John Lippitt
@jalippitt.bsky.social
Retired early childhood policy and program professor and manager. Democratic activist and blogger: https://www.policyforthepeople.org/. Non-profit board member and dahlia grower. A hiker and bicyclist. Grandfather to 5 boys!
Buying and selling individual stocks by members of Congress should be banned. The potential conflicts of interest, not to mention inside information, abound.
This year, 202 representatives and 56 senators in Congress own stock. And they trade those stocks with insider information only they can access. It's time to ban stock trading for every member of Congress. san.com/cc/house-to-...
House to vote on stock trading ban for Congress but doubts remain on passage
The House announced it would vote on a bill that would ban Congress from trading stocks, after the proposal gained bipartisan support.
san.com
December 23, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Buying and selling individual stocks by members of Congress should be banned. The potential conflicts of interest, not to mention inside information, abound.
Bill Moyers was one of my heroes. He and these others are very much missed. Their words can and will be reread for many years to come.
A tribute by Richard Kreitner to the beautiful writers, influential editors, and committed activists The Nation family lost this year—from Jules Feiffer to Joshua Clover, Elizabeth Pochoda, Bill Moyers, and Peter and Cora Weiss. www.thenation.com/article/soci...
In Memoriam: Beautiful Writers, Influential Editors, Committed Activists
A tribute to Nation family we lost this year—from Jules Feiffer to Joshua Clover, Elizabeth Pochoda, Bill Moyers, and Peter and Cora Weiss
www.thenation.com
December 23, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Bill Moyers was one of my heroes. He and these others are very much missed. Their words can and will be reread for many years to come.
Gee, how could you miss the fact that Trump is a classic oligarch? Let's deport him to Russia. He'd fit in perfectly there.
Trump’s problem is that so many Americans — including his MAGA base — believed that he’d expose a powerful global elite.
But every day it's becoming more and more clear that Trump is part of that global elite.
Expect him to lash out as the walls close in.
But every day it's becoming more and more clear that Trump is part of that global elite.
Expect him to lash out as the walls close in.
December 23, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Gee, how could you miss the fact that Trump is a classic oligarch? Let's deport him to Russia. He'd fit in perfectly there.
This is political censorship. Let's hammer CBS!
NYT shows how Bari Weiss really screwed this up.
She didn't attend any of the 5 screenings of the story, which began on Dec. 12.
She only first weighed in on Thursday, and the show incorporated her suggestions.
She then waited until weekend to ask for more edits.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/22/b...
She didn't attend any of the 5 screenings of the story, which began on Dec. 12.
She only first weighed in on Thursday, and the show incorporated her suggestions.
She then waited until weekend to ask for more edits.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/22/b...
Turmoil at CBS News After Bari Weiss Pulls a ‘60 Minutes’ Segment
www.nytimes.com
December 23, 2025 at 5:13 PM
This is political censorship. Let's hammer CBS!
Let's not forget the thousands (millions?) of people, a large portion of them children, that will die because of the Trump administration's and Republicans' abrupt demolishing of US AID and all the aid it provided for health and nutrition around the world.
The State Dept. painted humanitarian aid cuts as a necessary “disruption.”
For the World Food Program, that disruption meant telling 300,000 refugees half of them would receive a meager portion of rice, lentils and oil.
The rest would get nothing.
For the World Food Program, that disruption meant telling 300,000 refugees half of them would receive a meager portion of rice, lentils and oil.
The rest would get nothing.
The Summer of Starvation: Amid Trump’s Foreign Aid Cuts, a Mother Struggles to Keep Her Sons Alive
After the Trump administration cut off food from the third-largest refugee camp in the world, thousands of families faced impossible choices as their children starved.
www.propublica.org
December 21, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Let's not forget the thousands (millions?) of people, a large portion of them children, that will die because of the Trump administration's and Republicans' abrupt demolishing of US AID and all the aid it provided for health and nutrition around the world.
When will the Democratic leadership in Congress finally stand up to their rich, corporate backers? Here Jeffries goes again, undermining a widely popular measure to stop oligarch corruption in Congress.
The House is close to passing a congressional stock-trading ban, but now Hakeem Jeffries is pitching his own version of the bill. “It’s an attempt to undermine and kill off the only legislative vehicle that is gaining momentum.” From @ddayen.bsky.social: trib.al/M81vMAD
Jeffries Undercuts Congressional Stock Trading Ban - The American Prospect
A bipartisan solution was gaining momentum, but the House Democratic leader just issued his own bill that will prevent consensus.
trib.al
December 21, 2025 at 5:06 PM
When will the Democratic leadership in Congress finally stand up to their rich, corporate backers? Here Jeffries goes again, undermining a widely popular measure to stop oligarch corruption in Congress.
Trump and all the Republicans who won't stand up to him are creating a Russian-style oligarchy here in the U.S.
Goldman: This guy is so clearly trying to follow the Putin model—using the government to make money, making sure his allies control the most important companies in the country, including our media companies, doling out money by deregulating their industries, and taking money from them in return…
December 21, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Trump and all the Republicans who won't stand up to him are creating a Russian-style oligarchy here in the U.S.
