Politics Plus

Yesterday, I slept in, which made me quite late in posting. You may have noticed it in the comments – only authors would have noticed it in the articles, since only authors can see the page which shows whether or not I have schedued the next day. But I’m fine. I had been doing some crtoon planning for May on the day before, and between that and the grocery delivery I went to bed both behind and tired, and I just stayed there until I was ready to rise. I’ll need about one out of every three for May, and that is after checking last year to see whether I had already made a cartoon for any of the missing days. I think I found one (it may have been two, but no more than that.) I’ll need two new ones before I next visit Virgil, so that’s a priority. Most of the rest can wait a while.  And, also yesterday, was Carol Burnett’s 90th birthday , including a televised “party,” which I didn’t know about until it was over.  You can find some flavor here.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

Huff Post – Federal ‘Work Requirements,’ Benefit Cuts Already Taking Effect For Millions This Year
Quote – Already, more than 16 million households have seen their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits shrivel after Congress canceled an increase put in place at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. This month, seniors saw their monthly allotment fall from $295 to as little as $23. And as many as 15 million individuals will lose Medicaid in the coming months because Congress has canceled the pandemic policy of maintaining enrollment by not continuously rechecking beneficiaries’ eligibility. Millions could lose coverage just by failing to keep up with paperwork.
Click through for details. We shouldn’t really need to be told (or rminded of) this. But – messaging.

ProPublica – As Rail Profits Soar, Blocked Crossings Force Kids to Crawl Under Trains to Get to School
Quote – Recent spectacular derailments have focused attention on train safety and whether the nation’s powerful rail companies are doing enough to protect the public — and whether federal regulators are doing enough to make them, especially as the companies build longer and longer trains. But communities like Hammond routinely face a different set of risks foisted on them by those same train companies, which have long acted with impunity. Every day across America, their trains park in the middle of neighborhoods and major intersections[.]
Click through for story. This gave me chills. I live near a train track. In our neighborhood they are pretty good about not standing still – but also so long that just going through can tie up traffic. When I reached home Sunday, and needed to cross the track, the tail end of the train was just going by. But the backup was enough that there was still a wait on account of the car traffic. I can’t claim to have been inconvenienced – but it could have made a difference for an emergency vehicle.

Food For Thought