The Morning Sixpack - November 11, 2025
Chaos reigns as Trump pardons Rudy Giuliani, air travel collapse, SNAP aid battles rage, Court rejects Kim Davis, and MLB reels from rigged pitches.
Government Shutdown Day #41: Senate Democrats Blink
After 40 grueling days of a government shutdown, eight Senate Democrats crossed the aisle to back a Republican funding bill that gives them nothing in return.
In a late-Sunday procedural vote, the Senate scraped together 60 votes to advance legislation to end the shutdown—though the bill itself still needs final passage. The move comes after weeks of partisan deadlock and finger-pointing, with public pressure mounting and Democrats finally cracking. Nevada’s Catherine Cortez Masto, Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman, and Maine’s Angus King were the first to cave, later joined by five others: Dick Durbin, Maggie Hassan, Tim Kaine, Jackie Rosen, and Jeanne Shaheen.
“It wasn’t working,” King said of the prolonged standoff. That’s one way to put it. For Democrats, the collapse was as predictable as it was painful—especially since the GOP offered barely a fig leaf in return. The bill funds a handful of federal departments through the fiscal year, restores layoffs triggered by Trump’s budget brinkmanship, and extends funding for the SNAP program. The rest? Kicked down the road.
And the so-called “deal” doesn’t even touch the Affordable Care Act subsidies that were at the heart of the shutdown fight. Republicans vaguely promised a vote on the issue later, but “promise” is Washington code for “don’t hold your breath.” Even if it makes it to a vote, the GOP-controlled Senate and House would likely kill it faster than a continuing resolution expires.
Here’s the kicker: Even if this temporary measure passes both chambers and Trump signs it, most of the government will only be funded through January 30. That’s right—Washington will be back here in just 11 weeks, arguing about the same damn thing all over again.
Source: My Daily Grind News
Editor: Democrats had the leverage, the polling, and the moral high ground—and still folded like a bad poker hand. At this point, they might as well just hand Mitch McConnell the keys to the Capitol gift shop.
Chaos in the Skies: Air Travel Melts Down as Trump Threatens Air Traffic Controllers
America’s skies are descending into chaos as the nation’s longest-ever government shutdown cripples air travel and President Trump threatens to dock pay for air traffic controllers who can’t—or won’t—work without pay.
By Monday, 1,432 flights out of 25,733 were canceled nationwide, a figure “growing by the hour,” according to aviation data firm Cirium. Over the weekend alone, more than 18,000 flights were delayed and 4,500 canceled. The Trump administration has ordered airlines to slash flights at 40 major U.S. airports—starting with 4% cuts last week and ramping up to 10% by Friday. The ripple effect? Empty gates, stranded passengers, and a travel industry gasping for air.
“All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!!” Trump barked on Truth Social, promising $10,000 bonuses for those who never took a day off—and pay cuts for everyone else. That tone-deaf order came as many controllers missed their second paycheck, forced to choose between keeping planes safe or feeding their kids. “Now, they must focus on child care instead of traffic flows. Food for their families instead of runway separation,” said Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.
Airlines are scrambling to contain the damage. United and Delta are offering flight attendants bonus pay to pick up extra shifts—normally something reserved for snowstorms or hurricanes. Private jets and car rentals are booming as travelers look for any way out, while the FAA has started restricting private aviation at a dozen major airports just to maintain some semblance of order.
The Senate claims it’s “making progress” on a deal to end the shutdown, but even if a bill passes, controllers won’t see backpay for weeks—maybe months. As Daniels noted, after the 2019 shutdown, it took two and a half months for workers to get paid. For now, the message from Washington is simple: Keep working, keep waiting, and keep America’s skies safe—with no guarantee you’ll get paid anytime soon.
Source: CNBC
Editor: Nothing says “great leadership” like telling exhausted, unpaid air traffic controllers to just tough it out while handing out “bonus” promises on social media. Maybe next he’ll offer airline peanuts as hazard pay.
