@tol3.bsky.social
Retired from 32 yrs practicing public law (& before that, 8 yrs newspapers, politics). SC native. Adult in NC, briefly DC. Lifelong Dem, now a blue dot lakeside in NE GA, trying to get self, wife, & dogs in/on water daily.
Which one does one identify with, and which one should we strive to emulate: Rabbit (on the left) or Cora (on the right)?
It’s a complex world.
It’s a complex world.
December 25, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Which one does one identify with, and which one should we strive to emulate: Rabbit (on the left) or Cora (on the right)?
It’s a complex world.
It’s a complex world.
Reposted
Today we face a need for another Great Awakening. Our current crisis is not merely a political one but spiritual too. Nowhere “is this more painfully evident than in how our government treats immigrants in our name.”
digbysblog.net/2025/12/19/d...
digbysblog.net/2025/12/19/d...
December 19, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Today we face a need for another Great Awakening. Our current crisis is not merely a political one but spiritual too. Nowhere “is this more painfully evident than in how our government treats immigrants in our name.”
digbysblog.net/2025/12/19/d...
digbysblog.net/2025/12/19/d...
Reposted
Thus redacted Zarathustra
December 19, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Thus redacted Zarathustra
“… crazy is crazy when you’re in that bubble.”
Whipple: Wiles thought she was talking to someone who would give her a fair shake. And I did give her a fair shake. But the problem is, when you’re in that bubble, you wouldn’t recognize fair treatment when you see it—because crazy is crazy when you’re in that bubble.
December 19, 2025 at 11:49 PM
“… crazy is crazy when you’re in that bubble.”
Me, too.
I found reading this to be an oddly healing experience. newrepublic.com/article/2042...
The Americans Who Saw All This Coming—but Were Ignored and Maligned
Call them the Cassandras: the people—mostly not white and male—who smelled the fascism all over Trump from jump street. Why were they “alarmists,” and how did “anti-alarmism” become cool?
newrepublic.com
December 18, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Me, too.
Reposted
those who predicted authoritarianism were both dismissed, & deeply misunderstood, by the media
my latest for @newrepublic.com
newrepublic.com/article/2042...
my latest for @newrepublic.com
newrepublic.com/article/2042...
The Americans Who Saw All This Coming—but Were Ignored and Maligned
Call them the Cassandras: the people—mostly not white and male—who smelled the fascism all over Trump from jump street. Why were they “alarmists,” and how did “anti-alarmism” become cool?
newrepublic.com
December 18, 2025 at 11:26 AM
those who predicted authoritarianism were both dismissed, & deeply misunderstood, by the media
my latest for @newrepublic.com
newrepublic.com/article/2042...
my latest for @newrepublic.com
newrepublic.com/article/2042...
Reposted
We’re gonna need a bigger Third Reconstruction.
November 26, 2025 at 4:30 PM
We’re gonna need a bigger Third Reconstruction.
Reposted
I need more people to understand the movement that could be brewing here in Georgia if this young man only lost by 87 votes in COBB COUNTY.
November 5, 2025 at 1:22 PM
I need more people to understand the movement that could be brewing here in Georgia if this young man only lost by 87 votes in COBB COUNTY.
Reposted
This was published one year ago. Everything is, sadly, true today.
October 30, 2025 at 12:21 AM
This was published one year ago. Everything is, sadly, true today.
Today, for the first time in a long time, I actually swam in open water (as opposed to float & paddle around in a PFD).
For safety, I was tethered to an open water swim buoy, which is new to me.
For safety, I was tethered to an open water swim buoy, which is new to me.
July 26, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Today, for the first time in a long time, I actually swam in open water (as opposed to float & paddle around in a PFD).
For safety, I was tethered to an open water swim buoy, which is new to me.
For safety, I was tethered to an open water swim buoy, which is new to me.
Yesterday, for the first time, I testified in court. It went well; good result.
This morning, daughter Grace & I went paddling with svelte 85-lb rescue Pit-Mastiff-Lab mix, Cora (aka Corabelle, or sometimes, The Belle).
This morning, daughter Grace & I went paddling with svelte 85-lb rescue Pit-Mastiff-Lab mix, Cora (aka Corabelle, or sometimes, The Belle).
