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i have given up on “can you imagine if a democrat said this” comparisons, but i think the utterly brazen contempt this admin has for the average american is something which should be discussed far more often than it is

I don’t think people really understand how bad the OMB proposed rule is going to be for state and local govt. We’re talking about putting a full third of state budgets under the explicit control of Russ Vought. (1/2) www.bondbuyer.com/news/cities-...

really think that if democrats hold any chamber of congress next year that a condition of passing a budget is the removal of russ vought, who has a genuinely tyrannical vision of presidential power and is a focal point of the lawlessness of the trump administration

Nothing in the agency cases held that Trump could simply shut down an agency of Congress’s creation. That’s what he has done with the election Assistance commission which now lacks commissioners to act. It’s taking the courts cases to the ultimate conclusion and just disabling an important agency.

Article II of the Constitution gives the President the duty ("he shall") to "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed." This is the opposite of that. Even if SCOTUS is right that he can fire agency heads for cause, SCOTUS didn't say he can shut down an agency created by Congress.

President Trump's net job approval of -25 is lower than Joe Biden's net approval at this stage of his presidency, and lower than Biden ever reached. (@dhmontgomery.com @today.yougov.com) More, via Opinion Today: opiniontoday.substack.com/p/260708-top...

he is not being covered as if he is a terminally unpopular lame duck because the media sees him attempting a coup and attempting to rig elections and think it would be more fun to help him do that than it would be to help stop him

"The decision by the university’s AAUP chapter to retain outside lawyers is the latest example of faculty members and other groups choosing to fight settlements with Trump in ways that the colleges themselves often seem reluctant to." @aaup.org @yaleaaup.bsky.social

that escalated quickly- national average now at $3.85/gal as recent oil price rise and new Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries has added to the jump. for now, we're likely to break the 8-week streak of gas prices falling

Cyclosporiasis, the parasite causing the current explosive diarrhea outbreak, is at a level 20x higher than its yearly average. This comes just 1 year after the Trump admin removed a cyclospora tracking mandate from the 'Foodborne Disease Active Surveillance Network.'

Alarming story that confirms my own reporting along similar lines: Dan Moraff, the political strategist who plucked Graham Platner out of obscurity to run for senate and barely vetted him, was barred from Rep. Summer Lee’s 2022 campaign after three complaints of sexual misconduct.

Extremely difficult to overstate how boned the United States is if foreign scientists like this man start viewing China as a more attractive place to work. Like that's it, that's the entire ballgame. Figure out how to leave the country and get your money out of dollars.

“This was especially appalling for pretenure faculty members,” Krebs said, adding that “people’s careers depend on access to this kind of research support.” Just because the grants are being restored doesn't mean people's careers didn't suffer.

"Historically, abandoning Google Search would have been commercial suicide, according to SEO consultant Lily Ray. It is simply too valuable...But the gradual erosion of search traffic in recent years has, paradoxically, given publishers more agency to consider walking away from the platform."

"Electorates cannot be held collective responsible for their decisions" is one of the most anti-small-d democratic views you can have btw.

8 right-wing men

How about Canada will stop boycotting California wine when our Senator stops voting to approve Trump's cabinet and judicial nominees? For instance, here's Marco Rubio, who @schiff.senate.gov voted to confirm:

Russian Liberal behavior

You could definitely give these people a Trojan Horse and they’d be like “wow a big horse thank you” www.nytimes.com/2026/07/09/u...

ICE agents must be tried for the murder of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo.

so ICE did a kavanaugh stop and murdered a man www.nytimes.com/2026/07/09/u...

California’s vintners spent millions to elect Trump. Do these winegrowers regret their decision, and will they say so publicly? If not, I see no reason why Canada should lift any restrictions. Canada did not start this trade war; California winegrowers did through their chosen candidate: Trump.

Man, nobody could build a shithouse like the WPA.

Discovered the scientific name of the common jay just now and knew immediately what I must do

Directing Graham Platner’s campaign

"Today, Davey Hearn pled not guilty — because he is not guilty," Norm Eisen, one of his attorneys, said outside DC Superior Court. "If Mr. Hearn can be charged with a felony for touching the reflecting pool, every American is at risk — and every American should be alarmed about this prosecution."

ICE did that thing where it murders someone then tries to coerce witnesses into silence again. Horrific stuff via @gregsargent.bsky.social. newrepublic.com/article/2129...

So does the US really not get whats up?

OH YOU SHOULD FUNDRAISE FOR ADS IN A CONTESTED SENATE RACE? nobody told me this, I didn’t know, I’m just a little birthday boy

All history will say is it was amazing it took this long. And the millions who get sick or die of this should never forgive us.

this is the guy you worked with at a minimum wage job who talked shit all day and periodically said something so profound you think about it 20 years later

On this day in 1981, Richard Cobb got an honorary degree from the University of Essex. That may not seem significant to you, but it makes this afternoon the 45th anniversary of one of the finest graduation addresses ever delivered 🧵

God this is pathetic. I thought masculinity was about taking responsibility…

yeah, not all that surprised that a guy who was incapable of taking responsibility for any of his choices or decisions also refuses to take responsibility for this one.

update:

Incredibly entertaining (and affirming) convo on the need for younger leaders in the NYT's focus group with Black voters. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Any #skystorians know of particularly vivid accounts of hurricanes in the #earlymodern period?

I remember when the New York Times sent a push notification when Biden did this. I only learned about this from it randomly appearing in my feed five hours later

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear sent a public letter to Sen. Mitch McConnell requesting a full update on his health, citing weeks of limited information since McConnell’s June 14 hospitalization. Beshear called for transparency about his ability to serve.

They’re doing state distribution of resources while they complain about Communism.

This woman has been the subject of three NYT pieces in 2025-26

It's hard for me not to see this as a bunch of well-educated professionals at the NYT using the paper to discuss their anxieties.

Deep within the Pentagon, dozens of men rush to ready their greatest weapon, which must be deployed before Friday at 4pm: Barak Ravid's cell phone number and a not-very-convincing leak that negotiations are back on.

I feel like this image, alone, has the potential for tremendous usage in replies:

DAWG WE'RE DOING STATE-RUN GAS PRICES AT PRICE CONTROLLED RATES DESPITE INCREASING SHORTAGES TO PACIFY THE PEOPLE AND THEY'RE SCREAMING ABOUT HOW THEIR OPPONENTS WANT COMMUNISM I AM GOING TO LOSE MY ENTIRE GODDAMN MIND

You know, I said the other day that we weren't going to have serious supply depletion because fuel would just get expensive, but frankly that's me underselling the Trump Administration's ability to make bad decisions

The US govt, markets, and a lot of media told you there's peace with Iran and shipping is flowing. What's actually happened is the war entered a new phase: the fight for Hormuz. Trump lost his war so badly the US aim now is just to get back to the pre-war status quo. I explain in @ms.now, ICYMI:

this is honestly the most cynical I have ever been, it is just "he has to succeed because if he doesn't we're fucked" being repeated ad nauseum