Brian Gocial
@briangocial.bsky.social
Grandson of Holocaust Survivors (גאטשל-רוס, Poland 🇵🇱 ), Son of Immigrants (Sweden 🇸🇪-Cuba 🇨🇺), 1st Gen American (Philly 🦅 🇺🇸). Watching the world crumble, again.
Pinned
Brian Gocial
@briangocial.bsky.social
· Oct 14
“Many of us, indeed, have a feeling that we are living in a country where fanatics, hooligans and eccentrics have got the upper hand.”
-British Ambassador to Berlin, June 30, 1933
-British Ambassador to Berlin, June 30, 1933
Reposted by Brian Gocial
“Like prime, but with human beings”
December 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
“Like prime, but with human beings”
Reposted by Brian Gocial
Trump was a frequent traveler on Epstein Air, including trips with Epstein alone and a trip with just Epstein and a [redacted] trafficking victim.
December 23, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Trump was a frequent traveler on Epstein Air, including trips with Epstein alone and a trip with just Epstein and a [redacted] trafficking victim.
Reposted by Brian Gocial
In case you're unclear on what JD Vance is trying to do here maybe it will help to recall Italian writer Ignazio Silone's 1938 description of what fascism is:
“Fascism is a counter-revolution against a revolution that never took place.”
“Fascism is a counter-revolution against a revolution that never took place.”
JD Vance: "In the United States of America you don't have to apologize for being white anymore"
December 21, 2025 at 8:36 PM
In case you're unclear on what JD Vance is trying to do here maybe it will help to recall Italian writer Ignazio Silone's 1938 description of what fascism is:
“Fascism is a counter-revolution against a revolution that never took place.”
“Fascism is a counter-revolution against a revolution that never took place.”
Sounds familiar
Putin has started his annual four-hour long end of year address. His aim: to show Russians everything is just fine despite a collapsing economy, failing infrastructure and rising prices.
December 19, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Sounds familiar
Reposted by Brian Gocial
Our new golden age of free speech, where opposition to immigration enforcement can trigger a federal investigation
December 18, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Our new golden age of free speech, where opposition to immigration enforcement can trigger a federal investigation
Reposted by Brian Gocial
Testifying now:
Judge Dugan's clerk of court Alan Freed
Surveillance footage shows him saying something to a federal agent in the hallway.
Asked what he said, Freed replies: "I called him a fascist."
Judge Dugan's clerk of court Alan Freed
Surveillance footage shows him saying something to a federal agent in the hallway.
Asked what he said, Freed replies: "I called him a fascist."
December 17, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Testifying now:
Judge Dugan's clerk of court Alan Freed
Surveillance footage shows him saying something to a federal agent in the hallway.
Asked what he said, Freed replies: "I called him a fascist."
Judge Dugan's clerk of court Alan Freed
Surveillance footage shows him saying something to a federal agent in the hallway.
Asked what he said, Freed replies: "I called him a fascist."
“Suppose Joe Biden’s chief of staff had told a reporter that the president at least sometimes charged his political enemies with federal crimes because he didn’t like them, and that his most influential officials were ideological zealots, conspiracy theorists, and drug users.”
Susie Wiles Gets in Trouble for Saying What Everyone Knows
The Trump administration delivers yet more shocks but no surprises.
www.theatlantic.com
December 16, 2025 at 11:47 PM
“Suppose Joe Biden’s chief of staff had told a reporter that the president at least sometimes charged his political enemies with federal crimes because he didn’t like them, and that his most influential officials were ideological zealots, conspiracy theorists, and drug users.”
Reposted by Brian Gocial
“A-plus plus plus plus plus.” 🤡
December 16, 2025 at 6:21 PM
“A-plus plus plus plus plus.” 🤡
“.. The US economy is in a hiring recession. Almost no jobs have been added since April.
“Wage gains are slowing.
“710,000 more people are unemployed now versus November 2024.”
@byheatherlong.bsky.social
“Wage gains are slowing.
“710,000 more people are unemployed now versus November 2024.”
@byheatherlong.bsky.social
December 16, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Reposted by Brian Gocial
Kenneth Roberts in the Saturday Evening Post a century ago wrote that Jewish immigrants like Millers' ancestors were “human parasites” and if we kept letting them in we’d become “a hybrid race of people as futile as the good-for-nothing mongrels of Central America and Southeastern Europe."
December 15, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Kenneth Roberts in the Saturday Evening Post a century ago wrote that Jewish immigrants like Millers' ancestors were “human parasites” and if we kept letting them in we’d become “a hybrid race of people as futile as the good-for-nothing mongrels of Central America and Southeastern Europe."
“The old system, whatever its merits, is clearly and unequivocally broken and something new has to be built in its place. Something stronger, something more ready to use and comfortable using political power.”
Towards a Deeper Understanding of Our Age of Monsters and Predators talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/towar...
Towards a Deeper Understanding of Our Age of Monsters and Predators
I got a fascinating array of responses to my Tuesday post about...
talkingpointsmemo.com
December 13, 2025 at 10:41 AM
“The old system, whatever its merits, is clearly and unequivocally broken and something new has to be built in its place. Something stronger, something more ready to use and comfortable using political power.”
Reposted by Brian Gocial
In terms of US politics, Bush v. Gore is the defining event of the century. It set the template: a ruthless right that instinctively seeks power & doesn't give a shit about rule of law...and a bunch of hapless, feckless octogenarian Dems worried about the good opinion of centrist opinion columnists.
The 25th anniversary of Bush v Gore is today. The conspiracy mongering & corruption of the GOP has been brewing for a long time.
Roberts, Barrett and Kavanaugh were all on Bush's legal team, where they pushed unfounded legal theories. SC justices were already enmeshed in voter fraud myths.
Roberts, Barrett and Kavanaugh were all on Bush's legal team, where they pushed unfounded legal theories. SC justices were already enmeshed in voter fraud myths.
Here's Sandra Day O'Connor endorsing News Max levels of voter fraud conspiracies in the 2000 election.
December 12, 2025 at 6:53 PM
In terms of US politics, Bush v. Gore is the defining event of the century. It set the template: a ruthless right that instinctively seeks power & doesn't give a shit about rule of law...and a bunch of hapless, feckless octogenarian Dems worried about the good opinion of centrist opinion columnists.
Reposted by Brian Gocial
“.. We have shattered the halo that has existed around the United States for much of the world across the eight decades since World War II .. closing our doors to the world’s brightest .. by embracing corruption in government ..”
@vermontgmg.bsky.social
www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/donald-tru...
@vermontgmg.bsky.social
www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/donald-tru...
December 12, 2025 at 4:40 PM
“.. We have shattered the halo that has existed around the United States for much of the world across the eight decades since World War II .. closing our doors to the world’s brightest .. by embracing corruption in government ..”
@vermontgmg.bsky.social
www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/donald-tru...
@vermontgmg.bsky.social
www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/donald-tru...
What this government has done to this man - and countless others - is evil.
Judge Xinis in blocking re-detention of Abrego Garcia: "The public retains keen interest in ensuring that government agencies comply with court orders'
More: www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
Order: tmsnrt.rs/4a7iBVD
More: www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
Order: tmsnrt.rs/4a7iBVD
December 12, 2025 at 1:54 PM
What this government has done to this man - and countless others - is evil.
Reposted by Brian Gocial
This. This was the formative event of my generation & our entire politics in 🇺🇸. The structural break after which we were no longer a full democracy, when 5 Wizards In Robes decided they were a super-legislature & counting all the actual votes didn’t matter. The rest has been 25 years of commentary.
25 years ago today, SCOTUS elected George W Bush president of the United States by blocking completion of a voting canvass in Florida. A subsequent canvass by the Associated Press showed that Bush's rival, Al Gore, had won the race in Florida—and thus the contest for the presidency—by 700 votes.
December 12, 2025 at 7:50 AM
This. This was the formative event of my generation & our entire politics in 🇺🇸. The structural break after which we were no longer a full democracy, when 5 Wizards In Robes decided they were a super-legislature & counting all the actual votes didn’t matter. The rest has been 25 years of commentary.
Reposted by Brian Gocial
NATO SEC GEN: “.. We are Russia’s next target. And we are already in harm’s way.”
@the-independent.com
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/e...
@the-independent.com
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/e...
December 12, 2025 at 11:57 AM
NATO SEC GEN: “.. We are Russia’s next target. And we are already in harm’s way.”
@the-independent.com
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/e...
@the-independent.com
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/e...
Reposted by Brian Gocial
America Alone.
