More Resignations Coming After MTG and Anti-ICE Protestors at Home Depots

In this episode of Good News for Lefties, host Wendy King takes us on an inspiring journey through diverse stories that uplift and empower. 

One of the most compelling stories discussed is the resignation of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, which has exposed deeper fractures within the GOP. As reported by Punchbowl News, many Republican representatives are feeling disrespected and sidelined, leading to a wave of potential resignations before the midterms. This situation serves as a wake-up call for GOP leadership, illustrating that the party's internal discord may have serious implications for their future.

The episode also covers a unique protest led by the National Day Laborer Organizing Network at Home Depot. In an effort to stand against the increased presence of ICE at their stores, participants bought and immediately returned 17-cent ice scrapers, creating chaos at the registers. This bold action sends a clear message about the importance of community solidarity and the fight for immigrant rights.

Wendy shares the inspiring work being done by Free Rent, a nonprofit in Atlanta that provides rental assistance to families facing housing instability. Their grant program aims to cover a year's worth of rent for eligible families, helping them achieve financial stability during tough times. This initiative exemplifies the power of community support and the importance of helping those in need.

Additionally, the episode discusses a significant lawsuit filed by Oregon's Attorney General to restore a Coast Guard helicopter that was removed from the Newport Air facility. This helicopter is crucial for search and rescue operations along the dangerous Oregon coast, and its removal has raised serious safety concerns. The community's united front in this legal battle underscores the importance of advocacy and standing up for essential services.

Also, she covers an important story for peace and civility worldwide. Pope Leo has denounced the misuse of religion for ‘justifying’ war, violence or fanaticism. The pontiff has called on worshippers to enable “dialogue and cooperation” between different communities and see the humanity in others.

Lastly, Wendy touches on the importance of supporting small businesses during the holiday season, highlighting a campaign encouraging shoppers to pay in cash to help offset credit card processing fees. This grassroots effort not only supports local businesses but also fosters a sense of community resilience.

Overall, this episode is a powerful reminder that amidst the challenges we face, there are countless stories of hope, activism, and positive change. Tune in to Good News for Lefties for your dose of optimism and to learn how you can be part of the movement for a better future.

Story Links:
https://newrepublic.com/post/203596/house-republican-more-explosive-resignations-coming-marjorie-taylor-greene
https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/ice-protest-home-depot-california
https://www.blackenterprise.com/free-rent-atlanta-nonprofit-reopens-grant-program/
https://www.doj.state.or.us/media-home/news-media-releases/ag-rayfield-announces-lawsuit-to-return-newports-search-and-rescue-helicopter/
https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/26/middleeast/pope-leo-turkey-lebanon-first-trip-intl-cmd
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2025/11/27/cash-small-business-saturday-texas/87466353007/

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/good-news-for-lefties-daily-news-for-democracy--6256627/support.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Good News for Lefties. Hello, and thanks for joining us
on this edition of Good News for Lefties. I'm Wendy King,
ready to help you swap out doom and gloom for
some genuine hope with uplifting stories for democracy defenders, progressives, liberals, socialists, leftists,

(00:28):
and anyone who believes in making America a better place
for everyone. To help spread the positivity, please rate and
review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or whatever podcast platform
you choose. It helps more lefties like you hear more
good news stories and stay positive and motivated for the

(00:49):
days ahead. Okay, Our first good news story is from
the new republic Representative Marjorie Taylor Green's abrupt to resignation
announcement has only revealed more cracks in the GOP's foundation.
Punch Bowl News reports that even more Republican representatives are

(01:10):
considering resigning in the middle of their term due to
what they see as the quote arrogance of this White
House unquote. One anonymous senior House Republican told Jake Sherman,
this entire White House team has treated all members like
garbage all and Mike Johnson has let it happen because

