AfterBerners
@afterberners.bsky.social
public policy issues discussion...
““You have to understand that the conservative movement is now, as an intellectual movement, consistently anti-Trump on most issues.”
portside.org/2025-06-02/l...
portside.org/2025-06-02/l...
The Legal Brief That Torched Trump’s Tariff Power Grab
A powerful sign that President Trump’s tariff-driven trade war is at risk came in a friend-of-the-court brief filed in April by a coalition that included many prominent conservative and libertarian la...
portside.org
June 3, 2025 at 1:30 AM
““You have to understand that the conservative movement is now, as an intellectual movement, consistently anti-Trump on most issues.”
portside.org/2025-06-02/l...
portside.org/2025-06-02/l...
“To halt the slide into “illiberal democracy” as a veneer for autocracy we need a concerted response, but the conversion of the Republicans into a personalist cult and the Democrats’ decline into a feeble rump blocks popular action.”
portside.org/2025-05-31/w...
portside.org/2025-05-31/w...
Will We Have an 1854 Moment?
This era of swarming authoritarianism and the destruction of the administrative state amid partisan entropy reflects a basic crisis. One major party has been taken over by a semi-fascist clique, whil...
portside.org
June 1, 2025 at 2:37 AM
“To halt the slide into “illiberal democracy” as a veneer for autocracy we need a concerted response, but the conversion of the Republicans into a personalist cult and the Democrats’ decline into a feeble rump blocks popular action.”
portside.org/2025-05-31/w...
portside.org/2025-05-31/w...
“Removing this toxic force from power requires both the broadest possible anti-MAGA front and a radical contingent aware of just how deep the roots of US fascism run.”
portside.org/2025-05-30/d...
portside.org/2025-05-30/d...
Defeating a Bloc Ginned Up on Delusion and Hate
“History…would be of a very mystical nature if ‘accidents’ played no part in it…. including the ‘accident’ of the character of those who at first stand at the head of the movement.” —Karl Marx
portside.org
May 31, 2025 at 2:20 AM
“Removing this toxic force from power requires both the broadest possible anti-MAGA front and a radical contingent aware of just how deep the roots of US fascism run.”
portside.org/2025-05-30/d...
portside.org/2025-05-30/d...
“Turns out that it’s not just good politics; it could become one of the best and most essential tools to fight for democracy’s survival.”
hartmannreport.com/p/democracys...
hartmannreport.com/p/democracys...
Democracy’s Hidden Guardians: The Shadow Cabinet That Could Save America from Billionaire Rule
How this centuries-old political tool could restore faith in government and defeat Trump’s billionaires…
hartmannreport.com
May 30, 2025 at 3:09 PM
“Turns out that it’s not just good politics; it could become one of the best and most essential tools to fight for democracy’s survival.”
hartmannreport.com/p/democracys...
hartmannreport.com/p/democracys...
“Once you’ve labeled your opponents as subhuman, how do you work with them? How do you compromise? You don’t.”
hartmannreport.com/p/when-a-pre...
hartmannreport.com/p/when-a-pre...
When a President Spits on Unity: The ‘Scum’ Speech That Should Warn Us All
Once you’ve labeled your opponents as subhuman, how do you work with them? How do you compromise? You don’t.
hartmannreport.com
May 27, 2025 at 7:33 PM
“Once you’ve labeled your opponents as subhuman, how do you work with them? How do you compromise? You don’t.”
hartmannreport.com/p/when-a-pre...
hartmannreport.com/p/when-a-pre...
“Narcissistic control in government thrives on flipping the script and silencing watchdogs.”
www.huffpost.com/entry/psycho...
www.huffpost.com/entry/psycho...
I’m A Psychologist Who Specializes In Narcissists. Here’s What We Need To Do To Stop Trump.
"The same patterns that destabilize families destabilize democracies."
www.huffpost.com
May 27, 2025 at 3:46 PM
“Narcissistic control in government thrives on flipping the script and silencing watchdogs.”
www.huffpost.com/entry/psycho...
www.huffpost.com/entry/psycho...
“All doubts aside, there is one glaring certainty. If we do not stand together, we will be crushed.”
theintercept.com/2025/05/24/a...
theintercept.com/2025/05/24/a...
“Andor” Has a Message for the Left: Act Now
The “Star Wars” series shows a rebel movement struggling to be born but has a clear lesson for fighting rising fascism.
theintercept.com
May 26, 2025 at 11:38 PM
“All doubts aside, there is one glaring certainty. If we do not stand together, we will be crushed.”
theintercept.com/2025/05/24/a...
theintercept.com/2025/05/24/a...
“We sacrificed blood, treasure, and lives to stop the then-brutal King of England, the fascists of the Confederacy, and the Nazis of Europe. Do we still have the will, the determination, and the courage to fight one more battle on behalf of democracy?”
hartmannreport.com/p/why-corrup...
hartmannreport.com/p/why-corrup...
