Ben
@benintn.bsky.social
https://calendly.com/talktobenvos
Signal: benvostn.29
Signal: benvostn.29
This is an important read.
Some highlights from our Stephen Miller piece:
First, his grandmother has written an unpublished history of some of his ancestors' immigration to the US. We are publishing it online for the first time. They were attacked in terms similar to those he uses today.
newrepublic.com/article/2041...
First, his grandmother has written an unpublished history of some of his ancestors' immigration to the US. We are publishing it online for the first time. They were attacked in terms similar to those he uses today.
newrepublic.com/article/2041...
December 15, 2025 at 7:38 PM
This is an important read.
"Times are terrible and we have no background singers but Patti Labelle will lead the way."
www.elle.com/culture/a139...
www.elle.com/culture/a139...
Patti Labelle Flipping Out During "This Christmas" Is All That's Getting Me Through
"Where are my background singers?!"
www.elle.com
December 15, 2025 at 12:21 PM
"Times are terrible and we have no background singers but Patti Labelle will lead the way."
www.elle.com/culture/a139...
www.elle.com/culture/a139...
Reposted by Ben
One citizen said that federal agents in Idaho pointed guns at her children, ages 6 and 8, and dragged her 14-year-old daughter out of a truck and zip-tied her.
The mother told investigators that an agent threatened to “fucking blow your head off.”
By @nicolefoy.bsky.social
The mother told investigators that an agent threatened to “fucking blow your head off.”
By @nicolefoy.bsky.social
Immigration Agents Have Often Grabbed and Mistreated Citizens, Congressional Investigators Find
Prompted by ProPublica’s reporting, an investigation by Senate Democrats documented the experiences of nearly two dozen citizens wrongly detained by immigration agents, contradicting the Trump adminis...
www.propublica.org
December 15, 2025 at 2:30 AM
One citizen said that federal agents in Idaho pointed guns at her children, ages 6 and 8, and dragged her 14-year-old daughter out of a truck and zip-tied her.
The mother told investigators that an agent threatened to “fucking blow your head off.”
By @nicolefoy.bsky.social
The mother told investigators that an agent threatened to “fucking blow your head off.”
By @nicolefoy.bsky.social
No lies detected.
Where are Sens. Blackburn and Hagerty?
Where are Sens. Blackburn and Hagerty?
Warnock: "If you live in Claxton, Georgia, if you live in rural America, even if you have wealth and resources and you're having a stroke and there's no ICU within a reasonable distance because of these draconian cuts, your life is in peril. We can do better than this."
December 15, 2025 at 12:24 AM
No lies detected.
Where are Sens. Blackburn and Hagerty?
Where are Sens. Blackburn and Hagerty?
This seems like an act of terrorism, no?
December 14, 2025 at 11:02 PM
This seems like an act of terrorism, no?
The juxtaposition of these posts on my timeline shows me that it is not a time to dwell in the past or in our echo chambers.
December 14, 2025 at 10:26 PM
The juxtaposition of these posts on my timeline shows me that it is not a time to dwell in the past or in our echo chambers.
This is not acceptable. The American people must stand together against tyranny.
Armed ICE agents trapped US citizens in a restaurant and demanded their papers. Federal agents walked into East African restaurants in Cedar-Riverside, MN. They closed and blocked the doors. Then they demanded to see everyone’s papers. Every person present was a US citizen.
Federal agents use chemical irritant on crowd in Somali neighborhood of Minneapolis amid Trump crackdown
Federal agents have used chemical irritant to disperse a crowd in a heavily Somali neighborhood in Minneapolis. This happened Tuesday during a identification checks amid the Trump administration's cra...
www.mprnews.org
December 14, 2025 at 8:08 PM
This is not acceptable. The American people must stand together against tyranny.
Reposted by Ben
Masked men wearing ICE vests—but who refused to present a warrant or identify themselves—roped off a construction site, trapping two men on a roof for hours in subzero temps. Protesters gathered. Masked men eventually left, and one man on the roof was taken away by ambulance kstp.com/kstp-news/to...
December 14, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Masked men wearing ICE vests—but who refused to present a warrant or identify themselves—roped off a construction site, trapping two men on a roof for hours in subzero temps. Protesters gathered. Masked men eventually left, and one man on the roof was taken away by ambulance kstp.com/kstp-news/to...
Detaining American citizens without habeas corpus is NEVER ok, and that's especially true when ICE is targeting people who have taken the oath of citizenship. ICE agents who break the law should be held accountable to the law. Period.
The ACLU of Minnesota said it has heard of “at least a dozen” U.S. citizens of Somali descent being detained during recent ICE operations — a pattern attorney Ian Bratlie described as unlawful racial profiling that fails to meet the legal standard of reasonable suspicion.
