[[link removed]] Weekly Digest
Weekly Digest
Letter from an Editor | October 11, 2025
Dear John,
The government shutdown continued this week, as Democrats and Republicans remained locked in a stalemate. Democrats are fighting to keep the tax credits for the Affordable Care Act that make private health insurance plans more affordable, and restore funding for Medicaid that was gutted in the Republican budget bill this summer.
With open enrollment beginning soon, the ACA tax credit issue will have immediate consequences for the American public. If the tax credits expire, the average enrollee will pay more than double their usual premium next year, according to the nonpartisan health research organization KFF.
Americans want the shutdown to end—but not if it comes at the cost of affordable healthcare, according to polling from Navigator. Which only makes sense: across polls and years, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act are overwhelmingly popular among voters. No matter how much they claim to be acting in Americans’ best interests, Trump and the Republican party are by no means making a popular decision in axing the credits and decimating Medicaid. And they may very well suffer for it, come midterm elections, with polling showing that more Americans blame Trump and the Republicans for the shutdown over Democrats.
The Supreme Court began its new term this week. On Tuesday, the Court heard arguments in Kaley Chiles v. Patty Salazar , a case challenging Colorado’s law that bans conversion therapy for minors—a long-discredited practice that causes lasting harm and increases suicide risk among LGBTQ+ youth. In the arguments, a number of justices worryingly expressed concern that the laws restrict free speech, and signaled skepticism towards state-level bans.
And in Louisiana v. Callais, a case challenging the congressional map that Louisiana adopted in 2024, the Voting Rights Act’s crucial protections are once again under attack. The case, which was first heard last term but remained undecided, will be re-argued this coming week, on the 15th. If you’re in D.C., make your voice heard— join a rally [[link removed]] for the VRA in front of the Supreme Court as the Court hears oral arguments.
Chiles v. Salazar and Louisiana v. Callais are far from the only concerning cases on the docket this term—to say nothing of the “shadow docket,” which the Court has used liberally to wreak all sorts of havoc over its summer recess. For more analysis of what’s coming up at the Supreme Court, Steve Vladeck joins Michele Goodwin on the latest On the Issues—you can listen here [[link removed]] .
From the debates raging on Capitol Hill over vital programs that keep millions of Americans healthy, to the ICE raids terrorizing the streets of Chicago and beyond, it’s no time for us to be staying silent. We hope you’ll join us for the next No Kings Day on October 18— click here [[link removed]] to find a rally near you. Far too much is on the line for us to stay indoors.
For equality,
[[link removed]]
Kathy Spillar
Executive Editor
This Week's Must-Reads from Ms.
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How the Government Shutdown Is Hitting the Healthcare System—and What the Battle Over ACA Subsidies Means [[link removed]] One Megabill for the Megarich [[link removed]]
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The Trump Administration Is Paying Children $2,500 to Give Up Their Rights [[link removed]] As the Supreme Court Appears Ready to End State Bans on Conversion Therapy, a Reminder: The Practice Is Harmful and Discredited [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] Tune in for a new episode of Ms. magazine's podcast, On the Issues with Michele Goodwin on
Apple Podcasts [[link removed]] + Spotify [[link removed]] .
This last Supreme Court term was harrowing—from momentous merits decisions about the First Amendment, parental rights, trans rights and more, to the stream of shocking “shadow docket” decisions and its enabling of many of the Trump administration’s executive actions. What does the 2025-2026 term have in store for our nation? What do we think will advance through the Court? What do we think will come up, when it comes to the shadow docket? And perhaps most importantly, how will the Court choose to mediate the Trump administration’s continued onslaught of executive actions?
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U.S. democracy is at a dangerous inflection point—from the demise of abortion rights, to a lack of pay equity and parental leave, to skyrocketing maternal mortality, and attacks on trans health. Left unchecked, these crises will lead to wider gaps in political participation and representation. For over 50 years, Ms . has been forging feminist journalism—reporting, rebelling and truth-telling from the front-lines, championing the Equal Rights Amendment, and centering the stories of those most impacted. With all that’s at stake for equality, we are redoubling our commitment for the next 50 years. In turn, we need your help, Support Ms. today with a donation—any amount that is meaningful to you [[link removed]] . We are grateful for your loyalty and ferocity .
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