@benbryant.bsky.social
Reposted
The endgame for all of this is constructing a military that will obey orders when ordered to fire on citizens. That's the throughline to half of what Trump is doing.
yeah, this is hegseth straightforwardly announcing that it is free play time for bigots in the ranks. and together with his comments on standards, he clearly wants to purge as many women, black and brown people as he can from the armed services. a white man's military.
Hegseth: "We are overhauling an inspector general process that has been weaponized, putting complainers and poor performers in the driver seat. We are doing the same with the equal opportunity policies. No more frivolous complaints, no more anonymous complains ... no more walking on eggshells."
September 30, 2025 at 1:10 PM
The endgame for all of this is constructing a military that will obey orders when ordered to fire on citizens. That's the throughline to half of what Trump is doing.
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“[That’s] an insane insult to his senior officers, who all made their bones fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Elliot Ackerman, who led Marines in the second battle of Falluja...“Those guys have got a lot more dust on their boots than he does.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/u...
A Novice Defense Secretary Lectures the Brass on What It Takes to Win
www.nytimes.com
September 30, 2025 at 7:06 PM
“[That’s] an insane insult to his senior officers, who all made their bones fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Elliot Ackerman, who led Marines in the second battle of Falluja...“Those guys have got a lot more dust on their boots than he does.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/u...
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I wrote about John Roberts as the chief enabler of the prosecution of James Comey—and how his jurisprudence gives cover to other sham investigations and prosecutions, like that of Lisa Cook, that judges simply have no power to second-guess for corrupt motive.
nymag.com/intelligence...
nymag.com/intelligence...
John Roberts Wrote Trump a Permission Slip to Indict Comey
Political targets of the Justice Department can thank the chief justice.
nymag.com
September 27, 2025 at 11:03 AM
I wrote about John Roberts as the chief enabler of the prosecution of James Comey—and how his jurisprudence gives cover to other sham investigations and prosecutions, like that of Lisa Cook, that judges simply have no power to second-guess for corrupt motive.
nymag.com/intelligence...
nymag.com/intelligence...
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Something the man @mikeduncan.bsky.social will tell you at great and entertaining length is how long it takes for revolts to get off the ground, how often they fail, and how hard it is to predict exactly when they’ll pop off. Slowly and then all at once is a good rule.
September 18, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Something the man @mikeduncan.bsky.social will tell you at great and entertaining length is how long it takes for revolts to get off the ground, how often they fail, and how hard it is to predict exactly when they’ll pop off. Slowly and then all at once is a good rule.
Reposted
wrote about the “national conservative” vision for america
Opinion | They Don’t Want to Live in Lincoln’s America
www.nytimes.com
September 10, 2025 at 9:45 AM
wrote about the “national conservative” vision for america
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When govt loses in court and appeals, should they be allowed to continue the allegedly illegal activity until a higher court says they can’t, or should the lower court order stand unless a higher court rules they can?
No answer in statute. The Roberts court answer is whatever enables Trump’s abuses.
No answer in statute. The Roberts court answer is whatever enables Trump’s abuses.
NEW: Chief Justice Roberts freezes a lower court order that had obligated the government to pay out $4 billion in foreign aid appropriated by Congress. His freeze will last until the full court acts. Trump is trying to undertake a "pocket rescission" of these funds.
September 9, 2025 at 8:34 PM
When govt loses in court and appeals, should they be allowed to continue the allegedly illegal activity until a higher court says they can’t, or should the lower court order stand unless a higher court rules they can?
No answer in statute. The Roberts court answer is whatever enables Trump’s abuses.
No answer in statute. The Roberts court answer is whatever enables Trump’s abuses.
Reposted
Some notes, from an airport, on this dumb performative decision, which is calculated to appeal to vapid totalitarian twats.
/1
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
/1
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Prosecuting Burning of The American Flag
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Purpose.
www.whitehouse.gov
August 25, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Some notes, from an airport, on this dumb performative decision, which is calculated to appeal to vapid totalitarian twats.
/1
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
/1
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
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Returning to this. There’s a lot of foundation myths swirling around Robert Bork from everybody, and I think it’s worth questioning them.
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should've let us put nixon's hatchet man on the supreme court, sincerely, the Good Conservative Tom Nichols of MSNBC
August 14, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Returning to this. There’s a lot of foundation myths swirling around Robert Bork from everybody, and I think it’s worth questioning them.
/1
/1
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my latest is on the president’s abuse of emergency powers and his psychological and practical interest in crisis government. gift link. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/13/o...
Opinion | Why Trump Always Wants a Crisis
www.nytimes.com
August 13, 2025 at 9:50 AM
my latest is on the president’s abuse of emergency powers and his psychological and practical interest in crisis government. gift link. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/13/o...
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"I am seeking clarification on how I—a student with Israeli citizenship—am allowed to speak about my government without violating these new policies."
In Israel, I protest my government. Can I do the same at Columbia?
