Mike Bruner
@ranke5.bsky.social
Retired History Teacher, Democracy Defender.
Reposted by Mike Bruner
New evidence shows immigration helps keep elderly Americans alive by strengthening the caregiving workforce.
Jonathan Cohn explains what deportation crackdowns could cost us. lnk.thebulwark.com/4bIQpJv?utm_...
Jonathan Cohn explains what deportation crackdowns could cost us. lnk.thebulwark.com/4bIQpJv?utm_...
February 12, 2026 at 4:45 AM
New evidence shows immigration helps keep elderly Americans alive by strengthening the caregiving workforce.
Jonathan Cohn explains what deportation crackdowns could cost us. lnk.thebulwark.com/4bIQpJv?utm_...
Jonathan Cohn explains what deportation crackdowns could cost us. lnk.thebulwark.com/4bIQpJv?utm_...
Reposted by Mike Bruner
On the execution in Minnesota: Obviously, the individuals involved should be held accountable. But responsibility goes to the top of ICE and CBP, and DHS. Their appropriations come up next week in the senate. Not a cent for DHS without pulling ICE and CBP off the streets, in MN and everywhere else.
January 24, 2026 at 4:52 PM
On the execution in Minnesota: Obviously, the individuals involved should be held accountable. But responsibility goes to the top of ICE and CBP, and DHS. Their appropriations come up next week in the senate. Not a cent for DHS without pulling ICE and CBP off the streets, in MN and everywhere else.
Reposted by Mike Bruner
Worse than Kent State, really than any episode I can think of probably dating back to Reconstruc & earlier b/c
1. continuing, not 1 off.
2. organized, not individual ofcrs losing it
3. literally at hand of federal government, which is
4. immediately lying & circling the wagons to prevent inves.
1. continuing, not 1 off.
2. organized, not individual ofcrs losing it
3. literally at hand of federal government, which is
4. immediately lying & circling the wagons to prevent inves.
January 24, 2026 at 10:07 PM
Worse than Kent State, really than any episode I can think of probably dating back to Reconstruc & earlier b/c
1. continuing, not 1 off.
2. organized, not individual ofcrs losing it
3. literally at hand of federal government, which is
4. immediately lying & circling the wagons to prevent inves.
1. continuing, not 1 off.
2. organized, not individual ofcrs losing it
3. literally at hand of federal government, which is
4. immediately lying & circling the wagons to prevent inves.
Reposted by Mike Bruner
I wish Democrats would start just speaking the truth:
“ICE is killing American citizens in public for exercising their freedom of speech because Donald Trump wants to be a king.
This isn’t about immigration—Trump wants to make it illegal to oppose him, and to stay in power until he dies.”
“ICE is killing American citizens in public for exercising their freedom of speech because Donald Trump wants to be a king.
This isn’t about immigration—Trump wants to make it illegal to oppose him, and to stay in power until he dies.”
January 24, 2026 at 6:08 PM
I wish Democrats would start just speaking the truth:
“ICE is killing American citizens in public for exercising their freedom of speech because Donald Trump wants to be a king.
This isn’t about immigration—Trump wants to make it illegal to oppose him, and to stay in power until he dies.”
“ICE is killing American citizens in public for exercising their freedom of speech because Donald Trump wants to be a king.
This isn’t about immigration—Trump wants to make it illegal to oppose him, and to stay in power until he dies.”
Reposted by Mike Bruner
I just checked—it turns out that Art. II, Sec. 1 of the Constitution of the United States does *not* say "The executive Power shall be vested in a bunch of sociopaths who think they can do whatever the fuck they want and make shit up as they go along."
January 25, 2026 at 6:25 PM
I just checked—it turns out that Art. II, Sec. 1 of the Constitution of the United States does *not* say "The executive Power shall be vested in a bunch of sociopaths who think they can do whatever the fuck they want and make shit up as they go along."
Also, killing two White people was too much even for a chunk of MAGA.
January 25, 2026 at 7:33 PM
Also, killing two White people was too much even for a chunk of MAGA.
Reposted by Mike Bruner
If a Democratic president had done something like this, Fox and the GOP would have turned Adriana Camberos into a household name à la Willie Horton or, yes, Hunter Biden.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/u...
