Author | Lightnews

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 2d

"...the (U.S.’s) gross national debt surpassed $38 trillion Wednesday, a record number that highlights the accelerating accumulation of debt on America’s balance sheet.
It’s also the fastest accumulation of a trillion dollars in debt outside of the COVID-19 pandemic..."
apnews.com/article/trum...

US hits $38 trillion in debt, after the fastest accumulation of $1 trillion outside of the pandemic

The U.S. government's gross national debt has surpassed $38 trillion during the federal shutdown, marking a record high.

apnews.com

2 5

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 4d

“High tariffs inevitably lead to retaliation by foreign countries and the triggering of fierce trade wars. The result is more and more tariffs, higher and higher trade barriers, and less and less competition..."
Ronald Reagan, April 25, 1987
youtu.be/Foggkeiwlp0?...

Reposted by GADFLY: the Practical Heretic

Jeff @jefflee65.bsky.social · 4d

m.youtube.com/watch?v=XWQR...

The Ontario anti-tariff ad which led Trump to end trade talks with Canada

YouTube video by Global News

m.youtube.com

2 3

Reposted by GADFLY: the Practical Heretic

Bill Kristol @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 4d

An embarrassingly obvious point, but...

This. Is. Illegal.

If anything like the rule of law were in force, Trump couldn't arbitrarily increase a tariff because he is annoyed.

In important and increasing ways, the rule of law in the US no longer exists.
www.cnn.com/2025/10/25/b...

Trump says he’s increasing tariffs on Canada by 10% after Ontario’s Reagan ad | CNN Business

President Donald Trump said Saturday he is increasing the tariff on Canada by 10% over current levels, further escalating trade tensions over what he called a “fake” ad that featured parts of an anti-...

www.cnn.com

340 2.3K 7.8K

Reposted by GADFLY: the Practical Heretic

MissyP☮️CorruptionRots @missypdemocracyfan.bsky.social · 4d

1 2

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 4d

Reposted by GADFLY: the Practical Heretic

Don Shafer @donshafer.bsky.social · 5d

If the Argentina elections don't go the way Trump demanded, will he demand the 40 billion dollars back and cancel his plan to destroy the American cattle industry?

1 2

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 5d

#TrumpLegacy

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 5d

Hunger in America makes Page One in Knoxville, Tenn, ..

.. Indianapolis, Boston, Milwaukee ..

#SNAP #Shutdown

1 1

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 5d

"...there is something that all authoritarians fear, and that is being laughed at. Authoritarians of all types take themselves extremely seriously. They have to. Because if authority doesn’t take itself seriously, why should anyone else accede to it?"

www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...

The Situation: On Humor

If you are not mocking The Situation, The Situation is dominating you.

www.lawfaremedia.org

Reposted by GADFLY: the Practical Heretic

TopCat @tiffinjames.bsky.social · 5d

32 540 1.8K

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 5d

Kevin Hasset is a complete id¡ot.

foxbaltimore.com/news/nation-...

Tariffs expected to slow global trade, adding another risk to the US economy

Global trade is expected to slow next year because of tariffs that have upended supply chains and added new hurdles for companies to navigate.

foxbaltimore.com

Reposted by GADFLY: the Practical Heretic

Garrett M. Graff @vermontgmg.bsky.social · 5d

“Keeping the House absent, Johnson betrays his Constitutional duty and Oath of Office” would also be an accurate summary. www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/the-only-c...

9 100 280

Reposted by GADFLY: the Practical Heretic

"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 5d

As folks are noting, $130m isn't anywhere near enough to actually pay the troops; the DoD spends something like $16bn on personnel costs per month.

It is, however, more than enough to send everyone to prison for a couple of years under the antideficiency act for improperly appropriating funds.

Joseph Rezek @rezekjoe.bsky.social · 5d

We literally have laws!!! Who will stop this!!!

Pentagon Accepts $130
Million Donation to Help Pay Troops During
Shutdown
The move could violate a law prohibiting federal agencies from spending money in excess of congressional appropriations or from accepting voluntary services.

24 380 1.5K

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 7d

You don't say...

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 7d

The Joint Economic Committee estimates that the total national debt has grown by $69,713.82 per second for the past year.
#TrumpLegacy #GOPBetrayedAmerica

apnews.com/article/trum...

US hits $38 trillion in debt, after the fastest accumulation of $1 trillion outside of the pandemic

The U.S. government's gross national debt has surpassed $38 trillion during the federal shutdown, marking a record high.

apnews.com

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 9d

Most state and local governments - and most citizens - are not fascist. Trump IS a fascist, and so are all his cabinet members, and MAGA Republicans. So we have a fascist executive branch, given free reign by a fascist majority in Congress, but we do not live in a fascist country... YET.

3

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 9d

Trump is vandalizing a nationla treasure to build a ballroom the nation nether needs nor wants. Meanwhile groceries are skyrocketing while recession is relentlessly creeping across the nation. #LawlessRegime #TrumpLegacy

Jonathan Edwards @jonathanreports.bsky.social · 10d

Scoop: Trump has started demolishing the White House's East Wing facade to build his ballroom. The president had claimed construction of the $250 million building wouldn’t ‘interfere’ with the existing White House structure. /W @ddiamond.bsky.social wapo.st/4hqBNiU

White House begins demolishing East Wing facade to build Trump’s ballroom

The president had claimed construction of the $250 million ballroom wouldn’t ‘interfere’ with the existing White House structure.

wapo.st

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 10d

1

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 10d

We weren't at war with Israel.
Pollard still went to prison.

1

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 10d

Indeed.

1

Reposted by GADFLY: the Practical Heretic

Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 11d

Dutch intelligence suspends sharing arrangements with the US after concluding that high level intel was routinely being shared by the White House with their friends in the Kremlin. www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/n...

Nederlandse diensten delen minder informatie met de VS: ‘Soms vertellen we dingen niet meer’

Het aantal dreigingen dat op Nederland afkomt is groot, zien de hoofden van de AIVD en de MIVD elke dag: niet alleen Russische agressie, maar ook de opmars van China als digitale macht en binnenlands ...

www.volkskrant.nl

390 4.6K 8.2K

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 10d

We can be reasonably certain he wanted to close it, based on history.

FORMER PENTAGON CHIEF ESPER SAYS TRUMP ASKED ABOUT SHOOTING PROTESTERS
All Things Considered
5/9/2022

Reposted by GADFLY: the Practical Heretic

Stonekettle @stonekettle.bsky.social · 10d

Anthony Scaramucci lasted longer than Trump's Middle East peace plan.

35 290 1.5K

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 10d

There was a _stupider_ part than this?

1 4

GADFLY: the Practical Heretic @agadfly.bsky.social · 11d

"Yet."