Martha Carlson
@marthacarlson.bsky.social
Preferably outside. Stage IV HER2+ breast cancer since 2015. Occasionally ragey cancer advocate. Write about my experiences for Cure + co-host of Our MBC Life podcast
Reposted by Martha Carlson
I wrote about the fecklessness of the Democrats ending this shutdown for my newsletter this morning. www.burnsnotice.com/what-was-the...
What Was the Point of the Shutdown?
Democrats asked voters to weather short term pain from the shutdown to get long term gains in extending the ACA health insurance subsidies. Then they threw it all away.
So, what was the point of all ...
www.burnsnotice.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:24 PM
I wrote about the fecklessness of the Democrats ending this shutdown for my newsletter this morning. www.burnsnotice.com/what-was-the...
Reposted by Martha Carlson
Democrats successfully backed Trump into a corner where he was on-the-record advocating to starve Americans and let their healthcare costs go up.
And now 10 cowards in the Senate are about to bail him out in exchange for NOTHING.
And now 10 cowards in the Senate are about to bail him out in exchange for NOTHING.
November 10, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Democrats successfully backed Trump into a corner where he was on-the-record advocating to starve Americans and let their healthcare costs go up.
And now 10 cowards in the Senate are about to bail him out in exchange for NOTHING.
And now 10 cowards in the Senate are about to bail him out in exchange for NOTHING.
Reposted by Martha Carlson
Chris Murphy: "There will be pretty substantial damage to a Dem brand that has been rehabilitated if on the heels of an election in which the people told us to keep fighting, we immediately stop... if we surrender without having gotten anything, I worry it'll be hard to get them back up off the mat"
November 7, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Chris Murphy: "There will be pretty substantial damage to a Dem brand that has been rehabilitated if on the heels of an election in which the people told us to keep fighting, we immediately stop... if we surrender without having gotten anything, I worry it'll be hard to get them back up off the mat"
Reposted by Martha Carlson
I don’t know how many times I’ve watched this video.
I don’t know how we’ve gotten to the point where men in full balaclavas can abduct daycare teachers while they’re watching children.
But I do know that this isn’t sustainable. Abolish ICE. There is no way to reform this.
I don’t know how we’ve gotten to the point where men in full balaclavas can abduct daycare teachers while they’re watching children.
But I do know that this isn’t sustainable. Abolish ICE. There is no way to reform this.
Federal agents pulling a woman out of Rayito Del Sol, a daycare by Lane Tech high school
November 5, 2025 at 9:42 PM
I don’t know how many times I’ve watched this video.
I don’t know how we’ve gotten to the point where men in full balaclavas can abduct daycare teachers while they’re watching children.
But I do know that this isn’t sustainable. Abolish ICE. There is no way to reform this.
I don’t know how we’ve gotten to the point where men in full balaclavas can abduct daycare teachers while they’re watching children.
But I do know that this isn’t sustainable. Abolish ICE. There is no way to reform this.
This is such terrible news. Teen Vogue had the best political reporting around.
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 9:43 PM
This is such terrible news. Teen Vogue had the best political reporting around.
Reposted by Martha Carlson
I think a lot about the chance we had at the start of COVID to finally become a more compassionate, collectivist nation, and how profoundly we were failed not only by the sociopathic greed of the ruling class but by each other.
It doesn’t mean we won’t get there, but the lost opportunity haunts me.
It doesn’t mean we won’t get there, but the lost opportunity haunts me.
Remember how just a few years ago during the worst of the pandemic when we saw how the govt can actually do big things and saw that our collective health & well-being are intertwined, and then corporations got mad that they lost a modicum of power and helped fund a backlash of amnesia and fascism?
October 30, 2025 at 4:02 AM
I think a lot about the chance we had at the start of COVID to finally become a more compassionate, collectivist nation, and how profoundly we were failed not only by the sociopathic greed of the ruling class but by each other.
It doesn’t mean we won’t get there, but the lost opportunity haunts me.
It doesn’t mean we won’t get there, but the lost opportunity haunts me.
