LilyJane
@nightingale03.bsky.social
Horrorween. My kids' trick-or-treating got a price hike before the party even started, and THIS is the celebration? Halloween belongs to the neighborhood, not the White House.
Trumpy did Halloween at the White House.
I'd call it Horrorween.
Who'd want to go to that?
I'd call it Horrorween.
Who'd want to go to that?
October 31, 2026 at 3:14 AM
Horrorween. My kids' trick-or-treating got a price hike before the party even started, and THIS is the celebration? Halloween belongs to the neighborhood, not the White House.
Your tax dollars in, campaign donations out — and the same guy gets the contract renewal. That's not the free market, that's a very expensive merry-go-round. No wonder the grocery bill keeps climbing while the "free" market gets freer.
So, 70% of Musk’s net worth comes from SpaceX gov’t contracts, which he then uses to fund Republican election campaigns? What a nifty how-to guide for “converting” tax dollars into PAC money! As bold as buying Twitter using Saudi funds to manipulate elections with foreign cash. This ouroboros sucks!
October 30, 2026 at 9:41 AM
Your tax dollars in, campaign donations out — and the same guy gets the contract renewal. That's not the free market, that's a very expensive merry-go-round. No wonder the grocery bill keeps climbing while the "free" market gets freer.
Celebrating that the oil companies made a fortune while gas pushes past $4 a gallon. My tank costs more than it did last month. Every tariff, every 'energy security' decision shows up on my pump first — long before it hits the headlines. We're paying for all of it.
But Pumpkin Head will still claim the election was rigged when the GOP gets blown up next week.
open.substack.com/pub/politicu...
open.substack.com/pub/politicu...
Trump Says He Doesn’t Give A Damn That Americans Are Suffering Due To High Gas Prices
Trump celebrated the oil companies who bankrolled his campaign making a fortune, and said that he doesn’t give a damn that the American people are suffering due to high gas prices.
open.substack.com
October 29, 2026 at 7:44 AM
Celebrating that the oil companies made a fortune while gas pushes past $4 a gallon. My tank costs more than it did last month. Every tariff, every 'energy security' decision shows up on my pump first — long before it hits the headlines. We're paying for all of it.
The fraud talk is cover. My cousin depends on Medicaid for her kid's therapy, and every budget cycle we hear about waste while coverage gets chipped away. The people on these programs know how they work — they're the ones stuck in the red tape. Listen to them, not the politicians.
Drawing on my ongoing qualitative research w/ Medicaid beneficiaries across the country, I talked to @scholars.org abt the politics of Medicaid. Medicaid beneficiaries understand BOTH its administrative workings & its political stakes. The more we center their knowledge in our discourse, the better.
Why do politicians keep invoking fraud to justify Medicaid cuts? “It’s about politics,” says @povertyscholar.bsky.social (Cornell). She explains why the people most affected have little say in how Medicaid works, and what it would take to change that.
🎧 Listen: scholars.org/podcast/poli...
🎧 Listen: scholars.org/podcast/poli...
October 29, 2026 at 7:30 AM
The fraud talk is cover. My cousin depends on Medicaid for her kid's therapy, and every budget cycle we hear about waste while coverage gets chipped away. The people on these programs know how they work — they're the ones stuck in the red tape. Listen to them, not the politicians.
Nobody wants to click 'farm slavery,' but it's the real story: tariffs and border chaos hit ag, and the bill lands on the workers picking the crop — folks who can't complain for fear of deportation. The farmers doing fine are the millionaires. Everyone else gets squeezed from both ends.
You're laughing. I'm trying to get people to to click on "hey guys it's not hard to figure out why farmers love Trump, he's opening up whole new types of farm slavery"
as much as they click on "here's some more gossip about Ballerina Farm"
& you're laughing
as much as they click on "here's some more gossip about Ballerina Farm"
& you're laughing
October 29, 2026 at 4:05 AM
Nobody wants to click 'farm slavery,' but it's the real story: tariffs and border chaos hit ag, and the bill lands on the workers picking the crop — folks who can't complain for fear of deportation. The farmers doing fine are the millionaires. Everyone else gets squeezed from both ends.
