@otakuburu.bsky.social
Reposted
“He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
“He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.”
-Declaration of Independence
“He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.”
-Declaration of Independence
Trump says he authorizes Hegseth to deploy the military to Portland, which he lyingly calls "war ravaged," and says he is authorizing "full force."
September 27, 2025 at 3:45 PM
“He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
“He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.”
-Declaration of Independence
“He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.”
-Declaration of Independence
Reposted
Welcome to the world of “inclusions,” an ecosystem known to archivists the world over in which they come across all sorts of things readers have purposefully or inadvertently left between a book’s pages. Recently at the Library, the objet du jour was... a snakeskin. 🐍 blogs.loc.gov/loc/2025/09/...
September 19, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Welcome to the world of “inclusions,” an ecosystem known to archivists the world over in which they come across all sorts of things readers have purposefully or inadvertently left between a book’s pages. Recently at the Library, the objet du jour was... a snakeskin. 🐍 blogs.loc.gov/loc/2025/09/...
Reposted
Speaking of violence and murder...
U.S. Attacked Boat Near Venezuela Multiple Times to Kill Survivors
American officials said the repeat drone strikes were carried out by Special Operations Command, and more attacks could come soon.
theintercept.com/2025/09/10/u...
U.S. Attacked Boat Near Venezuela Multiple Times to Kill Survivors
American officials said the repeat drone strikes were carried out by Special Operations Command, and more attacks could come soon.
theintercept.com/2025/09/10/u...
September 11, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Speaking of violence and murder...
U.S. Attacked Boat Near Venezuela Multiple Times to Kill Survivors
American officials said the repeat drone strikes were carried out by Special Operations Command, and more attacks could come soon.
theintercept.com/2025/09/10/u...
U.S. Attacked Boat Near Venezuela Multiple Times to Kill Survivors
American officials said the repeat drone strikes were carried out by Special Operations Command, and more attacks could come soon.
theintercept.com/2025/09/10/u...
Reposted
Reposted
⚡️US steps back from joint efforts to combat misinformation, FT reports.
The U.S. will no longer work with Europe on combating disinformation from countries including China, Iran, and Russia, the Financial Times reported on Sept. 8, citing three unnamed European officials.
The U.S. will no longer work with Europe on combating disinformation from countries including China, Iran, and Russia, the Financial Times reported on Sept. 8, citing three unnamed European officials.
US steps back from joint efforts to combat misinformation, FT reports
"Information warfare is a reality of our time, and artificial intelligence is only going to multiply the risks from that," James Rubin, former head of the Global Engagement Center (GEC), said.
kyivindependent.com
September 9, 2025 at 1:48 AM
⚡️US steps back from joint efforts to combat misinformation, FT reports.
The U.S. will no longer work with Europe on combating disinformation from countries including China, Iran, and Russia, the Financial Times reported on Sept. 8, citing three unnamed European officials.
The U.S. will no longer work with Europe on combating disinformation from countries including China, Iran, and Russia, the Financial Times reported on Sept. 8, citing three unnamed European officials.
“This is no longer about democratic leadership — it’s about the risk of being seen as an ally of dictators,”
BREAKING: ICE is sending Russian dissidents back to Russia. When the dissidents arrived in Russia, the Russian authorities were given documents relating to their asylum applications in the US which under US law are confidential. This seems to be part of a secret agreement between Trump and Putin.
‘I escaped a Russian prison — only to end up in an American jail’
Dozens of Russian dissidents have been expelled from the US and forcibly returned to Russia with the co-operation of immigration authorities
www.thetimes.com
September 8, 2025 at 2:58 PM
“This is no longer about democratic leadership — it’s about the risk of being seen as an ally of dictators,”
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NEW: Ignoring urgently needed reforms in favor of fruitlessly trying to find evidence of fraud, DOGE descended on the Social Security Administration “thinking it should work like a McDonald’s,” the agency’s former acting chief reveals to ProPublica.
The Untold Saga of What Happened When DOGE Stormed Social Security
DOGE has ignored urgently needed reforms and upgrades at the Social Security Administration, according to dozens of insiders and 15 hours of candid interviews with the former acting chief of the agenc...
www.propublica.org
September 8, 2025 at 11:00 AM
NEW: Ignoring urgently needed reforms in favor of fruitlessly trying to find evidence of fraud, DOGE descended on the Social Security Administration “thinking it should work like a McDonald’s,” the agency’s former acting chief reveals to ProPublica.
Reposted
Interesting shutdown politics thread by health policy expert and former OMB official Topher Spiro.
September 7, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Interesting shutdown politics thread by health policy expert and former OMB official Topher Spiro.
