Frank D. Russo
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Frank D. Russo
@fdrtoday.bsky.social
Attorney, active in politics & public policy half a century starting with JFK & civil rights movement, Ex Publisher California Progress Report & Legal Counsel to Speaker of CA Assembly. Trying to enjoy life in difficult times with music, photography travel
Pinned
I’m a mediator & seek agreement on facts hence my banner at top with another FDR. I also work as an arbitrator where I decide truth amongst “alternative facts.”

With all the news & opinion maybe I should focus more on WHAT SHOULD BE DONE about this “fine mess” we’re in.
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YouGov poll finds 70% oppose U.S. military action in Venezuela and that Trump needs to explain reason and has not done so
CBS News

There's a lot here--narrow 53-47% approve boat strikes

This is a poll of 2489 US adults

More bad news for Trump on economy, inflation and immigration

bit.ly/4rk6dI1
November 25, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Live updates: Ukraine Agrees to Peace Proposal Accodring to U.S. Official (but read below)
CNN

Ukraine seeks Zelensky-Trump meeting as White House says further peace talks needed

Ukraine agreed to the US proposal with only “minor details” outstanding

Reading the tea leaves

bit.ly/4inyskT
Live updates: Ukraine seeks Zelensky-Trump meeting as White House says further peace talks needed | CNN
The White House says additional discussions are required among Ukraine, Russia and the US as the countries work to hammer out a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. Follow for live news updates.
bit.ly
November 25, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Why Mike Johnson is losing control of the House
Politico

Thanks to a coalition of Democrats and disgruntled Republicans, more discharge petitions have succeeded in the past two years than the prior three decades combined

More to come as margin in House shrinks

Trump puppet below
bit.ly/4ok0fnU
Why Mike Johnson is losing control of the House
Thanks to a coalition of Democrats and disgruntled Republicans, more discharge petitions have succeeded in the past two years than the prior three decades combined.
bit.ly
November 25, 2025 at 5:28 PM
The attention economy’s dirty little secret
Politico

Troll transparency at X (Twitter) reveals many popular MAGA accounts are actually foreign accounts with no business interfering in American politics!

MAGA influencer characterizes them “election interference”

Russia listening?
bit.ly/4pufSK6
The attention economy's dirty little secret
bit.ly
November 25, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Chuck Schumer Faces Pushback From a ‘Fight Club’ of Senate Democrats
NYT Gift Article

Challenge over his approach to midterms and Trump a sign of deep frustration

Focus on contested primaries for open seats in Minnesota, Michigan and Maine

Find a graceful way out for him
bit.ly/4ofvwbe
November 25, 2025 at 4:46 PM
The Incomprehensible March Toward Regime Change in Venezuela
by Michelle Goldberg
NYT Gift Article

Trump designates Maduro of Venezuela and his allies in government as members of foreign terrorist organization called Cartel de los Soles, a group that doesn’t exist

Phony war ahead
bit.ly/4pBO9Yh
November 25, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Frontline GOPers caught in health care jam
California Playbook

Endangered California House Republicans forced back into health care limbo as Trump Admin delays announcing plan to extend Obamacare subsidies

GOP split

At least 2 California GOP members will support bipartisan bill
bit.ly/4ofnL56
Frontline GOPers caught in health care jam
Endangered House Republicans in California were forced back into health care limbo.
bit.ly
November 25, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Republicans Launch Major New Attack on Michigan-Based Overseas Voters
Democracy Docket

New lawsuit aggressive timeline to apply to midterm

Goes far beyond what attempt lost in 2024

Seeks to disenfranchise thousands of U.S. citizens born abroad to active-duty military parents
bit.ly/4p2ZJM6
Republicans Launch Major New Attack on Michigan-Based Overseas Voters
Read more here.
bit.ly
November 24, 2025 at 10:01 PM
New: Majorities of Latinos Disapprove of Trump and His Policies on Immigration, Economy
from Pew Research Center

About four-in-five say Trump’s policies harm Hispanics a higher share than during his first term

70% disapprove of the way Trump is handling his job as president
bit.ly/3XMeSFp
Majorities of Latinos Disapprove of Trump and His Policies on Immigration, Economy
78% of Hispanics say Trump’s policies harm their group, but views of the president and policies differ widely by how they voted in 2024.
bit.ly
November 24, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Fact check: 78 times Zelensky has expressed gratitude to the US
by Daniel Dale CNN

President Trump claimed on social media Sunday “UKRAINE ‘LEADERSHIP’ HAS EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS” in relation to the war

Trump’s claim is not even close to accurate

Why does he lie?
cnn.it/48ydrk7
Fact check: 78 times Zelensky has expressed gratitude to the US | CNN Politics
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed gratitude to the United States on dozens of occasions – 78 examples are listed below – since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of his country...
cnn.it
November 24, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Witness exposes unusual tactics used to prop up Adam Shiff mortgage fraud case
WAPO Gift Article

Surprising revelations about Trump officials and attempts to reach indictment show how weak it is

Direct messages to strangers on social media and out-of-the-blue phone calls
wapo.st/3K6rvrU
Witness exposes unusual tactics used to prop up mortgage fraud cases
A witness in the Sen. Adam Schiff (D-California) case exposed surprising revelations about Trump officials and their attempts to reach an indictment.
wapo.st
November 24, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Defense Department opening investigation into Sen. Mark Kelly
NBC News

For video urging military members not to comply with "illegal orders"

Hegseth says he's subject to being recalled to active duty for court-martial proceedings

