Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Joel Lesko @sunshowerlearning.bsky.social · 10h

It's not the time to be polite with facists who are zip-tying kids and shipping Americans to concentration camps. NO! Nothing will change if we don't ridicule, resist and remember what we're fighting for.

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Joel Lesko @sunshowerlearning.bsky.social · 10h

Yes, I feel exactly the same. I hate those chummy phrases that are holdovers from a different time (when they were also obstructing progress and hurting people).

I especially hate it when Dems try to score points with, "Where's the party of law and order?"

Well, they never were about the law.

Samira Ahmed @samiraahmed.bsky.social · 18h

At the very least, the very least, I'd elected Dems to stop saying shit like, "with all due respect to the Speaker." Or, "our friends across the aisle."

Words matter. I don't care if it's petty. They're destroying democracy, stop acting like anything requires normalcy or decorum.

Be a petty bitch.

Joel Lesko @sunshowerlearning.bsky.social · 17h

In a word, thank you @lawrenceodonnell.msnbc.com
Your clarity and directness is a breath of fresh air every day you are on.

www.mediaite.com/media/tv/msn...

MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell Knocks Down Case Against Trump Nemesis Letitia James Point-By-Point

Lawrence O’Donnell knocked down fraud charges President Donald Trump prompted against New York Attorney General Letitia James in detail.

www.mediaite.com

Reposted by Joel Lesko

Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 21h

“Oh my god… I have no words.”

Listen to the emotional moment this year’s laureate Maria Corina ( finds out she has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Kristian Berg Harpviken, Director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, shared the news.

NobelPrize #NobelPeacePrize

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Joel Lesko @sunshowerlearning.bsky.social · 1d

Terrible and disgusting. And, particularly rich coming from Trump, a convicted serial bank fraudster.

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Joel Lesko @sunshowerlearning.bsky.social · 1d

What a pathetic clown.

Joel Lesko @sunshowerlearning.bsky.social · 1d

Finally. Thomas does what mainstream media has been unwilling to do - give us a full view of Russell Vought's radicalism.

Hint: It's not about “small government”

Read and join.
steady.page/en/democracy...

Reposted by Joel Lesko

Christopher Webb @cwebbonline.com · 1d

ICE getting tailed like it’s a heist movie. Chicago is turning the tables.

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Joel Lesko @sunshowerlearning.bsky.social · 1d

This beautiful conversation matthewremski.bsky.social and nathanevansfox.bsky.social was so interesting. I learned about Appalachia (not JD Vance's fake take) and about the niche fundamentalist, charismatic movements that Nathan grew up in - and about yallidarity!

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1...

1. Yallidarity w/ Nathan Evans Fox

Podcast Episode · Antifascist Dad Podcast · 10/01/2025 · 44m

podcasts.apple.com

Reposted by Joel Lesko

Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 2d

No one is covering the GOP's scheme to rig congressional maps for 2026 as closely as Democracy Docket. It is providing gavel to gavel coverage of the ongoing hearing over whether the Texas gerrymander will be in place for the midterms.

Support its work by subscribing now. hubs.ly/Q03M8rql0

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Jacob Soboroff @jacobsoboroff.bsky.social · 2d

Michigan Avenue right now.

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Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 2d

JB Pritzker and Gavin Newsom are doing something new and important: They understand Stephen Miller's theory of fascist power politics, and they've developed a theory on how to combat it. More Dems need to reckon with Miller's understanding of the moment.

New from me:
newrepublic.com/article/2014...

Inside Stephen Miller’s Secret Plan to Normalize Trump’s Dictator Rule

He wants to supercharge searing civil tensions to get low-information voters to embrace their inner authoritarian. Exactly two Democrats appear to fully grasp this.

newrepublic.com

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Joel Lesko @sunshowerlearning.bsky.social · 3d

Representative Adelita Grijalva

Kelly @broadwaybabyto.bsky.social · 3d

Today marks yet another day that Speaker Mike Johnson has denied Adelita Grijalva her right to govern.

She won her special election on Sept 23rd but has yet to be sworn in.

Why? Because she will become the 218th vote needed to discharge the release of the Epstein files.

Say her name.

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Joel Lesko @sunshowerlearning.bsky.social · 3d

Because Chicago and Portland and other cities are not where real Americans live, huh? The NYTimes spreads Trump’s lies.

