PJRO
@pjro.bsky.social
Retired national security analyst. Pro-democracy at home and abroad (think FDR).
Use the opportunity to explain how Trump will run the country after alienating both the pro-Maduro and anti-Maduro sides in Venezuela. Geesh.
January 3, 2026 at 8:31 PM
Use the opportunity to explain how Trump will run the country after alienating both the pro-Maduro and anti-Maduro sides in Venezuela. Geesh.
Impressionistic, but it seemed to me at the time that the "Paycheck Protection" Program wasn't protecting the paychecks of actual employees.
January 3, 2026 at 4:32 AM
Impressionistic, but it seemed to me at the time that the "Paycheck Protection" Program wasn't protecting the paychecks of actual employees.
Good article about the majority of "realists" but not all types of them. Neoclassical realists have a more nuanced take that leads them to quite different conclusions.
January 2, 2026 at 10:00 PM
Good article about the majority of "realists" but not all types of them. Neoclassical realists have a more nuanced take that leads them to quite different conclusions.
What was the COVFEFE Act that was introduced in Congress in 2017?
January 2, 2026 at 6:55 PM
What was the COVFEFE Act that was introduced in Congress in 2017?
From your former colleague, Ms. Rampell: www.pbump.net/o/when-were-... The frequency of these tests isn't necessarily an indicator of a detected problem.
When were Trump’s three cognitive tests?
The report on President Trump's health published by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday was not particularly reassuring. The president has shown increasing signs of aging, the Journal's reporters note...
www.pbump.net
January 2, 2026 at 4:53 PM
From your former colleague, Ms. Rampell: www.pbump.net/o/when-were-... The frequency of these tests isn't necessarily an indicator of a detected problem.
He might be on to something. Fraudulent government expenditures probably would include all money that has been going to Musk, Trump, and their buddies (legally and illegally). And DOGE cancelled a lot of work and contracts that were funded--where did that money go?
December 30, 2025 at 7:57 PM
He might be on to something. Fraudulent government expenditures probably would include all money that has been going to Musk, Trump, and their buddies (legally and illegally). And DOGE cancelled a lot of work and contracts that were funded--where did that money go?
Gift article: wapo.st/4scjKSe Bottom line: it's dangerous because, if Russia attacks, US credibility and reliability will be undermined or else it's war between nuclear superpowers.
Opinion | Trump’s security promise to Ukraine may be more dangerous than it looks
An Article 5-style security guarantee to Ukraine may be more dangerous than it looks.
wapo.st
December 27, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Gift article: wapo.st/4scjKSe Bottom line: it's dangerous because, if Russia attacks, US credibility and reliability will be undermined or else it's war between nuclear superpowers.
NYT appears to have fixed this.
December 27, 2025 at 12:57 AM
NYT appears to have fixed this.
Agree, and I will mention that I receive NONE of the horrible content that so many others report that they receive on "the other" social media app. I must be an exception, but it's clearly what I do and do not do that drives content.
December 25, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Agree, and I will mention that I receive NONE of the horrible content that so many others report that they receive on "the other" social media app. I must be an exception, but it's clearly what I do and do not do that drives content.
As this article demonstrates, WaPo still employs some good, earnest reporters who do their jobs. Same for NYT, WSJ. Their owners and editors may be horrible but they still need "scoops" and haven't yet completely destroyed their products.
December 24, 2025 at 4:00 PM
As this article demonstrates, WaPo still employs some good, earnest reporters who do their jobs. Same for NYT, WSJ. Their owners and editors may be horrible but they still need "scoops" and haven't yet completely destroyed their products.
I suspect Trump will ask for a few design changes so our Navy's Golden Fleet can have something like this:
December 22, 2025 at 11:54 PM
I suspect Trump will ask for a few design changes so our Navy's Golden Fleet can have something like this:
I grew up in Chicago and liked the old system. Of course, it wasn't perfect--both parties played games to undermine the system's advantages. See, e.g., www.cato.org/blog/cumulat...
Cumulative Voting: The Good and Bad of One Election Reform
“Cumulative” voting was the method by which voters chose the lower house of the Illinois legislature for more than 100 years. It holds some lessons today.
www.cato.org
December 20, 2025 at 4:07 PM
I grew up in Chicago and liked the old system. Of course, it wasn't perfect--both parties played games to undermine the system's advantages. See, e.g., www.cato.org/blog/cumulat...
