Sailor, entrepreneur (electronic instrumentation), designer, woodworker, boat builder, potter. Pacific Northwest resident, outdoorsy, classical liberal. Parent of an adult trans child. Date from the final days of the Truman administration.
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Incompetence is the main feature of this entire administration, top to bottom. Especially top. Corruption and malice are a pretty close second, though.
Ukraine answered our call for help after the 9/11 attacks and deployed 5,000 soldiers despite not being in NATO. 18 Ukrainian soldiers perished. Russia paid bounties to the Taliban for every US soldier they killed. Let's not ever mistake who our friends and enemies are.
Trump is still the same person. He was lying then and he's lying still.
Wow. Put this together with today's excellent Bloomberg reporting on Epstein's newly uncovered emails and you see how the rich & powerful conspired to protect him. open.substack.com/pub/vickywar...
It's the new version of Southern Plantation style.
A conspiracy-addled brain is a terrible thing. I'm 72, grew up in the rural West where EVERYONE had guns, and while during hunting season or just from casual use, some teenagers may have left a rifle or shotgun in their vehicle at school, no one was "encouraged" to bring guns. Total BS.
I grew up w/ guns (rural AZ)- got my 1st "own" gun at 12- a single shot .22. There was a big emphasis on safety & respect. What gets called a gun now is in a completely different universe. These are war machines for exploding flesh at high rates of fire, and useless for anything else.
On the 49th anniversary of his death, Republicans in America are taking inspiration from Chinese Communist Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution that set China back for decades. www.texastribune.org/2025/09/08/t...
A National Guard report accidentally emailed to the Post says veterans and active-duty troops view the D.C. deployment with "shame and alarm" @alexhorton.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
There is a throughline between Texas A&M's embarrassing response to a student's complaint and a certain newspaper's "who's to say who signed it" article. www.pbump.net/o/the-climat...
This is correct. Mitch McConnell and John Roberts are, between them, the two public officials most responsible for what has happened to democratic governance. (Roger Ailes, Leonard Leo, Rupert Murdoch, the brothers Koch, etc on Mt. Rushmore, but not as public officials. Comey in here somewhere.)
When you publish a website that posts the names and photos of scholars who have written or said things you disagree with and encourage people to surveil and harass them, you are not, in fact, a “free speech” organization.
EXCLUSIVE/BOMBSHELL: @bloomberg.com has obtained **18K** previously unreported emails from Jeffery Epstein's personal Yahoo account. The emails are disturbing & revelatory & reveal new details about Ghilaine Maxwell's role FREE to read www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
Perhaps a heads up to the perp?
WTF? Does “the right way” to “practice politics” include lying re factual matters (eg saying Black Women have too little brainpower to be “taken seriously”)? Mourning Kirk’s murder & defending his right to make his wild claims doesn’t excuse praising his political MO www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/o...
I wish for a Congress that would apply this truth to Putin.
The MSNBC commentator saying that most political violence has historically come from the left just once again showed how we suffer from failing to learn history. Lynching, pogroms, race riots, the political violence that ended Reconstruction, and against the Civil Rights Movement. Come on.
Nah, it's just the ones that have a Trump asterisk.
Absolutely right!
This was LITERALLY last month. I feel like I'm losing my mind seeing rightwing posts over on Twitter tonight. nytimes.com/2025/08/13/u...
I abhor political violence- all violence. But Kirk's "work" was spreading hatred and destroying understanding- exactly the opposite of what Newsom claims here. And exactly the kind of "work" that gives rise to violence. đź‘Ť Newsom's trolling, but he's a slimy eel. We have far better Democrats.
With this administration the "presumption of regularity" needs to be replace by the presumption of lying.
I'm no expert, but this seems like a probe designed to gauge the NATO response, and to divide members. Too weak or disunited and the next attack will be incrementally worse. Rinse & repeat. Putin only understands strength.
Not a word
We have a bit of a natural experiment here. Compare the tone, quantity and duration of Charlie Kirk coverage with that of the two Dem lawmakers gunned down in their homes in Minnesota 6 months ago. May be revealing.
Kudos to the person or persons who called this out. All the pieces for a major disaster seem to have been in place. Any mother who allows this kind of an arsenal to be unsafely "displayed" is not a trustworthy source.
Per the article, pictured guns were "displayed"- i.e. unsecured & illegal storage "in the home", not belonging to the kid. Geez. I grew up w/ guns (in rural AZ) and got my 1st "real" gun as a gift at age 12. A single shot .22. Safety & respect were always paramount. Can't fathom this arsenal.
Cartoon by @deadder.bsky.social.
On Today's episode of Kids Rock! đź’Ą
One day after the Supreme Court lifted the ban on racial profiling, federal agents swarmed a car in Van Nuys. Four masked agents with guns drawn yanked people out, slammed them to the ground, and pointed a weapon at a pregnant woman. There is no justification for this. None.
