Looks like 'the rose garden strategy' will be used by DJT at his 'state fair', despite having paved it over. And if he feels safe headlining a large rally on the WH lawn, maybe he doesn't need to build a new ballroom afterall. The Andrew W Mellon ballroom should still be enough.

Remember when Sandra Day O'Connor expressed regret for SCOTUS's intervention in the Bush v Gore election dispute in FL in 2000? She said, in retrospect, it harmed the reputation of SCOTUS and would be better to not get involved in state election disputes. How far we've come since then!

Steve Pearce for Director of BLM??? Are you kidding me? The man who blasted T Roosevelt for creating national forests and parks? This administration of lies has reached a new low.

John Roberts (2006): "It's a sordid business, this divvying us up by race". 2026: Let's instead allow gerrymandering of the (formerly United) states in America by political party, and consider it 'fixed'.

Magnolia blooms.

Trump got 5 draft deferments to avoid serving in Vietnam. He now claims he'd have ended that war in 5 months if he'd been president. It's unclear what era he embraces with his 'MAGA' nonsense, but J. Welch's 1954 'have you no sense of decency?' speech would be worth revisiting about now.

The 1918 flu pandemic killed somewhere between 45,000- 100,000 US soldiers in WW I. Sickened troops deploying globally from KS likely fueled the global spread. Alas, we had no vaccine then. Pete Hegseth just abolished the flu vaccine mandate for troops. What's the worst that could happen?

Sad truth -Obama would've been ok with Trump repackaging the original US deal with Iran and splashing his name across it... for Obama, what matters is the welfare of the U.S.. For Trump, it's all about ego. Enjoy your ego, Mr Trump, sir.

To the person who wrote "The Art of The Deal": Please report to the White House Oval Office immediately to once again assist the president. It's a matter of national security and international urgency.

TSA has had a tough situation for weeks - working short-staffed and without pay. Today their job got even worse. Now they do their same jobs, still short-staffed and without pay - while watching ICE agents do absolutely nothing,yet being paid to do nothing. Great morale boost, Mr Trump.

...when he feels it in his bone spurs.

Not sure I'm ready to face more 'news' today. It's kind of safe just hiding in the tunnels.

We need to stop naming stuff for living people - wait til they're gone and honor their memory. Also, avoid choosing names that were trademarked in anticipation of monetizing such 'honors'.

Gosh, I wonder if all the immigrants who had their IRS data illegally shared with DHS will each sue the government for 10 billion dollars?

So instead of handing over voter data, MN can now get rid of ICE by providing $50K in a take-out bag. No questions asked.

Check out Marco Rubio's 'blink rate'! He's either lying through his teeth or his anxiety levels exceed normal levels of functioning.

ICE fled Chicago just as judicial rulings came down, and just ahead of a snowstorm. Chicago temps are above freezing for 1st time in a week, and, as if these dainties were following the forecast, ICE returned to terrorize our communities. In above freezing temps, of course.

I have a lyric brainworm stuck in my head today : "Admiral Holsey notified me / He had to have a berth or he couldn't get to sea..." Today we heard from Adm. Bradley, now it's time to hear from Retired Adm Holsey!

If you got in there, you can get out!

Sen J Thune - in all due respect, do you not understand how insurance works? You say ACA is filled w/ waste fraud and abuse-and more than half' of the insured never filed a claim last yr. It's NOT bec they didn't know they had insurance, as you claim! Please educate yourself on how insurance works.

So disappointing that Trump's civil rights Ass't AG Dhillon is stepping in to challenge IL's Assault Weapons Ban, particularly at this time. IL has a gun problem and is unable to stop the illegal flow of guns from IN into IL. Now Trump wants to undo the ban on assault weapons.

It's official- the purple people eaters are here in Chicago. Locals are nervous but hopeful and looking to Mr Johnson for leadership. We look forward to seeing what damage the Monsters of the Midway can do. Go Bears!

PSA: stimulant misuse Reminder - DON'T chew stimulants- it briefly enhances effect but wears off quicker, risking misuse /addiction. Too much causes aggression/hostility, restlessness, self absorption and paranoia. It may improve memory/cognitive function in elderly, but there are medical risks.

The soldier cosplay in DC is for Trump and the cameras. Trump claims Chicago is full of red hats ready to welcome 'his' military. Maybe it's time to reclaim red hats from political bondage. A sea of red hats with non-MAGA messages, maybe?

I'm confused. Is the military occupation of D.C. intended to reduce crime, arrest immigrants or safeguard the integrity of the Epstein files?

столько побед! (So much winning!)

Would Trump still order the National Guard to goosestep through DC if the Fox cameras weren't there to record it?