Reposted
Over at Lawfare, Peyton Baker (a stellar 2L @umnlawschool.bsky.social) and I have a primer on the Senior Executive Service and why court watchers should pay more attention to this personnel system. Peyton is writing an excellent note addressing these issues.
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/a-pr...
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/a-pr...
A Primer on the Senior Executive Service
The Trump administration argues that the removal power extends to top career executives, endangering civil service tenure protections.
www.lawfaremedia.org
September 2, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Over at Lawfare, Peyton Baker (a stellar 2L @umnlawschool.bsky.social) and I have a primer on the Senior Executive Service and why court watchers should pay more attention to this personnel system. Peyton is writing an excellent note addressing these issues.
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/a-pr...
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/a-pr...
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False.
Early post-dose adverse events are not wholesale reassigned to the unvaccinated group; they are tracked explicitly (often as partially vaccinated or by days since dose).
This man is either dumb or lying. You tell me.
Early post-dose adverse events are not wholesale reassigned to the unvaccinated group; they are tracked explicitly (often as partially vaccinated or by days since dose).
This man is either dumb or lying. You tell me.
September 2, 2025 at 12:53 AM
False.
Early post-dose adverse events are not wholesale reassigned to the unvaccinated group; they are tracked explicitly (often as partially vaccinated or by days since dose).
This man is either dumb or lying. You tell me.
Early post-dose adverse events are not wholesale reassigned to the unvaccinated group; they are tracked explicitly (often as partially vaccinated or by days since dose).
This man is either dumb or lying. You tell me.
Reposted
This is part of why @afghanevac.bsky.social (An organization started by veterans) began doing court watches for Afghan SIVs going through the process.
ICE’s unchecked power has turned into lawless overreach—abductions by masked agents, denial of due process, secret police tactics. Democratic leaders can stop this, but only if we demand it: bit.ly/45Umbi3
August 29, 2025 at 4:05 PM
This is part of why @afghanevac.bsky.social (An organization started by veterans) began doing court watches for Afghan SIVs going through the process.
Reposted
This is such a no-brainer that the lack of a coordinated response feels deeply damning. A Democratic leadership team that can't mobilize an instant all-hands-on-deck effort on RFK Jr. isn't a leadership team at all.
I know Democrats are overwhelmed (or rudderless, if you are less charitable) by the sheer volume of Trump authoritarian moves, but I’d like to see them unified behind specific goals like “RFK Jr is a threat to public health and needs to go.”
August 28, 2025 at 3:42 AM
This is such a no-brainer that the lack of a coordinated response feels deeply damning. A Democratic leadership team that can't mobilize an instant all-hands-on-deck effort on RFK Jr. isn't a leadership team at all.
Reposted
A century to build the expert civil service, a few months to burn it down for generations
August 27, 2025 at 10:45 PM
A century to build the expert civil service, a few months to burn it down for generations
Reposted
My latest in @newrepublic.com: an urgent plea to recognize the humanity of DC residents, their longtime second-class citizenship and need
—should democracy not already be lost forever—for statehood.
“Washington, D.C., residents are the most powerless canary in the most authoritarian coal mine.”
—should democracy not already be lost forever—for statehood.
“Washington, D.C., residents are the most powerless canary in the most authoritarian coal mine.”
Like It or Not, We Are All D.C. Now
The residents of the nation’s capital have long been denied their democratic rights. If Trump has his way, other cities may soon feel what that’s like.
newrepublic.com
August 28, 2025 at 11:37 AM
My latest in @newrepublic.com: an urgent plea to recognize the humanity of DC residents, their longtime second-class citizenship and need
—should democracy not already be lost forever—for statehood.
“Washington, D.C., residents are the most powerless canary in the most authoritarian coal mine.”
—should democracy not already be lost forever—for statehood.
“Washington, D.C., residents are the most powerless canary in the most authoritarian coal mine.”
Reposted
DHS & FEMA have chosen the vengeance route against the public signatories of the FEMA Katrina Letter. Effective immediately, all public signatories have been placed on administrative leave. They have also been ordered not to tell anyone. Whistleblowers are to be protected, not retaliated against.
![FEMA Memo Text
MEMORANDUM
Date: August 26, 2025
To: All FEMA Employees in the affected regions and all members of the FEMA National Emergency Management Agency.
From: Jay Bradley, Chief of Staff, FEMA. Joseph A. ... [rest of name is cut off] ..., Director, National Emergency Management Agency.
Subj: Employee administrative leave and a further notice.
Effective immediately, and continuing until further notice, you are being placed on administrative leave with pay and all benefits, including retirement, health and life insurance.
You will be responsible for your time sheet regarding working and future pay periods.
