You’re Going To Hear A Lot Of Noise

Quoting Lieutenant Governor of Illinois.

Well, the good part. At least for a few days now. United States District Judge Loren L. AliKhan stopped the federal funding block. But just days. So far.

After a two page freeze memo (are you kidding me, two pages, it’s the federal government, what don’t these ones understand, it’s complex). I wouldn’t have accepted two pages of that quality from an even middling grade undergraduate.

Someone without a brain didn’t do their homework.

And there’s no Constitutional authority. That.

Absolute chaos imposed on a lot of people trying to just make it and those working to help better things for others.

The list of impact is stunning, hard even to get through it all. Just wait until people see how it’s going to really seriously affect them. From my media silo, reporting the outrage already has begun.

This is going to hit hard, for a lot of people. If it stands.

Just a very partial list to start. (There’s a real lot more to parse. The journalists who I read are far more comprehensive on the impact. I’m just putting up a blog post late at night.)

Here’s what could be taken. And it’s nowhere near all.

Health research and academic research may be abstract to loads of folks, and that’s fine. But those folks are getting cared for by trained professionals informed by actual science. Not good if gone.

Prescription drug safety. OTC drug safety. Not good if gone.

Federal health websites down. I’m skeptical that was coincidence.

Pulling out of the World Health Organization. That won’t stand, just stupid.

Nonprofits, on meagre budgets and not get-rich salaries, with the gifts of their their donors and volunteers, helping anyone who needs support, some down on their their luck, to get back up. Best of the best. And now they don’t know how to pay staff or provide services, after Monday.

Help for anyone, civilian and especially military, calling in desperation and the hotline isn’t there.

Nutrition programs so that expectant parents and their babies have WIC, and children, some of whom probably are hungry, have breakfast and lunch at school and then SNAP so their families can have dinner at night. Don’t believe WIC and SNAP weren’t and still aren’t part of the cut plan for creeps who certainly are well fed. But that will not stand.

Meals on Wheels not funded. What the what. Yes it will be restored. Pretty sure Meals on Wheels…my Father was a volunteer…is really important to people. And it’s not just food, it’s at least a little companionship too.

Food inspections nada. Watch out for grey ground beef with those little white buggies. Fresh leaf lettuce, my mainstay, watch out. Don’t know what was sprayed with what. Trained people looking at something so basic as food safety laid off or outright fired. Food poisoning is not a good thing.

I guess if one obese one eats straight out of KFC buckets (so classless) or tables loaded with way too many burger boxes (so classless) food safety wouldn’t be a blip. But professionals know.

Student loan forgiveness, for young adults who didn’t come from wealth, but were willing to take the risk and do the work. Thank you Joe Biden.

Head Start. So children can begin their dreams.

Child tax credit. It is darn expensive to raise a kid, and I know because I did it (while working demanding professional jobs.) And it’s so much more expensive now, I don’t know how families on modest incomes make it.

Mortgage interest deduction. Housing is unreasonably expensive (for most, a miniscule few have fake castles), some tax relief at least gives striving people a chance for a home of their own. Rent is pretty ridiculous too. That too might be a deduction in more sensible times.

LIHEAP on the block. In almost February. It’s cold in February. People need heat.

Climate reparation cancelled out. Could be absolute disaster for maybe forever. But fingers crossed just for now. We’ve been warned, for decades, by people who know something. I believe that the generations coming up get it, and (at least some of them) have been saying what they know.

Green New Deal. I’m on board.

Can’t even get started on reproductive rights. Especially for women of course. Some men, not all men, but those I’ve known personally, have helped with compassion according to our personal situation.

Law enforcement and fire departments on the block. Ambulances, hospitals, next, who knows. These are good and needed services, provided by people dedicated to help.

The ICE raids pointed to Chicago. That was deliberate. Hateful. Full stop. And don’t you dare take on Chicago. Your silly arrogance will lose.

Other cities too. But I know Chicago.

And wait until all the services Americans-from-immigrant-roots are gone.

My just for tonight short list of the wreckage. What a bluster disaster. But it won’t stand.

All on top of the egregious pardons, the inspector generals’ firings, the DOJ firings, the security removals. All absolutely malicious. Karma will come.

Just for a little reprieve I streamed the Illinois Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, press conference this afternoon. Eloquent, defiant, and gave me hope. My state Senators Durbin and Duckworth are telling it straight too.

Fight on against the darkness.

Orcs get ready. You’re going to hear a lot of noise. It’s already started.