John Raftery
@johnraftery.bsky.social
640 followers 560 following 620 posts
I coach, mentor and advise university leaders. Interim university president/ VC/ CEO 🇮🇪 in 🇺🇸 “ I cannot be pessimistic, I’m alive.” Cambridge, MA.
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Reposted by John Raftery
kylegriffin1.bsky.social
The Trump administration has been spreading anti-vaccine propaganda for months. Tonight, Trump's physician announced he just received a flu shot and a COVID booster.
Reposted by John Raftery
editorialboard.bsky.social
If the Democrats choose to bargain with Trump over the shutdown, knowing that he will betray them once their backs are turned, they would not only enable his crimes, but protect him from their consequences. They would permit him to avoid facing the truth.

www.editorialboard.com/how-do-you-m...
How do you make a deal with a criminal president for whom you are the only consequence?
If he faces the truth, maybe. Not until then.
www.editorialboard.com
johnraftery.bsky.social
Have ‘followed all’. Thank you for this. J
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gylesnamopaleen.bsky.social
for those interested in the conversation about brexit pushing forward reunification in Ireland...here's a handy starter pack 👇
gylesnamopaleen.bsky.social
for those interested in this area. I have compiled a list of accounts that would post about this topic...from all sides.

There are 3 sides now. "Green", "Orange" & "Unaligned".

The latter don't really care about flags. they just care about jobs, health, education etc.
Reposted by John Raftery
pbump.com
Guy in private plane doesn’t like that he has to hire more security to address his personal concerns about crime so he is happy to have the president push guardsmen into the city at taxpayer expense.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/u...
johnraftery.bsky.social
Maureen Dowd, “…moral indifference that will prevent him from ever getting a Nobel. You can’t get a medal for promoting democracy when you tried to overthrow the democracy you were running.”

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/o...
Opinion | Peace in Trump’s Time — Except Here
www.nytimes.com
Reposted by John Raftery
gregsargent.bsky.social
This week, MAGA figures claimed Kristi Noem "stared down" violent antifa protesters in Portland. Turns out they were talking mostly about a guy in a chicken suit.

This episode opens a window into how MAGA propaganda works and MSM failure to handle it. 1/

(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2016...
MAGA Implodes over Kristi Noem’s “Stare Down” with Man in Chicken Suit
A good New York Times piece on Portland nevertheless demonstrates how the conventions of objective reporting fail to accurately capture the bad faith driving pro-Trump propaganda.
newrepublic.com
johnraftery.bsky.social
sethmoulton.bsky.social
For more than four decades, France has had trains 3.5x faster than any of ours in the U.S. today.

We built the transcontinental railroad 156 years ago. What in the world are we waiting for?
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zackpolanski.bsky.social
Ever since I finished Question Time, Reform have massively been on the attack.

Including a rant from Richard Tice entirely designed to distract from Reform and Russia.

Everyone should know about Nathan Gill, the bribes from Russia and the link to Reform.
johnraftery.bsky.social
Clear thinking here from the @cornishskipper.bsky.social
👇👇👇
cornishskipper.bsky.social
Starmer blaming #Brexit for tax rises may be accurate but when only 37% of a now disproportionately dead electorate voted for it almost 10 yrs ago, based on undeliverable lies, the questions are why should the rest of us stomach it & where is Labour’s plan to change that? archive.ph/2025.10.10-2...
archive.ph
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gylesnamopaleen.bsky.social
Powell is well worth a follow. Freeports are like the new english water companies. A new vehicle to fleece taxpayer cash.
europeanpowell.bsky.social
Teesside’s freeport, initiated in 2021 under Rishi Sunak, has cost £560 million far exceeding the standard £25 million allocation (22 times the standard £25m).
90% profits go to the private sector.
This clearly shows the UK model of State aid post-Brexit is utterly corrupt.
Reposted by John Raftery
ianboudreau.com
American broadcast journalism has utterly failed and is a dead industry, there's nothing left worth saving
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pbump.com
We just taped Stephanie Ruhle’s 11 pm MSNBC show tonight and I am pleased to report that my MVP for this week (a Friday segment) was the inflatable frogs of Portland.
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coco.sheshed.rocks
A very busy morning BUT do not forget to #ReleaseTheEpsteinFiles

#SheShed
Release the Epstein Files
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sebastiangarof5.bsky.social
Wouldn’t it be cool if this photo of Obama receiving his Noble Peace Prize went viral today? 🔄
Obama  receiving his Noble Peace Prize
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muellershewrote.com
A restraining order was issued YESTERDAY by a federal judge barring detention of journalists in this district unless they refuse to reposition themselves and are given adequate time to do so, or there’s probable cause they’ve committed a crime.
heartlandsignal.bsky.social
BREAKING: Masked Border Patrol agents aggressively arrested WGN video producer Debbie Brockman in Lincoln Square Friday morning, supposedly for "obstructing justice." (Video via Josh Thomas on Facebook)

Follow @heartlandsignal for more.
Reposted by John Raftery
johnraftery.bsky.social
More good news from my pov this morning. Brexit changed the conversation. One, (maybe the only one) ‘Brexit benefit’ is that reunification in Ireland is closer than it has ever been. Explained very well here by @gylesnamopaleen.bsky.social
gylesnamopaleen.bsky.social
seeing that there is more chat about reunification in Ireland, post brexit, this might interest some.

TL;DR: brexit accidentally gave us a preview of what reunification might mean, economically. And it looks really good!

We're calling it a "Sochar Brexit"!

("brexit benefit" in Irish)

🧵
screengrab from the ALL ISLAND ECONOMY financial report. 

"The Projected Public Finances of the Early Years of a United Ireland
This report calculates the subvention in public finances likely to transfer to “Northern Ireland’ at the time of a United Ireland, based on the most up-to-date UK figures. It is the first peer-reviewed report to calculate the cost of unity over the first ten years, which takes account not only of the subvention, but necessary investment and gradual economic convergence with
the rest of the island. The report breaks down the key financial issues such as pensions, debt, defence spending, UK central costs and taxation to justify this figure and calculates that the cost of the subvention, currently paid by the UK, which will transfer to a United Ireland will be £1.5 billion pa – not the, often quoted, figures of £10b to £14b."
Reposted by John Raftery
kittymurphymtl.bsky.social
The continuation of this video shows the ICE agents driving off, hitting an SUV, and tearing off their rear bumper - never stopping.

Another charge for them - Hit and Run; or is that also forgiven in Trump's world??????
Reposted by John Raftery
mjsdc.bsky.social
This arrest appears to be in direct violation of a temporary restraining order prohibiting DHS officers from arresting journalists. The officers here may well be subject to contempt of court. protectdemocracy.org/wp-content/u...
It is hereby ORDERED that Defendants,' their officers, agents, assigns, and all
persons acting in concert with them (hereafter referred to as "Federal Agents"), are temporarily
ENJOINED in this judicial district from:
a.
Dispersing, arresting, threatening to arrest, threatening or using physical
force against any person whom they know or reasonably should know is a Journalist, unless Defendants have probable cause to believe that the individual has committed a crime.
Reposted by John Raftery
heartlandsignal.bsky.social
BREAKING: Masked Border Patrol agents aggressively arrested WGN video producer Debbie Brockman in Lincoln Square Friday morning, supposedly for "obstructing justice." (Video via Josh Thomas on Facebook)

Follow @heartlandsignal for more.
Reposted by John Raftery
labsp61.bsky.social
So, there must be no 'handcuff' class at ICE Inc. They are most fumbling bumbling goons...they all look like they have never applied handcuffs before...I guess that isn't part of the Call of Duty video game that they trained on?