January 17, 2026 at 2:33 PM
If a Democratic president had done something like this, Fox and the GOP would have turned Adriana Camberos into a household name à la Willie Horton or, yes, Hunter Biden.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/u...
Reposted by Mike Bruner
We should trust ourselves and those we address to be able hold two thoughts at the same time: That we must forcefully condemn political violence - but also acknowledge that it festers and thrives in a deeply unhealthy political culture that Kirk himself helped create.
September 14, 2025 at 4:06 PM
We should trust ourselves and those we address to be able hold two thoughts at the same time: That we must forcefully condemn political violence - but also acknowledge that it festers and thrives in a deeply unhealthy political culture that Kirk himself helped create.
Reposted by Mike Bruner
What a bizarre spectacle it is to watch Democratic politicians and prominent opinionists on the center/center-left attempt to valorize Charlie Kirk.
It is not just utterly detached from the reality of who Kirk was/what he did – it also misunderstands why political violence is bad.
It is not just utterly detached from the reality of who Kirk was/what he did – it also misunderstands why political violence is bad.
Sunday reading: The Right Wants a Reichstag Fire
I wrote about the murder of Charlie Kirk, political violence in the United States, and the Trumpists’ desire to find a pretext for purges and mass arrests.
This week’s piece:
I wrote about the murder of Charlie Kirk, political violence in the United States, and the Trumpists’ desire to find a pretext for purges and mass arrests.
This week’s piece:
The Right Wants a Reichstag Fire
The military patrolling in the streets, an assassination, and a movement longing for escalation. America is teetering on the brink
thomaszimmer.substack.com
September 14, 2025 at 3:51 PM
What a bizarre spectacle it is to watch Democratic politicians and prominent opinionists on the center/center-left attempt to valorize Charlie Kirk.
It is not just utterly detached from the reality of who Kirk was/what he did – it also misunderstands why political violence is bad.
It is not just utterly detached from the reality of who Kirk was/what he did – it also misunderstands why political violence is bad.
Reposted by Mike Bruner
Trump's war on facts has reached a new level and the message is clear: Government officials who deal in data now fear they have to toe the line and adopt his version of reality no matter how false or risk losing their jobs. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/03/u...
Trump’s Efforts to Control Information Echo an Authoritarian Playbook
www.nytimes.com
August 3, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Trump's war on facts has reached a new level and the message is clear: Government officials who deal in data now fear they have to toe the line and adopt his version of reality no matter how false or risk losing their jobs. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/03/u...
Reposted by Mike Bruner
McGovern: "A family making less than $50,000 a year? They get less than $1 a day in tax cuts. You can't buy a damn cup of coffee with that. But those making a million dollars or more? They'll get more than $250 a day in tax breaks ... that's how rigged this bill is to benefit the wealthy."
July 1, 2025 at 6:00 PM
McGovern: "A family making less than $50,000 a year? They get less than $1 a day in tax cuts. You can't buy a damn cup of coffee with that. But those making a million dollars or more? They'll get more than $250 a day in tax breaks ... that's how rigged this bill is to benefit the wealthy."
Reposted by Mike Bruner
BREAKING: RFK Jr. removes all 17 members of vaccine committee for CDC
RFK Jr. removes all 17 members of vaccine committee for CDC
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removed all 17 members of the panel that makes vaccine recommendations to the CDC.
www.axios.com
June 9, 2025 at 9:24 PM
BREAKING: RFK Jr. removes all 17 members of vaccine committee for CDC
Reposted by Mike Bruner
Nicolle Saroukos, a U.S. military wife, was jailed, strip-searched and deported when she simply tried to visit her husband in Hawaii. Saroukos, an Australian, had a valid visa.
This is how the Trump regime treats military families:
youtu.be/0cYsSl-twEg?...
This is how the Trump regime treats military families:
youtu.be/0cYsSl-twEg?...
Military wife detained, deported at Honolulu airport
YouTube video by Hawaii News Now
youtu.be
May 29, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Nicolle Saroukos, a U.S. military wife, was jailed, strip-searched and deported when she simply tried to visit her husband in Hawaii. Saroukos, an Australian, had a valid visa.