July 22, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Yesterday, for the first time, I testified in court. It went well; good result.
This morning, daughter Grace & I went paddling with svelte 85-lb rescue Pit-Mastiff-Lab mix, Cora (aka Corabelle, or sometimes, The Belle).
This morning, daughter Grace & I went paddling with svelte 85-lb rescue Pit-Mastiff-Lab mix, Cora (aka Corabelle, or sometimes, The Belle).
Reposted
"WaPo's still got Thiessen" 🙄
@pbump.com has been a great, clear, intelligent voice on WaPo ed page
(As so many others used to be on that site, from @petridishes.bsky.social to @eugenerobinson.bsky.social to @anntelnaes.bsky.social to Ruth Marcus + more)
Thanks for their work and their example.
(WaPo's still got Thiessen!)
(As so many others used to be on that site, from @petridishes.bsky.social to @eugenerobinson.bsky.social to @anntelnaes.bsky.social to Ruth Marcus + more)
Thanks for their work and their example.
(WaPo's still got Thiessen!)
And, uh, some personal news: This is also my last column for The Post. I was offered and accepted a buyout.
To answer one possible next question, I'm not sure what's next save taking some time off. If you want, you can enter your email at pbump.net and I'll let you know when I figure it out!
To answer one possible next question, I'm not sure what's next save taking some time off. If you want, you can enter your email at pbump.net and I'll let you know when I figure it out!
July 17, 2025 at 2:19 PM
"WaPo's still got Thiessen" 🙄
Reposted
I'll never get over January 6th nor forgive anyone involved in it. This is absolute bull....
"As violence erupted, his charging document said, he told other rioters who were attacking law enforcement officers, 'Kill ’em! Kill ’em! Kill ’em!'
He then raised his arms in celebration after breaching the Capitol in a face mask... and escaped through a window..."
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/u...
He then raised his arms in celebration after breaching the Capitol in a face mask... and escaped through a window..."
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/u...
Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioter Who Threatened Police Joins Justice Dept.
www.nytimes.com
July 3, 2025 at 12:02 AM
I'll never get over January 6th nor forgive anyone involved in it. This is absolute bull....
Reposted
I got permission to share this, and I'm extremely grateful for that.
The Onion got this letter from one of our subscribers in Alaska. She works with dementia patients and decided to leave a copy in the car for each one.
This email made my year. Read it and you'll see what I mean. People are good.
The Onion got this letter from one of our subscribers in Alaska. She works with dementia patients and decided to leave a copy in the car for each one.
This email made my year. Read it and you'll see what I mean. People are good.
July 1, 2025 at 6:46 PM
I got permission to share this, and I'm extremely grateful for that.
The Onion got this letter from one of our subscribers in Alaska. She works with dementia patients and decided to leave a copy in the car for each one.
This email made my year. Read it and you'll see what I mean. People are good.
The Onion got this letter from one of our subscribers in Alaska. She works with dementia patients and decided to leave a copy in the car for each one.
This email made my year. Read it and you'll see what I mean. People are good.
Reposted
Make no mistake, the SCOTUS decision about birthright citizenship IS ALSO ABOUT *birthright citizenship.*
The Court is using nationwide injunctions as the tail, wagging the dog, to take us back to an Antebellum view of citizenship.
That way led to war once.
My latest in @thenation.com
The Court is using nationwide injunctions as the tail, wagging the dog, to take us back to an Antebellum view of citizenship.
That way led to war once.
My latest in @thenation.com
The Supreme Court's Birthright Citizenship Ruling Is a Five-Alarm Catastrophe
In Trump v. CASA, the court hands the president yet more unaccountable authority—and yanks us into a neo-Confederate legal nightmare.
www.thenation.com
June 27, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Make no mistake, the SCOTUS decision about birthright citizenship IS ALSO ABOUT *birthright citizenship.*
The Court is using nationwide injunctions as the tail, wagging the dog, to take us back to an Antebellum view of citizenship.
That way led to war once.
My latest in @thenation.com
The Court is using nationwide injunctions as the tail, wagging the dog, to take us back to an Antebellum view of citizenship.
