“Cracking Like Dogs”: Trump Pushes GOP to Torch the Filibuster
Democrats block troop pay while Trump dares Republicans to finish the job.
Good Morning, it’s Sunday, November 9th, 2025.
Day 39 of the shutdown — and the cracks are finally showing. Democrats can’t decide whether to protect their political base or pay the troops. Trump, meanwhile, is taking a flamethrower to Washington’s sacred rules, urging Republicans to “blow up” the filibuster once and for all.
In today’s issue: Trump’s all-out offensive on Senate gridlock, a 101-year-old D-Day hero dropping truth bombs on America’s youth, and Democrats once again proving who really gets hurt when the government goes dark.
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Trump vs. The Filibuster Faithful
“Cracking Like Dogs” — Trump’s War Cry on Shutdown Day 39
President Trump lit up Truth Social Saturday with a political grenade: “The Democrats are cracking like dogs on the Shutdown because they are deathly afraid I’m making progress with Republicans on TERMINATING THE FILIBUSTER!”
It’s classic Trump — part negotiation tactic, part declaration of war. He’s daring Senate Republicans to ditch the 60-vote rule that’s been choking conservative policy for decades.
What You Need to Know:
The government’s been shut down 39 days, with no clear end in sight.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has kept the chamber in session until a deal is done.
Democrats want a clean CR + ACA subsidy extension, while Trump’s team wants to leverage the shutdown to kill the filibuster and push through long-blocked conservative priorities — from Voter ID to Obamacare reform.
Why It Matters:
Trump’s move forces the GOP to choose between old-guard caution and MAGA aggression.
Killing the filibuster would mean the end of 60-vote gridlock — and the start of a new conservative legislative blitz.
Democrats fear this not just for policy reasons, but because it would permanently shift Senate power toward the majority party — something they used to dream of, before Trump turned the tables.
The Real Story:
Thune and a handful of Senate veterans are sweating bullets. They’ve spent years defending the filibuster as a “pillar of democracy.” Trump sees it as a pillar of failure — a procedural roadblock that’s protected Democratic wins for decades.
Democrats are split between extending ACA subsidies and reopening the government. Their own “moderate” deal from Sens. Peters, Shaheen, and King went nowhere. Meanwhile, Trump has doubled down, telling Republicans to divert Obamacare funds directly to Americans — calling insurance companies “money-sucking parasites.”
He’s not just fighting Democrats — he’s bullying his own party into revolution.
What They Don’t Want You To See:
“Only a LOSER would not agree to doing this!” — President Trump, Truth Social, Nov. 8
That’s not just rhetoric — it’s a litmus test. Trump’s daring every GOP senator to pick a side: status quo or scorched earth.
Bottom Line:
Trump’s betting big on chaos — and it’s working. The shutdown isn’t just a budget fight anymore. It’s a proxy war for control of the Republican Party, and the filibuster is the last domino standing.
“Freedom Isn’t Free” — D-Day Vet Drops Truth Bomb on Gen Z
While Washington melts down over shutdown drama, a 101-year-old D-Day veteran just gave America a masterclass in perspective.
Appearing on Newsmax’s Saturday Report, Irv Locker, one of the last surviving soldiers of the Normandy invasion, told viewers what this generation seems to forget: “Freedom is not free.”
Locker stormed Omaha Beach at 19, fought through the Battle of the Bulge, and helped liberate a Holocaust camp. Now, he spends his time visiting schools — trying to teach kids what courage, sacrifice, and patriotism really mean.
“The kids have no idea,” Locker said. “They have to know how lucky they are.”
Locker, just 5’5” and nearly drowned before even hitting the shore, kept charging forward under fire. He turned 101 this week — and still has more fight in him than half of Congress combined.
He and his wife Bernice, married nearly 80 years, ended the segment with one line every American should remember:
“When you see a veteran, thank a veteran. Believe me, it’s well worth it.”
Bottom Line:
While politicians in D.C. argue over votes and loopholes, Irv Locker reminds us what real American grit looks like. Freedom isn’t trending — it’s earned.
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Only 3 Democrats Vote to Pay Troops — While the Rest Grandstand
Thirty-eight days into the shutdown, Democrats just made their priorities painfully clear: politics first, paychecks later.
On Friday night, the Senate voted 53–43 to pay active-duty troops, Capitol Police, and other essential federal workers. The bill — the Shutdown Fairness Act, led by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) — fell seven votes short of the 60 needed to advance. Why? Because only three Democrats crossed party lines to say, “Pay the people keeping America running.”
“A NO vote is a vote to refuse to pay air traffic controllers, TSA agents, and military members,” said Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY).
Meanwhile, John Thune hammered Democrats for “walking past unpaid police and staff every day without shame.”
Let’s call it what it is: hostage politics. Democrats claimed they blocked the bill because it didn’t include all federal workers — yet they’ve refused to reopen the government to pay anyone. Even worse, some progressives bragged that keeping the shutdown alive would energize their base heading into 2026.
Chris Murphy (D-CT) gave the quiet part out loud: “If we surrender without having gotten anything, it’ll hurt us in the next election.” Translation — your rent can wait; their campaign can’t.
Bottom Line:
Democrats didn’t just vote against paychecks. They voted against decency — proving once again that “compassion” ends where campaign strategy begins.
Border Chaos Spills Into Chicago
Border Patrol agents were shot at and attacked by a mob hurling bricks at DHS vehicles during a migrant enforcement sweep in Chicago — a shocking sign of how far the border crisis has spread inland. Read more →
Biden Says His Late Son “Should Have Been President”
At a post-election speech, Biden insisted the Democratic Party is “back” — then claimed his late son Beau “should have been president, not me,” raising new questions about his grip on reality. Read more →
GOP Reloads: Obamacare Back in the Crosshairs
As the shutdown stretches past Day 39, Republicans are sharpening their attacks on Obamacare, aligning with Trump’s call to redirect funds from “money-sucking insurance companies” directly to consumers. Read more →
The last 39 days have shown America the difference between conviction and convenience. Trump is betting everything on principle — while Democrats cling to process and polls. The party that once screamed “defend democracy” is now defending bureaucracy.
History won’t remember who blinked first — it’ll remember who actually led.
If Washington’s shutdown circus has taught us anything, it’s this: the people who built this country didn’t do it through filibusters, committees, or talking points. They did it by doing the damn work.
Freedom isn’t broken — it’s just waiting for someone to act like it still matters.
~ Scott 🇺🇸
P.S. Trump’s not just fighting Democrats — he’s forcing his own party to grow a spine. Ending the filibuster isn’t about power; it’s about finally governing like you won. What do you think? Should Republicans torch the rule that’s been protecting the swamp for decades? Hit reply and tell me where you stand.
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So GOP is still terrified of actually governing after, all. They’ve made progress — haven’t caved on shutdown — but need to stop being afraid of their own shadow.
I've been emailing the Senators to end the filibuster. I don't know if it does any good, but it's at least something we can do to help and it can't hurt.