This is the “terror state” announcing its arrival — the birth of what Franz Neumann called “Behemoth.”
”If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever.” Orwell, 1984 (1949)
”If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever.” Orwell, 1984 (1949)
Posted by @liminalwarmth.bsky.social:
“Someone I personally know in Minneapolis posted this to Facebook a few hours ago. This isn’t what orderly law enforcement looks like. No charge, no location info? How do you even know citizens are getting due process here?”
“Someone I personally know in Minneapolis posted this to Facebook a few hours ago. This isn’t what orderly law enforcement looks like. No charge, no location info? How do you even know citizens are getting due process here?”
January 10, 2026 at 10:33 PM
This is the “terror state” announcing its arrival — the birth of what Franz Neumann called “Behemoth.”
”If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever.” Orwell, 1984 (1949)
”If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever.” Orwell, 1984 (1949)
Decency enrages them.
January 10, 2026 at 10:18 PM
Decency enrages them.
Another way to undermine and discredit higher education.
I’m sure this will be popular. 5 million people are in default right now. The Dept of Ed estimates as many as 10 million by end of next year because of job market.
December 23, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Another way to undermine and discredit higher education.
This is Vance‘s opening maneuver to get the 25th Amendment process rolling or the start of his presidential campaign, whichever comes first.
JD Vance gets the biggest applause of his speech so far when he says "by the grace of God we always will be a Christian nation"
December 21, 2025 at 9:52 PM
This is Vance‘s opening maneuver to get the 25th Amendment process rolling or the start of his presidential campaign, whichever comes first.
The Nuremberg Laws (1935) formalized the "legal" persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany. The centerpiece of these "laws" was the provision that stripped them of their citizenship. All the subsequent horrors flowed from that.
"There’s no need for dog whistles anymore. The government of the United States now openly stands for bigotry. It’s not just closing our borders; it’s targeting Americans."
@saletan.bsky.social on Trump's threat to denaturalize American citizens: lnk.thebulwark.com/48vef8l
@saletan.bsky.social on Trump's threat to denaturalize American citizens: lnk.thebulwark.com/48vef8l
Now Trump Is Threatening Naturalized Americans
He’s not just bashing refugees and illegal immigrants. He’s going after U.S. citizens born in other countries.
lnk.thebulwark.com
December 3, 2025 at 10:56 PM
The Nuremberg Laws (1935) formalized the "legal" persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany. The centerpiece of these "laws" was the provision that stripped them of their citizenship. All the subsequent horrors flowed from that.
Now, a new generation of social scientists and archivists are working to figure out how to catalog, add to, preserve, and search this vast trove of information, the scale and volume of which is unprecedented.
Archiving the web is more important and more challenging than ever before. https://cnn.it/4phKzlW
November 17, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Now, a new generation of social scientists and archivists are working to figure out how to catalog, add to, preserve, and search this vast trove of information, the scale and volume of which is unprecedented.
And, I would argue, the unifying effect of focusing on how an unbalanced economy and the cross-cutting effects of inequality degrade civic and political participation, might nudge the Democratic Party far enough away from identity politics to win sustainable governing majorities.
Wrote about the election (at length). An excerpt:
www.pbump.net/o/democracy-...
www.pbump.net/o/democracy-...
November 5, 2025 at 8:49 PM
And, I would argue, the unifying effect of focusing on how an unbalanced economy and the cross-cutting effects of inequality degrade civic and political participation, might nudge the Democratic Party far enough away from identity politics to win sustainable governing majorities.
“SHOW YOUR FACE, PUSSY!” should be on shirts, signs, hats, billboards, memes, and ads (especially for those Democrats running in 2026).
"Man goes scorched earth on ICE agents kidnapping people in his hometown."
Source:
old.reddit.com/r/PublicFrea...
Source:
old.reddit.com/r/PublicFrea...
October 23, 2025 at 8:28 PM
“SHOW YOUR FACE, PUSSY!” should be on shirts, signs, hats, billboards, memes, and ads (especially for those Democrats running in 2026).
There is a non-zero chance that this is being pursued as a means of *permanently* nullifying Congress’s ”power of the purse” and, even, eliminating the necessity of Congress convening at all. Subject, of course, to SCOTUS ratifying Trump’s definition of an “emergency.”
Lawless and unconstitutional, not "reprogramming"
October 22, 2025 at 4:48 AM
There is a non-zero chance that this is being pursued as a means of *permanently* nullifying Congress’s ”power of the purse” and, even, eliminating the necessity of Congress convening at all. Subject, of course, to SCOTUS ratifying Trump’s definition of an “emergency.”
This has the stink of Russell Vought all over it.
October 21, 2025 at 11:11 PM
This has the stink of Russell Vought all over it.
As the shutdown drags on, as Trump illegally raids funding to reward his supporters (and punish his opposition), the more alarming the Republicans‘ refusal to negotiate and return to regular session becomes. Is it a trial run of ruling without the consent of Congress pending SCOTUS endorsement?
October 21, 2025 at 10:58 PM
As the shutdown drags on, as Trump illegally raids funding to reward his supporters (and punish his opposition), the more alarming the Republicans‘ refusal to negotiate and return to regular session becomes. Is it a trial run of ruling without the consent of Congress pending SCOTUS endorsement?
German SS and police “clearing” the Warsaw Ghetto in 1943. These Jews were then transported to one of the extermination centers.
October 2, 2025 at 7:56 PM
German SS and police “clearing” the Warsaw Ghetto in 1943. These Jews were then transported to one of the extermination centers.
Check this out — Narducy is in Bob Mould’s band (no higher recommendation needed), plays with Michael Shannon in their REM reconstruction project, and is an incredible musician and songwriter in his own right. He’s got stories.
FRIENDS! I am excited (and nervous) to announce my first book, Mostly The Van. It is a collection of stories I wrote involving some of the peculiar, awkward, and sometimes inspiring moments in my music life.
Preorder here:
shop-benchmark.com/products/jas...
Preorder here:
shop-benchmark.com/products/jas...
Mostly The Van Jason Narducy Book *PREORDER SHIPS 12/9
MOSTLY THE VAN Jason Narducy’s first short book is about some of the odd, uncomfortable, and even moving experiences that come with being a musician. Packed with photos and sketches, it is a unique pr...
shop-benchmark.com
September 13, 2025 at 2:24 AM
Check this out — Narducy is in Bob Mould’s band (no higher recommendation needed), plays with Michael Shannon in their REM reconstruction project, and is an incredible musician and songwriter in his own right. He’s got stories.
Reposted by Kid Rio
Update: Civil War cancelled due to shooter being demographically uncooperative
September 12, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Update: Civil War cancelled due to shooter being demographically uncooperative
Reposted by Kid Rio
It’s not that I fear Kirk’s murder will be a Reichstag Fire inflection point; Congress has already nullified itself if its own volition. Rather, I fear that Kirk’s assassination is probably closer to the murder of Kirov, which provided much of the impetus for Stalin’s “ Great Terror.”
September 11, 2025 at 7:46 PM
It’s not that I fear Kirk’s murder will be a Reichstag Fire inflection point; Congress has already nullified itself if its own volition. Rather, I fear that Kirk’s assassination is probably closer to the murder of Kirov, which provided much of the impetus for Stalin’s “ Great Terror.”
The scourge of political violence is that, as the widening gyre of retaliation accelerates, both sides become enmeshed in lies about who or what started it. And, soon, the original sin is forgotten and the only meaning that remains is in the acts of violence themselves.
September 10, 2025 at 9:48 PM
The scourge of political violence is that, as the widening gyre of retaliation accelerates, both sides become enmeshed in lies about who or what started it. And, soon, the original sin is forgotten and the only meaning that remains is in the acts of violence themselves.
Roberts is methodically and deliberately resurrecting the jurisprudence of the Taney Court. However, if the reactionary conservative ideologues on SCOTUS have their way (and voters continue to allow Congress to nullify itself), there will be no Reconstruction and Jim Crow will be imposed nationally.
This formulation is popular: contrasting SCOTUS' intolerance of race as an admissions factor with SCOTUS' tolerance of race as a detention factor. There are, in fact, doctrinal, historical, and logical distinctions between the positions, that one could use to dismiss this comparison.
But...
/1
But...
/1
"Harvard can't use race as a factor in admissions, but ICE can use race as a factor in detentions" is a retrenchment essentially to a pre-Civil War understanding of the Constitution. It's vanishingly few steps removed from "Latinos have no rights which the white man is bound to respect."
September 9, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Roberts is methodically and deliberately resurrecting the jurisprudence of the Taney Court. However, if the reactionary conservative ideologues on SCOTUS have their way (and voters continue to allow Congress to nullify itself), there will be no Reconstruction and Jim Crow will be imposed nationally.
Invoking Niemöller on the moral necessity of speaking out against tyranny ignores the fact that those speaking for the Jews, the Communists, and the trade unionists were stripped of their property and livelihoods, exiled, imprisoned, tortured, and killed. The fascist has no conscience to appeal to.
August 28, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Invoking Niemöller on the moral necessity of speaking out against tyranny ignores the fact that those speaking for the Jews, the Communists, and the trade unionists were stripped of their property and livelihoods, exiled, imprisoned, tortured, and killed. The fascist has no conscience to appeal to.
