We need a government that serves us

July 23, 2025

Hey everyone!

Let's talk about a few issues as we navigate these unusual times.

Philadelphia needs the Department of Education

We've started to witness the dismantling of the Department of Education by the Trump administration. This follows a Supreme Court ruling that removed an injunction while a case challenging the president's authority to close the department makes its way through the courts.

It was just a few weeks ago that we saw the devastating impact of cuts to staffing and  funding for the National Weather Service and FEMA. The result was hundreds dead and missing in Texas following the recent floods in the state. This situation demonstrated immediate cause and effect that even pushed the Trump administration to pull back on their threats of further cuts to FEMA. My fear is that the true impact of cuts in staffing and spending at the DoE will not manifest for years to come — perhaps for a generation — and when it does, the fallout will be devastating! At a time when our education system needs more resources and greater access to ensure our students are prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow, this administration has decided to eviscerate the department established for the protection of disadvantaged students. Philadelphia will be acutely impacted as upwards of a quarter of our public school funding comes from the federal government (DoE, DHHS, etc). If Trump is allowed to shutter (in all but name) the DoE, this will mean even fewer resources and a higher tax burden for our city. Congress must halt and reverse these actions and put in place protections to prevent the unilateral dismantling of government agencies.

The GENIUS Act: Inept legislation that kicks the can down the road

Last week the GENIUS Act was signed into law. This legislation does practically nothing to protect Americans from the well documented threats cryptocurrencies pose to an unfamiliar public, and instead gives the false impression that the government is doing real work on the topic. A good indicator of the toothlessness of this law can be seen in the overwhelmingly positive response it has received from the major players in the crypto industry. There are no protections in the bill that prevent predatory or unscrupulous behavior in the market. All this bill manages to do is create a set of seemingly arbitrary controls for "stablecoins" without even a hat tip to validating the technical soundness of these currencies. This might open the door to additional exposure for Americans to crypto (for example, through retirement funds), under the assumption that these instruments are now "safe", which can in turn result in Americans experiencing massive losses if these currencies fail, and they fail all the time. The Congress must create strong laws and regulations that allow Americans to use cryptocurrencies safely, and they must NOT use the passing of the GENIUS Act as an excuse to lose focus on this increasingly ubiquitous technology.

A word on Epstein

I'll keep this brief and not give this story the wrong kind of attention. Mr. Epstein was a predator that victimized young women and girls. These victims are real, their traumas are real, and we should never overlook these facts as this story unfolds and becomes sensationalized. If the government is actively holding back information that, at best, protects individuals from their own perceived  embarrassment, or, at worst, protects sexual predators, then the Congress must engage in a full investigation that brings all perpetrators, whether they were involved in the original crime or the coverup, to justice.

--Karl