John Nichols
@actualnichols80.bsky.social
Thinking about politics, media, and meaning. Find me on Substack for deeper dives: https://substack.com/@actualnichols
Reposted by John Nichols
There shouldn’t be a Department of Homeland Security. It’s a grab bag of various agencies under a dangerously murky heading which can and now has been co-opted for a fascist transition.
Abolish ICE and redistribute the other agencies.
Abolish ICE and redistribute the other agencies.
the only reason "abolish ICE" is seen as radical is that no one will say it but the far left. if every normie Democrat started saying it tomorrow it would move the overton window so far you'd have to squint to find it. my kingdom for leaders who understand they can shape public opinion.
Democrats officially going all in on the mealy mouthed “ICE needs training” narrative.
No. ABOLISH ICE.
No. ABOLISH ICE.
January 15, 2026 at 5:36 PM
There shouldn’t be a Department of Homeland Security. It’s a grab bag of various agencies under a dangerously murky heading which can and now has been co-opted for a fascist transition.
Abolish ICE and redistribute the other agencies.
Abolish ICE and redistribute the other agencies.
Reposted by John Nichols
"YouGov has ICE at 39% favorable, 52% unfavorable...But this top line really understates the intensity of public backlash to ICE and its tactics. In February 2025, just 19% of Americans held a strongly unfavorable view of ICE. Today, 40% do."
open.substack.com/pub/gelliott...
open.substack.com/pub/gelliott...
Support for abolishing ICE hits a a new high
Americans have turned sharply against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and say it too often resorts to violence
open.substack.com
January 9, 2026 at 12:18 PM
"YouGov has ICE at 39% favorable, 52% unfavorable...But this top line really understates the intensity of public backlash to ICE and its tactics. In February 2025, just 19% of Americans held a strongly unfavorable view of ICE. Today, 40% do."
open.substack.com/pub/gelliott...
open.substack.com/pub/gelliott...
Reposted by John Nichols
Hey, CBP isn't allowed to do any of the stuff it's doing in Minneapolis even within the confines of its extremely ridiculous "100 miles from any border" jurisdiction. It's 300 miles from Canada and 160 miles to Lake Superior. They're breaking the law standing around, let alone beating up protesters.
Border Patrol typically only has legal authority within 100 mi. of the U.S. border. That raised questions when Cdr. Gregory Bovino was at the scene of the fatal shooting of Renee Good.
MPR News spoke with legal scholar César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández about that agency’s jurisdiction in Minnesota.
MPR News spoke with legal scholar César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández about that agency’s jurisdiction in Minnesota.
Greg Bovino, Border Patrol chief on site during Minneapolis ICE shooting
Border Patrol typically only has legal authority within 100 miles of the U.S. border. MPR News host Clay Masters spoke with legal scholar César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández about that agency’s jurisdic...
www.mprnews.org
January 8, 2026 at 4:16 PM
Hey, CBP isn't allowed to do any of the stuff it's doing in Minneapolis even within the confines of its extremely ridiculous "100 miles from any border" jurisdiction. It's 300 miles from Canada and 160 miles to Lake Superior. They're breaking the law standing around, let alone beating up protesters.
Reposted by John Nichols
America First (TM) means paying 30,000 Danish citizens $100,000 bonuses EACH while Americans can’t afford health insurance.
Wait wait wait, while Americans have to pay hundreds of billions of dollars in new tariffs, Trump is going send over $10,000 to each person in *Greenland*?????????
This is a joke right ?
www.reuters.com/world/europe...
This is a joke right ?
www.reuters.com/world/europe...
Exclusive: Trump administration mulls payments to sway Greenlanders to join US
U.S. officials have discussed sending lump sum payments to Greenlanders as part of a bid to convince them to secede from Denmark and potentially join the United States, according to four sources famil...
www.reuters.com
January 8, 2026 at 8:22 PM
America First (TM) means paying 30,000 Danish citizens $100,000 bonuses EACH while Americans can’t afford health insurance.
Reposted by John Nichols
not saying it can't get worse but this week really feels like a straightforward depiction of what worst-case 'post truth' information apocalypse ppl were warning of in the late 2010s
January 7, 2026 at 10:43 PM
not saying it can't get worse but this week really feels like a straightforward depiction of what worst-case 'post truth' information apocalypse ppl were warning of in the late 2010s
Reposted by John Nichols
Abolish and prosecute ICE. They did a murder in broad daylight today. Imagine what they're doing in the closed facilities we're somehow not even allowed to see.
