What Happened today - 20 April 2025
We had a packed weekend here, so yesterday’s update was a bit light—but today, I really dove in and did my homework. There’s never a shortage of wild stories, that’s for sure.
What Happened Today – 20 May 2025
Where is FEMA?
Stage 9 Cancer
No FEMA Aid…but Babbitt family receives $5M
Booker…why man?
Nonsense from Noem
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Big Beautiful Bill Update
Republicans are trying to rush Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” through Congress with late-night sessions—literally scheduling key votes at 1 a.m. Critics say they’re sneaking it through while the country sleeps.
What’s at risk to be cut?
❌ Medicaid: $625B in cuts, new work requirements, millions could lose coverage
❌ SNAP (Food Stamps): $300B in cuts, states forced to pick up more costs, less help for families
❌ Clean Energy: Slashing Biden-era tax credits for EVs, wind, solar, and other climate programs
❌ Other Social Programs: Deep cuts to economic mobility and safety net programs
❌ SALT Deduction: Only a small bump for middle class, not the relief many wanted
Bottom line:
Huge cuts to health care, food aid, and clean energy—all being pushed in the middle of the night. Transparency? Not so much.
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Market Update
The markets took a breather today after a strong run. The Dow Jones closed down 114 points (–0.3%) at 42,677, snapping its recent gains. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq also dipped slightly, with the S&P flirting with its first drop after a six-day winning streak. Bond yields ticked higher, and investors are still digesting last week’s U.S. credit rating downgrade and watching how new trade deals and tariffs play out. Overall, a quieter, slightly down day after a stretch of big gains.
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Where is FEMA?
Since Friday, over 100 tornadoes have ripped across the U.S.—from Colorado to New Jersey. Kentucky and Missouri were hit hardest, with at least 28 lives lost and hundreds of homes destroyed. Power’s out for thousands, and cleanup is just beginning.
A lot of folks are asking why FEMA’s response to the recent tornado disaster has been so slow. The big reason: a new Trump policy is putting more responsibility on states, meaning less direct federal help and slower aid for families in crisis.
Local leaders are frustrated, saying FEMA has been mostly absent so far. And as of today, Trump hasn’t made a public statement or sent condolences to the victims and communities hit hardest by the storms.
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Stage 9 Cancer
On May 19, Trump took Biden’s cancer diagnosis and turned it into a circus. He started by calling it “very sad,” then immediately spun wild claims about a “cover-up,” even saying Biden had “stage 9 cancer” (which isn’t even a real thing). Then, instead of empathy, Trump made it all about himself—bragging about his own health and “perfect” cognitive tests.
Trump Jr. chimed in, starting with a basic “speedy recovery” before quickly switching to mocking Jill Biden and pushing more conspiracy talk, while also getting the cancer stage wrong.
JD Vance gave a half-hearted “best wishes” but then jumped right into blaming Biden’s team for supposedly hiding the truth, acting like this is some big scandal.
Bottom line: They all used Biden’s diagnosis for political points, showed zero real compassion, and made themselves look absolutely ridiculous. If you want a masterclass in pure idiocy, this is it.
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No FEMA Aid…but Babbitt family receives $5M
Official investigations found the shooting of Ashli Babbitt during the January 6 Capitol riot was justified—Capitol Police and the Justice Department both cleared the officer, saying he acted to protect members of Congress from immediate danger.
Despite that, the Trump administration just agreed to pay nearly $5 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit brought by Babbitt’s family. Babbitt was shot as she tried to climb through a broken window toward the House chamber, where lawmakers were still being evacuated. The settlement ends a $30 million lawsuit, even though authorities concluded the officer’s actions likely saved lives and followed department policy.
Capitol Police leadership called the payout “extremely disappointing,” warning it sends the wrong message to officers defending democracy. Bottom line: Even with clear findings that the shooting was lawful, the government is paying millions to settle—fueling more debate over accountability and the legacy of January 6.
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Booker…why man?
Senator Cory Booker was the only Democrat to vote “yes” on confirming Charles Kushner as U.S. ambassador to France. Booker says it’s because of their long personal history—Kushner backed his first mayoral run in 2002, Booker supported him during his legal troubles, and they worked together on criminal justice reform.
Nearly every other Democrat (and plenty of Republicans) opposed Kushner’s nomination for good reason. Kushner has a serious criminal record—he went to prison for tax evasion, illegal campaign donations, and even tried to blackmail his own family. He only got this shot because Trump pardoned him. He has zero diplomatic experience, and this whole thing reeks of cronyism and nepotism.
Booker’s personal loyalty doesn’t change the facts. Putting someone with this kind of background in a top diplomatic post is not just questionable—it’s dangerous. Our ambassadors should be qualified, ethical, and above reproach. No amount of past collaboration or friendship justifies handing such an important job to someone who simply doesn’t deserve it. We need leaders who put the country first, not personal favors.
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Nonsense from Noem…
Today, Kristi Noem made headlines—and drew plenty of criticism—for her comments about habeas corpus during a morning interview. When asked about recent legal challenges to the administration’s immigration crackdown, Noem claimed, “The president has the authority to suspend habeas corpus whenever national security is threatened, and we’re using that power to keep Americans safe” along with wrongly claiming it’s a “constitutional right that allows the president to remove people from this country.” Legal experts and senators immediately corrected her, calling her answer flat-out wrong and “dangerous.”
Her remarks were widely labeled as “idiotic” and “dangerous,” with critics saying she either doesn’t understand—or is willing to ignore—the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Social media quickly jumped on the blunder, with many calling it another example of reckless rhetoric from the administration.
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Enough is enough. How much more do we have to watch before someone—Republican, Democrat, Independent—finally stands up and says it? Maybe Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” is the last straw that finally wakes America up.
Just to sum up some main points…
- Congress is trying to ram through Trump’s 1,100+ page “Big Beautiful Bill” in the middle of the night—votes scheduled for 1 a.m.—with massive tax breaks for the wealthy and deep cuts to Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps), and clean energy. Millions could lose health care and food assistance, and states will be forced to pick up the slack.
- Trump promised 90 deals in 90 days. How many have actually happened? Meanwhile, he blames Biden for everything—even when he’s reversing his own policies and pretending someone else did it.
- On Ukraine, Trump claimed he’d end the war “in 24 hours.” Now he’s backing off, making calls with Putin, but nothing’s changed—Ukrainians are still dying, and the war drags on.
- Trump floated a plan to “take over” the Gaza Strip and build hotels, talking about forced displacement of millions. The world called it illegal and inhumane, but he doubled down anyway.
- At home, education and cancer research funding are being gutted. Real families are suffering—like in Georgia, where a woman was declared brain dead at 2 months pregnant but couldn’t get care because of abortion bans. Her family was trapped by laws that put politics over people.
- Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s wrongful deportation is a test of America’s commitment to the rule of law. The administration has ignored court orders, refused to present evidence, and left an innocent man in a foreign prison—while no one has been held accountable. The case is now a symbol of the erosion of constitutional checks and balances and the dangers of unchecked executive power.
While all this happens, Trump and his circle are making bank, playing the market, and blaming everyone but themselves. People are dying, rights are being stripped, and the circus keeps spinning.
If this isn’t enough to make America move, what will be? #EnoughIsEnough
Speak Truth!
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.**