Mark Rickling
@mrickling.bsky.social
The worst, full of passionate intensity. Tweets my own. Formerly Americans for Tax Fairness and SEIU. #DCU and #ADRV
Pinned
Mark Rickling
@mrickling.bsky.social
· Mar 13
There’s been a lot of talk recently about cutting funding and staffing at the IRS. New work from the Budget Lab shows that if the IRS shrinks by 50% we estimate that this would result in 350 billion net forgone revenue over the 10-year budget window. 1/ @budgetlab.bsky.social
Republicans keep innovating new ways to give billionaires billions in additional tax breaks. This time: fire all the revenue police.
Reposted by Mark Rickling
“And, as it also turns out, much of the reality-based press is doing a poor job of even acknowledging that they have a role in saving democracy, much less doing anything about it.” @sulliview.bsky.social brings the receipts. open.substack.com/pub/margaret...
Do better, Big Journalism. Please do much, much better
Low points from the New York Times, the BBC, the Washington Post and the New Yorker. And some highs.
open.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:19 AM
“And, as it also turns out, much of the reality-based press is doing a poor job of even acknowledging that they have a role in saving democracy, much less doing anything about it.” @sulliview.bsky.social brings the receipts. open.substack.com/pub/margaret...
Reposted by Mark Rickling
We must keep calling out those that cave to the Trump Admin, and the latest is Northwestern.
As part of their "deal," NU will pay $75 million, stop vital research, renege on agreements with its students over the war in Gaza, and more.
Throwing your students under the bus to please Trump. Shameful.
As part of their "deal," NU will pay $75 million, stop vital research, renege on agreements with its students over the war in Gaza, and more.
Throwing your students under the bus to please Trump. Shameful.
Northwestern Agrees to a Deal With Trump Administration
www.nytimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:26 PM
We must keep calling out those that cave to the Trump Admin, and the latest is Northwestern.
As part of their "deal," NU will pay $75 million, stop vital research, renege on agreements with its students over the war in Gaza, and more.
Throwing your students under the bus to please Trump. Shameful.
As part of their "deal," NU will pay $75 million, stop vital research, renege on agreements with its students over the war in Gaza, and more.
Throwing your students under the bus to please Trump. Shameful.
Reposted by Mark Rickling
"Saying He Won't Invade Czechoslovakia, Then Invading Czechoslovakia, Hitler Displays Contradictions: Reichskanzler Hitler's statements on radio less than 24 hours apart shows dissonance in his Munich promises."
November 30, 2025 at 3:42 AM
"Saying He Won't Invade Czechoslovakia, Then Invading Czechoslovakia, Hitler Displays Contradictions: Reichskanzler Hitler's statements on radio less than 24 hours apart shows dissonance in his Munich promises."
💯💯💯
the fact that the news media isn't blasting across every front page of the country how completely unhinged the president is on a 24/7/365 basis, tells me that the news media is completely complicit in Trump's regime.
Trump calls Tim Walz “seriously retarded”
November 28, 2025 at 2:02 PM
💯💯💯
Reposted by Mark Rickling
This year I am especially thankful for all those who have been coming out in ever increasing numbers to reject Trump regime authoritarianism and demand the preservation of our freedoms and democracy.
From our family to yours, best wishes for a joyful Thanksgiving.
From our family to yours, best wishes for a joyful Thanksgiving.
November 27, 2025 at 6:36 PM
This year I am especially thankful for all those who have been coming out in ever increasing numbers to reject Trump regime authoritarianism and demand the preservation of our freedoms and democracy.
From our family to yours, best wishes for a joyful Thanksgiving.
From our family to yours, best wishes for a joyful Thanksgiving.
Reposted by Mark Rickling
They like Trump and want to help him
“Biden Asylum Cases” is NYT’s framing for a story pegged to a man who got asylum 3 months into the Trump administration
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/27/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/27/u...
November 27, 2025 at 11:32 PM
They like Trump and want to help him
Reposted by Mark Rickling
God this is so depressing given the political response to it
"the economic response to the pandemic really worked. Indeed, there is a good case that it was the most successful example of countercyclical policy in US history." jwmason.org/slackwire/at...
At Groundwork: Lessons from the September Jobs Report – J. W. Mason
jwmason.org
November 26, 2025 at 9:34 PM
God this is so depressing given the political response to it
Reposted by Mark Rickling
precisely my thought. the president and his dumbass republican allies put these men and women into harm’s way for a political stunt and look what has happened
Whether this was random street crime or targeted political violence, I think it was bad for the president to unnecessarily put the National Guard in harm’s way like this. They simply don’t need to be there.
November 26, 2025 at 8:53 PM
precisely my thought. the president and his dumbass republican allies put these men and women into harm’s way for a political stunt and look what has happened
Reposted by Mark Rickling
Statement from Scouting America. If Congress can't stop its laws from being ignored for obviously pretextual reasons, they may as well wrap it up and go home. www.scoutingnewsroom.org/press-releas...