Why Corruption Always Breeds Tyranny: Lessons from Trump’s Second-Term Playbook
The chilling similarities to past tyrants—and why America can’t look away anymore…
hartmannreport.com
May 26, 2025 at 6:43 PM
“We sacrificed blood, treasure, and lives to stop the then-brutal King of England, the fascists of the Confederacy, and the Nazis of Europe. Do we still have the will, the determination, and the courage to fight one more battle on behalf of democracy?”
hartmannreport.com/p/why-corrup...
hartmannreport.com/p/why-corrup...
“While the Heritage Foundation document focuses on the Palestine solidarity movement, its ultimate target is far broader.”
truthout.org/articles/pro...
truthout.org/articles/pro...
Project Esther Is a McCarthy-Era Blueprint for Crushing the American Left
While the Heritage Foundation document focuses on the Palestine solidarity movement, its ultimate target is far broader.
truthout.org
May 24, 2025 at 9:36 PM
“While the Heritage Foundation document focuses on the Palestine solidarity movement, its ultimate target is far broader.”
truthout.org/articles/pro...
truthout.org/articles/pro...
“Once voters understand that congressional Republicans are a rubber stamp, they’ll be looking explicitly for a check on his chaotic corruption.”
www.huffpost.com/entry/rahm-e...
www.huffpost.com/entry/rahm-e...
Ex-Obama Chief Of Staff Reveals Why Democrats Shouldn't Fall For This Trump 'Trap'
Rahm Emanuel explained what will lead voters to start turning to Democrats as a check on the president's "chaotic corruption."
www.huffpost.com
May 23, 2025 at 12:42 PM
“Once voters understand that congressional Republicans are a rubber stamp, they’ll be looking explicitly for a check on his chaotic corruption.”
www.huffpost.com/entry/rahm-e...
www.huffpost.com/entry/rahm-e...
N.B.: courtesy of #fascistdictators: “Unless you’re very wealthy, this bill will ultimately leave you worse off and more economically vulnerable.”
truthout.org/articles/the...
truthout.org/articles/the...
The “Oligarch’s Budget” Wages War on Poor Americans
Unless you’re very wealthy, this bill will ultimately leave you worse off and more economically vulnerable.
truthout.org
May 22, 2025 at 8:57 PM
N.B.: courtesy of #fascistdictators: “Unless you’re very wealthy, this bill will ultimately leave you worse off and more economically vulnerable.”
truthout.org/articles/the...
truthout.org/articles/the...
"Now, a local judge in Massachusetts is trying to force the United States to bring back these uniquely barbaric monsters who present a clear and present threat to the safety of the American people and American victims."
www.npr.org/2025/05/21/n...
www.npr.org/2025/05/21/n...
Judge says Trump administration violated court order on third-country deportations
The Department of Homeland Security had earlier said eight people on a flight out of the U.S. had been convicted of crimes in the United States and that they couldn't be brought back.
www.npr.org
May 22, 2025 at 2:57 PM
"Now, a local judge in Massachusetts is trying to force the United States to bring back these uniquely barbaric monsters who present a clear and present threat to the safety of the American people and American victims."
www.npr.org/2025/05/21/n...
www.npr.org/2025/05/21/n...
“If a foreign adversary snuck into our Federal budget and cut science research and education the way we’re cutting it ourselves — strategically undermining America’s long-term health, wealth, and security — we would likely consider it an act of war.”
hartmannreport.com/p/the-bigges...
hartmannreport.com/p/the-bigges...
The Biggest Political Con of the Last Century Unmasked
Why the destruction of public institutions, the middle class, and government itself may not be a mistake — but the mission…
hartmannreport.com
May 21, 2025 at 4:46 PM
“If a foreign adversary snuck into our Federal budget and cut science research and education the way we’re cutting it ourselves — strategically undermining America’s long-term health, wealth, and security — we would likely consider it an act of war.”
hartmannreport.com/p/the-bigges...
hartmannreport.com/p/the-bigges...
“Trump's Plan to Render U.S. Citizens to Foreign Jails Seeks to Exploit Americans' Disinterest in the Rights of Prisoners.”
portside.org/2025-05-19/a...
portside.org/2025-05-19/a...
Americans Must Prepare To Fight for the Citizenship Rights of U.S. Prisoners
If there is something you can do, even one thing, to ensure humanity exists behind bars, do it. -Albert Woodfox (2019)
portside.org
May 20, 2025 at 1:51 AM
“Trump's Plan to Render U.S. Citizens to Foreign Jails Seeks to Exploit Americans' Disinterest in the Rights of Prisoners.”
portside.org/2025-05-19/a...
portside.org/2025-05-19/a...
“When greed replaces justice, and cruelty becomes policy, democracy dies not in darkness—but in plain sight, cheered on by those in power…”
hartmannreport.com/p/the-great-...
hartmannreport.com/p/the-great-...