Dear President Shipman,
www.columbiaspectator.com
August 11, 2025 at 8:52 PM
"I am seeking clarification on how I—a student with Israeli citizenship—am allowed to speak about my government without violating these new policies."
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When you read this it becomes apparent that Elon Musk is a showman, nothing more. He's not an engineer. The whole thing is an act.
Starship Was Doomed From The Beginning
The fatal flaw SpaceX can't overcome.
www.planetearthandbeyond.co
March 18, 2025 at 9:39 AM
When you read this it becomes apparent that Elon Musk is a showman, nothing more. He's not an engineer. The whole thing is an act.
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I’m told this is a real letter. It basically says, “We’ll destroy Columbia unless you destroy it first.”
March 14, 2025 at 12:02 AM
I’m told this is a real letter. It basically says, “We’ll destroy Columbia unless you destroy it first.”
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Trump thanked John Roberts on his way out of the state of the union because he sees John Roberts more clearly than Roberts sees himself www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
March 5, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Trump thanked John Roberts on his way out of the state of the union because he sees John Roberts more clearly than Roberts sees himself www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
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Most money for US aid to Ukraine went to US manufacturers. It is literally American industry, and part of the funding was for expanding US industrial capacity.
It's next level lying. Lies wrapped in lies, stacked in a pile of BS. Reality inverting lies. Piss-on-my-leg-and-tell-me-it's-raining lying.
It's next level lying. Lies wrapped in lies, stacked in a pile of BS. Reality inverting lies. Piss-on-my-leg-and-tell-me-it's-raining lying.
Vance has, for years, used this technique where he mischaracterizes the position of his opponents by taking it to an extreme that they never advocated, then arguing w/that fictitious position. Supporters don’t want “permanent” shipments, nor did we advocate de-industrialization.
March 2, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Most money for US aid to Ukraine went to US manufacturers. It is literally American industry, and part of the funding was for expanding US industrial capacity.
It's next level lying. Lies wrapped in lies, stacked in a pile of BS. Reality inverting lies. Piss-on-my-leg-and-tell-me-it's-raining lying.
It's next level lying. Lies wrapped in lies, stacked in a pile of BS. Reality inverting lies. Piss-on-my-leg-and-tell-me-it's-raining lying.
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This is just a regurgitation of various Bagram-related complaints/myths that emerged from the (Trump-negotiated) withdrawal.
Like the post itself—we’re going to keep Bagram forever but also re-withdraw!—those objections are internally contradictory and don’t hold up to any kind of close scrutiny.
Like the post itself—we’re going to keep Bagram forever but also re-withdraw!—those objections are internally contradictory and don’t hold up to any kind of close scrutiny.
Apparently Trump is making noises about invading Afghanistan again.
February 27, 2025 at 1:47 AM
This is just a regurgitation of various Bagram-related complaints/myths that emerged from the (Trump-negotiated) withdrawal.
Like the post itself—we’re going to keep Bagram forever but also re-withdraw!—those objections are internally contradictory and don’t hold up to any kind of close scrutiny.
Like the post itself—we’re going to keep Bagram forever but also re-withdraw!—those objections are internally contradictory and don’t hold up to any kind of close scrutiny.
Quote-skeet with a picture you took in a National Park.
February 26, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Quote-skeet with a picture you took in a National Park.
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In 1974 an antisemitic, Christian Nationalist Congressman from Arizona insisted that he be allowed to inspect the gold in Fort Knox after hearing testimony from Peter Beter, an author who believed world events were controlled by the Rockefeller family, the "Bolshevik–Zionist axis" & the Kremlin.
February 24, 2025 at 9:55 PM
In 1974 an antisemitic, Christian Nationalist Congressman from Arizona insisted that he be allowed to inspect the gold in Fort Knox after hearing testimony from Peter Beter, an author who believed world events were controlled by the Rockefeller family, the "Bolshevik–Zionist axis" & the Kremlin.
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These laws are, unsurprisingly, advanced by the same people who brought you the "arrest the librarians" laws — Project 2025 — who call it "backdoor"censorship. Making it so burdensome or risky to operate a site (or lend a book) that people stop doing it.
Self-censorship is complying in advance.
Self-censorship is complying in advance.
Project 2025 Co-Author Caught Admitting the Secret Conservative Plan to Ban Porn
In a hidden-camera recording, Russ Vought explains that age verification laws are just pretext to shut down porn sites.
theintercept.com
February 20, 2025 at 4:32 PM
These laws are, unsurprisingly, advanced by the same people who brought you the "arrest the librarians" laws — Project 2025 — who call it "backdoor"censorship. Making it so burdensome or risky to operate a site (or lend a book) that people stop doing it.
Self-censorship is complying in advance.
Self-censorship is complying in advance.
Reposted
I’ll have more to say soon, but for now…
Not a word about the abolitionist fight for birthright citizenship. Not a word from any leading Framer. Not a word about Reconstruction. Not even a firm conclusion.