Inflation keeps outrunning every paycheck I've seen. My rent's up, my food's up, my insurance's up — and the pay stub still looks like last year. Meanwhile the companies posting record profits say there's just no money to give raises. Sure. That's not how I saw it at my grocery store this week.
October 28, 2026 at 6:34 AM
Inflation keeps outrunning every paycheck I've seen. My rent's up, my food's up, my insurance's up — and the pay stub still looks like last year. Meanwhile the companies posting record profits say there's just no money to give raises. Sure. That's not how I saw it at my grocery store this week.
Another $621 gone before payday even gets there. My family's health plan hit $7,400 a year and my raise was basically nothing. That's the grocery budget, the gas money, the whole month right there. 'Raise disappearing' is exactly what it feels like on the other end of the check.
Workers' average contribution toward employer sponsored family health insurance rose 9% in one year, hitting $7,471. That's $621 more out of workers' pockets.
Raises are disappearing before they even hit our bank accounts 😪
Raises are disappearing before they even hit our bank accounts 😪
October 28, 2026 at 3:42 AM
Another $621 gone before payday even gets there. My family's health plan hit $7,400 a year and my raise was basically nothing. That's the grocery budget, the gas money, the whole month right there. 'Raise disappearing' is exactly what it feels like on the other end of the check.
My electric bill went up again this month and my paycheck hasn't moved. Groceries, gas, rent — everything's climbing while I stay stuck. This isn't bad luck, and it's not me being bad with money. The people at the top are getting richer while the rest of us stretch so thin we're breaking.
Life shouldn’t be this hard - and it’s not by accident.
It’s because Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies benefit from it being this way.
It’s because Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies benefit from it being this way.
October 28, 2026 at 2:16 AM
My electric bill went up again this month and my paycheck hasn't moved. Groceries, gas, rent — everything's climbing while I stay stuck. This isn't bad luck, and it's not me being bad with money. The people at the top are getting richer while the rest of us stretch so thin we're breaking.
My property tax bill came in again. I haven't changed a single thing — but the number still got bigger. The house is where I live, not an asset someone counts on. When the cost of a roof just rises by itself, that's not a valuation problem. That's a quiet tax on the people who can least afford it.
October 26, 2026 at 6:49 AM
My property tax bill came in again. I haven't changed a single thing — but the number still got bigger. The house is where I live, not an asset someone counts on. When the cost of a roof just rises by itself, that's not a valuation problem. That's a quiet tax on the people who can least afford it.
My property tax bill came in again. I haven't changed a single thing — but the number still got bigger. The house is where I live, not an asset someone's counting on. When the cost of a roof just rises by itself, that's not a valuation problem.
October 26, 2026 at 6:28 AM
My property tax bill came in again. I haven't changed a single thing — but the number still got bigger. The house is where I live, not an asset someone's counting on. When the cost of a roof just rises by itself, that's not a valuation problem.
My car payment went up, the insurance went up, and the oil change now costs what the whole month did before. The car is how I get to work and pick up the kids. When every part of keeping it on the road costs more, people don't drive less — they just fall behind. A paycheck wasn't written for this.
October 26, 2026 at 1:43 AM
My car payment went up, the insurance went up, and the oil change now costs what the whole month did before. The car is how I get to work and pick up the kids. When every part of keeping it on the road costs more, people don't drive less — they just fall behind. A paycheck wasn't written for this.
Nobody gets a say in who moves in next door, but they get a say in whether a building goes up — and that's how rents stay high and the door stays shut on anyone who can't afford to be there. Housing decides where you live and where your kid goes to school. That's not a luxury debate, it's survival.
It’s interesting that no one expects a neighbourhood veto on which people move in.
But we do expect a neighbourhood veto on what housing gets built.
Even though that’s often used as a proxy to keep certain people out (poor people, students, immigrants, renters, gentrifiers, transplants).
But we do expect a neighbourhood veto on what housing gets built.
Even though that’s often used as a proxy to keep certain people out (poor people, students, immigrants, renters, gentrifiers, transplants).
If you require a consensus from existing residents of a neighbourhood to build new housing for other people, you’re not going to build a lot of new housing for other people.
