Ragan
@ohhiragan.bsky.social
Arts and Culture lover based in the great state of Texas!
Senior Solutions Manager - Tessitura Network
#tessnet #liveintheculture
Opinions and hot takes are my own
D&D Snack Captain 🐉
Senior Solutions Manager - Tessitura Network
#tessnet #liveintheculture
Opinions and hot takes are my own
D&D Snack Captain 🐉
Reposted by Ragan
In 2020, Trump wanted to use lethal force on protesters.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper stopped him.
Now, as Los Angeles rises up against ICE, Pete Hegseth leads the Pentagon.
This is the scenario many warned about: a president surrounded by yes-men, with no one left to offer restraint.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper stopped him.
Now, as Los Angeles rises up against ICE, Pete Hegseth leads the Pentagon.
This is the scenario many warned about: a president surrounded by yes-men, with no one left to offer restraint.
June 8, 2025 at 6:51 AM
In 2020, Trump wanted to use lethal force on protesters.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper stopped him.
Now, as Los Angeles rises up against ICE, Pete Hegseth leads the Pentagon.
This is the scenario many warned about: a president surrounded by yes-men, with no one left to offer restraint.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper stopped him.
Now, as Los Angeles rises up against ICE, Pete Hegseth leads the Pentagon.
This is the scenario many warned about: a president surrounded by yes-men, with no one left to offer restraint.
Reposted by Ragan
Just to recap, Trump has taken the extraordinary step of federalizing 2000 member of the California National Guard — over the objections of the state’s governor — in response to a protest that currently involves A FEW DOZEN PEOPLE AT A HOME DEPOT
June 8, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Just to recap, Trump has taken the extraordinary step of federalizing 2000 member of the California National Guard — over the objections of the state’s governor — in response to a protest that currently involves A FEW DOZEN PEOPLE AT A HOME DEPOT
“We control nothing, but influence everything.”
― Brian Klaas, Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters
www.npr.org/2026/01/01/1...
― Brian Klaas, Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters
www.npr.org/2026/01/01/1...
Brian Klaas On Chance, Chaos, And Why Everything We Do Matters : 1A
Have you ever wondered what would change if you could rewind your life and redo one small moment? Brian Klaas, a professor of Global Politics at University College London, explores this theme in a ne...
www.npr.org
April 17, 2025 at 12:52 PM
“We control nothing, but influence everything.”
― Brian Klaas, Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters
www.npr.org/2026/01/01/1...
― Brian Klaas, Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters
www.npr.org/2026/01/01/1...
Reposted by Ragan
60 Minutes found no criminal record for 75% of the Venezuelan migrants the U.S. sent to a mega-prison in El Salvador. https://cbsn.ws/4lC4Vp5
April 7, 2025 at 1:29 AM
60 Minutes found no criminal record for 75% of the Venezuelan migrants the U.S. sent to a mega-prison in El Salvador. https://cbsn.ws/4lC4Vp5
Reposted by Ragan
Hundreds of millions of bees, almost 80% of bees in the US, have died over he past eight months. Researchers don't know why.
Here is what this means:
Here is what this means:
March 31, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Hundreds of millions of bees, almost 80% of bees in the US, have died over he past eight months. Researchers don't know why.
Here is what this means:
Here is what this means:
President Trump's recent executive order on the ticketing industry is a significant step for transparency.
www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/...
www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/...
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Will End Price-Gouging by Middlemen in the Entertainment Industry
SUPPORTING AMERICA’S LIVE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to protect fans from exploitative ticket
www.whitehouse.gov
April 2, 2025 at 1:08 PM
President Trump's recent executive order on the ticketing industry is a significant step for transparency.
www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/...
www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/...
Reposted by Ragan
1. The Social Security Administration and DOGE are GASLIGHTING AMERICANS.
They are telling millions of beneficiaries that reports they were closing SSA field offices were fake news.
Actually, these closures were PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED and LEASES WERE CANCELED.
🧵
They are telling millions of beneficiaries that reports they were closing SSA field offices were fake news.
Actually, these closures were PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED and LEASES WERE CANCELED.
