Jesse Lee

Should You RSVP to a Protest? Weighing the pros and quantifying the risks

I guest authored one of my favorite newsletters this week. Check out my article on RSVPing for protests in FWIW. open.substack.com/pub/fwiwnews...

Press Release | Democracy Defenders Fund

BREAKING: Letitia James held Trump accountable & now he’s hijacking the DOJ to indict her in retaliation

This isn’t justice, it’s abuse of power

We will be amending our existing ethics complaint against Halligan & pursuing other legal measures

www.democracydefendersfund.org/prs/10.09.25...

The government is shut down because Trump and the Republicans are hellbent on taking health care away from you.

And they won’t even come to the table to talk to us about it.

This is not about politics. It's about people.

Let’s break it down:

👀 Marjorie Taylor Greene breaks with Republicans on Obamacare funding, saying she’s not a fan of the law but demands action to prevent a premium hike. “I’m absolutely disgusted that health insurance premiums will DOUBLE if the tax credits expire this year.” She says GOP leaders don’t have a plan.

It’s easy to feel like the sky is falling with the Trump administration's historic, unprecedented assault on clean, cheap energy.

But there’s reason for hope. We’re making progress on climate and clean energy in states all across the country.

Long thread of wins you may have missed this year 🧵👇

Bessent Picks Social Security Chief Frank Bisignano as IRS CEO The Social Security head will do double duty at the tax agency while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent retains his formal title as acting IRS commissioner.

Alarming news this morning that Social Security head Frank Bisignano has been named “CEO” of IRS, a move that raises 3 major concerns:

www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

Trump plan would limit disability benefits for older Americans Trump administration officials are considering eliminating age as a factor in deciding whether someone is capable of working.

The Wa Post has issued an important story on an upcoming major SSA disability regulation that would especially affect older disabled workers: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
1/2

Energy Secretary Wright and Interior Secretary Burgum have both cited "pollution" from offshore wind turbines as one of the reasons they need to be scrutinized or shut down.

We asked 1,000 Americans who is to blame for the shutdown. Here’s what they said. More Americans blame Trump and Republicans than Democrats for shutdown, poll finds.

New WaPo poll:
Extend ACA subsidies 71%-29%
Blame Rs for shutdown 47%
Blame Ds for shutdown 30%

Dems winning the big arguments so far

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/int...

With Trump’s shutdown looming, this is a good look at what his malice toward public servants has already cost Americans on their most cherished program.

The weaponization of the National Archives under Trump and Rubio (the acting director) to help MAGA candidates like Jack Ciattarelli is a major scandal that should trouble anyone regardless of party. Rubio should be fired as acting director.

Renewables like wind and solar generate cheap energy and create jobs.

Trump wants Americans to pay more for energy and to cede good-paying manufacturing jobs to China.

For Trump it's not America first—It's America last.

Donald Trump promised lower costs. Instead, his policies are hiking energy prices and squeezing working families.

While billionaires and fossil fuel companies reap the rewards, Trump is dismantling clean energy projects while Americans are left paying more just to keep the lights on.

Repeatedly, he insisted there was “no downside” to avoiding it. But there is a downside: the risks of the fevers that acetaminophen can treat. It is the only drug that obstetricians commonly recommend to combat pain or fever during pregnancy, because options like ibuprofen can harm the fetus. Decades of studies have shown a clear association between fevers early in pregnancy and a specific set of birth defects, including neural tube defects, some heart defects and cleft palates, said Dr. Eric Benner, a neonatologist at Duke University. “The evidence is really strong,” he said.

I guess I have to post a screenshot from the article in order to get rid of the headline-and-photo preview that Bluesky is ludicrously flagging as adult content, lol uh anyway hope you'll read it, gift link www.nytimes.com/2025/09/23/w...

This is so messed up.

The Trump Administration’s Attack on Environmental Protections Will Increase Cancer-Causing Pollution The Trump administration’s plan to torpedo air pollution limits and cancer prevention programs while ripping away health care and cancer treatment and canceling clean energy investments will increase ...

NEW: President Trump and RFK Jr. promised to “Make America Healthy Again” but the administration’s assault on environmental safeguards will expose kids and families to more cancer-causing pollution as RFK Jr. cuts cancer research and treatment: www.americanprogress.org/article/the-...

Animal shelter evacuated after FBI incinerates meth at facility Fourteen staff were hospitalised and 75 cats and dogs evacuated.

Kash Patel’s FBI puts two pounds of methamphetamine in the incinerator at an animal shelter, sending 14 people to the hospital, and exposing some 75 cats and dogs to the narcotic. www.bbc.com/news/article...

More on how Social Security has managed to bring disability backlogs down this year, despite *everything*:

1. The disability determination staff who process applications are state employees & were not subject to the DOGE efforts earlier this year that pushed out thousands of SSA staff.

Congress Needs to Address the Trump Administration Turmoil at the Social Security Administration | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities ears of underfunding have forced the Social Security Administration (SSA) to serve the growing number of beneficiaries with fewer staff, creating customer service woes that the Trump Administration ha...

It's approps season, when we usually say less $ for SSA + more Social Security beneficiaries = customer service woes.

And that's true! But this year, the Trump Admin cut SSA staff far beyond what SSA’s frozen budget required--& Rs in Congress went along. 🧵

www.cbpp.org/research/soc...

White House looking to cut certain disability benefits Hundreds of thousands of Americans are poised to get their benefits cut.

Trump cuts to Supp. Security Income (SSI) "would mean 100s of thousands would lose benefits — & it would create a lot of red tape."

"Not only would the change mean less $ for vulnerable ppl — the new rules could discourage families from offering help to loved ones."

www.axios.com/2025/09/08/t...

Kavanaugh is an entitled jerk and he was guilty of everything he was accused of.

The Untold Saga of What Happened When DOGE Stormed Social Security DOGE has ignored urgently needed reforms and upgrades at the Social Security Administration, according to dozens of insiders and 15 hours of candid interviews with the former acting chief of the agenc...

Even after Musk left, DOGE lives on at Social Security.

The commissioner embraces DOGE’s goals & methods.

DOGE operatives work in key roles.

SSA service is chaotic & slow.

SSA communications mislead & brag.

SSA’s career staff remain diminished & scared.

www.propublica.org/article/insi...

People from all over are showing up for DC. This is not a moment. It’s a movement. We are united in our demands. We are all DC! #FreeDC

What is happening

www.axios.com/2025/09/04/e...

lol

Trump Family Amasses $5 Billion Fortune After Crypto Launch The WLFI token traded far above its previous value, confirming—at least on paper—a huge windfall for the president and his sons.

This level of corruption is not normal or acceptable. Even if we are exhausted by each report of it going further and further, we can never grow numb to it.

Fully on board with Ashley Etienne on the opening for Dems to run against the GOP culture of corruption again. From the Epstein cover-up to stripping health care and jacking up utility rates to cut taxes for billionaires, corruption is at the core of it all.

Gonna be hella amused to see how the Supreme Court shadow-dockets the administration out of this.

Social Security potential insolvency date moved up | Fox Business Video Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano details efforts to combat waste, fraud and abuse on ‘The Bottom Line.’

Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano keeps claiming he "solved" $9 billion in erroneous payments in 2 weeks.

Mark my words: This ludicrous claim is going to age as poorly as any of the absurd "savings" on DOGE.gov. And there will be receipts.

www.foxbusiness.com/video/637746...