Reposted by Kid Rio
“We don’t erase history” says the sentient can of body spray who took Medgar Evers and Harvey Milk’s names off Navy ships
August 7, 2025 at 11:20 PM
“We don’t erase history” says the sentient can of body spray who took Medgar Evers and Harvey Milk’s names off Navy ships
Reposted by Kid Rio
The entire business model of R1 public universities rests on 4 revenue sources:
1. Federal grants
2. Private gifts/endowments
3. Tuition (esp. from foreign students)
4. State $
For decades, 📈 in 1-3 offset a secular 📉 in 4. Now, 1 & 3 are being decimated & 4 ain't coming back. The math is clear.
1. Federal grants
2. Private gifts/endowments
3. Tuition (esp. from foreign students)
4. State $
For decades, 📈 in 1-3 offset a secular 📉 in 4. Now, 1 & 3 are being decimated & 4 ain't coming back. The math is clear.
August 5, 2025 at 6:13 PM
The entire business model of R1 public universities rests on 4 revenue sources:
1. Federal grants
2. Private gifts/endowments
3. Tuition (esp. from foreign students)
4. State $
For decades, 📈 in 1-3 offset a secular 📉 in 4. Now, 1 & 3 are being decimated & 4 ain't coming back. The math is clear.
1. Federal grants
2. Private gifts/endowments
3. Tuition (esp. from foreign students)
4. State $
For decades, 📈 in 1-3 offset a secular 📉 in 4. Now, 1 & 3 are being decimated & 4 ain't coming back. The math is clear.
By eliminating the representation of citizens in red states who vote for the Democratic Party, this strategy of partisan gerrymandering is, in effect, aiming at the incremental and de facto dissolution of the federal union. In short, secession.
Donald Trump won 56% of the vote in Texas in 2024.
Republicans currently control 25 of the 38 House seats, or 66%.
If this plan goes through they'll control 30 of 38 seats, or 79%.
Republicans currently control 25 of the 38 House seats, or 66%.
If this plan goes through they'll control 30 of 38 seats, or 79%.
Texas Lt Gov Dan Patrick: "We're a red state. We deserve more representation."
August 6, 2025 at 7:52 PM
By eliminating the representation of citizens in red states who vote for the Democratic Party, this strategy of partisan gerrymandering is, in effect, aiming at the incremental and de facto dissolution of the federal union. In short, secession.
Reposted by Kid Rio
She's right. Once SCOTUS closed the door on constitutional challenges, unilateral disarmament on redistricting became political suicide.
REPORTER: Do you think the independent redistricting commission should be disbanded?
HOCHUL: Yes. I'm tired with fighting this fight w/ my hand tied behind my back. With all due respect to the good govt groups, politics is a political process. And to think we're gonna do this with a purity test ...
HOCHUL: Yes. I'm tired with fighting this fight w/ my hand tied behind my back. With all due respect to the good govt groups, politics is a political process. And to think we're gonna do this with a purity test ...
August 4, 2025 at 3:36 PM
She's right. Once SCOTUS closed the door on constitutional challenges, unilateral disarmament on redistricting became political suicide.
Capital doesn’t care about Trump’s lies. The national economy is not a time-share condo in Orlando he’s trying to unload.
"Trump thinks that if he falsifies jobs numbers, bullies the Fed, and prevents all criticism, he can make Americans believe prices are low and jobs are plentiful. But no matter how much he threatens, people are going to notice when prices at the grocery store go up and when they lose their jobs."
The looming Trumpcession
Orange man bad (for the economy).
www.publicnotice.co
August 4, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Capital doesn’t care about Trump’s lies. The national economy is not a time-share condo in Orlando he’s trying to unload.
This is quality work.
July 31, 2025 at 12:41 AM
This is quality work.
Allowing policies to be implemented without discussions and conclusions about their “merits” is authoritarianism plain and simple. It is the antithesis of rational self-government. It is a repudiation of the Enlightenment. It denies that improvement of the human condition is possible or desirable.
The Supreme Court is now insisting that even its unexplained (and thinly explained) grants of emergency relief to the Trump administration are precedents lower courts have to follow.
As today’s “One First” explains, there are two different (but equally problematic) flaws with such an understanding:
As today’s “One First” explains, there are two different (but equally problematic) flaws with such an understanding:
169. Emergency Orders as Precedents
Wednesday's ruling in Boyle isn't the first time the Court has given precedential effect to an unsigned order, but it's the first time it tried to explain *why,* for reasons that ... fail to persuade.
www.stevevladeck.com
July 28, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Allowing policies to be implemented without discussions and conclusions about their “merits” is authoritarianism plain and simple. It is the antithesis of rational self-government. It is a repudiation of the Enlightenment. It denies that improvement of the human condition is possible or desirable.