General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBloodbath jobs report including 150,000 who took the "fork in the road" suppressed
The estimated 150,000 Federal workers who took the DOGE "fork in the road" were technically employed through 9/30, so the job losses would be counted in the BLS Oct jobs report (includes public sector jobs that don't get picked up in private sector reports like ADP).
Ensuring the non-release of that report is probably why the felon didn't put much pressure on the Republicans to get rid of the filibuster. When the danger passed, he sure as hell would have and the House CR would almost certainly have been passed by the Senate Republicana with the new end date this week to ensure the government was open as people went home for Thanksgiving.
It seems to me there is widespread false premise that the only "win" would be getting an extension of the ACA subsidies. But there were two ways to win:
1) Trumpublicans ended the shutdown by adding an ACA subsidy extension
2) Trumpublicans ended the shutdown by jettisoning the filibuster.
Option 2 was a far, far, far, far better outcome than the "deal."
We'll never know the road not taken, but I would have bet heavily that the 5 additional defectors only needed to hold out another week or so. In addition to the malignant narcissist-in-chief ramping up the pressure, rank and file Trumpublicans dread of their constituents hating on them over Thanksgiving dinner, would have pushed Thune to cave on the filibuster. Had it played out that way:
-Instead of saying, "Why oh why did the Dems subject us to this pain for nothing," more would be livid with: "You mean you could have ended this by getting rid of the filibuster before it even started!!!"
-Democrats would be the ones that stood strong, doing battle on behalf of the American people with the leverage they had right up to the point that that leverage was forcibly taken from them.
-Our Democratic electeds would have demonstrated an unprecedented strength.
-People who support the Democratic Party would be riding as high as they were on Friday. Enraged by the ACA loss, but proud as hell of the strength demonstrated.
-The depravity and cruelty shown by the felon during the shutdown would be all the more evident as his Trumpublicans took 100% responsibly for the horror show.
If you are angry, as I am, when we contact Democratic leaders I think we need to be crystal clear that they failed us, not be failing to get their demands met, they failed us because in this fight we had faith that they would (1) make their demand, (2) hold out until either (a) MAGA R's met the demand, or (b) MAGA R's went nuclear and ended the shutdown on their own, without the complicity or capitulation of the Democrats.
__________
Jobs report and inflation data due in October may not be released at all, White House says
2naSalit
(98,839 posts)pat_k
(12,435 posts)Guardian reports "more than 100,000." NPR reports 150,000
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/28/us-mass-resignation-federal-workers
https://www.npr.org/2025/09/30/nx-s1-5545715/federal-employees-fork-deferred-resignation-trump
yaesu
(8,806 posts)the old/new shiny object, the files.
pat_k
(12,435 posts)Katie Phang reported hearing that from a Senate Democrat in her discussion with Simon Rosenberg yesterday.
Clearly, the shutdown "deal" has made our jobs harder than if they had held out until Thune jettisoned the filibuster.
However, we are far from "done for." As Simon points out, however things had played out, there is no version of what we face going forward where we won't have to do the hardest things we have ever done -- and that includes holding the criminals accountable when we win back power. (paraphrased)
In her Politics Chat yesterday, Heather Cox Richardson pointed that a lot of "balls" are in play (it's worth hearing her go through them). While it is unclear how things will ultimately play out, we have more going for us than many seem to realize. (A point that Simon makes too.)
Heather Cox Richardson Nov 11
https://www.youtube.com/live/ICXBZ1X1UhU
And Simon's discussion with Katie Phang: