Jason Renker
@jasonrenker.bsky.social
270 followers 380 following 510 posts
Jersey City and Catskill. Have been known to defend Social Security during Thanksgiving dinner. Trying to leave things better than I found them. Editor at The Century Foundation. Posts are my own opinion.
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jasonrenker.bsky.social
Posts on here are called bloops, right?
Reposted by Jason Renker
atrupar.com
Pritzker: "He wants to militarize major cities because he wants us to get used to the idea of troops on the streets. I believe he's gonna post people outside of polling places and if he needs to in order to control those elections, he'll assume control of the ballot boxes & count the votes himself"
Reposted by Jason Renker
karlbode.com
twice a year the entire U.S. press becomes a marketing extension of a single billionaire-owned retailer, and nobody in any position of editorial power thinks it's weird or gross
photo of Google News search results for Amazon Prime Day (the second this year)
Reposted by Jason Renker
tcfdotorg.bsky.social
As the government shutdown enters its second week, the ACA’s enhanced tax credits continue to be at the center of political debate.

If Congress fails to act, premiums will skyrocket for the 24 million people covered by the ACA—representing the largest single-year premium hike in U.S. history.
Reposted by Jason Renker
sky.skymarchini.net
One of my Russian professors told me the difference between autocracy and democracy is in a democracy a portrait of the leader is hard to get, while in an autocracy the portrait is hard to get away from
andycraig.bsky.social
Julius Caesar was the first Roman to put his own living face on coins, weeks before his death. It is one of the deepest cultural signifiers of something autocracies do and republics do not.

“Render unto Caesar.” A practice so notoriously arrogant Jesus himself dunked on it with snarky wordplay.
Treasury Department Has Plans To Mint Dollar Coin Featuring Donald Trump's Likeness | Defector
The United States Department of the Treasury has developed, to the brink of production, a dollar coin that features the face and likeness of President Donald Trump, according to a source within the Tr...
defector.com
jasonrenker.bsky.social
Double whammy unemployment day for feds. Government shutdown, and the end of Musk's fork-in-the road deferred resignation program. Here's an updated list of 12 things feds should know before filing UI benefits, from Andrew Stettner at @tcfdotorg.bsky.social

See more here: tcf.org/content/repo...
10 Things Federal Workers Should Know About Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE)
1. File in your last duty station, and that state will determine your benefit amount.
2. File with your SF-50 and SF-8, but don’t wait. 
3. File for UI even if you are challenging your termination.
4. Don’t panic if you get a $0 monetary determination.
5. The process may take twenty-one days or more. 
6. Your home agency must verify your wage. 
7. If your claim is delayed, request a wage affidavit. 
8. Check your portal, email and mail frequently—you may need to respond to requests for information.
9. Certify and report your work search while you wait. 
10. Rules limit how much extra earnings you can receive while collecting UCFE.
11. If you apply for benefits during a furlough in this shutdown, you'll have to refun d the state when you get your back pay.
12. If you are an excepted and required to work without pay, you cannot file but DC and MD have alternate aid.
jasonrenker.bsky.social
Fact: this shutdown is primarily a cost of living fight—specifically, the cost of health care. The president and much leadership in Congress seem okay with soaring costs. #shutdown #ACA #healthcare

tcf.org/content/comm...
5 Things to Know About the Government Shutdown
While politicians in D.C. argue over who’s to blame for the ongoing federal government shutdown, families at home should know the truth: this shutdown is
tcf.org
Reposted by Jason Renker
ddayen.bsky.social
In honor of Taylor's new album, Russ Vought is in his "Look What You Made Me Do" phase of the shutdown.
He's making decisions he’s always wanted to make & blaming Democrats for forcing him to make them. It’s just as unpopular as DOGE was; the public is smart enough to see (and abhor) Mafia tactics.
The ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ Phase of the Shutdown
Russ Vought has no authority during the shutdown to implement DOGE 2.0 to extract political pain from Democrats. In fact, he’s admitted that outright.
prospect.org
Reposted by Jason Renker
mdasilva.bsky.social
Fun fact - the NJ Turnpike extension through downtown Jersey City roughly follows the path of the now-underground Mill Creek. Imagine if we ripped out the highway and restored the creek…
modacitylife.com
Every bold urban transformation asks a question: what will people remember—the controversy or legacy?

