What Happened Today - 16 July 2025
What Happened Today – 16 July 2025
$9B in Spending Cuts….
Tragedy at Gaza Food Aid Site: What Happened and Why It Matters
2k Guard troops can go back to what they were doing….
Epstein Drama
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Senate is pushing through $9 billion in federal spending cuts, pushed forward by Republicans with JD Vance casting the tiebreaking vote. At first glance, the headlines point to big foreign aid rollbacks and defunding NPR and PBS—but when you look closer, what’s actually in this bill, or more importantly, what’s not being said, is deeply concerning. The lack of transparency around what’s being cut—and who it affects—is staggering. Even some senators working on the bill have said they don’t have a clear picture of all the programs being slashed. That alone should be alarming.
What we do know is that about $8 billion is coming out of international aid. Yes, some people think foreign aid is just “money we send away,” but that’s extremely shortsighted. This kind of funding helps stop famines, prevent disease outbreaks, support education and public health, and build global stability. The U.S. has long relied on these tools not just for humanitarian reasons, but because it strengthens diplomacy and national security in the long term. Cutting these programs doesn’t make us safer—it isolates us. And while the White House claims it's just trimming “inefficient” spending, aid programs that support things like clean water, LGBTQ+ safety, and women’s health abroad are often the first to go. They won’t say that out loud, of course—but those are often the programs quietly gutted when these types of cuts happen.
Then there’s the $1.1 billion being stripped from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. That might not sound like much, but it’s a massive hit to NPR and PBS—especially in local markets and rural areas where federal support is the backbone of operations. Many of these stations will either shut down entirely or be forced to cut back on community news, educational programming, and emergency alerts. For tens of millions of Americans, especially in communities where local news has already disappeared, this could mean no access to trustworthy information or lifesaving updates during disasters. It’s not just about “technology” replacing traditional media—it’s about control over what people have access to at all. These attacks on public media aren’t just budgetary—they’re ideological. That’s why we've seen repeated far-right efforts to silence independent journalism under the banner of “cost-cutting.”
And here’s where it gets even more dangerous—the cuts don’t stop at public media and foreign aid. There are ambiguous line items buried in the bill (or perhaps still being kept hidden altogether) that could deeply impact Medicaid, emergency health coverage, educational grants, environmental monitoring, and international research collaboration. Many of these programs don’t get headlines, but they matter. Things like public disaster preparedness, international epidemic tracking, or food assistance for vulnerable populations—those are real, tangible services people rely on, and they could be on the chopping block. And because these are rescissions—meaning cuts to funds already allocated—some programs will get the rug pulled out from under them mid-year, with no time to recover.
The most frustrating part is how little anyone seems to know. There’s been zero effort to explain what the real impact of these cuts will be. Even lawmakers have commented that they're being kept in the dark by the administration and budget office—left guessing at what programs are really on the line. That kind of secrecy should not be okay in any government, especially not one making massive financial decisions with real-life consequences for millions of people. The American people deserve to know what’s being cut, and how it could affect their communities.
This bill isn't just about saving money--It's about reshaping priorities—pulling support from underserved, vulnerable, and less politically powerful groups, both here and abroad, while pretending it's just "responsible budgeting." People need to start paying very close attention to this. Because what’s not being said—the programs being silenced, the services being gutted without debate—that’s where the most damage will be done.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tragedy at Gaza Food Aid Site: What Happened and Why It Matters
This morning, at least 21 people lost their lives in a horrific incident at a food aid distribution site in Gaza. Reports say that guards fired tear gas into a crowd of desperate Palestinians trying to get food, triggering a panic and stampede that turned deadly. This is not an isolated event but part of a heartbreaking pattern unfolding in Gaza right now.
The Bigger Picture: A Blockade Starving a Community
For months, the United Nations has been raising alarms that hundreds of people have already died while trying to access food aid. Israel’s ongoing blockade has cut off essential supplies, leaving many in Gaza utterly vulnerable, hungry, and desperate. The scarcity is so severe that pediatric medical supplies, especially baby formula, have completely run out, causing further tragedies at local hospitals where children and infants continue to suffer.
Why This Should Matter to Everyone
Humanitarian Crisis: The loss of life at a food distribution point highlights the extreme conditions people are living under—where simply trying to feed your family can be deadly.
- Systemic Failure: This isn’t just a one-off tragedy. It’s a direct result of policies that isolate and starve entire populations, worsening poverty, malnutrition, and illness.
- Children at Risk: The lack of infant formula and medical supplies means babies are some of the most vulnerable victims, facing life-threatening shortages of basic necessities.
Call to Awareness and Action
The situation in Gaza is urgent and heartbreaking. We should all be paying attention and asking what more can be done to provide safe access to food and medical care for these communities. The deaths today are a tragic reminder that beyond the headlines are real people—families struggling to survive in circumstances imposed on them by ongoing conflict and blockade.
Sharing this story matters. It keeps the conversation alive about the human cost of political and military actions, and it pushes for real solutions to end the suffering.
