Marc C. Johnson
@thejohnsonpost.bsky.social
Political historian, columnist, former journalist and top aide to Idaho's longest serving governor Cecil D. Andrus.
Latest book (University of Oklahoma Press) is "Mansfield and Dirksen: Bipartisan Giants of the Senate." Story of when the Senate worked.
Latest book (University of Oklahoma Press) is "Mansfield and Dirksen: Bipartisan Giants of the Senate." Story of when the Senate worked.
Pinned
"Mansfield and Dirksen" - A study of politics but also analysis of different approaches to leadership in a U.S. Senate that no longer exists, a reminder of what is possible when national interest stands before partisanship.
Who did it better?
January 22, 2026 at 10:19 PM
Who did it better?
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
Oh, I know where a big one is.
Vance: If we're trying to find a sex offender, tell us where the guy lives.
January 22, 2026 at 9:32 PM
Oh, I know where a big one is.
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
In the 34 days since the Epstein files were supposed to be released
January 22, 2026 at 3:48 PM
In the 34 days since the Epstein files were supposed to be released
The president of the United States - declining in plain view and taking the country down with him - has caused the rest of the world to move on. American leadership is simply a fiction.
It's time to pay more attention to real leaders. I nominate these two guys. My latest.
It's time to pay more attention to real leaders. I nominate these two guys. My latest.
Leadership the World Needs Now
U.S. leadership - not to mention competence - is now a fiction. Time to move on to real leaders.
marccjohnson.substack.com
January 22, 2026 at 3:49 PM
The president of the United States - declining in plain view and taking the country down with him - has caused the rest of the world to move on. American leadership is simply a fiction.
It's time to pay more attention to real leaders. I nominate these two guys. My latest.
It's time to pay more attention to real leaders. I nominate these two guys. My latest.
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
Bessent really features an unmatched combination of utter stupidity and smug arrogance.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent: “Denmark’s investment in U.S. Treasury bonds, like Denmark itself, is irrelevant” www.cnbc.com/2026/01/21/b...
Scott Bessent says U.S. is unconcerned by Treasury sell-off over Greenland, calls Denmark ‘irrelevant’
U.S. treasury secretary Scott Bessant addressed reporters at a news conference at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday.
www.cnbc.com
January 21, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Bessent really features an unmatched combination of utter stupidity and smug arrogance.
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
Sherrill: "We see a POTUS illegally usurping power. He's unconstitutionally enacted a tariff regime to make billions for himself while everyone else's costs go higher. Here we demand people in public service actually serve the public instead of extorting money to benefit themselves & their cronies."
January 20, 2026 at 5:23 PM
Sherrill: "We see a POTUS illegally usurping power. He's unconstitutionally enacted a tariff regime to make billions for himself while everyone else's costs go higher. Here we demand people in public service actually serve the public instead of extorting money to benefit themselves & their cronies."
Exactly right.
Don't back down, Europe: youtu.be/SS5Ep3LTqnE
Europe: Don't Back Down
YouTube video by Frankly Fukuyama
youtu.be
January 20, 2026 at 10:13 PM
Exactly right.
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
Brooklyn Park police chief Mark Bruley: "We're hearing people being stopped with no cause & being demanded to show paperwork to determine if they're here legally. We started hearing from our police officers the same complaints. Every one of these individuals is a person of color... it has to stop"
January 20, 2026 at 5:31 PM
Brooklyn Park police chief Mark Bruley: "We're hearing people being stopped with no cause & being demanded to show paperwork to determine if they're here legally. We started hearing from our police officers the same complaints. Every one of these individuals is a person of color... it has to stop"
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
The three highest-ranking Roman Catholic clerics who lead archdioceses in the U.S. say that America’s “moral role in confronting evil around the world” is in question for the first time in decades. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/u...
Top Catholic Clerics Denounce U.S. Foreign Policy
www.nytimes.com
January 20, 2026 at 2:10 AM
The three highest-ranking Roman Catholic clerics who lead archdioceses in the U.S. say that America’s “moral role in confronting evil around the world” is in question for the first time in decades. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/u...
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
What's missing is VOA and its factual, balanced and comprehensive journalism.
Opinion | Trump is addicted to military force. Congress knows what is missing.
A dilemma confronts the Trump administration in Iran. It needs the U.S. soft power it eviscerated.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 20, 2026 at 1:47 AM
What's missing is VOA and its factual, balanced and comprehensive journalism.
