During August recess, Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune plan to call the House and Senate into session every four or five days, with practically no one there, for the sole purpose of preventing Trump from making recess appointments. Here was today’s House “pro-forma” session:

Gaza Said To Be Starving But Not 'Release The Hostages' Starving buff.ly/trapHZS

I just frankly don't care very much about Gaza. They started a war, and now are suffering the normal consequences of war - seen from Stalingrad to Vicksburg to Tenochitlan. The usual escape from these consequences is surrender, and negotiated defeat.

Just in case you missed it, this week’s roundup: Fridays with Fossel, Friday, July 25, 2025. Ballot initiatives, gubernatorial donations, Patriots training camp, and more jimfossel.substack.com/p/fridays-with…

This week’s update: Chellie Pingree has an opponent, Susan Collins keeps voting against Trump’s wishes, the Red Sox are still in the mix, and more jimfossel.substack.com/p/fridays-with… #mepolitics #mainepolitics #FridayVibes

Liberals need to stop doing identity politics for losers nytimes.com/2025/08/01/wel…

An update on the betting odds on the Blaine House, with three new candidates on the board: Jason Cherry (D), Ben Midgley (R), and John Glowa, Sr. (I): jimfossel.substack.com/p/the-betting-… #mepolitics #mainepolitics

This week’s update: Ben Midgley (R) is running for governor, Chellie Pingree (D) wants the US to recognize a Palestinian state, but Jared Golden (D) doesn’t, and Guster has a new album out and is playing in Portland this weekend: jimfossel.substack.com/p/fridays-with… #mepolitics #mainepolitics

Wordle 1,512 2/6 🟨🟨🟨⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Wordle 1,514 2/6 🟩⬜⬜🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Wordle 1,517 2/6 ⬜🟨⬜⬜🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

This week’s column, in case you missed it: Donald J. Trump is done giving Susan Collins a free pass. Well, kinda, sorta. pressherald.com/2025/08/08/hon… #mainepolitics #mepolitics

Comparing the 2024 Presidential and US Senate races in Maine, visually in map form: jimfossel.substack.com/p/the-2024-pre… #MEpolitics #MainePolitics

This week’s column: It’s time to crack down on real estate fraud pressherald.com/2025/08/17/mai…

I’ve listened to all 3 days plus of Down With Disease, one of Phish’s greatest jam vehicles. I’m going to be sharing what I’ve learned with you in a new feature I’m calling ‘A Thousand Barefoot Children’: jimfossel.substack.com/p/a-thousand-b… #phish #music #downwithdisease

Hey, it’s Friday! We have a new US Senate candidate, Graham Platner, the Red Sox and Patriots won, and the city of Portland might have to cooperate with ICE to keep getting federal funds: jimfossel.substack.com/p/fridays-with… #mainepolitics #mepolitics #redsox #patriots

PoIiMath It's the same thing they did with Kamala. It's entirely fabricated false "energy."

Gavin, in a nutshell.

Maybe post-Trump everything will be different, but it’s hard to see how Newsom or Shapiro or Buttigieg or Wes Moore solves the puzzle that Hillary/Biden/Kamala couldn’t manage to solve.

This week’s column: It’s time to admit public financing in gubernatorial elections is a failure and eliminate it pressherald.com/2025/08/22/aba… #MEpolitics #mainepolitics