🧵
How the Social Security Administration and DOGE are gaslighting Americans
The Social Security Administration (SSA) sent an email on March 27 to beneficiaries saying that reports that field offices were closing was an invention of fake news media.
popular.info
March 31, 2025 at 12:41 PM
1. The Social Security Administration and DOGE are GASLIGHTING AMERICANS.
They are telling millions of beneficiaries that reports they were closing SSA field offices were fake news.
Actually, these closures were PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED and LEASES WERE CANCELED.
🧵
They are telling millions of beneficiaries that reports they were closing SSA field offices were fake news.
Actually, these closures were PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED and LEASES WERE CANCELED.
🧵
Hey @dancrenshawtx.bsky.social - Your staff directed me to join "Coffee with Crenshaw" via Zoom when I asked about townhalls, but you're not taking questions from remote participants. When will constituents like me have an opportunity to ask you questions directly?
March 21, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Hey @dancrenshawtx.bsky.social - Your staff directed me to join "Coffee with Crenshaw" via Zoom when I asked about townhalls, but you're not taking questions from remote participants. When will constituents like me have an opportunity to ask you questions directly?
Reposted by Ragan
NEW! Sworn declarations filed last night confirm the Trump admin sent INNOCENT people to rot in prison El Salvador, including a professional soccer player jailed and tortured by the Maduro regime, who entered this country LEGALLY to seek asylum, and who has NO CRIMINAL RECORD in either country.
![I am the immigration attorney for Jerce Reyes Barrios, born in January 16, 1989 in Venezuela. 2. In February and March 2024, Mr. Reyes Barrios marched in two demonstrations in Venezuela protesting the authoritarian rule of Maduro. At the second demonstration, he was detained and taken to a clandestine building where he was tortured (electric shocks and suffocation) along with other demonstrators. 3. Shortly after his release, he fled Venezuela for the United States. He registered with CBP One in Mexico, then presented himself to CBP officials on the day of his appointment. He was taken into custody and detained at Otay Mesa Detention Facility in September 2024. 4. We applied for asylum, withholding of removal, and CAT protection in December 2024. His final individual hearing is set for April 17, 2025 before Judge Robinson at the Otay Mesa Immigration Court. 5. On March 15, 2025, Mr. Reyes Barrios was deported to El Salvador with no notice to counsel or family. It was not until March 18, 2025 that counsel was able to reach an ICE official and learn that he had in fact been deported. 6. Mr. Reyes Barrios was/is a professional soccer player in Venezuela. He has never been arrested or charged with a crime. He has a steady employment record as a soccer player, as well as a soccer coach for children and youth. 7. Initially, Mr. Reyes Barrios was placed in maximum security at Otay Mesa and accused of being a Tren de Aragua gang member. The accusation is based on two things. First, he has a tattoo on his arm of a crown sitting atop a soccer ball with a rosary and the word "Dies." OHS alleges that this tattoo is proof of gang membership. In reality, he chose this tattoo, because it is similar to the logo for his favorite soccer team Real Madrid. See logo below. [pictures of the tattoo and the pictures of the logo]. 8. Second, OHS reviewed his social media posts and found a photo of Mr. Reyes Barrios making a hand gesture that they allege is proof of gang membership.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2vtbmhmrwzbqcfv4we4uxzzt/bafkreifncv2sfxob3h7ozdkoymku3wfpbknlroa6bric46v5y7asbrzrim@jpeg)
March 20, 2025 at 12:40 PM
NEW! Sworn declarations filed last night confirm the Trump admin sent INNOCENT people to rot in prison El Salvador, including a professional soccer player jailed and tortured by the Maduro regime, who entered this country LEGALLY to seek asylum, and who has NO CRIMINAL RECORD in either country.
Reposted by Ragan
Tesla has recalled... every single Cybertruck. Every one they've ever sold. For a hardware issue
www.carscoops.com/2025/03/tesl...
www.carscoops.com/2025/03/tesl...
