Welcome to Day 1756.

Today in one sentence: The Senate voted to advance a bipartisan bill to end the nation’s longest government shutdown after eight Democrats broke ranks to join Republicans; the Trump administration told the Supreme Court that it plans to keep fighting to block a court order requiring full November SNAP payments for 42 million Americans; Trump demanded that air traffic controllers “get back to work, NOW!!!” and warned that anyone who didn’t would be “substantially ‘docked’”; Trump urged Senate Republicans to divert Affordable Care Act subsidies from insurers to individuals, saying the money should “BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE”; Trump promised “a dividend of at least $2000 a person (not including high income people!)” from tariff revenue; Trump pardoned Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, and 77 others accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election; Trump was booed while leading a military enlistment oath at Sunday’s Washington Commanders game, hours after reports that he wants the team’s planned D.C. stadium named for him; the Supreme Court rejected an effort to overturn its 2015 decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide; and the Supreme Court will decide whether states can count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day.

📝 Your “Last Year In One Sentence,” a recap: On last week’s anniversary of the 2024 election, I asked WTFJHT readers to reflect and write out their “last year in one sentence.” This is what I heard from nearly 3,000 of you: Before the election, most described feeling hopeful (53%), but it was a careful, measured kind of hope. Many called it cautious (30%) or optimistic (19%). About one in four felt afraid, describing that fear as anxious, powerless, or on edge. I think those emotions hint at how fragile things were heading into Election Day. Immediately after, the mood flipped with hope giving way to numbness (27%) and fear (27%), followed by anger (22%) and disappointment (21%). Beneath those feelings was disorientation and a loss of control, with words like powerless, overwhelmed, betrayed, detached, and sick appearing again and again.

A year later, that shock has settled into something that, I think, reflects a kind of resolve: About 23% say they now feel determined, even as anger (21%), hope (19%), fear (16%), and numbness (11%) are still present. Even though most expressed feeling determined, it read less like confidence and more like reluctant acceptance and understanding that it’ll take a sort of endurance to see our way through this. Think: it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Looking ahead, the phrase that appeared most often was “cautiously optimistic.” It captures, I think, a healthy balance of being hopeful, self-aware, and honest. Many of you wrote about being nervous about democracy and wanting to save it while also trying to sustain your sanity in the process. It’s a complicated mix of feelings, but I think it’s also a deeply human one that reflects a year that tested both your optimism and forbearance.

If this past year proved anything, it’s that information alone isn’t enough. While people need clarity, they also need connection to navigate the shock and awe. And that’s what I like to think WTFJHT tries to offer. That’s my hope, anyway...

Thanks to everyone who shared their “one sentence,” and to the supporting members who choose to keep WTFJHT independent, ad‑free, and open to everyone (become a supporting member here). I hope to do more reflective exercises like this in the future. In the mean time, you browse the last 150 “one sentence” responses here. However you’re feeling about the future — angry, hopeful, or both — I’ll be here when you need me.

Programming note: There will be no WTFJHT update tomorrow in observance of Veterans Day (and by extension and to a lesser extent, the lack of childcare). I’ll be back on Wednesday, November 12.

-Matt, current mood: 🙈😭😒

Today’s edition is 1,871 words, a 9½-minute read.

1/ The Senate voted to advance a bipartisan bill to end the nation’s longest government shutdown after eight Democrats broke ranks to join Republicans. In doing so, Democrats abandoned their core demand to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of the year. Without congressional action, monthly premiums are expected to rise by about $300 to $400 for many middle-income families starting in January. Roughly 24 million people who buy coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace would have to pay full price, and several million could lose coverage altogether. Democrats had held firm for nearly six weeks, insisting on an extension of the subsidies in exchange for reopening the government. But in the end, the eight senators who crossed party lines accepted a deal that offered no concessions beyond a non-binding promise for a December vote on the issue that is unlikely to draw enough Republican support to pass anyway. Nevertheless, the eight said they broke ranks because the shutdown was hurting workers and families. “This was the only deal on the table. It was our best chance to reopen the government,” Senator Jeanne Shaheen said. They pointed to missed paychecks, layoffs, and stalled food aid to defend their votes, even as the deal left the Democrats’ central priority unaddressed. The measure funds most agencies through January 30 and provides full-year funding for agriculture, veterans, and congressional operations, while reversing layoffs and guaranteeing back pay for federal workers. The vote exposed divisions within the Democratic Party, with Senator Bernie Sanders calling it “a very, very bad vote,” while Rep. Ro Khanna saying, “Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced.” Schumer, who voted against the deal, pledged to “keep fighting.” Although House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries defended Schumer’s leadership, he said Democrats would oppose the measure in the House. Speaker Mike Johnson, meanwhile, told lawmakers to return to Washington “right now,” saying Trump was “very anxious” to reopen the government and would sign the bill once it passes. The House is expected to vote later this week. If approved, the measure could end the 41-day shutdown by midweek. (New York Times / Washington Post / Politico / Associated Press / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / CNBC / NBC News / ABC News)

