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...

  Three noteworthy elections today, one in Wisconsin and two in Florida .   How much have the antics of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk hurt Republicans? Those two Florida elections for the U.S. House are in solidly deep-red states, so the odds are very low that a Democrat can prevail there.  What could happen, though, is a much closer race than expected, so that alone will be an indicator of the damage Trump/Musk  caused. In Wisconsin, the race is for the state's Supreme Court.  Elon Musk alone has provided $15 million for the Republican candidate, plus three $1 million prizes for those signing his petition.  However, Democrats and affiliated outside groups outspent Republicans on the airwaves, $42 million to $33 million.  The key point is will Democrat voters show up to vote showing disdain for Musk and Trump?  We will know tonight. Senator Cory Booker is filibustering, now past 21 hours.   Watch live on You Tube .  Why?...