Also Putin ("RFK Jr., Trump, the GOP Senate, and “MAHA” evidently think the problem with COVID was not enough death.")
December 20, 2025 at 4:46 AM
Also Putin ("RFK Jr., Trump, the GOP Senate, and “MAHA” evidently think the problem with COVID was not enough death.")
Good Kruse-Perlstein disagreement! I think Perlstein wins. Atwater seems to be saying--or implying--some of Reagan's other issue stances had become closely associated with racism, so he didn't need to be so overt to signal racist policies. (HCR probably would agree?)
December 12, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Good Kruse-Perlstein disagreement! I think Perlstein wins. Atwater seems to be saying--or implying--some of Reagan's other issue stances had become closely associated with racism, so he didn't need to be so overt to signal racist policies. (HCR probably would agree?)
Bannon referred to Congress as "our Duma" for good reason. This is what unitary executive theorists have achieved and what they want--when their Republican Party is in the White House.
December 9, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Bannon referred to Congress as "our Duma" for good reason. This is what unitary executive theorists have achieved and what they want--when their Republican Party is in the White House.
The routine response should be "Mr. President, did you remember to take your meds this morning?" (And there is no harm in asking this every day.)
December 8, 2025 at 9:53 PM
The routine response should be "Mr. President, did you remember to take your meds this morning?" (And there is no harm in asking this every day.)
The context also includes how citizenship was determined prior to the 14th Amendment. Aside from naturalization, was birthright citizenship the norm across the states, excepting most Native Americans and most Blacks?
December 7, 2025 at 7:49 PM
The context also includes how citizenship was determined prior to the 14th Amendment. Aside from naturalization, was birthright citizenship the norm across the states, excepting most Native Americans and most Blacks?
China is the largest source of fentanyl coming the the United States and there are many ships off China's coast that should be targeted, according to Tom Cotton.
December 7, 2025 at 5:48 PM
China is the largest source of fentanyl coming the the United States and there are many ships off China's coast that should be targeted, according to Tom Cotton.
Ironically, Krugman published that mea culpa in July 2022 just as the month-over-month inflation rate plummeted.
December 6, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Ironically, Krugman published that mea culpa in July 2022 just as the month-over-month inflation rate plummeted.
So she is not a government employee and needs to have a contract with the government to receive compensation. She has been paid illegally. And her orders/directions to government employees have been and are only suggestions by a non-employee.
December 6, 2025 at 6:02 PM
So she is not a government employee and needs to have a contract with the government to receive compensation. She has been paid illegally. And her orders/directions to government employees have been and are only suggestions by a non-employee.
Importantly, the rise of pro-Moscow nationalist parties in Europe is described as a CORE national security interest.
December 5, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Importantly, the rise of pro-Moscow nationalist parties in Europe is described as a CORE national security interest.
I expect a member of the cabinet soon will tell us that Trump works 27 hours per day. My money is on Bessent, but it could be Rubio.
December 5, 2025 at 5:03 PM
I expect a member of the cabinet soon will tell us that Trump works 27 hours per day. My money is on Bessent, but it could be Rubio.
I want to know why Hegseth announced the retirement of Admiral Holsey on the afternoon of the mid-October day that US forces saved two survivors of a drone strike on their submersible. (I think Holsey's SOUTHCOM forces saved these guys, and the drone strike was by Admiral Bradley's SOCOM?)
December 4, 2025 at 4:48 AM
I want to know why Hegseth announced the retirement of Admiral Holsey on the afternoon of the mid-October day that US forces saved two survivors of a drone strike on their submersible. (I think Holsey's SOUTHCOM forces saved these guys, and the drone strike was by Admiral Bradley's SOCOM?)
Raising congressional pay, perhaps doubling it, is necessary but insufficient step to reduce corruption.
December 3, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Raising congressional pay, perhaps doubling it, is necessary but insufficient step to reduce corruption.
Hegseth announced Admiral Holsey's premature retirement on the afternoon of the day that forces under Holsey's command rescued two survivors of a drone strike by Admiral Bradley's forces. Did Holsey disobey Hegseth's (illegal) orders that day? Reporters and Congress should be asking about this now.
December 2, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Hegseth announced Admiral Holsey's premature retirement on the afternoon of the day that forces under Holsey's command rescued two survivors of a drone strike by Admiral Bradley's forces. Did Holsey disobey Hegseth's (illegal) orders that day? Reporters and Congress should be asking about this now.