John Q. Public
@publius24.bsky.social
520 followers 250 following 2.1K posts
Former paper pusher for the deep state. Misanthropic humanist. Lover of art, literature, cinema, and all other humanistic endeavors.
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publius24.bsky.social
I took a photo of the president’s latest portrait unfurled outside a federal building.

This one is outside the U.S. Department of Labor.
publius24.bsky.social
The campaign is about NATO’s collapse. Fuck that. I want escapism. I want glitched tanks flying through the air set to the Blue Danube Waltz
publius24.bsky.social
Proof that wealth isn’t correlated with intelligence and it certainly doesn’t make you a better human
publius24.bsky.social
Boy, the end of history is starting to feel like a resetting of history
Reposted by John Q. Public
billkristolbulwark.bsky.social
The shameless GOP lying about the No Kings gatherings scheduled for next Saturday reveals how deeply hostile much of the Republican Party is to “the right of the people peaceably to assemble.” I look forward to our local No Kings event, and urge my fellow Americans to attend in their communities.
Reposted by John Q. Public
reichlinmelnick.bsky.social
UPDATE: Judge Perry issued an opinion explaining why she blocked the Texas National Guard deployment in Chicago.

She begins with Alexander Hamilton’s rejection of a “preposterous” idea that the Constitution lets a President deploy a State’s militia to a different State for political retribution. 🧵
OPINION AND ORDER
Since this country was founded, Americans have disagreed about the appropriate division
of power between the federal government and the fifty states that make up our Union. This
tension is a natural result of the system of federalism adopted by our Founders. And yet, not even
the Founding Father most ardently in favor of a strong federal government believed that one
state's militia could be sent to another state for the purposes of political retribution, calling such
a suggestion "inflammatory," and stating "it is impossible to believe that [a President] would employ such preposterous means to accomplish their designs." But Plaintiffs contend that such
an event has come to pass, and argue that National Guard troops from both Illinois and Texas
have been deployed to Illinois because the President of the United States wants to punish state elected officials whose policies are different from his own.
publius24.bsky.social
Republicans deployed the military domestically as a threat towards anyone who might try to stand up to ICE.

They had also hoped for an escalation that could serve as proof of the necessity of such actions, but, barring that, they’ve just started making shit up wholesale.
publius24.bsky.social
To be clear: it was *never* about crime. At best, “crime” was only a cover for immigration enforcement.
mclem.org
Look how quickly the “justification” for deploying military troops to US cities mutated.

Just weeks ago it was, Crime!

Now it’s: hypothetical imagined crimes by Americans peacefully demonstrating in an act of constitutionally sacred dissent.
atrupar.com
Sen. Roger Marshall: "October 18 is when the protest gets here. This will be a Soros paid-for protest for his professional protesters. The agitators show up. We'll have to get the National Guard out. Hopefully it will be peaceful. I doubt it."
publius24.bsky.social
Two of three branches of our government are actively pitting Americans against each other in what is increasingly looking like an attempt at disunion.

And the third branch of government has essentially said “the best I can do is a series of ineffectual TROs”
publius24.bsky.social
I think they’re genuinely surprised they haven’t faced significant violent resistance yet so they’re doing their best to foment it now.

I knew the White House was going for that, I just didn’t expect Congress to join in.
publius24.bsky.social
These new talking points that they’re circulating will almost certainly lead to more nationwide confrontations between protesters and counter-protesters.

But we already know that Republicans are intent on disunion.
atrupar.com
Sen. Roger Marshall: "October 18 is when the protest gets here. This will be a Soros paid-for protest for his professional protesters. The agitators show up. We'll have to get the National Guard out. Hopefully it will be peaceful. I doubt it."
publius24.bsky.social
You know Republicans are getting desperate when they label a “No Kings” protest as terrorism
atrupar.com
Emmer: "This is about one thing and one thing alone -- to score political points with the terrorist wing of their party, which is set to hold a hate America rally in DC next week."
publius24.bsky.social
Anyway, visit the link below to find a No Kings protest near you.