Showing great leadership, Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak bet on the latter, replacing a motorway with a waterway.

Two decades later, absolutely no one regrets the decision or remembers the controversy.
jasonrenker.bsky.social
Sooooooo, I guess that puts you in the camp of readers who express "skepticism that borders on hostility. " 🤔
Reposted by Jason Renker
atrupar.com
MADELEINE DEAN: The president is unhinged. He's unwell

JOHNSON: A lot of folks on your side are too

D: Oh my god, please. That performance in front of the generals?

J: I didn't see it

D: It's so dangerous! Our allies are looking elsewhere. Our enemies are laughing. You have a POTUS who's unwell.
Reposted by Jason Renker
jbendery.bsky.social
Dem congressman on Russ Vought's threats of mass firings of federal employees during the government shutdown: "It's illegal and unconstitutional."
www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
House Democrat: ‘Law Is Very Clear’ Trump Can’t Use Shutdown For Mass Layoffs
www.huffpost.com
Reposted by Jason Renker
whstancil.bsky.social
Russ Vought isn’t really a bureaucrat, he’s an anti-constitutional criminal seizing a bunch of unlawful powers to conduct economic warfare against hundreds of millions of Americans because they live in states that voted against his patron.
jamiedupree.bsky.social
Next move from OMB - canceling $8 billion in clean energy funds. You will note, all of the projects are in states led by Democrats
Reposted by Jason Renker
merriam-webster.com
We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.
Reposted by Jason Renker
jenniecoughlin.bsky.social
The Gateway Development Commission, which oversees the Hudson tunnel project, held its monthly board meeting on Tuesday. No mention was made of a possible suspension of funding.
Trump Administration to Withhold $18 Billion for N.Y.C. Infrastructure
www.nytimes.com
jasonrenker.bsky.social
Astounding.
atrupar.com
Trump to top military officials: "I told Pete, we should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military. National Guard, but our military. Because we're going into Chicago very soon. That's a big city with an incompetent governor. Stupid governor."
Reposted by Jason Renker
heylookitsruth.bsky.social
“We are arresting the Mayor, per the Deputy Attorney General of the United States.”

Read that again. This wasn't about trespassing. It was a direct order from the highest levels of the Trump administration to silence and punish a political opponent.
Reposted by Jason Renker
amandaweavernovels.com
Hegseth is the shitty boss who calls a meeting at 4pm on Friday, then spend 45 min blathering about something minor that could have been a three-line email.
kevinmkruse.bsky.social
Perfect image for this moment -- Pete Hegseth wasted millions of dollars flying military leaders from across the globe to hear him blather about gender-neutral physical fitness standards and appearance, and the chryon in the corner notes the government is about to shut down.
Pete Hegseth's Ted Talk
jasonrenker.bsky.social
Huge shoutout to my collegue Denise Smith (@drde7.bsky.social) for this excellent film on the need to redress the historical underfunding of the nation's HBCUs!
#HBCU

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HALb...
The Price of Excellence | The Century Foundation
YouTube video by The Century Foundation
www.youtube.com
Reposted by Jason Renker
erininthemorning.com
This literally looks like something you'd do in a Mario Kart game.
streicher.io
Cool new way for cars to kill people
jasonrenker.bsky.social
This more recent guide was prepared during the DOGE firings, but it has an important section: "10 Things Federal Workers Should Know About Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE)"

#unemployment #shutdown

tcf.org/content/repo...
Mass Federal Layoffs Present Unprecedented Unemployment Insurance Challenges
Communities across America are reeling from a sudden and unprecedented surge in workers laid off from federal jobs. Elon Musk announced the intention of
tcf.org
jasonrenker.bsky.social
As a federal government shutdown appears likely, unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) can be a lifeline for federal workers and contractors. This guide from 2023 still holds true. #unemployment #shutdown

tcf.org/content/comm...
Unemployment Compensation for Furloughed Federal Employees and Contractors: A Guide to the Shutdown
As budget negotiations break down and a federal government shutdown appears likely, unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and Unemployment Compensation for
tcf.org