Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ben Raderstorf

@raders.bsky.social

6.2K followers 890 following 1.4K posts

defend democracy and build homes / policy advocate @protectdemocracy.org / author ifyoucankeep.it / co-prez ‪@sacyimby.bsky.social / rash opinions my own No kings but Sac Kings 📍Sacramento

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · Jan 12

I can already tell social media is gonna be a heavy and stressful place this year.

Going to try to counteract it with an ongoing thread of moments, places, and scenes of thriving from my real world.

Here’s #1: Capitol Park rules. I love that the heart of California civic life is so peaceful

3 5 110

Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 2m

FWIW, I understand people’s reflexive skepticism — the right to be a jerk to people in uniforms is part of the first amendment too.

But I’m still pretty amazed how few people (including the president!) understand what the NG is and does

Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 10h

Read more: notthemission.org

This is not the mission | It’s time to end the D.C. deployment

National Guard heroes should be back home preparing for real emergencies. It's time to end the DC deployment.

notthemission.org

1 4 34

Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 10h

To be clear, this applies to the *National Guard* who are mostly civilians with day jobs and who can be called up in emergencies.

They are very, very different from ICE agents, who really do seem to be embracing the jackbooted ethos: bsky.app/profile/uroc...

Khashoggi's Ghost @urocklive1.bsky.social · 17h

This is not going to end well. Sooner or later an American citizen is going to get killed.

7 21 100

Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 10h

Texas National Guard troops arriving in Chicago (via ABC News)

Remember: These are not MAGA stormtroopers. These are everyday teachers and accountants who signed up to serve their country with their spare time. They're being used as political pawns by venal, un-American, draft-dodging president

130 95 370

Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 11h

I genuinely thought this was a parody video.

It’s not.

Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 12h

What will the new Adam O'Neal–hosted WaPo opinions podcast sound like for the next few decades? Maybe a little something like this x.com/WashPostComm...

2 10

Reposted by Ben Raderstorf

Garrett M. Graff @vermontgmg.bsky.social · 1d

All year, we’ve seen this administration treat appropriations bills less as laws-to-follow and more like Lucy playing football with Charlie Brown. What should make this moment any different? www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/there-is-n...

There is no budget "deal" to be made

President Trump in has so broken the constitutional framework as to make joint normal, responsible government impossible.

www.doomsdayscenario.co

10 110 240

Reposted by Ben Raderstorf

emptywheel @emptywheel.bsky.social · 22h

I'm on the record saying that Russ Vought will do things during the shutdown that will make his illegal rescissions visible in the way they otherwise weren't. And boy howdy, threatening to ignore the law on backpay is a great example. [corrected]

Shaheen, a retiring Dem Rs are looking to flip on shutdown, says of OMB threats on back pay:

“It would be a lot easier to resolve the situation if Russ Vought would stop talking.”

34 780 2.5K

Reposted by Ben Raderstorf

Marc Berman @asmmarcberman.bsky.social · 1d

CA has one of the most accessible and secure voting systems in the country, and with the @governor.ca.gov signature on my bill AB 5, we continue to build upon this success.

I am proud to author this new law to set clear and achievable deadlines & provide all voters with more faith in our elections.

3 10

Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 1d

The @newyorker.com daily cartoon by Adam Douglas Thompson.

4 85 240

Reposted by Ben Raderstorf

Daniel Drezner @dandrezner.bsky.social · 2d

That the @washingtonpost.com can’t keep @crampell.bsky.social around is damning. Anyone familiar with Rampell’s work would know that it would be compatible with WaPo’s intended editorial direction. But she didn’t want to be compromised. Good for her. www.semafor.com/article/10/0...

Washington Post economics columnist moves to The Bulwark

Catherine Rampell will write a weekly economics and policy-focused newsletter for the anti-Trump media brand.

www.semafor.com

7 67 280

Reposted by Ben Raderstorf

Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 5d

How do we connect the dots between what WH's budget director Russ Vought is doing with our tax dollars to the impacts of a shutdown and Congress’s power of the purse? Cerin Lindgrensavage joined @raders.bsky.social to give us the details.

Full discussion 🔗 www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/a-king-who...

1 23 53

Reposted by Ben Raderstorf

Governor Gavin Newsom @governor.ca.gov · 5d

IF ANY CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY SIGNS THIS RADICAL AGREEMENT, THEY'LL LOSE BILLIONS IN STATE FUNDING — INCLUDING CAL GRANTS — INSTANTLY.

CALIFORNIA WILL NOT BANKROLL SCHOOLS THAT SELL OUT THEIR STUDENTS, PROFESSORS, RESEARCHERS, AND SURRENDER ACADEMIC FREEDOM.

New York Times: "Trump Administration Asks Colleges to Sign ‘Compact’ to Get Funding Preference."

The White House asked nine top universities to pledge support for President Trump’s agenda to help ensure access to research funding.

