Settle in for another shutdown, kids. It looks like they’re gearing up for it in Congress.
5 Things to Read Today
🤬 New York Times: Talks Over Border Security Break Down, Imperiling Effort to Prevent Shutdown
Negotiations over the spending bill crapped out on Sunday. If Congress doesn’t get it together by this Friday at midnight, we’re shutting down again. And hell, even if they do get it together, there’s a fair chance Trump just won’t sign the damn thing, because it doesn’t have his wall money.
🛫 The Hill: Flight attendant union calls for general strike if government shuts down again
Meanwhile, Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants, a huge flight attendant union, is calling for a general strike if they shut the government down again. Reminder: it’s usually flight problems that gets the government open again once they shut down, because it turns out senators and representatives don’t like being trapped in DC.
😲 Pew Research Center: About a third of Americans say blackface in a Halloween costume is acceptable at least sometimes
I cannot believe that this still needs saying in 2019. Blackface is never, under any circumstances, for any reason, acceptable. Never ever, not even one time, no matter how “funny” or “clever” or “topical” or whatever you think you are. Do not. Just don’t.
⚕️ Vox: Utah Republicans have officially blocked their state’s voter-approved Medicaid expansion
Back in November Utah voters voted to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The Republican legislature in Utah decided, Naaaah, and instead passed a bill that only allowed a partial expansion. The bill’s on the way to the Utah governor to be signed.
💉 The Oregonian: Proposal would eliminate personal vaccine exemption for Oregon school kids
In Oregon you can get a personal exemption from vaccinations and still send your kids to school. This is how anti-vaxxers get their kids into classes, and anti-vaxxers are the reason why we have a measles outbreak in Oregon. State rep Mitch Greenlick (D) has a bill proposed that would eliminate non-medical exemptions for kids, meaning you’d have to have an actual reason for not vaccinating your kids to get them into school.
Notes & Thoughts 