In short: Over 20 people were killed today just trying to get food in Gaza, a situation made worse by severe shortages and a blockade starving the population. Infant formula and medical supplies are gone, with hospitals overwhelmed. This tragedy is a stark symbol of a humanitarian crisis that demands global attention and urgent action.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2k Guard troops can go back to what they were doing….
The Trump administration just announced that about half of the National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles will finally be heading home. These were the troops sent in last month—against the clear objections of California’s governor—after those massive immigration raids sparked days of protest across the city. It was one of the rare times we’ve seen military force used like this on American soil to clamp down on domestic dissent. Over 4,000 National Guard members were marched into the streets, along with nearly 700 active-duty Marines, with the administration claiming they were needed to “keep the peace.” But city officials and the governor outright rejected that framing, saying federal forces only made things worse and escalated tensions.
Now they’re pulling out about 2,000 of those Guard soldiers, saying the situation is “under control,” though anyone paying attention knows it’s because the public outcry wasn’t letting up. The vibe on the ground never supported militarized streets, and the pushback from residents, city leaders, and activists has been persistent. What’s frustrating, though, is that while half the Guard is being withdrawn, the other 2,000 are still there—and all of the active-duty Marines are staying. Yes, U.S. Marines are still holding onto a mission that was never clearly justified in the first place.
The governor is livid, calling on the administration to pull everyone out and accusing them of misusing military resources that are desperately needed elsewhere—like for wildfire response and emergency prep around the state. The mayor is calling this partial withdrawal a win for the people who showed up in the streets and made it impossible for Washington to pretend L.A. agreed with what was happening.
But this is still not normal. Keeping troops in a major American city to police immigration protests? That’s not what the National Guard is for, and definitely not how Marines are meant to be used. This kind of deployment should disturb everyone, no matter your political views, because it crosses a massive line. It opens the door for more of this heavy-handed federal military response anytime it’s politically convenient. The legal questions around all of this are still swirling, and some in Congress are trying to tighten the rules to keep it from happening again. But until then, 2,000 Guard troops and hundreds of active-duty Marines are still in our streets—and they’ve got no clear deadline for leaving.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Epstein Drama
Trump just went scorched earth on his own followers over the Epstein files. People (including die-hard MAGA) are demanding he release what’s left of the Epstein “client list” and stop dodging questions. Trump’s answer? He called the whole thing a “hoax,” told his followers to stop helping Democrats, and straight-up said he doesn’t want support from anyone still pushing for answers. Meanwhile, top GOP leaders (yes, even Speaker Mike Johnson) are breaking ranks, saying the public deserves to see the truth. Long story short: the unity is gone, people want transparency, and Trump’s shutting the door on anyone who keeps asking the hard questions. Is this what truth and accountability look like? Because it looks like a meltdown to me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The situation in Texas is devastating. More than 130 lives have been lost, and over 100 people are still missing after catastrophic floods swept through the Hill Country. Survivors say warning systems either failed or didn’t exist, leaving families to face destruction with little notice. Entire neighborhoods were overwhelmed in minutes, forcing people into shelters or to confront the wreckage of their homes. Texans are furious because their leaders ignored years of warnings about flood risks. Despite countless pleas for improved alert systems, millions of dollars meant for flood protection were instead spent on what locals call “public safety toys”—expensive equipment and bonuses for sheriff’s departments, including payouts to retired officials. Some towns that did invest in warning sirens managed to evacuate safely, while others suffered deadly consequences because those protections weren’t in place.
Adding to the frustration is FEMA’s slow response. Critical search and rescue teams were not fully deployed until more than three days after the floods began. People in the hardest-hit areas called for help repeatedly, only to be met with busy signals or no response. By the time FEMA showed up, much of the damage—and loss of life—had already occurred. As search efforts continue, hope is fading, and survivors along with watchdog groups are demanding answers about where disaster relief funds went and who decided to prioritize gear over life-saving infrastructure. While leaders promise reviews and reforms, confidence in these promises is at an all-time low. Texas communities are grappling not only with heartbreaking loss but also with the anger and frustration that this disaster was worsened by preventable failures and misplaced priorities. They deserve real accountability and action—not more empty words.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the slowest train wreck I’ve ever watched. They’re starting to crack, but Trump’s latest statement telling his followers to “forget” about Epstein? From where I’m standing, that’s not going to work—though maybe I’m wrong. It’s clear to me that the people on the Epstein list Trump would love to expose actually have dirt on him. If he releases only “some” names, they could turn around and expose him. So it’s all or nothing. I just wish someone inside this circus would finally say, “Enough.” Spill the emails, reveal the lies, the deception, the greed. Step up, ask for immunity, and stop protecting the whole rotten system. Be on the right side of history before it’s all over.
If this has helped, please like and share—cause good trouble.
Go Cause Good Trouble, with Your Elbows Up!
**These are facts that I researched and verified – AI helped put together some sentence structure, but the words and tone are mine. These are my views based upon facts, research and thoughtful consideration using logic. I own the copyright to any images used. I’m comfortable to stand alone to uphold truth. Feel free to check me, but do not attack me. I am only causing good trouble.**