It's meaningful that this is Santos. He has no friends. He has no power. He has no influence. This isn't the kind of corruption where Trump gets money or favors. This is a message: no matter how big an asshole you are or how much everyone hates you, the law does not bind you if you are a Republican.

I feel like this photo of masked, armed men pepper spraying a pastor protecting his community is going to be a defining picture of this moment in America for a long, long time.

Authoritarians fear only one thing: DEFIANCE‼️ (Downtown Portland)

The only way out is if we finally finish Reconstruction

I kept hoping for a Third Reconstruction; all I got was a lousy t-shirt with Joe Manchin’s face, Sinema stunts, and memories of Joe Biden getting very close to understanding the moment but never rallying Dems with a message and a clearly articulated, once-in-a-lifetime vision to get quite there.

Paul McCartney mentioning that he hung out with Jimi Hendrix and he was a “cool guy” is such an insane flex in 2025

I have plans. #NoKingsInAmerica

In our country, the power is with the people. Tomorrow, October 18, I encourage you to join your neighbors in peaceful protest at a No Kings event.

The war zone in Portland is out of control.

Not being even vaguely sarcastic: At some point, a journalist needs to ask Johnson “you regularly claim you have no idea what your own government is doing. If we take you at your word, how are you so poorly informed, and do you this level of ignorance should disqualify you as speaker?”

I'd like to believe it'll be peaceful but you know the lunatic in charge has his hired goons in place to start some shit. Tom Homan is already making threats. They want this to be their Kent State

Jeffries: "What's hateful is what happened on January 6. That was a Hate America Rally sponsored by Donald Trump and his sycophants who incited a violent mob to storm the Capitol. That is what hate looks like. What you will see this weekend is what patriotism looks like."

And a reminder: I love seeing vintage acts. (Sorry, Bruce, but you're 70 and your first hit was 40 years ago. Vintage.) Here's two things I wrote about them: www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/... and this (which got a shout-out from The Tubes) www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...

What happens when the military is inevitably handed illegal orders? Who’s going to stand up? Will they have the courage?

All this enthusiasm for Nazis; do they know they were some of history's biggest losers? Scenes from the bunker where Hitler killed himself.....

He did that tonight. Scraps of paper on the piano. Mostly so he could say stuff like "I guarantee you the thing I'm about to play is not in this pile"

It's already No Kings Day in some parts of the world!

Our federal tax dollars are being used to fund a network of government social media accounts that pump out disinformation 24/7. Even during a government shutdown. It’s definitely not essential work.

your fucking tax dollars and mine paid for a bunch of professional government trolls to have at least(!) one actual fucking meeting about how epic it would be to all join bluesky at the same time. people wrote fucking emails about this. from dot gov addresses

One great-grandfather fought insurrectionists at Vicksburg. One great-grandfather fought insurrectionists at Gettysburg. Five uncles & f-i-l fought fascists in WW2. But, further back, was a Hessian who stayed. Hey, he was WHITE & fought for a KING! So my immigrant past might STILL be ok by MAGA.

They are so confident that they will rewrite J6 history. So it's not oblivious hypocrisy. It's in-your-face lying & hypocrisy as fascist power move. It's a corollary to: Rules/laws/decency are for others, not for us.

CBP/ICE/DHS's rationalizations will get darker. Lacking any dissonance, their conscience, diminishing. Lacking substantive conscience, their behavior, more brutal. Whether by their relatives and/or victims coming forward or AI-driven recognition, there must be eventual accountability for thugs. 2/2

Like ordinary Nazis who did horrific things, not because they were psychopaths lacking conscience like some, but w/ conscience so warped they could convince themselves they were doing something righteous, patriotic, even Christian. (Jim Jordan: Lord's work) 1/2 www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

"Yes, for now, we're hoping Stephen sticks with Sturmabteilung & c1933 Dachau, but given his truest feelings, like those of our great Young Republicans, he seems to have some really innovative plans like no one has seen before. Actually, I guess some have. But these will be the best."

