Brent
@bk4us.com
Responsible citizen, curious mind.
More than a dilettante, less than an expert.
More than a dilettante, less than an expert.
Reposted by Brent
Paid a Colombian tea grower $1,500 for a shipment. Got billed $150 by the Trump administration at the border. *I* got billed. Not the tea growers. Not the Colombian government. Me. The American business owner. I paid the Trump tax.
November 12, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Paid a Colombian tea grower $1,500 for a shipment. Got billed $150 by the Trump administration at the border. *I* got billed. Not the tea growers. Not the Colombian government. Me. The American business owner. I paid the Trump tax.
Reposted by Brent
US democracy needs more of the legal profession to stand up for rule of law, rather than writing apologetics for Supreme Court calvinball, or firms bending the knee to Trump's authoritarian exploitation.
Some recognize that the basis of their job is under assault. Hopefully this is a sign of more.
Some recognize that the basis of their job is under assault. Hopefully this is a sign of more.
Worked in legal organizing for the last few years, and I never would have thought a movement of lawyers was possible until I had the displeasure of doing this job under Trump 2.0. Attacks on the rule of law are so blatant that even usually nonpartisan lawyers are done newrepublic.com/article/2026...
The Legal Professionals Planning to March Against Trump
Recent history has shown that attorneys and jurists can play a big role in bringing their nations back from the brink of autocracy. That day is coming for us as well.
newrepublic.com
November 11, 2025 at 10:56 PM
US democracy needs more of the legal profession to stand up for rule of law, rather than writing apologetics for Supreme Court calvinball, or firms bending the knee to Trump's authoritarian exploitation.
Some recognize that the basis of their job is under assault. Hopefully this is a sign of more.
Some recognize that the basis of their job is under assault. Hopefully this is a sign of more.
"In a rapidly backsliding democracy, harm is happening no matter what. Therefore, preventing authoritarian consolidation is the most harm-reducing move."
www.arcdigital.media/p/democrats-...
www.arcdigital.media/p/democrats-...
Democrats Have to Get Out of a Normal Democracy Mindset
By folding in the government shutdown in exchange for virtually nothing, eight Democratic senators aid Trump's authoritarian takeover rather than oppose it
www.arcdigital.media
November 10, 2025 at 11:44 PM
"In a rapidly backsliding democracy, harm is happening no matter what. Therefore, preventing authoritarian consolidation is the most harm-reducing move."
www.arcdigital.media/p/democrats-...
www.arcdigital.media/p/democrats-...
Reposted by Brent
This is so insightful:
November 10, 2025 at 9:58 PM
This is so insightful:
Reposted by Brent
seems to me that those democrats inclined not to fight perceive themselves as living through a somewhat ordinary cycle of presidential overreach and backlash and not something much more significant and dangerous
November 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
seems to me that those democrats inclined not to fight perceive themselves as living through a somewhat ordinary cycle of presidential overreach and backlash and not something much more significant and dangerous
I will try to remember this while I grit my teeth over the strategic blunder.
I will leave it to others to explain why this vote to bring an end to the shutdown of the federal government is right or wrong. For now, I am relieved that many of my friends will soon receive a pay check to pay for basic necessities.
November 10, 2025 at 1:56 PM
I will try to remember this while I grit my teeth over the strategic blunder.
I'm disappointed by this morning's news, but we have to remember: Senate Democrats were in a tough position.
After last Tuesday, voters were starting to think of the Democrats as a viable opposition party. Party leaders had to do *something* to manage expectations.
After last Tuesday, voters were starting to think of the Democrats as a viable opposition party. Party leaders had to do *something* to manage expectations.
November 10, 2025 at 1:37 PM
I'm disappointed by this morning's news, but we have to remember: Senate Democrats were in a tough position.
After last Tuesday, voters were starting to think of the Democrats as a viable opposition party. Party leaders had to do *something* to manage expectations.
After last Tuesday, voters were starting to think of the Democrats as a viable opposition party. Party leaders had to do *something* to manage expectations.
Reposted by Brent
I haven't shared this in a while, but it seems on topic right now.
November 6, 2025 at 9:50 PM
I haven't shared this in a while, but it seems on topic right now.
Reposted by Brent
Chuck Schumer is not cutting the mustard prospect.org/2025/11/06/c...
Chuck Schumer Is Not Fit to Lead the Democratic Party - The American Prospect
The Senate leader doesn’t just betray his own party, he’s also terrible at leading it. In Trump’s second term, facing a full-on authoritarian attack on America’s democracy and constitutional structure...
prospect.org
November 6, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Chuck Schumer is not cutting the mustard prospect.org/2025/11/06/c...
