The Elder La Follette
@elderlafollette.bsky.social
In tribute to the legendary Robert La Follette Sr. | Left Independent | Old-school radical progressive and sworn enemy of exploitation and reactionism
Pinned
"Fighting Bob" LaFollette profile
YouTube video by JDog Productions, LLC
youtu.be
Robert "Fighting Bob" La Follette—an unflinching progressive firebrand and the most celebrated person in Wisconsin history.
The Wisconsin Historical Society's short article about the elder La Follette:
www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Arti...
youtu.be/wFu_1__PSrk?...
The Wisconsin Historical Society's short article about the elder La Follette:
www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Arti...
youtu.be/wFu_1__PSrk?...
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
Bari Weiss is even more hamhanded than I imagined her to be.
Gift link:
Gift link:
‘60 Minutes’ Pulled a Segment. A Correspondent Calls It ‘Political.’
www.nytimes.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Bari Weiss is even more hamhanded than I imagined her to be.
Gift link:
Gift link:
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
Absolutely right.
October 28, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Absolutely right.
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
If you say accurately that enslaved laborers contributed to the building and maintenance of the White House then that’s desecration. If you demolish parts of the WH for a $250 million project during a shutdown as unemployment creeps upwards, that’s just patriotism.
Scoop: Trump has started demolishing the White House's East Wing facade to build his ballroom. The president had claimed construction of the $250 million building wouldn’t ‘interfere’ with the existing White House structure. /W @ddiamond.bsky.social wapo.st/4hqBNiU
White House begins demolishing East Wing facade to build Trump’s ballroom
The president had claimed construction of the $250 million ballroom wouldn’t ‘interfere’ with the existing White House structure.
wapo.st
October 20, 2025 at 7:28 PM
If you say accurately that enslaved laborers contributed to the building and maintenance of the White House then that’s desecration. If you demolish parts of the WH for a $250 million project during a shutdown as unemployment creeps upwards, that’s just patriotism.
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
One thing I try to unpack in the piece: The Trumpists launched an unhinged demonization campaign against “No Kings” – and then did nothing.
So, they didn’t believe their own propaganda? Not the specifics, no. But they do believe that all protest is fundamentally illegitimate.
So, they didn’t believe their own propaganda? Not the specifics, no. But they do believe that all protest is fundamentally illegitimate.
America As No-Longer-Democracy and Not-Yet-Dictatorship
Where does the country stand after the largest day of protest in U.S. history? Putting “No Kings” in perspective
steady.page
October 20, 2025 at 5:44 PM
One thing I try to unpack in the piece: The Trumpists launched an unhinged demonization campaign against “No Kings” – and then did nothing.
So, they didn’t believe their own propaganda? Not the specifics, no. But they do believe that all protest is fundamentally illegitimate.
So, they didn’t believe their own propaganda? Not the specifics, no. But they do believe that all protest is fundamentally illegitimate.
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
The entire "free speech on campus" moral panic was manufactured to blackmail us into making space in intellectual life for bigots and charlatans who couldn't get there on their own merits. Its a DEI scheme for fascism. Congratulations to everyone who took it at face value.
“Following his lecture, Yarvin will debate the legendary British historian David Starkey on history and the future of conservatism.” Everything about this is so cursed. Masks off at the University of Oxford.
October 20, 2025 at 2:13 PM
The entire "free speech on campus" moral panic was manufactured to blackmail us into making space in intellectual life for bigots and charlatans who couldn't get there on their own merits. Its a DEI scheme for fascism. Congratulations to everyone who took it at face value.
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
A good way for Republicans to stop being called Nazis and authoritarians is to stop empowering an authoritarian president, undermining democratic norms at every opportunity, and making Holocaust jokes.
Dave McCormick: "I do think some of this horrible language on the extreme left -- 'fascism, Nazism, authoritarianism' -- I think that's a recipe, an introduction and encouragement to violence. It's gotta stop."
October 17, 2025 at 1:31 AM
A good way for Republicans to stop being called Nazis and authoritarians is to stop empowering an authoritarian president, undermining democratic norms at every opportunity, and making Holocaust jokes.
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
I can only hear the line "Am I watching things on television that are different from what's happening?" in the confused quiet voice my mom had went her dementia got really bad.
not like i'm some important predictor of the future, i'm a shitposter, but i sort of thought there might be a climbdown here when i read that neither the pentagon nor the national guard had any fucking idea what he was talking about
Trump seems to back off Portland military plan: 'Am I watching things on television that are different from what's happening?'
President Trump had said he will send troops to Portland to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities, which he said were "under attack."
www.kgw.com
September 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
I can only hear the line "Am I watching things on television that are different from what's happening?" in the confused quiet voice my mom had went her dementia got really bad.
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
Impeachable offense
Trump criticizes Pam Bondi for not charging his adversaries quickly enough, in a Truth Social post that looks a lot like a DM. truthsocial.com/@realDonaldT...
September 20, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Impeachable offense
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
I will say it again, they’re not “looking into” who is “funding” violent left-wing groups.
