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This 20-second clip of a GOP leader nails why calling your representatives matter.

Thus far, things aren't looking good for Republicans in favor of the American Health Care Act, the GOP's answer to repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). President Trump spent time this week vying to win over skeptical representatives on Capitol Hill, but it looks as though his deal-making efforts might come up short on March 23, when the bill is expected to be put to a vote.

The bill is widely unpopular among the public, and it's easy to understand why.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found the repeal and replace bill would leave an estimated 24 million more people uninsured throughout the next decade — more than if Congress simply axed Obamacare altogether and left nothing in its place.


Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

What's more, Trump's base of white "working class" voters in rural regions of the country would be disproportionately harmed by repealing provisions from Obamacare. And arguably no other state better illustrates that dilemma for the GOP than deep-red Kentucky.

Thanks to the ACA, the Bluegrass State's uninsured rate among low-income adults saw the most dramatic drop in the country between 2013 and 2015, falling 25% in just two years.

In a candid interview with MSNBC, GOP Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky explained why he couldn't support the new health legislation. And angry phone calls played a big role.

As Massie explained below, his office received 275 calls from constituents opposed to the health bill in recent days, while just four trickled in from those in support of the new legislation.

"This is an unpopular bill," Massie explained. "Whether you’re liberal or conservative."

As Massie's "no" vote shows, calling your representatives works.

Emailing or writing a letter may send a message, but picking up the phone and dialing sends a much stronger one.

There are tons of tools to keep you in-the-know and help connect you to your reps too.Countable, for example, makes it super simple to understand which pieces of legislation are coming up around the corner, and 5 Calls provides you with phone numbers and scripts on a variety of different issues to make calling your leaders in Washington fast and easy.

Millions of Americans' access to affordable, life-saving care is on the line right now — there's a representative in Washington that could use a call from you.

Family

Mom calls out teacher who gave her son a 'zero' grade for not providing class with supplies

Her viral video sparked a debate as to whether or not providing school supplies should be mandatory for parents.

@shanittanicole/TikTok

A zero grade for not providing school supplies?

The debate as to whether or not parents should supply classroom supplies is not new. But as prices continue to rise, parents are growing more baffled as to how they can be expected by teachers to provide all the various glue sticks, colored pencils, rulers and other various items the incoming students might need.

What’s even more perplexing, however, is penalizing the children of parents who won’t (or can’t) provide them.

This was the case for Shanitta Nicole, who discovered her son received a zero grade in his new school for not bringing school supplies for the entire classroom.
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A group of men look at paperwork.

The massive changes to the American workplace caused by the COVID-19 pandemic invited many to reconsider their professional lives. This reevaluation has led people to push for improved work-life balance, and many now are looking for work to provide a greater sense of meaning and purpose.

When the world returned to work after COVID, many believed they deserved to be treated better by their employers. This resulted in many taking a break from the workforce or changing professions altogether. It also helped usher in a more comfortable culture for calling out companies that don’t treat their employees respectfully.

Recently, a group of thousands came together on Reddit to expose the common mistruths that people often hear at the workplace. It all started when a Redditor named PretenstoKnow asked: "What's the most common lie employers tell their employees?" And over 2,600 people responded.

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Golden Retrievers are the ultimate good doggos.


If there's any dog breed that encapsulates "good doggo" energy, it's the Golden Retriever. Friendly, gentle, good-natured and oh-so-affectionate, Goldens have come by their reputation honestly. Even "I'm not a dog person" people tend to find themselves taken by Golden Retrievers, and a post on TikTok demonstrates why.

The video shared by @hugoandursula is captioned "my dog getting cuddles from strangers on the train," and that's exactly what it shows in the most adorable montage ever.

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Photo Credit: William Fortunado via Canva

Amanda Seals breaks down history of DAP handshake

We've all seen people do it. Anywhere from basketball players on television to kids meeting up at the skating rink. Even former president Barack Obama when greeting a mixed group of men gave "DAP" to the Black men in the group, yet switched to a firm handshake when greeting the other men.

It was almost like watching the president code switch, but with body language, in a move that many Black Americans recognize as a gesture of acceptance and comradery. But did you know that there's an actual history behind the DAP that has nothing to do with looking cool? Social justice educator and actress, Amanda Seales, recently re-shared a clip from "The Real" where she was diving into the history of the handshake.

Seales, who has a master's degree in African American Studies from Columbia University, was also admittedly surprised when she learned there was a deeper meaning to the gesture.

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Health

Neuroscientist reveals perfect amount of time to spend on social media for your mental health

Over several weeks, the participants felt less loneliness, depression and anxiety.

@rachelle_summers/TikTok

Anyone can use this checklist.

There are pretty clear cut guidelines on how much screen time kids should have, but for adults…not so much. And perhaps it’s this lack of clarity that leaves people to go on full blown digital detoxes or get off social media entirely.

And while there is certainly a case to be made for that decision, for many of us, that isn’t quite feasible—especially in certain lines of work.

Luckily, according to neuroscientist Rachelle Summers, there is a way we can still be on social media, without being subjected to its negative side effects.
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Photo by Kats Weil on Unsplash

Ready for a refreshingly wholesome story?

The stereotypical image we get of bachelor parties is a booze-filled evening of depravity and bad choices. Followed of course by a massive hangover…and some regrets.

And granted, there are plenty of viral videos to show that this is sometimes the case. But there are also plenty of grooms who don’t see it as their “last night as a free man.” On the contrary, they see it as an opportunity to simply celebrate the next chapter with close friends.

Case and point: a husband-to-be named Luke, who apparently couldn’t stop “gushing” about his bride, Sam. This, according to a woman also named Sam, who happened to be at the bar Luke was having his bachelor party at.
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