You may use your government issued cellular phone and tablet for personal use, but you will not have access to FEMAEMS facility, connect to FEMAEMS personnel, and like [sic] editor or your official capacity. Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. You will continue to have access to your personal email, but you will not have access to FEMAEMS information or telecommunication systems including, but not limited to, your e-mail. You will have access to your voicemail, but do not retrieve or listen to any messages. You will have access to FEMAEMS facility, connect to FEMAEMS personnel, and like [sic] editor or your official capacity. Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. If you need access to a FEMAEMS information or telecommunication systems to perform your duties, you must receive a written directive from your supervisor. You must contact your supervisor via telephone or e-mail only. Any violation of these rules will be viewed as an act of insubordination.
You must provide a current home address, a current home phone number, a personal email address and phone number where you can be reached while you access to your FEMAEMS information or systems.
You must not contact any FEMAEMS personnel until you receive a written directiv…](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:obksvg6m2wchvxqwrqclknbs/bafkreiem7f3vubks2gr76g6wzgy2ptd2fuennzswokvpja3i5p767fjtlu@jpeg)
![FEMA Memo Text
MEMORANDUM
Date: August 26, 2025
To: All FEMA Employees in the affected regions and all members of the FEMA National Emergency Management Agency.
From: Jay Bradley, Chief of Staff, FEMA. Joseph A. ... [rest of name is cut off] ..., Director, National Emergency Management Agency.
Subj: Employee administrative leave and a further notice.
Effective immediately, and continuing until further notice, you are being placed on administrative leave with pay and all benefits, including retirement, health and life insurance.
You will be responsible for your time sheet regarding working and future pay periods.
You may use your government issued cellular phone and tablet for personal use, but you will not have access to FEMAEMS facility, connect to FEMAEMS personnel, and like [sic] editor or your official capacity. Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. You will continue to have access to your personal email, but you will not have access to FEMAEMS information or telecommunication systems including, but not limited to, your e-mail. You will have access to your voicemail, but do not retrieve or listen to any messages. You will have access to FEMAEMS facility, connect to FEMAEMS personnel, and like [sic] editor or your official capacity. Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. If you need access to a FEMAEMS information or telecommunication systems to perform your duties, you must receive a written directive from your supervisor. You must contact your supervisor via telephone or e-mail only. Any violation of these rules will be viewed as an act of insubordination.
You must provide a current home address, a current home phone number, a personal email address and phone number where you can be reached while you access to your FEMAEMS information or systems.
You must not contact any FEMAEMS personnel until you receive a written directiv…](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:obksvg6m2wchvxqwrqclknbs/bafkreig7ebtholwj7wchjcwxpcmd6dsh3cr26wpgjjqlg6hmy7edtoe3r4@jpeg)
August 27, 2025 at 3:40 AM
DHS & FEMA have chosen the vengeance route against the public signatories of the FEMA Katrina Letter. Effective immediately, all public signatories have been placed on administrative leave. They have also been ordered not to tell anyone. Whistleblowers are to be protected, not retaliated against.
Reposted
A whistleblower complaint says that the personal data of over 300 million Americans was copied to a private cloud account to allow access by members of the Department of Government Efficiency team.
Whistleblower says Trump officials copied millions of Social Security numbers
A whistleblower complaint says that the personal data of over 300 million Americans was copied to a private cloud account to allow access by members of the Department of Government Efficiency team.
n.pr
August 26, 2025 at 7:57 PM
A whistleblower complaint says that the personal data of over 300 million Americans was copied to a private cloud account to allow access by members of the Department of Government Efficiency team.
Reposted
On the left: Nate Cavanagh, a 28-year-old DOGE staffer and college dropout.
On the right: Mohammad Halimi, a 53-year-old exiled Afghan scholar.
This is the story of how DOGE targeted Halimi on social media.
Then the Taliban took his family. 🧵
On the right: Mohammad Halimi, a 53-year-old exiled Afghan scholar.
This is the story of how DOGE targeted Halimi on social media.
Then the Taliban took his family. 🧵
August 22, 2025 at 11:41 AM
On the left: Nate Cavanagh, a 28-year-old DOGE staffer and college dropout.
On the right: Mohammad Halimi, a 53-year-old exiled Afghan scholar.
This is the story of how DOGE targeted Halimi on social media.
Then the Taliban took his family. 🧵
On the right: Mohammad Halimi, a 53-year-old exiled Afghan scholar.
This is the story of how DOGE targeted Halimi on social media.