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
The three highest-ranking Roman Catholic clerics who lead archdioceses in the United States said in a strongly worded statement that America's "moral role in confronting evil around the world" is in question for the first time in decades — a critique of the Trump admin's principles.
Top Catholic Clerics Denounce U.S. Foreign Policy
www.nytimes.com
January 20, 2026 at 12:46 AM
The three highest-ranking Roman Catholic clerics who lead archdioceses in the United States said in a strongly worded statement that America's "moral role in confronting evil around the world" is in question for the first time in decades — a critique of the Trump admin's principles.
Q. Name a person talking with Nigel Farage who sounds even more stupid than he is?
A. Mike Johnson.
A. Mike Johnson.
Johnson on Trump and Greenland: “I don’t think it’s a threat to NATO… He’s done more for NATO than anyone in history…I think he has deserved the Nobel Peace Prize…This issue in Greenland, I think, should not be a disruption to all of that.”
January 19, 2026 at 10:44 PM
Q. Name a person talking with Nigel Farage who sounds even more stupid than he is?
A. Mike Johnson.
A. Mike Johnson.
The Oregon tradition of in person town hall meetings continues as our nation goes full authoritarian.
Kudos to @jeff-merkley.bsky.social and @wyden.senate.gov for showing up and doing the job of being a US senator.
Kudos to @jeff-merkley.bsky.social and @wyden.senate.gov for showing up and doing the job of being a US senator.
Small "d" Democrats
Oregon's Jeff Merkley and the power of showing up
marccjohnson.substack.com
January 19, 2026 at 8:05 PM
The Oregon tradition of in person town hall meetings continues as our nation goes full authoritarian.
Kudos to @jeff-merkley.bsky.social and @wyden.senate.gov for showing up and doing the job of being a US senator.
Kudos to @jeff-merkley.bsky.social and @wyden.senate.gov for showing up and doing the job of being a US senator.
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
Danish Parliament Deputy Speaker Lars-Christian Brask:
"If I could come with some advice, it would be for the Senate & House to start to take control of political power in America because with this erratic & mad behaviour, you have to ask the question, is the President capable of running the US?"
"If I could come with some advice, it would be for the Senate & House to start to take control of political power in America because with this erratic & mad behaviour, you have to ask the question, is the President capable of running the US?"
January 19, 2026 at 4:50 PM
Danish Parliament Deputy Speaker Lars-Christian Brask:
"If I could come with some advice, it would be for the Senate & House to start to take control of political power in America because with this erratic & mad behaviour, you have to ask the question, is the President capable of running the US?"
"If I could come with some advice, it would be for the Senate & House to start to take control of political power in America because with this erratic & mad behaviour, you have to ask the question, is the President capable of running the US?"
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
The message of Trump’s letter to the prime minister of Norway signals that the president “genuinely lives in a different reality, one in which neither grammar nor history nor the normal rules of human interaction now affect him,” @anneapplebaum.bsky.social argues. theatln.tc/U0fviLiM
January 19, 2026 at 4:30 PM
The message of Trump’s letter to the prime minister of Norway signals that the president “genuinely lives in a different reality, one in which neither grammar nor history nor the normal rules of human interaction now affect him,” @anneapplebaum.bsky.social argues. theatln.tc/U0fviLiM
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
He would be marching against ICE.
Honor Dr King’s legacy and fight for what is right.
Make good trouble.
Honor Dr King’s legacy and fight for what is right.
Make good trouble.
January 19, 2026 at 12:04 PM
He would be marching against ICE.
Honor Dr King’s legacy and fight for what is right.
Make good trouble.
Honor Dr King’s legacy and fight for what is right.
Make good trouble.
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
Springsteen at an unbilled performance at a Parkinson’s benefit Sat. in NJ—
“…send a message to this President. And as the Mayor of that city has said, ‘ICE should get the fuck out of Minneapolis.’ So this one is for you, and the memory of the mother of three and American citizen Renee Good.”
“…send a message to this President. And as the Mayor of that city has said, ‘ICE should get the fuck out of Minneapolis.’ So this one is for you, and the memory of the mother of three and American citizen Renee Good.”
Promised Land - for Renee Good, Bruce Springsteen, Light of Day, 1/17/26, Count Basie Theater
YouTube video by MarcGlenRock
m.youtube.com
January 18, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Springsteen at an unbilled performance at a Parkinson’s benefit Sat. in NJ—
“…send a message to this President. And as the Mayor of that city has said, ‘ICE should get the fuck out of Minneapolis.’ So this one is for you, and the memory of the mother of three and American citizen Renee Good.”