260 2K 7.4K

Reposted by Ben Raderstorf

Ned Resnikoff @resnikoff.bsky.social · 6d

During a shutdown, the federal government furloughs all but the most essential employees (the 8chan recruit who posts groyper memes to the DHS X account).

2 120 630

Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 6d

I know I’m just complaining into the void here — but we *know* Strong Towns is wrong on this stuff because other countries manage to build big infrastructure and do ambitious planning, like this gem in Paris, and it works great. Great urbanism can also happen top-down, not just bottom-up!

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · Jun 22

This new Paris neighbourhood is VERY good. Clichy-Batignolles (former rail yard), 1 of many transformations at Metro transit stations around the city. Dense+mixed (urban IKEA, grocery store, schools, jobs etc), diverse (50% public housing, 20% middle class rental), 1/3rd beautiful park, 20k people.

Retail (including ikea) with housing above and metro beneath

Varied and interesting architecture, strong public realm

Before and after from Carlos Moreno, who toured me. @carlosmoreno.bsky.social

Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 6d

Good stuff!

Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 6d

Really fun conversation with Cerin Lindgrensavage today on impoundments and how Russ Vought broke the appropriations process.

Don't let anyone tell you the minutia of budget processes aren't entertaining!! @protectdemocracy.org

www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/a-king-who...

'A king who had the purse strings'

Cerin Lindgrensavage explains why Russell Vought is to blame for the government shutdown

www.ifyoucankeepit.org

1 3 17

Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 6d

Read @protectdemocracy.org board member @kschake.bsky.social on yesterday's reprehensible circus 👇

Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 6d

Kori Schake: “Yesterday morning, Trump and Hegseth behaved reprehensibly. Their speeches…were tantamount to incitement—a genuinely dangerous effort to suborn the military’s oath and condition them for using violence against their fellow Americans.” foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/01/t...

Trump’s Speech to Generals Was Incitement to Violence Against Americans

Military leaders’ quiet professionalism offers hope amid a maelstrom.

foreignpolicy.com

1 4

Reposted by Ben Raderstorf

southpaw @nycsouthpaw.bsky.social · 7d

By the same poisonous logic that held only Nixon could go to China, I suppose, only the buffoon who joked on 9/11 about his tower moving up in the tallest rankings after the WTC fell can defund counterterrorism programs in New York without the American political system rising up as one to smite him.

Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 7d

Department of Homeland Security is cutting over $187 million or 86% of homeland security funding to New York State which will radically defund NYPD, FDNY, and NY State Police terrorism programs, according to a letter from New York Governor Kathy Hochul to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

18 120 580

Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 6d

(Pass the NOPE Act)

Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 6d

1 2

Reposted by Ben Raderstorf

Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 6d

🚨BREAKING: A federal judge just ruled that the makers of 2000 Mules made false statements when they accused our client of voter fraud and that no reasonable jury could find those statements were truthful. Read the decision here
🔗 protdem.org/andrews-MSJ

Heading: Court Ruled D’Souza and TTV Published False Statements
Subhead: Creators of 2000 Mules Must Face Trial in Defamation and Klan Act Case

2 28 100

Reposted by Ben Raderstorf

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 6d

We are now in the domain of not just illegal impoundments, but targeted illegal impoundments to punish liberal spaces. Not different from what Trump is doing to to universities.

City Nolan @ndhapple.bsky.social · 7d

OMB Director Russell Voight says that US DOT will announce that the federal government is "pausing" funding for both Gateway and the Second Avenue Subway because of "unconstitutional DEI principles" -- x.com/russvought/s...

73 770 2.2K

Reposted by Ben Raderstorf

Asawin Suebsaeng @swin24.bsky.social · 7d

My and @andrewperez.bsky.social’s first piece for our new home; we are up and running at @zeteo.com

Zeteo @zeteo.com · 7d

‘WHY?’: Trump Officials Worry He’s Making It Harder to Jail His Enemies

Donald Trump is bullying his own government to prosecute his political foes, whether or not there’s actually a criminal case. It may already be backfiring. @swin24.bsky.social @andrewperez.bsky.social

zeteo.com/p/trump-doj-...

Trump Officials Worry He’s Making It Harder to Jail His Enemies

Donald Trump is bullying his government to prosecute his political enemies, whether or not there’s actually a criminal case. It may be backfiring.

zeteo.com

8 81 490

Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 6d

At 4:30 ET, I'll be going live with Cerin Lindgrensavage to talk about her article on how Russ Vought broke the budgeting process, impoundment, and the game of "keepy uppy" that keeps our government functioning. Join us! open.substack.com/live-stream/...

www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/a-governme...

Who broke the appropriations process?

Russ Vought popped the balloon

www.ifyoucankeepit.org

Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 7d

Still have a long way to go — but if @governor.ca.gov signs SB 79 we could easily catch up to Texas and Florida!

1 7