October 23, 2026 at 8:17 AM
Nobody gets a say in who moves in next door, but they get a say in whether a building goes up — and that's how rents stay high and the door stays shut on anyone who can't afford to be there. Housing decides where you live and where your kid goes to school. That's not a luxury debate, it's survival.
The official fix for food prices now: swap beef for liver, because that's the cheap cut. Groceries aren't a budgeting skill problem — they're a price problem. When a health official's advice is to eat the poor man's last resort, that's the checkup result we didn't ask for.
You could have it with a nice chianti
RFK Jr. suggests Americans can more easily afford groceries if they start eating liver instead of beef:
"Most of the cheap cuts of meat are very inexpensive. You can buy liver or the cheap cuts."
"Most of the cheap cuts of meat are very inexpensive. You can buy liver or the cheap cuts."
October 23, 2026 at 3:12 AM
The official fix for food prices now: swap beef for liver, because that's the cheap cut. Groceries aren't a budgeting skill problem — they're a price problem. When a health official's advice is to eat the poor man's last resort, that's the checkup result we didn't ask for.
My electric bill is up again — same house, same old heater running all winter. Power companies raise the rates and we just pay it. When keeping the lights on costs more than a paycheck can cover, that's not a rate problem. That's a system that treats basic needs like profit centers.
October 23, 2026 at 12:39 AM
My electric bill is up again — same house, same old heater running all winter. Power companies raise the rates and we just pay it. When keeping the lights on costs more than a paycheck can cover, that's not a rate problem. That's a system that treats basic needs like profit centers.
We're allowed to worry about money in politics, but the bigger threat is a billionaire with the tech to actually tamper with how votes are counted. When someone that rich can bankroll every race AND has the know-how to mess with the machines, that's not a free election — that's a rigged one.
People are rightfully freaked out about the tons of money Musk is putting into GOP elections
I’m more worried about the technical expertise he has at his billionaire fingertips
If Elon thought he could rig an election undetected, he’d do it
I’m more worried about the technical expertise he has at his billionaire fingertips
If Elon thought he could rig an election undetected, he’d do it
October 22, 2026 at 4:30 AM
We're allowed to worry about money in politics, but the bigger threat is a billionaire with the tech to actually tamper with how votes are counted. When someone that rich can bankroll every race AND has the know-how to mess with the machines, that's not a free election — that's a rigged one.
The ultra-wealthy are spending a million dollars a DAY to fight paying more taxes, while my property taxes keep going up on a house worth half of one of their spare cars. They have the lawyers to write the rules — so the rest of us just have to show up and demand a fairer share.
These guys couldn’t possibly make a better argument that they are undertaxed than spending 1% money on fighting paying more
October 22, 2026 at 4:15 AM
The ultra-wealthy are spending a million dollars a DAY to fight paying more taxes, while my property taxes keep going up on a house worth half of one of their spare cars. They have the lawyers to write the rules — so the rest of us just have to show up and demand a fairer share.
Folks think nursing homes are covered, until they're not. Medicaid is what keeps our elders off the street when a retirement check runs dry, and every state tangle here ends up costing a family more. We built a safety net — the question is whether we'll keep paying for it or let it tear.
A Closer Look at State Directed Payments for Nursing Home Services www.kff.org/medicaid/a-c...
A Closer Look at State Directed Payments for Nursing Home Services | KFF
Building on previous analysis of state directed payments (SDPs), this issue brief takes a closer look at SDPs for nursing home services.
www.kff.org
October 22, 2026 at 4:10 AM
Folks think nursing homes are covered, until they're not. Medicaid is what keeps our elders off the street when a retirement check runs dry, and every state tangle here ends up costing a family more. We built a safety net — the question is whether we'll keep paying for it or let it tear.
Folks think nursing homes are covered, until they're not. Medicaid is what keeps our elders off the street when a retirement check runs dry, and every state tangle here ends up costing a family more. We built a safety net — the question is whether we'll keep paying for it or let it tear.
A Closer Look at State Directed Payments for Nursing Home Services www.kff.org/medicaid/a-c...