As ICE activity intensifies, some Somali students lower their profile
Fear on Twin Cities campuses has grown following recent detentions, leaving students to reconsider their daily activities
bit.ly
December 14, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Detaining American citizens without habeas corpus is NEVER ok, and that's especially true when ICE is targeting people who have taken the oath of citizenship. ICE agents who break the law should be held accountable to the law. Period.
Too much competition and "free markets" leads to decision fatigue, overwhelm, and exploitation of consumers by the greedy.
An unregulated system means more money being thrown at marketing instead of healthcare.
An unregulated system means more money being thrown at marketing instead of healthcare.
Ron Johnson: "Obamacare has caused this consolidation. The solution is consumerism. Free market competition."
December 14, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Too much competition and "free markets" leads to decision fatigue, overwhelm, and exploitation of consumers by the greedy.
An unregulated system means more money being thrown at marketing instead of healthcare.
An unregulated system means more money being thrown at marketing instead of healthcare.
Reposted by Ben
Extraordinary courage from Ahmed al Ahmed, a Muslim, 43-year-old father of two, who bravely risked his life to save his neighbors celebrating Hanukkah.
Praying for his full & speedy recovery.
And so deeply inspired by his example.
Praying for his full & speedy recovery.
And so deeply inspired by his example.
December 14, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Extraordinary courage from Ahmed al Ahmed, a Muslim, 43-year-old father of two, who bravely risked his life to save his neighbors celebrating Hanukkah.
Praying for his full & speedy recovery.
And so deeply inspired by his example.
Praying for his full & speedy recovery.
And so deeply inspired by his example.
So wait...
The President was lying?
Or was he lying?
Or... dementia?
The President was lying?
Or was he lying?
Or... dementia?
From the Heritage Foundation
“President Trump has made it clear…if the Indiana Senate fails to pass the map, all federal funding will be stripped from the state.
Roads will not be paved. Guard bases will close. Major projects will stop. These are the stakes and every NO vote will be to blame”
“President Trump has made it clear…if the Indiana Senate fails to pass the map, all federal funding will be stripped from the state.
Roads will not be paved. Guard bases will close. Major projects will stop. These are the stakes and every NO vote will be to blame”
December 14, 2025 at 4:12 AM
So wait...
The President was lying?
Or was he lying?
Or... dementia?
The President was lying?
Or was he lying?
Or... dementia?
Perhaps we should stop interviewing this guy.
December 14, 2025 at 4:09 AM
Perhaps we should stop interviewing this guy.
Reposted by Ben
Remarkable how brutal the ruling against Trump on Abrego Garcia truly is: It details flagrant and malicious abuses of power all throughout. Trump and Stephen Miller were testing their ability to spread lawless state terror. But the court held the line. 1/
(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2043...
(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2043...
Fiasco for Trump as Judge Issues Harsh Rebuke in Abrego Garcia Case
Judge Paula Xinis’s ruling temporarily freed Kilmar Abrego Garcia from custody. It also savagely indicted Trump’s lawless handling of this whole affair from start to finish.
newrepublic.com
December 12, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Remarkable how brutal the ruling against Trump on Abrego Garcia truly is: It details flagrant and malicious abuses of power all throughout. Trump and Stephen Miller were testing their ability to spread lawless state terror. But the court held the line. 1/
(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2043...
(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2043...
www.npr.org/2025/12/12/n...
When the government and govt officials break laws, they should be held accountable.
When the government and govt officials break laws, they should be held accountable.
Following his release, Kilmar Abrego Garcia's lawyer shares what's next for the case
NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with one of Kilmar Abrego Garcia's lawyers about his client's release from ICE custody and what lies ahead.
www.npr.org
December 12, 2025 at 5:18 PM
www.npr.org/2025/12/12/n...
When the government and govt officials break laws, they should be held accountable.
When the government and govt officials break laws, they should be held accountable.
Reposted by Ben
If you want to know why your health care premiums are going through the roof, look at Republicans in Congress.
December 11, 2025 at 8:15 PM
If you want to know why your health care premiums are going through the roof, look at Republicans in Congress.
Reposted by Ben
Mayor-elect Mamdani: If an ICE agent is breaking the law, then that is a law that they should be held accountable to.
December 10, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Mayor-elect Mamdani: If an ICE agent is breaking the law, then that is a law that they should be held accountable to.
Again?
ICE detain U.S. citizen for looking Somali—use illegal chokehold to tackle him to ground.
Man repeatedly begs agents to look at his digital passport ID—they refuse.