Reposted by Martha Carlson
In the quest for "biological truth," the Trump admin discounts the very real biological truth that some men do get breast cancer
Now it'll be harder for male veterans diagnosed w/the rare but deadly cancer to get VA coverage
always read @ericumansky.bsky.social
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
Now it'll be harder for male veterans diagnosed w/the rare but deadly cancer to get VA coverage
always read @ericumansky.bsky.social
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
Citing Trump Order on “Biological Truth,” VA Makes It Harder for Male Veterans With Breast Cancer to Get Coverage
A Department of Veterans Affairs memo obtained by ProPublica erects new roadblocks to care for veterans with the rare but deadly cancer. The agency cites no new science but relies on an executive orde...
www.propublica.org
October 29, 2025 at 5:40 PM
In the quest for "biological truth," the Trump admin discounts the very real biological truth that some men do get breast cancer
Now it'll be harder for male veterans diagnosed w/the rare but deadly cancer to get VA coverage
always read @ericumansky.bsky.social
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
Now it'll be harder for male veterans diagnosed w/the rare but deadly cancer to get VA coverage
always read @ericumansky.bsky.social
www.propublica.org/article/vete...
Reposted by Martha Carlson
"Morgan County Commissioners approved nearly 400 acres for a data center’s development in February but couldn’t say who the developer was because they signed nondisclosure agreements. Despite resident protests, it approved 158 more acres for the development this month."
October 26, 2025 at 1:10 PM
"Morgan County Commissioners approved nearly 400 acres for a data center’s development in February but couldn’t say who the developer was because they signed nondisclosure agreements. Despite resident protests, it approved 158 more acres for the development this month."
Reposted by Martha Carlson
MIKE JOHNSON: I've not seen them cross the line yet.
October 15, 2025 at 3:06 AM
MIKE JOHNSON: I've not seen them cross the line yet.
Reposted by Martha Carlson
“If the West Wing is the mind of the nation, then the East Wing is the heart.”
- former First Lady Betty Ford
The East Wing is gone.
Over a century of American history, reduced to rubble.
All to appease the vanity of a corrupt authoritarian.
- former First Lady Betty Ford
The East Wing is gone.
Over a century of American history, reduced to rubble.
All to appease the vanity of a corrupt authoritarian.
October 23, 2025 at 9:41 PM
“If the West Wing is the mind of the nation, then the East Wing is the heart.”
- former First Lady Betty Ford
The East Wing is gone.
Over a century of American history, reduced to rubble.
All to appease the vanity of a corrupt authoritarian.
- former First Lady Betty Ford
The East Wing is gone.
Over a century of American history, reduced to rubble.
All to appease the vanity of a corrupt authoritarian.
Reposted by Martha Carlson
Consider how few anecdotes it took for the media to declare a Free Speech on Campus crisis.
Every day we get more evidence that the Republican Party is teeming with white supremacists yet elite institutions refuse to frame this as a crisis that needs the nation’s attention.
Every day we get more evidence that the Republican Party is teeming with white supremacists yet elite institutions refuse to frame this as a crisis that needs the nation’s attention.
DHS posted a disturbing video today featuring a song that’s popular with Nazi creators
DHS Posts Video Featuring Song Popular With Nazi Creators
The agency denied making
gizmodo.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:10 AM
Consider how few anecdotes it took for the media to declare a Free Speech on Campus crisis.
Every day we get more evidence that the Republican Party is teeming with white supremacists yet elite institutions refuse to frame this as a crisis that needs the nation’s attention.
Every day we get more evidence that the Republican Party is teeming with white supremacists yet elite institutions refuse to frame this as a crisis that needs the nation’s attention.
Reposted by Martha Carlson
As I note in this article, Proud Boys are encouraging members to sign up for ICE. This shows that they really are turning to actual gangs for "law enforcement."
As noted, this is also very much like the brownshirts being eclipsed by the SS.
www.salon.com/2025/10/22/h...
As noted, this is also very much like the brownshirts being eclipsed by the SS.
www.salon.com/2025/10/22/h...
How the Proud Boys invented antifa
The far-right gang has been fully absorbed by Trump's White House
www.salon.com
October 23, 2025 at 10:19 AM
As I note in this article, Proud Boys are encouraging members to sign up for ICE. This shows that they really are turning to actual gangs for "law enforcement."
As noted, this is also very much like the brownshirts being eclipsed by the SS.
www.salon.com/2025/10/22/h...
As noted, this is also very much like the brownshirts being eclipsed by the SS.
www.salon.com/2025/10/22/h...
Reposted by Martha Carlson
You need to see this…
Just so we’re all clear on the gravity and historical significance of what Trump has done to the East Wing of the People’s House.
Just so we’re all clear on the gravity and historical significance of what Trump has done to the East Wing of the People’s House.
October 21, 2025 at 10:27 AM
You need to see this…
Just so we’re all clear on the gravity and historical significance of what Trump has done to the East Wing of the People’s House.
