Megan McD

ICE officer fatally shoots man during traffic stop in Chicago suburb, authorities say U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were conducting “targeted law enforcement activity” in Franklin Park when they stopped the vehicle, according to a statement from the agency.

ICE says officers were conducting a "targeted law enforcement activity" when an officer shot a man during a traffic stop. via @wbez.org

The United States should not wage war against Iran.

Donald Trump’s bombing of Iran is unconstitutional. Only Congress can declare war — and the Senate must vote immediately to prevent an another endless war.

This is a horrific war of choice.

Only Congress has the power to declare war and our elected officials must take that power back. Urge your senators to use their constitutional authority with the war powers resolution: act.indivisible.org/sign/no-iran...

Then do the same with your representative: act.indivisible.org/sign/no-iran...

I am looking for congressional leaders to come out quickly and forcefully against this. We need unequivocal opposition. We need theatric demonstrations of defiance. We need to see leadership. Trump will steamroll us all if we display weakness. Where are our leaders?

Congress? You awake?

Republicans Target Federal Anti-Hunger Program as They Prepare Trump Tax Package

How Republicans want to cut SNAP:
Ratchet up work requirements from age 54 to 64
Include adults w/dependents over 7 (vs none)
Require states to contribute funds for the first time as of 2028
Will knock millions off rolls and increase poverty and hunger.
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/12/u...

Sec. 10002. Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents Work Requirements. Subsection (a) of section 10002 amends the exceptions listed for able bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD) in Section 6(o)(3) of the Food and Nutrition Act to the SNAP work requirement. Specifically, this section would increase the age with which ABAWDs must continue working to qualify for SNAP to 64 (up from 54 currently); it changes the generic, functional definition of “dependent child” for ABAWD purposes from under 18 years of age to under 7; and it carves out an exception to the work requirements for a person responsible for a child 7 years of age or older who is married and resides with an individual who complies with the SNAP work requirements

The Ag Committee's part of the Reconciliation Bill raises the SNAP work requirement age for able-bodied adults without dependents from 54 to 64. It also changes the definition of "dependent child" from under 18 years to under 7 years old to determine "Able-bodied adult without dependents."

First, Trump ignored the Supreme Court. Now, his FBI arrested a judge.

This administration is threatening our country’s judicial system. This rings serious alarm bells.

The cover page for a discussion paper called "Questions, Answers, and Some Cautionary Updates Regarding the 3.5% Rule" by Erica Chenoweth. In the image, peaceful protesters can be seen in front of the US Capitol building.

Lately I've seen many references to the 3.5% rule. A few years ago I pulled together this Q&A on potential uses and misuses of this statistic. www.hks.harvard.edu/sites/defaul...

West Coast numbers are coming in, and estimates have now surpassed 5 million. People are still pouring into the streets—nearly 2% of the American population is rising up. America, we are so proud of you. You did it.

100,000+ people marched at the #HandsOff rally in New York!

Over 350,000 people are signed up.

More than 1,000 events are planned in all 50 states and multiple countries.

We hope to see you in the streets on Saturday: handsoff2025.com/?SQ...

HHS layoffs hit Meals on Wheels and other services for seniors and disabled Staff that administer programs to help the elderly, disabled people and poor families with basic needs lost their jobs amid the Trump administration's layoffs.

Staff that administer programs to help the elderly, disabled people and poor families with basic needs lost their jobs amid the Trump administration's layoffs.

Abolish ICE is not an absurdity statement. ICE was created in 2003 as a response to 9/11 - we do not need it. We already established that following orders isn't an excuse.

Please listen and share—this is a very serious situation. This is extremely alarming! The Trump administration, across two agencies, is considering bringing criminal charges against employees simply for doing their jobs.

Maybe instead of purging the Social Security workers who make sure seniors get their checks on time, we should be expanding benefits to make life a little easier for your parents and grandparents.

‼️RALLY AT THE TREASURY‼️ Nobody Elected Elon! YouTube video by Indivisible

Members of Congress have just been denied entrance to the Treasury building. The American people deserve to know what President Musk is doing with our money. We’re rallying with @moveon.org — follow along live.

Education Department employees have been placed on leave for attending diversity training. Meanwhile, Republicans have introduced a bill to eliminate the Department of Education.

It’s official: Elon Musk’s staffers have now illegally obtained classified information from the USAID office.

Here’s a recap of what’s happening:

No one elected Elon Musk.

As Donald Trump allows Musk to access people’s personal information and shut down government funding, Republicans in Washington will also own the consequences.

We must do everything in our power to push back and protect people from harm.

Attn: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent granted representatives of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency full access to the federal payment system!

CDC purges STD and vaccine recommendations after Trump gender order Health experts say the website purge could result in deaths.

Donald Trump is scrubbing critical health information from government websites.

This is staggeringly stupid, anti-science, and will have real consequences.

www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-std...

Elon Musk staff has been caught installing hard drives inside the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Treasury Department, and the General Services Administration (GSA).

Read, share, act.

I just heard from a nonprofit in Massachusetts that helps veterans with transitional housing.

Trump's shutdown of gov funding hurts their ability to buy and prepare food for 100+ veterans.

Rent is due in 5 days. The loss of funds could mean some veterans face eviction.

