George is a solid guy. I had the privilege of working with him on a 9th circuit appeal and he is one of the 5 smartest people I ever met.

This is absolutely outrageous. SCOTUS reinstated Texas gerrymander 15 weeks before primary because they claimed it was too close to election to block it but now allowing Alabama to gerrymander one week before primary after trial court found map was intentionally discriminatory against Black voters

Pope Leo to Vatican Publishing House: “I urge everyone to read books, as an antidote to closed-mindedness, which is reflected in rigid attitudes and reductive views of reality.” www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

NEW: The Vatican’s statement on Rubio’s audience with Pope Leo XIV today names what the State Department wouldn’t — war, political tensions, difficult humanitarian conditions, and “the need to work tirelessly in favor of peace.” This is the Vaticanese for “we aren’t getting along right now.”

apnews.com/article/west... Catholic priest who criticized Trump immigration crackdown named West Virginia bishop

Trump's stupidity: (1) double the defense spend for huge, vulnerable surface ships and billion-dollar planes and missiles (even though they're last-war tech); and (2) slash NIH grants for basic scientific research (which is the future).

Appreciate this detail from CBS News reporter Jennifer Jacobs. It's an important part of the story that seems to be missing from a lot of comments & coverage.

Pope Leo at Regina Coeli: “‘Thieves’ can take many forms. They could be: people who, regardless of appearances, suppress our freedom or fail to respect our dignity; beliefs and biases that prevent us from viewing others and life with serenity…” www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

NEW: Pope Leo XIV told the world’s press today that the Catholic Church’s moral imagination has long been too narrowed to sexual ethics — and that war, migration, and human dignity are the “much greater, more important issues” of our time.

Pope Leo: "The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters.”

"We have to impeach and remove [Trump], and it's not separate from all the issues that we need to address on an economic level for people here in this district and elsewhere. Because we can't accomplish any of that until he's gone."

Nor has China succeeded in its effort to control and suppress the influence of the Dalai Lama and his message of peace. Are you seeing a pattern here?

In the 1930s, at the height of its power, the British global empire—upon which the sun never set—with all its fearsome military might couldn’t squelch the massage of Mahatma Ghandi (which was rooted in peace). Trump will fare no better in attacking the Pope.

Since Donald Trump apparently thinks himself to be God, something Jesus Christ didn’t even Deign to do, it should come as no surprise he’s picking a fight with the Pope.

Pope Leo at Peace Prayer Vigil: We are seeing a “delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive. The balance within the human family has been severely destabilized.” (Full Text): www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

@joshdsw.bsky.social Rumors are circulating that, tomorrow, Melania will give her speech again. This time...in English.

The Iran war is simply the most recent example of Trump leaving everything and everyone worse than he found them, while stuffing his own pockets full of money along the way.

This is absolutely fantastic. ht: @maddenifico.bsky.social

Given that not one, but TWO popes have chastised JD Vance for his anti-Catholic statements and positions, it is rich that JD is writing a book about his “conversion” to Catholicism. JD - fix the log in your own eye first.

When the US walks away from this illegal, ill-considered and badly planned war, Iran will be richer and more dangerous than before Trump tore up Obama's five-nation nuclear deal. One thing that has been true of Trump since he was a petulant child, he always leave things worse than he found them.

Let’s be blunt. Voters KNEW about Trump’s insurrection, inept covid response (injecting bleach, horse steroids etc), two impeachments, rape and fraud convictions, two pending felony criminal charges and grifting galore. Yet they accepted all this bc they fear trans people or black women?

One nation, under bro culture, with stupidity and inflation for all.

60% of the US oppose the Iran War. Inflation will rise 4-5% this year. And an impulsive president has put unqualified real estate investor stooges (Steve Witkoff and Kushner) in charge of our diplomacy. God help us.

Trump was told Iran would attack our Middle East bases. Trump was told Putin would help Iran destroy our Thad system. Trump was told Iran would close the Strait of Hormuz. Trump dismissed all those warnings. Now, our bases are not operating, our Thads r destroyed and Hormuz is shut down.

The price tag for building enough renewables to power the grid is eerily close to the U.S.’s typical price tag for the kind of war it would take to fully secure the Strait of Hormuz. trib.al/UBpn8gP

Judica me, Deus “Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from the nation that is not holy: deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man” - Psalm 43

The same Republicans who expressed outrage about Joe Biden’s mental facilities are AWOL about Trump’s massive and obvious cognitive decline.

$200 billion for the Iran war is ludicrous. In 2008, at the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we spent $187 billion. That was for 180,000 troops and 160,000+ contractors, plus supply and equipment replacement. This is sounding like a forever war.

Pope Leo: “On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East and all women and men of goodwill, I address those responsible for this conflict: cease the fighting, reopen paths of dialogue! Violence can never lead to the justice, stability, and peace that peoples await."

See what “transgender hate” gets us? The world is imploding, but at least MAGA was able to sock it to the teeny tiny percent of people who are trans.

No one is wasting more money than Trump right now …

Why is Amazon Prime trying to push the garbage movie “Melanie” down our throats!?! 🤬

DC cardinal says US decision to go to war with Iran was not morally legitimate www.ncronline.org/news/washing...

Cupich: “A real war with real death and real suffering being treated like it’s a video game -it’s sickening. Hundreds of people are dead, mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, including scores of children who made the fatal mistake of going to school that day.” www.archchicago.org/en/statement...

Is it worth breaking the global economy and losing American soldiers and allied civilians to stop Iran from being ruled by extreme clerics?

Trump’s foolish and illegal foray into Iran is like stepping into quicksand. He cannot pick up his marbles and go home, leaving 20% of global shipping through the strait of Hormuz paralyzed. He cannot indefinitely suppress Iran's cheap drones with $4 million Patriot missles. And no ground troops.

Israel will use the Iran war as an excuse to take more land in Lebanon. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and UAE will pocket huge gains from sky high oil prices — more than enough to pay continuing bribes to Trump and Kushner. The losers: the global economy (but mostly the US). Thanks a lot you MAGA morons.

“you may fly over a land forever; you may bomb it, atomize it, pulverize it and wipe it clean of life—but if you desire to defend it, protect it, and keep it for civilization, you must do this on the ground, the way the Roman legions did, by putting your young men into the mud.” T. R. Fehrenbach

Trump has become addicted to bombing, renditioning and sanctioning countries to bend them to our will. It’s all about him. It makes him feel powerful bc he knows he’s weak. It is bad policy even when the target is as vile and brutal as the ayatollahs.

How is it possible that Kristi Noem still has this job. Imagine if you’re a family member or a shipmate of this guardsman. www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...

The Winter Olympics start today, and we will feel pride and honor for our country. But when we see our criminal, delusional President, we feel none of those things. I’ve faced off with him before, and now I’m ready to take him on in Congress.

Santa Fe’s Archbishop Wester: “In recent days, we have witnessed Speaker of the House Mike Johnson publicly criticizing Pope Leo XIV’s position of welcoming the stranger”

NEW: An Arkansas bishop is comparing Donald Trump’s America to Nazi Germany. Bishop Anthony Taylor joins a growing revolt inside the Catholic Church, as Pope Leo and U.S. bishops escalate their warnings about Trump-Vance’s MAGA authoritarianism. open.substack.com/pub/lettersf...

This Administration must be uprooted and dismantled. If they are allowed to make a tactical retreat with minimal consequences for their self-described "surge" of force against an American city, they will do it again and again and again.

The anthem we need

ICE agents would be disqualified from working in California law enforcement and inside the public school system under a new bill introduced in the Legislature this week. A good start.

Pope Leo’s top U.S. ally — Cardinal Joseph Tobin — calls on Congress to defund ICE.

Wow! This read-along of the NYT moment-by-moment leading to the murder of Alex Pretti should shake everyone awake. He was a Good Samaritan. Agents fired at least ten shots in roughly five seconds. DHS and Pam Bondi claim Pretti approached them armed and intent on a “massacre.”