Overcast and foggy this Wednesday evening on California’s north coast, forecasters claimed maybe some drizzle, too, but none yet.
In a short little time frame, we did get some sunshine in mid-afternoon, but the bright spell didn’t last long.
Pretty cold, though…
Another aspect of cold is happening back east in DC. Soap-opera level pettiness created by the T-Rump — the drama from Yahoo News:
In the latest twist in their political and seemingly personal feud, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to President Donald Trump Wednesday afternoon saying there would be no State of the Union address in the House chamber until after the partial government shutdown ends, effectively rescinding her invitation to the president.
“When I extended an invitation on January 3rd for you to deliver the State of the Union address, it was on the mutually agreed upon date, January 29th. At that time, there was no thought that the government would still be shut down,” her letter said.
“I am writing to inform you that the House of Representatives will not consider a concurrent resolution authorizing the President’s State of the Union address in the House Chamber until government has opened,” Pelosi, D-Calif., said.
The resolution is necessary to authorize the president to address a joint session of Congress.
…
At the White House, Trump told reporters he was “not surprised” by Pelosi’s letter.
“I’m not surprised. It’s really a shame what’s happening with the Democrats, they’ve become radicalized,” Trump said when asked for reaction to Pelosi’s letter during a photo-op in the Roosevelt Room.
Later, at another photo-op, Trump said, “The State of the Union has been canceled by Nancy Pelosi because she doesn’t want to hear the truth, she doesn’t want the American people to hear what’s going on.”
“Now Nancy Pelosi, or Nancy as I call her, she doesn’t want to hear the truth and she doesn’t want to hear the American people to hear the truth,” Trump said.
…
Just a couple of hours earlier, Trump on Wednesday rejected Pelosi’s earlier suggestion he delay his State of the Union speech until after the partial government shutdown ends, writing Pelosi to formally affirm he was sticking to plans to deliver the address on Jan. 29 in the House chamber.
“I will be honoring your invitation, and fulfilling my Constitutional duty, to deliver important information to the people and Congress of the United States of America regarding the State of our Union,” Trump wrote in a letter to Pelosi on Wednesday afternoon.
He thinks it’s a burn calling the Speaker of House ‘Nancy,’ but it’s just a nasty, vindictive dis-respect of the office, for Pelosi, everybody, as in all things for the T-Rump.
She’s freezing his ass cold, though.
As the shut-down continues and federal workers go further under water — third missing paycheck coming this Friday — society has responded. There’s a fairly-long list of groups assisting the workers, from food banks (local and national), cooks/chefs helping with meals, to even the distribution of diapers.
Financial aid, too (USAToday yesterday):
Creditors from big banks to local credit unions and utility and telecom companies are offering forbearance, waiving late fees and providing short-term, no-interest loans for affected workers.
For many, it’s the first time they have rolled out a nationwide plan for a government shutdown.
“Not in my recollection has there been such a universal response,” said Bruce McClary, the spokesman for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), noting the efforts and timing are similar to those after major natural disasters.
“The only difference is this is a man-made disaster,” he said.
And another alternative venture to aid those caught in the shutdown: ‘Online marketplace BudTrader.com, the so-called “Craigslist of weed,” pledged this week to donate bud to government employees struggling to afford their medical marijuana, the Hill reports.‘
From BudTrader in a Facebook post this past Monday:
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: To any Federal Employee unable to pay for their medical cannabis due to the Government shutdown, BudTrader will donate to you the allowable, legal, limit according to California adult use rules and regulations to help ease your suffering in this difficult time.
The donation will be completely confidential. For more information please visit BudTrader.com. God Bless all Federal Employees, God Bless the Cannabis Community and God Bless the United States of America.
And on we go…