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Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻

@dalfen.bsky.social

5.8K followers 4.5K following 3.1K posts

A center-blue dot. FBR 💙 🇺🇦 in solidarity. Vive la résistance. MBA. 🩺. In quasi Gilead (SOS) Writer of words 🐰🐍 A roll of the dice. A juxtaposition. 🌿 🦋 ⚾️ 🌈🏳️‍⚧️ ally & non-childless cat lady 🍟- snark 🧐- analysis 🤿- deep dive https://mstdn.social/@dalfen

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Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 23d

Republicans in the US Congress are STRIPPING THEIR OWN POWER AWAY in acquiescence to the US president.

#USA #tariffs
—

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/u...

G.O.P. Again Cedes Power on Tariffs to Avoid Crossing Trump
House Republicans extended a maneuver they engineered earlier in the year that effectively strips Congress of the power to disapprove of President Trump's tariffs.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/us/politics/republicans-house-tariffs-emergency-trump.html

Accessed: 17 September 2025 at 0107 MST

Image: Tuesday's maneuver was the latest instance in which House Republicans, many of whom have spent much of their career opposing tariffs as a matter of principle, have given up their power over trade. Scott McIntyre for The New York Times

By Robert Jimison
Reporting from the Capitol
Sept. 16, 2025

The Republican-led House moved anew on Tuesday to relinquish Congress's power to weigh in on President Trump's tariffs, even as Democrats in the Senate prepared to force votes challenging his trade war.

The maneuver by House Republicans effectively stripped lawmakers of the ability to force action on lifting the tariffs until March 31, 2026, extending a prohibition they initially imposed in the spring to spare their members a politically tough vote.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/us/politics/republicans-house-tariffs-emergency-trump.html

Accessed: 17 September 2025 at 0107 MST

It came after Representative Gregory
W. Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, tried to surprise Republicans with a bid to block the president's tariffs on Brazil. His measure was swiftly defeated, and within hours, G.O.P. leaders moved to head off a similar vote. That effort, tucked into a routine procedural measure, passed on Tuesday afternoon almost entirely along party lines.

It was the latest instance in which House Republicans, many of whom have spent much of their career opposing tariffs as a matter of principle, have given up their power over trade. In March, Republicans pushed through a similar procedural measure that made it impossible for lawmakers to use a law governing presidential emergencies to challenge Mr. Trump's tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China. The next month, they did so again. On Tuesday, they attached one to a measure needed to debate a series of bills to impose stricter criminal penalties in the District of Columbia.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/us/politics/republicans-house-tariffs-emergency-trump.html

Accessed: 17 September 2025 at 0107 MST

In all three cases, Republicans have used an arcane legislative maneuver to avoid tariff votes. It involves declaring the calendar frozen until a given date, which effectively renders useless a law that allows any lawmaker to insist on a quick floor vote on a proposal to end an emergency declared by the president.

Republicans defended their strategy to short-circuit any such vote, making the case that Mr. Trump's trade policies were working.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/us/politics/republicans-house-tariffs-emergency-trump.html

Accessed: 17 September 2025 at 0107 MST

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Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 1h

Oh yes, for sure.

If you haven’t seen the video embedded in the article, it’s well worth the watch.

The ICE agents were grabbing her by her neck!

And then, after stuffing her in an unmarked van, they crashed right into another vehicle (causing noticeable damage) and sped off.

Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 1h

That poor lady 😔
It’s good that the person recorded it and asked her for her name and the silent, masked agents their names.

I found an article about it.

chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

Feds detain WGN-TV staffer, slam into resident’s car in Lincoln Square

Federal immigration authorities hit a car with a driver inside after making arrests in Lincoln Square on Chicago’s North Side.

chicago.suntimes.com

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Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 2h

This would be my tribe lol if I weren’t a dolphin.

In solidarity 👊🏼🐸

#Portland

Three people are dressed in large, green frog costumes, standing together at a nighttime event. One of them is holding a sign that reads "FROGS TOGETHER STRONG," featuring illustrations of two frogs holding hands.

Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 2h

That would be my costume lol if I weren’t a dolphin.

Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 2h

Lol #MyThoughts -

1) So if I can’t go to a rally but I express my First Amendment rights in other ways, will I get a check too? 🤔😂

2) Also, it’s clear they see America as being only for them and their ideals.

#USA 🍟

Trump & the GOP are trying to* paint people peacefully assembling and expressing their grievances about their government (aka exercising their 1st Amendment rights) at upcoming nationwide "No Kings" rallies as "anti-American" and "paid agitators"
〜〜〜
～～
* (c/o video clips on MSNBC, 10
October 2025)

Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 2h

/2

I found a reference—

It’s in the video embedded in this article—

“the transactions we did in terms of closing” — in 2024, when Trump was not yet president

➡️ Any ideas what he is talking about?

#USA #US #USpol #politics #law #trump
—

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 3h

2 of 2🧵

Lol #MyThoughts -

1) So if I can’t go to a rally but I express my First Amendment rights in other ways, will I get a check too? 🤔😂🍟

2) Also, it’s clear they see America as being only for them and their ideals.

#USA #politics

Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 3h

Trump & the GOP are trying to paint people peacefully assembling and expressing their grievances about their government (aka exercising their 1st Amendment rights) at the upcoming nationwide “No Kings” rallies as “anti-American” and “paid agitators”*—

(*c/o clips on MSNBC)

1 of 2🧵
#USA #politics

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Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 3h

Trump said earlier today that he thinks he should have gotten the Nobel Peace Prize in part for the “transactions we did in terms of closing” in 2024 when he wasn’t yet president (again).