All duly noted. But when I call myself an “antifa terrorist” it is to mock this administration’s labeling of any dissent as just this. It is verbal frog suit or tuba-playing, not precise word choice.

"In an authoritarian context, all journalism will tend toward propaganda unless it is explicitly formulated as anti-authoritarian. Unless an institution is explicitly designed to counter authoritarianism, it will end up aiding the authoritarians."

An emotional minute as the word Democracy melts away in front of the US Capitol Building.

As many in law enforcement veer toward MAGA ideology, presumably including "purifying" society & eugenics, we must question whether they will be on the side of justice as the two in this story were. They empathized w/ the teen & his parents. Too many in law enforcement & society at large won't.

A heartrending story (gift link): "Some members see their mission as weeding out society’s weakest, which they deem to include mentally ill, gay or transgender youths." Convergence of online predatory psychopaths w/ the GOP, as exemplified by Young Republicans & too many elected officials, is vile.

BREAKING from PP We found immigration agents have held more than 170 *citizens* The govt doesn't track citizens held. So we did. We tallied: Nearly 20 kids, two w/ cancer More than 20 citizens held for day or more, incommunicado www.propublica.org/article/immi... by @nicolefoy.bsky.social

Absolutely nothing this WH says should be believed. They lie brazenly as performative fascism, w/ impunity. But nothing--NOTHING--should be considered true... Unless verified by independent sources.

After seven rapid-fire lies about what the GOP supposedly still stands for, Johnson's unconscious leaks a truth. Just like Ted Cruz's "stop attacking pedophiles". When you tell brazen, easily disproved lies every time there's a microphone, the unconscious will occasionally issue an objection.

Wow. New Economist poll finds only 34% of Americans say ICE's use of force has been justified, vs 51% who say it's been excessive. And they oppose agents wearing masks by 52-35. Yep, ICE is becoming a pariah agency, and that's gaining deep penetration in the culture:

Vance on "I love Hitler" group chat: "Grow up! Focus on the real issues. Don't focus on what kids say in group chats... The reality is that kids do stupid things, especially young boys — they tell edgy, offensive jokes." You know, "young boys" in their 20s & 30s. Like those crazy kids in Munich.

When the Nazi group chat ruins your talking points

If I had explain American history in one sentence, I could do worse than "John Brown was hung for treason, but Robert E. Lee was not."

Boys will be boys! www.politico.com/cartoons/202...

Cmon everybody they’re just kooky 30-year-old kids, give em a break

Trump’s anti-truth crusade is not just an attack on facts – it’s an unravelling of the Enlightenment | Polly Toynbee

i thought Ezra Levin, one of the organizers of the No Kings gatherings, made such an important profound point yesterday. He said, "Our enemy here is not Trump, our enemy is fatalism and nihilism and cynicism." Once you give up your power, the authoritarian wins.

Authoritarianism is a cancer. And it's growing, metastasizing. In America. Now. YOU are the cure. Do your part and join us on Saturday. Do it for your country. For the Constitution. For your freedoms. While you still can. @ofthebraveusa.bsky.social

Ronald Reagan said it. #NoKings tomorrow 10/18

I remember when people called 40-plus year old father of FIVE Donald Trump Jr. a "kid"

There was no saving the Orioles. There may well be no saving the Ravens. But there is still time and reason to save America. Show up, Baltimore!

Drunk or sober, the dickish, FU persona represents the force well. Likely a pretty random sample. We see it in videos daily.

My marching days are over, but I hope there’ll be an enormous turn-out in Washington DC, along the lines of May 1-5 1971 ! I’m with y’all in heart!

Good. You all asked for this. Now you’re getting it. I have no sympathy.

This is not a border crossing. There’s no law that any of us have to show our papers on the interior. This is a blatant civil rights violation. How is anyone supposed to know whether this man is a real ICE agent or just pretending to be one?!