January 7, 2026 at 6:20 PM
Abolish and prosecute ICE. They did a murder in broad daylight today. Imagine what they're doing in the closed facilities we're somehow not even allowed to see.
Reposted by John Nichols
The Epstein Files Transparency Act is a law, passed by Congress on November 19 with an overwhelming vote. Complying with it was not optional. The Department of Justice did not comply.
I want to make sure this is very clear.
I want to make sure this is very clear.
January 4, 2026 at 6:18 PM
The Epstein Files Transparency Act is a law, passed by Congress on November 19 with an overwhelming vote. Complying with it was not optional. The Department of Justice did not comply.
I want to make sure this is very clear.
I want to make sure this is very clear.
Reposted by John Nichols
In our name, with our money, ostensibly for oil, but mostly because we have a president who's addicted to power and attention and needs to deflect from being friends with the world’s most famous pedophile. Shame on these fucking monsters who run my country. They need out.
January 3, 2026 at 7:28 AM
In our name, with our money, ostensibly for oil, but mostly because we have a president who's addicted to power and attention and needs to deflect from being friends with the world’s most famous pedophile. Shame on these fucking monsters who run my country. They need out.
Reposted by John Nichols
Very important signal here. You can say it's abt oil. And part of it is. But the White House is actually being forced to strongarm the oil companies to get involved. www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
Trump admin sends tough private message to oil companies on Venezuela
The White House has told companies they must rebuild Venezuela's crude-pumping infrastructure if they want compensation for assets seized by Caracas.
www.politico.com
January 3, 2026 at 10:57 PM
Very important signal here. You can say it's abt oil. And part of it is. But the White House is actually being forced to strongarm the oil companies to get involved. www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
Reposted by John Nichols
Incredible. The Trump-Vance admin just posted a video promoting their bombing of Venezuela.
…And it is set to the song “Fortunate Son” — which is explicitly about the rich and powerful starting wars under the flag of hollow patriotism, and then making the rest of America pay the consequences.
…And it is set to the song “Fortunate Son” — which is explicitly about the rich and powerful starting wars under the flag of hollow patriotism, and then making the rest of America pay the consequences.
January 3, 2026 at 5:08 PM
Incredible. The Trump-Vance admin just posted a video promoting their bombing of Venezuela.
…And it is set to the song “Fortunate Son” — which is explicitly about the rich and powerful starting wars under the flag of hollow patriotism, and then making the rest of America pay the consequences.
…And it is set to the song “Fortunate Son” — which is explicitly about the rich and powerful starting wars under the flag of hollow patriotism, and then making the rest of America pay the consequences.
Reposted by John Nichols
The Arc de Triomphe was designed in 1806, and France was defeated less than a decade later. And again in 1870. And in 1940. As for the Arch of Titus in the Roman Forum, that empire's long gone. Maybe building a triumphal arch isn't a sign of national health?
politi.co/3LrW9fT
politi.co/3LrW9fT
Trump says construction of the ‘Triumphal Arch’ to begin in ‘2 months’
The monument would be a centerpiece of the White House’s plans for America’s 250th birthday.
politi.co
January 2, 2026 at 1:45 PM
The Arc de Triomphe was designed in 1806, and France was defeated less than a decade later. And again in 1870. And in 1940. As for the Arch of Titus in the Roman Forum, that empire's long gone. Maybe building a triumphal arch isn't a sign of national health?
politi.co/3LrW9fT
politi.co/3LrW9fT
Reposted by John Nichols
A big reason car ownership has become so expensive: New technology that's pricey to fix.
"A simple fender bender at low speed might have only required a simple bumper cover in the past. Today, some cars carry radar, lidar, and sonic sensors in the same bumper cover, which drives up the cost."
"A simple fender bender at low speed might have only required a simple bumper cover in the past. Today, some cars carry radar, lidar, and sonic sensors in the same bumper cover, which drives up the cost."