They’re just going to say it was ActBlue and try to cripple the Dems fundraising capacity by calling it terrorism to donate to Dems.
That’s all this is. It’s the initial stage of false narrative formation.
They’re just going to say it was ActBlue and try to cripple the Dems fundraising capacity by calling it terrorism to donate to Dems.
That’s all this is. It’s the initial stage of false narrative formation.
Leavitt: "We will also be most importantly looking at who is funding antifa and who is funding these other violent left-wing groups."
September 22, 2025 at 6:19 PM
I will say it again, they’re not “looking into” who is “funding” violent left-wing groups.
They’re just going to say it was ActBlue and try to cripple the Dems fundraising capacity by calling it terrorism to donate to Dems.
That’s all this is. It’s the initial stage of false narrative formation.
They’re just going to say it was ActBlue and try to cripple the Dems fundraising capacity by calling it terrorism to donate to Dems.
That’s all this is. It’s the initial stage of false narrative formation.
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
Pritzker seems to be the only one warning about this regularly
Pritzker: "One of the reasons Trump wants to send troops into cities is bc he wants to be able to take control of the 2026 elections...if they've got troops in cities, & it becomes a kind of norm for people, then it won't be abnormal for them when they're going to vote having troops at ballot boxes"
September 23, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Pritzker seems to be the only one warning about this regularly
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
The amazing thing about Trump is that he says right into the camera on the White House lawn while stone cold sober the sort of stuff Nixon would only scream in solitude at the White House fireplace after a bottle and a half of whiskey.
JON KARL: What do you make of Pam Bondi saying she's gonna go after hate speech? A lot of your allies say hate speech is free speech
TRUMP: We'll probably go after people like you because you treat me so unfairly. You have a lot of hate in your hate. Maybe they'll have to go after you.
TRUMP: We'll probably go after people like you because you treat me so unfairly. You have a lot of hate in your hate. Maybe they'll have to go after you.
September 17, 2025 at 3:06 AM
The amazing thing about Trump is that he says right into the camera on the White House lawn while stone cold sober the sort of stuff Nixon would only scream in solitude at the White House fireplace after a bottle and a half of whiskey.
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
@thomaszimmer.bsky.social and @sjdemas.bsky.social go live today, at PM ET
The two will look at the parrells between the Reichstag Fire (1933, Berlin) and Trump’s threatening words in the wake of the Charlie Kirk Assassination.
See you in the chat! Tune in here:
open.substack.com/live-stream/...
The two will look at the parrells between the Reichstag Fire (1933, Berlin) and Trump’s threatening words in the wake of the Charlie Kirk Assassination.
See you in the chat! Tune in here:
open.substack.com/live-stream/...
September 16, 2025 at 1:53 PM
@thomaszimmer.bsky.social and @sjdemas.bsky.social go live today, at PM ET
The two will look at the parrells between the Reichstag Fire (1933, Berlin) and Trump’s threatening words in the wake of the Charlie Kirk Assassination.
See you in the chat! Tune in here:
open.substack.com/live-stream/...
The two will look at the parrells between the Reichstag Fire (1933, Berlin) and Trump’s threatening words in the wake of the Charlie Kirk Assassination.
See you in the chat! Tune in here:
open.substack.com/live-stream/...
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
If the the leading Democrat in a legislature is murdered by a man with a hit list of Democrats he aimed to kill to flip control of that legislature, that's not "political violence"
But if a conservative podcaster is killed for reasons still unknown, that's The Left committing political violence.
But if a conservative podcaster is killed for reasons still unknown, that's The Left committing political violence.
absolutely repugnant, gutfeld completely dismisses the assassination of melissa hortman, calls it a "bull shit" example of political violence
September 16, 2025 at 11:44 AM
If the the leading Democrat in a legislature is murdered by a man with a hit list of Democrats he aimed to kill to flip control of that legislature, that's not "political violence"
But if a conservative podcaster is killed for reasons still unknown, that's The Left committing political violence.
But if a conservative podcaster is killed for reasons still unknown, that's The Left committing political violence.
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
I know we have low expectations for this White House, but in any other era the president and vice president would be working to ratchet down the tension and not trying to incite a civil war.
Just, you know, a reminder.
Just, you know, a reminder.
Murder of Kirk was a terrible crime, but we’ve seen no evidence that shooter was part of any “network” organized by “the left.” Alarming to see Trump Admin exploit a tragedy to divide and conquer Americans.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/15/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/15/u...
On Charlie Kirk Show, JD Vance Talks of Crackdown on Liberal Groups (Gift Article)
Some of the highest-ranking officials in the federal government used Charlie Kirk’s podcast, guest-hosted by Vice President JD Vance, to lay out their plans.
www.nytimes.com
September 16, 2025 at 11:46 AM
I know we have low expectations for this White House, but in any other era the president and vice president would be working to ratchet down the tension and not trying to incite a civil war.
Just, you know, a reminder.
Just, you know, a reminder.
