Well, that 41-day government shutdown should be over by mid-week or so.  A few steps remain.   From  Time  magazine: Senate Democrats had been withholding their support for a House-passed funding bill over healthcare subsidies they wanted extended, but the eight Democrats who broke rank with their party leadership said they agreed to a handshake deal with the White House and Senate Republicans to back a stopgap measure to fund the government through January in return for a promised future vote on those healthcare subsidies, though the Republicans did not pledge their support for extending them. The   continuing resolution   acts as a legislative vehicle to reopen the government, and will extend government funding till Jan. 30, 2026. In exchange for the Democrats’ votes, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R, S.D.) promised a vote in mid-December on an extension bill for ACA subsidies of Democrats’ choosing. Thune, members of the Appropriations Committee...

Until I mentioned his name in  my blog of two days ago , chances are that you never before heard of him.   Making a spectacular finish:  Muslim 32-year old Zohran Mamdani, a progressive state legislator. Well, as you know by now,  Mamdani shocked the city by beating former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary on Tuesday .  A huge hurdle remains:  4November2025 when he runs against Cuomo ( who will be allowed to compete as an independent) , current mayor Eric Adams ( also now an independent ), the Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, and other potential independent candidates.   Under normal circumstance, you would give Sliwa no chance.  But this time, three Democrats will trisect their votes, providing Sliwa an opportunity to sneak in as mayor.  I saw this WABC radio spot actually suggesting Sliwa as a possible Veep candidate last year. Ranked choice will not be used.  This process is called the  first-past-the-post...