Netanyahu is blind to signs of starvation in Gaza, just as Trump is blind to signs of economic collapse in the US. Two peas in a pod.

Sometime between 1/6/21 and 8/11/25, Donald Trump learned how to summon the Nat'l Guard in DC. What changed?

Our household quickly turns off the TV whenever Kristi Noem comes on delivering her awful anti- immigrant PSA. Does anyone else do this? Does it even register with the station that airs the propaganda?

Ironic that Trump likes "Mexican Coke" better than "Regular Coke". Once CocaCola launches its cane sugar Coke in the US, I bet he tries to force a name change. (And RFK,Jr probably wants a return of the very first version of Coca-Cola, as long as they're making retro changes)

Remember the immigrants Trump claimed were eating our cats and dogs? MAGA now wants to feed them to alligators. How far we have come in just 6 months.

Per a WaPo article- US spent $800,000 in Biden Admin for 500 tons of high energy biscuits, to combat food shortages . Trump admin couldn't manage to distribute-despite warnings/ pleas, before exp. date. US spent $130,000 to destroy expired food. Talk about shame and waste in government!

David Ellison- each time your network airs Trump Administration propaganda ("free advertising" per your secret deal) I'll change the channel from paramount /Skyfall for the rest of the day. Promise! I ask other consumers to join me in this. YOU have no conscience, but I do. Support 1st amendment !

The US agreed to send 30 Patriot Missiles to Ukraine. Trump recently withheld sending any. Now, because Putin made him look foolish, he's agreed to release 10 patriot missiles to Ukraine. Mr Trump (sir!), please send the other 20 Patriot missiles, as promised. No excuses! Do your job!

Years ago, my patients were caught in 'welfare to work' policies, giving me a front row seat to the debacle. It was, at best, an exercise in humiliation. Medicaid recipients had to seek work (collect signatures) MONTHLY, experience rejection, to demonstrate their unemployability, to get benefits.

Remember when GW Bush nominated his WH Counsel, Harriet Miers, to replace retiring Sandra Day O'Conner on SCOTUS, but there was so much concern over her qualifications that he nominated Alito instead?

Looking at the budget bill that was just passed by the House - 2025 may not be a good year to buy dolls for Christmas, but it's also not a good year to throw a military parade for the President's birthday. That parade money is definitely needed elsewhere!

After arresting immigrants when they show up for court-mandated interviews and naturalization hearings, do they really think immigrants will reach out to ICE for $1000 and an airline ticket out of the US? The government has shown it can't be trusted re: immigrants and deportations.

Let's elevate the fighters: Van Hollen for risking his life to find Abrego Garcia in El Salvador Booker for his 25 hr speech to expose on Trump & Musk's corruption Schatz for blocking 300 Trump nominees Bernie & AOC for rallying hundreds of thousands of Americans Newsom for suing Trump over tariffs

@altnps.bsky.social Every year I bake a lamb cake with a news worthy theme. This year, we'll honor the heroes of the National Parks System for all they do to protect our country. Thank you!

The Chicago Bulls play the Miami Heat tonight! Can't support my team by wearing a Bulls cap, though. I'm afraid that, just like Kilmar Abrego Garcia, I'll be mistaken for an MS-13 gang member and get dragged off to a gulag in El Salvador.

Rep Rich McCormick (R- GA) just said Americans don't want Kilmar Abrego Garcia back in the US,but Dems keep harping about it to 'try to make Trump look bad'. Dems don't need to 'try to make Trump look bad'. He does this on his own, for free.

Maybe it's time to subpoena those academic records from Wharton.

The Affordable Care Act became law 15 years ago today - what a godsend for our family! My daughter was diagnosed with thyroid cancer right after high school. She was able to undergo surgery, radiation therapy, and followups thanks to insurance coverage till age 26. She’s 6 years cancer free! 💝

What has Trump ever made Great? -Embezzled from a Kid’s Cancer Charity -Trump U failed -Trump wine and steaks failed -Trump Casinos -5x draft dodger -Screwed up Covid response and Afghanistan withdrawal -Initiated the #Jan6 Riot -Lost over 60+ court cases about the big lie #ProudBlue#Voices4Victory

I live on the eastern edge of the central time zone. Today, we had temperatures close to 70 (warmest Day since Nov. 5, 2024), a mass northern movement of Sandhill cranes, and sunset won't be until 6:52 PM. We're celebrating all 3! The natural world proceeds on schedule despite everything else.

Ohhh! Another flip-flop on tariffs . Let's ALL regain confidence in the economy and foreign relations again! Just ignore the 'Tariffs of Damocles' hanging over your head. Thank you, great negotiator, Donald Trump.