Mike Merritt
@mikewmerritt.com
I like to talk about tech and travel, in that order.
About Me: https://mikewmerritt.com
Blog: dymersion.com
Masto: @[email protected]
Nostr: @mikewmerritt.com (NIP-5)
About Me: https://mikewmerritt.com
Blog: dymersion.com
Masto: @[email protected]
Nostr: @mikewmerritt.com (NIP-5)
Not sure why some governors keep saying this. The entire point of the Constitutional Convention and the 16th amendment was so the federal government could raise taxes directly without depending on the states. States don't collect and transmit taxes. It goes to the feds directly.
““If they’re not gonna run the programs, then what are we paying them for?” she said. “It’s like, you know, you’re paying us for a service and they’re not delivering. So let’s stop paying for it.”
👀 @mikiesherrill.bsky.social goes there …
👀 @mikiesherrill.bsky.social goes there …
New Jersey may stop paying federal taxes under new governor
Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill said on a podcast with Jon Stewart it's a "great idea."
www.politico.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Not sure why some governors keep saying this. The entire point of the Constitutional Convention and the 16th amendment was so the federal government could raise taxes directly without depending on the states. States don't collect and transmit taxes. It goes to the feds directly.
Between his fawning over Mamdani and his recent comments about healthcare, Trump is going to have Republicans waxing on the merits of socialism by his last day in office.
November 22, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Between his fawning over Mamdani and his recent comments about healthcare, Trump is going to have Republicans waxing on the merits of socialism by his last day in office.
Wanted to bring this one up to main. There's a bit of a thing going on tonight about "don't be a doomer." And I'm not intending that here. More of a reality check. There's been too many instances of "we've got him this time!" only to not in fact have gotten him. /1
That has long been my worry, that even if Trump is in these documents a lot and they were released completely undoctored and unredacted, that it won't be enough to actually act upon in any meaningful way. Then cue decades of conspiracy theories.
November 19, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Wanted to bring this one up to main. There's a bit of a thing going on tonight about "don't be a doomer." And I'm not intending that here. More of a reality check. There's been too many instances of "we've got him this time!" only to not in fact have gotten him. /1
Does this guy have no other bit than his stream of grievances?
Seriously, learn how to craft a speech toward the audience you're addressing.
Seriously, learn how to craft a speech toward the audience you're addressing.
Trump: "You should've suffered a little while through Kamala. The good news is she had no clue. I want to give an IQ test to Kamala and Biden. Who do you think wins?"
November 18, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Does this guy have no other bit than his stream of grievances?
Seriously, learn how to craft a speech toward the audience you're addressing.
Seriously, learn how to craft a speech toward the audience you're addressing.
Direct cash payments are probably an idea to consider...next year when it's time to discuss the next major spending bill, not when open enrollment is happening now.
I agree there is no time to setup an entirely new system before the end of the year.
I agree there is no time to setup an entirely new system before the end of the year.
Policy merits or demerits aside, it is logistically impossible to set up a brand new HSA scheme in the next six weeks. I suspect it could prove logistically impossible to execute in the next six months.
People are picking their plans for 2026 between now and January 15.
People are picking their plans for 2026 between now and January 15.
Cassidy pitches his alternative to extending extra ACA subsidies
Cassidy wants to replace enhanced ACA subsidies with payments to health savings accounts.
www.statnews.com
November 17, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Direct cash payments are probably an idea to consider...next year when it's time to discuss the next major spending bill, not when open enrollment is happening now.
I agree there is no time to setup an entirely new system before the end of the year.
I agree there is no time to setup an entirely new system before the end of the year.
In my mind, this is basically the perfect exit lane that few Republicans could argue with. Vance would give Republicans what they want, without the baggage and without the tendency to lash out the moment one of them goes even a step out of line.
This is maybe the first time I’ve felt he’s in actual trouble. I never thought Mueller would get him, nor did I expect Biden to go for the throat. I don’t know how it ends here, and I’m not saying he can’t get out of it. But it’s the worst trouble he’s been in.
November 15, 2025 at 3:07 AM
In my mind, this is basically the perfect exit lane that few Republicans could argue with. Vance would give Republicans what they want, without the baggage and without the tendency to lash out the moment one of them goes even a step out of line.