Yes, the cover up matters and will keep the Epstein files in the news for the foreseeable future. But what about justice for the victims and punishment for the child abusers?
“Coverups are difficult in free societies. They are routine for authoritarian governments. The Epstein coverup will be an indicator of how far we are down the road to authoritarianism. The success of such a coverup would take us much further down that road.”
www.thebulwark.com/p/why-the-ep...
www.thebulwark.com/p/why-the-ep...
Why the Epstein Coverup Matters
In free societies, government coverups are difficult. In authoritarian ones, they’re routine.
www.thebulwark.com
December 21, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Yes, the cover up matters and will keep the Epstein files in the news for the foreseeable future. But what about justice for the victims and punishment for the child abusers?
WOW! How corrupt and how blatant can you be?
Authoritarianism isn’t subtle. It’s a president joking about paying himself $1 billion from the public treasury and expecting subordinates to make it happen.
www.mediaite.com/media/tv/tru...
www.mediaite.com/media/tv/tru...
Trump Brags About Suing the Government and Declares, ‘I Hereby Give Myself $1 Billion’
Speaking at a rally on Friday night, President Donald Trump bragged about his demand that the U.S. government give him a huge payout, and said he would be the ultimate arbiter of whether he will recei...
www.mediaite.com
December 21, 2025 at 4:55 PM
WOW! How corrupt and how blatant can you be?
Our corporate, and often billionaire-owned, media somehow seem to forget to mention that most of the Trump administration's actions and inactions are illegal. They just report the headlines created. Is this incompetence or malfeasance - or are they just scared of a Trump lawsuit?
The problem with this piece, like all the other pieces, is that the missing hed, dek, & lede is that all of this was wildly illegal, unconstitutional, & criminal. This is how you normalize lawless authoritarianism - treat like just another story in our politics. “Transformation” is lazy euphemism.
This WaPo piece weaves together an incredibly powerful story about the way Trump has devastated government and the dedicated people who wake up every day to serve the public. wapo.st/4b14KAy
December 21, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Our corporate, and often billionaire-owned, media somehow seem to forget to mention that most of the Trump administration's actions and inactions are illegal. They just report the headlines created. Is this incompetence or malfeasance - or are they just scared of a Trump lawsuit?
Huge news and media companies are dangerous and harmful. They control the information and disinformation we receive. They are not providing voters with the information they need to maintain a well-functioning democracy. Here are steps to rein in and compensate for their dangers and harm.
FIXES FOR HUGE, BILLIONAIRE-OWNED NEWS AND MEDIA COMPANIES
Huge news and media companies are dangerous and harmful. They control the information and disinformation we receive. They are not providing voters with the information they need to maintain a well-functioning democracy. Here are steps to rein in and compensate for their dangers and harm.
lippittpolicyandpolitics.org
December 21, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Huge news and media companies are dangerous and harmful. They control the information and disinformation we receive. They are not providing voters with the information they need to maintain a well-functioning democracy. Here are steps to rein in and compensate for their dangers and harm.
Why aren't we doing this in the U.S.?
Hungary: “Resign! Resign!”, citizens crowds chant outside Viktor Orbán’s and president’s offices in Budapest. 🇪🇺🇭🇺
December 16, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Why aren't we doing this in the U.S.?
For 10 years now Republicans have said they'd come up with a better alternative to the Affordable Care Act. All I've heard is crickets. Don't believe them for a second. They just want to discredit and undermine public programs that help everyday people.
The looming increase in Americans healthcare premiums set for Jan. 1 has created a crisis for Republicans. Robert Kuttner writes, “the Republican quandary on the ACA subsidies is a sign of a weakened Trump presidency.”
trib.al/iQFpwBT
trib.al/iQFpwBT
The Republicans’ Endangered Health - The American Prospect
The refusal to extend ACA subsidies becomes a huge political liability and signals deepening splits.
trib.al
December 15, 2025 at 11:02 PM
For 10 years now Republicans have said they'd come up with a better alternative to the Affordable Care Act. All I've heard is crickets. Don't believe them for a second. They just want to discredit and undermine public programs that help everyday people.
Scare tactics once again from the oligarchs. If high taxes led to an exodus of wealthy people, they all would have left NYC years ago.
New York’s wealthy warn of a tax exodus after Mamdani’s win – but the data says otherwise
theconversation.com/new-yorks-we...
theconversation.com/new-yorks-we...
New York’s wealthy warn of a tax exodus after Mamdani’s win – but the data says otherwise
Research on millionaire migration reveals that social and professional ties matter far more than marginal tax rates.
theconversation.com
December 15, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Scare tactics once again from the oligarchs. If high taxes led to an exodus of wealthy people, they all would have left NYC years ago.
Indivisible is awesome! Join up if you haven't already.
