While Trump Manufactures A Shutdown, Protesters, Governors, and Federal Workers Are Risking It All To Fight Back Trump’s shutdown threat backfires Scott Dworkin Sep 30 While Trump’s busy “bragging” about his tacky golden office and dragging the country into a shutdown of his own making, I’m glad to have some good news for you today. Thanks for being here. Let’s dive in. PROTEST IN PA A “Shut Down Detention Center” protest was held yesterday outside of the ICE facility where Kilmar Ábrego García is being held in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania. Folks have been rallying at the site for weeks, demanding authorities close the location. One of the demonstrators, Bobbi Erickson of Indivisible Mayday, said she was there to “stand in solidarity with all of the people currently being held captive.” It’s great to see them showing up in this rural area. PRITZKER PRESSER Once again, IL Gov. JB Pritzker is pushing back against the Trump regime’s immigration abuses. Pritzker called Trump’s move to send armed troops to Chicago “authoritarianism” and “an attack on Americans.” Pritzker stated: “Get out of Chicago. You are not helping us.” He went on to say the federal agents already there are “not targeting violent criminals or gang members. They’re arresting tamale vendors … and shaking down families.” KAMALA SLAMS TRUMP AGAIN This weekend, while speaking at a Congressional Black Caucus event, former Vice President Kamala Harris went after Trump hard. Harris called Trump a “tyrant,” “incompetent,” and “unhinged,” adding: “A time such as this demands that we win the midterms and enforce checks and balances.” No lies detected. FED WORKERS WILLING TO SHUT IT DOWN A large group of federal workers told Democrats to stay the course in their shutdown fight—backing it up with a powerful message. In a letter penned to Dem leadership, the group said: “Federal workers will willingly forgo paychecks in the hopes of preserving the programs we have devoted our lives to administering. In order to save our services today, we need to send a message to this Administration that enough is enough.” SHOWING UP As Republicans refused to call the House back into session and work to avoid a shutdown, Democrats showed up on the Hill anyways. Leader Hakeem Jeffries said they are “defending the healthcare of the American people. House Republicans are on vacation and running scared.” The GOP controls the House, Senate, and White House—they own this potential shutdown. And we are happy to help spread that clear message. Just yesterday, we launched the largest social media push against Trump in the world. Using the hashtag “ThisIsTrumpsShutdown,” we generated more than 406 million impressions on Twitter/X alone. It also trended #3 on the platform, which is great since that’s where GOP members of Congress spend most of their time online. Our Contact Congress campaign is enormous, having already reached lawmakers more than half a million times since November. And for 450 days straight, we’ve been proud to deliver unfiltered news to inboxes in 173 countries. We’ve been helping lead the resistance against Trump since 2016, and we still have no advertisers or billionaire backers. Because everything we do is 100% funded by our readers. So help us keep up the fight against this unhinged regime by becoming a paid subscriber today: Onward! Scott Don’t forget to like this post and re-stack using the ♻️ button below! It helps this news break through the noise! I have two questions for you today. Do you agree that Democrats should hold the line on the shutdown, and refuse to bend to any GOP demands? What do you think about the fact that so many federal workers are willing to put their paychecks on the line to protect healthcare for countless Americans? Thanks for your support! Another way to help us out is by gifting subscriptions to friends and family! You can get yours by clicking the link or button below: For all contact Congress links, or to volunteer, you can go here: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-up-for-the-watchdog-coalition Here is my interview with James Talarico: https://tinyurl.com/mmu4eydj Tell Congress Campaigns NEW: Demand Brendan Carr Resign: https://tinyurl.com/35xjx8dj NEW: Demand Tom Homan Resign: https://tinyurl.com/3e5ku3um Pass the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act: https://tinyurl.com/3yfw2m7a Demand Kennedy Resign: https://tinyurl.com/2324bmrh Demand answers about Trump’s visibly deteriorating health: https://tinyurl.com/sk9xm38v Protect our use of voting by mail: https://tinyurl.com/bde676xm Push back on Trump’s DC takeover: https://tinyurl.com/2jpp94yk Support law to unmask ICE: https://tinyurl.com/bp8cau82 Investigate the Jeffrey Epstein trafficking case: https://tinyurl.com/4pfh2p4f Links to everything we are doing: https://www.dworkinsubstack.com/p/how-were-fighting-trump Trump’s golden office is the perfect metaphor. A tacky shrine to himself while the country burns. Meanwhile, federal workers, the people who actually keep the lights on, are saying “fine, cut the checks, but we’re not selling out our neighbors’ healthcare.” That is courage, not cosplay patriotism. THAT WAS VERY ELOQUENT AND RIGHT ON FREAKING POINT!!! I get $23.00 oh no $24.00 now, I got an increase in food stamps, my insurance carrier will now make me pay for my meds next year but yeah we need more gold shit in THE PEOPLES HOUSE , NOT THAT TACKY< LOW BORN ORANGE ASSHOLE 'S PLACE OF RESIDENCE! SPINELESS MAGGOTS aren't even questioning the ABOMINATION that destroyed to ROSE GARDEN, the OBSCENE BALLROOM...never mind the cheap gaudy display in the WHITE HOUSE!  Can't wait to see what CHRISTMAS ABOMINATION Malaria provides! I've told my healthcare story for two reporters thus far. Bloomberg reporter just interviewed me for an article on what happens to people like me when and if ACA goes away. https://familiesusa.org/stories/amy-bielawski-georgia/ When the last shutdown occurred I had to donate money to help local Coast Guard families pay for food and medicine during the shutdown. This shut down was caused by Trump and now he is about to repeat his self centered behavior. I would be willing to support non-MAGA gov't workers who are going to get hurt in this shutdown. Nobody wins a shutdown, and only the poor and innocent pay for it. This regime is sick. I have no sympathy for any government worker who voted for this, but the ones who didn't don't deserve what they are getting. Thanks for all you do Scott. This impending shutdown is 100% the responsibility of Trump and Republicans. But Ma and Pa Kettle, watching the Fox/Trump propaganda channel, and getting their daily brainwashing, will be told over and over that it's the Democrats' fault, and they will believe it. Stephen Miller is labeling the Democrat Party as a terrorist organization. The way things are going, soon we'll see Democrats arrested for being "terrorists." That is beyond crazy, and is full fledged Nazi. I am frightened for this country's future. Evil people running the country, cheered on by gullible morons, who think it's just great that their President is doing so many wonderful things. MAGA MAGGOTS FAIL!  Far beyond TRUMP'S GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, the ORANGE TURD is bombing FISHING BOATS in INTERNATIONAL WATER, now threatening to BOMB VENEZUELA...it's about OIL- let's not kid ourselves. (My foggy memory seems to recall that it's a lower grade oil that   KOCH wanted to refine - KOCH is a member of MAR-A-LARDO GREG PALAST wrote about this ages ago.)  GREG PALAST is an investigative reporter that you might consider subscribing to:  All Washed Away: Trump drowns FEMA—Palast investigates Watch this 1-hour special…then take swimming lessons. by Greg PalastAugust 27, 2025 https://www.gregpalast.com/all-washed-away/ COMPLEX GAZA AGREEMENT with loopholes as NETANYAHU continues GENOCIDE & ETHNIC CLEANSING!  TARIFF LUNACY & LIES have united the World against the US!  CANADA is working to profit & grow along with other nations!  PAUL KRUGMAN wrote months ago that what TRUMP is destroying can't be re-built!  The BOOB slashed RESEARCH FUNDING & other nations are soliciting RESEARCHERS & DOCTORS! IT'S A MASSIVE BRAIN DRAIN THAT WE CAN'T RE-BUILD!  CHINA is promoting CHEAP CLEAN ENERGY & HIGH SPEED RAIL & prospering!  Trump & MAGA MAGGOTS wallow in DIRTY ENERGY $$$ !  Bringing back DIRTY COAL? We can't even clean up all of the DAMAGE caused by COAL from the unlined ASH DUMPS to MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL & the underground mines that were never closed & contaminated drinking water. COAL COMPANIES filed for BANKRUPTCY so BLACK LUNG PROGRAMS need to be funded by TAXPAYERS.  OFFSHORE WIND!  Brain Dead opposes WIND because one of his overpriced golf courses overlooks WIND TURBINES! And they're building ANOTHER OFFSHORE WIND FARM that he'll be forced to view! One of the MASSACHUSETTS OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS will be fully operational by the end of the year, produce energy equivalent to   400,000 homes.  The other would provide energy to 500,000 homes.  Careful steps have been taken to protect ENDANGERED RIGHT WHALES that are dying from BOAT STRIKES & ENTANGLEMENTS WITH FISHING GEAR.  DIRTY ENERGY KOCH funded opposition to an earlier OFFSHOREWIND PROJECT for 14 years until they gave up.  CAPE WIND.  DIRTY ENERGY KOCH has funded opposition to PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, ELECTRIC VEHICLES, ANTI-SOLAR LEGISLATION IN STATES WITH LOTS OF SUN  THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM SOLAR & MUCH ELSE...BTW, KOCH is still in RIUSSIA. They were the first to BUY RUSSIAN OIL.