Beth DeSombre
@bethdesombre.bsky.social
Songwriter, professor (Wellesley College, ES), activist, dog mom, runner. Songs that are “smart and uplifting...focusing on the quiet meaning to be found in ordinary life." Last year at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford.
My (Canadian) spouse pursued this route towards citizenship. It's terrifying what could have happened if we were a couple of decades later.
I need everybody to read this and understand what’s going on. These are spouses of US citizens in the country legally. They have entry clearance and green cards, they’ve passed background checks and have no criminal records. ICE is taking them anyway.
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Green Card Interviews End in Handcuffs for Spouses of U.S. Citizens
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:52 PM
My (Canadian) spouse pursued this route towards citizenship. It's terrifying what could have happened if we were a couple of decades later.
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
November 24, 2025 at 5:54 PM
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
Will also note that if you like someone's books and want them to keep writing, supporting them by buying their books or ordering them from the library if buying isn't an option, and encouraging others to do the same, has a HUGE impact. Relatively small differences in sales numbers are make or break.
November 25, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Will also note that if you like someone's books and want them to keep writing, supporting them by buying their books or ordering them from the library if buying isn't an option, and encouraging others to do the same, has a HUGE impact. Relatively small differences in sales numbers are make or break.
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
Again, every elected Democrat needs to put out a video stating exactly what Kelly and the others said. If ever there were a line to draw in the sand, it’s here. The military is not the president’s Praetorian Guard.
“Within the White House, Trump and his lieutenants aren’t planning on letting up…Trump has told some advisers that he wants RICO prosecutions and conspiracy charges leveled against the six Democrats, a source with direct knowledge of the matter tells Zeteo…
zeteo.com/p/how-we-gre...
zeteo.com/p/how-we-gre...
November 24, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Again, every elected Democrat needs to put out a video stating exactly what Kelly and the others said. If ever there were a line to draw in the sand, it’s here. The military is not the president’s Praetorian Guard.
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
Reacting to the presence of chatbots with assignment that ask students to look for mistakes in something they got a chatbot to spit out is not a sound approach to teaching your course material.
"GenAI allows seemingly limitless possibilities for assignments that
cultivate crucial literacies. For example, here’s the same old assignment caper that everyone and their AI dog has been suggesting for the past three years.”
#genai+writing
cultivate crucial literacies. For example, here’s the same old assignment caper that everyone and their AI dog has been suggesting for the past three years.”
#genai+writing
November 24, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Reacting to the presence of chatbots with assignment that ask students to look for mistakes in something they got a chatbot to spit out is not a sound approach to teaching your course material.
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
I don't understand how anyone can watch how blatantly Grok is manipulated to answer the way ownership desires it to and then act like the other LLM chatbots couldn't possibly be similarly but less obviously compromised to produce responses in whatever way corporate interests and priorities dictate.
November 23, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I don't understand how anyone can watch how blatantly Grok is manipulated to answer the way ownership desires it to and then act like the other LLM chatbots couldn't possibly be similarly but less obviously compromised to produce responses in whatever way corporate interests and priorities dictate.
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
Thinking a lot lately about the simple fact that college allows people to spend about 15 weeks immersed in a disciplinary conversation with an expert in that field. And what a special thing that is.
November 21, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Thinking a lot lately about the simple fact that college allows people to spend about 15 weeks immersed in a disciplinary conversation with an expert in that field. And what a special thing that is.
Woo hoo! Can’t wait to read the final version of a project I got to read in progress.
A copy of the NEW BOOK by 2023-24 CASBS fellow Micah Muscolino, "Remaking the Earth, Exhausting the People," has entered into the Center's renowned Ralph W. Tyler Collection 📖
About this @uwapress.uw.edu book: uwapress.uw.edu/book/9780295...
And check out Micah's awesome shout-out in the book (🧵)
About this @uwapress.uw.edu book: uwapress.uw.edu/book/9780295...
And check out Micah's awesome shout-out in the book (🧵)
November 19, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Woo hoo! Can’t wait to read the final version of a project I got to read in progress.
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
Barack Obama *ILL-ADVISEDLY* ran against Bobby Rush in 2000. He lost by 30%. Many of us absolutely knew he would lose at the time in Chicago. 3 years later he was running for Senate. Anyway, "waiting your turn" in politics is ridiculous. You run when you want to run & failure is fine.
