Courts Stop Funds Freeze, NIH Changes, and Gender-Affirming Care Ban

Positive, daily news for democracy lovers! Join Beowulf Rochlen as he brings you the latest uplifting news stories that shine a light on progressive victories and community kindness. From court rulings that protect funding for essential services to heartwarming tales of anonymous generosity, this episode is packed with good news for lefties and all Americans.

More good daily news for democracy on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram.

Listen to our friends Jennifer and Dan of the Banned Camp podcast at BannedCampPodcast.com

Watch our friend Clark Reid at clarkreidsf.com

If you have thoughts, ideas, or more good news to share, we’d love to hear from you! Call or message us at 202-656-6271, or drop us a line at [e-mail]

You can find out more about GNFL's daily news stories here:

https://thehill.com/newsletters/business-economy/5137111-judge-orders-trump-officials-to-unblock-funds/

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5137047-federal-judge-restrains-nih-research/

https://minnesotareformer.com/2025/02/07/minnesota-attorney-general-sues-trump-over-order-halting-funding-for-gender-affirming-care/

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/thank-you-cards-pile-up-with-nowhere-to-go-after-school-district-receives-anonymous-transformative-donation/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/09/atlanta-affordable-housing

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/10/v-fluence-pesticide-critics

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Good News for Lefties and America. Hello, dear listeners, Welcome
back to another episode of Good News for Lefties. I'm
your host, Baobel Franklin, here to sprinkle a little sunshine
on your day with stories that remind us they're still
good in the world, especially for those of us on
the left side of the political spectrum. Before we dive

(00:29):
into today's uplifting tails, I want to remind you to
rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and wherever you
get your pods. Your feedback helps us spread the good
news even further, and don't forget to share this podcast
with your friends, family, or anyone who could use a
little positivity in their lives. You can find us on Facebook,

(00:50):
Blue Sky, and Instagram, so be sure to follow us
there for more updates. Now let's get to the good
stuff good news. If you've been feeling a bit worried
about the state of our federal funding, a federal judge
has ordered Trump officials to immediately unblock funds that were
previously frozen. U S District Judge John McConnell, appointed by

(01:12):
none other than President Barack Obama, ruled that the sweeping
freeze of federal funds was likely unconstitutional and has caused
irreparable harm to many across the nation. The judge's order
comes after a coalition of Democratic attorneys general from twenty
two states and Washington, d C. Challenged the freeze, which
was initially put in place to aligne with Trump's agenda. Now,

(01:37):
what were these funds for, you ask? Well, they include
money appropriated under the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act, as well as funds for vital
institutions like the National Institutes of Health. The freeze had
created a significant backlog in funding for various programs, leaving

(01:57):
many states and local governments in a lurch. The judge
emphasized that the funds are essential for public services, infrastructure projects,
and health initiatives that directly benefit communities across the country.
In his ruling, Judge McConnell stated, the broad, categorical, sweeping
freeze of federal funds is, as the Court found, likely

(02:19):
unconstitutional and has caused and continues to cause irreparable harm
to a vast portion of this country. This is a
critical reminder that the judiciary can serve as a check
on executive power, ensuring that the rights and needs of
the people are upheld. In another court victory, a federal
judge in Massachusetts granted a restraining order against the National

(02:43):
Institutes of Health's recent funding cuts. This came after twenty
two states filed a lawsuit to block the NIH's rate
change notice, which would have slashed indirect cost rates for research.
US District Court Judge Angel Kelly stepped into protect the
funding that supports critical research. The NIH's decision to cut

(03:05):
indirect cost rates to a standard rate of fifteen percent
would have severely impacted the ability of research institutions to
cover essential administrative and facility costs. The lawsuit was filed
by a coalition of state attorneys general who argued that
the cuts would hinder vital research efforts, particularly in areas
like public health, medical advancements, and scientific innovation. The plaintiffs

(03:30):
highlighted that these cuts could lead to a significant reduction
in research output, ultimately affecting the quality of health care
and scientific progress in the United States. In her ruling,
Judge Kelly stated, defendants and their officers, employees, servants, agents, appointees,
and successors are hereby and joined from taking any steps

(03:52):
to implement, apply, or enforce the rate change notice within
plaintiff states until further order is issued by this court.
The judge gave the NIH until Friday to open an
opposition to the motion, but for now the funding is secure.
This victory underscore is the importance of supporting scientific research

(04:13):
and ensuring that our institutions have the resources they need
to thrive. We'll be back to the news in a minute,
but first we had good news for lefties. Are excited
to feature a truly funny podcast perfect for anyone who
hates censorship. It's called band camp and it's hosted by
the hilarious duo of Jennifer and Dan. Ban Camp is

(04:35):
a comedy podcast where they read banned books and try
to figure out why they were banned in the first place.
This season, they're reading George Orwell's nineteen eighty four, one
chapter at a time, out loud. If you think banning
books will lead to a not so great future, then
band camp is for you. Whether you're like Jennifer, curious

(04:56):
to read the book for the first time, or like
Dan and a little too late to read it for yourself,
you'll love band Camp. Look for band camp that's banned
with two ends on your favorite podcast player and subscribe today.
Let's get banned together. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, along

(05:17):
with two other state attorneys general, has filed a lawsuit
against former President Trump over his recent executive order aimed
at restricting gender affirming care for transgender youth under nineteen.
Signed on January twenty eighth, this sweeping order sought to
halt funding via government run insurance programs, including Medicaid and Medicare,