(01:32):
he wants it to happen. That is the sentiment of
nearly all appropriators, hawks, doves, rank and file. The arrogance
of this White House team is off putting to members
who are run roughshod and threatened. He said. They don't
even allow little wins like announcing small grants or even

(01:53):
responding from agencies, not even the high profile the regular
rank and file. Random members are more upset than ever.
Members know they're going into the minority after the midterms.
It's unclear which Republicans are on the brink of resignation,
but their feeling of disrespect and their failure to win

(02:15):
on various issues have led many on the right to
throw in the towel for twenty twenty six. As they
expect the party to lose its already slim majority, more
explosive early resignations are coming. It's a tinderbox. Morale has
never been lower. According to the anonymous representative, Mike Johnson

(02:36):
will be stripped of his gavel and they will lose
the majority before this term is out. This should be
a massive wake up call for President Trump and GOP leadership.
A sitting high ranking member is predicting they will lose
the House due to resignations before the midterms. Marjorie Taylor

(02:56):
Green sounded off on these issues in her exit manifesto Friday.
She wrote, almost one year into our majority, the legislature
has been mostly sidelined during the longest shutdown in our
nation's history. I raged against my own speaker and my
own party for refusing to proactively work diligently to pass

(03:18):
a plan to save American health care and protect Americans
from outrageous, overpriced and unaffordable health insurance policies. The House
should have been in session working every day to fix
this disaster, but instead America was force fed disgusting political
drama once again from both sides of the aisle. My bills,

(03:41):
which reflect many of President Trump's executive orders, just sit
collecting dust. Many common Americans are no longer easily convinced
by paid political propaganda spokespeople and consultants on TV and
paid shills on social media. They know how much credit
card debt they have. They know how much their own

(04:04):
bills have gone up over the past five years. They
actually do their own grocery shopping and no food costs
too much. Their rent has increasingly gone up. They've been
outbid by corporate asset managers too many times when they
put in an offer to buy a house, they've been
laid off after being forced to train their visa holding replacement.

(04:27):
The college degree they were told to earn only left
them in debt with no big six figure salary. They
see more homeless people than ever on their own community streets.
They can afford health insurance or practically any insurance, and
they just aren't stupid, okay. Story number two comes from

(04:49):
Good Good Good dot Co. Californians across Monrovia and Burbank
formed long lines outside of their local home depots, but
not to shop for the hall to participate in a
very unique protest led by the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.
The protest involved customers buying and then immediately returning seventeen

(05:15):
cent ice scrapers. This is a move that disrupted sales
and led to chaos of mass returns at all registers.
It was a move that was meant to boycott the
home improvement chain in response to immigration and custom enforcements
increased presence at their stores. Hundreds of people participated in

(05:37):
the ice scraper boycott, which also involved picketing in parking
lots with chants of ice ice out of Home Depot.
The network said on Instagram. This message is clear, scrape
ice off of your properties. This is a necessary escalation.
Home Depot has ignored the harm for too long. We

(06:00):
will not. Ice is escalating violence, so we're escalating action.
But the protests weren't just limited to the Golden State.
Protesters also gathered outside of home Depots in Charlotte, North Carolina,
a city that has seen a surge of ice raids
in recent days. This isn't just commerce, this is community survival,

(06:23):
said Zamara Saldivar, an organizer for the Carolina Migrant Network.
Right now, the community is under threat. Since Saturday, we've
received calls of increased enforcement outside of Home Depot across
the city. This follows repeated calls for boycotts against Home
Depot as ice raids continue in Chicago and in Charlotte.

(06:47):
On November eighteenth, an ex user alleged that Home Depot
cooperated with ICE and allowed them to work out of
their parking lots. Home Depot replied, this is untrue. Aren't
cooperating with ICE. We aren't involved in ICE activities and
we aren't notified when they're going to happen. However, Saldivar

(07:09):
said that non action is worthy of criticism in and
of itself, and called on home depot management across the
nation to keep immigration officers off their property. Home Depot
has the responsibility and opportunity to stand with the community,
she said, as a major gathering point. They're not neutral.

