"We love our war fighters! In fact, we love them so much, we've asked them to occupy Democratic states! But we don't love them enough to get paid - because it's *Democrats* asking for them to get paid (including for being occupied by them)." Have I got that right?

That is why they use the language of war. War against terror > Antifa = terror > Protesters = Antifa > War against protesters > US military deployed to use lethal force against protesters.

I’m so damn spooked by this headline www.reuters.com/legal/govern...

Not sure about "great", but I watched Ted Lasso because @charlotteclymer.bsky.social recommended it?

Excellent, well-reasoned and -documented analysis (with dozens of quotable insights) on the art of bootstrapping moral superiority and legitimacy, and why Church and State have no business occupying the same space.

Pritzker: "He wants to militarize major cities because he wants us to get used to the idea of troops on the streets. I believe he's gonna post people outside of polling places and if he needs to in order to control those elections, he'll assume control of the ballot boxes & count the votes himself"

Trump's kneejerk response to anything/anyone he doesn't like: "[X] should be in jail". Without ever referencing any actual criminal offence or act of wrongdoing remotely subject to penal sanction. That tells you all you need to know about his fascist instincts and ignorance of the rule of law.

Canada vs. America

The elimination of USAID is a moral atrocity and all involved made a choice to enable, and then lie about, ending the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in the world.

Good. The vote may not succeed on its merits, but it WILL succeed in definitively rooting out those who are willing to submit to fascism and dictatorship (and seeing their constituents added to such lists for opposing them).

Any briefing notes I was ever involved in for ministers appearing before parliamentary committees contained substantive responses/talking points for anticipated questions. This is consistent with the Trump administration's approach to governance: Zero substance - just destruction, aggression and BS.

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.

This orange moron is a disgrace to humanity and the United States' undying shame.

The correct question is, "Were you lying then, or are you lying now?"

If there is any justice at all, it will be @margaretatwood.bsky.social.

Why is EVERY news story I get from independent media (that I subscribe to) accompanied by a money ask or a donation button? I already pay you, good people.

Cartoon by @deadder.bsky.social. #TrumpShutdown

“Pro-life”

"But the frog is OUR rallying mascot! We have to call Stephen Miller and tell him people are being mean to us."

Harmeet Dhillon (DOJ) publicly targeted this judge on Twitter a couple weeks ago.

Who are the morons that are applauding this? Do they understand they are sworn to defend ALL Americans?

"We have a Hulk."

While I appreciate the sentiment, I do wish people would do basic homework. The ICC does NOT have jurisdiction over matters internal to the US since the US is NOT a State Party to the Rome Statute. Attacks on Venezuelan fishing boats may be different, given that Venezuela *is* a Party.

Happy #caturday to all those celebrating! Oh, and buy your cat a weasel.

Weaponized gratitude is a key tool in the abuser's toolkit. The goal is to convince the victim that they owe the abuser so much, they should feel guilty for wanting to complain.

Remember: •1 million seconds is about 11 days •1 billion seconds is about 32 years •Musk now controls $500B and 500B seconds is about 16,000 years. Billionaires are the only minority destroying our country. Abolish billionaires. Invest in working people. Save our democracy.

Considering how dishonest Republicans and FOX News have been discussing the shutdown, perhaps a News network like @msnbc.com should change their tag line to say: "We are the alternative to alternative facts. WE ARE THE TRUTH."

Intriguingly, none of these corrupt acquisitions should fall within the SCOTUS immunity ruling - not presidential acts. The only thing that helps the Trumps evade prosecution (for now) are a corrupt FBI and DOJ, and Trump’s own orders to stop prosecuting bribery and corruption. Their day will come.

Trump's Justice Department is firing the people who prosecute terrorists, Jake Tapper argues. The president's politically motivated personnel decisions make "the United States and the world less safe":

As if irony isn’t already dead, the Hatch Act violation on the DOJ website, which blames Democrats for the shutdown, appears on the page advising DOJ employees they are subject to the Hatch Act. joycevance.substack.com/p/a-note-abo...

RIP Dr. Jane Goodall. An inspiration to humankind, in her substantive research and insights, her conservation/climate advocacy, as well as a model for women and girls in the world of science. The world is poorer for her passing, but richer for her presence and legacy. May her memory be a blessing.

I hope Trump is not allowed to show his face at a 9/11 Memorial ever again.

"In 1973, an Air Force nuclear-missile officer named Harold Hering asked a simple question during a training session: 'How can I know that an order I receive to launch my missiles came from a sane president?' ... How many officers left the room asking themselves Major Hering’s question?"

I'm sure this image is trying to tell me something...

NEW: Statement from VoteVets Senior Advisor MG (Ret.) Paul Eaton on SecDef Pete Hegseth's bizarre gathering of hundreds of generals and admirals at Quantico, Virginia: "These are not serious people and they are making us less secure — not more lethal."

This is the language of terrorism, war crimes, and state-sanctioned atrocity crimes. With this speech, Hegseth has command responsibility - as well as responsibility for incitement - in respect of any crimes committed by US troops as a result, including under US law. (See War Crimes Act of 1996.)

And there it is. Congratulations, rural American voters.

"Y'all go look, act, kill, and avoid accountability like Rambo, or I'll hurl my beer stein at you after I finish doing my two assisted chin-ups for the camera!"

Eggs, meet basket.

When dictators lose their grip domestically, they lash out externally… Tale as old as time. Orban’s days are numbered and he knows it.

Well, they have them in Star Trek, and that's on TV, so they must be real, yes?

He’s really trying for that Nobel Peace Prize…

Oh, great. So you’re sick, possibly disabled, and are sent off to do what amounts to forced labour? Don’t Republicans always call the Democrats “commies”? Hmm.

War ravaged Portland.

Clear grounds for removing Trump from office. He’s sending America’s military against a domestic terror organization that does not exist fighting a war that is not happening. He’s gone completely and dangerously mad.

And if that doesn't get everyone to stop talking about the Epstein files, inflation, and bad job numbers, there's always the option of starting a war with Venezuela

And I suppose "Antifa" is anyone protesting against Trump, i.e. against fascism. American democracy and the freedom of expression, assembly, and dissent had a nice run...

Well, Trump’s cabinet is a national security threat, so he’s just extrapolating?