The Porchlight | October25
Trickle-Down Suffering: What the GOP Shutdown Means for Us
Republicans shut down the government this week and then had the nerve to blame Democrats. That’s a lie. They refused a clean funding bill, demanded health care cuts, and walked away when they didn’t get their way.
Read our full statement and press release on the shutdown
Their excuse? “Immigrant healthcare.” That’s bullshit. Undocumented people aren’t eligible for federal Medicaid or ACA subsidies. They never have been. Republicans know it. But they’re betting if they say it enough times, people will believe it.
Meanwhile, more than 640,000 Tennesseans are already uninsured. Now tens of thousands more could lose coverage. Our hospitals are stretched, our schools underfunded, our farmers left in limbo, and even workers at Y-12 and ORNL are on borrowed time.
This isn’t happening in some far-off city. It’s happening here, in Anderson County — in our clinics, in our classrooms, on our farms, and in our paychecks.
We can’t end the shutdown from Clinton or Oak Ridge, but we can organize right here. And we are.
Featured Events
General Assembly
Oct 16 | Clinton Community Center | 6:00–7:30pm
This is the big one. Our county-wide gathering where neighbors come together to fight back and get organized.
We’re looking ahead to the 2026 elections… building the plans, the teams, and the energy it’s going to take to win. From school board to statehouse, we’re laying the groundwork now so Democrats aren’t just on the ballot. We’re competitive, we’re visible, and we’re ready.
If you’ve been waiting for the moment to plug in, this is it. Come shape the plan. Be part of the team.
No Kings Day
Oct 18 | Oak Ridge Turnpike | 3:00–5:00pm
Trump and his allies are doubling down on authoritarian rule. No Kings Day is our answer.
This is about more than one man… it’s about rejecting every attempt to crown billionaires and strongmen while stripping power from everyday people. We’re standing up for democracy, for local control, for a future where communities decide their own fate.
From Oak Ridge to Washington, from small towns to big cities, we rise together. We say it plain: America doesn’t bow to kings.
Community Spotlight
neighbor2NEIGHBOR House Party Fundraiser
Oct 23 | The Uzzle Household | 7:00–8:00pm
neighbor2NEIGHBOR is our mutual aid work. It’s neighbors helping neighbors, building the safety net that Republicans in power keep tearing apart.
Join us for an evening of food, connection, and community. Hear the story of neighbor2NEIGHBOR, meet the people making it happen, and see how you can be part of building something that lasts.
October Calendar
Download the full October calendar
Here’s what else is happening this month. Click to RSVP and get details:
District 6 Dems Meeting – Oct 9, 5:30–6:30pm | HQ
Crafters’ Corner – Oct 10 & Oct 24, 1–3pm | HQ
Secret City Pride – Oak Ridge’s First LGBTQ+ Pride – Oct 12, 12–4pm | ORUU Church
Non-Fiction Book Club – Oct 16, 2–3:30pm | HQ (Science Under Siege)
District 4 & 5 Joint Meeting – Oct 17, 6–7pm | Lil VOLs Diner
An Afternoon with Jerri Green – Oct 26, 1–2pm | Wartburg Middle School
Support the Work
This Party doesn’t run on D.C. lobbyists or corporate checks. It runs on neighbors like you.
Why It Matters
When Republicans choose cruelty, our communities feel it first — in the clinic, in the classroom, at the kitchen table. But they don’t get the last word. Not here. Not in Anderson County.
When they cut, we build. When they lie, we tell the truth. When they shut it down, we rise up and organize.
We know who we are. We’re neighbors who won’t look away when families are hurting. We’re workers who won’t accept getting squeezed while billionaires get tax breaks. We’re Tennesseans who believe democracy is worth more than their power games.
This shutdown is their chaos. Our answer is community. Their cruelty stops where our organizing begins.
See you at the General Assembly, Oct 16.
-Anderson County Democratic Party Executive Committee