(07:31):
Their stores are part of daily reality for immigrant workers
and families. We need them to be partners in protecting
the people who rely on these basics. And we know
one thing for certain, she said, silence from any of
us allows harm to grow. We'll be back in just

(07:53):
a minute with good news for lefties.

Speaker 2 (07:57):
Here's what you've been missing on the Stephanie Miller Happy
Hour podcast.

Speaker 3 (08:01):
I do have a question. I tried to get an
answer out of you on radio Okay. The question is
when did you notice Joe Biden's cognitive decline? And don't
I don't, don't change the subject in the flat. When
did you really notice it?

Speaker 4 (08:14):
Well, I think it was through all of the times
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my gosh, my mom had to mention I recognize that.

Speaker 3 (08:29):
This is not It's a very good deflection. You're a professional.

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You know what else is worried about, good Biden Biden
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and I'm wondering if they're going to release those?

Speaker 5 (08:39):
Are you covering that tonight?

Speaker 2 (08:43):
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people repelling here and snatched me away to El Salvador.

Speaker 5 (08:55):
Thank you everybody, Good night.

Speaker 4 (08:58):
I have accomplished my ones every day ten years ago
of getting thrown off Fox News.

Speaker 5 (09:03):
I will never ever be back.

Speaker 3 (09:05):
Thank you.

Speaker 2 (09:07):
Subscribe to the Stephanie Miller Happy Hour podcast on Apple Podcasts,
Stephaniemiller dot com, or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

Speaker 1 (09:20):
The next story comes from Black Enterprise dot com. A
new grant program in Atlanta will cover rental payments for
eligible families throughout the next year. Free Rent, a rental
assistant nonprofit in Atlanta, Georgia, has returned for the third
year of helping families stay in their homes. Free Rent

(09:42):
has brought back its grant program for renters to keep
up with their monthly bills in this time of government
cuts and layoffs. Especially after the recent government cuts and layoffs,
the nonprofit officially reopened its rental assistance initiative on October
thirty first, for families the chance to receive fully covered

(10:03):
rental payments. Usually, the nonprofit helps families stay afloat by
offering one month or more of covered rent. However, the
grant program goes the extra mile by providing a year's
worth of rent payments. Families will also receive resources and
support to ensure they can remain on track towards financial stability.

(10:25):
The organization emphasized how more people are at risk of
losing housing than they realize. Free Rent wants to offer
opportunities to alleviate that heavy cost, helping families build generational
wealth and thrive in the long term. Just one thing
can happen to get them behind on rent or on

(10:46):
the brink of losing housing instability, said Ashley Stewart, the
executive director of Free Rent. Through this opportunity, through this
hand up for a year, we can help them out
not only to stable, but to build a path for
their long term financial future. Eligible participants include those who

(11:07):
have active leases within the city limits of Atlanta and
have recently experienced a hardship such as a family crisis
or natural disaster. Their household income must also be at
or below eighty percent of the area median income and
hold a rent to income ratio at or below fifty

(11:29):
percent as well. Alongside one full time working adult in
the home and a commitment to the Free Rent Financial
education program, families could have their rent taken care of
throughout twenty twenty six. Free Rent has a goal for
each of its grant participants to save at least three
months of living expenses while covering the rent. A majority

(11:53):
of families have reached that goal in past cycles, with
one twenty twenty five participant emphasizing the tram tremendous impact
the grant has had on her life. When they picked
me to be one of the participants of the program,
I couldn't believe it. Just getting that type of break.
Everybody's always waiting for some type of relief, and in

(12:14):
this world it's very few and far in between. The
nonprofit gets most of its funding from the community, raising
four hundred and sixty thousand dollars this August from annual fundraisers.
While expanding to other cities, its mainstay in Atlanta helps
the area as it grapples with an affordable housing crisis.