“…send a message to this President. And as the Mayor of that city has said, ‘ICE should get the fuck out of Minneapolis.’ So this one is for you, and the memory of the mother of three and American citizen Renee Good.”
These jokers are falling in line ... as they always do.
Cruz: "When it comes to Greenland, I want to commend President Trump for being single-mindedly focused on America first... I believe it is overwhelmingly in America's national interest to acquire Greenland... the whole history of America has been a history of acquiring new lands and new territories"
January 18, 2026 at 5:22 PM
These jokers are falling in line ... as they always do.
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
Hmmm
It increasingly seems like many of these ICE goons are masking not because they're worried we'll learn who they are out of uniform and more because they're worried what other uniforms they've worn.
I wonder how long it will take the media to catch on to the fact that ICE’s recruiting spree has effectively deputized every white supremacist hate group out there.
January 18, 2026 at 2:58 PM
Hmmm
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
A terrible day.
The U.S. government vs. the free world.
The U.S. government vs. the free world.
January 17, 2026 at 11:54 PM
A terrible day.
The U.S. government vs. the free world.
The U.S. government vs. the free world.
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
It's clear at this point that all actions by the Trump "Justice Department" should be presumptively treated as political, not as law enforcement.
I'm open to persuasion, case by case. But they've earned a presumption that they're just acting as an authoritarian tool. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/u...
I'm open to persuasion, case by case. But they've earned a presumption that they're just acting as an authoritarian tool. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/u...
January 17, 2026 at 2:20 AM
It's clear at this point that all actions by the Trump "Justice Department" should be presumptively treated as political, not as law enforcement.
I'm open to persuasion, case by case. But they've earned a presumption that they're just acting as an authoritarian tool. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/u...
I'm open to persuasion, case by case. But they've earned a presumption that they're just acting as an authoritarian tool. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/u...
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
Example No. 5,345,677 why it’s a fool’s errand to ever, ever, ever try to accommodate or attempt to be reasonable with Donald Trump. Stand up to him and he’ll cave, because bullies are cowards at heart. Give an inch and he’ll take everything. This is not hard.
Breaking: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are being investigated by the Trump DOJ for allegedly obstructing law enforcement activities, two U.S. officials told WCCO.
It's unclear how Walz and Frey allegedly obstructed law enforcement or what they were allegedly obstructing.
It's unclear how Walz and Frey allegedly obstructed law enforcement or what they were allegedly obstructing.
Department of Justice investigating Gov. Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Frey, U.S. officials say
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are under federal investigation, two U.S. officials told WCCO on Friday afternoon.
www.cbsnews.com
January 17, 2026 at 12:11 AM
Example No. 5,345,677 why it’s a fool’s errand to ever, ever, ever try to accommodate or attempt to be reasonable with Donald Trump. Stand up to him and he’ll cave, because bullies are cowards at heart. Give an inch and he’ll take everything. This is not hard.
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
Only Trump and Henry Kissinger could devalue a Nobel Peace Prize.
The joker is a fraud. But the world knows that. Still … pathetic, sad, profoundly stupid. Our cockwomble.
The joker is a fraud. But the world knows that. Still … pathetic, sad, profoundly stupid. Our cockwomble.
January 16, 2026 at 5:48 AM
Only Trump and Henry Kissinger could devalue a Nobel Peace Prize.
The joker is a fraud. But the world knows that. Still … pathetic, sad, profoundly stupid. Our cockwomble.
The joker is a fraud. But the world knows that. Still … pathetic, sad, profoundly stupid. Our cockwomble.
Reposted by Marc C. Johnson
I made this video so we can talk about what ICE is actually doing in our cities. I have the details and you need to hear them. Please share this.
ICE isn't targeting criminals or even people here illegally. They are just making up the law - every day. Here's what's going on.
ICE isn't targeting criminals or even people here illegally. They are just making up the law - every day. Here's what's going on.
January 15, 2026 at 11:45 PM
I made this video so we can talk about what ICE is actually doing in our cities. I have the details and you need to hear them. Please share this.
ICE isn't targeting criminals or even people here illegally. They are just making up the law - every day. Here's what's going on.
ICE isn't targeting criminals or even people here illegally. They are just making up the law - every day. Here's what's going on.