📢 Democracy doesn’t run on vibes. Do something that matters.

• Make your voice heard – call your senators.
• Dick Durbin (Illinois): Washington Office (202) 224-2152 | Local Office (312) 353-4952 Tim Kaine (Virginia): (202) 224-4024 | (757) 518-1674 John Fetterman (Pennsylvania): (202) 224-4254 | (215) 241-1090 Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire): (202) 224-2841 | (603) 647-7500 Maggie Hassan (New Hampshire): (202) 224-3324 | (603) 622-2204 Catherine Cortez Masto (Nevada): (202) 224-3542 | (702) 388-5020 Jacky Rosen (Nevada): (202) 224-6244 | (702) 388-0205 Angus King (Maine): (202) 224-5344 | (207) 622-8292

2/ The Trump administration told the Supreme Court that it plans to keep fighting to block a court order requiring full November SNAP payments for 42 million Americans. The move came even after a federal appeals court on Sunday rejected the administration’s argument that paying the full amount would cause greater harm to the government than withholding food aid to millions of people, writing that “the government sat on its hands for nearly a month.” Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s temporary hold on the payments, however, remains in place until Tuesday while the Court reviews the administration’s filing. Over the weekend, USDA had ordered states to “immediately undo” steps to issue full benefits. That guidance was blocked by a federal judge today, calling it legally questionable. The administration claims it can only make partial payments during the shutdown, which courts have called “implausible” given decades of precedent that kept food aid flowing even when the government closed. (Politico / ABC News / Reuters / Associated Press / NBC News / Bloomberg / Washington Post / NPR / New York Times / Axios / Wall Street Journal / CNBC)

3/ Trump demanded that air traffic controllers “get back to work, NOW!!!” and warned that anyone who didn’t would be “substantially ‘docked.’” The controllers have been working without pay for more than a month during the government shutdown, but they’re expected to receive back pay once the shutdown ends. Trump, however, said he would recommend $10,000 bonuses for those who worked throughout the shutdown and called them “GREAT PATRIOTS,” while criticizing others who “did nothing but complain.” The FAA, meanwhile, ordered airlines to cut flights at 40 major airports to ease strain on unpaid controllers as cancellations neared 2,000 on Monday. The controllers’ union said the workforce was being used as a “political pawn” and warned that “fatigue has led to the erosion of safety.” (Wall Street Journal / CNBC / Axios / Associated Press / Politico / Washington Post / New York Times)

4/ Trump urged Senate Republicans to divert Affordable Care Act subsidies from insurers to individuals, saying the money should “BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, however, said there was “no formal proposal” and that discussions would wait until the shutdown ends. The plan, which National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said was just Trump “brainstorming,” would require congressional approval and offered no explanation on how payments would replace existing insurance coverage. (Washington Post / New York Times / CNBC / Axios / NBC News)

• Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte said the Trump administration is “working on” a 50-year mortgage after Trump called it “a complete game changer.” The plan would stretch the standard 30-year loan with no details on how it would cut costs or meet federal lending rules. Analysts, meanwhile, said it would increase total interest payments and slow homeowners’ ability to build equity. (The Hill / USA Today / Axios)