November 17, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Barack Obama *ILL-ADVISEDLY* ran against Bobby Rush in 2000. He lost by 30%. Many of us absolutely knew he would lose at the time in Chicago. 3 years later he was running for Senate. Anyway, "waiting your turn" in politics is ridiculous. You run when you want to run & failure is fine.
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
the Democratic Party should have 2 major goals for the next time it holds power: (1) completely rebuild the destroyed federal government capacity, and (2) crush the GOP, which enabled so much corruption and immiseration. destroy their funding, jail their leaders, make it so a new party has to emerge
November 15, 2025 at 2:02 PM
the Democratic Party should have 2 major goals for the next time it holds power: (1) completely rebuild the destroyed federal government capacity, and (2) crush the GOP, which enabled so much corruption and immiseration. destroy their funding, jail their leaders, make it so a new party has to emerge
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Millionaire Tax That Inspired Mamdani Fuels $5.7 Billion Haul in Massachusetts
A millionaire levy in Massachusetts that New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani holds up as a model for taxing the rich has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing...
www.bloomberg.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:01 PM
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both."
Justice Louis Brandeis, born on this day in 1856
Justice Louis Brandeis, born on this day in 1856
November 13, 2025 at 11:08 AM
"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both."
Justice Louis Brandeis, born on this day in 1856
Justice Louis Brandeis, born on this day in 1856
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
We’ve served our country in uniform. Now we are stepping up to serve again.
We are The Hell Cats — four female veterans that are going to flip the House in 2026.
Join the mission → www.hellcats.us/
We are The Hell Cats — four female veterans that are going to flip the House in 2026.
Join the mission → www.hellcats.us/
November 12, 2025 at 7:12 PM
We’ve served our country in uniform. Now we are stepping up to serve again.
We are The Hell Cats — four female veterans that are going to flip the House in 2026.
Join the mission → www.hellcats.us/
We are The Hell Cats — four female veterans that are going to flip the House in 2026.
Join the mission → www.hellcats.us/
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
Stop me if you've heard this before:
If the NYT still had a public editor, that person would have official standing to ask, WTF???
They axed the public editor. So it's up to the rest of us to ask, unofficially, WTF???
If the NYT still had a public editor, that person would have official standing to ask, WTF???
They axed the public editor. So it's up to the rest of us to ask, unofficially, WTF???
To recap: Jeffrey Epstein offered a NY Times reporter photos taken in Epstein's kitchen of Donald Trump and girls in bikinis *and* implored the NYT reporter to put this information in the public discourse in 2015
What did the NY Times editors know about this offer?
What did the NY Times editors know about this offer?
“would you like photos of donald and girls in bikinis in my kitchen?” -Jeffrey Epstein
November 12, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Stop me if you've heard this before:
If the NYT still had a public editor, that person would have official standing to ask, WTF???
They axed the public editor. So it's up to the rest of us to ask, unofficially, WTF???
If the NYT still had a public editor, that person would have official standing to ask, WTF???
They axed the public editor. So it's up to the rest of us to ask, unofficially, WTF???
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
Right, the answer isn't to abandon the party to these weasels.
The answer is to flood the party with people who will take it over and transform it.
The answer is to flood the party with people who will take it over and transform it.
Hey, a lot of people are talking about changing affiliation from Democratic to Independent.
Let me tell you why you shouldn’t do that in Colorado.
One of the main ways to get a primary challenge candidate on a ballot is to caucus for your party. You need to be registered as a Dem to caucus.
Let me tell you why you shouldn’t do that in Colorado.
One of the main ways to get a primary challenge candidate on a ballot is to caucus for your party. You need to be registered as a Dem to caucus.
November 10, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Right, the answer isn't to abandon the party to these weasels.
The answer is to flood the party with people who will take it over and transform it.
The answer is to flood the party with people who will take it over and transform it.
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
instead of saying this was good strategy, maybe senate dems should say: "the republicans were going to kill people by starving them to death, and because we aren't monsters, we decided to let this fight go. We'll keep fighting. Stop electing monsters."
November 11, 2025 at 1:42 PM
instead of saying this was good strategy, maybe senate dems should say: "the republicans were going to kill people by starving them to death, and because we aren't monsters, we decided to let this fight go. We'll keep fighting. Stop electing monsters."