(12:36):
According to the Atlanta Regional Commission, confirmed wages have yet
to catch up with the rising costs of rentals throughout
the city. Free Rent hopes to alleviate these issues, if
even just a bit, for families that hit the hardest
by these tough times. The nonprofit plans to help three
hundred families by twenty thirty. As they continue their virtuous mission.

(13:00):
People are encouraged to nominate someone they know who could
greatly benefit from the program. And now here's some good
news from the State of Oregon Department of Justice website.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield has announced that the State
of Oregon, together with Lincoln County and the Newport Fishermen's

(13:22):
Wives Organization, are filing lawsuits to compel the federal government
to return the Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopter abruptly removed
from the Newport air facility. Both of the lawsuits will
be adjudicated in Federal District Court in Eugene, Oregon. This
helicopter isn't a luxury It's a critical part of how

(13:44):
we keep people alive on the Oregon coast, said Attorney
General Rayfield. The federal government didn't just move a piece
of machinery. They pulled away a safety net that this
community depends on, and they did it in the dark
of night, with no transparency and no legal process. We're
taking action because every minute matters in a coastal emergency.

(14:09):
For nearly four decades, the Newport based helicopter has been
a lifeline for coastal residents, fishermen, and visitors. Its sudden,
unannounced overnight removal to North Bend, without any public notice,
community consultation, or the risk of assessments required under federal law,
has left one of the most dangerous stretches of the

(14:31):
Pacific Coast without timely aerial rescue coverage. We are deeply
concerned about the safety of our commercial fishing industry, especially
with the opening of crab season scheduled for December sixteenth,
said the president of the Newport Fishermen's Wives. Commercial fishing
is one of the nation's most dangerous occupations, and Oregon's

(14:54):
cold waters make rapid helicopter response a matter of life
and death. The loss of the helicopter at the Newport
air Facility will greatly impact the safety of commercial and
recreacial fishermen, coastal residents, visitors, inland, forest workers, and recreationalists,
said Lincoln County Commissioner Walter Chuck. This vital asset also

(15:18):
provides assistance to our local first responders and search and
rescue teams. Not having the helicopter where it is supposed
to be will put lives at risk, especially when our
dungeness crab fleet will begin setting and pulling their pots
in some of the most adverse conditions. The Oregon state

(15:38):
lawsuit will argue that the removal of the helicopter violates
federal statutory requirements and standards that mandate public notice, community input,
and formal risk assessments before the Coastguard may downgrade or
relocate an air station or essential rescue asset. Those process

(16:00):
were not followed. Community members, local officials, and commercial fishermen
have voiced deep concerns that relocating the helicopter farther from
Newport will significantly increase emergency response times. The Coast Guard
attempted a similar closure in twenty fourteen, but Congress ultimately

(16:21):
prevented the closure. After the Newport fishermen's wives and local
leaders challenged the Coastguard's decision in federal court. Newport remembers
what happened in twenty fourteen, and the law has only
gotten clearer since then, according to Attorney General Rayfield. He
also added, the Coast Guard plays an irreplaceable role in

(16:44):
our coastal safety. If federal officials want to change that footprint,
they must follow the law. Sneaking a helicopter out in
the middle of the night is not following the law.
The Attorney General emphasized that the action reflects a united
front among state, county, and community partners. Coming up next,

(17:07):
a listener suggested story, We'll be back in just a
minute with good news for lefties.

Speaker 3 (17:20):
Hi, I'm John Fugelsang.

Speaker 5 (17:21):
And I'm Professor Corey Bretschneider.

Speaker 1 (17:23):
And we are here to tell you about the Oath
and the Office, an essential new podcast about the extremely
strange times we find ourselves in.

Speaker 5 (17:29):
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and defend the Constitution, and we're going to hold him
to that pledge despite the fact that he has threatened
democracy and even the law itself.

