John Christman
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jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman
@jchristman58.bsky.social
94 followers 140 following 120 posts

Philosophy Prof, Director of Humanities Inst. (Penn State), author of various things in social political philosophy, most recently Reconceiving Freedom from the Shadows of Slavery (CUP). Cranky lefty

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Philosophy 20%
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jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 4d
Stop calling this a "peace plan." It's terms of surrender.

Rubio Insists U.S. Authored the Ukraine Peace Plan www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/u...
Rubio Insists U.S. Authored the Ukraine Peace Plan
www.nytimes.com

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 5d
He doesn't think of it as an insult.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 5d
Q: Just days ago you referred to Trump as a 'despot.' Will you retract?

MAMDANI: We're both very clear on our positions & what I really appreciate about the president is our meeting focused not on places of disagreement but shared purpose we have

TRUMP: I've been called much worse than a despot

Reposted by Silvia Secchi, Simon Lester, John Christman

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 5d
Q: Just days ago you referred to Trump as a 'despot.' Will you retract?

MAMDANI: We're both very clear on our positions & what I really appreciate about the president is our meeting focused not on places of disagreement but shared purpose we have

TRUMP: I've been called much worse than a despot

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 6d
Does it occur to anyone that the art market these days is just crypto that is much more interesting to look at?

Frida Kahlo Portrait Sells for $55 Million, Setting Her Auction Record www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/a...
Frida Kahlo Portrait Sells for $55 Million, Setting Her Auction Record
www.nytimes.com

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 6d
Voraciously violent ppl want to be the militia for a man who just called for his opponents to be hanged.
maddow.bsky.social Rachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · 11d
"'Right now, under federal statutes, President Trump can call us up as the militia,' he said

Rhodes added that he’d like to see Trump 'order us all to come together in our counties under his command'...”

www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
With a Trump pardon in hand, Stewart Rhodes says he’s ‘rebuilding’ the Oath Keepers
After vowing to bring back his group, Rhodes added that he’d like to see the president “order us all to come together ... under his command.”
www.ms.now

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 8d
Or she will designate tRump as a "victim" and redact all references to victims...

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 9d
In the list of this man's evils I know it is far below kidnapping innocent people, but can we please insist that any "czars" in our government be able to speak grammatically?
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 9d
Homan: "I plan on being in New York City in the near future. We're gonna do operations in New York City. Me and Mayor Adams at one point had an agreement to let ICE in to Rikers ... we are increasing the enforcement presence in New York City."

Reposted by John Christman

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 9d
Homan: "I plan on being in New York City in the near future. We're gonna do operations in New York City. Me and Mayor Adams at one point had an agreement to let ICE in to Rikers ... we are increasing the enforcement presence in New York City."

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 10d
Patel and Bondi assured tRump that this is what the Epstein files will look like:

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 11d
All dressed up and no one to kidnap
reichlinmelnick.bsky.social Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 11d
As Bovino and masked DHS officers sweep another Home Depot looking to round up day laborers, a reminder of the meeting in May when Stephen Miller screamed at ICE to stop doing targeted enforcement, start hitting Home Depots and 7/11s and “just go out there and arrest illegal aliens.”

Reposted by John Christman

reichlinmelnick.bsky.social
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 11d
As Bovino and masked DHS officers sweep another Home Depot looking to round up day laborers, a reminder of the meeting in May when Stephen Miller screamed at ICE to stop doing targeted enforcement, start hitting Home Depots and 7/11s and “just go out there and arrest illegal aliens.”
Even with the high-profile arrests of suspects by masked immigration agents and the plane loads of migrants swiftly ferried out of the U.S., President Trump was falling short of the number of daily deportations carried out by the Biden administration in its final year. So in late May, Stephen Miller, a top White House aide and the architect of the president's immigration agenda, addressed a meeting at the headquarters of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE. The message was clear: The president, who promised to deport millions of immigrants living in the country illegally, wasn't pleased. The agency had better step it up. Gang members and violent criminals, what Trump called the "worst of the worst," weren't the sole target of deportations. Federal agents needed to "just go out there and arrest illegal aliens," Miller told top ICE officials, who had come from across the U.S., according to people familiar with the meeting. Agents didn't need to develop target lists of immigrants suspected of being in the U.S. illegally, a longstanding practice, Miller said. Instead, he directed them to target Home Depot, where day laborers typically gather for hire, or 7-Eleven convenience stores. Miller bet that he and a handful of agents could go out on the streets of Washington, D.C., and arrest 30 people right away. "Who here thinks they can do it?" Miller said, asking for a show of hands.

Reposted by Aaron Sojourner, John Christman

maddow.bsky.social
Rachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · 11d
"'Right now, under federal statutes, President Trump can call us up as the militia,' he said

Rhodes added that he’d like to see Trump 'order us all to come together in our counties under his command'...”

www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
With a Trump pardon in hand, Stewart Rhodes says he’s ‘rebuilding’ the Oath Keepers
After vowing to bring back his group, Rhodes added that he’d like to see the president “order us all to come together ... under his command.”
www.ms.now

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 12d
The dog is being wagged
owillis.bsky.social Oliver Willis @owillis.bsky.social · 12d
pairs nicely w the story we published today @dailykos.com

Trump suddenly declares military operation as Epstein scandal reignites www.dailykos.com/stories/2025...

Reposted by John Christman

owillis.bsky.social
Oliver Willis @owillis.bsky.social · 12d
pairs nicely w the story we published today @dailykos.com

Trump suddenly declares military operation as Epstein scandal reignites www.dailykos.com/stories/2025...