Reposted by Brent
Nice of @nytimes.com to make clear that, whenever its dull conservative columnists complain about the evils of "feminism" or "liberal feminism," they of course mean "women."
November 6, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Nice of @nytimes.com to make clear that, whenever its dull conservative columnists complain about the evils of "feminism" or "liberal feminism," they of course mean "women."
With a title like that, I'm definitely going to check out the short story
We are delighted to reveal the cover for @isabel.kim's debut novel Sublimation, a story of immigration, identity, and paradox from the author of "Why Don’t We Just Kill the Kid in the Omelas Hole"
Revealing Sublimation by Isabel J. Kim - Reactor
A tale of doppelgangers and corporate intrigue, heartbreak and betrayal — arriving June 2026
reactormag.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:18 PM
With a title like that, I'm definitely going to check out the short story
234 years ago today, the Miami war chief Little Turtle led a coalition of Great Lakes tribes at the Battle of the Wabash, the worst defeat the US ever suffered at the hands of a Native army. Three times as many US soldiers died in this battle than at Little Big Horn.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Cla...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Cla...
St. Clair's defeat - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 5, 2025 at 12:58 AM
234 years ago today, the Miami war chief Little Turtle led a coalition of Great Lakes tribes at the Battle of the Wabash, the worst defeat the US ever suffered at the hands of a Native army. Three times as many US soldiers died in this battle than at Little Big Horn.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Cla...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Cla...
Reposted by Brent
Bomb threats disrupting voting in New Jersey today, which has a competitive governor election.
As with LibsofTikTok and bomb threats to hospitals, the Online Right has seen they can do this to force closures.
Preview of 2026 midterms? Either way, states should be working on plans to deal with it.
As with LibsofTikTok and bomb threats to hospitals, the Online Right has seen they can do this to force closures.
Preview of 2026 midterms? Either way, states should be working on plans to deal with it.
Across New Jersey, bomb threats at multiple polling locations have prompted closures and relocations today
Bomb threats force closures at some New Jersey polling places
Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh said polling sites at School 2 and School 10 in Paterson were shut down after threats were received.
newjersey.news12.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Bomb threats disrupting voting in New Jersey today, which has a competitive governor election.
As with LibsofTikTok and bomb threats to hospitals, the Online Right has seen they can do this to force closures.
Preview of 2026 midterms? Either way, states should be working on plans to deal with it.
As with LibsofTikTok and bomb threats to hospitals, the Online Right has seen they can do this to force closures.
Preview of 2026 midterms? Either way, states should be working on plans to deal with it.
Reposted by Brent
if there was a rich person with the will, you could build the most incredible news organization that has ever existed just from the wreckage of this year alone.
I was laid off from Teen Vogue today along with multiple other staffers, and today is my last day.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
November 3, 2025 at 8:11 PM
if there was a rich person with the will, you could build the most incredible news organization that has ever existed just from the wreckage of this year alone.
Reposted by Brent
the dread median voter is more deluded than stupid and/or evil. we have evolved a catastrophically broken information environment that misled people by the millions, but they dont like what they voted for
People fucking hate this guy. They fucking hate ICE. They fucking hate how much power he has. He is at 63% overall disapproval to 37% approval. That's lower than their poll after January 6th. And this poll was done before he started intentionally starving people. I wish our media would reflect this.
November 3, 2025 at 10:13 PM
the dread median voter is more deluded than stupid and/or evil. we have evolved a catastrophically broken information environment that misled people by the millions, but they dont like what they voted for
Reposted by Brent
Mike Johnson: ‘My Christian Faith Is More About Not Jacking Off Than Feeding The Poor’
November 3, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Mike Johnson: ‘My Christian Faith Is More About Not Jacking Off Than Feeding The Poor’
Reposted by Brent
As @jamellebouie.net has been saying since January:
The agenda of the Trump regime is resegregation, to put people of color back where he thinks they belong, which is out of places of influence & public honor.
The agenda of the Trump regime is resegregation, to put people of color back where he thinks they belong, which is out of places of influence & public honor.
thank you for all the support; the statement from our union is now live here with some more reporting.
now that this is public I can confirm that the majority of today’s layoffs were women of color. there are no longer any Black women working at Teen Vogue.
now that this is public I can confirm that the majority of today’s layoffs were women of color. there are no longer any Black women working at Teen Vogue.