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Speaker 1 (17:58):
Okay, it's time for our suggested story. This one sent
into us by Mabel from Toronto. This from CNN. Pope
Leo condemned the use of religion for justifying war, violence
or fanaticism, instead urging Catholics to mobilize their faith and

(18:19):
unify others, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, religion, or personal perspectives.
The pontiff called on worshippers to enable dialogue and cooperation
between different communities and see the humanity in others, as
he commemorated a significant church anniversary in Turkey. The whole

(18:41):
of humanity, afflicted by violence and conflict, is crying out
for reconciliation, said the Pope. There is a universal fraternity
of men and women, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, religion, or
personal perspectives. Religion, by their very nature are repositories of

(19:03):
this truth and should encourage individuals, groups, and peoples to
recognize this and put it into practice. Leo took part
in celebrations for the seventeen hundredth anniversary of the Council
of Nicea in the northwestern town of Isnik, alongside the
spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians, Patriarch Bartholomew. Leaders from

(19:28):
an array of other denominations, including Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox,
Protestant churches and Eastern Catholic Churches were also in attendance.
According to the Vatican, the outdoor event, which was staged
near a lake overlooking the ancient underwater basilica of Saint Neophytos,

(19:49):
marked the second day of Leo's first diplomatic tour abroad,
where he is advocating for unity, open dialogue and strides
towards sustained peace on a polarized global stage. We must
strongly reject the use of religion for justifying war, violence,
or any form of fundamentalism or fanaticism, Leo said. Instead,

(20:12):
the paths to follow are those of fraternal encounter, dialogue
and cooperation. The pope traveled by military helicopter to Isnik,
north of Istanbul, to where the council first took place
in three point twenty five AD. In a defining moment
for Christianity, the council formed core Christian doctrine and produced

(20:36):
the first version of what would become the Nicene Creed,
a singular profession of faith still recited by Christians of
different denominations. Big thanks to Mabel in Toronto, Canada for
sending in that good news story and our final story
from USA. Today, it's Small Business Saturday, and some businesses

(21:00):
are telling their shoppers why not pay in cash. Paying
with cash would help businesses offset credit card processing fees
that eat into their razor thin margins, said the Texas
Restaurant Association, which is representing the largest private employer in Texas.
Credit Card fees now average two point thirty five percent

(21:24):
of every sale, totaling at least one hundred eighty seven
billion dollars nationwide, and it can consume more than half
of a restaurant's profit on a one hundred dollars ticket.
Instead of passing on costs to customers via credit card surcharge,
as many businesses have done nationwide, the Texas Restaurant Association

(21:47):
said it wants to keep costs down for its members
and their customers, while surcharging is an option most restaurants
are trying to avoid adding new fees at a time
when families are already feeling significant financial pressure. For decades,
businesses have absorbed the credit card fees, but after years

(22:08):
of elevated inflation, labor shortages, and mounting tariffs, they're struggling
and can't continue to eat rising credit card fees. According
to the Restaurant Association, this holiday season may be a
last stand for many of them before a traditionally slow
first quarter and an uncertain twenty twenty six. This isn't

(22:31):
just a Texas issue, they said. If more customers pay
with cash or debit, everyone saves money and small businesses
are able to keep prices stable and stay competitive during
a tough holiday season. Americans paid about twelve hundred dollars
annually per family in credit card processing fees just last year.

(22:53):
Credit Card processing fees are levied both on the price
of the goods or services and any tax or tips
added to the bill. Illinois became the first state last
year to pass major processing fee legislation to exclude taxes
and tips from credit card processing fees, but legal challenges

(23:14):
have stalled the enforcement. So before shopping at your local
establishments today, stop by the ATM and pick up some cash.
That's all for today. Remember to share this podcast with
your friend's family, and anyone else who needs a dose
of optimism. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,

(23:36):
or wherever you tune in. You can also find us
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to go viral. Until next time, I'm Wendy King reporting
this is good news for lefties and America.