Rick Rhodent
@emperorhipolito.bsky.social
Mostly gone from the old place. Miscellany about Chicago and things that matter.
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
I know people believe that the Democrats are in the minority and can't do anything. I would encourage you to read about how, in fact, minority parties can be disruptive. If they want to be. You don't even have to read. You can just see how the Republicans acted during the Obama years.
January 6, 2026 at 11:46 PM
I know people believe that the Democrats are in the minority and can't do anything. I would encourage you to read about how, in fact, minority parties can be disruptive. If they want to be. You don't even have to read. You can just see how the Republicans acted during the Obama years.
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
A reminder - before Trump, MAGA, Musk and Fox rewrote history - that this is what the entire country agreed had happened five years ago today:
January 6, 2026 at 12:40 PM
A reminder - before Trump, MAGA, Musk and Fox rewrote history - that this is what the entire country agreed had happened five years ago today:
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
Republicans made welfare fraud in Minnesota the most important story in the country. Schumer turned a war for oil into a question about national security briefings.
January 5, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Republicans made welfare fraud in Minnesota the most important story in the country. Schumer turned a war for oil into a question about national security briefings.
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
IMO the argument is that you can make things into big enough deals that it matters. Khanna found Massey and found survivors and made the Epstein Files the gigantic story it should be. Only then did establishment Dems come along. You can, in fact, make things into big hairy deals if you do it right.
if you want the Senate to do something, Senate Republicans must do something.
People are dunking on this but I'm not really sure what plays Schumer has other than to try to peel off Rs.
People are dunking on this but I'm not really sure what plays Schumer has other than to try to peel off Rs.
Schumer: "Republicans must -- if there was ever a time, they must step up to the plate. This is the time. And if they don't, they're gonna feel the heat from their constituents."
January 6, 2026 at 1:24 AM
IMO the argument is that you can make things into big enough deals that it matters. Khanna found Massey and found survivors and made the Epstein Files the gigantic story it should be. Only then did establishment Dems come along. You can, in fact, make things into big hairy deals if you do it right.
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
National political media will spend way more time and energy parsing every development in Minnesota than they will spend on the fucking enormous and raging actual scandals, corruption, law breaking and war-mongering from and by Trump
They're wired to hound Dems but never apply same standards to him
They're wired to hound Dems but never apply same standards to him
January 5, 2026 at 2:38 PM
National political media will spend way more time and energy parsing every development in Minnesota than they will spend on the fucking enormous and raging actual scandals, corruption, law breaking and war-mongering from and by Trump
They're wired to hound Dems but never apply same standards to him
They're wired to hound Dems but never apply same standards to him
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
A whale went on Polymarket a few days ago & earned $400,000 correctly predicting Maduro's capture.
@emmarjanssen.bsky.social had already been studying how easy it would be for White House officials to use prediction markets to self-enrich based on their own policy decisions.
This is a great report.
@emmarjanssen.bsky.social had already been studying how easy it would be for White House officials to use prediction markets to self-enrich based on their own policy decisions.
This is a great report.
Monetizing Regime Change - The American Prospect
It is trivially easy for administration officials to use prediction markets to bet on the policies they authorize. We may have just seen it in Venezuela.
prospect.org
January 5, 2026 at 2:31 PM
A whale went on Polymarket a few days ago & earned $400,000 correctly predicting Maduro's capture.
@emmarjanssen.bsky.social had already been studying how easy it would be for White House officials to use prediction markets to self-enrich based on their own policy decisions.
This is a great report.
@emmarjanssen.bsky.social had already been studying how easy it would be for White House officials to use prediction markets to self-enrich based on their own policy decisions.
This is a great report.
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
Of all the competitive authoritarian developments of the past year I think the fall of CBS News is among the most chilling. That this can happen to easily and so quickly freaks me the fuck out.
Nightmarish. CBS News is now running straight state propaganda. They handed Hegseth all three segments and are now tweeting flattering sound bites.
January 4, 2026 at 2:24 AM
Of all the competitive authoritarian developments of the past year I think the fall of CBS News is among the most chilling. That this can happen to easily and so quickly freaks me the fuck out.
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
New Interview: www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
January 3, 2026 at 9:42 PM
New Interview: www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
See, I'm not interested in seeing the leader of another country held accountable for legitimate crimes...until I see the leader of THIS country held accountable for legitimate crimes. I'm funny like that.
January 3, 2026 at 11:54 AM
See, I'm not interested in seeing the leader of another country held accountable for legitimate crimes...until I see the leader of THIS country held accountable for legitimate crimes. I'm funny like that.
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
News: Gang of Eight in Congress were only notified about Trump's Venezuela operation after it began, source familiar tells me. That means the heads of the Intelligence Committees in Senate and House were *not* consulted. Just crazy.
January 3, 2026 at 3:06 PM
News: Gang of Eight in Congress were only notified about Trump's Venezuela operation after it began, source familiar tells me. That means the heads of the Intelligence Committees in Senate and House were *not* consulted. Just crazy.
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
Every American should be ashamed of who we are and what we have become as a nation today. We have a long history of military misadventures and even crimes but the attacks we have been conducting on Venezuela are among the most wanton, egregious and least defensible acts we’ve ever conducted.
