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GOOD NEWS BEARS

Positive political wins [yes, those do exist]

NY GOV. HOCHUL ANNOUNCES SMALL BIZ CREDIT TO PURCHASE EXTREME HEAT EQUIPMENT: In a win for small businesses and workers across NYS, contending with an increasing amount of days plagued by extreme heat, Gov. Kathy Hochul [D] has announced the launch of the Extreme Heat Equipment Credit. A part of a pilot program run through the New York State Insurance Fund, the credit will provide qualified small businesses with up to $1K to purchase personal protective equipment [PPE] to protect their workers. The one-time credit will be available to business types that are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of extreme heat, specifically, manufacturing, warehousing, carpentry, landscaping, and farming. Examples of PPE that can be purchased with the credit include cooling vests, ventilated hard hats, and UV-resistant safety glasses.

AZ GOV. HOBBS AXES $429M IN MEDICAL DEBT FOR 352K ARIZONANS: For over 352,000 Arizonans, financial relief is on the way, thanks to Gov. Katie Hobbs [D] that utilized a partnership between her admin and the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt, to wipe away $429M in medical debt. The good news stems from an initiative outlined by the governor last year to hit alt-ctrl-delete to $2 billion in medical debt for up to 1M Arizonians. Those eligible include Arizonans that earn 400% of the Federal Poverty level or below and/or those that owe at least 5% of their annual outcome in outstanding medical bills; no application is needed for those that qualify. Recipients of the relief should receive a branded letter via snail mail from Undue Medical Debt, that looks like the example included here.

MA GOV. HEALEY ANNOUNCES LIVE THEATER TAX CREDIT PROGRAM: Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey [D] unveiled a new pilot program focused on bolstering the thriving live theater industry in the state, equipping eligible productions with tax credits to further support their growth. Currently, the state’s arts and creative economy supports over 133K jobs and puts $27 billion into Massachusetts's economy yearly – this tax credit aims to increase both of those numbers. Run through the MA Office of Travel and Tourism and the MA office of Business Development, the Live Theater Tax Credit Pilot Program will invest $7M a year into live theater productions, attracting top talent and boosting the state’s arts-related tourism. Eligibility parameters for the tax credit can be found here, and the application here, which is due by August 26, 2025 at 5:00pm EST.

CHRONICALLY ONLINE

Politics meets social media

• What’s in vogue are Dems that can speak to people on both sides of the aisle – and when we say that, we mean literally, because Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is in Vogue, sharing “what’s next” for the red state Dem.

• Congressman Ritchie Torres [D-NY] took a trip to the grocery store and showcased how with the cuts to SNAP, made via Trump’s big ugly bill, it’s nearly impossible to secure enough food for three meals a day. On his ride ‘round the aisles, he also highlighted that for every $1 of food assistance provided, $1.50 goes back into the local economy.

• That very same bill, the one mentioned above^ also makes private planes tax deductible, and as described by Senator Elissa Slotkin [D-MI], also provides carveouts for big pharma.

• Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt [R], who voted to strip over 17 million people of their healthcare via Trump’s big ugly bill, without a hint of irony, sat down with Dasha Burns at Politico, to share that the reason he got into public service was because his son had a chronic medical condition…

• Texas state Rep. James Talarico [D] went on Joe Rogan’s podcast, covering the waterfront on why he’s a Dem, why as a Christian he’s against public schools being required to hang the 10 Commandments in classrooms, why he views Christian Nationalism as a power grab that mocks the core of Christianity, and so much more, that Joe Rogan expressed wanting Talarico to run for president.

• Giselle Fetterman [yes, wife of Senator Fetterman] went on Meghan McCain’s podcast and talked about her experience of being a DACA-recipient, and the sacrifices her mom made to give her a better, safer life.

• Senator Chris Coons [D-DE] gave CNN reporter Dana Bash a tour of his coveted office that once upon a time was John McCain’s office. The office is also the HQ for a bit of history – Biden’s desk that made it to the White House with him during his VP years.

• Ohio state Minority Leader and state Rep. Issac Sohn vlogged and shared his POVs post-attending a rally to free a children’s hospital chaplain from ICE custody who’s been in the country legally until his asylum protections were suddenly revoked.

• DW got a star moment on Congresswoman Sarah McBride’s feed with this Reel, highlighting how the GOP defunded PBS last week – clawing back funding they’d previously approved.

EXTREMISM

…that’s the tweet [or the x]

• At the immigration internment camp that Republicans have been gleefully calling ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ continues to be the source of inhumane conditions, with a detainee sharing how following an attempted hunger strike, guards handcuffed him outside in 90+ degree temperatures, while he was swarmed by mosquitos for over three hours as punishment; he was reportedly left out there while begging to be brought inside.

• Further horrifying conditions were reported at three other Florida detention centers, where migrants shared that their hands were tied behind their backs and were forced to kneel on the ground to eat off styrofoam plates like dogs.