November 4, 2025 at 12:12 AM
As @jamellebouie.net has been saying since January:
The agenda of the Trump regime is resegregation, to put people of color back where he thinks they belong, which is out of places of influence & public honor.
The agenda of the Trump regime is resegregation, to put people of color back where he thinks they belong, which is out of places of influence & public honor.
Reposted by Brent
He committed crimes. Actual crimes. And if we were into prosecuting politicians who did crimes anymore, he would be in jail.
Thread: Look I know it's easier cognitively to just have good guys and villains, but a lot of you folks are just not dealing in facts. Andrew Cuomo was a centrist, sure, and he fought a lot with Democrats. But he also pushed some of the most progressive state policies of his era. A partial list. 1/
November 4, 2025 at 12:07 AM
He committed crimes. Actual crimes. And if we were into prosecuting politicians who did crimes anymore, he would be in jail.
Reposted by Brent
I understand why the GOP freakout over Fuentes is happening—it’s the first shot in the struggle for a post-Trump MAGA—but it’s still grimly funny that eight years after Unite The Right Republicans are only just now expressing concerns about their Nazi problem.
November 4, 2025 at 2:20 AM
I understand why the GOP freakout over Fuentes is happening—it’s the first shot in the struggle for a post-Trump MAGA—but it’s still grimly funny that eight years after Unite The Right Republicans are only just now expressing concerns about their Nazi problem.
In 2008 I went through a personal crisis. As a result, I went from making fun of Obama supporters to being one myself.
I couldn't tell myself this was a rational policy choice, since I hadn't changed my preferences (that would take a few more years). What really changed was my self-conception.
I couldn't tell myself this was a rational policy choice, since I hadn't changed my preferences (that would take a few more years). What really changed was my self-conception.
HOW VOTERS PICK A CANDIDATE:
-they observe the social environment (largely through media)
-they decide what role they want to play in that environment (respected? savvy? oppositional?)
-they pick the candidate they think fulfills that role
-they reverse-engineer an explanation for their pick
-they observe the social environment (largely through media)
-they decide what role they want to play in that environment (respected? savvy? oppositional?)
-they pick the candidate they think fulfills that role
-they reverse-engineer an explanation for their pick
Feeling like that chimpanzee that hanged himself rn
November 3, 2025 at 6:15 PM
In 2008 I went through a personal crisis. As a result, I went from making fun of Obama supporters to being one myself.
I couldn't tell myself this was a rational policy choice, since I hadn't changed my preferences (that would take a few more years). What really changed was my self-conception.
I couldn't tell myself this was a rational policy choice, since I hadn't changed my preferences (that would take a few more years). What really changed was my self-conception.
Reposted by Brent
HOW VOTERS PICK A CANDIDATE:
-they observe the social environment (largely through media)
-they decide what role they want to play in that environment (respected? savvy? oppositional?)
-they pick the candidate they think fulfills that role
-they reverse-engineer an explanation for their pick
-they observe the social environment (largely through media)
-they decide what role they want to play in that environment (respected? savvy? oppositional?)
-they pick the candidate they think fulfills that role
-they reverse-engineer an explanation for their pick
October 29, 2025 at 3:56 PM
HOW VOTERS PICK A CANDIDATE:
-they observe the social environment (largely through media)
-they decide what role they want to play in that environment (respected? savvy? oppositional?)
-they pick the candidate they think fulfills that role
-they reverse-engineer an explanation for their pick
-they observe the social environment (largely through media)
-they decide what role they want to play in that environment (respected? savvy? oppositional?)
-they pick the candidate they think fulfills that role
-they reverse-engineer an explanation for their pick
Reposted by Brent
Please just let me type in the year I was born. No more scrolling. We don’t have to keep doing this to each other.
November 2, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Please just let me type in the year I was born. No more scrolling. We don’t have to keep doing this to each other.
Reposted by Brent
Among the nested set of fallacies built into Pollingism (for that, indeed, is the most apt moniker) perhaps the most absurd is that what people think about Democrats is made out of what Democrats say, not what is relentlessly said about them.
i love how these people act as if working class voters haven't been trained to hate elizabeth warren via a right-wing propaganda campaign in its second decade and all they really dislike about her are her liberal views. (ignore the misogyny too!)
October 28, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Among the nested set of fallacies built into Pollingism (for that, indeed, is the most apt moniker) perhaps the most absurd is that what people think about Democrats is made out of what Democrats say, not what is relentlessly said about them.