Hegseth: No More Fat Troops 9.30.25 Ally Sammarco Sep 30 Happy Tuesday 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. Government Shuts Down at Midnight, Chaos Ensues….At 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, the U.S. government will officially enter a shutdown if Congress fails to pass a funding deal. The Republican-backed continuing resolution, which stretches funding through November 21 and excluded added support for health care and social programs, will potentially be blocked in the Senate. The Trump administration has already instructed agencies to prepare for mass firings (not just temporary furloughs) in the event of a lapse. Common Sense takeaway: A shutdown is always ugly, but threatening permanent cuts to get your way is even uglier. I sincerely hope both sides will find a solution before Americans pay the price. Defense (War?) Secretary Hegseth Declares War on “Woke” Culture in Military….In a dramatic speech at Quantico today, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, followed by President Trump, vowed the end of diversity efforts, said the military will require those in combat jobs to meet the “highest male standard only” and added drill sergeants can “put their hands on recruits” to motivate them. He also denigrated “fat troops” saying “it’s completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon and leading commands around the world. It’s a bad look.” He said generals were given a choice to either fall in line or resign. Common Sense takeaway: This sounds like North Korea’s military not ours. So many of these provisions were put in place to protect our military, and now an alcoholic, TV host, wannabe-alpha male is putting everybody at risk to fulfill his own fantasies. Common Sense with Ally Sammarco is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. IRS Says It Can Operate Despite Shutdown…Unlike many federal agencies, the IRS released a plan ensuring operations continue during the shutdown. They’ll tap into funds from the Inflation Reduction Act to cover salaries—at least temporarily. This means tax filings, refunds, and compliance operations may persist while other agencies shut down. But IRS staffers working during the shutdown won’t be paid until it ends. Common Sense takeaway: Even in a shutdown, some functions remain too critical to halt, but a government shutdown puts everybody at risk when nobody is getting paid. Troops Deployed in Chicago Amid ICE Crackdown…The Trump administration has requested deployment of 100 troops to Illinois to support ICE operations, citing the need to protect federal agents and facilities. Federal agents have been seen patrolling downtown Chicago, making arrests in neighborhoods like South Shore, and surrounding apartment buildings under enforcement operations. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Johnson are pushing back hard, arguing that these measures represent a federal escalation into domestic policing and intimidation. Common Sense takeaway: This is all part of the plan to militarize Americnan cities, particularly Democratic run cities. Today, Trump even said he wants to use American cities as “training grounds” for the U.S. military. That’s it for today. Thanks for reading Common Sense with Ally Sammarco. Check back tomorrow for more.