Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

macdiehard.bsky.social @macdiehard.bsky.social · 15h

Yep

The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 21h

All of these excesses can be reined in, if not entirely eliminated, by Congress—or at least by a Congress not under Donald Trump’s thumb. All it needs is the wisdom to recognize its own crucial role in creating this problem.

Reining in Rogue Presidents

How ambiguities in the law gave Trump power he could seize—and what a future Congress can do about it.

www.thebulwark.com

Reposted

Push The Needle @pushtheneedle.bsky.social · 19h

Someone show the hysterical fire chiefs this chart who keep driving up housing costs for everything but single family homes with overdone code revisions

Emily Hamilton @ebwhamilton.bsky.social · 20h

Love this new report on buildings' relative fire safety from @alexhrwtz.bsky.social and Pew colleagues.

www.pew.org/en/research-...

4 31

Reposted

Stephen Jacob Smith @stephenjacobsmith.com · 19h

I can't stop thinking about this. We're pursuing zero fire risk in multifam, while tolerating much more in single-fam. People respond by building and living in single-fam, where they're exposed to not only one of the highest fire death risks in the developed world, but also TONS more car crash risk

Emily Hamilton @ebwhamilton.bsky.social · 20h

Love this new report on buildings' relative fire safety from @alexhrwtz.bsky.social and Pew colleagues.

www.pew.org/en/research-...

8 110 410

Reposted

David Roberts @volts.wtf · 3d

Reminder that @governor.ca.gov is reportedly considering vetoing SB79, the best housing bill to clear the CA legislature in decades.

It would be a *disaster*, substantively & for Newsom's political future. Really hope he doesn't self-immolate.

Tell him!

Contact the Governor | Governor of California

You can contact the Governor a few different ways. The best way is through his online form.

www.gov.ca.gov

23 140 390

Reposted

Wes Mills 🥌 @oowm.org · 3d

There have been multiple digs in the last week or so--interesting that coordination hmm--at @seattletru.bsky.social's annual revenue hovering around $200k/year as a reason why @wilsonforseattle.bsky.social isn't "qualified" to be Mayor.

If she pulled all this off with $200k, imagine her with $1.9b.

3 7 49

Reposted

Kate Macfarlane @katemacfarlane.bsky.social · 2d

-as legal counsel for a non-profit, advising the board to discredit victims of sexual harassment
-killing LWB transportation safety project bc a few rich people complained, despite years of public process
-denying permits to tiny house village for literally no reason other than nimby

2 11

Reposted

Kate Macfarlane @katemacfarlane.bsky.social · 2d

Don’t forget
-threatening the Office of Labor Standards with funding cuts if they investigated his men’s club for wage theft
-creating such a toxic workplace in mayor’s office that his nepotism hire (niece Monisha Harrell) went public

1 1 9

macdiehard.bsky.social @macdiehard.bsky.social · 22h

You said it

Ron Davis @ronpdavis.bsky.social · 2d

Looking forward to a profile from the Times that hits Harrell abandoning his son, pointing a gun at a pregnant woman and lying to a cop about it, repeatedly standing by abusers and his failed police chief, giving away alternate response/SPD accountability, and lying about his (failed) shelter target

The Seattle Times @seattletimes.com · 3d

A policy-minded advocate for left-wing causes, Katie Wilson shrugged off the idea she might be better suited for a City Council seat, instead aiming for mayor.

1

macdiehard.bsky.social @macdiehard.bsky.social · 2d

Trump has been able to get away with what he by the laziness of past Congresses. They let US Presidents have too much leeway.

The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 2d

All of these excesses can be reined in, if not entirely eliminated, by Congress—or at least by a Congress not under Donald Trump’s thumb. All it needs is the wisdom to recognize its own crucial role in creating this problem.

Reining in Rogue Presidents

How ambiguities in the law gave Trump power he could seize—and what a future Congress can do about it.

www.thebulwark.com

1 6

Reposted

Seattle Bike Blog @seattlebikeblog.com · 5d

Seattle, we gotta elect Katie Wilson! Her leadership style is everything we need to take our city into its next chapter. We have been spinning our wheels on too many major issues for too long. This is how we move forward. www.thestranger.com/news/2025/10...

The Making of Katie Wilson

She’s coming for the mayor’s office.

www.thestranger.com

13 63

Reposted

Ryan Packer @typewriteralley.bsky.social · 4d

Bruce Harrell's campaign is fundraising on the need to "fight back against the influence of outside money."

The PAC set up to spend on Harrell's behalf has raised $1.2 million so far, compared to the $86,000 raised by the PAC set up for spend in support of Katie Wilson.

I have some big news to share.

Because our opponent is benefiting from outside spending on her behalf, the Seattle Ethics & Elections Commission has lifted the Democracy Vouchers fundraising cap for our campaign. That means Bruce’s can once again raise contributions to power our grassroots campaign.

This is a critical moment. Over the next month, we need to make sure Bruce has the resources to get his message out and fight back against the influence of outside money. With your support, we can keep pushing forward with Bruce’s vision for a safer, more affordable, and more unified Seattle.

4 48 150

macdiehard.bsky.social @macdiehard.bsky.social · 4d

Mail your ballot early or better yet take to nearby drop box.

Erica C. Barnett @ericacbarnett.bsky.social · 4d

Post Office Delays Could Result in Uncounted Ballots; Harrell's Budget Boosts Graffiti Spending 36 Percent

Today's Afternoon Fizz:

publicola.com/2025/10/03/p...