Like, I get the political motive, but it just seems unwise. Treasuries are always going to fund something you don't like. Wars, economic policies, social policies, etc. They don't have a strong relation to present policy, a need to full the deficit gap aside.
FULL STORY: Chicago's treasurer announced Wednesday that the city will no longer invest in U.S. Treasury securities to protest the aggressive federal immigration raids in Chicago and what she called the Trump administration’s “authoritarian regime.” @wttw.bsky.social news.wttw.com/2025/11/12/c...
Chicago Will Stop Investing in US Treasury Securities to Protest ‘Authoritarian’ Trump, Treasurer Announces
Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin is running to represent Illinois’ 7th Congressional District and replace retiring U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis.
news.wttw.com
November 12, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Like, I get the political motive, but it just seems unwise. Treasuries are always going to fund something you don't like. Wars, economic policies, social policies, etc. They don't have a strong relation to present policy, a need to full the deficit gap aside.
If the ever earlier dusk has you down, hang tight since it will start to get lighter later again in about a month.
Though the first day of winter is the shortest overall, that's only for the entire day, including dawn. The timing of dusk starts ticking upwards about two weeks before the solstice.
Though the first day of winter is the shortest overall, that's only for the entire day, including dawn. The timing of dusk starts ticking upwards about two weeks before the solstice.
November 11, 2025 at 11:05 PM
If the ever earlier dusk has you down, hang tight since it will start to get lighter later again in about a month.
Though the first day of winter is the shortest overall, that's only for the entire day, including dawn. The timing of dusk starts ticking upwards about two weeks before the solstice.
Though the first day of winter is the shortest overall, that's only for the entire day, including dawn. The timing of dusk starts ticking upwards about two weeks before the solstice.
People wonder why this is happening now, and I guarantee the answer is the canceled flights. I think these Dems are m worried that people not being able to get to Thanksgiving celebrations will blow back on them.
November 10, 2025 at 4:23 AM
People wonder why this is happening now, and I guarantee the answer is the canceled flights. I think these Dems are m worried that people not being able to get to Thanksgiving celebrations will blow back on them.
Dear Democrats: This is what happens when you do the work at the local level. Keep at it and you will enjoy rich rewards.
November 5, 2025 at 4:37 AM
Dear Democrats: This is what happens when you do the work at the local level. Keep at it and you will enjoy rich rewards.
Lest anyone think this is weird, don't forget her boss mastered the art of leaking stuff to the media about himself in myriad ways decades ago.
EXCLUSIVE: One Saturday afternoon in October, my phone lit up with a notification.
I glanced down at the message.
“Anna, Lindsey Halligan here,” it began.
So began my text exchange with the woman who is prosecuting the president's perceived political enemies.
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...
I glanced down at the message.
“Anna, Lindsey Halligan here,” it began.
So began my text exchange with the woman who is prosecuting the president's perceived political enemies.
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...
October 21, 2025 at 4:35 AM
Lest anyone think this is weird, don't forget her boss mastered the art of leaking stuff to the media about himself in myriad ways decades ago.
Hopefully today encourages more companies to strengthen their disaster recovery plan.
October 21, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Hopefully today encourages more companies to strengthen their disaster recovery plan.
Okay, who had to tell him?
October 20, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Okay, who had to tell him?
Testing out AppViewLite locally again after some months to see how it's working. Still pretty. Some noticeable issues resolving certain profile handles and images, but the PLC DB is still updating. Maybe that will be fixed once it is.
October 10, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Testing out AppViewLite locally again after some months to see how it's working. Still pretty. Some noticeable issues resolving certain profile handles and images, but the PLC DB is still updating. Maybe that will be fixed once it is.
👀
i wrote down the process of resolving an at:// URI step by step. turns out, it's a great way to learn how the AT protocol works!
Where It's at:// — overreacted
From handles to hosting.
overreacted.io
October 2, 2025 at 11:09 PM
👀
I'll admit that I'm surprised there are not Republicans in this industry up in arms. There are definitely a few leading companies. Elon had Trump using the White House as a showroom at the beginning of his term.
They are stealing taxpayer dollars from blue states because Democrats in Congress refuse to give Trump a blank check for his authoritarianism.
Corruption. Coercion. Blackmail. Lawlessness.
I won’t bend the knee to a wannabe dictator and his cronies. We will prevail.
Corruption. Coercion. Blackmail. Lawlessness.
I won’t bend the knee to a wannabe dictator and his cronies. We will prevail.
October 1, 2025 at 9:58 PM
I'll admit that I'm surprised there are not Republicans in this industry up in arms. There are definitely a few leading companies. Elon had Trump using the White House as a showroom at the beginning of his term.
I'm not a fan of shutdowns and think it makes the party forcing them look bad. That happens to be the Democrats this time. Sorry, liberal BlueSky. This is a consistent position for me.
October 1, 2025 at 1:30 AM
I'm not a fan of shutdowns and think it makes the party forcing them look bad. That happens to be the Democrats this time. Sorry, liberal BlueSky. This is a consistent position for me.
Cassidy is a gastroenterologist specializing in liver diseases so he is well-positioned to call this out, given acetaminophen's interaction with the liver.
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana doctor who chairs the Senate health committee, is calling on the Department of Health and Human Services to release any evidence tying acetaminophen use during pregnancy to autism, noting that “the preponderance of evidence shows that this is not the case.”
Republican senator publicly questions Trump announcement linking autism to acetaminophen use during pregnancy | CNN Politics
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana doctor who chairs the Senate health committee, is calling on the Department of Health and Human Services to release any evidence tying acetaminophen use durin...
www.cnn.com
September 23, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Cassidy is a gastroenterologist specializing in liver diseases so he is well-positioned to call this out, given acetaminophen's interaction with the liver.
People with Crohn's Disease cannot take aspirin and NSAIDS because they can cause inflammation, ulcers and bleeding. We must take Tylenol, despite the real issues with possible impact on liver function. /1
September 23, 2025 at 12:08 AM
People with Crohn's Disease cannot take aspirin and NSAIDS because they can cause inflammation, ulcers and bleeding. We must take Tylenol, despite the real issues with possible impact on liver function. /1
Reposted by Mike Merritt
At this point in the first Trump presidency, I was the Libertarian National Committee Chair entrusted with our official response to the election of the most authoritarian president in American history to that date.
We hit him on tariffs, immigrants, free speech, and grew revenue and voter share.
We hit him on tariffs, immigrants, free speech, and grew revenue and voter share.
September 18, 2025 at 3:22 AM
At this point in the first Trump presidency, I was the Libertarian National Committee Chair entrusted with our official response to the election of the most authoritarian president in American history to that date.
We hit him on tariffs, immigrants, free speech, and grew revenue and voter share.
We hit him on tariffs, immigrants, free speech, and grew revenue and voter share.
Good next step, but it would still be good to have a distributed, decentralized way of supplying PLC data to multiple directories. Hoping the new org could set a standard to do this. Currently, several folks host a copy of the directory, but that just pulls from the official.
excited to share that we are following through on our earlier commitments and putting together an independent+neutral organization to house the DID PLC system, includes the directory service
Creating an Independent Public Ledger of Credentials (PLC) Directory Organization | Bluesky
The Bluesky Social app is built on an open network protocol that refers to each user by a unique Decentralized Identifier, or DID (a W3C standard). The most popular supported DID method was developed ...
docs.bsky.app
September 20, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Good next step, but it would still be good to have a distributed, decentralized way of supplying PLC data to multiple directories. Hoping the new org could set a standard to do this. Currently, several folks host a copy of the directory, but that just pulls from the official.
To say I'm opposed to the current immigration regime and statues would be an understatement, but let's make sure we're reading the new executive order correctly.
2(c) said DHS denies entry to no immigrants for whom the “prospective employer” didn’t pay. I read the “prospective employer” as its intention was not to impact people who were already employed in US and already on H1b status
September 20, 2025 at 1:26 AM
To say I'm opposed to the current immigration regime and statues would be an understatement, but let's make sure we're reading the new executive order correctly.
Have any hosts specializing in or supporting PDS hosting popped up yet? Not meaning the variety of services around where you can create an account on their PDS or something like Digital Ocean's easy setup, but a place where you can self-host don't need to manage resources.
September 13, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Have any hosts specializing in or supporting PDS hosting popped up yet? Not meaning the variety of services around where you can create an account on their PDS or something like Digital Ocean's easy setup, but a place where you can self-host don't need to manage resources.
When a tough moment comes up, be a Spencer Cox, not a Donald Trump.
September 11, 2025 at 1:39 AM
When a tough moment comes up, be a Spencer Cox, not a Donald Trump.