The Great American Betrayal: How We Lost Our Moral Compass
When greed replaces justice, and cruelty becomes policy, democracy dies not in darkness—but in plain sight, cheered on by those in power…
hartmannreport.com
May 19, 2025 at 3:41 PM
“When greed replaces justice, and cruelty becomes policy, democracy dies not in darkness—but in plain sight, cheered on by those in power…”
hartmannreport.com/p/the-great-...
hartmannreport.com/p/the-great-...
“They see the 747 plane as a symbol—and a chance to recreate the ‘culture of corruption’ charge against Republicans that worked so well in the past.”
www.thebulwark.com/p/why-dems-a...
www.thebulwark.com/p/why-dems-a...
Why Dems Are So Giddy About Trump’s Qatar Airliner Gift
They see the 747 plane as a symbol—and a chance to recreate the ‘culture of corruption’ charge against Republicans that worked so well in the past.
www.thebulwark.com
May 19, 2025 at 1:21 AM
“They see the 747 plane as a symbol—and a chance to recreate the ‘culture of corruption’ charge against Republicans that worked so well in the past.”
www.thebulwark.com/p/why-dems-a...
www.thebulwark.com/p/why-dems-a...
“This counterrevolution is strange because there never was a revolution. They’re upset about pronouns. They’re upset that their workers want some workplace democracy. They’re upset about DEI. They really believe that their power should be absolute.”
portside.org/2025-05-17/w...
portside.org/2025-05-17/w...
‘We Are in a Moment of Unparalleled Peril’: An Interview With Naomi Klein
The marriage of Silicon Valley billionaires and far-right MAGA voters has given rise to “end-times fascism” characterized by “monstrous, supremacist survivalism,” author Naomi Klein writes in her late...
portside.org
May 18, 2025 at 4:19 AM
“This counterrevolution is strange because there never was a revolution. They’re upset about pronouns. They’re upset that their workers want some workplace democracy. They’re upset about DEI. They really believe that their power should be absolute.”
portside.org/2025-05-17/w...
portside.org/2025-05-17/w...
“The National Weather Service, NOAA, and FEMA aren’t bloated bureaucracies wasting taxpayer money. They’re the thin line between advance warning and mass casualties. They’re the difference between evacuation and devastation.”
hartmannreport.com/p/gutting-th...
hartmannreport.com/p/gutting-th...
Gutting the Weather Watchers: When Tyrants Rewrite the Forecast
This is no accident. It’s a coordinated attack on science, safety, and the truth—just in time for hurricane season…
hartmannreport.com
May 16, 2025 at 2:36 PM
“The National Weather Service, NOAA, and FEMA aren’t bloated bureaucracies wasting taxpayer money. They’re the thin line between advance warning and mass casualties. They’re the difference between evacuation and devastation.”
hartmannreport.com/p/gutting-th...
hartmannreport.com/p/gutting-th...
“It is the fundamental job of the judiciary to stand up to this kind of government manipulation of our basic rights.”
portside.org/2025-05-15/t...
portside.org/2025-05-15/t...
Trump Would Torch Magna Carta
Under the Constitution and federal law, individuals may challenge the legality of their detention in a court of law by filing a writ of habeas corpus. It is perhaps the most important protection preve...
portside.org
May 16, 2025 at 3:19 AM
“It is the fundamental job of the judiciary to stand up to this kind of government manipulation of our basic rights.”
portside.org/2025-05-15/t...
portside.org/2025-05-15/t...
“Why Republicans love to create poverty, pain, and desperation — it keeps wages low and the billionaires happy…”
hartmannreport.com/p/red-state-...
hartmannreport.com/p/red-state-...
Red State Hell: The GOP Plan to Keep You Desperate, Sick, and Too Damn Tired to Fight Back
Why Republicans love to create poverty, pain, and desperation — it keeps wages low and the billionaires happy…
hartmannreport.com
May 15, 2025 at 2:18 PM
“Why Republicans love to create poverty, pain, and desperation — it keeps wages low and the billionaires happy…”
hartmannreport.com/p/red-state-...
hartmannreport.com/p/red-state-...
“Instead, they elected a Democrat and the city's first Black mayor.”
N.B.: what happened in Omaha isn’t going to stay in Omaha…
www.huffpost.com/entry/omaha-...
N.B.: what happened in Omaha isn’t going to stay in Omaha…
www.huffpost.com/entry/omaha-...
Voters Reject Republican Who Embraced Anti-Trans Attacks In Nebraska Mayoral Race
Instead, they elected a Democrat and the city's first Black mayor.
www.huffpost.com
May 15, 2025 at 2:10 PM
“Instead, they elected a Democrat and the city's first Black mayor.”
N.B.: what happened in Omaha isn’t going to stay in Omaha…
www.huffpost.com/entry/omaha-...
N.B.: what happened in Omaha isn’t going to stay in Omaha…
www.huffpost.com/entry/omaha-...