If one of your resolutions for 2026 is becoming more engaged in your community and doing more to save democracy, now is the time to connect with your local Indivisible group: indivisible.org/groups
December 15, 2025 at 2:06 AM
Indivisible is awesome! Join up if you haven't already.
Good to see a few Republicans standing up for democracy - finally.
Indiana Republicans shot down Trump’s efforts to gerrymander the state’s congressional maps, giving Democrats an even better chance of winning the House in 2026. From @ddayen.bsky.social: trib.al/lcdzqs2
Indiana Republicans Reject Trump, Vote Down Gerrymander - The American Prospect
The full result of Trump’s election-rigging scheme shows almost no advantage. And the way things are going, it wouldn’t have mattered anyway.
trib.al
December 15, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Good to see a few Republicans standing up for democracy - finally.
This is what corporatocracy looks like.
The GAO probe found that even though the FDA has long been empowered to force manufacturers to pull defective devices from the market, the agency has only done so four times.
The last time was in 1992.
The last time was in 1992.
The FDA Rarely Forces Manufacturers to Recall Dangerous Medical Devices, Watchdog Report Finds
Lawmakers requested the report after a 2023 ProPublica and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette investigation revealed that the FDA had received hundreds of complaints over many years about defective breathing…
www.propublica.org
December 15, 2025 at 2:04 AM
This is what corporatocracy looks like.
This is what oligarchy looks like.
Ever wonder how some billionaires can get away with paying such low tax rates compared to working class Americans? Here’s their secret playbook and what we can do about it.
December 15, 2025 at 2:03 AM
This is what oligarchy looks like.
This is NOT making America healthy!
Turns out allowing pesticide companies to put PFAS and forever chemicals on our food is a really, really bad idea.
December 15, 2025 at 2:01 AM
This is NOT making America healthy!
This is another piece of the Trump administration's autocratic police state.
The secret airport deportation program denies victims any semblance of due process.
TSA is forwarding names, photos, and flight info to ICE
The secret airport deportation program denies victims any semblance of due process.
www.motherjones.com
December 15, 2025 at 2:01 AM
This is another piece of the Trump administration's autocratic police state.
The oligarchs never stop trying to rip us off.
The legislature passed a comprehensive bill to help people who have been victims of financial abuse. Activists worry industry is trying to water it down.
Inside the last minute fight on legislation for victims of coerced debt in New York
The legislature passed a comprehensive bill to help people who have been victims of financial abuse. Activists worry industry is trying to water it down.
www.motherjones.com
December 15, 2025 at 1:59 AM
The oligarchs never stop trying to rip us off.
Workers deserve to receive the fruits of their labors. Corporate executives and oligarch investors will steal from workers to line their own pockets unless workers have the power to demand fair pay. Unions are the only way to make this happen.
Increase in productivity since 1979: 87%
Increase in hourly pay since 1979: 32%
Just so happens that ~25% of workers were unionized in 1979. Today? 10%.
As unions declined, the super-rich have taken a larger share of wealth generated by labor. We must build back union power.
Increase in hourly pay since 1979: 32%
Just so happens that ~25% of workers were unionized in 1979. Today? 10%.
As unions declined, the super-rich have taken a larger share of wealth generated by labor. We must build back union power.
December 15, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Workers deserve to receive the fruits of their labors. Corporate executives and oligarch investors will steal from workers to line their own pockets unless workers have the power to demand fair pay. Unions are the only way to make this happen.
Wake up and get engaged - your well-being and maybe your life depends on it. Democracy is NOT a spectator sport!
America's Sleeping Giant roared when police attacked civil rights marchers.
And after tens of thousands of young Americans were killed in Vietnam.
And when Nixon tried to cover up Watergate.
Today it roars once more — at the tyrant in the Oval Office. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXHPCL12QIg
And after tens of thousands of young Americans were killed in Vietnam.
And when Nixon tried to cover up Watergate.
Today it roars once more — at the tyrant in the Oval Office. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXHPCL12QIg
Trump Has Awakened America's Sleeping Giant
Robert Reich
www.youtube.com
December 15, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Wake up and get engaged - your well-being and maybe your life depends on it. Democracy is NOT a spectator sport!
Boycott X!!
Elon's little serfs are quite literally begging journalists to come back because every publicly available source of data shows people have fled the platform and young people won't use it.
They are literally begging regular people to come back. Don't do it! It is a website by and for actual Nazis!
They are literally begging regular people to come back. Don't do it! It is a website by and for actual Nazis!
December 15, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Boycott X!!
The incompetence and lying are mind boggling!
just. brutal.
GLASHEEN: Antifa is our primary concern right now. That's the most immediate violent threat we're facing
BENNIE THOMPSON: Where is antifa headquartered?
GLASHEEN: ... ... ... we are building out the infrastructure right now
THOMPSON: What does that mean?
BENNIE THOMPSON: Where is antifa headquartered?
GLASHEEN: ... ... ... we are building out the infrastructure right now
THOMPSON: What does that mean?
December 15, 2025 at 1:51 AM
The incompetence and lying are mind boggling!