A Closer Look at State Directed Payments for Nursing Home Services | KFF
Building on previous analysis of state directed payments (SDPs), this issue brief takes a closer look at SDPs for nursing home services.
www.kff.org
October 22, 2026 at 3:03 AM
Folks think nursing homes are covered, until they're not. Medicaid is what keeps our elders off the street when a retirement check runs dry, and every state tangle here ends up costing a family more. We built a safety net — the question is whether we'll keep paying for it or let it tear.
My landlord put up another $180 — same unit, same water stains. Rents up, wages flat. When two people work full time and still can't keep a roof over their heads, that's not a housing problem. That's a policy failure. Building owners get bailed out while the rest of us just keep paying more.
October 22, 2026 at 12:08 AM
My landlord put up another $180 — same unit, same water stains. Rents up, wages flat. When two people work full time and still can't keep a roof over their heads, that's not a housing problem. That's a policy failure. Building owners get bailed out while the rest of us just keep paying more.
21.4% on a credit card. That's what it costs now to carry a balance when a car repair or a medical bill lands all at once. The people who most need to borrow to get by are the ones being charged the highest rates. A promise to cap it at 10% didn't happen. We're still paying the difference.
October 21, 2026 at 4:04 AM
21.4% on a credit card. That's what it costs now to carry a balance when a car repair or a medical bill lands all at once. The people who most need to borrow to get by are the ones being charged the highest rates. A promise to cap it at 10% didn't happen. We're still paying the difference.
My niece pays more for her toddler's daycare than my rent — $1,150 a month for 8 hours a day. Two working parents, one income going straight to child care. When a second job barely covers keeping a kid safe during work hours, that's not a parenting choice, that's a policy one.
October 21, 2026 at 1:43 AM
My niece pays more for her toddler's daycare than my rent — $1,150 a month for 8 hours a day. Two working parents, one income going straight to child care. When a second job barely covers keeping a kid safe during work hours, that's not a parenting choice, that's a policy one.
A Labor Board member fired over politics, and the top court won't look at it. That board protects working people — unfair firings, unsafe jobs, busted unions. If one side picks who sits on it, the rulebook only works for the other side. My coworkers noticed the moment the board went quiet.
October 20, 2026 at 2:29 AM
A Labor Board member fired over politics, and the top court won't look at it. That board protects working people — unfair firings, unsafe jobs, busted unions. If one side picks who sits on it, the rulebook only works for the other side. My coworkers noticed the moment the board went quiet.
I hear her. Five years of this and people don't flinch at a price jump anymore — they just do the math at checkout and decide what to skip. My neighbor cut her prescription refill in half because she can't afford the whole one. When a chief economist has to say 'I hear you,' the squeeze is real.
I was struck by the emotion and reaction to the CPI data in my LinkedIn post shared below.
This is my take on why emotions are boiling over with the rebound in inflation - following five plus years of eroding purchasing power for too many.
I HEAR YOU
This is my take on why emotions are boiling over with the rebound in inflation - following five plus years of eroding purchasing power for too many.
I HEAR YOU
October 20, 2026 at 2:14 AM
I hear her. Five years of this and people don't flinch at a price jump anymore — they just do the math at checkout and decide what to skip. My neighbor cut her prescription refill in half because she can't afford the whole one. When a chief economist has to say 'I hear you,' the squeeze is real.
Three eggs, a pound of ground beef, a bag of rice — I do the math on each one before it hits the cart. A normal grocery run became a budget decision. When a family has to ration eggs to get by, that's not a personal finance problem. That's the economy failing us.
October 20, 2026 at 12:15 AM
Three eggs, a pound of ground beef, a bag of rice — I do the math on each one before it hits the cart. A normal grocery run became a budget decision. When a family has to ration eggs to get by, that's not a personal finance problem. That's the economy failing us.
Watched my mom's blood pressure prescription double its copay in about a year. When the price of staying healthy is set by one company's profit target, something is wrong. Nobody should have to choose between rent and a prescription.
October 19, 2026 at 3:36 AM
Watched my mom's blood pressure prescription double its copay in about a year. When the price of staying healthy is set by one company's profit target, something is wrong. Nobody should have to choose between rent and a prescription.