Karen Elder
karenelder.bsky.social
Karen Elder
@karenelder.bsky.social
Star Trek, Stargate; linguistics, languages (current: Spanish); caring for dad. Current: reading "The Children of Men". 609•512•505•503•505•503
Reposted by Karen Elder
On the Christmas Eve, celebrating the birth of someone whose family fled persecution and who preached tolerance, I’d like to share this very personal essay I wrote back in 2018, about opening our hearts a homes and getting so much more in return. www.motherjones.com/politics/201...
The refugees who lived with me did more for America than the Trumps ever will
And so did my mom.
www.motherjones.com
December 25, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Reposted by Karen Elder
Or you might call them "camps" where people are to be "concentrated" until they are deported.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
ICE documents reveal plan to hold 80,000 immigrants in warehouses
The Trump administration wants to build seven large-scale deportation hubs to speed up deportations, internal ICE documents show.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 24, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Reposted by Karen Elder
Some political thoughts that occur to me as I watch the greatest Christmas movie ever made. (Thread)
December 25, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Reposted by Karen Elder
The horrific materials in the Epstein files—combined with a chaotic release and a politicized Department of Justice—are a "recipe for inspiring potent distrust and resentment," @cwarzel.bsky.social argues:
The Epstein Files Only Get Worse
It’s beginning to look a lot like … extremely disturbing PDFs.
bit.ly
December 25, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Reposted by Karen Elder
North Carolina lawmakers have attempted to transfer control or partial control of at least 29 boards, entities or important executive powers in the past decade that had previously been under control of the governor.

By @dougbockclark.bsky.social
Inside the North Carolina GOP’s Decade-Long Push to Seize Power From the State’s Democratic Governors
For almost a decade, North Carolina’s majority-Republican legislature tried six times to strip Democratic governors of control over the board overseeing the swing state’s elections. This year, it fina...
www.propublica.org
December 25, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Reposted by Karen Elder
It’s hard to imagine Sen. Tuberville offering a clearer or more direct condemnation of the world’s second-largest religion. It certainly goes beyond anything he’s said before.
A Green Light for Anti-Islam Bigotry for Trump’s GOP
Congressional Republicans are openly attacking Muslim Americans.
lnk.thebulwark.com
December 25, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Reposted by Karen Elder
Christmas Eve message from the President of the United States
“Merry Christmas to all, including the Radical Left Scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our Country…”
December 25, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Reposted by Karen Elder
The number of amyloid plaques and misfolded proteins in this man's brain is something nobody's ever seen before. A tremendous amount.
Trump Warns Child About Dangers Of 'A Bad Santa' Infiltrating U.S.
The president said it's important to track St. Nick's journey because "we want to make sure that he's not infiltrated, that we're not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa."
www.huffpost.com
December 25, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Reposted by Karen Elder
If we want an independent media that isn’t the plaything of oligarchs, we’re going to have to build it together.

That's why were offering 30 days free right now for Bulwark+. Get it here: lnk.thebulwark.com/48QbKyS?utm_...
December 25, 2025 at 4:01 AM
Reposted by Karen Elder
"I was pleased to see Trump unhappy. Was that wrong of me? In this Christmas season of peace on earth and good will to all men, should one resist being cheered up by the discomfort of another—even if that other is one Donald J. Trump? Nah. Here’s why."
Our Nazi-Agnostic Vice President
Can’t the hard-core antisemites, the Christian Zionists, and the right-wing Jews all get along?
lnk.thebulwark.com
December 25, 2025 at 4:01 AM
Reposted by Karen Elder
BREAKING: it is a gross violation of the 1st Amend. for State to target @imranahmed.bsky.social because of his & @counterhate.com fighting antisemitism & protecting kids in the digital sphere

That's why we @democracydefendersfund.org joined w/ @robbiekaplan.bsky.social &
an all-star team to sue!
Statement on the unconstitutional attempt to arrest and expel Imran Ahmed from the United States — Center for Countering Digital Hate | CCDH
Statement on CCDH CEO Imran Ahmed's unlawful deportation.
counterhate.com
December 25, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Reposted by Karen Elder
The things she knew, let her forget again—
The voices in the sky, the fear, the cold,
The gaping shepherds, and the queer old men
Piling their clumsy gifts of foreign gold.
December 25, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Reposted by Karen Elder
When I read the DOJ statement, I just thought, what clowns. But after a moment’s thought I am more incredulous and suspicious.