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 13d
But wait, American consumers aren't paying for the tariffs I thought. The orange julius Caesar said so.

Trump Administration Prepares Tariff Exemptions in Bid to Lower Food Prices www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
Trump Administration Prepares Tariff Exemptions in Bid to Lower Food Prices
www.nytimes.com

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 14d
All the commentary re: the explosiveness of these Epstein emails is apt and energizing. But the context has to be the knowledge that *nothing* will happen legally as a result. The DOJ will never take a step toward investigation/prosecution.

The outrage must be set against this reality

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 14d
The situation room? What were they discussing, bombing Venezuela?
thebulwark.com The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 14d
Q: "Why are White House officials…meeting with Rep. Boebert in an effort to try to get her to not sign this petition calling for the release of the [Epstein] files?"

Leavitt: "I'm not going to detail conversations that took place in the situation room."

Reposted by Timothy Snyder, Will Jennings, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 6 more

thebulwark.com
The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 14d
Q: "Why are White House officials…meeting with Rep. Boebert in an effort to try to get her to not sign this petition calling for the release of the [Epstein] files?"

Leavitt: "I'm not going to detail conversations that took place in the situation room."

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 16d
Nobody believes this. Not even you.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 16d
Mike Johnson: "That's the reason the inflation is up, the cost of living is up so high -- because of the policies of the previous administration. Now, we're working to root those policies out and implement our own, but it takes a little time."

Reposted by Justin Wolfers, John Christman

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 16d
Mike Johnson: "That's the reason the inflation is up, the cost of living is up so high -- because of the policies of the previous administration. Now, we're working to root those policies out and implement our own, but it takes a little time."

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 21d
Talk about a contradiction!

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 21d
Here's a prediction on this: The reactionary Supremes rebuff tRump's tariff rulings (narrowly) but don't touch the broader emergency powers question.

Then he uses other mechanisms to re-impose the tariff policy (special import taxes, etc.)

wapo.st/4qYPRo6
Supreme Court appears skeptical of legality of most of Trump’s tariffs
The Supreme Court held arguments on one of the most important cases of its term, testing whether the president has authority to impose wide-ranging tariffs.
wapo.st

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 22d
Argument is that Dems need to include conservatives (Joe Manchin) who represent areas where Dem brand is toxic.

Problem is, what does brand *mean* after that? Need principles as well as people

This Is the Way You Beat Trump — and Trumpism www.nytimes.com/2025/11/02/o...
Opinion | This Is the Way You Beat Trump — and Trumpism
www.nytimes.com

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 22d
Dem voices have to say repeatedly: Mamdani-Spanberger-Sherrill in the same breath. Different candidates to different constituents with the same broad principles. Winning with *all kinds* of voters.

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 22d
Yes! on big tent Democratic coalition, but I would also favor repeating some principles that guide the coalition's members: economic fairness, protection of individual rights and autonomy, environmental stewardship.

Enough to mark a profound contrast with the fascistic sycophants in the opposition
jamellebouie.net jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 23d
i want to repeat this: mamdani and spanberger have run similar campaigns tailored to their respective electorates and it is maddening to watch political journalists attempt to create some broad contrast where none exist
jamellebouie.net jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 23d
the other thing about this is that there is no reason to pit these candidates against each other? each are good fits for their respective electorates and each shows the value of vigorous campaigns focused on the stated material problems of voters.

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Rosemary A. Joyce, Efrén O. Pérez , and 18 more

jamellebouie.net
jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 23d
i want to repeat this: mamdani and spanberger have run similar campaigns tailored to their respective electorates and it is maddening to watch political journalists attempt to create some broad contrast where none exist
jamellebouie.net jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 23d
the other thing about this is that there is no reason to pit these candidates against each other? each are good fits for their respective electorates and each shows the value of vigorous campaigns focused on the stated material problems of voters.

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · 27d
A key difference from tRump 1.0 is not just that he now has no guardrails, but world leaders now know exactly how to play him.
forbes.com Forbes @forbes.com · 28d
Trump claimed the meeting was “amazing” and a “12” on a scale of 1-10, but experts have said Xi successfully leveraged China’s rare earths advantage.
Trump-Xi Meeting: Why Experts Say China Came Out Ahead
Trump claimed the meeting was “amazing” and a “12” on a scale of 1-10, but experts have said Xi successfully leveraged China’s rare earths advantage.
www.forbes.com

Reposted by John Christman

forbes.com
Forbes @forbes.com · 28d
Trump claimed the meeting was “amazing” and a “12” on a scale of 1-10, but experts have said Xi successfully leveraged China’s rare earths advantage.
Trump-Xi Meeting: Why Experts Say China Came Out Ahead
Trump claimed the meeting was “amazing” and a “12” on a scale of 1-10, but experts have said Xi successfully leveraged China’s rare earths advantage.
www.forbes.com

Reposted by Will Jennings, Brendan Nyhan, Mark D. White , and 11 more

newrepublic.com
The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 28d
Patel's girlfriend performed at Penn State last weekend. A government jet arrived at State College Regional Airport, according to its FAA registration, with an address listing the FBI HQ. The plane then flew to Nashville, where his girlfriend lives.

All on the taxpayer’s dime.
trib.al/TBvPo7A

jchristman58.bsky.social
John Christman @jchristman58.bsky.social · Oct 28
Mike Johnson: Millions going hungry a small price to pay to avoid release of the Epstein files

Hunger and Cold Loom as Shutdown Imperils Funding for Antipoverty Programs www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/u...
Hunger and Cold Loom as Shutdown Imperils Funding for Antipoverty Programs
www.nytimes.com