Just so we’re all clear on the gravity and historical significance of what Trump has done to the East Wing of the People’s House.
Start your Saturday with @metavivor.bsky.social at the @americancancersoc.bsky.social walk at Chicago’s Soldier Field! Come on down, rain or shine #cansky
October 18, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Start your Saturday with @metavivor.bsky.social at the @americancancersoc.bsky.social walk at Chicago’s Soldier Field! Come on down, rain or shine #cansky
Reposted by Martha Carlson
“If the officers learn that the individual they stopped is a U.S. citizen or otherwise lawfully in the United States,” Kavanaugh wrote, “they promptly let the individual go.”
Meanwhile, the reality of #KavanaughStop
Meanwhile, the reality of #KavanaughStop
Americans have been dragged, tackled, beaten, tased and shot by immigration agents. They’ve had their necks kneeled on. They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear. At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them.
More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.
The government does not track how often immigration agents grab citizens. So ProPublica did. Our tally — almost certainly incomplete — includes people who were held for days without a lawyer. And near...
www.propublica.org
October 16, 2025 at 4:55 PM
“If the officers learn that the individual they stopped is a U.S. citizen or otherwise lawfully in the United States,” Kavanaugh wrote, “they promptly let the individual go.”
Meanwhile, the reality of #KavanaughStop
Meanwhile, the reality of #KavanaughStop
Reposted by Martha Carlson
kids teacher just sent this home as part of an assignment he's doing and i want to smash every computer at the school
October 15, 2025 at 7:45 AM
kids teacher just sent this home as part of an assignment he's doing and i want to smash every computer at the school
Reposted by Martha Carlson
In disbelief that Tony Fitzpatrick has died. Almost 10 years ago he messaged me out of the blue to see if I wanted some art of his for the cover of "Rust Belt Chicago," a @beltpublishing.bsky.social anthology I was editing of essays, poetry & short stories about Chicago. His generosity was legend.
October 11, 2025 at 9:19 PM
In disbelief that Tony Fitzpatrick has died. Almost 10 years ago he messaged me out of the blue to see if I wanted some art of his for the cover of "Rust Belt Chicago," a @beltpublishing.bsky.social anthology I was editing of essays, poetry & short stories about Chicago. His generosity was legend.
Reposted by Martha Carlson
On ICE raids and attacks in Chicago, local reporters have consistently shown up the national outlets attempting to report remotely.
Locals continue to break story after story even as the nationals are summarizing govt press releases. They've shown physical bravery in very dangerous circumstances.
Locals continue to break story after story even as the nationals are summarizing govt press releases. They've shown physical bravery in very dangerous circumstances.
"With local news in a severe tailspin for decades, there was a real question about whether Chicago’s media would meet the moment. But they have indeed," writes @markjacob.bsky.social in Stop The Presses.
The press steps up as Trump targets Chicago
Local journalism is under siege, but still makes itself indispensable
www.stopthepresses.news
October 8, 2025 at 3:48 PM
On ICE raids and attacks in Chicago, local reporters have consistently shown up the national outlets attempting to report remotely.
Locals continue to break story after story even as the nationals are summarizing govt press releases. They've shown physical bravery in very dangerous circumstances.
Locals continue to break story after story even as the nationals are summarizing govt press releases. They've shown physical bravery in very dangerous circumstances.
Reposted by Martha Carlson
He was always going to do this. Chicagoans have not rioted, so the administration just lied and said we have. We have not attacked ICE agents, so they just lied and said we did. There was no chaos here, so they created chaotic scenes by attacking people and filmed that shit.
October 7, 2025 at 5:49 PM
He was always going to do this. Chicagoans have not rioted, so the administration just lied and said we have. We have not attacked ICE agents, so they just lied and said we did. There was no chaos here, so they created chaotic scenes by attacking people and filmed that shit.
Reposted by Martha Carlson
Bridging my current life in Chicago and my past life in D.C., I argue today at @newrepublic.com that Democrats should ~never~ vote to fund this government. Make John Thune blow up Senate rules and Republicans wholly own the U.S. extra-military military doing war crimes against us, funded by us.
The Case for the Forever Shutdown
Senate Democrats actually allowing the GOP to stop funding the government is only the first step. Now they have to make the case that Trump’s government is illegitimate.
newrepublic.com
October 8, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Bridging my current life in Chicago and my past life in D.C., I argue today at @newrepublic.com that Democrats should ~never~ vote to fund this government. Make John Thune blow up Senate rules and Republicans wholly own the U.S. extra-military military doing war crimes against us, funded by us.