Tesla Recalls Every Single Cybertruck Over Stainless Steel Trims Falling Off | Carscoops
151 Cybertruck owners filed warranty claims after noticing the roof trim panel above the windows was coming loose
www.carscoops.com
March 20, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Tesla has recalled... every single Cybertruck. Every one they've ever sold. For a hardware issue
www.carscoops.com/2025/03/tesl...
www.carscoops.com/2025/03/tesl...
Reposted by Ragan
Tomorrow, we expect Trump is going to sign an Executive Order claiming to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education.
Reminder: Trump does not have the legal authority to destroy a cabinet department; reporting on the EO as if he does have that power is both inaccurate and unethical.
Reminder: Trump does not have the legal authority to destroy a cabinet department; reporting on the EO as if he does have that power is both inaccurate and unethical.
March 20, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Tomorrow, we expect Trump is going to sign an Executive Order claiming to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education.
Reminder: Trump does not have the legal authority to destroy a cabinet department; reporting on the EO as if he does have that power is both inaccurate and unethical.
Reminder: Trump does not have the legal authority to destroy a cabinet department; reporting on the EO as if he does have that power is both inaccurate and unethical.
Reposted by Ragan
Tucker Carlson suggests Europe would be better off had Hitler had won WWII.
We all know he would have supported Hitler back then— just as he supports Putin now.
We all know he would have supported Hitler back then— just as he supports Putin now.
March 16, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Tucker Carlson suggests Europe would be better off had Hitler had won WWII.
We all know he would have supported Hitler back then— just as he supports Putin now.
We all know he would have supported Hitler back then— just as he supports Putin now.
Reposted by Ragan
if you just scan the headline — or if you’re just uncurious — you’ll think this is a “trump bad” piece but if you read it you’ll find that it is my attempt to explain what makes something “anti-constitutional” and why that is distinct from an “unconstitutional” act.
Opinion | Trump Has Gone From Unconstitutional to Anti-Constitutional (Gift Article)
Where all this goes is still up to us.
www.nytimes.com
March 19, 2025 at 11:49 AM
if you just scan the headline — or if you’re just uncurious — you’ll think this is a “trump bad” piece but if you read it you’ll find that it is my attempt to explain what makes something “anti-constitutional” and why that is distinct from an “unconstitutional” act.
Reposted by Ragan
"If the administration is claiming inherent constitutional authority to ignore court orders whenever it doesn’t want to follow them, not much to the rule of law remains."
Harrowing stuff from legal scholar Matt Seligman on Trump border czar vowing to ignore courts:
newrepublic.com/article/1928...
Harrowing stuff from legal scholar Matt Seligman on Trump border czar vowing to ignore courts:
newrepublic.com/article/1928...
March 18, 2025 at 12:11 PM
"If the administration is claiming inherent constitutional authority to ignore court orders whenever it doesn’t want to follow them, not much to the rule of law remains."
Harrowing stuff from legal scholar Matt Seligman on Trump border czar vowing to ignore courts:
newrepublic.com/article/1928...
Harrowing stuff from legal scholar Matt Seligman on Trump border czar vowing to ignore courts:
newrepublic.com/article/1928...
Reposted by Ragan
If you live in NC, call every Republican politician you know. Call every farmer you know and ask them to do the same
When money walks , voters talk. Make sure they know this effects everyone in their town and state
www.wunc.org/news/2025-03...
When money walks , voters talk. Make sure they know this effects everyone in their town and state
www.wunc.org/news/2025-03...
USDA cancels $11 million in federal funding for North Carolina food banks
The USDA has notified the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services that it would terminate the agreement for the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, which is one of the progr...
www.wunc.org
March 15, 2025 at 6:26 PM
If you live in NC, call every Republican politician you know. Call every farmer you know and ask them to do the same
When money walks , voters talk. Make sure they know this effects everyone in their town and state
www.wunc.org/news/2025-03...
When money walks , voters talk. Make sure they know this effects everyone in their town and state
www.wunc.org/news/2025-03...
Reposted by Ragan
Clear, helpful summary of what happened this week with a reminder to keep holding these Dems accountable
My quick take on Schumer & the CR vote this week www.cnysolidarity.org/2025/03/14/2...