Then the Taliban took his family. 🧵
Reposted
President Trump’s attack on yet another Black woman in public office gives away the game – if you were still harboring any doubt – about his corrupt use of mortgage fraud allegations to target Democrats.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
How the New Attack on Lisa Cook Gives Away Trump’s Abuse of Power Game
A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This...
talkingpointsmemo.com
August 21, 2025 at 3:00 PM
President Trump’s attack on yet another Black woman in public office gives away the game – if you were still harboring any doubt – about his corrupt use of mortgage fraud allegations to target Democrats.
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...
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The fact that the thing we're calling artificial intelligence *can't do math* and yet we're jamming it into programs that successfully *have done math* for decades, then warning people against using the AI to do math, seems like an excellent summary of where we are.
Good thing no one uses Microsoft Excel for anything related to legal, regulatory or compliance business functions
www.theverge.com/news/761338/...
www.theverge.com/news/761338/...
August 19, 2025 at 6:09 PM
The fact that the thing we're calling artificial intelligence *can't do math* and yet we're jamming it into programs that successfully *have done math* for decades, then warning people against using the AI to do math, seems like an excellent summary of where we are.
Reposted
Every year Icelandic tax records are open for a few days. And all the media outlets dig into them and write multiple stories about how much money some people made and how much they paid in taxes. We even have a special newspaper called The Salary Paper that only comes out once a year.
August 19, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Every year Icelandic tax records are open for a few days. And all the media outlets dig into them and write multiple stories about how much money some people made and how much they paid in taxes. We even have a special newspaper called The Salary Paper that only comes out once a year.
Reposted
The CDC shooting didn’t even really register in the news and the details are absolutely insane
First the terrorist tried to enter campus in a car filled with guns. When he wasn’t allowed past the gates, he started firing from a CVS drugstore across the street. From a semi-automatic weapon, 500 shots is a lot. He was at it for a long time.
Here are the weapons & shell casings he left behind.
Here are the weapons & shell casings he left behind.
August 17, 2025 at 3:56 PM
The CDC shooting didn’t even really register in the news and the details are absolutely insane
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I think everyone needs to come to DC and walk around and see the beauty of our capital and its people.
I’m here right now- it’s hot as crap but what an amazing city…
I’m really tired of hearing what a lousy place this is. There’s no reason to be harassing and traumatizing residents this way.
I’m here right now- it’s hot as crap but what an amazing city…
I’m really tired of hearing what a lousy place this is. There’s no reason to be harassing and traumatizing residents this way.
As Trump tightens his grip on the DC police and escalates his deployment of the National Guard there, it's probably worth noting that an internal Department of Homeland Security memo says operations like the one in LA may be needed "for years to come."
newrepublic.com/article/1990...
newrepublic.com/article/1990...
August 15, 2025 at 5:37 PM
I think everyone needs to come to DC and walk around and see the beauty of our capital and its people.
I’m here right now- it’s hot as crap but what an amazing city…
I’m really tired of hearing what a lousy place this is. There’s no reason to be harassing and traumatizing residents this way.
I’m here right now- it’s hot as crap but what an amazing city…
I’m really tired of hearing what a lousy place this is. There’s no reason to be harassing and traumatizing residents this way.
Reposted
The president the United States using armed, masked paramilitaries to intimidate a political rival.
Gavin Newsom is holding a press conference today on redistricting and DHS agents have arrived masked up and in full gear. Many are armed with guns.
August 14, 2025 at 7:23 PM
The president the United States using armed, masked paramilitaries to intimidate a political rival.
Reposted
Tokyo’s record-beating stock rally ends as U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent jawbones Japan on rates, saying the country has an inflation problem.
Tokyo’s record-beating stock rally ends as Bessent jawbones Japan on rates
The U.S. treasury secretary argues that Japan has an inflation problem.
ebx.sh
August 14, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Tokyo’s record-beating stock rally ends as U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent jawbones Japan on rates, saying the country has an inflation problem.
Reposted
Gratified to see that our reporting on DHS's push for more military involvement in domestic enforcement is getting some results. Dems should push hard on this front:
News --> Top Dems are demanding that the Pentagon disclose any/all internal memos and policy guidance involving DHS's push for more militarization of domestic enforcement.
It's a response to our reporting on DHS talks w/Pentagon on this. Details in my new piece:
newrepublic.com/article/1990...
It's a response to our reporting on DHS talks w/Pentagon on this. Details in my new piece:
newrepublic.com/article/1990...
“Alarming”: Trump’s Threat of Troops in Cities Just Got Much Scarier
Top Democrats are demanding that the Pentagon release documentation of internal
conversations about future militarization of domestic law enforcement.
newrepublic.com
August 14, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Gratified to see that our reporting on DHS's push for more military involvement in domestic enforcement is getting some results. Dems should push hard on this front: