Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

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Wajahat Ali @wajali.bsky.social · 16h

Comey Indictment, Threats Against Pritzker, and Trump Weaponizing the Justice Department

open.substack.com/pub/thelefth...

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 16h

If you obey the administration’s demands to use its NewSpeak vocabulary, why would I ever trust you to describe its actions objectively?

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 16h

“We’re going to hold them fairly to account, and by that we mean we’ll use the propaganda term they invented and not the legal name for the department. In short, MAGA.”

Jon Passantino @passantino.bsky.social · 18h

CNN is now using the Trump preferred “Department of War” name in its official statements

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Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 16h

something i learned this week! mailchi.mp/boltsmag/new...

Jane Goodall’s influence behind bars: The legendary primatologist Jane Goodall, who died last week at 91, helped inspire incarcerated people to learn more about wildlife and the environment by opening Roots & Shoots chapters inside jails in the U.S. and Italy, with some participants going on to launch careers in conservation post-incarceration. In 2015, Bolts' Alex Burness spent a day with her at the county jail in Boulder, Colorado, where she spoke to folks held there about all that people can learn from animals.

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Zach Halper @zanath.bsky.social · 16h

"We took freedom of speech away" should be in every campaign ad moving forward.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 16h

Trump: "We took the freedom of speech away because that's been through the courts and the courts said you have freedom of speech, but what has happened is when they burn a flag it agitates and irritates crowds."

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eileen @espiegler.bsky.social · 16h

Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of public schools as we know them.
www.propublica.org/article/educ...

These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.

Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of publ...

www.propublica.org

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George Takei @georgetakei.bsky.social · 5d

Even Grok knows the truth and is shouting it in ALL CAPS.

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Roberto Baldwin @strngwys.bsky.social · 5d

(takes job) (kicks open door on first day)

Ok motherfuckers, let's get a taco truck on every fucking corner.

but sir

YOU HEARD ME PENDEJO! A TACO TRUCK ON EVERY CORNER! THE PEOPLE NEED TACOS!

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 5d

overt nazi language in this DHS job listing (which i’m told is for a low-level but important job in adjudicating immigration applications and requires knowledge of the law)

Homeland Defender (Immigration Services
Officer)
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Citizenship and Immigration Services
Field Operations Directorate

Protect your homeland and defend your culture. Join USCIS, America's frontline defense against illegal foreign infiltration and fraud.
This entry-level role requires no college degree and offers up to $50,000 in signing and retention bonuses. If you're driven and ready to serve with pride, join USCIS and become a vital part of homeland security!

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nilay patel @reckless.bsky.social · 5d

Here’s @tinanguyen.bsky.social detailing the results of the incredible settlement YouTube paid to Trump for no reason except cowardice www.theverge.com/policy/79135...

Trump rolled YouTube into paying $22 million for his ballroom

“This is a political payoff, pure and simple.”

www.theverge.com

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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 5d

At the same time that federal employees are being *forced* to share partisan talking points about how Democrats are to blame for the shutdown in their OOO response, they can also be fired for "an inappropriate display of political signage" - a pride flag on a desk during the Biden administration.

I may be invisible, but you're transparent. @invisiblelad7.bsky.social · 5d

www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/k...

My friend just sent me this with a quote "the constitution is dead". I see no evidence to the contrary.

Kash Patel fires FBI agent trainee for displaying gay pride flag

The FBI employee was fired on the first day of the government shutdown as President Trump threatened more terminations.

www.msnbc.com

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Leah McElrath @leahmcelrath.bsky.social · 5d

Israel killed another staff member of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Gaza, bringing the total number of MSF deaths to 14 with many more injured.

www.msf.org/msf-denounce...

MSF denounces killing of fourteenth staff member in Israeli attack in Gaza | MSF

This morning, an attack carried out by Israeli forces killed Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) staff member, Omar Hayek, and seriously injured four others.

www.msf.org

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The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 5d

Some day, there won't be anyone left who remembers life before the polio vaccine. But while there still are, listen to them: www.thebulwark.com/p/polio-vacc...

The Polio Vaccine Was a Miracle—and We Must Not Forget It

As a polio survivor, I am a dinosaur today. My great hope is that our country’s living memory of the disease ends with my generation.

www.thebulwark.com

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Brandon Friedman @brandonfriedman.bsky.social · 5d

1. This is one of the most insane statements ever delivered by a presidential spokesperson in U.S. history. Totally disconnected from reality.

2. There is either going to be a civil war or abject Democratic surrender to autocracy. They are telling this you, to your face, in explicit terms.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 5d

Leavitt: "President Trump will end the radical left's reign of terror in Portland once and for all. The president has directed Secretary Hegseth to provide all necessary troops to protect war-ravaged Portland."

