Mitchell Mebane
@mitchellmebane.bsky.social
Jack of all trades software developer; infosec acolyte. He/him.
Mastodon: @[email protected]
Xitter: @mitchellmebane
Mastodon: @[email protected]
Xitter: @mitchellmebane
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
Read this thread.
It's exactly right. But also note on the internet related stories—the banning of TikTok and the attack on Sec 230—Democrats happily helped MAGA accomplish their goals and people have cheered it on.
Democrats trying to destroy 230 are not helping you. They're helping Trump.
It's exactly right. But also note on the internet related stories—the banning of TikTok and the attack on Sec 230—Democrats happily helped MAGA accomplish their goals and people have cheered it on.
Democrats trying to destroy 230 are not helping you. They're helping Trump.
There’s a specific mechanism in authoritarian movements that we’re seeing play out in real-time across American media and tech. It’s a simple rule: "If we cannot co-opt it, we must destroy it."
It is the logic of "scorched earth." It's the logic of the Nero Decree and it's happening right now. 🧵
It is the logic of "scorched earth." It's the logic of the Nero Decree and it's happening right now. 🧵
December 14, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Read this thread.
It's exactly right. But also note on the internet related stories—the banning of TikTok and the attack on Sec 230—Democrats happily helped MAGA accomplish their goals and people have cheered it on.
Democrats trying to destroy 230 are not helping you. They're helping Trump.
It's exactly right. But also note on the internet related stories—the banning of TikTok and the attack on Sec 230—Democrats happily helped MAGA accomplish their goals and people have cheered it on.
Democrats trying to destroy 230 are not helping you. They're helping Trump.
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
At any given time, every sufficiently large user-content-hosting website has illegal content in its moderation queue. Section 230 is the reason they’re not immediately liable. A repeal means social media executives must be careful to never give Trump’s DOJ reason to prosecute them for that content.
Sen. WHITEHOUSE: We finally are moving to file a bipartisan Section 230 repeal bill. Waiting any longer serves no useful purpose.
December 13, 2025 at 3:14 AM
At any given time, every sufficiently large user-content-hosting website has illegal content in its moderation queue. Section 230 is the reason they’re not immediately liable. A repeal means social media executives must be careful to never give Trump’s DOJ reason to prosecute them for that content.
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
Oh. Cool. Just as the President is using every power he can to suppress dissent and stifle speech, @whitehouse.senate.gov and the @judiciarydems.senate.gov are trying to hand Trump a new tool to suppress speech online.
What a joke.
What a joke.
Sen. WHITEHOUSE: We finally are moving to file a bipartisan Section 230 repeal bill. Waiting any longer serves no useful purpose.
December 12, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Oh. Cool. Just as the President is using every power he can to suppress dissent and stifle speech, @whitehouse.senate.gov and the @judiciarydems.senate.gov are trying to hand Trump a new tool to suppress speech online.
What a joke.
What a joke.
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
We now learn that Fifa had a very specific "ask" in exchange for its "Peace Award" to Trump, with loads of gold trinkets, and that was dismissal of a criminal corruption case against senior Fifa officials. And Trump granted it. Another corrupt bargain, barely noticed (and ignored by US media).
December 11, 2025 at 12:59 AM
We now learn that Fifa had a very specific "ask" in exchange for its "Peace Award" to Trump, with loads of gold trinkets, and that was dismissal of a criminal corruption case against senior Fifa officials. And Trump granted it. Another corrupt bargain, barely noticed (and ignored by US media).
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
Trump says he doesn't know why America can't achieve 25 percent annual economic growth
December 10, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Trump says he doesn't know why America can't achieve 25 percent annual economic growth
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
And here it is. Kushner is working with the Saudis to grab CNN and make them a propaganda channel for both them and tDumpster. If we do not start doing something now, we are going to belong to all the wrong people.
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
Jared Kushner is investor in Paramount’s hostile takeover bid of Warner Bros
Jared Kushner’s Affinity Capital, along with the sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, have ‘agreed to forgo any governance rights – including board representation – associate...
www.independent.co.uk
December 10, 2025 at 11:19 AM
And here it is. Kushner is working with the Saudis to grab CNN and make them a propaganda channel for both them and tDumpster. If we do not start doing something now, we are going to belong to all the wrong people.
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
Between this and previous rulings, U.S. corporations have effectively put a bullet in the head of labor protections, consumer protection, public safety, environmental law, and corporate oversight
I wish journalists would go a bit lighter on the legalese and a bit heavier on the real-world impact
I wish journalists would go a bit lighter on the legalese and a bit heavier on the real-world impact
Supreme Court appears likely to approve Trump’s firing of FTC Democrat
Conservative justices seem ready to back Trump control of independent agencies.
arstechnica.com
December 10, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Between this and previous rulings, U.S. corporations have effectively put a bullet in the head of labor protections, consumer protection, public safety, environmental law, and corporate oversight
I wish journalists would go a bit lighter on the legalese and a bit heavier on the real-world impact
I wish journalists would go a bit lighter on the legalese and a bit heavier on the real-world impact
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
I know we’ve been talking about the 25th Amendment being invoked for years now, but we should probably be talking about it a lot more and a lot more seriously right now.
Couple of things here:
1. Trump says he took another cognitive test recently
2. In front of "large numbers of doctors and experts"
3. He called the examinations "long...and very boring"
4. If you're given 3 cognitive exams in one year by panels of doctors, something is VERY wrong with you
1. Trump says he took another cognitive test recently
2. In front of "large numbers of doctors and experts"
3. He called the examinations "long...and very boring"
4. If you're given 3 cognitive exams in one year by panels of doctors, something is VERY wrong with you
December 10, 2025 at 4:54 AM
I know we’ve been talking about the 25th Amendment being invoked for years now, but we should probably be talking about it a lot more and a lot more seriously right now.
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
I’ve found it’s more visually appealing to just paste in his head at the inflection points
April 29, 2025 at 10:26 PM
I’ve found it’s more visually appealing to just paste in his head at the inflection points
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
my five year old had RSV when he was six months old and when we brought him to the pediatrician they were like yeah go directly to the hospital we’re calling ahead
scariest few days of our lives
from the bottom of my heart: all these people can go to hell
scariest few days of our lives
from the bottom of my heart: all these people can go to hell
Exclusive: US FDA launches fresh safety scrutiny of approved RSV therapies for infants reut.rs/48JXrL2
Exclusive: US FDA launches fresh safety scrutiny of approved RSV therapies for infants
U.S. health regulators informed senior executives at Merck, Sanofi and AstraZeneca last week that their approved protective RSV treatments for infants would be subject to fresh safety scrutiny following concerns raised by vaccine skeptics, multiple sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.
reut.rs
December 9, 2025 at 4:08 PM
my five year old had RSV when he was six months old and when we brought him to the pediatrician they were like yeah go directly to the hospital we’re calling ahead
scariest few days of our lives
from the bottom of my heart: all these people can go to hell
scariest few days of our lives
from the bottom of my heart: all these people can go to hell
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
New from 404 Media: a man has been charged for allegedly wiping a Google Pixel phone before CBP could search it. Search was by a CBP Tactical Terrorism Response Team, which ACLU says "interrogate innocent travelers." Man is described as an activist online
www.404media.co/man-charged-...
www.404media.co/man-charged-...
Man Charged for Wiping Phone Before CBP Could Search It
The exact circumstances around the search are not known. But activist Samuel Tunick is charged with deleting data from a Google Pixel before CBP’s Tactical Terrorism Response Team could search it.
www.404media.co
December 9, 2025 at 3:06 PM
New from 404 Media: a man has been charged for allegedly wiping a Google Pixel phone before CBP could search it. Search was by a CBP Tactical Terrorism Response Team, which ACLU says "interrogate innocent travelers." Man is described as an activist online
www.404media.co/man-charged-...
www.404media.co/man-charged-...
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
Fox News will applaud this but can you imagine their coverage if President Biden hatched a secret plan to take over Fox News and revamp its programming to be nicer to him
New WSJ reporting: "During a December visit to Washington, David Ellison offered assurances to Trump administration officials that if he bought Warner, he'd make sweeping changes to CNN, a common target of President Trump's ire, people familiar with the matter said..."
Behind Paramount’s Relentless Campaign to Woo Warner Discovery and President Trump
David Ellison has launched a hostile takeover bid for Warner Discovery, taking his case directly to shareholders after Netflix clinched a deal.
www.wsj.com
December 9, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Fox News will applaud this but can you imagine their coverage if President Biden hatched a secret plan to take over Fox News and revamp its programming to be nicer to him
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
I am so furious at YouTube for doing this. You have literal gambling ads plastered across your website. The video you take action on contains no real gambling, and is promoting an LGBTQ+ children's charity fundraiser. Absolutely horrendous image and optics for the website. Completely moronic
I am beyond upset, YouTube has age restricted my video tonight for thinking it depicts real actual gambling. The video is on CloeverPit and contains no real gambling, but does contain a massive charity push for The Trevor Project. Last time this happened I almost quit YouTube
December 8, 2025 at 11:19 PM
I am so furious at YouTube for doing this. You have literal gambling ads plastered across your website. The video you take action on contains no real gambling, and is promoting an LGBTQ+ children's charity fundraiser. Absolutely horrendous image and optics for the website. Completely moronic
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
A society banning scholarship and creating government-mandated youth organizations
New: Gov. Greg Abbott and Turning Point USA are launching a partnership to create chapters of the right-wing organization on every Texas high school campus.
Abbott says Turning Point USA will expand in Texas schools
Republican officials in Oklahoma and Florida have also launched plans to expand the presence of the conservative youth organization founded by Charlie Kirk.
www.texastribune.org
December 8, 2025 at 9:43 PM
A society banning scholarship and creating government-mandated youth organizations
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
we all got cowed into avoiding "virtue signaling" as if the public affirmation of socially agreed upon ethical principles was somehow cringey instead of a significant part of what a "society" even is. now all there's left is vice signaling, and it's reshaping society.
December 8, 2025 at 6:07 PM
we all got cowed into avoiding "virtue signaling" as if the public affirmation of socially agreed upon ethical principles was somehow cringey instead of a significant part of what a "society" even is. now all there's left is vice signaling, and it's reshaping society.
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
Everyone seems to have forgotten but the AP actually went to Venezuela and found some of these men. They aren’t terminator-like cartel warriors, ready to give their life to ship kilos. They’re random dudes from small towns - bus drivers, fishermen - recruited for a payday. apnews.com/article/trum...
Trump has accused boat crews of being narco-terrorists. The truth, AP found, is more nuanced
One was a fisherman struggling to eke out a living on $100 a month. Another was a career criminal. A third was a former military cadet.
apnews.com
December 7, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Everyone seems to have forgotten but the AP actually went to Venezuela and found some of these men. They aren’t terminator-like cartel warriors, ready to give their life to ship kilos. They’re random dudes from small towns - bus drivers, fishermen - recruited for a payday. apnews.com/article/trum...
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
Instead of writing a letter, Congress should do its job. In the last 50 years alone, vaccines saved 153 million lives. Extremists, including Aaron Siri who sued to end FDA approval for the polio vaccine, are advising on childhood vaccine policy. Ending HepB vaccines for babies is just the beginning
December 7, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Instead of writing a letter, Congress should do its job. In the last 50 years alone, vaccines saved 153 million lives. Extremists, including Aaron Siri who sued to end FDA approval for the polio vaccine, are advising on childhood vaccine policy. Ending HepB vaccines for babies is just the beginning
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
What the fuck, man
WELKER: Is there any hard evidence showing this particular boat was headed to the US?
TOM COTTON: That didn't come up in my briefing
WELKER: Are you comfortable having the US target a boat that you're not sure is heading to the US?
COTTON: I'm not just comfortable with it -- I want to continue it
TOM COTTON: That didn't come up in my briefing
WELKER: Are you comfortable having the US target a boat that you're not sure is heading to the US?
COTTON: I'm not just comfortable with it -- I want to continue it
December 7, 2025 at 4:05 PM
What the fuck, man
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
Every new word in this sentence is worse than the last
December 6, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Every new word in this sentence is worse than the last
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
This really is grotesque: they went through years-long citizenship processes and are now being denied simply because if the country they are from. It’s formalized bigotry.
“She showed up as scheduled, and when she arrived, officers were asking everyone what country they were from, and if they said a certain country, they were told to step out of line and that their oath ceremonies were canceled.”
www.wgbh.org/news/local/2... @gbhnews.bsky.social
www.wgbh.org/news/local/2... @gbhnews.bsky.social
Immigrants kept from Faneuil Hall citizenship ceremony as feds crackdown nationwide
Trump administration is pausing naturalizations for immigrants from 19 countries.
www.wgbh.org
December 6, 2025 at 12:32 AM
This really is grotesque: they went through years-long citizenship processes and are now being denied simply because if the country they are from. It’s formalized bigotry.
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
It’s clear from the video this woman had just come to the park to play with her child. She said as much and was upset that there were masked men with guns in the park.
Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino calls the woman an “activist” and Andy Ngo says the woman was using her child as a “human shield.”
Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino calls the woman an “activist” and Andy Ngo says the woman was using her child as a “human shield.”
December 5, 2025 at 11:57 PM
It’s clear from the video this woman had just come to the park to play with her child. She said as much and was upset that there were masked men with guns in the park.
Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino calls the woman an “activist” and Andy Ngo says the woman was using her child as a “human shield.”
Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino calls the woman an “activist” and Andy Ngo says the woman was using her child as a “human shield.”
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
Have to admit it. "Alcoholic Fox News host uses US Navy to kill people at random on boats in the Caribbean because an extremist podcast producer asked him to, while Trump pardons drug dealer kingpins because a tech guy asked" is rather a lot darker than anything I imagined when he was reelected.
Sadism is the lifeblood of MAGA politics. Hard to overstate how disgusting and embarrassing for our country it is for the US Secretary of Defense to be doing this:
December 5, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Have to admit it. "Alcoholic Fox News host uses US Navy to kill people at random on boats in the Caribbean because an extremist podcast producer asked him to, while Trump pardons drug dealer kingpins because a tech guy asked" is rather a lot darker than anything I imagined when he was reelected.
Reposted by Mitchell Mebane
At the end of this clip, Berman had Cotton taking the position (which is de facto the Administration’s position) that the President on his own can declare who he wants to to be terrorists and to kill them under inherent Article II authority.
BERMAN: Would it be legal for police in Arkansas to kill suspected drug dealers on a boat in a lake?
TOM COTTON: The premise of your question is not well-founded
BERMAN: The answer is no. It would not be legal to kill them.
TOM COTTON: The premise of your question is not well-founded
BERMAN: The answer is no. It would not be legal to kill them.
December 5, 2025 at 3:54 PM
At the end of this clip, Berman had Cotton taking the position (which is de facto the Administration’s position) that the President on his own can declare who he wants to to be terrorists and to kill them under inherent Article II authority.