(05:39):
for gender affirming care. The order also called for federal
agencies to cut off grants to hospitals and medical schools
providing such care to minors. This move was met with
immediate backlash from medical professionals, advocates, and state officials, who
argue that gender affirming care is not only essential, but

(05:59):
also evidence based and supported by major medical associations. Attorney
General Ellison defended the healthcare stating gender affirming care is
evidence based, provided by licensed and trained medical professionals, and
provided with the consent of a young person's parents or
legal guardians. He emphasized that the executive order is not

(06:23):
only illegal, but also means spirited and deeply hurtful to
vulnerable youth who rely on these services for their well being.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, argues that Trump's executive
order violates the Fifth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, which guarantees
that no person shall be denied the equal protection of

(06:44):
the laws. Ellison, along with the attorneys general from Washington
and Oregon, is seeking an emergency order to block the
executive order, asserting that it would cause immediate harm to
youth in their states. Medical associations, including the American Medical
Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have publicly supported

(07:07):
the use of gender affirming care for the treatment of
gender dysphoria, citing its importance in providing mental health outcomes
for transgender youth. The outcome of this lawsuit could have
far reaching implications for transgender youth across the country, and
will be keeping a close eye on this one. The

(07:28):
Ashland Schools Foundation in Oregon received an anonymous donation of
eight hundred and ninety thousand dollars. That's right, nearly a
million bucks, and the donor wants to remain anonymous. Superintendent
Joseph Hatrick was flumixed by the sheer number of thank
you cards piling up in his office, all expressing gratitude

(07:51):
to the unknown benefactor. The donation comes at a crucial
time for the Ashland School District, which is facing a
financial crisis and miss year staffing shortages. This generous benefactor
has allocated eight hundred fifty thousand dollars of the donation
to the district budget and forty thousand dollars to student

(08:11):
affinity groups that help foster a sense of belonging for
all students. Erica Thompson, the executive director of the Ashland
Schools Foundation, said, this extraordinary act of generosity demonstrates the
profound impact that community members can have on public education.
Students of all ages across the discritive been busy crafting

(08:34):
heartfelt thank you cards with messages filled with cutout hearts
and colorful drawings. The cards are piling up and the
gratitude is palpable. So if you're feeling down about the
state of the world, remember that kindness and generosity are
alive and well, and they can come out of nowhere
in the blink of an eye. Up next, a listener

(08:57):
suggested story back in a minute Now. A listener suggested
story from Glenn in Marietta, Georgia, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens
is on a mission to create twenty thousand new units
of affordable housing, and he's found a creative way to
make it happen. After realizing that his ambitious goal might

(09:19):
be hard to keep, Dickens and his team took a
page from Copenhagen, Denmark's playbook. They decided to inventory all
publicly owned land in the city, which is often siloed
in different apartments. By consolidating this land under a new
non profit corporation, the Atlanta Urban Development Corporation, aud they're

(09:42):
able to attract private financing and expertise to develop affordable housing.
The results are already impressive. There are currently forty public
land projects under way, with ten thousand new affordable housing
units either finished or under construction. In neighborhoods like Thomasville Heights,

(10:02):
the city owned land is being transformed into a vibrant
community hub, complete with the grocery store, an early childhood
education center, and around three thousand new housing units, thirty
percent of which will be affordable for families making less
than fifty percent of the area median income. This innovative

(10:22):
approach is not only addressing the housing crisis, but also
creating a sense of community and providing essential services to residents.
The AUD is breaking down silos between various city departments,
allowing for a more cohesive strategy in utilizing public land
for the greater good. In another neighborhood, West Midtown, a

(10:43):
city owned facility that was previously used to store new
trash cans as being repurposed for housing and community amenities.
This model of using public land for affordable housing is
gaining traction and staff in dozens of other cities across
the country are said to be taking note. I really
appreciate you sending that story in Glenn. If you have

(11:03):
thoughts ideas are more good news to share, We'd love
to hear from you. Call or message us at two
zero two six five six six two seven one, or
drop us a line at beowulf at two squared Media
Productions dot com. A company called v Fluence based in
Saint Louis, Missouri, has shut down its operations after an

(11:26):
investigation by the Guardian newspaper revealed that it was secretly
profiling hundreds of food and environmental health advocates. This so
called stakeholder Wiki included personal details about more than five
hundred environmental advocates, scientists, and politicians who were seen as
opponents of pesticides and genetically modified crops. The profiles often

(11:51):
contained derogatory information, even personal details like home addresses and
phone numbers. The backlash was swift and fierce, with many
of those profiled threatening legal action. The company, which had
been partially funded by US tax dollars, decided to halt
its operations in the face of widespread outrage. This demonstrates

(12:13):
that when a free press is allowed to do its work, transparency, fairness,
and democracy are more likely to flourish. And there you
have it, folks, a whirlwind of good news that reminds
us of the power of community, the importance of justice,
and the impact of kindness. As we wrap up today's episode,

(12:33):
I want to encourage you to share this podcast with
anyone who needs a little positivity in their lives. Don't
forget to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and
other platforms. Your support helps spread the good news even further.
You can find us on Facebook, Blue Sky, and Instagram,
so be sure to follow us there for more updates.

(12:56):
I'm Beowulf Rocklin, weird name good news news for Lefties
and America. The John Peeglesang podcast is now available six

(13:23):
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on CSI, picketed by Westboro Baptist Church and host tell
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(13:45):
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