We're NOT Doomed: April 17, 2026

Are things good? No. But there ARE good things happening.

Let’s talk War Powers Resolution.

It’s confusing, but hopefully this helps clarify some things.

First off, because I know some people will only read the first few paragraphs, every time a Dem introduces the War Powers Resolution in the Senate (or the House), it is putting sand in the gears. It is grinding the body to a halt.

That’s what you wanted, right?

Great, now let’s delve deeper.

In the Senate the War Powers Resolution is pretty unique. It needs a simple majority, not 60, so we really do need only a few Republicans to join, and it’s a privileged resolution, which means the Majority Leader (or Speaker in the House) can’t stop it from coming to the floor — tariffs also fell under this category.

There are 12 Senate Democrats (it begun with 6) cycling through, continuing to bring this up over and over again.

Some Republicans say they are waiting for 60 days to pass the WPR because IF there is an imminent threat, a president can start a war without congressional approval. Let me be very clear. There was no imminent threat and this war is 100% illegal, no matter how you look at it. But Republicans are insisting that the 60 days mark matters.

It is possible, though probably not likely, that the WPR will be passed next week as a result.

So the question on your lips is probably: “Why would Trump listen, it’s already illegal?”

He probably wouldn’t. As usual, unfortunately, that’s not the point.

Ideal scenario: It passes the House and Senate, he vetoes it and Congress magically has enough votes to override the veto and it passes anyway.

If it were to pass, he can extend it for 30 more days to wrap up loose ends and then must end it.

Military personnel would be required to answer for the war in hearings and at this point, they could say that it is an illegal order and refuse to comply.

Up till now, the Administration has been hiding behind classification. It’s not that most of the material of what is (or in most cases isn’t) happening in Iran is a secret, but it’s scattered all over the place and not super easily accessible. So most Americans have no idea that on top of it raising gas prices, and hurting farmers (which will not be apparent to most of us till the fall) this hasn’t been successful at all.

With the WPR all that information would be laid out in hearings, clearly and concisely.

But, as with everything we do in the minority, that’s really not the point. We don’t have the votes for a veto proof majority.

So why do anything at all?

It shows the American people that Democrats oppose the war and Republicans do not. It’s the same reason that Democrats kept calling up votes to end the tariffs. Not cause anyone was expecting the vote to change, but, a lot of Democrats ran and won on the Republicans supporting the tariffs based on these votes.

The Iran war is even less popular. The goal really is as simple as putting Republicans on record or this horrific and costly war.

Essentially, the administration is asking for $100-200b MORE to continue this war. That amount could fund universal pre-K for two years or hearing and dental for seven years for all Americans. Anytime Republicans try to cut anything cause we don’t have the money, this proves that they really do not have a leg to stand on.

Not to mention, so far, we have lost 13 service members with 400 injured, some very seriously.

Republican keep arguing that our skilled military proves the war was necessary. We have one of the most highly trained forces in the world. They will always do a good job (not necessarily a job you agree with but a good job by the standards of the military.) That doesn’t mean there’s any justification for the war taking place, no matter how much Republicans want it to be.

Questioning the necessity of a war is not the same thing as questioning the strength and power of the military.

If you hate all this, and you have a Republican in the House or Senate (or Jared Golden), blow up their phone. They know that keeping this war going is unpopular but it does not hurt to remind them of that. And who knows, it’s a simple majority. It wouldn’t take much for enough votes to be swayed to pass the Resolution.

And even though Trump would almost certainly veto it, the majority of the Congressional body saying that they do not agree with the war would have a political impact, so it is worth doing.

I know this is all super complicated and seems pointless, but let’s go back to the top. Putting sand in the gears and putting Republicans on record for their awful decisions are always a win. Especially when that decision is considered such a disaster across the board.

So let’s keep cheering on our Dems as they introduce this over and over and over again.

Chicago, Illinois

Tue, April 7 - All Chicago public schools are now part of a program called the 81 club which makes all school IDs automatic library cards in the Chicago Public Library system.

This includes access to:

a 6 million-item collection, online databases, digital media and free academic support. Through library resources like Teacher in the Library and Brainfuse, students can access one-on-one tutoring both in person and online, reinforcing classroom learning in real time. 

While anyone can get a library card, there are always a few minor barriers to entry with any new thing one joins. This removes all of them.

Mayor Brandon Johnson said:

This partnership demonstrates my administration’s commitment to build a more equitable and thriving city by bringing all of government together to invest in our young people. By removing barriers and connecting young people to learning opportunities in every neighborhood, we are helping to ensure that students have access to the resources they need in school and beyond.

Anything that makes things more equitable makes me feel less Doomed.

Utah

Wed, April 8 - Republicans have had another setback in trying to repeal prop 4. The proposition was passed in 2018 and it took until this year’s midterms for it to finally be implemented. It creates a majority Dem Congressional district in Utah.

Republicans have been trying to get enough signatures to get it back on the ballot in November, but instead of securing new signatures, people have been removing theirs. Now two senate districts have gone below the threshold for the required number of signatures, to get on the ballot in November.

Elizabeth Rasmussen, executive director of Better Boundaries the group responsible for Prop 4 celebrated the failure in these two counties but said there’s still more work to do:

[We’re] going to continue to work and make sure that anyone across the state who was tricked or misled into signing the repeal of Proposition 4 has the opportunity to remove their signature.

She added:

Utahns of all political stripes deserve to pick their politicians, not have politicians that pick their voters.

Let me be clear, this district is in place for 2026, regardless. What’s up for debate now is if they can make it a one-term district or not.

Things are looking good for the “or not” camp. And that makes me feel less Doomed.

West Virginia

Wed, April 8 - You wouldn’t know it, because it is one of the most reliably Republican states, at least recently, but West Virginia has one of the most strict school vaccine laws in the entire country. And that’s not changing anytime soon.

Two members of a three panel of all Republican appointed 4th circuit judges ruled in favor of the Upshur County School District that there cannot be religious vaccine exemptions.

Judge J Harvey Wilkinson, a Regan appointee wrote for the majority opinion that the vaccine law:

is a legitimate exercise of the state’s power to protect the health and well-being of school children. Striking the law down would undermine not just our system of dual sovereignty, but also a long line of Supreme Court precedent.

Well, that’s certainly clear.

It’s not often that good news comes out of West Virginia, but when it comes to standing up for school vaccine laws, they’re right there on the front lines. Even the reddest states are progressive on certain things. That’s an important thing to remember and makes me feel less Doomed.

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So I hope, amid all the crap, you seek out the good. And even if you can’t, glad you follow me, so I can make sure you see it anyway.

Remember, our voices are our superpower, but only when we use them!