Not even close to enough.
Not a word about the abolitionist fight for birthright citizenship. Not a word from any leading Framer. Not a word about Reconstruction. Not even a firm conclusion.
Not even close to enough.
Well, here it is - as promised/threatened by Randy Barnett and Ilan Wurman
Opinion | Don’t Assume Trump Is Wrong About Birthright Citizenship (Gift Article)
People here illegally haven’t entered the social compact with the people of the United States.
www.nytimes.com
February 15, 2025 at 12:52 PM
I’ll have more to say soon, but for now…
Not a word about the abolitionist fight for birthright citizenship. Not a word from any leading Framer. Not a word about Reconstruction. Not even a firm conclusion.
Not even close to enough.
Not a word about the abolitionist fight for birthright citizenship. Not a word from any leading Framer. Not a word about Reconstruction. Not even a firm conclusion.
Not even close to enough.
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in 2009, foreclosure courts were operating so quickly you just showed up with paperwork and they foreclosed. it didn't matter if the bank held the mortgage, if the payments were late or not, if the evidence was false or not. bondi fired prosecutors investigating that
prospect.org/justice/2024...
prospect.org/justice/2024...
February 14, 2025 at 2:26 AM
in 2009, foreclosure courts were operating so quickly you just showed up with paperwork and they foreclosed. it didn't matter if the bank held the mortgage, if the payments were late or not, if the evidence was false or not. bondi fired prosecutors investigating that
prospect.org/justice/2024...
prospect.org/justice/2024...
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“Elon Musk is firing military veteran firefighters for no reason” is the biggest slam dunk in political messaging history, Dems should be shouting it into the world’s biggest bullhorn from the top of the Washington Monument.
February 14, 2025 at 12:02 AM
“Elon Musk is firing military veteran firefighters for no reason” is the biggest slam dunk in political messaging history, Dems should be shouting it into the world’s biggest bullhorn from the top of the Washington Monument.
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Hochul needs to stop being a coward and immediately remove Adams, a criminal who has made a corrupt bargain with a criminal administration to subvert the process that would otherwise hold him accountable.
This letter, from now-resigned prosecutor Danielle Sassoon to Pam Bondi, is worth reading in full. Simply put, there is no non-corrupt reason for dismissing Eric Adams’ case. The Trump DOJ is itself obstructing both justice and the rule of law.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Read Danielle Sassoon’s Letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi
Danielle R. Sassoon, Manhattan’s acting U.S. attorney, writes to Attorney General Pam Bondi, refusing to drop the case against Mayor Eric Adams.
www.nytimes.com
February 13, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Hochul needs to stop being a coward and immediately remove Adams, a criminal who has made a corrupt bargain with a criminal administration to subvert the process that would otherwise hold him accountable.
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"There’s a reason Musk-hater Steve Bannon has been daring him to start taking a look at the Pentagon. Bannon knows that’s where this all falls apart." www.theverge.com/elon-musk/60...
Elon Musk’s rapid unscheduled disassembly of the US government
Notes from another week of Musk’s coup.
www.theverge.com
February 10, 2025 at 4:11 PM
"There’s a reason Musk-hater Steve Bannon has been daring him to start taking a look at the Pentagon. Bannon knows that’s where this all falls apart." www.theverge.com/elon-musk/60...
Reposted
Anyway, here's an excellent, helpful @brockm.bsky.social piece on the technolibertarian-to-neoreaction mutation/ degeneration/ pipeline and its terrible consequences.
3/3
www.notesfromthecircus.com/p/the-plot-a...
3/3
www.notesfromthecircus.com/p/the-plot-a...
The Plot Against America
How a Dangerous Ideology Born From the Libertarian Movement Stands Ready to Seize America
www.notesfromthecircus.com
February 9, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Anyway, here's an excellent, helpful @brockm.bsky.social piece on the technolibertarian-to-neoreaction mutation/ degeneration/ pipeline and its terrible consequences.
3/3
www.notesfromthecircus.com/p/the-plot-a...
3/3
www.notesfromthecircus.com/p/the-plot-a...
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Okay, let's keep going. Got another one today looking at just how absolutely fucking crazy it is that an inexperienced Musk-lackey is apparently pushing untested live code to America's checkbook. Tried to contextualize all of it.
www.techdirt.com/2025/02/05/a...
www.techdirt.com/2025/02/05/a...
A 25-Year-Old Is Writing Backdoors Into The Treasury’s $6 Trillion Payment System. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Just months after we learned Chinese hackers had compromised US telecom systems through government-mandated backdoors, an inexperienced developer from Musk’s DOGE unit is pushing untested cod…
www.techdirt.com
February 5, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Okay, let's keep going. Got another one today looking at just how absolutely fucking crazy it is that an inexperienced Musk-lackey is apparently pushing untested live code to America's checkbook. Tried to contextualize all of it.
www.techdirt.com/2025/02/05/a...
www.techdirt.com/2025/02/05/a...