Hey friends! We're seeing a lot of terrible things. We're not able to cover all of them, but we felt this latest one is a really big deal and needs much more awareness. Our summary is this: It's an administrative coup. Trump has ordered tens of billions (maybe up to $3 trillion) of budget halted indefinitely in a blatantly illegal move. He's claiming power to halt and potentially redirect funding that's already been authorized by Congress — a classic authoritarian move. Here's what we know. And we're doing our best to catch up with this story, because it's moving fast. There's a memo from Matthew Vaeth, the acting head of the Office of Management and Budget. (That's the same government entity who set-up the DEI "snitch" line, that's now been spammed by tens of thousands of our fellow residents.) In typical Trump-style, the memo gets its facts wrong. It claims in FY2024 the US government spent $10 trillion (actually it was $6.8 trillion). It says money should be used for the administration's priorities — "The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve." (Again, it's very fact deficient.) The memo says a pause will begin at 5pm on January 28th where, "Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal." Anyone promised federal grants might have their money at risk, even states. This is Congressional directed spending and Trump is ordering people to not do it. This funding includes universities for education and research programs, nonprofits, local and tribal governments, disaster relief aid, e…

So what can we do? It's been a lot. And the shock approach of this administration is to overwhelm us with nonsense and a state of paralysis. We continue to believe the best thing is to stay grounded and keep yourself sane amidst insanity. At this juncture, three actions we suggest that make sense to us: 1) Urge media to cover this story properly This is not "possibly illegal" — it's "patently illegal." You can read notes on that here. It's not "temporary" — it's "indefinite." There's no timetable for ending it. It's not just a memo — it's an administrative coup. 2) Urge your Representatives to act like this is a big deal If you know us, this isn't a knee-jerk action we suggest. We think this is a strategic because it's Congress that's being violated — their power is being directly undermined. 3) Continue to support ACLU and Democracy Forward These groups have been preparing litigation for some time. Unless Trump revokes this, this will certainly make its way through the courts. Our read is even the biased courts will have trouble swallowing this — so it may end up being shut down. Keep breathing. “Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again," Nelson Mandela. Warmly, - Choose Democracy

Hi that was a coup last night in case no one mentioned that to you. The executive branch seized the power of the purse the Constitution gave to Congress, which is a pretty authoritarian / illegal consolidation of powers move. Time to go yell at your reps, the media, etc.

The Trump administration’s rebranded Schedule F policy aims to reclassify federal employees in policy roles as at-will, removing civil service protections. This will politicize agencies by allowing dismissals based on political alignment.

Trump has broken faith with the Constitution. He is no longer operating within the pale of the law. On Monday, January 27, Trump dropped all pretense of being a “president” within the meaning of Article II of the US Constitution and began wielding power for his own benefit and without regard for constitutional restrictions. In two lawless actions on Monday, the acting US Attorney for DC announced an internal investigation into DOJ prosecutors who investigated and indicted January 6 insurrectionists. And the Acting Attorney General fired more than a dozen prosecutors who worked on the investigations and indictments of Donald Trump. It is clear that Trump has ordered the Department of Justice to seek vengeance against career prosecutors who acted with integrity and professionalism in prosecuting Trump and those who assaulted the Capitol on January 6. The notion of any president directing the DOJ to make prosecutorial judgments has been unthinkable under post-Watergate legal norms. However, the notion of a president directing prosecutorial decisions of the DOJ to further his own political interest is antithetical to core principles of the Constitution. The president’s swears an oath to “faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States”—no part of which involves elevating his personal interests above those of the nation. In a separate action taken late Monday evening, Trump ordered a freeze on all federal grants and loans (by way of a memo from the acting head of the OMB). See WSJ, White House Orders Pause of Federal Financial Assistance Programs. (Per the WSJ, the order directs all agencies to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal.”) Trump's order f…

It is time for the institutions fighting for democracy to drop the niceties and begin calling Trump for what he is: a dictator. Many institutions are still treating Trump as though he is a “normal” president, albeit one subject to making impulsive, ignorant statements. Criticizing his actions is not enough. The story of his first week is not that “Trump has shaken things up,” or that he is “flooding the zone.” It is that Trump has begun to ignore the law at whim. It is also time for the legal profession to speak out. The members of the bar who are facilitating lawless actions must be subject to public condemnation and formal reproval. The leaders of the bar have a special obligation to speak out. They must serve notice on attorneys everywhere that there will be reputational, professional, and licensing repercussions for taking positions that violate the Constitution or deliberately flout the law. The revolving door at Big Law must be closed to attorneys who enable dictatorial actions antithetical to the Constitution and the rule of law. Trump is unable to act like a dictator unilaterally. He needs the consent, acquiescence, and apathy of enough people to frustrate the normal operation of constitutional and legal checks and balances. We must not grant that assistance to Trump. We must resist. We must say in plain language that he is acting like a dictator who holds himself above the law. Whether he gets away with the audacious gambit is up to the people from whom all constitutional power flows. Let’s make our voices heard!

Another observer raising the alarm. Robert Hubbell writes:
"Trump has broken faith with the Constitution. He is no longer operating within the pale of the law. On Monday, January 27, Trump dropped all pretense of being a “president” within the meaning of Article II of the US Constitution..."

Three volunteers in hard hats and gloves stand with their backs to the camera, supporting wooden frames of a wall of a new home.

Want to give back and make a real impact? 🌟 Join our construction volunteers and help change lives in our community! Whether you're looking to lend a hand or make a lasting difference, this is the place to start.
Sign up for a new volunteer orientation at: www.volunteerup.com/ProjectCal.a...