I wrote this story because the case of the Guatemalan children hasn’t received nearly as much media attention as it deserves. I wanted to highlight the full extent of the government’s depraved conduct. I hope you’ll read and share. Don’t look away. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...
So, the Supreme Court says this can continue? The hallmarks of this administration, from top to bottom, are incompetence and malice. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
My subscription expires this month. Nothing I have seen makes me question my decision to cancel. I say that sadly, because we still need some well funded actual news organizations who can do big investigative tasks.
And thank you for showing the numerical perspective. "Revised downwards 0.6%" just doesn't have the same ring, though.
1/28 The Epstein "Birthday Book" is a disturbing read, filled with lots of crass 'jokes' related to the abuse of minors. This is just 1 document of the 300,000 files still sealed about Epstein's trafficking ring. Here are a few damning things I found in a quick skim:
I think that- given the context- would go into the evidence file.
I think that- given the context- would go into the evidence file if one were building a case.
These fucking idiots took emails of Hillary Clinton ordering pizza and turned them into a child trafficking scheme, but they’re perfectly fine with Donald Trump being best friends with the most notorious sex trafficker of our time.
In addition to genuinely increasing the cost of medicines and supplies, "tariffs" supplies a blanket rationale for increasing health care prices. While driving out immigrant workers (a large % in health care) will make care harder to get.
Some enterprising reporter could assemble a collection of Trump's signatures from that era, and ask them to identify the "obviously faked" one. Then explain why this was inserted into a bound book to discredit Trump 20+ years ago....? open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...
It’s pulling citizens into its net and deporting them too. And far too often, despite Kavanaugh’s blithe assertions about how “brief detainments” are not a great burden, as the dissent notes, that simply isn’t what’s happening.
And even apart from the disingenuous nature of Kavanaugh’s concurrence, it ignores reality. ICE isn’t briefly questioning brown people; it’s taking them away to detention centers without regard to their due process rights. It’s deporting in violation of court orders.
Could not agree more with this: Time To Play Hardball open.substack.com/pub/steady/p...
On point now to revisit this thoroughly documented article. Seems that Trump REALLY likes hanging out with two types of guys- gangsters/ criminal associates and those who exploit very young girls. It's a lifelong pattern.
In a different world, sure. But the 25th requires the cabinet to invoke, and that's not going to happen with these corrupt, sycophantic bozos. And we end up with Vance.
The Murdoch Settlement reminds me of my favorite thing in the family's battle: the transcript of Rupert's attorney trying to undermine son James' ability to run Fox News by pointing out that he didn't understand Fox News' business model was telling viewers what they wanted to hear, not the truth.
Not exactly a hobby, but... We manufacture specialized electronic instruments in the US. Two essential (Swiss) components now have 39% tariffs. Everything else- 300+ components- is at least 20% and NONE have a US source, nor will there ever be one. Have to look at assembly in another country.
Geez, look at that ingredients list... That is NOT sourdough.
Is it a Constitutional crisis when NO branch of government is willing to defend the Constitution?
It would NOT be the "Democrats shutting down the government". It would be the Republicans being too incompetent to keep the government open.
The administration is putting up signs that say, "President Donald J. Trump" and "Rebuilding America's Infrastructure" at worksites funded by the 2021 bipartisan bill. Story: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
Good thoughts. No-paywall link. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/o...
"By making landmark decisions and overturning lower court orders through brief, unsigned and unexplained orders, SCOTUS is creating unnecessary legal confusion while giving the public the impression that federal judges erred or abused their power.”
Just keep lying until voters throw up their hands and say "how can anyone know". Their goal is to discredit the idea that there is any truth.
Julie K. Brown has been on this story from the very beginning. www.npr.org/2024/01/04/1... [1/4/2024] @npr.org @jkbjournalist.bsky.social
Epstein would probably have gone free except for this journalist.
It's not "the government", it's Trump, full stop. Republicans before Trump mostly stood for free trade. Most would still if they could find their spine and their principles. It's purely on the cult leader. He said he was going to do this. You don't get to complain when you voted for this.
Important to note that he fully supported the war, as long as other people fought it.
The CDC doesn't understand disease control. The EPA doesn't understand environmental protection. Now it's clear the Dept of Energy doesn't understand energy. This administration is populated by imbeciles.
You made Trump possible. No one has been more destructive, except possibly Trump. I'd argue his malign influence might end up being worse than Trump's, because it extended over multiple administrations, destroyed the Senate, and made the Supreme Court into a purely partisan body.
More people in DC than in Wyoming or Vermont. Coming up on Alaska and North Dakota. Per capita, we pay more federal income tax than any of the states. (Incl NY, CA, CT, etc.) Voice in Congress: Zero. Have never before felt as much DC-specific patriotism—across race and class—as now.
This whole thread:
The possibility that the Trump administration becomes so consumed by escalating armed conflict around the Western Hemisphere and in America itself that the US can no longer operate as a functional actor on the other side of the Atlantic or Pacific needs to be taken seriously
My family history (purely anecdotal, I know)) suggests a genetic component. As does my personal observation of friends. And as more people find their spouses from among those on similar career paths... one might expect the incidence to rise. No need to posit big Pharma conspiracies.