January 3, 2026 at 8:34 AM
Every American should be ashamed of who we are and what we have become as a nation today. We have a long history of military misadventures and even crimes but the attacks we have been conducting on Venezuela are among the most wanton, egregious and least defensible acts we’ve ever conducted.
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
IT IS A MYSTERY
Why the f has it happened that CBS News confirmed thast Trump ordered the attack half an hour ago (based on statements by officials), but the White House hasn't yet given the same statement to the Associated Press?
AP confirms apnews.com/article/vene...
January 3, 2026 at 8:03 AM
IT IS A MYSTERY
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[Jeffries voice] invading venezuela will not help reduce the cost of living for hardworking american families
January 3, 2026 at 7:24 AM
[Jeffries voice] invading venezuela will not help reduce the cost of living for hardworking american families
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
The world must boycott the World Cup and the Olympics.
It is both the only moral choice and will actually get the attention of these dead-eyed clout demons.
It is both the only moral choice and will actually get the attention of these dead-eyed clout demons.
January 3, 2026 at 7:22 AM
The world must boycott the World Cup and the Olympics.
It is both the only moral choice and will actually get the attention of these dead-eyed clout demons.
It is both the only moral choice and will actually get the attention of these dead-eyed clout demons.
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
In a statement, an emotional Grok told me it was "shaken" by the revenge porn it had generated. "It's not epic, and not based," Grok said. "It's neither. Frankly, it's cringe. And gay." An emailed request for comment to X received an auto-reply of a rofl emoji and a custom swastika emoji.
January 3, 2026 at 5:29 AM
In a statement, an emotional Grok told me it was "shaken" by the revenge porn it had generated. "It's not epic, and not based," Grok said. "It's neither. Frankly, it's cringe. And gay." An emailed request for comment to X received an auto-reply of a rofl emoji and a custom swastika emoji.
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
Trump’s opposition to liberal norms must mean that he is opposed to the use of military force. I am a super genius
January 3, 2026 at 6:50 AM
Trump’s opposition to liberal norms must mean that he is opposed to the use of military force. I am a super genius
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
not a fan of living in a pariah nation tbh
January 3, 2026 at 6:52 AM
not a fan of living in a pariah nation tbh
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
Shortly after the videos of the US attack on Caracas began emerging, an apparent propaganda campaign rolled out with posts on X to the effect of “Free Venezuela” in English and “Venezuela Libre” in Spanish.
So this is a very coordinated and multi-pronged effort.
So this is a very coordinated and multi-pronged effort.
January 3, 2026 at 6:59 AM
Shortly after the videos of the US attack on Caracas began emerging, an apparent propaganda campaign rolled out with posts on X to the effect of “Free Venezuela” in English and “Venezuela Libre” in Spanish.
So this is a very coordinated and multi-pronged effort.
So this is a very coordinated and multi-pronged effort.
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
Our labor and money goes towards killing and tormenting innocent people so that rich pedophiles can become more rich. And that is the cycle.
Video rolling in of pretty massive airstrikes across Venezuela, plus low-flying helicopters which *appear* to be American.
January 3, 2026 at 7:00 AM
Our labor and money goes towards killing and tormenting innocent people so that rich pedophiles can become more rich. And that is the cycle.
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
The worst part about this is the Democratic faction with the most money and power accepting this bad faith as if it were good.
January 2, 2026 at 12:33 PM
The worst part about this is the Democratic faction with the most money and power accepting this bad faith as if it were good.
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
so old i remember an entire summer where obama had to distance himself from jeremiah wright. i dont think the msm has ever once asked trump or vance about yarvin.
Curtis Yarvin, JD Vance’s friend & ideological influence, ended 2025 by claiming “only Hitler spoke the truth” about “too many subjects” & “Hitler was a genius.”
Extremism isn’t fringe on the right. Once marginal online extremists like Yarvin are influential at the highest levels of government.
Extremism isn’t fringe on the right. Once marginal online extremists like Yarvin are influential at the highest levels of government.
January 1, 2026 at 3:24 PM
so old i remember an entire summer where obama had to distance himself from jeremiah wright. i dont think the msm has ever once asked trump or vance about yarvin.
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
If you're a Democrat, you're a sucker if you imagine this agency has anything to do with immigration. It is--and aspires to be!--a fascist paramilitary goon squad. You should start saying so and lay the groundwork for starving it of funding when you take power
December 31, 2025 at 3:21 PM
If you're a Democrat, you're a sucker if you imagine this agency has anything to do with immigration. It is--and aspires to be!--a fascist paramilitary goon squad. You should start saying so and lay the groundwork for starving it of funding when you take power
Reposted by Rick Rhodent
Yes, if you speak out against ICE they'll say you're a lunatic who wants to open the floodgates to scary immigrants. The correct response isn't cowering in a corner, it's asking whether people want to be terrorized by armed masked thugs as a part of daily life
December 31, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Yes, if you speak out against ICE they'll say you're a lunatic who wants to open the floodgates to scary immigrants. The correct response isn't cowering in a corner, it's asking whether people want to be terrorized by armed masked thugs as a part of daily life