Reposted by Martha Carlson
Journalism, the job where when someone powerful lies you describe it as "not strictly true" because describing facts would be bias bsky.app/profile/atru...
DOKOUPIL: Republicans says what you're really fighting for is taxpayer dollars for illegal aliens. I know that's not strictly true--
ELIZABETH WARREN: Excuse me, not strictly true? It is a flat out lie!
ELIZABETH WARREN: Excuse me, not strictly true? It is a flat out lie!
October 3, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Journalism, the job where when someone powerful lies you describe it as "not strictly true" because describing facts would be bias bsky.app/profile/atru...
Reposted by Martha Carlson
We need a bigger national spotlight on this building raid, fam. Agents dropped from helicopters onto the roof. Citizens and non-citizens alike were dragged from their homes in the night. People who weren't kidnapped during the raid had their belongings seized after the fact. This is madness.
"Jones, 27, is among the residents left at 7500 S. South Shore Drive who are trying to piece together what remains after an early morning, high-powered federal immigration raid led to the arrests of dozens of their neighbors at their South Shore apartment building."
Massive immigration raid on Chicago apartment building leaves residents reeling: 'I feel defeated'
The Department of Homeland Security said federal agents with Border Patrol, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested 37 people in the raid.
chicago.suntimes.com
October 2, 2025 at 4:23 PM
We need a bigger national spotlight on this building raid, fam. Agents dropped from helicopters onto the roof. Citizens and non-citizens alike were dragged from their homes in the night. People who weren't kidnapped during the raid had their belongings seized after the fact. This is madness.
Reposted by Martha Carlson
What DHS pulled in Chicago on Tuesday is wildly unconstitutional. They smashed down almost every door in the building, dragged entire families into the street, and detained people for hours ("Kavanaugh stops").
Ms. Fisher was held for five hours and another senior citizen was held for three hours.
Ms. Fisher was held for five hours and another senior citizen was held for three hours.
![Rodrick Johnson, 67, is one of many residents who were detained by federal agents during the South Shore raid. A U.S. citizen, he said agents broke through his door and dragged him out in zip ties.
Johnson said he was left tied up outside the building for nearly three hours before agents finally let him go.
“I asked [agents] why they were holding me if I was an American citizen, and they said I had to wait until they looked me up,” Jones said. “I asked if they had a warrant, and I asked for a lawyer. They never brought one.”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2vtbmhmrwzbqcfv4we4uxzzt/bafkreib66z6racbfo5llgukbvmldxq44zaa7nqetkcs5cwxfez6xcec5oy@jpeg)
October 2, 2025 at 12:16 PM
What DHS pulled in Chicago on Tuesday is wildly unconstitutional. They smashed down almost every door in the building, dragged entire families into the street, and detained people for hours ("Kavanaugh stops").
Ms. Fisher was held for five hours and another senior citizen was held for three hours.
Ms. Fisher was held for five hours and another senior citizen was held for three hours.
Reposted by Martha Carlson
RIP to the great Jane Goodall who had THE AUDACITY to SUGGEST that Trunt's behavior was like a male chimpanzee's....What a LIFE/CAREER...Jane, not Trunt. @drginnymac.bsky.social @gmf1369.bsky.social @misslizzy.bsky.social @judithbolyard.bsky.social @danableedgreen.bsky.social @themrrudy.bsky.social
October 2, 2025 at 1:26 PM
RIP to the great Jane Goodall who had THE AUDACITY to SUGGEST that Trunt's behavior was like a male chimpanzee's....What a LIFE/CAREER...Jane, not Trunt. @drginnymac.bsky.social @gmf1369.bsky.social @misslizzy.bsky.social @judithbolyard.bsky.social @danableedgreen.bsky.social @themrrudy.bsky.social
Reposted by Martha Carlson
I was sent this by a Georgian this morning. 2025 premiums vs 2026 premiums for someone making $65k a year.
Republicans in Washington did this.
This is what I'm fighting to stop. This is what’s at stake in this shutdown fight.
Republicans in Washington did this.
This is what I'm fighting to stop. This is what’s at stake in this shutdown fight.
October 1, 2025 at 6:33 PM
I was sent this by a Georgian this morning. 2025 premiums vs 2026 premiums for someone making $65k a year.
Republicans in Washington did this.
This is what I'm fighting to stop. This is what’s at stake in this shutdown fight.
Republicans in Washington did this.
This is what I'm fighting to stop. This is what’s at stake in this shutdown fight.