Denmark’s military intelligence service has for the first time classified the US as a security risk, a striking shift in how one of Washington’s closest European allies assesses the transatlantic relationship.
Danish intelligence classifies Trump’s America as a security risk
Denmark sounds the alarm about the U.S.’s increasingly antagonistic posture toward Europe.
www.politico.eu
December 11, 2025 at 9:39 PM
America Alone.
Reposted by Brian Gocial
I saw an ICE raid today in Cedar-Riverside. The man they took said repeatedly he was a U.S. Citizen and had ID. They put him in a car they sped off at an unsafe speed. Not that I expected much, but I called 911 and reported their behavior. The dispatcher asked "what I wanted them to do about it."
December 9, 2025 at 9:57 PM
I saw an ICE raid today in Cedar-Riverside. The man they took said repeatedly he was a U.S. Citizen and had ID. They put him in a car they sped off at an unsafe speed. Not that I expected much, but I called 911 and reported their behavior. The dispatcher asked "what I wanted them to do about it."
Quite the kicker. Burying the lead.
“U.S. intelligence did not conclude the drugs were heading to the U.S. Rather it showed that the boat was traveling toward Suriname, and was eventually heading to Europe or Africa.”
“U.S. intelligence did not conclude the drugs were heading to the U.S. Rather it showed that the boat was traveling toward Suriname, and was eventually heading to Europe or Africa.”
EXCLUSIVE: Pete Hegseth ordered the U.S. military on Sept. 2 to kill all 11 people on a suspected drug-smuggling boat because they were on an internal list of military targets, the commander overseeing the operation told lawmakers, according to multiple sources.
Admiral told lawmakers everyone on alleged drug boat was on a list of military targets
Adm. Frank Bradley said U.S. intelligence had identified the 11 people on the boat and determined the military was authorized to kill them as part of Trump’s campaign against alleged drug-smuggling vessels.
nbcnews.to
December 7, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Quite the kicker. Burying the lead.
“U.S. intelligence did not conclude the drugs were heading to the U.S. Rather it showed that the boat was traveling toward Suriname, and was eventually heading to Europe or Africa.”
“U.S. intelligence did not conclude the drugs were heading to the U.S. Rather it showed that the boat was traveling toward Suriname, and was eventually heading to Europe or Africa.”
Reposted by Brian Gocial
Holy shit.
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
December 4, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Holy shit.
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reuters reporting that new admin instructions on visas are if you worked at a platform in trust & safety or content moderation or on fact checking or online safety at an platform you *and your loved ones* are ineligible for H-1B visa.
www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reposted by Brian Gocial
this sentence alone, my goodness
“She showed up as scheduled, and when she arrived, officers were asking everyone what country they were from, and if they said a certain country, they were told to step out of line and that their oath ceremonies were canceled.”
www.wgbh.org/news/local/2... @gbhnews.bsky.social
www.wgbh.org/news/local/2... @gbhnews.bsky.social
Immigrants kept from Faneuil Hall citizenship ceremony as feds crackdown nationwide
Trump administration is pausing naturalizations for immigrants from 19 countries.
www.wgbh.org
December 5, 2025 at 11:56 PM
this sentence alone, my goodness
Reposted by Brian Gocial
I'll never get used to sheer, unadulterated meanness of this administration. They're completely unconcerned about lifting people up and solely focused on tearing people down. It is a movement that is absolutely devoid of a moral center. We need to present a clear moral vision in opposition.
Admiral Rachel Levine was the first transgender person to be confirmed by the Senate to serve in the federal government. Her official portrait at HHS headquarters has been altered. n.pr/48HypvT
HHS changed the name of transgender health leader on her official portrait
Admiral Rachel Levine was the first transgender person to be confirmed by the Senate to serve in the federal government. Her official portrait at HHS headquarters has been altered.
n.pr
December 5, 2025 at 11:37 PM
I'll never get used to sheer, unadulterated meanness of this administration. They're completely unconcerned about lifting people up and solely focused on tearing people down. It is a movement that is absolutely devoid of a moral center. We need to present a clear moral vision in opposition.
👀
BREAKING: Election Advocates Demand Recount in Tennessee
open.substack.com/pub/narativ/...
open.substack.com/pub/narativ/...
BREAKING: Election Advocates Demand Recount in Tennessee
They’re questioning how 31,000 additional votes appeared with 99.4% votes counted - and that's not all.
open.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 4:37 PM
👀