There is a lot of focus on Tylenol and autism spectrum disorder today, but RFK Jr. is also suggesting that low folate levels contribute. First, a reminder that genetics are the overwhelming contributor to ASD—up to 90%. Anything else he pulls out is likely to have minimal impact on ASD rates.
We make electronics in the US and sell globally- and of 300+ critical components, NOT ONE has a US source. We're being forced to look at offshore assembly because of tariffs of up to 39% on critical components. Our main competitors (in Canada and Scandinavia) don't have to pay these added taxes.
Manufacturing lost jobs. Almost 50% of imports are inputs for US manufacturers. Taxing inputs kills jobs. We make electronics in the US- and of 300+ critical components, NOT ONE has a US source. We're being forced to look at offshore assembly because of tariffs of up to 39% on critical components.
US manufacturing lost jobs. Turns out taxing inputs to manufacturing does not help the economy.
Key point is that manufacturing is down. Taxing inputs= making American manufacturing uncompetitive.
Let this sink in…
"The embodiment of the sunshine patriot castigated by Thomas Paine in the American Crisis, a self-interested man who grew immensely wealthy from his public service, and wrecked the greatest deliberative body in the world with the malfeasance of his leadership" open.substack.com/pub/stevesch...
This is reason 10,487 to not set foot in Florida. And I used to go there several times each year, though mostly for work. Not now.
Short, to the point, and worth reading.
Key point is that manufacturing LOST jobs. Tariffs at work. Increase input costs, and American manufacturing is less competitive. Business leaders see this coming.
FUN FACT: For those keeping score, in President Biden’s last full month, the U.S. economy added 323,000 jobs. ⬆️
Don't think that the guy who said DOJ would hide names of Republicans in the Epstein Files is a low level "staffer." Office of Enforcement Operations reviews & must approve all wiretaps before they begin. I spent hours on the phone with OEO trying to get my wires approved. He's a big DOJ boss.
Some questions come to mind...
DOJ Deputy Chief Joseph Schnitt admitted that the government will "redact every republican" and "leave all the liberal, democratic people” on the Epstein client list. He also said Ghislaine Maxwell was moved to a minimum securithy prison as "a benefit to keep her mouth shut."
This is a big deal on 2 levels: 1) High level DOJ official admits to a plan to redact republicans from the Epstein files 2) He was caught admitting that by a MAGA undercover camera sting
...but here we are.
This is a gigantic NIH grant. A large one is typically in the tens of millions - this is $500M. And usually the NIH gets outside doctors and scientists to decide what research should get funded; that's peer review. Here the political appointees made the decision, based on their agenda.
When will their "discontent" become greater than their fear of Trump's disapproval? What will they DO? Spineless cowards, every one.
Kuvin: He didn’t keep a list of these people. What he would do is get calls from powerful men — men who lived in Palm Beach, for example. They would talk to Ms. Maxwell, and she would send a girl out. If you really to know who was involved, you would look at his phone books
The Senators who need to hear this aren't listening. After all, Trump has lied repeatedly, provably, and they are still his minions.
Some good questions.
All. Of. This. My former colleague Stuart Stevens knocks it out of the park here. We have to stop being polite. Fight like our lives depend on it because they do. www.lincolnsquare.media/p/my-plea-to...
RFK Jr: It's gonna be the biggest infusion of federal dollar into rural healthcare in American history BERNIE SANDERS: Yeah. You know why? Because you're cutting $150b for rural hospitals, you're putting $50b back. That's not an infusion. That's a loss of $100b.
Obviously he is not plugged in...
He has done a lot... TO farmers.
Know, at the end of the day, that consumers will pay. This is a transfer of wealth from electricity consumers to fossil-fuel polluters. Prices will go up, as I have demonstrated. But in fossil-fuel thug land, all that matters is protecting fossil fuel polluters.
"You're a charlatan. That's what you are." -- Cantwell to RFK Jr
Today, Senate Republicans refused to have RFK Jr. sworn in under oath to give his testimony. I find it telling that Republicans refuse to take even symbolic steps to show they care about transparency and truth from the man in charge of the agency tasked with America's health.
Proud of my current (WA) and former (CA) states. We need more states to do this.
The idea that a boat like that could make it from Venezuela to the US is.... absurd. That is a very tough passage and those OB's need a ton of fuel. Trump wants to start a war to distract from the Epstein topic.
More of this.
Host: There are new calls this morning for RFK Jr.'s resignation, and those calls coming from inside HHS itself. More than 1,000 current and former HHS workers are making this demand in a letter released this morning. They say his leadership has "put the health of all Americans at risk"
Nigel Farage looks uncomfortable as Jamie Raskin uses his opening statement to absolutely demolish him
Specifics on tearing down the CDC- what it means for all of us: wapo.st/4mJAzkj
I really hope this becomes the black eye it deserves to be www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