Post Office Delays Could Result in Uncounted Ballots; Harrell's Budget Increases Graffiti Spending 36 Percent - PubliCola

1. Mail processing delays could result in more invalidated mail-in ballots this year, and elections officials are advising voters to…

publicola.com

1

Reposted

The Urbanist @theurbanist.org · 4d

NEW: King County Councilmemeber Teresa Mosqueda and Representative Pramila Jayapal have endorsed Katie Wilson for Mayor of Seattle. 🗳️ @wilsonforseattle.bsky.social

7 26 160

Reposted

Bill Kristol @billkristolbulwark.bsky.social · 5d

As a kid, I got into politics partly to do my bit fighting the Soviet Union.

Now we have a president who wants to turn us into a country that mimics the Soviet Union.

www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

Treasury Department considers minting a $1 Trump coin

The draft design of the coin, which was overseen by the Office of the U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach, features Trump’s profile on one side of the coin.

www.politico.com

110 200 970

Reposted

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 4d

Trump says the US is in "armed conflict" with drug cartels.

Meanwhile, his DOJ is disbanding a task force that took on cartels.

Trump doesn't care about stopping drug trafficking — he wants to be able to declare war on anyone he labels an enemy.

This is a power grab.

120 870 3K

Reposted

Mike Eliason @holz-bau.bsky.social · 4d

i'll also note this great city climate corner podcast interviewing a freiburg councilmember on how increasing parking fees allows them to invest in better transit and biking and rolling.

this is the way

www.cityclimatecorner.com/episodes/fre...

Freiburg: Green City | City Climate Corner

Beautiful urban forest -- abundant green spaces -- easy to get around without a car -- and a commitment to climate protection. Freiburg seems to have it all. We interview Freiburg City Council Member ...

www.cityclimatecorner.com

1 2 3

Reposted

Tech 4 Housing @tech4housing.org · 4d

The Mariners get taxpayer subsidized rent at our publicly owned baseball stadium.

The Seattle Times @seattletimes.com · 4d

The cheapest ticket on the resale market for a Mariners playoff game is running for just over $200. The most expensive could be over $25,000.

What it will cost to see the Mariners take the field in T-Mobile Park

The cheapest ticket on the resale market for a Mariners playoff game is running for just over $200. The most expensive could be over $25,000.

www.seattletimes.com

1 2 12

Reposted

Robert Cruickshank @robertcruickshank.com · 5d

Bruce Harrell enabled this obstruction by agreeing to an MOU with SPOG that required a dual dispatch system - thus giving SPD officers the power to undermine the CARE team. Harrell hasn't yet reached a final contract with SPOG, and seems in no hurry to push them to get out of the CARE team's way.

Seattle officers ‘undermining’ city’s police alternative, report says

The CARE team has become a darling both inside City Hall and among candidates for office, but Seattle police often aren't using this resource, records show.

www.seattletimes.com

1 2 9

Reposted

Mike Eliason @holz-bau.bsky.social · 5d

we are just unbelievably toast in seattle.

permit data through Q2 2025 is trending toward lowest permits in nearly 15 years.

diagram: New Units Issued by Year by Quarter

4 1 27

Reposted

Mike Eliason @holz-bau.bsky.social · 5d

not just PDX

tariffs, high interest rates, dwindling labor pool and increasing insurance are killing projects across the country.

we're about to see even higher tariffs on canadian lumber, cabinets, appliances.

going to see massive rent increases due to this

www.planetizen.com/news/2025/10...

Portland Apartment Construction Plummets 54%

Growing material and labor costs and high interest rates are dramatically slowing the new multifamily projects.

www.planetizen.com

5 46 150

Reposted

Streetcrafting @streetcrafting.bsky.social · 6d

Help save the Union St bus lane!

@seattledot.bsky.social there are better ways to address concerns with local access that don’t compromise transit reliability, traffic calming, and safety.

Save our Union St bus lane!

The Seattle Department of Transportation, with little feedback and no broad outreach is planning to remove the short bus lane on Union St this weekend. We think that's a terrible idea! Join the Tran...

actionnetwork.org

2 4 21

Reposted

Tyler_The_Wise @tcoop6231.bsky.social · 6d

We need bigger apartments and smaller single family homes

2 5 39

Reposted

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 9d

An incredibly important election in a tiny country just went the right way. Moldova has resisted a huge Russian disinformation campaign and will not become a Russian puppet state.

Olga Nesterova @onestpress.onestnetwork.com · 10d

Moldova 🇲🇩 👍

180 1.7K 8.1K

Reposted

Seattle YIMBY @seattleyimby.bsky.social · 6d

😍😍👏

Fast transit + Abundant Housing = Livable Cities

Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck @councilmember-amr.bsky.social · 6d

I was just as shocked with the news about the route 2 bus only lane as you. We are working on it. We need to prioritize pedestrian safety and not go backwards on our transit investments.

1 5

macdiehard.bsky.social @macdiehard.bsky.social · 6d

Outrageous. Send a letter. And show up Saturday morning.

Seattle YIMBY @seattleyimby.bsky.social · 6d

📣 ACTION ALERT

SDOT is trying to remove a bus lane in Capitol Hill as soon as this weekend, as just announced without any public outreach. 😱

We need fast buses! Sign the petition by Transit Riders Union to keep the bus lane.

Fast Buses + Abundant Housing = Livable Cities

daveschuldt.bsky.social @daveschuldt.bsky.social · 6d

actionnetwork.org/letters/seat...

1