5/ Trump promised “a dividend of at least $2000 a person (not including high income people!)” from tariff revenue. He gave no details on eligibility or timing, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he hadn’t spoken to Trump about it and that the “$2,000 dividend could come in lots of forms.” The plan would require congressional approval, since only Congress can authorize federal spending. Treasury data show about $195 billion in tariff revenue collected so far this year, but $2,000 payments to most adults would cost roughly $300 billion. Even with an income cutoff of $100,000, about 150 million people would qualify, leaving a funding gap of more than $100 billion as the Supreme Court questions the legality of the tariffs themselves. (CNN / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg / Axios / Politico / The Guardian / ABC News)

6/ Trump pardoned Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, and 77 others accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election. The Nov. 7 proclamation granted a “full, complete, and unconditional pardon” for conduct tied to creating alternate elector slates and challenging the election results, but excluded Trump himself. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that those pardoned were “persecuted and put through hell by the Biden Administration for challenging an election.” None of the recipients were convicted of federal crimes, making the pardons largely symbolic. However, state prosecutions in Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, and Wisconsin remain ongoing. (NBC News / USA Today / NPR / Axios / Bloomberg / Politico / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / Washington Post / CNN / New York Times)

Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring, is seeking a commutation from Trump while reportedly receiving “concierge-style” treatment in prison, according to whistleblower documents sent to House Judiciary Committee Democrats. Democrats said her meeting with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and subsequent privileges suggest unusual access and influence inside Trump’s Justice Department. The White House, however, declined to say whether her request is under review. (Politico / NBC News / The Hill / CBS News)

Trump pardoned former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and his aide Cade Cothren, who were convicted of using a fake firm to profit from taxpayer-funded mailers. Casada had been sentenced to three years in prison and Cothren to two and a half after a federal jury found them guilty of wire fraud and money laundering. The White House claimed the Biden Justice Department “over-prosecuted” the case, though the investigation began under Trump and the sentencing judge was his own appointee. (NBC News / The Guardian / Washington Post)

A convicted drug trafficker whose sentence Trump commuted in 2021 was sent back to prison for 27 months after a judge found he assaulted a nanny and a nurse and violated his release terms. Jonathan Braun used family ties to Jared Kushner to help secure the clemency. (New York Times / NBC News)

7/ Trump was booed while leading a military enlistment oath at Sunday’s Washington Commanders game, hours after reports that he wants the team’s planned D.C. stadium named for him. Trump, the first sitting U.S. president in nearly 50 years to attend a regular-season NFL game, reportedly conveyed his naming request through a White House intermediary to team owners planning the nearly $4 billion project on federally owned land at the former RFK Stadium site. (ESPN / Associated Press / The Guardian)

✨ WELL, THAT’S FANTASTIC. 8/ The Supreme Court rejected an effort to overturn its 2015 decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. The order left in place a lower-court ruling that former Kentucky clerk Kim Davis, acting as a state official, violated same-sex couples’ constitutional right to marry when she refused to issue them licenses after the Obergefell v. Hodges decision, citing her religious beliefs. Davis was ordered to pay $360,000 in damages and fees. (Associated Press / New York Times / NBC News / CNN / NPR / Politico / Washington Post)

9/ The Supreme Court will decide whether states can count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day. The case tests whether Election Day ends when voters cast their ballots or when officials receive them, and the outcome could determine how millions of votes are handled in federal races and whether states must change their long-standing mail ballot rules before 2026. Mississippi’s law allows ballots received within five business days to be counted, which the 5th Circuit struck down for violating federal law. Mississippi’s Republican leaders are defending the law against a challenge from the Republican National Committee, which argues that counting late ballots “extends the election” beyond the day set by Congress. Mississippi warned that the lower court’s ruling could cause “chaos” before the 2026 elections and force nationwide changes to how votes are counted. (New York Times / Politico / Bloomberg / NBC News)

• Federal Judge Mark Wolf resigned, accusing Trump of “using the law for partisan purposes” and warning of an “existential threat to democracy.” His departure came as Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told lawyers the administration was waging a “war” against “rogue activist judges.” The White House said judges with “personal agendas” should resign if they wish to criticize the administration. (New York Times / Axios / The Atlantic)

⏭️ Notably Next: Your government has been shut down for 41 days; the 2026 midterms are in 358 days.

😳 WTF, right?

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