This post was originally published on this site
The Government Is Still Shut Down: And Trump is having a field day about it. The USDA, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the State Department, and HHS all have huge red banners on their websites blaming Democrats for the shutdown. Several call it the “radical left democrat shutdown.” On the USDA’s website, the message reads: “Due to the Radical Left Democrat Shutdown, this government website will not be updating during the funding lapse. President Trump has made it clear he wants to keep the government open and support those who feed, fuel, and clothe the American people.”
It’s Not Just Theater: Obviously Trump wants to blame the Democrats for the shutdown, rather than the fact that he’s trying to strip healthcare subsidies from tens of millions of Americans. But he’s also using this shutdown as a tool to downsize the government and lash out at anyone he considers an enemy. The New York Times reported that the administration is taking steps to “maximize the pain” of the shutdown, “halting billions of dollars in funds for Democratic-led states while readying a plan to lay off potentially droves of civil servants imminently.” The White House budget director announced that they were cancelling $26 billion in funds that were already approved for mostly blue states, with a special jab at New York, which Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader, and Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, represent.
And He’s Being a Racist Piece of Shit in the Process: The Trump administration has a clear social media strategy for the shutdown. 1) Blame the “Radical Left Democrats” for wanting to give healthcare to “illegals.” 2) Tell everyone that Trump really, really wants to keep the government open so it’s not his fault. 3) Post AI-generated videos of Hakeem Jeffries in a sombrero, sometimes with a mariachi band of Trumps behind him. (Also, I know truth has no place here, but for the record: undocumented immigrants generally can’t even access Obamacare.)
We Lost One of the Greats: Dr. Jane Goodall passed away yesterday at age 91. Her work with chimpanzees is one of the key reasons that we understand that humans are not as exceptional as we want to think we are. And her storytelling is the reason that millions of kids cared a little extra about the animals in the world around them. The world is better for having known her, and we’re worse off without her. (Pour one out for her today—she’s also the reason we know chimps like booze, too.)
Emergency Nudity: Sometimes, Portlanders know it’s time to light shit on fire. And sometimes they know it’s time to fight fascism with frippery. On Wednesday, the organizers of the World Naked Bike Ride announced that they’re planning to protest the Trump administration’s decision to send 200 federalized National Guard troops to Portland. Let’s see how “Secretary of War” Pete “No Fatties” Hegseth feels about the National Guard trying to arrest people without accidentally touching wangs (is touching a dick while furthering a fascist agenda gay?)
No Hope and Change for Bruce: PubliCola’s Erica Barnett watched the Fremont Neighborhood Council’s mayoral debate from earlier this week, and it was gold. “Harrell’s contempt for Wilson has been palpable in every debate I’ve seen. No one would watch her speak and think she’s anything but incredibly intelligent. He also just can’t, hard as he tries, use her name,” she posted on Bluesky. But everyone’s biggest takeaway was his closing statement: “This is not the time for hope. Passion and great ideas and inexperience is just not going to get us there. Trump will walk all over a person without experience, period.” Let him never live this one down. “Harrell 2025: This is not a time for hope.”
In his closing statement, Harrell said, “This is not the time for hope. Passion and great ideas and inexperience is just not going to get us there. Trump will walk all over a person without experience, period.”
— Erica C. Barnett (@ericacbarnett.bsky.social) October 1, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Seattle’s Wealthiest Still Believe in Harrell: Bruce Harrell’s PAC broke the $1 million mark last week—it’s made up of large-dollar donations from sports team owners, tech CEOs, and PACs that represent the building and real estate industries. Between their campaigns and PACs, there’s $3 million at play in the mayor’s race right now, and Harrell is wielding double what Katie Wilson is. Expect to see a million dollars worth of anti-Wilson attack ads coming our way.
Speaking of Citizens United: Have you heard about the crypto bro trying to buy the Woodinville elections? Jeff Lyon works for Coinbase, and set up a PAC last year called Democratic Woodinville. It calls itself an “independent, non-partisan committee working to ensure that Woodinville’s leaders answer only to the community and not political parties, outside groups, or special interests.” That’s all BS. The PAC has been funded almost entirely by Lyon, and, according to The Urbanist, has thrown hundreds of thousands of dollars at the Woodinville City Council election to fight candidates who support increasing housing in the area. Fortunately, the backlash was swift, and if you take a spin through Woodinville, you’ll find red yard signs that read: “Lyon the Cryptobro” and “$200,000+ to take over Woodinville City Council—WHY?” The primary showed that Lyon’s campaign isn’t working. Let’s keep it that way.
The Weather: Expect the same as yesterday—the classic, autumn 20-degree spread. Highs in the upper 60s, lows in the lower 50s, with some spotty rain and a clear afternoon. We’ll be doing exactly this until winter happens.
The Final BAM Knell: It’s official, the Bellevue Art Museum isn’t coming back. The art museum, and the land it stands on, was sold to the KidsQuest, a children’s museum for hands-on play and learning. Sounds… sticky.
Christian Nationalists Sue Seattle: Mayday USA, the group that organized the prayer rally in Cal Anderson Park on Memorial Day weekend, are now suing Seattle and Mayor Harrell for discrimination. The group claims that the city’s permitting process pushed them out of their preferred downtown location (they wanted to take over and shut down a city street) and into the gay neighborhood, and that the city’s failure to ensure the event’s success was discriminatory. The lawsuit argues that the city allowed the counterprotesters to force the event to be shut down. As a reminder, SPD violently arrested 23 protesters before the city finally asked Mayday USA to end the event early.
All Hail Chunk: With the daily news cycle pressing our heads into a swirling toilet bowl every day, we all really needed Fat Bear Week this year—voters turned out in record numbers last month to vote for Alaska’s fattest bear. And oh boy do we have a winner! Meet Chunk, a 1,200-pound brown bear with a broken jaw, a scar across his muzzle, and a years-long bad boy reputation. We all love a chonky bear, but in a grizzly twist, this year’s hero was last year’s villain: During the summer of 2024, Chunk killed the cub of reigning Fat Bear Champion, 128 Grazer. Plus, he likely broke his jaw throwing down with another bear over a female that probably wanted nothing to do with either of them. But voters were able to look past his dark past to give him the crown. Stay fat, Chunk.