• In Jacksonville, Florida, the police department has launched an internal investigation, after a driver shared his terrifying experience of being pulled over for not having headlights on during the day [no bad weather, sunny skies], and when asking to speak with a supervisor, punching through the drivers window, followed by a police officer forcibly removing him from his car and assaulting him violently.

• The head of ICE, Todd Lyons shared that despite push back nationally, he will continue to allow agents to mask up and hide their faces. He also said during an exclusive interview with CBS that ICE will be using data from Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs to locate immigrants to deport. 

FULL SEND…TO A FRIEND

Stories that are guaranteed to make it to the group chat

• And to the tune of another one bites the dust, it’s been reported that Justin Fulcher has become the 6th senior level staffer to leave his post at the Pentagon. Justin’s tenure under Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, was riddled with a line-up of scandals even the writers at Scandal would’ve had trouble drumming up.

• The bots are divided [and glitching the f out] – specifically, those identified in the network of over 400 MAGA-supported bots on Twitter that have been using AI to respond to conservative Tweeters with pro-MAGA, pro-admin messaging. Turns out, the evolving Epstein-Trump scandal has their panties in a twist, with accounts turning out contradictory replies on the issue.

• Despite Trump trying to brush the fact that he’d drawn a personalized sketch metaphorically tied together with a poem he’d written for his pal Epstein’s birthday, under the rug, the Wall Street Journal did what newspapers do, they hit publish. In reaction, one of Trump’s sons tried to claim that it couldn’t have been drawn by his papa because “he’d never seen him even doodle.” The funny thing is – he has a whole reputation for doodling, like he used to do doodles for charity. The tl;dr rn is: Trump is popping off on Rupert Murdoch [media mogul behind WSJ, NYPost, etc], getting litigious and suing for $10 billion in damages, and now has played petty by banning the WSJ from the press pool covering an upcoming trip to Scotland.

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott [R] doesn’t want to release his emails with none other than Elon Musk out of concern that they’re “too intimate and embarrassing.” Other concerns about being transparent apparently are that it would “have a chilling effect on how they do business.” 

• While we’re in the biz of Texas, those supporting GOP Senator John Cornyn whose re-election is being challenged by the as-corrupt-as-they-come Texas AG and soon-to-be divorcee, Ken Paxton, have launched a website that drops ALL of the receipts on his misdoings, including the fake name he took up, “Dave P.”

CATACLYSMIC CORRUPTION

Stories brought to you by your least favorite characters

• A GOP strategist who is best known as far-right Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s former Chief of Staff, reached out to 10 GOP election clerks in Colorado, attempting to access voting systems. The clerks all said nope, not today, satan Jeff Small.

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbot [R] has called a special session of the state leg, with the goal of redrawing the legislative district maps and gerrymandering the sh*t out of them to carve out five more GOP House seats. The Trump-pushed agenda for cheating their way to the top will likely be in violation of the Voting Rights Act, which let’s be so for real, isn’t going to stop them, like at all. What may come into the wings however, are Dem governors, like California’s Gavin Newsom, who’s considering gerrymandering his state right on back.

• U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan ruled that the Trump Admin violated federal law by taking down a public website that acts as a tracker on federal spending. The tracker btw is controlled by the Office of Management and Budget [OMB], which is run by Russell Vought, the co-author of Project 2025.

• Congressman Brendan Boyle [D-PA] penned an op-ed sharing his thoughts on the looming decision for Dems come September on whether or not to vote to fund the government. He shares that Dems should consider not funding it, given the Republicans are currently using the rescission process to claw back funding for public broadcasting and foreign aid, hinting at the likely future that any negotiating or good will provided by the Dems to fund the gov, will be undone the second the GOP can do it.

• It’s giving distraction tactics, and the “it” is Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence who is calling for criminal prosecutions of former President Obama and a sleuth of national security officials from that era, over what she’s referring to as ‘treasonous conspiracy.’ She’s alleging that they "manufactured and politicized” intelligence on the Russians interfering with the 2016 election with the goal of “hurting” Trump. The ‘you’re weird for that’ prosecutorial wet dream of Gabbard’s was paired with Trump posting an AI-created image of Obama and his officials in orange jumpsuits…guess he wanted them to also have mug shots??

WEATHER REPORT

Climate & enviro-related deats

• The Trump Admin is closing the doors of the EPA’s scientific research arm, which not only handles grants for universities and private companies that work on environmental regulation, but also per NPR, “analyzes the dangers posed by a variety of hazards, including toxic chemical, climate change, smog, wildfires, indoor air contaminants, water pollution, watershed destruction, and drinking water pollutants.

• The Florida Keys exited stage left of a regional climate change compact,  took an axe to its road-raising program, and said adios to emergency staff roles that focus on storm prep, because they can no longer rely on federal dollars to react to disasters with – putting the onus on them to ensure there’s cash on hand to deal locally.

