Kathe Welch

Senators on the brink of retirement who lived full, wealthy lives and never feared the loss of their own healthcare voting for their constituents to die from their inability to afford the same is treasonous

Rep. Yassamin Ansari has set up a table and this sign outside Speaker Johnson’s office.

Meet our newest patient here at the Alaska Raptor Center, a Northern Pygmy Owl named King Owlbert by his rescuers. Owlbert arrived with a drooping wing, making flight difficult. We’ve given him a supportive wing wrap, plenty of tasty mice, and time to heal. #small #owls #adorable

If you’re wondering what the future of the Democratic Party looks like, watch the young, brown democratic socialist on the TV right now.

AOC: We have a future to fight for, and we're either going to do that together or you're going to be left behind. It's not about Progressive. It's not moderate, it's not liberal. This is about do you understand the assignment of fighting fascism right now? And the assignment is you come together…

Early Duran Duran. First three albums, except for what got played on the radio.

Excerpt from THEY KNEW.

From my book THEY KNEW, written in 2021, on Trump's plans. This is what's happening now.

New Generation. Read the full story here: buff.ly/3his3Mm
Photo by Krisztina Balotay Photo
This is an encounter from 2022
#WhaleTales #orca

Why the Price of Electricity Is Spiking Around the Country

This article overlooks how the grid works, and why electricity prices will keep going up. The grid price is usually set by the last unit called up, and they’re called up by cost. Solar and wind almost never set the grid price because they are low-cost to run.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/30/c...

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS ET AL., Plaintiffs, V. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ET AL., Defendants. * * * * * * * * * * * Civil Action No. 1:25-cv-13165-IT MEMORANDUM AND ORDER October 31, 2025 TALWANI, D.J. Pending before the court is Plaintiffs' Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order [Doc. No. 3] seeking to enjoin, on an emergency basis, Defendants' November 1, 2025 suspension of benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ("SNAP"). For the reasons stated below, Plaintiffs have standing to bring this action and are likely to succeed on their claim that Defendants' suspension of SNAP benefits is unlawful. Where that suspension of benefits rested on an erroneous construction of the relevant statutory provisions, the court will allow Defendants to consider whether they will authorize at least reduced SNAP benefits for November, and report back to the court no later than Monday, November 3, 2025.

A. Likelihood of Success on the Merits Plaintiffs have demonstrated a strong likelihood of success on the merits of their claim under the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. § 706(2)(A), (C), that Defendants' suspension of SNAP benefits is contrary to law. At core, Defendants' conclusion that USDA is statutorily prohibited from funding SNAP because Congress has not enacted new appropriations for the current fiscal year is erroneous. To the contrary, Defendants are statutorily mandated to use the previously appropriated SNAP contingency reserve when necessary and also have discretion to use other previously appropriated funds as detailed below.

As both parties acknowledge, Congress has not yet appropriated any new funds for SNAP benefits for Fiscal Year 2026, which began on October 1, 2025. Pls.' Mem. 6 [Doc. No. 4]; Defs.' Opp'n 7 [Doc. No. 18]. But Congress took steps to protect against the deprivation of SNAP assistance. In the 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Pub. L. No. 118-42, § 6, 138 Stat. 25, 93-94, Congress separately appropriated $6 billion to the SNAP program "to remain available through September 30, 2026" and "be placed in reserve for use only in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations." See also Pub. L. No. 119-4, § 1101(a), 139 Stat. 9, 10 (2025). As Plaintiffs point out, given the mandatory nature of SNAP benefits under 7 U.S.C. § 2014(a) and the appropriation of these funds to be available 10 Case 1:25-cv-13165-IT Document 26 Filed 10/31/25 Page 11 of 15 through this current fiscal year, the government is obligated to use this contingent reserve account to fund SNAP "as may become necessary to carry out program operations." 138 Stat. at 93-94; Pls.' Mem. 11 [Doc. No. 4].