Drove him 7 miles away before releasing him alone into Minnesota snow storm—told him to "walk home" in freezing weather advisory.
Man repeatedly begs agents to look at his digital passport ID—they refuse.
Drove him 7 miles away before releasing him alone into Minnesota snow storm—told him to "walk home" in freezing weather advisory.
December 11, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Again?
Have we sent the ICE agents to prison yet?
FLORIDA — Woman in scrubs: “I’m a U.S. citizen! Why are you doing this to me??”
December 11, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Have we sent the ICE agents to prison yet?
Reposted by Ben
Trump's bombings are "murder" and "summary executions," says @tessbridgeman.bsky.social, and Hegeth should watch "where he travels when he’s no longer in office" due to potential prosecution by "international tribunals."
On the pod Tess powerfully lays out this case:
newrepublic.com/article/2041...
On the pod Tess powerfully lays out this case:
newrepublic.com/article/2041...
Hegseth Defense Collapsing as Fresh Leaks on Strikes Grow More Damning
As new info makes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s illegal killings look even worse, an expert in national security law explains why his case is imploding—and what must happen now to secure accountabi...
newrepublic.com
December 9, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Trump's bombings are "murder" and "summary executions," says @tessbridgeman.bsky.social, and Hegeth should watch "where he travels when he’s no longer in office" due to potential prosecution by "international tribunals."
On the pod Tess powerfully lays out this case:
newrepublic.com/article/2041...
On the pod Tess powerfully lays out this case:
newrepublic.com/article/2041...
I would like you to think about the ethics, economics, and impact of this.
Trump to send $12 billion in one-time payments to farmers to offset ag losses. @statesnewsroom.com story:
Trump to send $12 billion in one-time payments to farmers to offset ag losses
The federal government will provide $12 billion to U.S. farmers who have been hurt by “unfair market disruption,” President Donald Trump said at a White House roundtable event Monday.Trump said repeat...
www.newsfromthestates.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:43 PM
I would like you to think about the ethics, economics, and impact of this.
A key question from the 7th Congressional District of Tennessee:
Why was Van Epps sworn in before the election results were certified by the Secretary of State?
Why was Van Epps sworn in before the election results were certified by the Secretary of State?
December 8, 2025 at 1:39 PM
A key question from the 7th Congressional District of Tennessee:
Why was Van Epps sworn in before the election results were certified by the Secretary of State?
Why was Van Epps sworn in before the election results were certified by the Secretary of State?
If you've been excited about @aftynbehn.bsky.social I suggest you follow @philinvestigates.com to keep up on what's happening in the state of Tennessee.
December 8, 2025 at 4:18 AM
If you've been excited about @aftynbehn.bsky.social I suggest you follow @philinvestigates.com to keep up on what's happening in the state of Tennessee.
Reposted by Ben
The thing is we've known that housing the homeless is cheaper than neglect, we've known that Ubi is effective at eliminating poverty, we've known that heavily subsidized housing and education leads people into the middle class, we've known all of these things in some cases for 70 years.
“In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Those affected receive a small apartment & counselling with no preconditions. 4 out of 5 people affected make their way back into a stable life. And all this is CHEAPER than accepting homelessness.”
It costs a lot less to house people.
It costs a lot less to house people.
Finland ends homelessness and provides shelter for all in need - scoop.me
In Finland, the number of homeless people has fallen sharply. Why? The country applies the "Housing First" concept agains homelessness.
thebetter.news
November 25, 2025 at 8:18 PM
The thing is we've known that housing the homeless is cheaper than neglect, we've known that Ubi is effective at eliminating poverty, we've known that heavily subsidized housing and education leads people into the middle class, we've known all of these things in some cases for 70 years.
This is so irresponsible.
www.newsweek.com/donald-trump...
A 3 point swing among a statistically sampled group is just as likely to be sampling error as anything. Let's do better polling. Nationally, Trump remains super duper unpopular.
www.newsweek.com/donald-trump...
A 3 point swing among a statistically sampled group is just as likely to be sampling error as anything. Let's do better polling. Nationally, Trump remains super duper unpopular.
Donald Trump’s approval rating changes direction with millennials
The president's approval rating among millennials has improved, according to recent polling.
www.newsweek.com
December 7, 2025 at 6:06 PM
This is so irresponsible.
www.newsweek.com/donald-trump...
A 3 point swing among a statistically sampled group is just as likely to be sampling error as anything. Let's do better polling. Nationally, Trump remains super duper unpopular.
www.newsweek.com/donald-trump...
A 3 point swing among a statistically sampled group is just as likely to be sampling error as anything. Let's do better polling. Nationally, Trump remains super duper unpopular.