November 26, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Statement from Scouting America. If Congress can't stop its laws from being ignored for obviously pretextual reasons, they may as well wrap it up and go home. www.scoutingnewsroom.org/press-releas...
Reposted by Mark Rickling
Thanksgiving meal cost?
November 24, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Thanksgiving meal cost?
Reposted by Mark Rickling
It remains insane to me that DOGE was treated at the time as an impressive shock and awe accomplishment - “you can’t deny he’s getting stuff done!” - and then instantly memory holed by the press once if became clear it was a total failure by every possible standard including Musk’s own
Difficult to overstate how profound a failure DOGE was. Spending in FY2025 was not only than in FY2024 – but higher than it was projected to be when Trump first took office.*
The little bit of spending DOGE cut has already killed hundreds of thousands and will eventually lead to millions of deaths.
The little bit of spending DOGE cut has already killed hundreds of thousands and will eventually lead to millions of deaths.
Bye bye, “DOGE”.
It no longer exists as a “centralized entity”, according to the Office of Personnel Management.
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/dog...
It no longer exists as a “centralized entity”, according to the Office of Personnel Management.
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/dog...
November 23, 2025 at 3:52 PM
It remains insane to me that DOGE was treated at the time as an impressive shock and awe accomplishment - “you can’t deny he’s getting stuff done!” - and then instantly memory holed by the press once if became clear it was a total failure by every possible standard including Musk’s own
Reposted by Mark Rickling
An argument that didn’t work for Calley at My Lai, that didn’t work for the Nazis at Nuremberg
President insists his word is the one and only law in this land.
November 23, 2025 at 4:29 PM
An argument that didn’t work for Calley at My Lai, that didn’t work for the Nazis at Nuremberg
Reposted by Mark Rickling
Utterly lawless
November 23, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Utterly lawless
Reposted by Mark Rickling
when I was young, i used to wonder how people like this would fare in life, as they didn't seem suited for gainful employment. it turns out, the internet allowed them to accumulate a massive audience of similar idiots, enriching them and turning them into a presidential advisor
November 20, 2025 at 12:58 AM
when I was young, i used to wonder how people like this would fare in life, as they didn't seem suited for gainful employment. it turns out, the internet allowed them to accumulate a massive audience of similar idiots, enriching them and turning them into a presidential advisor
Reposted by Mark Rickling
Yale Budget Lab has estimated the cost of the Trump tariff checks "is about twice as large as the total revenue that will be raised by the administration's tariff hikes."
Point is, it's not a dividend, it's borrowing from the future.
budgetlab.yale.edu/research/est...
Point is, it's not a dividend, it's borrowing from the future.
budgetlab.yale.edu/research/est...
November 19, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Yale Budget Lab has estimated the cost of the Trump tariff checks "is about twice as large as the total revenue that will be raised by the administration's tariff hikes."
Point is, it's not a dividend, it's borrowing from the future.
budgetlab.yale.edu/research/est...
Point is, it's not a dividend, it's borrowing from the future.
budgetlab.yale.edu/research/est...
Reposted by Mark Rickling
Good thing Congress just supplied funding through January to support this plan, with no riders blocking the use of any money to shut down federal agencies created by Congress.
Thanks Cave Caucus!
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Thanks Cave Caucus!
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Trump administration launches plan to dismantle Education Department
The department will shift responsibility for several of its core functions to other federal agencies.
www.politico.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Good thing Congress just supplied funding through January to support this plan, with no riders blocking the use of any money to shut down federal agencies created by Congress.
Thanks Cave Caucus!
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Thanks Cave Caucus!
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Reposted by Mark Rickling
I'm old enough to remember the massive press and Congressional uproar when a former president Clinton met briefly with then AG Lynch.
www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/201...
www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/201...
November 14, 2025 at 10:48 PM
I'm old enough to remember the massive press and Congressional uproar when a former president Clinton met briefly with then AG Lynch.
www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/201...
www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/201...
Reposted by Mark Rickling
Too much is never enough when it comes to rewarding the wealthy and well-connected in Trump’s inner circle.
Trump is now gutting the law that says the largest corporations must pay at least a minimal amount of tax on the profits they report to investors.
Outrageous!
Trump is now gutting the law that says the largest corporations must pay at least a minimal amount of tax on the profits they report to investors.
Outrageous!
How the Trump Administration Is Giving Even More Tax Breaks to the Wealthy
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Too much is never enough when it comes to rewarding the wealthy and well-connected in Trump’s inner circle.
Trump is now gutting the law that says the largest corporations must pay at least a minimal amount of tax on the profits they report to investors.
Outrageous!
Trump is now gutting the law that says the largest corporations must pay at least a minimal amount of tax on the profits they report to investors.
Outrageous!