A million documents? When they’ve been on high alert for months? And DOJ and FBI do have filing systems. (That’s why they’re the Epstein FILES.)

Something’s rotten in DOJ.
December 25, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Reposted by Karen Elder
“Look around you. Read a newspaper. Watch TV. It’s chaos over here.”
My guess is that sentence is more relevant to our economic future than a single GDP print.
youtu.be/HdgUPqNumDs?...
GDP Is Up, Jobs Are Stalling: What’s Really Going On, According to Justin Wolfers
How can GDP be up, jobs be stalling, and consumer confidence at rock bottom—all at the same time? In this interview, economist Justin Wolfers breaks down the latest GDP report—and explains why one…
youtu.be
December 25, 2025 at 1:37 AM
What in the world?!?
Trump: We track Santa. We want to make sure that Santa is being good. We want to make sure that he's not infiltrated, that we're not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa. Santa loves Oklahoma like I do. You know, Oklahoma was very good to me in the election
December 25, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Reposted by Karen Elder
"The awful nature of Epstein’s crimes, Trump’s proximity to them, the fact that victims haven’t gotten justice and co-conspirators haven’t been held to account, promises to bring the truth to light—all of this may have doomed even a well-executed coverup."
open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...
Trump Fumes and Fumbles
On the Epstein scandal, his stonewall is turning to rubble.
open.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Reposted by Karen Elder
The immorality of the US “Peace” plan is a thing to behold

www.aei.org/articles/tru...
www.aei.org
December 24, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Reposted by Karen Elder
If we want an independent media that isn’t the plaything of oligarchs, we’re going to have to build it together.

That's why were offering 30 days free right now for Bulwark+. Get it here: lnk.thebulwark.com/48QbKyS?utm_...
December 24, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Reposted by Karen Elder
"If we are condemned to mourn the snow, we should take the time to remember what it has meant to us, and to enjoy its unexpected gifts while we still have them."
In Defense of Snow Days
Inconvenient? Yep. Unpredictable? Sure. Disruptive? Yes. But a snow day is also a minor civic miracle, and we ought to treat it as such.
lnk.thebulwark.com
December 24, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Reposted by Karen Elder
My son shared this poem with me, written in the style of Dr Seuss or Shel Silverstein. Another cautionary tale.

I’d appreciate if large accounts who see this would repost the hell out of it!

www.facinghistory.org/resource-lib...
The Hangman
Explore bystander behavior and the challenges of speaking up with Maurice Ogden's poem “The Hangman.”
www.facinghistory.org
October 22, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Reposted by Karen Elder
"As a rule, 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 a coverup would take us much further down that road." open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...
Why the Epstein Coverup Matters
In free societies, government coverups are difficult. In authoritarian ones, they’re routine.
open.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Off-camera, somebody reminds him "Ix-nay on the 'beautiful' comments. Say 'You sound smart!'"
Trump: I am fine. You sound beautiful and cute. How old are you?

Caller: I am eight
December 24, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Reposted by Karen Elder
December 24, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Reposted by Karen Elder
Bari Weiss, who made her career sowing distrust in the mainstream media, is now pretending other people did that and she’s here to help right the ship
December 24, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Reposted by Karen Elder
It’s no surprise — @profgalloway.com has noted this gilded age issue for months. www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
Trump's 'Golden Age' has arrived for the top 10 percent
The robust GDP numbers reported this week mask the extent to which wealthy Americans are driving growth.
www.politico.com
December 24, 2025 at 6:56 PM