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Texas and California appear to be in a five-Red, five-Blue mathematical standoff as redistricting fever continues to take hold in states all over the nation. Even here in Maryland, the dominant state Democrats want to root out the last Red district in the state (on the Eastern Shore) and provide eight-out-of-eight Democratic members of the House of Representatives. Everywhere this is risky, as safe-ish seats become less safe while populations are moved around at the whim of their state political establishments. A little grace is provided in, for instance, quite Red Indiana, where huge pressure from Trump has been resisted. Fans of the political horse-race are advised to watch where insurgent candidates of both political persuasions demolish the certainties of the computer-savvy redistricting consultants. Sometimes even the aged writer in this corner of things can’t resist the intrigue. Real or imaginary, it’s News You Can Use.

Last night, eight members of the U.S. Senate Democratic caucus — Senators Angus King (I–ME), Catherine Cortez Masto (D–NV), Jacky Rosen (D–NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D–NH), Maggie Hassan (D–NH), Tim Kaine (D–VA), John Fetterman (D–PA), and Dick Durbin (D–IL) — abandoned their commitment to working families and joined Republicans in advancing a hollow compromise to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

Progressive Maryland is outraged by this betrayal. After weeks of hardship for federal workers, families relying on SNAP, and millions whose health care is at risk, we needed bold leadership. Instead, these senators caved to an empty “promise” of a future vote, leaving health care subsidies, Medicaid, and SNAP benefits in jeopardy.

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A possible end to the cursed shutdown may be looming, though it is still uncertain as we write if the Democrats in the Senate can extract any help on health care costs before letting the GOP’s “continuing resolution” return the airways, government payments and other things we didn’t think we would miss to a state of Normal. With Trump, and the cowed collection of legislators with the majority in both houses, the only sure outcome is falsehood. How many federal workers will actually return to work? What is “Normal" and who makes the call? It should be the voters, if we can keep our wits about us. We have a great, timely update on all this from People's Action down below. Stay tuned. It’s News You Can Use

NATIONAL –  Yesterday, Color Of Change and Progressive Maryland, in partnership with over 25 civil rights and democracy organizations, hosted a press conference at the State House of Annapolis, MD, to urge Senate President Bill Ferguson to hold a special session and advance a redistricting plan.

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THE SHUTDOWN drags on, heading for a record tomorrow night (!) and hammering Maryland's multitudes of federal employees and contractors. Maryland -- and other states, we see -- are taking special note of the Nov. 1 lapse of SNAP benefits for a total of 42 million folks nationwide -- which, despite several Federal judges' rulings, the Trump administration said Monday it will not fully replace with emergency funds, meaning eligible recipients will get about half the usual SNAP allotments during the Congressional impasse. 

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As the shutdown continues (thanks to the House GOP vacation, jamming the Senate), states suffer more losses, expecially for low-income residents. The "Healthcare Heist," as PA's Megan E ttags it below, is the most long-term cost to everyone who has Affordable Care Act coverage. More immediately, SNAP benefits (food stamps) are due to run out for millions in our region alone when the month ends. And, of course, the DMV is especially burdened by the large numbers of federal workers who just missed a paycheck.Republicans fashioned a skimpy and self-interested bill to pay SOME GOP-favored federal employees, but Dems were incensed about its one-sidedness and wouldn't provide the necessary votes to pass it. 

And Maryland lost a last-ditch appeal to get FEMA help for Western Maryland families swamped by the floods of late spring.

Nevertheless, as also noted below by Megan, polls show that the coming health care catastrophe was the right fight to pick in Congress. She suggests numerous tools for fighting back -- at its best, in groups -- on the skyrocketing premiums.