Why 1 In 4 Cars Is Totaled After A Crash Now (And It’s Not The Damage) | Carscoops
A growing number of cars are being totaled, but not for the reasons you might expect after a crash. The real cost comes later
www.carscoops.com
January 1, 2026 at 4:07 PM
A big reason car ownership has become so expensive: New technology that's pricey to fix.
"A simple fender bender at low speed might have only required a simple bumper cover in the past. Today, some cars carry radar, lidar, and sonic sensors in the same bumper cover, which drives up the cost."
"A simple fender bender at low speed might have only required a simple bumper cover in the past. Today, some cars carry radar, lidar, and sonic sensors in the same bumper cover, which drives up the cost."
Reposted by John Nichols
Defund ICE.
New: We got an internal ICE document revealing its $100 million ad plan to bring in 14,000 new hires: deals with "tactical" influencers; ads to gun & military buffs; and geo-targeting phones around NASCAR races and gun shows.
A "wartime recruitment" mode with paramilitary branding: wapo.st/44QrP5j
A "wartime recruitment" mode with paramilitary branding: wapo.st/44QrP5j
ICE plans $100 million ‘wartime recruitment’ push targeting gun shows, military fans for hires
An internal ICE document shared among immigration officials details plans to use influencers and geo-targeted ads to rapidly hire thousands of deportation officers.
wapo.st
December 31, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Defund ICE.
Reposted by John Nichols
Random reminder that Jim O'Neill (guy on the left) worked directly for Peter Thiel for nearly two decades until joining this administration.
BREAKING
The Trump administration says it has frozen all childcare payments to Minnesota in the aftermath of allegations of fraud by some in the Somali community.
Important: allegations along these lines have existed for years, which has resulted in prosecutions starting with the Biden DOJ.
The Trump administration says it has frozen all childcare payments to Minnesota in the aftermath of allegations of fraud by some in the Somali community.
Important: allegations along these lines have existed for years, which has resulted in prosecutions starting with the Biden DOJ.
December 31, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Random reminder that Jim O'Neill (guy on the left) worked directly for Peter Thiel for nearly two decades until joining this administration.
Reposted by John Nichols
An essential development over the past decade-plus is that the ignorant went from feeling chastened when their ignorance was revealed to banding together and deciding that, actually, they were right. They might disagree at times, but they agreed that ignorance itself was an indicator of trust.
December 29, 2025 at 3:26 PM
An essential development over the past decade-plus is that the ignorant went from feeling chastened when their ignorance was revealed to banding together and deciding that, actually, they were right. They might disagree at times, but they agreed that ignorance itself was an indicator of trust.
Reposted by John Nichols
Drinking water in plastic bottles contains countless particles too small to see. New research finds that people who drink water from them on a daily basis ingest far more microplastics than those who don’t. www.wired.com/story/people...
People Who Drink Bottled Water on a Daily Basis Ingest 90,000 More Microplastic Particles Each Year
Drinking water in plastic bottles contains countless particles too small to see. New research finds that people who drink water from them on a daily basis ingest far more microplastics than those who...
www.wired.com
December 28, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Drinking water in plastic bottles contains countless particles too small to see. New research finds that people who drink water from them on a daily basis ingest far more microplastics than those who don’t. www.wired.com/story/people...
Reposted by John Nichols
Not sure I understand why the Trump administration cares about Christians in Nigeria and not Christians in Ukraine
December 26, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Not sure I understand why the Trump administration cares about Christians in Nigeria and not Christians in Ukraine
Reposted by John Nichols
I've been making top-ten GOTY lists every year for more than a decade, and this might have been the hardest ever to narrow down. What a year for video games!
Here are the 10 best games of 2025: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Here are the 10 best games of 2025: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
The Best Video Games of 2025
Almost all of them are independently developed, which speaks to the state of the games industry
www.bloomberg.com
December 22, 2025 at 2:37 PM
I've been making top-ten GOTY lists every year for more than a decade, and this might have been the hardest ever to narrow down. What a year for video games!
Here are the 10 best games of 2025: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Here are the 10 best games of 2025: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Reposted by John Nichols
Wrote about the Epstein Files.
The redactions,the political point scoring, an administration that has long lost the benefit of the doubt, and why this very real conspiracy (with victims who deserve real accountability and transparency) won’t go away
The redactions,the political point scoring, an administration that has long lost the benefit of the doubt, and why this very real conspiracy (with victims who deserve real accountability and transparency) won’t go away
The Most ████ Administration Ever
The Epstein files are here, and they are too redacted to satisfy anyone.
www.theatlantic.com
December 20, 2025 at 4:44 AM
Wrote about the Epstein Files.