David Rothschild @davmicrot.bsky.social · 3d

Crazy how NYT can fly reporters all over Midwest to interview every upper-middleclass white dude in a diner, but cannot figure out how to get one reporter to Chicago to report that it is *completely peaceful*

Reposted by Joel Lesko

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 3d

Trump's tweet that Portland is "war ravaged" just backfired. A Trump-picked judge cited it in blocking National Guard deployment to Portland, declaring him "untethered from facts."

On the pod, Oregon AG Dan Rayfield illuminatingly explains the ruling and what's next:
newrepublic.com/article/2014...

Trump’s Own Tweet on Portland Backfires as Judge Deals Him Harsh Loss

As a judge’s blunt ruling blocks Trump from deploying troops in Portland, Oregon’s Attorney General tells us in an interview that Trump’s lawless threats are working against him—and discusses what com...

newrepublic.com

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Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD DSc(hon) @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social · 4d

My comments with @celinegounder.com @kffhealthnews.org

kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Inside the High-Stakes Battle Over Vaccine Injury Compensation, Autism, and Public Trust - KFF Health News

The evidence is unequivocal: Vaccines do not cause autism. Yet adding autism to the list of conditions covered by a federal payout program, as health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seems inclined to ...

kffhealthnews.org

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Joel Lesko @sunshowerlearning.bsky.social · 4d

I would love to see this.
Thanks, @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social

www.mediaite.com/media/dem-le...

Dem Leader Challenges Mike Johnson to Live, Primetime Debate Over Shutdown

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries challenged House Speaker Mike Johnson to a live primetime TV debate over the government shutdown, saying he "refuses to provide healthcare to everyday Americans."

www.mediaite.com

Reposted by Joel Lesko

Judd Legum @juddlegum.bsky.social · 5d

Jared Kushner is going to the Middle East to negotiate a deal on behalf of the U.S. government days after Kushner announced a $55 billion deal between his private equity fund and the Saudi government

One of the most brazen conflicts in history.

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Joel Lesko @sunshowerlearning.bsky.social · 5d

The @nytimes.com just can't stop fluffing up their favorite fascist. This could have been written by the @nytpitchbot.bsky.social or @theonion.com it's so ridiculous in its fawning.

Subheads (all stupid)
He flaunts his friends
He cares about greatness-and disrespect
He is obsessed with toughness

Reposted by Joel Lesko

Senator Ron Wyden @wyden.senate.gov · 6d

This victory supports what Oregonians already know: we don’t need or want Donald Trump to provoke violence by deploying federal troops in our state. I’ll keep working to stop Trump from fulfilling his perverse fantasy of making Portland the center of his assault on U.S. cities.

The Oregonian @oregonian.com · 6d

A judge on Saturday ordered the Trump administration to halt its mobilization of 200 Oregon National Guard troops to protect the ICE building in Portland and its officers amid nightly protests.

www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...

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Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · 6d

I will not call up our National Guard to further Trump’s acts of aggression against our people.

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Bill Madden @maddenifico.bsky.social · 6d

The statue of pedo bros and best friends Trump and Jeffrey Epstein is back at the National Mall in Washington, DC. 😂🤣👇

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Reposted by Joel Lesko

Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · 7d

Join us Kristi Noem!

9AM Press Conference at 1930 Beach St

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Joel Lesko @sunshowerlearning.bsky.social · 7d

Thank you, @jackcocchiarella.bsky.social

More please!

www.mediaite.com/media/tv/cnn...

CNN Guest Lays Into ‘Dementia-Addled Nursing Home Patient’ Trump

Progressive commentator Jack Cocchiarella laid into President Donald Trump, comparing him to a "dementia-addled nursing home patient."

www.mediaite.com

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Reposted by Joel Lesko

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 7d

This from Murphy on Trump seems inarguable:

"The more corrupt and lawless he gets, the stiffer my spine gets. Because at this point, if I give in and consent to these kinds of tactics, then it just normalizes it all, makes it become standard fare."

Tons more like that in here:

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 7d

Everyone should listen to Chris Murphy's extraordinary warning about Trump on our pod. First, he says the logic must be that the more lawless he gets, the stiffer the resistance.

"If I give in and consent to these kinds of tactics then it just normalizes it all." 1/

newrepublic.com/article/2013...

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