This is how the Trump regime treats military families:
youtu.be/0cYsSl-twEg?...
This is how the Trump regime treats military families:
youtu.be/0cYsSl-twEg?...
Reposted by Mike Bruner
The thing is: I really wish we didn’t have to talk about all this legal stuff. We’re not lawyers. In a stable democracy, most people should not have to worry about any of this. It is itself a sign of crisis that we have to constantly keep up with what the rightwingers on the Supreme Court are up to.
📢 PODCAST
Mass “Deportation” Is the End of Constitutional Government
We’re talking about the radicalizing attempt to purge the nation from anyone this regime deems unwelcome or “undesirable” - and why it’s such an acute threat to the Republic.
New episode of Is This Democracy:
Mass “Deportation” Is the End of Constitutional Government
We’re talking about the radicalizing attempt to purge the nation from anyone this regime deems unwelcome or “undesirable” - and why it’s such an acute threat to the Republic.
New episode of Is This Democracy:
43. Mass “Deportation” Is the End of Constitutional Government
Podcast Episode · Is This Democracy · 04/25/2025 · 1h 26m
podcasts.apple.com
April 25, 2025 at 5:27 PM
The thing is: I really wish we didn’t have to talk about all this legal stuff. We’re not lawyers. In a stable democracy, most people should not have to worry about any of this. It is itself a sign of crisis that we have to constantly keep up with what the rightwingers on the Supreme Court are up to.
Reposted by Mike Bruner
Trump’s meme coin soars after he asks top 220 holders to dinner
Trump’s meme coin soars after he asks top 220 holders to dinner
Invitations to private reception with US president fuel $TRUMP’s 50% price rise and add to conflict of interest fears
www.theguardian.com
April 24, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Trump’s meme coin soars after he asks top 220 holders to dinner
Reposted by Mike Bruner
“State capacity” is a pretty abstract thing, and in a functioning system, people shouldn't have to worry about what it actually means.
But as state capacity is ravaged and sabotaged, we are about to get a painful reminder that, at a fundamental level, it means: keeping people safe and healthy.
But as state capacity is ravaged and sabotaged, we are about to get a painful reminder that, at a fundamental level, it means: keeping people safe and healthy.
US FDA suspends food safety quality checks after staff cuts reut.rs/42C4h1Z
April 17, 2025 at 11:12 PM
“State capacity” is a pretty abstract thing, and in a functioning system, people shouldn't have to worry about what it actually means.
But as state capacity is ravaged and sabotaged, we are about to get a painful reminder that, at a fundamental level, it means: keeping people safe and healthy.
But as state capacity is ravaged and sabotaged, we are about to get a painful reminder that, at a fundamental level, it means: keeping people safe and healthy.
Reposted by Mike Bruner
As we predicted: Joe Kent is planning to use the law enforcement apparatus to imprison Black activists and antifascists as “terrorists,” essentially unleashing the far-right terrorists of the Proud Boys by looking the other way as they get the green light.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Trump’s pick for counterterrorism called for arresting BLM leaders as terrorists
"We need to treat antifa and BLM like terrorist organizations," said Joe Kent. "We need to use the tools of the federal government, the FBI, the US Marshals—go after them like organized criminals and ...
www.motherjones.com
April 15, 2025 at 4:09 PM
As we predicted: Joe Kent is planning to use the law enforcement apparatus to imprison Black activists and antifascists as “terrorists,” essentially unleashing the far-right terrorists of the Proud Boys by looking the other way as they get the green light.
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Mike Bruner
Rightwing populists will keep winning until we grasp this truth about human nature | George Monbiot
Rightwing populists will keep winning until we grasp this truth about human nature | George Monbiot
Economic inequality breeds resentment and a desire to get even. That’s what fuels support for even incompetent regimes, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
April 13, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Rightwing populists will keep winning until we grasp this truth about human nature | George Monbiot
Reposted by Mike Bruner
“the body of one of the dead had been found with his hands tied”
Israel killed 15 Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers one by one, says UN
Workers on a mission to help colleagues were buried in mass grave in southern Gaza, says humanitarian office
www.theguardian.com
April 1, 2025 at 1:26 AM
“the body of one of the dead had been found with his hands tied”