Seeds of Wisdom RV and Economic Updates Sunday Morning 3-16-25

16/03/2025

Good Morning

U.S. SENATE PASSES CONTROVERSIAL BILL TO AVOID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

▪The Senate passed a Republican-led spending bill to avert a government shutdown, with key Democratic support.

▪Senate leader Schumer prioritized avoiding a shutdown, arguing it would grant Trump and “DOGE” excessive power.

▪The bill’s passage revealed a divide within the Democratic party, with moderates and allies supporting Schumer’s pragmatic approach.

The U.S. Senate narrowly avoided a government shutdown on Friday, passing a Republican-led spending bill just before the midnight deadline. The vote was 62-38, with 10 Democrats siding with nearly all Republicans. But while the bill kept the government running, it exposed deep divisions within the Democratic Party – especially when it comes to handling Donald Trump’s influence.

Behind the scenes, tensions ran high. Some Democrats wanted to take a stand against the GOP, while others feared the consequences of a shutdown. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was caught in the middle, making a strategic move that surprised many. So, why did he support the bill?

Schumer’s Quiet Strategy

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer faced pressure from progressives and House Democrats to oppose the GOP-backed bill. However, he stayed quiet about his stance all week. On Thursday, he finally announced his support, giving other Democrats the green light to follow. This move helped reduce the risk of a shutdown during uncertain economic times.

Schumer admitted the bill wasn’t ideal but argued that shutting down the government would give Trump and his allies too much power.

The Democrats Who Voted With Republicans

Nine Senate Democrats joined Schumer in supporting the bill, temporarily giving up some leverage over Trump. These lawmakers included moderates, Schumer’s close allies, senators from states with many federal workers, and those nearing retirement. They agreed with Schumer that preventing a shutdown was the better option, fearing that Trump and Elon Musk could use the crisis to gain even more control.

Schumer warned that the future of government funding was now in the hands of Trump, Musk, and their allies. He cautioned that if a shutdown happened, it could last six to nine months and create serious instability.

Some Democrats criticized him for giving up too soon, saying he missed a rare chance to pressure Republicans after the House passed the GOP’s spending bill with Trump’s backing.

“I’ll Take Some Bullets,” Says Schumer

The vote largely followed party lines, 54-46, leaving many Democrats frustrated. They argued the bill failed to address key issues like healthcare and housing.

Schumer acknowledged the criticism but stood by his decision. “I’ll take some of the bullets,” he said, accepting that both moderates and progressives would be unhappy. The nine Democratic senators who voted with him may also face political consequences, but none are expected to have immediate election challenges.

House Democrats Frustrated Over Schumer’s Move

House Democrats, who had earlier rejected the bill, were upset with Schumer’s decision. Leaders like Hakeem Jeffries wanted a short-term funding bill to allow more time for negotiations. They argued the GOP bill gave Trump too much power while cutting critical services, including funding for Washington, D.C.

Senate Republicans, including John Thune, defended the bill, saying Democrats failed to complete last year’s budget, making another stopgap measure necessary.

Despite criticism from some Democrats, the White House stood by Schumer. The president praised him for making a “bold and courageous” choice, showing his approval of the compromise.

@ Newshounds News™

Source: Coinpedia

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4 TYPES OF FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS YOU SHOULD KEEP TOGETHER AT ALL TIMES IN CASE OF EMERGENCY — HERE’S WHY

Life is full of the unexpected. You never know when you may find yourself in dire straits or faced with an emergency that’s totally out of your control. Sadly, Americans are affected by weather-related disasters now more than ever before.

According to the NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), 2024 alone was full of “billion-dollar” weather-related natural disasters: There were 27 individual weather and climate disasters with at least $1 billion in damages, which is only one less than the record of 28 events in 2023. Last year’s natural disasters took nearly 600 lives and cost approximately $182.7 billion in total.

With natural disasters on the rise, you’ll absolutely need to be prepared for whatever comes your way. This includes having a “financial go bag” at the ready.

A financial go bag is basically what it sounds like: It’s a bag with everything related to your finances, identity, emergency contacts and medical information that you need to keep on your person.

Here are four specific categories of items you’ll want to be sure you have in your financial go bag.

Financial and Legal Documents

Having copies of any applicable financial and legal documents printed and at the ready is critical, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). For example, if your home is destroyed in a fire, maintaining copies of these documents in your go bag may be the only physical proof you have of account ownership.

These include but are not limited to the following types of documents:

▪Credit and debit card statements
▪Checking account statements
▪Savings account statements
▪Retirement and investment account statements
▪Utility bills
▪Student loan statements
▪Alimony and child support documents
▪Elder care information.

Identification

When faced with a catastrophe, you’ll need to have at least a few forms of identification in your bag, according to FEMA.

Two important reasons are you may need to be identified to receive emergency medical attention, or authorities may need to identify you if you’re attempting to cross a security checkpoint.

These include but are not limited to the following types of identification:

▪Passport
▪Driver’s license
▪Social Security card
▪Green card
▪Military service identification
▪Pet ownership papers and identification tags.

List of Emergency Contacts

FEMA also recommends keeping a list of emergency contacts in your bag in case of evacuation. For example, maybe your cell phone, which contains all your contacts, dies, and the only way to contact someone is by using someone else’s phone and referencing the list in your bag.

These include but are not limited to the following types of contacts:

▪Doctors and specialists
▪Dentists
▪Pediatricians
▪Veterinarians
▪Your children’s school
▪Your employer
▪Local emergency services.

Medical Information

If an emergency strikes, it could result in injuries to you or your family. In the worst-case scenario, you have to have all pertinent medical information ready in your bag, according to FEMA, to ensure you receive the care and benefits you’re entitled to get.

This includes but is not limited to the following medical information:

▪Health insurance cards
▪Medicare and/or Medicaid cards
▪Dental insurance cards
▪Any other health benefits, such as VA benefits
▪A detailed and up-to-date list of medications you take
▪Immunizations records
▪Allergy information
▪Medical equipment and devices you need
▪Pharmacy information
▪Living will, medical power of attorney and any disability documentation.

@ Newshounds News™

Source: Yahoo Finance