Thoughts under the stars
monikachen.bsky.social
Thoughts under the stars
@monikachen.bsky.social
Reposted by Thoughts under the stars
February 4, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Reposted by Thoughts under the stars
"Orbán’s kleptocratic regime may be nearing a moment of truth. Orbán’s family and allies are so deeply implicated in crimes and corruption that were Fidesz to lose an election they would face a legal reckoning. That makes holding on to power an existential matter."
www.thebulwark.com/p/victor-orb...
Facing a Serious Political Challenger, Orbán Moves Closer to Naked Authoritarianism
His friends get richer, his opponents get spied on, and the propaganda flows freely.
www.thebulwark.com
January 16, 2025 at 2:41 PM
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Amazing that people are blaming Democrats for this when people like Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, Charlie Kirk, and Tom Cotton were the first to call for an immediate outright ban of Tik Tok two years ago and led the charge on the divestiture bill.
January 16, 2025 at 2:42 PM
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To the government of Denmark: the best thing you can do re: Greenland threats, is to not express fear but anger instead. “Keep threatening and we will deny you access to Greenland.” Trump, like Putin, understands threats and will back down.
January 16, 2025 at 2:51 PM
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A Clear Reminder That Trump Is Horrible Beyond Measure

My Thursday Post:
A Clear Reminder That Trump Is Horrible Beyond Measure
Not that we needed one
www.dworkinsubstack.com
January 16, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Reposted by Thoughts under the stars
The dumbest supposed smart guy in the Senate is Kennedy.
Then Kennedy asks about "boy genius" Sam Bankman-Fried.

He'd go to meetings with Bill Clinton and Tony Blair "looking like a slob"...like a "Belushi look-alike contest."

Do you know where he is today? Kennedy asks.

Bondi says she knows from a Netflix series that Bankman-Fried is also in jail.
January 15, 2025 at 5:27 PM
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What an embarrassment.
Bondi not willing to say Trump lost 2020 election; only that Biden is the President.
January 15, 2025 at 3:25 PM
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TikTok Timeline:

1. Trump calls for immediate ban citing nat sec
2. Rs introduce bill
3. Rs secure Dem support after Biden insists it be softened from ban to divestiture
4. Trump reverses position after meeting with TikTok CEO during campaign
5. Chinese owners refuse to divest
6. People blame Dems
January 16, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Reposted by Thoughts under the stars
I assume what she means is that it will be compiled at the White House and kept at the FBI. She will just follow orders.
BONDI: “There will never be an enemies list in the Department of Justice.”
January 15, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Reposted by Thoughts under the stars
With this Supreme Court in power?

What *wouldn't* I do?
January 16, 2025 at 2:39 AM
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This is indeed a major loss. While Wallsten does not have the famous byline, he is an amazingly respected editor and a mensch who is beloved by his reporters. He’s been described to me like the Jenga piece you don’t pull or it all falls down.
Scoop: Another BIG LOSS for WaPo. Peter Wallsten, the paper's investigations editor who has overseen several Pulitzer Prize-winning pieces of coverage, informed colleagues on Wednesday that he has accepted a job offer at The NYT. link.status.news/40xwDum
January 16, 2025 at 4:45 AM
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Ingraham: Joining us now, Charlie Kirk

Unknown: Oh shit
January 16, 2025 at 12:50 AM
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*offer doesn’t apply to Capitol Police
January 15, 2025 at 9:54 PM
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A nonprofit founded by Stacey Abrams, a Georgia Democrat, admitted on Wednesday that it had violated state law by concealing the fact that it had campaigned for her during her 2018 run for governor. @fahrenthold.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/u...
Nonprofit Founded by Stacey Abrams Admits Secretly Aiding Her 2018 Campaign
The New Georgia Project, whose leaders also included Raphael Warnock, now a senator, admitted violating campaign finance laws. It agreed to a $300,000 penalty.
www.nytimes.com
January 16, 2025 at 4:16 PM
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Only “chubby?” And I haven’t even been working out!
Someone seems mad at @kenwhite.bsky.social. Not sure why they’re following me, or how Ken manages to make the most dull, uncreative enemies.

My guess is Matt Keys, in part because of time proximity, and in part because boring attempts at imitation seem to be his specialty.
January 16, 2025 at 6:28 AM
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Told ya. They're going after veterans' benefits.
Budget office nominee Russell Vought has stated veterans' disability benefits should be means-tested—Sen. Blumenthal calls him out.
January 15, 2025 at 7:44 PM
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“Orbán used law as a weapon against democracy. He consolidated power…giving orders directly to the bureaucracy, which he had reconstructed by changing civil service law…Orbán’s was accompanied by aggressive use of libel actions…He packed the courts with loyalists.”

www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/o...
Opinion | Are We Sleepwalking Into Autocracy?
What we can learn from countries that have pushed back on threats to democracy.
www.nytimes.com
January 15, 2025 at 1:34 PM
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I love with the ACA has done for people with pre-existing conditions. But.

Let's face reality, ACA 2013 was a different world. Since then Insurance Companies have learned how to game the system.

For the subsidized silver/94 and /87 plans, around ~15 % of taxpayer $ stays with ins comps!
January 12, 2025 at 7:08 PM
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My favorite part of Zuckerberg's Joe Rogan interview is when he suggests there is not enough masculine energy at his company, where two out of every three employees is a man.
January 12, 2025 at 5:34 PM