2 Bad Options
On Friday afternoon, Chuck Schumer and nine other Democratic Senators joined with their Republican colleagues on the key vote to enable passage of a stop-gap funding bill to keep the federal govern…
www.cnysolidarity.org
March 15, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Clear, helpful summary of what happened this week with a reminder to keep holding these Dems accountable
Reposted by Ragan
Houston police in April will conduct the largest drug burn in the state's history in an effort to alleviate backlogged narcotics evidence, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said.
Houston police set to conduct massive drug burn following rat infestation, DA says
The planned burn comes months after an infestation of "drug-addicted rats" in evidence rooms prompted the Houston Police Department's plan to destroy hundreds of thousands of pounds of unneeded narcotics evidence.
www.houstonpublicmedia.org
March 13, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Houston police in April will conduct the largest drug burn in the state's history in an effort to alleviate backlogged narcotics evidence, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said.
Reposted by Ragan
"DOGE’s claims are often either mathematically impossible, or, like the $50m 'condoms for Gaza' claim, simply false. This allows the administration to take a strategically ambiguous stance in hopes of shielding DOGE from judicial interference. But that strategy is failing." -- @lizdye.bsky.social
Turns out DOGE can't beat FOIA by shouting NOT AN AGENCY
Judge tells Musk to cough it up!
www.publicnotice.co
March 12, 2025 at 7:56 PM
"DOGE’s claims are often either mathematically impossible, or, like the $50m 'condoms for Gaza' claim, simply false. This allows the administration to take a strategically ambiguous stance in hopes of shielding DOGE from judicial interference. But that strategy is failing." -- @lizdye.bsky.social
Reposted by Ragan
The Trump Administration kidnapped an activist in the middle of the night. Mahmoud Khalil's detention is a clear violation of the First Amendment. This is the behavior of an authoritarian regime, not a democracy. He must be released immediately.
March 10, 2025 at 10:32 PM
The Trump Administration kidnapped an activist in the middle of the night. Mahmoud Khalil's detention is a clear violation of the First Amendment. This is the behavior of an authoritarian regime, not a democracy. He must be released immediately.
Reposted by Ragan
The lead story in this morning’s Sunday NY Times is about people in positions of responsibility keeping quiet about the abuses of the administration rather than speaking up with their criticism. So please listen carefully:
Silence isn’t safety. It’s appeasement.
Speak up. Loudly. Regularly.
Silence isn’t safety. It’s appeasement.
Speak up. Loudly. Regularly.
March 9, 2025 at 6:04 PM
The lead story in this morning’s Sunday NY Times is about people in positions of responsibility keeping quiet about the abuses of the administration rather than speaking up with their criticism. So please listen carefully:
Silence isn’t safety. It’s appeasement.
Speak up. Loudly. Regularly.
Silence isn’t safety. It’s appeasement.
Speak up. Loudly. Regularly.
This International Women's Day reminds me of some of my favorite women artists. Who are yours? 🖼 #IWD25
www.youtube.com/watch?v=loe0...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=loe0...
Exhibit explores life of Danish trans woman Lili Elbe
YouTube video by AP Archive
www.youtube.com
March 7, 2025 at 9:26 PM
This International Women's Day reminds me of some of my favorite women artists. Who are yours? 🖼 #IWD25
www.youtube.com/watch?v=loe0...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=loe0...
I've been thinking a lot about something @janecoaston.bsky.social said on What A Day pod a while back. "Oppositional defiant disorder masquerading as politics." It's hard to convince folks they could change their path because it's easier to dig in their heels and double down.
“Contrarian thinkers” will be the death of us. Serious action on the biggest challenges of our time delayed for years because people with huge media platforms were “just asking questions”:
“Is that trans person really human?”
“Is that right arm really that salute?”
“Is that iceberg really melting?”
“Is that trans person really human?”
“Is that right arm really that salute?”
“Is that iceberg really melting?”
March 6, 2025 at 2:43 PM
I've been thinking a lot about something @janecoaston.bsky.social said on What A Day pod a while back. "Oppositional defiant disorder masquerading as politics." It's hard to convince folks they could change their path because it's easier to dig in their heels and double down.