That way led to war once.
My latest in @thenation.com
Reposted
There are a lot of Dems—electeds and staffers—out there who want to win elections, a lot who want to stand up to Trump more aggressively than the national party leadership, and a lot who want to run progressive issue-based campaigns.
All three (overlapping!) groups got a powerful boost last night.
All three (overlapping!) groups got a powerful boost last night.
June 25, 2025 at 12:21 PM
There are a lot of Dems—electeds and staffers—out there who want to win elections, a lot who want to stand up to Trump more aggressively than the national party leadership, and a lot who want to run progressive issue-based campaigns.
All three (overlapping!) groups got a powerful boost last night.
All three (overlapping!) groups got a powerful boost last night.
A humbling lesson for those of us who practiced law, & once believed in & defended the rule of law.
A reminder:
Law Professors: The Constitution still exists and the Courts will protect us.
Historians:
Law Professors: The Constitution still exists and the Courts will protect us.
Historians:
a man is wearing a yellow raincoat with a hood and smiling .
ALT: a man is wearing a yellow raincoat with a hood and smiling .
media.tenor.com
June 23, 2025 at 10:23 PM
A humbling lesson for those of us who practiced law, & once believed in & defended the rule of law.
In my view, the GOP-dominated SCOTUS long ago lost any claim to legitimacy.
Lots of "we know who you are now" talk toward the justices today from some of the highest temples of the legal academy — all of it warranted.
SCOTUS majority not deigning to give *any* reasons for staying the injunction of the district court - in the highest-possible stakes context & where the executive branch has acted appallingly - evincing real contempt for both district courts & the rule of law
June 23, 2025 at 9:41 PM
In my view, the GOP-dominated SCOTUS long ago lost any claim to legitimacy.
Reposted
🚨🚨The White House is pissed off about this ad so you know what to do, share it everywhere! ICE is disappearing people just because of the color of their skin! No Warrant! No Due Process! This is not who we are as Americans! #MAGAKidnappers want an all white America, fuck that‼️
June 18, 2025 at 8:08 PM
🚨🚨The White House is pissed off about this ad so you know what to do, share it everywhere! ICE is disappearing people just because of the color of their skin! No Warrant! No Due Process! This is not who we are as Americans! #MAGAKidnappers want an all white America, fuck that‼️
A ~3’ baby gator spotted this evening by my brother by the side of the road & about a half a mile from nearest water, near the headwaters of the Coosawhatchie River in Allendale County, SC.
June 13, 2025 at 11:44 PM
A ~3’ baby gator spotted this evening by my brother by the side of the road & about a half a mile from nearest water, near the headwaters of the Coosawhatchie River in Allendale County, SC.
Reposted
The joke of the weekend is going to be a man who was so scared that he had his daddy keep him from having to fight in a war...and is now having a military parade to try and convince people that he is brave. #BoneSpurs
June 13, 2025 at 4:52 PM
The joke of the weekend is going to be a man who was so scared that he had his daddy keep him from having to fight in a war...and is now having a military parade to try and convince people that he is brave. #BoneSpurs
This, from @jbf1755.bsky.social, is worth a watch & listen. I look forward to the more developed follow-up she promises.
(Also, her most recent book, Field of Blood, is very, very good.)
(Also, her most recent book, Field of Blood, is very, very good.)
As promised on my last post, I'm going to be using my YouTube channel a LOT from now on.
Here -- speaking as an expert on violence in Congress -- I offer some thoughts on yesterday's attack on Senator Padilla.
youtu.be/02mx5FRVp5I
Here -- speaking as an expert on violence in Congress -- I offer some thoughts on yesterday's attack on Senator Padilla.
youtu.be/02mx5FRVp5I
Why the Assault on Senator Padilla REALLY Matters
YouTube video by Dr. Joanne Freeman
youtu.be
June 13, 2025 at 10:07 PM
This, from @jbf1755.bsky.social, is worth a watch & listen. I look forward to the more developed follow-up she promises.
(Also, her most recent book, Field of Blood, is very, very good.)
(Also, her most recent book, Field of Blood, is very, very good.)