From Teardown to Shutdown and Beyond – “The Sunday Political Brunch” - October 26, 2025
Mark Curtis, MINDSETTER™
From Teardown to Shutdown and Beyond – “The Sunday Political Brunch” - October 26, 2025
“Government Shutdown Hits 3-weeks” – The U.S. government has been shut down for more than three weeks. Only essential employees, such as military personnel, law enforcement, TSA, and air traffic controllers, are working, albeit without pay. For the 12th time, the Senate has been unable to block a filibuster of a bill that will temporarily restore government funding. Sen. Elizabeth Warren characterized the shutdown tactic as a "last resort for those who can't win their fights through other means.” But even a Republican-led bill to keep paying federal employees, especially law enforcement and the military, failed in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R) South Dakota, said, “I don't know how you would explain — if you have any federal employees — how you would vote against something that would make sure that, in the middle of a government shutdown, if they continue to work, that they get paid.” There is simply no end in sight. But an anonymous friend of President Donald Trump is offering to give the Pentagon $130 million to pay the military!
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“East Wing Throwdown” – The most shocking imagery of the week was the complete demolition of the East Wing of the White House. At first, President Trump said the entrance would be removed to make way for a grand new ballroom that could host 1,000 people for a state dinner, up from the current occupancy of 200. But plans changed, and the whole wing is gone. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D) New York, was critical, saying the president needs to be focused on the government shutdown, and not “vanity projects like this one that don’t do anything to benefit the American people. They only benefit Trump and his ego.” In fairness, Trump is not the first president to alter the White House. President Franklin Roosevelt had the East Wing built in 1942 and even added a swimming pool. President William Howard Taft had the Oval Office built during his term. Even President Barack Obama had a basketball court installed. Trump said keeping the East Wing intact would have “hurt a very, very expensive, beautiful building.” He says he and private donors will pay for the renovation, not taxpayers.
“But is This Legal?” – As mentioned, Trump is not the first president to reconfigure the White House, but this is a renovation on the grandest of scales. Usually, two agencies need to be consulted: the National Park Service and the National Capital Planning Commission. Well, those two agencies are closed due to the government shutdown. Still, they are consultancies and offer planning and advice. But according to the Associated Press, ultimately, the final call is up to the Executive Office of the President.
“The Royal Rumble Continues” – As we were going to press last week, the British monarchy was revoking Prince Andrew's title of Duke of York. His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, would no longer hold the title Duchess of York. According to reports in Cosmopolitan, “Fergie” is “livid” and “furious” that her title was going to the trash can. The shocking thing to me is that the article points out that Andrew and Fergie were still living in the same house even though they divorced 29 years ago. While few specifics have been made public, these two royals were close with convicted sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Andrew was a frequent flyer to Epstein’s private Caribbean Island, while Ferguson wrote a controversial letter to Epstein and his lawyers, urging them to fight on with his appeals (even though he entered guilty pleas). King Charles is said to be appalled by all of this, so he took Andrew’s and Fergie’s titles away and uninvited them to all royal Christmas events. I suspect the late Queen Elizabeth II is spinning in her grave. Meanwhile the House Oversight Committee may subpoena Andrew to testify. No royal has ever testified before the U.S. Congress. Andrew’s Coat of Arms has also been taken down at Windsor Castle.
“Wrapping Remapping” – We’ve been following the inclinations of many states to do a mid-census redrawing of their Congressional boundaries, instead of waiting until 2030. Texas is hoping to add five Republican House seats, while Democrats in California are trying to match that with five more seats drawn in their favor. So, some might look askance at what North Carolina Republicans did this week, when they redrew and added just one new GOP seat. One seat? It may seem small, but right now the U.S. House is 219 Republicans to 213 Democrats, with 3 vacant seats. We know that right now, the release of the Jeffrey Epstein-Ghislaine Maxwell sex crime files hangs in the balance by just one single vote. It may not seem like much, but one vote in “purple” North Carolina may determine control of the House and the fate of many key issues. Now, Virginia may consider a remapping to benefit Democrats. Where will this end?
“Presidential Security Concerns” – Here in South Florida, we’ve had another perceived threat to presidential security. A tree stand was found in the woods near Palm Beach International Airport. That’s the airport President Trump flies to on Air Force One, and then takes a motorcade to Mar-a-Lago. A tree stand is a device used by hunters to perch higher in a tree, providing a better view of potential targets such as deer. I don’t know how much hunting takes place near a busy international airport. The creepiest part of this story is that the tree stand has a direct line of sight to where Air Force One usually parks and the president disembarks. The Secret Service discovered the tree stand during a sweep before a presidential visit in mid-October. While many criticized Secret Service failures during the two assassination attempts against Trump in 2024, this time they did the job right and should be commended.
“Disposing the Delegate” – The District of Columbia does not have an actual member of Congress, as it is not a state. Instead, it has a non-voting delegate who can still sit on committees and lobby other members of Congress on behalf of Washington, DC. For the past 34 years, that position has been held by Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), Washington, DC, who is a fixture on Capitol Hill. At 88, she wants to run for reelection next year, but some in her own party want her out. Many are upset about Norton’s inability to fight the Trump law enforcement takeover and National Guard call-up in DC. Even Norton’s former chief of staff and campaign manager, Donna Brazile, says it’s time for Norton to retire. In a Washington Post Op-Ed, Brazile wrote, “D.C. is under attack as at no other time in recent history, and we need a new champion to defend us.” Brazile added, “As I’ve told her in person, retirement from Congress is the right next chapter for her — and for the District.”
“First Amendment Prevails” – I have been complaining for weeks now that I believe the First Amendment to the Constitution is under unprecedented assault like never before. There was press “bullying” with unconstitutional restrictions being put on the media. And then there were more assaults on our churches, synagogues, and temples, intimidating people’s rights to practice their faith. I was discouraged, but then there were two distinctly different events that made me more optimistic. First was the public memorial service for slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, and second were the many “No Kings” rallies held last weekend. The First Amendment guarantees all of us the “freedom of assembly.” At one event, you mainly had conservatives, while at the other event, it was mostly liberals. I’m sure there were plenty of independents in each group. Let’s celebrate that, even if we disagree on the issues at hand! The “town square” belongs to ALL of us.