Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 27m

It says a lot that Trump can find $20 billion to bail out Argentina, but won't help the millions of Americans who are in real need at home.

So much for “America First.”

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Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 1h

Sens. Schumer, Merkley, Murray, and Peters are calling for the resignation of OMB Director Russell Vought.

"By impounding billions of dollars … and aggressively pursuing the illegal use of pocket rescissions, Vought has done everything in his power to gut the federal government piece by piece."

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Dr. Tara L. Conley @taralconley.com · 1h

for active military or if you know someone in the military:

“The Orders Project is a non-partisan program created by the National Institute for Military Justice to assist military personnel in understanding their options when faced with orders they believe may not be legal.”
www.nimj.org/top.html#/

Orders Project

The Orders Project is a non-partisan program created by the National Institute for Military Justice to assist military personnel in understanding their options when faced with orders they believe may....

www.nimj.org

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Biofunctor @biofunctor.bsky.social · 44m

This is how they work. They think it’s all a game. The left makes moves so they only have to figure out counter moves. They are as shallow as a puddle

Joe Patrice @joepatrice.bsky.social · 1h

Amazing

Tweet: @vexwerewolf
Right-wingers literally straight-up admitting "it's harder to discredit the left because the left is almost always telling the truth"
Scott Jennings @Lum 21h um, yes, that's really a problem
Show this thread
9 paints • 12 hrs
The problem with left-leaning media is they're intrinsically more strict with their propaganda to only using verifiable sources so it's really hard to poke holes in their ideology and arguments in comparison to a lot of low quality rightwing content.
That makes attacking their points with fact checkers not very effective unless the fact checkers use misinformation tactics as well.
In essence people on the right have to work harder and more creatively to push their agendas as statistics and studies frustratingly arent usually on our side.

Biofunctor @biofunctor.bsky.social · 49m

But not all of us

"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 1h

MAGA is failing and flailing, but that doesn't make them harmless - I fear they will be even more immediately destructive in failure than success.

The good news: the Athenians retained their democracy. We can too.

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"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 1h

The Thirty set about trying to butcher and exile their way to an oligarchic Athens; in the end they had to be defeated by force of arms and expelled. They probably murdered something like 5% of the population in the process of failing.

I am real worried we're headed in the same direction.

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Biofunctor @biofunctor.bsky.social · 51m

More likely an explosion that the survivors spend 50 years cleaning up, at least

"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 1h

This seems true, but it has pretty dark implications, because the consistent historical trend is for radicals of this sort, when stymied, to ramp up the violence in an effort to break through.

I think some folks are expecting a 'soft' Hungary-style tyranny and I don't think that's in the cards.

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 2h

a key thing about vought — and all of these guys — is that they have a totally top down and hierarchical vision of the world. they believe that the cultural changes they hate can be turned off by destroying the federal government because they can’t imagine that they emerged bottom-up in society

Biofunctor @biofunctor.bsky.social · 53m

This is a little kid who has been indoctrinated. They love to use that word, so let’s be clear that’s it’s ONE MORE CONFESSION

Maureen Jice @jane.meangirls.online · 3h

Vivek trying to walk a tightrope when confronted by these little fascist monsters

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shawn @mulchy.bsky.social · 1h

for those unfamiliar with “orange crush,” check out this piece from @bdolinar.bsky.social.

it’s legitimately wild that the state had these guys out doing crowd control.

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Biofunctor @biofunctor.bsky.social · 1h

This is very true, it is why they will fail even though it will hurt an extraordinary number of people

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 2h

a key thing about vought — and all of these guys — is that they have a totally top down and hierarchical vision of the world. they believe that the cultural changes they hate can be turned off by destroying the federal government because they can’t imagine that they emerged bottom-up in society

Thomas Zimmer @thomaszimmer.bsky.social · 2h

What he’s railing against is a profound shift in culture, status… He’s obsessed with the idea that America is controlled by a leftist “ruling elite” - but “elite” isn’t defined socio-economically or by political power, it means something like: Getting to define “real America” and who gets to belong.

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Raider @iwillnotbesilenced.bsky.social · 14h

This Is Fascism

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Biofunctor @biofunctor.bsky.social · 2h

Theocrats

Brian Lyman @brianlyman.bsky.social · 2h

The federal courts have degenerated into places for far-right charlatans to bypass democracy, and democratic reforms must start there.

