Happy Thursday and welcome back to today’s edition of Common Sense with Ally Sammarco — your daily briefing on U.S. politics. Let’s break it down.
Court Blocks Trump’s Mass Layoffs Plan….A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction against the Trump administration’s plan to fire thousands of federal workers during the shutdown, siding with unions that argue the cuts violate employment protections and were rushed without due process. Meanwhile, the Senate is set for its 10th vote this morning to advance a House-passed funding measure—and so far, nothing has changed.
Common Sense takeaway: Thank god for federal judges with a backbone, and thank god for unions who protect their workers. Federal workers have been through enough with administration, and we all know Trump is simply using the shutdown as a cover to gut more federal agencies and fire people who don’t agree with him.
Fed’s Waller Backs Rate Cut Amid Weakening Labor Market….Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said today he supports a 25 basis-point rate cut (meaning a quarter-percentage-point reduction) in interest rates in October, as a result of cooling demand and weakness in labor market strength. With inflation nearly under control and the economy starting to slow, Waller’s comments show he’s worried about how much longer the economy can handle all the political chaos.
Common Sense takeaway: The Fed is being forced to fight an incoming recession with zero public data available due to the government shutdown, as well as potential structural changes to the labor market as a result of artificial intelligence. Right now, the labor markets are weak and GDP is high, so at some point, something has to give.
Shutdown Negotiations Stall as Progressives Push Back….As the shutdown heads into its third week, progressive Democrats, such as Bernie Sanders and AOC, have rejected GOP offers to negotiate ACA subsidy extensions on the floor, demanding binding legislation first. Senate Majority Leader John Thune attempted to sweeten the deal by promising a guaranteed vote, but Democrats are determined to get genuine commitments from Republicans, not more games where nothing actually gets done.
Common Sense takeaway: Republican leaders are using every trick in the book to get a resolution passed and push ACA subsidies down the road then eventually, off the abyss. Why they are committed to dying on the hill of cutting healthcare for Americans, I don’t think I will ever understand.
Supreme Court Set to Gut Key Voting Rights Provision….In a high-stakes case out of Louisiana, the U.S. Supreme Court seems ready to roll back Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits practices that reduce minority voting power—even without direct proof of racial intent. Conservative justices questioned whether drawing districts to ensure minority representation is constitutional, and whether states should still be rectifying historical disenfranchisement. Legal experts are saying that a ruling that weakens Section 2 could endanger minority representation in up to 19 congressional districts, giving a lot more power to Republican states.
Common Sense takeaway: Eliminating racial discrimination in our electoral process is actually a good thing, Republicans. This case could do immense damage to the Voting Rights Act—which is the backbone of our democracy—and completely alter the results of the 2026 midterms. All eyes need to be on this case.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. Check back tomorrow for more.
If race cannot be used to draw districts, doesn’t that mean that there is no justification for district maps other than those with approximate squares that are bigger or smaller to include the same number of people and follow city/county lines? Wouldn’t that eliminate the strangely shaped districts drawn to make sure minorities are carved up to avoid their representation?
We have to understand that the six reich wing judges are part of the conspiracy to destroy our country. They will do whatever they can to make it happen. Whether finding for trump in support of his unconstitutional acts or overturning previous rulings eliminating protections.