Kelly says he won't be intimidated

This is B.S.
bit.ly/4ppTgdN
Defense Department says it is opening an investigation into Sen. Mark Kelly
The investigation is related to the Arizona senator's participation in a video Democratic lawmakers made urging members of the military not to comply with "illegal orders."
bit.ly
November 24, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Judge dismisses Comey, James indictments after finding that prosecutor was illegally appointed
AP

The judge dismissed these cases "without prejudice" though it was not immediately clear if or how the Justice Department might attempt to revive the prosecutions

More analysis to come
bit.ly/3LZYHSo
Judge dismisses Comey, James indictments after finding that prosecutor was illegally appointed
A federal judge has dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, concluding that the prosecutor who brought the charges at Presiden...
bit.ly
November 24, 2025 at 6:27 PM
The Boomers Are Protesting Trump. Where Is Gen Z?
by Brendan Nyhan
NYT Gift Article

"The absence of young people from conventional protests is both a problem and a warning"

Serious article from college Poli Sci prof

Boomers need to LISTEN to the young who need to forge their path
bit.ly/49DIKey
November 24, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Aren’t Trump’s apologists exhausted by their moral calisthenics?
by Frank Bruni

Voters who regard him as lesser of evils tell themselves: Trump has shortcomings but those are merely mirrors of the corruption and craziness on the other side e.g."Trump is using his DOJ as Biden did"
bit.ly/4oqudqo
November 24, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Democrats deploy $1 million as GOP panics ahead of Tennessee December 2 special Congressional election
The Downballot

Trump won the 7th District by 22 points. Republicans are sweating anyway

Watch the ad in link in article, Democrat “Afton Behn wants one thing—to lower your costs”
bit.ly/4a9AEdB
Morning Digest: Democrats deploy $1 million as GOP panics ahead of Tennessee special election
Trump won the 7th District by 22 points. Republicans are sweating anyway.
bit.ly
November 24, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Trump Is Weak and Failing and Media Is Finally Saying So
by Greg Sargent

Trump’s downward spiral starts producing harsher media coverage a writer who regularly dissects MAGA & political media explains why he’s entering a tailspin that will be very hard to reverse

Read or listen to
bit.ly/3K6vm8m
Transcript: Trump Is Weak and Failing, and Media Is Finally Saying So
As Trump’s downward spiral starts producing harsher media coverage, a writer who regularly dissects MAGA and political media explains why he’s entering a tailspin that will be very hard to reverse.
bit.ly
November 24, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Why Is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. So Convinced He’s Right?
How an outsider once ignored by the public-health establishment became the most powerful man in science
by Michael Scherer
Atlantic Gift Article

Based on multiple interviews with RFK Jr. and his prior articles this is a MUST READ
bit.ly/4ilIgvZ
Why Is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. So Convinced He’s Right?
How an outsider, once ignored by the public-health establishment, became the most powerful man in science
bit.ly
November 24, 2025 at 2:41 PM
The Murky Plan That Ensures a Future War

Who will benefit from the White House’s 28-point proposal for Ukraine?
By Anne Applebaum
Atlantic Gift Article

Not a peace plan but a proposal that weakens Ukraine and divides America from Europe preparing the way for a larger future war
bit.ly/4ii1nXG
The Murky Plan That Ensures a Future War
Who will benefit from the White House’s 28-point proposal for Ukraine?
bit.ly
November 23, 2025 at 7:55 PM
The night America’s doomed ruling class gorged on lamb, blood, and oil
by Will Bunch
Philadelphia Inquirer

For America’s deeply corrupt billionaires, time heals all wounds even from a murderous Saudi prince’s bone saw

A state funeral for billionaire class whose gusher is running dry
bit.ly/43Niue1
The night America’s doomed ruling class gorged on lamb, blood, and oil
For America’s deeply corrupt billionaires, time heals all wounds — even from a murderous Saudi prince’s bone saw.
bit.ly
November 23, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Trump pledge to ‘immediately’ end protections for Minnesota Somalis sparks fear and legal questions
AP

The pattern: Demagoguing about immigrants without justification or evidence, literally taking away important life-saving protections, and retribution to a state he has beef with

bit.ly/3XLzI7T
Trump pledge to 'immediately' end protections for Minnesota Somalis sparks fear and legal questions
President Donald Trump has pledged to end temporary legal protections for Somalis in Minnesota, sparking fear in the state's immigrant community.
bit.ly
November 23, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Bondi Jumps to Trump's Epstein Demand: 'Investigate Bill Clinton'
The National Circus

Trump named Clinton but in newly released emails Epstein claimed that Trump "knew about the girls" and that Clinton "never" visited Epstein's private island

How about Special Prosecutor for Trump?
bit.ly/4o94mCZ
November 23, 2025 at 6:38 PM
When federal agents shoot people in D.C., there are few details — and little accountability
from The 51st State

D.C. police officers are held to one standard, federal agents another

Details about shootings

51st.news/federal-poli...
When federal agents shoot people in D.C., there are few details — and little accountability
D.C. police officers are held to one standard, federal agents another.
51st.news
November 23, 2025 at 6:30 PM
How Trump’s DOT Is Loosening Safety Rules Meant to Protect the Public
ProPublica

30 regulatory moves that will reduce safety and cost lives: Air traffic control, highway, train safety and oil pipelines maintenance

Not fox guarding a henhouse, it's “the fox designing the henhouse”
bit.ly/44kSFC5
How Trump’s Transportation Department Is Loosening Safety Rules Meant to Protect the Public
ProPublica has identified dozens of instances in which the Trump administration’s DOT has moved to cut, soften or delay safety regulations for cars, trucks, planes, trains and even oil pipelines. Expe...
bit.ly
November 23, 2025 at 6:22 PM