Appeals Court Slaps Down Trump’s Bid to Block Full SNAP Payments
An appeals court has rejected Donald Trump’s latest attempt to block full food aid payments for November, clearing the way for millions of struggling Americans to finally get their SNAP benefits—at least for now.
Late Sunday night, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit upheld a lower court’s ruling ordering the Trump administration to release full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments, citing “overwhelming evidence of widespread harm” if the aid were withheld. The decision comes as the longest-ever government shutdown continues to wreak havoc on federal services, with 42 million Americans caught in the middle of a political standoff over food.
The Trump administration had argued it could issue only partial payments during the shutdown, but U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. called that logic “arbitrary and capricious.” He ordered the administration to find the funds to pay in full by Friday, forcing Trump officials into an uncomfortable corner. “Such conduct is more than poor judgment,” McConnell wrote, a line that could serve as a summary of the entire shutdown itself.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson briefly paused the lower court’s order on Friday, giving the appellate court time to weigh in. Now that it has ruled, Jackson has given the Trump administration until Monday afternoon to decide whether it will keep fighting. In the meantime, chaos reigns on the ground: some states like Massachusetts have managed to distribute full benefits, while others, including North Carolina, have been forced to issue partial payments or pause altogether. “This is about a basic necessity—food—being caught in the middle of political chaos,” said North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein.
Democrats didn’t hold back. “President Trump’s cruelty knows no bounds,” Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said on X. But the truth is, this is less about cruelty and more about control. Trump is trying to weaponize hunger in a budget battle he’s already losing. The court’s ruling is a temporary reprieve for the families wondering if they can afford groceries this week—but unless Washington ends this shutdown, the next crisis is only a grocery run away.
Source: The Washington Post (gift article)
Editor: Nothing screams “great leadership” like threatening to starve 42 million people to prove a political point. Trump didn’t drain the swamp—he just left the pantry empty.
Supreme Court Rejects Kim Davis’ Bid to Overturn Same-Sex Marriage Ruling
The Supreme Court quietly refused to reopen the fight over same-sex marriage, rejecting Kim Davis’s long-shot attempt to erase a decade of equality.
Without comment, the justices declined to hear Davis’s petition, which sought to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges—the 2015 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide—and reverse a $360,000 judgment against her. Davis, the former Kentucky county clerk who famously defied a court order to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, had claimed that forcing her to comply violated her religious freedom. It didn’t work then, and it didn’t work now.
Legal experts never expected the Court to bite, but the mere fact that it considered Davis’ request was enough to rattle the LGBTQ+ community. The Court’s conservative majority already scrapped Roe v. Wade, and Justice Clarence Thomas openly urged the justices to “reconsider” other precedents—specifically naming Obergefell. With that backdrop, even a whisper of review sent alarm bells ringing.
Public opinion, though, is not on Davis’ side. Polls show strong support for marriage equality, and in 2022, more than three dozen House Republicans voted for a law requiring both state and federal governments to recognize same-sex marriages. “Today, millions of Americans can breathe a sigh of relief,” said Mary Bonauto, the attorney who argued Obergefell before the Court. “All families deserve equal rights under the law.”
Still, Davis and her lawyer, Mathew Staver of Liberty Counsel, insist this fight isn’t over. “It is not a matter of if, but when the Supreme Court will overturn Obergefell,” he said. For now, though, Davis’ crusade ends the same way it began—on the losing side of history, waving a Bible in one hand and a legal bill in the other.
Source: The New York Times
Editor: You’d think after a decade, Kim Davis would’ve figured out that love wins—and contempt of court doesn’t.
Trump Pardons Giuliani, Meadows, and 2020 Election Allies in a Sweeping Move
Donald Trump just handed out “full, complete, and unconditional” pardons to Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, and a roster of loyalists who tried to help him overturn the 2020 election—but none of them were ever charged with federal crimes to begin with.