Defendants argue out that a "suspension" is permitted under USDA's regulations, and that USDA "has consistently interpreted its authority to allow for the suspension or cancellation of benefits when necessary." Defs. Opp'n 6 [Doc. No. 18). The regulation at issue, 7 C.F.R. $ 271.7(a), sets forth procedures to be followed if monthly SNAP allowances "must be reduced, suspended, or cancelled to comply with section 18 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008" (emphasis added). But that the regulation allows for a suspension when there are no funds does not mean that Defendants may choose a suspension over a reduction while funds do remain. If the regulation did authorize such discretion, it would be inconsistent with the statutory mandate that benefits "shall" be paid unless funding is no longer available.

BREAKING: Federal judge rules that the Trump administration likely illegally suspended SNAP benefits, ruling that at least reduced distribution is required to go forward under law using the $6 billion reserve fund.

Judge gives the Trump admin until Monday to respond as to whether it will act.

I have been charged in a federal indictment sought by the Department of Justice.

This political prosecution is an attack on all of our First Amendment rights. I’m not backing down, and we’re going to win.

Welch: "This has nothing to do with the shutdown. The law requires and the funds are available to continue SNAP right now without any interruption. So that is a decision the president is making on his own to allow people to go hungry."

The Walton family (who own Walmart) are worth over $400 billion, yet many of their employees are on SNAP.

Bezos is worth over $400 billion, many Amazon employees require SNAP.

The people who need help are not the problem.

It’s corporate greed. It’s an unwillingness to pay a living wage.

This video from Portland is a metaphor for what is going on in America. ICE trying so hard to get Americans to cross a line and if they don't, dragging them across the line and violently attacking.

A joint statement from the Portland City Council on today's 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling.

A little boy holds a handmade sign with hearts glued to it. It reads, “leave my friends ALONE Donald Trump”. He’s bravely protesting at the No Kings Evanston protest.

No kid should ever have to protest or advocate for their friends’ basic humanity.

But they’re standing up at No Kings anyway.

In Solidarity ✊🇨🇦

Not being even vaguely sarcastic:

At some point, a journalist needs to ask Johnson “you regularly claim you have no idea what your own government is doing. If we take you at your word, how are you so poorly informed, and do you this level of ignorance should disqualify you as speaker?”

AOC: And they are able to radicalize a generation of young boys in particular, away from healthy masculinity and into an insecure masculinity that requires the domination of others who are poorer, browner, darker, or a different gender than them.

Almost like we founded the entire country on opposing this exact sentence.

NEW: Adrian Fontes has CERTIFIED the results of the AZ-07 election of Adelita Grijalva. Mike Johnson is OUT of EXCUSES and should swear her in.

If men with guns and masks tried to pull me out of my car, I'd fight back. Courts should reject any claims by the government that this is aggression by the person being detained, resisting arrest, or that they're a flight risk.

GOP Could Lock in House Control for a Generation if SCOTUS Ends Key VRA Protection, Report Warns Read more here.

A new report reveals that an upcoming Supreme Court case could eliminate:

❌ 27 blue congressional districts
❌ 30% of Congressional Black Caucus seats
❌ 11% of Hispanic Caucus seats

And the effects could ripple for over a generation.

We believe healthcare is a right for every American.

But starting today, millions of people will be notified that they are being priced out of their insurance thanks to Republican policies.

Enough is enough. The GOP may shut down the government, but we will stand tall for YOU.

let the gourd times roll

The government is officially shut down. Make no mistake: Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House. This is THEIR shutdown. They had every tool to govern and chose chaos instead. The American people are the ones paying the price.

🚨 United States of America v. Oregon Learn more.

🚨BREAKING: On behalf of Our Oregon and 3 voters, my firm has filed a motion to intervene to oppose DOJ's effort to obtain voter registration data — including sensitive personal information like birthdates and partial Social Security numbers. www.democracydocket.com/cases/oregon...

1. I've long contended that austerity doesn't save money. It merely transfers costs from one group (the very rich, who would otherwise pay more tax) to others. Last night was a powerful reminder of that. Before I go further, I should say I’m fine. Just a black eye, cuts & bruises, no serious harm. 🧵

I'm at the part of Return of the King where Frodo and Sam are trudging through an interminable wasteland with no end in sight and little hope of success, but they keep moving because quitting is worse

AOC: All in the name of Charlie Kirk, Trump and the FCC are now cynically threatening to shut down ABC and any outlets who give air time to the administration's political critics.

This is a disgusting attack on the American people and the very first amendment rights that define us as a country.