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
If only Chuck Schumer could be just 5% Mitch McConnell and not 100% Charlie Brown.
November 9, 2025 at 8:35 PM
If only Chuck Schumer could be just 5% Mitch McConnell and not 100% Charlie Brown.
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
Hey @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social and @schumer.senate.gov: compromising with fascists is compliance. Read the room. Do your jobs. Protect your constituents.
November 9, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Hey @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social and @schumer.senate.gov: compromising with fascists is compliance. Read the room. Do your jobs. Protect your constituents.
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
Call them:
Jeanne Shaheen (202) 224-2841
Gary Peters (202) 224-6221
Jon Ossoff 202-224-3521
Mark Kelly (202) 224-2235
Peter Welch 202-224-4242
Tammy Baldwin (202) 224-5653
Elissa Slotkin 202-224-4822
John Fetterman (202) 224-4254
Catherine Cortez Masto (202) 224-3542
Angus King (202) 224-5344
Jeanne Shaheen (202) 224-2841
Gary Peters (202) 224-6221
Jon Ossoff 202-224-3521
Mark Kelly (202) 224-2235
Peter Welch 202-224-4242
Tammy Baldwin (202) 224-5653
Elissa Slotkin 202-224-4822
John Fetterman (202) 224-4254
Catherine Cortez Masto (202) 224-3542
Angus King (202) 224-5344
November 9, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Call them:
Jeanne Shaheen (202) 224-2841
Gary Peters (202) 224-6221
Jon Ossoff 202-224-3521
Mark Kelly (202) 224-2235
Peter Welch 202-224-4242
Tammy Baldwin (202) 224-5653
Elissa Slotkin 202-224-4822
John Fetterman (202) 224-4254
Catherine Cortez Masto (202) 224-3542
Angus King (202) 224-5344
Jeanne Shaheen (202) 224-2841
Gary Peters (202) 224-6221
Jon Ossoff 202-224-3521
Mark Kelly (202) 224-2235
Peter Welch 202-224-4242
Tammy Baldwin (202) 224-5653
Elissa Slotkin 202-224-4822
John Fetterman (202) 224-4254
Catherine Cortez Masto (202) 224-3542
Angus King (202) 224-5344
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
I’ve said this before but I couldn’t get insurance when I was pregnant due to my pre existing condition…pregnancy.
For anyone too young to remember what it was like before ACA…
IT WAS A FUCKING NIGHTMARE.
IT WAS A FUCKING NIGHTMARE.
One of the most important provisions of the ACA was eliminating pre-existing conditions exclusions from insurance plans.
Folks need to be reminded that if the ACA goes away, so does that provision.
Folks need to be reminded that if the ACA goes away, so does that provision.
November 9, 2025 at 11:01 PM
I’ve said this before but I couldn’t get insurance when I was pregnant due to my pre existing condition…pregnancy.
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
⬇️if anyone needs an additional reason to boycott Target 🎯
ICE out of Target! The Target on Peterson Ave in Chicago allows CBP & ICE to park in its parking lot and arrest people.
November 9, 2025 at 9:35 PM
⬇️if anyone needs an additional reason to boycott Target 🎯
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
So it turns out... the US air travel system was incredibly, deeply dependent on federal funding to just run day-to-day all this time, to the benefit of private airline shareholders, when everyone thinks that state-run trains are leeching off the government. Weird!
November 9, 2025 at 12:10 AM
So it turns out... the US air travel system was incredibly, deeply dependent on federal funding to just run day-to-day all this time, to the benefit of private airline shareholders, when everyone thinks that state-run trains are leeching off the government. Weird!
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
Senate update: Republicans are now trying to sneak a backdoor national abortion ban into their government funding bill. Republicans will stop at nothing to control women's health care decisions.
November 8, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Senate update: Republicans are now trying to sneak a backdoor national abortion ban into their government funding bill. Republicans will stop at nothing to control women's health care decisions.
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
Reposted by Beth DeSombre
Caving to Trump before November 5th, 2025 could have been strategic cowardice. Now, you’re just pledging allegiance to authoritarianism.
November 7, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Caving to Trump before November 5th, 2025 could have been strategic cowardice. Now, you’re just pledging allegiance to authoritarianism.