October 18th. Be there.
publius24.bsky.social
Even as a federal consultant I would often have the option of staying at pretty nice hotels under the government per diem rate (usually in the ballpark of $150/night).
Reposted by John Q. Public
aawayne.bsky.social
“Oklahomans would lose their mind if Pritzker in Illinois sent troops down to Oklahoma during the Biden administration.”

The Republican chair of the National Governors Association breaks with Trump.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/u...
Oklahoma’s Republican Governor Criticizes National Guard Deployment in Chicago
www.nytimes.com
publius24.bsky.social
I mean it’s literally the text of the Second Amendment:

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
davidrlurie.bsky.social
It's not "their" National Guard. The National Guard belongs to the States.
atrupar.com
Hegseth: "There's no other way to create that kind of love and enthusiasm than with your leadership, sir. And it is an honor to work with Pam and Kristi in these cities across the country to make sure American citizens and law enforcement are protected with our National Guard. That's a core mission"
Reposted by John Q. Public
atrupar.com
Kristi Noem: "If we have to do it the hard way in Portland and Chicago, we will."
Reposted by John Q. Public
atrupar.com
C-SPAN caller to Mike Johnson: "Hearing you say that 'everyone is smiling' in cities where troops have been rolled into feels dystopian and insane watching the response to it."
Reposted by John Q. Public
liberalcurrents.com
“There is no degree of acquiescence to Trumpism that will satisfy this administration or MAGA at large. All there is is a choice between offering a faint echo of the false reality they’re selling and creating dissonance by speaking the reality of the situation to the public.”
All In Our Heads: On Losing Our Democracy and Life Beyond Our Imaginations
Our language has to meet the moment, and we have to be relentless about dispelling the fiction MAGA is selling.
www.liberalcurrents.com
publius24.bsky.social
We all died in 2020 and are now living in a Pynchonian purgatory
publius24.bsky.social
Et cetera, et cetera
bradheath.bsky.social
President Donald Trump's threatened crackdown on the finances and activities of liberal non-profits and groups opposed to his agenda is a multi-agency effort with top White House aide Stephen Miller playing a central role, according to officials.

www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
www.reuters.com
Reposted by John Q. Public
annabower.bsky.social
U.S. Northern Command says that elements of the Texas national guard are now “employed in the greater Chicago area.”

The statement claims that they’ve been deployed to protect ICE and federal property.
U.S. Northern Command &
@USNorthernCmd
X.com
Effective today, elements of the Texas National Guard, under Title 10 authority and command and control of U.S. Northern Command, are employed in the greater Chicago area.
These soldiers are employed to protect U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other
U.S. Government personnel who are performing federal functions, including the enforcement of federal law, and to protect federal property.
For the latest information on our Federal Protection Mission, please see the link below:
Reposted by John Q. Public
juliedicaro.bsky.social
This is getting wild.

The states of Iowa, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and 14 others have just asked for permission to file THEIR amicus brief in IL v. Trump.
The States of Iowa, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina and 14 additional States
respectfully move for leave to submit the attached amicus curiae brief in support of Defendants
and their opposition to Plaintiffs’ requested temporary restraining order and preliminary
injunction. Proposed amici are States with a vested interest in federalism, the relationship between
States and the federal government, and deploying the National Guard. We also each have a vital
interest in supporting the President and Congress in enacting and enforcing valid immigration
laws. Every State has a responsibility to protect our citizens.
The federalization of States’ National Guard units is a matter of profound public
importance, as it directly implicates the delicate balance of power between state and federal
governments—a true cornerstone of Federalism. States generally maintain authority over their
National Guard units, allowing governors to deploy them for state-specific needs, such as disaster
response or public safety. Federalization of state National Guard units without gubernatorial
Reposted by John Q. Public
carlquintanilla.bsky.social
“.. On Sept. 20, Trump meant to send a private message to Attorney General Pam Bondi urging her to prosecute” Comey.

“.. Trump believed he had sent Bondi the message directly .. and was surprised to learn it was public, the officials said.” 🤡

@wsj.com
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...