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
The decadence is now total, and the GOP exists only to perpetuate a recursive cycle of abusing power to generate propaganda to justify further abuses of power, sending free society into a rapid downward spiral. www.offmessage.net/p/right-wing...
Right-Wing Propaganda All The Way Down
The only thing Republicans know how to do anymore is abuse power to generate partisan propaganda—it's no wonder they see the Charlie Kirk murder as their Reichstag fire.
www.offmessage.net
September 16, 2025 at 4:36 PM
The decadence is now total, and the GOP exists only to perpetuate a recursive cycle of abusing power to generate propaganda to justify further abuses of power, sending free society into a rapid downward spiral. www.offmessage.net/p/right-wing...
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
I'm increasingly of the opinion that the reason we think mass street protest during the Civil Right movement "worked" is that the role of the media is forgotten. We took it for granted to the point that it was invisible.
But in recent years, we've seen what it looks like ...
But in recent years, we've seen what it looks like ...
September 16, 2025 at 8:02 PM
I'm increasingly of the opinion that the reason we think mass street protest during the Civil Right movement "worked" is that the role of the media is forgotten. We took it for granted to the point that it was invisible.
But in recent years, we've seen what it looks like ...
But in recent years, we've seen what it looks like ...
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
I feel like reelecting the guy who tried to overthrow the government last time he was president, and who ran on a promise to pardon the people convicted for trying to overthrow the government on his behalf, was maybe a bad idea.
September 16, 2025 at 5:02 AM
I feel like reelecting the guy who tried to overthrow the government last time he was president, and who ran on a promise to pardon the people convicted for trying to overthrow the government on his behalf, was maybe a bad idea.
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
Remember this everytime they say they need to erect statues to honor racist traitors in the name of preserving history
September 16, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Remember this everytime they say they need to erect statues to honor racist traitors in the name of preserving history
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
"Stop it, you're totally overreacting with the Weimar comparisons & the use of the words 'far right' & 'authoritarianism' 🤔🧐
September 15, 2025 at 8:51 PM
"Stop it, you're totally overreacting with the Weimar comparisons & the use of the words 'far right' & 'authoritarianism' 🤔🧐
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
The intended "chilling effect" is that faculty think <even more> about if they should self-censor on social media, lest someone decides their posts are unacceptable.
This is ironic, given it was only ~yesterday conservatives told us self-censoring was the Great Campus Speech Threat Of Our Time 🤷♂️
This is ironic, given it was only ~yesterday conservatives told us self-censoring was the Great Campus Speech Threat Of Our Time 🤷♂️
It's good to debate whether the Trump administration has the capacity to carry out its threats to institutions and civil society and how scared we should be, but preemptive compliance from institutions like WaPo and Clemson show how much damage they can do just through chilling effects.
"We stand firmly on the principles of the U.S. Constitution, including the protection of free speech. HOWEVER, that right does not extend to speech that incites harm OR UNDERMINES THE DIGNITY OF OTHERS."
Emphasis added because holy fuck
Emphasis added because holy fuck
September 16, 2025 at 3:29 PM
The intended "chilling effect" is that faculty think <even more> about if they should self-censor on social media, lest someone decides their posts are unacceptable.
This is ironic, given it was only ~yesterday conservatives told us self-censoring was the Great Campus Speech Threat Of Our Time 🤷♂️
This is ironic, given it was only ~yesterday conservatives told us self-censoring was the Great Campus Speech Threat Of Our Time 🤷♂️
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
The rationale is racism. The United States effectively decided that it would rather be racist to immigrants than maintain its economic prosperity and Republic.
Empires decline all the time, for all kinds of reasons, but our present moment will be remembered in history books for the sheer volume of *voluntary & pointless self-imposed damage*. We're systematically dismantling what made us great, for no reason! Genuinely, with no rationale! It's wild.
September 16, 2025 at 6:19 AM
The rationale is racism. The United States effectively decided that it would rather be racist to immigrants than maintain its economic prosperity and Republic.
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
American conservatism as a political ideology ultimately boils down to a feral frothing rage about always getting your way.
September 15, 2025 at 10:15 PM
American conservatism as a political ideology ultimately boils down to a feral frothing rage about always getting your way.
Reposted by The Elder La Follette
“Trump incited an insurrection against the United States to try and steal the Presidency” will be taught to my children in US History class.
I don’t care what I have to do. I don’t care if I have to argue with morons in PTA meetings every single day.
I refuse to let this era get Lost Cause’d.
I don’t care what I have to do. I don’t care if I have to argue with morons in PTA meetings every single day.
I refuse to let this era get Lost Cause’d.
September 16, 2025 at 1:26 AM
“Trump incited an insurrection against the United States to try and steal the Presidency” will be taught to my children in US History class.
I don’t care what I have to do. I don’t care if I have to argue with morons in PTA meetings every single day.
I refuse to let this era get Lost Cause’d.
I don’t care what I have to do. I don’t care if I have to argue with morons in PTA meetings every single day.
I refuse to let this era get Lost Cause’d.