Nov. 4, 2025
COLUMBUS, Ohio: Yes, Nov. 4 is “my” birthday. #146.
I’m a couple days late writing this edition because I was in Claremore, Oklahoma celebrating Will Rogers Days from Friday evening to Monday afternoon. The celebration is a little smaller than the Fourth of July nationally. But in Oklahoma, Will Rogers is #1.
A lot of folks wondered what Will would say about the folks in Washington today. And most of those who answered, including the Chief of the Cherokee Nation, said Will would be disgusted. Disgusted with both sides.
Any common horse sense that ever existed in our nation’s capital has left the barn.
It’s been so long since the government shut down, you may have forgotten what caused it. Since Congress could not agree on a new budget by Sept. 30, the House passed a bill to continue spending at the current level for another seven weeks. Several times since then, “Congress [Senate] met and adjourned right away. One more day’s salary for six hundred went up the taxpayers’ flue.” (DT #103, Dec. 6, 1926)
In the Senate, the simple majority does not rule. For important bills, like the budget, the Senate rules require 60%, or 60 votes. Republicans have 53 Senators, so they need at least 7 Democrats to agree.
Since Republicans have majorities in Congress, plus the President, Democrats blame Republicans for the Shutdown. When a Conservative points out the 60% rule, Liberals claim they are ignorant because they watch Fox News. But really, what Conservatives have been watching is the World Series and football. And after almost every NFL football game, the opposing team members greet each other pleasantly, without the losers demanding a piece of the winner’s prize.
In today’s election, Democrats walloped Republicans. Democrat candidates for Governor easily won in Virginia and New Jersey. According to their campaign speeches, they were running against Donald Trump. The new Attorney General of Virginia favors the death penalty, by firing squad. The losing Republicans agree with Will Rogers, “Politics has got so expensive that it takes lots of money to even get beat with nowadays.” (DT #1538, June 28, 1931)
The new mayor of New York City, Mr. Mamdani, will solve the homeless problem by housing them in city buses. He does not believe Billionaires should exist in NYC. His wish will be granted because all the Billionaires, and most of the millionaires, will move to Florida or Texas. Police stations will be converted to city-run groceries. Operating similar to Russian groceries in the 1950s, the price tags on the front of each shelf will show a price less than half the same item at Kroger or Walmart. Only problem is the shelves will be empty.
In California, the voters decided they don’t want any Republicans in Congress. They figured since Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Wyoming don’t have any Democrats in Congress, California shouldn’t have any Republicans. Well, maybe one or two.
While Republicans and Democrats in Congress argue over the amount of subsidies needed for health insurance, 40 million have lost their food stamps (SNAP). During the Great Depression, with 25% unemployed, Will Rogers wrote, “Congress yesterday turned down the $15 million food bill… You can get a road anywhere you want to out of the government, but you can’t get a sandwich.” (DT #1398, Jan. 15, 1931). Since California has the most people dependent on SNAP, and New Mexico the highest percentage, maybe their Senators should vote to end the Shutdown or at least fund SNAP.
Will Rogers said, “I’m not a member of any organized political party… I’m a Democrat.” But by golly, today the Democrats were totally organized, mainly by the leadership of Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jasmine Crockett, Rashida Tlaib, Gavin Newsom, and now Zohran Mamdani. There’s nobody in that group equal to Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, or Bill Clinton.
With the election over, if Congress doesn’t reach agreement and end the Shutdown, we’ll all be even more disgusted with ‘em.
Historic quote by Will Rogers:
“Look at what we produce, and there is only about one third of us producing anything. The two thirds are living off the one third, and then we got more than we can sell… For that’s what’s the matter with us. No Country ever had more, and no Country ever had less. Ten men in our Country could buy the World, and ten million can’t buy enough to eat.” (WA #451, Aug. 16, 1931)
Randall Reeder WillRogersToday(dot)com. 614-477-0439