Posted late Sunday, the proclamation forgives Trump’s inner circle for any potential federal offenses tied to the failed coup attempt, while carefully excluding the former president himself. The pardon list reads like a who’s who of election denialism: Giuliani, Sidney Powell, John Eastman, Jeffrey Clark, and the fake electors who signed bogus certificates claiming Trump won in battleground states. The move is less about justice and more about rewriting history—another step in Trump’s ongoing effort to frame his post-2020 chaos as patriotism instead of sedition.
Trump’s White House press secretary called the prosecutions of his allies “a grave national injustice,” declaring the pardons part of a “process of national reconciliation.” That’d be news to the Justice Department, since the so-called “persecuted patriots” were never charged by federal prosecutors—only by state officials acting independently. In short, Trump pardoned people for crimes that, legally, didn’t exist in his jurisdiction.
Giuliani, disbarred and disgraced, still insists he “did nothing wrong” while facing defamation judgments and state charges. Eastman, who crafted the infamous memo urging Mike Pence to stop the electoral vote count, is fighting for his law license. Clark, who once tried to weaponize the Justice Department to send fake fraud letters to Georgia lawmakers, remains unrepentant, calling the investigations a “witch hunt.” As for Meadows, his cooperation and testimony in various probes left him straddling the line between loyalty and self-preservation—a tightrope Trump just rewarded.
Let’s be clear: This wasn’t a mercy play—it was a message. Trump is telling the world that loyalty to him, no matter how reckless or unlawful, will always be rewarded. The rest of America, though, still remembers the truth: The 2020 election wasn’t stolen.
Source: Associated Press
Editor: Trump’s pardons are like a loyalty program for grifters—commit enough crimes in his name, and eventually, your points pay off.
Cleveland Guardians Pitchers Indicted in Federal Pitch-Fixing Scandal
Two Cleveland Guardians pitchers have been indicted for allegedly taking bribes to throw rigged pitches—turning America’s pastime into a high-stakes side hustle for gamblers.
Federal prosecutors charged Emmanuel Clase de la Cruz and Luis Leandro Ortiz Ribera with honest services wire fraud conspiracy, bribery conspiracy, and money-laundering conspiracy after uncovering a scheme that allegedly began in May 2023. Clase, a top relief pitcher, and Ortiz, a newcomer to the plan, are accused of working with bettors to manipulate “prop bets” on specific pitches—essentially selling out baseball’s integrity one slider at a time. “Integrity, honesty, and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. “When corruption infiltrates the sport, it brings disgrace… and damages the public trust.”
The indictment alleges Clase agreed to throw off-speed pitches or balls in exchange for cash, including one game where he intentionally buried a pitch in the dirt at under 95 mph—earning bettors a quick $38,000. By June 2025, Ortiz had joined in, reportedly pocketing $7,000 to toss a rigged pitch while withdrawing $50,000 in cash to bankroll bets. Both now face up to 20 years in prison for fraud and money laundering charges.
Clase, currently serving the fourth year of a five-year, $20 million contract, and Ortiz are the latest names in a widening wave of sports betting scandals. The NCAA recently stripped eligibility from several basketball players over gambling-related game manipulation, and even NBA figures like Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups have been swept up in similar probes. What started as “friendly fan engagement” has now morphed into something far uglier—where every bad pitch could be a felony, not just a mistake.
Baseball once prided itself on learning from the Black Sox scandal a century ago. Now it’s repeating the same lesson, this time with crypto wallets and betting apps instead of shady backroom deals. Both players are expected to be arraigned soon in Brooklyn federal court, where they’ll have plenty of time to think about whether a few thousand bucks was worth throwing away their careers.
Source: UPI
Editor: Maybe Major League Baseball should’ve seen this coming when it let gambling set up shop in the dugout. Turns out, when you make every pitch a potential payout, somebody’s bound to start playing the odds instead of the game.