went to the desk, the place was empty. I asked the desk clerk how many people were booked for the night, and he said, “Including you, four.”

Then, I explained about the contest, and said I’d pay extra if I could have a nice room. He said he could help me. For my $69, I was placed in a suite with a conference room, two bedrooms, a kitchenette, and a bathroom with a jacuzzi. I walked to a local drugstore to procure a disposable camera (phones didn’t have cameras back then) and the maid helped take pictures of me throughout the suite.

Sweet victory was mine!