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Kevin Foster @kevinhfoster.bsky.social · 11h

Massive escalation at the Portland ICE facility. Worst I’ve ever seen. More pepper balls than I can count. Teargas in the middle of crowd. Violent arrests. Some type of either noise or rubber bullet shotgun fired into the air then later aimed at protesters chests/heads at near point blank range.

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Biofunctor @biofunctor.bsky.social · 14h

Why are state troopers beating protestors who you say are right to be upset beyond normal

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Biofunctor @biofunctor.bsky.social · 16h

@govpritzker.illinois.gov all that bloviation because you want to be the one to rule!

Dave Byrnes @djbyrnes1.bsky.social · 17h

Telling the federal court that IL police can handle Broadview was part of the state's legal strategy against national guard being deployed here.

But it's hard to square that as for the good of protestors or Illinoisans as a whole, when IL police are perfectly willing to drag and beat them anyway.

shawn @mulchy.bsky.social · 17h

state police continue to push protesters down 25th street. at one point, cops swarmed a group of people and pushed them to the ground.

multiple people arrested.

Biofunctor @biofunctor.bsky.social · 17h

@govpritzker.illinois.gov
Call off your goons

unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 17h

A small number of demonstrators attempted to protest/march in the street.

Massive number of ISP troopers in riot gear responded by blocking 25th, threatening arrest, shouting into megaphone about an unlawful assembly.

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Biofunctor @biofunctor.bsky.social · 17h

Are we just going to keep videoing? These are our laws they claim to be enforcing

Joshua Reed Eakle 🗽 @joshuaeakle.com · 22h

In Chicago, four vehicles descended and eight ICE agents moved in to kidnap a child.

She screams, “I’m 15,” as ICE yanks her from the car and kneels on her neck.

This is not about immigration enforcement.

It's about terrorizing Americans.

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Tyler, from the Internet @tylerfromtheinternet.com · 1d

Portland isn't burning, it's lit

Jason❌ @gizmosspace.bsky.social · 2d

This is awesome.

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Biofunctor @biofunctor.bsky.social · 17h

Unless, of course it’s a democrat who’s the president

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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 18h

vought's view is that the president is an elected dictator and lo and behold he is seizing outright the power of the purse

Kevin Elliott @kjephd.bsky.social · 19h

Unconstitutionally taking money that the law says must be spent on one purpose & using it for something else—when it's to establish personalist control over the FUCKING MILITARY—is about as dangerous a constitutional crisis/failure as you can imagine

Via: www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

The Office of Management and Budget sent a notification to Congress about their intent to use research and development funds to pay members of the military, two sources with direct knowledge tell NBC News.

A spokesperson for the OMB confirmed to NBC News that it plans to use the research and development funds and that there are two years' worth of funds available within the Department of Defense.

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unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 17h

Note: it's not even curfew yet.

State police just started pushing people off the business park corner. Here in the road, a brave group of demonstrators are attempting to hold their line.

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unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 1d

In Broadview, IL this morning outside the Chicago area ICE detention center—

Just rolled up, immediately saw ISP/CCSO arresting a protester w/ a guitar (he appears to be in good spirits over it).

ICE vehicles have been coming and going, including a large bus driven by a masked agent seen earlier.

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NPR @npr.org · 1d

Alexandra is one of many people who lost their jobs for posting about the conservative influencer's death. She described the online mob that got her fired as "state-sponsored censorship." n.pr/4ocHQcG

She posted about Charlie Kirk's death. Within eight hours, she was fired

Alexandra is one of many people who lost their jobs for posting about the conservative influencer's death. She described the online mob that got her fired as "state-sponsored censorship."

n.pr

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Biofunctor @biofunctor.bsky.social · 1d

abcnews.go.com/Entertainmen...

The original for me

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Biofunctor @biofunctor.bsky.social · 1d

I do think that Sulzberger/klein/weiss et al hate trans people so much that they’ll continue to carry water for Nazis around the world

George Conway 👊🇺🇸🔥 @gtconway.bsky.social · 1d

Is it just me, or does it seem the press is actually and completely terrified to report about Donald Trump's physical and mental health the way it would have if anyone else were president?