The redactions,the political point scoring, an administration that has long lost the benefit of the doubt, and why this very real conspiracy (with victims who deserve real accountability and transparency) won’t go away
The redactions,the political point scoring, an administration that has long lost the benefit of the doubt, and why this very real conspiracy (with victims who deserve real accountability and transparency) won’t go away
Reposted by John Nichols
Hi Senator, excuse me for jumping in, but... while I agree with you that this is really damaging, I couldn't help but notice YOU VOTED FOR THE FREAKING BILL THAT GAVE TRUMP THIS POWER (which some of us warned you not to do).
www.senate.gov/legislative/...
www.senate.gov/legislative/...
December 19, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Hi Senator, excuse me for jumping in, but... while I agree with you that this is really damaging, I couldn't help but notice YOU VOTED FOR THE FREAKING BILL THAT GAVE TRUMP THIS POWER (which some of us warned you not to do).
www.senate.gov/legislative/...
www.senate.gov/legislative/...
Reposted by John Nichols
Senator Durbin has had this explained to him multiple times. Getting rid of 230 doesn't help this, but will make it worse. It will make it impossible for smaller sites to exist (like this one) and will give MORE POWER to companies like Meta and X.
Why would Durbin want to do that?
Why would Durbin want to do that?
Children are being exploited and abused because Big Tech consistently prioritizes profits over people.
Enough is enough. Time to sunset Section 230.
Enough is enough. Time to sunset Section 230.
December 18, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Senator Durbin has had this explained to him multiple times. Getting rid of 230 doesn't help this, but will make it worse. It will make it impossible for smaller sites to exist (like this one) and will give MORE POWER to companies like Meta and X.
Why would Durbin want to do that?
Why would Durbin want to do that?
Reposted by John Nichols
Benchmarks from historians show that AI transcription from handwriting is now better than human, and a very cheap model is as good as people.
There are now massive troves of documents that could be made available for research that would have been impossible or prohibitive to transcribe before.
There are now massive troves of documents that could be made available for research that would have been impossible or prohibitive to transcribe before.
December 18, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Benchmarks from historians show that AI transcription from handwriting is now better than human, and a very cheap model is as good as people.
There are now massive troves of documents that could be made available for research that would have been impossible or prohibitive to transcribe before.
There are now massive troves of documents that could be made available for research that would have been impossible or prohibitive to transcribe before.
Reposted by John Nichols
Surprisingly rapid & high Ai adoption by doctors: 67% use it daily, 84% says it makes them better doctors, 42% says it makes them want to stay in medicine more (10% said less). A lot of the use cases appear to be administrative and research assistance. 2025-physicians-ai-report.offcall.com
December 16, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Surprisingly rapid & high Ai adoption by doctors: 67% use it daily, 84% says it makes them better doctors, 42% says it makes them want to stay in medicine more (10% said less). A lot of the use cases appear to be administrative and research assistance. 2025-physicians-ai-report.offcall.com
Reposted by John Nichols
Uber and DoorDash say it violates the First Amendment to require their apps to provide a tip option before checkout. We are through the looking glass, people. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/n...
Uber and DoorDash Try to Halt N.Y.C. Law That Encourages Tipping
www.nytimes.com
December 16, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Uber and DoorDash say it violates the First Amendment to require their apps to provide a tip option before checkout. We are through the looking glass, people. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/n...
Reposted by John Nichols
"All twelve regional bank presidents are up for renewal in February, and Hassett and Bessent have hinted a purge may be coming. The pretext would be a new, bogus, long-term residency requirement that Bessent proposed...This would be the way Trump co-opts the Fed." open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...
The Sleeper Issue That Could Destroy the Economy
Trump may have stopped threatening Jerome Powell—but he’s still got designs to control the Fed.
open.substack.com
December 12, 2025 at 3:13 PM
"All twelve regional bank presidents are up for renewal in February, and Hassett and Bessent have hinted a purge may be coming. The pretext would be a new, bogus, long-term residency requirement that Bessent proposed...This would be the way Trump co-opts the Fed." open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...