Reposted by Mark Rickling
Fox gives Trump a platform during their NFL broadcast to peddle his absurd lies about "prices are coming way down", "we inherited a mess," and "our country has over $17 trillion being invested in it." Absolutely shameful for all involved.
November 9, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Fox gives Trump a platform during their NFL broadcast to peddle his absurd lies about "prices are coming way down", "we inherited a mess," and "our country has over $17 trillion being invested in it." Absolutely shameful for all involved.
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The Premier League is now 5 seconds of open play then 30 seconds of prepping for a set piece.
We can fix this with rule changes:
- Teams only get four set pieces per possession
- If the set pieces are bad, the other team gets the ball
- If they're good, they get four more
- Let's call them "downs"
We can fix this with rule changes:
- Teams only get four set pieces per possession
- If the set pieces are bad, the other team gets the ball
- If they're good, they get four more
- Let's call them "downs"
November 9, 2025 at 4:22 PM
🔥🔥🔥
Reposted by Mark Rickling
This is BIG -- Rep Doggett and 100+ reps demand full elimination of the ISDS provisions in the USMCA.
ISDS empowers corporations to sue governments and get taxpayer money over health, environmental, and other laws they don't like. It's a total scam, and it's on it's way OUT!
ISDS empowers corporations to sue governments and get taxpayer money over health, environmental, and other laws they don't like. It's a total scam, and it's on it's way OUT!
As Americans struggle with Trump’s unstable economy and some corporations exploit lax rules to outsource jobs abroad, I'm leading 100+ of my Dem colleagues in urging that environmental enforcement standards be strengthened in the renewal of USMCA to support job creation and clean manufacturing.
Rep. Doggett Urges Trump Administration to Fix Gaps in USMCA
Washington, D.C.—As Americans struggle with an unstable economy due to President Trump’s chaotic policies and large corporations exploit lax rules in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to outsou...
doggett.house.gov
November 6, 2025 at 8:26 PM
This is BIG -- Rep Doggett and 100+ reps demand full elimination of the ISDS provisions in the USMCA.
ISDS empowers corporations to sue governments and get taxpayer money over health, environmental, and other laws they don't like. It's a total scam, and it's on it's way OUT!
ISDS empowers corporations to sue governments and get taxpayer money over health, environmental, and other laws they don't like. It's a total scam, and it's on it's way OUT!
Reposted by Mark Rickling
Lindsey Boylan was the first whistleblower to come forward with sexual misconduct allegations against Andrew Cuomo.
Her accusations & those of 12 others were corroborated by the NY AG (and later by DOJ.) Cuomo resigned.
Now he has lost again, and this picture is as unabashed a joy as you'll see.
Her accusations & those of 12 others were corroborated by the NY AG (and later by DOJ.) Cuomo resigned.
Now he has lost again, and this picture is as unabashed a joy as you'll see.
Me finding out @zohrankmamdani won. Captured by the great Faraz Ansari
November 5, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Lindsey Boylan was the first whistleblower to come forward with sexual misconduct allegations against Andrew Cuomo.
Her accusations & those of 12 others were corroborated by the NY AG (and later by DOJ.) Cuomo resigned.
Now he has lost again, and this picture is as unabashed a joy as you'll see.
Her accusations & those of 12 others were corroborated by the NY AG (and later by DOJ.) Cuomo resigned.
Now he has lost again, and this picture is as unabashed a joy as you'll see.
💯💯💯
At this point, anyone—a university, a law firm, a corporation, a Democrat—bending the knee to Trump is doing it because they want to, not because of any political reality.
November 5, 2025 at 2:33 AM
💯💯💯
Reposted by Mark Rickling
Unbelievable.
As in, literally, not credible.
As in, literally, not credible.
RAJU: Last week you were very critical of Biden's use of the autopen. But Trump admitted on 60 Minutes to not knowing he pardoned a crypto billionaire who pleaded guilty to money laundering. Does that also concern you?
MIKE JOHNSON: I don't know anything about that. I didn't see it. I'm not sure.
MIKE JOHNSON: I don't know anything about that. I didn't see it. I'm not sure.
November 3, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Unbelievable.
As in, literally, not credible.
As in, literally, not credible.
Reposted by Mark Rickling
Crazy how much some media has normalized the idea that voters are taking a risk if they elect governors/mayors who will defy Trump. That he’ll threaten their funding, etc.
Try to imagine, say. Greg Abbott being asked if he’s worried that Biden will punish Texas over his lawsuits.
Try to imagine, say. Greg Abbott being asked if he’s worried that Biden will punish Texas over his lawsuits.
November 3, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Crazy how much some media has normalized the idea that voters are taking a risk if they elect governors/mayors who will defy Trump. That he’ll threaten their funding, etc.
Try to imagine, say. Greg Abbott being asked if he’s worried that Biden will punish Texas over his lawsuits.
Try to imagine, say. Greg Abbott being asked if he’s worried that Biden will punish Texas over his lawsuits.