Whatever could he be talking about?

And is it legal? (I’m thinking of the Logan Act)

#USA #law #politics

Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 3h

/2

From:

X social media post—

House Press Gallery @HouseDailyPress
During today's pro forma session, the Clerk read a message from the Speaker designating Tuesday, October 14 through Sunday, October 19 as a district work period.
12:36 PM - Oct 10,2025

c/o “The Briefing” with Jen Psaki, MSNBC, 10 October 2025

Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 4h

Omg — it’s 10 days into the government shutdown, and House Speaker Mike Johnson called for the House to be away from Washington ALL OF NEXT WEEK for a “district work week” 👀

#USA #USpol #politics

Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 4h

Beyond that Congress is supposed to make spending decisions per the Constitution, I’m not sure that the Trump admin bailing out Argentina is legal when government is shut down.

#USA #USgovernment #USpol #politics #MyThoughts

The officials cautioned that the Antideficiency Act forbids the government from obligating or expending any money not appropriated by Congress, which means the government cannot incur new expenses during a shutdown, when funding has lapsed. The RIF process, which is extensive and involves promising severance payments, would probably be prohibited under the act, the officials concluded.

Washington Post on Apple News
Accessed: 10 October 2025 at 1210 MST

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Reposted by Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻

Bradley P. Moss @bradmossesq.bsky.social · 6h

I love this image.

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Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 4h

Beyond that Congress is supposed to make spending decisions per the Constitution, I’m not sure that bailing out Argentina is legal when government is shutdown.

#USA #USgovernment #USpol #politics #MyThoughts

Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 8h

Congress shouldn’t get paid if it can’t do its job and make a budget (figure out how to spend the government’s money).

I mean, that’s one of its few jobs specified in the Constitution.

#USA #US #USpol #MyThoughts
—

constitution.findlaw.com/article1/ann...

Article I, Section 8, Clause 2: Congressional Spending and Borrowing Power - FindLaw

FindLaw's Constitution section describes Congress's power to spend and appropriate federal funds, as well as the limits the Supreme Court has placed on it.

constitution.findlaw.com

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Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 8h

Damn— can’t believe it wasn’t Trump (🙄🍟)

Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 8h

Nobel Peace Prize Goes to Venezuelan Opposition Leader—

The accolade was awarded to María Corina Machado for her work promoting democracy and fighting dictatorship in the country.

#NobelPrize #NobelPeacePrize #Venezuela

Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 11h

Trump admin begins laying off federal workers amid shutdown:

WH budget director #Vought said reductions-in-force were underway
—

The article does not say who #Trump is laying off, but makes it clear that conducting “reduction in force” (RIF) while the gov’t is shut down is likely illegal.

#USA

Trump administration begins laying off federal workers amid shutdown

White House budget director Russell Vought (of Project 2025) said reductions-in-force were underway.

October 10 at 1:08 PM 2025

Washington Post on Apple News
Accessed 10 October 2025 at 1148 MST

The Trump administration moved to begin laying off federal workers Friday while the government was shuttered, fulfilling threats from President Donald Trump to take advantage of the closure to shave off still more parts of the federal workforce he dislikes.

"The RIFs have begun," White House budget director Russell Vought posted on X Friday afternoon, using an acronym for reductions-in-force.
A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the plans, confirmed that the RIFs were starting, and said "they will be substantial." The White House did not provide specifics on how many employees were affected, or at which departments.

Washington Post on Apple News
Accessed 10 October 2025 at 1148 MST

The shutdown layoffs are the culmination of years of groundwork laid by Vought, an architect of the Project 2025 playbook for Trump's second term, which outlined a drastically reduced federal bureaucracy.

Vought's office had threatened mass dismissals during the shutdown, perhaps even stretching into the hundreds of thousands, and told agencies they should "retain the minimal number of employees necessary." Trump told reporters before the shutdown that he might fire "a lot" of people, and once the shutdown began, Vice President JD Vance and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that cuts were coming, as well.
The Washington Post previously reported that the dismissals were likely to total fewer than 16,000.
The layoffs run counter to recent internal warnings from senior government officials that such dismissals are legally questionable.
In the first days of the shutdown, officials privately counseled agencies against conducting reductions in force, or RIFs, while the government lacks funding, because it would likely violate the law, The Post reported this month.

Washington Post on Apple News
Accessed 10 October 2025 at 1148 MST

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Reposted by Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻

Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 1d

ANTIFA:

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Reposted by Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻

New York Attorney General Letitia James @newyorkstateag.bsky.social · 1d

This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.

I am not fearful — I am fearless.

We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights..

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Reposted by Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻

LJ @coffeecurls.bsky.social · Jun 10

I have a new hero.
This owl stole a child's hobby horse and flies around with it!

Image shows an owl with a hobby horse - looks like a witch on a broomstick

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Reposted by Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻

The Contrarian @contrariannews.org · 2d

Stephen Miller is a corrupt loser with a microphone and a Napoleon complex. He’s also basically running the government.

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Reposted by Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻

Adam Cohen (My Personal Views Only) @axidentaliberal.bsky.social · 2d

It would be bad enough if that’s all ICE did to kids in Chicago

But they also

•Descended on them with Black Hawk helicopters

•Unleashed armed men who broke into their homes in the middle of the night

•Removed them from their families

•Zip-tied them

•And detained them for hours

Unconscionable

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Reposted by Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻

Octopus Lawyer @octopuslawyer.bsky.social · Feb 26

seems reasonable

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Dolphin 🐬💥🌊🌻 @dalfen.bsky.social · 1d

I am sorry to read that 😕
Thank you for the follow. I followed you back. I hope you feel better soon 🙂