• This week’s east coast heat wave has midwest and corn-based origins. The details are in the kernels with this one – literally – with a phenomena called ‘corn sweat’ where the corn crops are releasing moisture into the air, in a process as described by Dr. Rubin, MD, called “evapotranspiration,” which is going to increase the relative humidity.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

In the club, we’re all sick

• In Tennessee, thanks to the state’s legislature passing the 2025 Medical Ethics Defense Act, which allows doctors to deny care to patients if they disagree with the patient’s “lifestyle choices,” a pregnant woman was denied pre-natal care. The reason in this instance? The pregnant woman is unmarried and the doctor found an issue with that. In order to receive pre-natal care, she had to go to Virginia.

• As reported by USA Today, one in five children in the U.S. has special needs care, and about half of those children have their needs met via Medicaid or CHIP. The massive cuts made by the passing of Trump’s bill has families fearing that they’ll go into medical bankruptcy to keep their children, who rely on special care, alive.

• FDA Commissioner Marty Makary has tapped a big pharma/bio-tech executive [Dr. George Tidmarsh]  to run the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research – this is the FDA arm that’s tasked with regulating the safety and effectiveness of pharmaceuticals. Tidmarsh's jurisdiction covers reviewing the “safety” of the abortion pill, mifepristone. 

• The Trump Admin essentially lit taxpayer dollars on fire, by destroying just under $10M worth of long-acting contraceptives, like IUDs, that were supposed to go to women in need overseas.

• ICYMI last wk, Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, which apparently is why he is rockin’ canckles these days. The diagnoses sparked an online conspiracy that went viral that he only had four days to live, which as fact-checked by Politifact has no truth to it.

• Immigrants in South Texas are skipping necessary medical care, avoiding pharmacies where they need to fill their life-saving prescriptions that they pay for, out of fear of being taken by ICE. The area’s population has a higher prevalence of chronic conditions like diabetes [1 in every 4] than the rest of the state.

BACK ON OUR BILLSH*T

Bills, bills, bills

FEDERAL, GAMBLING: Instead of taking one’s time with writing, negotiating, and passing a bill that impacts the country en masse for years to come, Trump’s bill was passed with some people not even reading it and others deciding to pass it and deal with undoing it after the fact. One such sitch involves how Trump’s bill imposes a tax increase on gamblers, shaving down the amount they can deduct on gambling winnings to 90%. Cue, the Democrat, Congresswoman Dina Titus [D-NV] who is coming to the rescue of blue and purple state Republicans by introducing the FAIR BET Act to hit uno reverse on the tax that could literally demolish the betting industry. 

FEDERAL, PESTICIDES: Low key, if you’re familiar with Senator Cory Booker’s game on making America actually healthier, you won’t be surprised to learn that he’s intro’d a bill that would protect the ability for Americans to sue pesticide manufacturers at the federal level for the harm that pesticides cause [ya know, like cancer]. The bill is dubbed the Pesticide Injury Accountability Act, and reacts to the passage of bills at the state level that shield manufacturers of pesticides from lawsuits.

IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID

That money though

• The non-partisan CBO released its final analysis of where Trump’s big ugly bill will land money-wise, sharing that the “package’s costs will far outweigh its savings.” It’s a diagnosis that makes sense when paired with the fact that the law is going to raise the deficit by $3.4 trillion.

• Amazon tried to go stealth-mode on raising prices [emphasis on tried] – something it assured consumers it wouldn’t do in the face of tariffs from every other direction thanks to Trump. As discovered by the WSJ [they’re really having a moment rn], prices have been raised on 1,200 products.

• The trip to the coffee shop is about to get even more expensive [like more than the $8+ we’re already paying for a literal black iced coffee] starting August 1, 2025,  when Trump’s 50% tariff + 10% tariff on all imports will go into effect.

• Costs are going up, up, and… up in the world of construction thanks to Trump’s tariffs. When applied to the construction of an 1,800 square foot, single-family, three-bedroom home, the tariffs add an estimated $4,000 in building costs, according to NBC.

• Coming to the U.S. is a pay-2-play operation, with Trump’s big ugly bill, establishing a $250 “visa integrity fee” for those that are coming to the country on non-immigrant visas. That said, is there a mechanism for visitors to use to pay the fee? Not ATM. What about retroactive collections? No one knows! Reimbursement after the close of the visa without incident? Possible, but how? Again, no one knows!

THE ACTION ITEMS

Get ‘em done from your phone

→  Tell Congress to shutdown Alligator Alcatraz - send this note

→  Tell Congress to sign the discharge petition and give the Protect America’s Workforce Act a vote – click to call

→  Register to vote – tap here

KEY READS

Important stories from around the USA

→  Capital B: USDA Ends Key Support for Black Farmers Amid Trump Anti-DEI Orders

→  The Atlantic: Security Experts Are ‘Losing Their Minds’ Over an FAA Proposal 

→  Politico: Trump installs new GSA acting administrator, sidelines DOGE leaders

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