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Shawn @shawnhils.bsky.social · 5d

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 5d

Q: Jeffries says Trump is in the 'presidential witness protection program' since the shutdown has begun. Your reaction?

LEAVITT: The president is literally working around the clock right now. He literally works 24/7

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 5d

"We murdered four guys in international waters, but it's OK* because they definitely absolutely were 'narco-terrorists'"

* Even then, it's not OK. It's a crime.

Jameel Jaffer @jameeljaffer.bsky.social · 5d

Don’t believe anyone who tells you that intelligence shows anything “without a doubt,” but even if the intelligence was water-tight, this strike was still murder. No law permits the deliberate, premeditated killing of civilians.

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Ian Boudreau @ianboudreau.com · 5d

My man is having Grover thoughts

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 7d

The idea for a Hyperloop, for example, would be really easy to just spout bullshit about…

Elon Musk: With rare exception, ideas really are trivial compared to execution.
For example, the idea of going to the Moon is simple, but ACTUALLY going to the Moon is staggeringly difficult.
10:42 AM • 10/1/25 • 137K Views

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eileen @espiegler.bsky.social · 5d

"We are what we do, regardless of what we say.
Who we are isn't immutable, nor can it truly be shaped by the ways we present ourselves. It's something we prove, over and over again, with each decision we make."

The Secret Language In One Battle After Another Unlocks The Story You Didn’t See

The key is in the language...

screenrant.com

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Berny Belvedere @bernybelvedere.bsky.social · 5d

This faculty member is exactly right. What DeSantis set out to do in his run-up to the 2024 GOP race was engage in a number of high-profile clashes with "woke institutions" so that he could project himself as the right's most aggressively bellicose culture warrior.

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Bix F. @bixfrankonis.bsky.social · 6d

“We are surrounded, one might say, by everyday anti-fascists.”

— @lopatto.bsky.social & @sarahjeong.bsky.social

Everything is terrorism in Trump’s America

But don’t call that fascism. That would be bad.

www.theverge.com

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Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg @theradr.bsky.social · 5d

Proud of @thatrabbicohen.bsky.social and all my colleagues who chose to speak painful truths instead of doing what would have been easy and convenient this High Holy Day season.

Text version in skeet below this one.

Rabbi Emily Cohen @thatrabbicohen.bsky.social · 5d

I'm sharing my full Kol Nidre drash. I dive hard into Gaza. I've had sermons that were more difficult to write than this one but I've never had one that was this difficult to deliver. Thank you to @theradr.bsky.social and so many other colleagues for giving me the courage.

Reckoning Within: A New Ashamnu for Our Times

YouTube video by Rabbi Emily Cohen

www.youtube.com

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Philip Bump @pbump.com · 5d

A poll published this week asked Americans if they thought toxic masculinity was a problem. Those most likely to disagree that it was? Republican men and Trump voters. www.pbump.net/o/the-americ...

The Americans who see ‘toxic masculinity’ as a problem — and those who don’t

Every year, the site 19th News conducts a national poll with SurveyMonkey that focuses heavily on issues of gender in American politics and society. This may not sound interesting, much less remarkabl...

www.pbump.net

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Marc Hogan @marchogan.bsky.social · 5d

As usual, other institutions are implicated beyond only the press. In 2024, a spokesperson for a major trade group told me their organization had not looked at Project 2025 because Trump had disavowed it.

Dave Weigel @daveweigel.bsky.social · 5d

One example: I got some bad tips that Vought was on the outs w Trump bc of his Project 2025 role. Did the reporting but it was bullshit. Only story I wrote from the reporting was that Heritage was not releasing Vought's exec order drafts, bc it had learned the media coverage hurt.

Dave Weigel @daveweigel.bsky.social · 5d

I did treat it like a lie and it didn't matter to voters because many of them - maybe even a majority - do not base their votes on my takes.

If you want to make fun of the reporters/fact checkers who, in 2024, said "FALSE, Trump has said this is not his plan" please go ahead!

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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 5d

My sense is that Trump and Republicans will cave in this shutdown fight (he won’t admit he’s caving, of course, but he will cave).

Why? Air traffic controllers.

Let me explain: https://robertreich.substack.com/p/how-the-shutdown-ends

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Berny Belvedere @bernybelvedere.bsky.social · 5d

Criticizing Charlie Kirk is a fireable offense that incites domestic terrorism. But calling political opponents "the party of hate, evil, and Satan" is proper and good. Got it.

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