Alex Bean
@abeanchi.bsky.social
Academic admin. Husband & dad. One-time applicant for Chicago Alderman. Love books, history, movies, & architecture. Trying to ween myself off of being Too Online.
God, there's so many bullshit opinions that will need to be turned over. They're gonna have to do them in bushels.
it is so funny that it is now apparently a bedrock principle of originalism that the unitary executive applies to everything except for the Federal Reserve which is different because we said so
Kavanaugh is sounding even more skeptical than any of the other conservatives. He's coming out and saying "letting you do this would hurt Fed independence".
January 21, 2026 at 4:23 PM
God, there's so many bullshit opinions that will need to be turned over. They're gonna have to do them in bushels.
Reposted by Alex Bean
Mafia goon: Nice house you got here...it'd be a shame if something happened to it
Media outlets: Mafia goon rules out use of force. Expresses regret at the mere thought of it
Media outlets: Mafia goon rules out use of force. Expresses regret at the mere thought of it
January 21, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Mafia goon: Nice house you got here...it'd be a shame if something happened to it
Media outlets: Mafia goon rules out use of force. Expresses regret at the mere thought of it
Media outlets: Mafia goon rules out use of force. Expresses regret at the mere thought of it
Reposted by Alex Bean
Trump can't even remember which country he wants to steal.
Trump is now confusing Greenland and Iceland: "They're not there for us on Iceland, that I can tell you. Our stock market took the first dip yesterday because of Iceland. So Iceland has already cost us a lot of money."
January 21, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Trump can't even remember which country he wants to steal.
Losing yourself in ANYTHING is really helpful right now. Reading, playing video games, working, whatever.
I know a lot of people are looking for ways to feel a little bit more uhhh shall we say, psychologically well-regulated right now without dropping out of news consciousness entirely and it might be different for you but just taking a little time to read away from screens has outsized effects for me
January 21, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Losing yourself in ANYTHING is really helpful right now. Reading, playing video games, working, whatever.
Reposted by Alex Bean
Mark Carney's speech is now only the second most acute analysis of where the world is at right now:
January 21, 2026 at 2:08 PM
Mark Carney's speech is now only the second most acute analysis of where the world is at right now:
Reposted by Alex Bean
I'm still surprised by anyone who defends Trump's tariff policy.
January 21, 2026 at 2:50 PM
I'm still surprised by anyone who defends Trump's tariff policy.
Reposted by Alex Bean
Now that it’s been a couple of days:
I’m glad Miami fans can get back to their regular passion - making Kalshi bets about the outcome of HR complaints leveled against them
I’m glad Miami fans can get back to their regular passion - making Kalshi bets about the outcome of HR complaints leveled against them
January 21, 2026 at 1:07 PM
Now that it’s been a couple of days:
I’m glad Miami fans can get back to their regular passion - making Kalshi bets about the outcome of HR complaints leveled against them
I’m glad Miami fans can get back to their regular passion - making Kalshi bets about the outcome of HR complaints leveled against them
Depressing to consider how different this country is if the election isn’t stolen from Gore in 2000.
January 21, 2026 at 12:51 PM
Depressing to consider how different this country is if the election isn’t stolen from Gore in 2000.
Reposted by Alex Bean
He’s like the Punxatawny Phil of Texans freezing to death
Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was spotted earlier today, January 20, 2026, on a plane heading to Laguna Beach as the state of Texas braces for a rare ice threat and arctic cold front.
January 21, 2026 at 12:21 PM
He’s like the Punxatawny Phil of Texans freezing to death
Lukashenko?!
A board consisting of Trump, Netanyahu, Orban, Lukashenko, Milei, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum could be about many things, but not one of them would be peace. apnews.com/article/mide...
Israel agrees to join Trump’s Board of Peace as some western European nations say no
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's agreed to join U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.
apnews.com
January 21, 2026 at 12:33 PM
Lukashenko?!
Reposted by Alex Bean
I grew up hearing stories from my father about how folks abducted by Franco’s secret police would routinely “escape” to the roof of police HQ and “commit suicide.” The obviousness of the lie was itself an intimidation tactic.
"agents told hospital staff that Castaneda Mondragon ... 'purposefully ran headfirst into a brick wall.'”
A Minnesota man received a life-threatening injury while in ICE custody. It's not clear how he got injured because his memory and ability to communicate are so severely impaired. Agents said "he got his shit rocked." Wild story from @katrinapross.bsky.social sahanjournal.com/health/ice-d...
January 20, 2026 at 10:58 PM
I grew up hearing stories from my father about how folks abducted by Franco’s secret police would routinely “escape” to the roof of police HQ and “commit suicide.” The obviousness of the lie was itself an intimidation tactic.
Reposted by Alex Bean
Strong statement from Rep Jayapal rejecting DHS funding deal:
January 20, 2026 at 11:21 PM
Strong statement from Rep Jayapal rejecting DHS funding deal:
Reposted by Alex Bean
the lesson they took from getting raked over the coals by Indivisible last march was 'well, we survived, it can't be that bad' bsky.app/profile/benk...
They insist on lying to their core supporters! If they'd, from the start, run with the line "the country gave the world historically evil republican party full control of the government, and it leaves us with only cruel choices like this: 'starve millions or let trump establish a secret police..."
January 20, 2026 at 10:30 PM
the lesson they took from getting raked over the coals by Indivisible last march was 'well, we survived, it can't be that bad' bsky.app/profile/benk...
Reposted by Alex Bean
Genuinely insane we are living in a world where the Danish have to deploy a battlegroup to protect themselves against America. Makes my blood turn molten, honestly
January 20, 2026 at 9:32 PM
Genuinely insane we are living in a world where the Danish have to deploy a battlegroup to protect themselves against America. Makes my blood turn molten, honestly
Reposted by Alex Bean
Sucks shit to watch Atlanticism get shot on sixth avenue, but perhaps we will be fortunate enough to build a better New Atlanticism in the near(ish) future
It is even worse than it looks
The Old World Order is Dead
Unipolarity was given, not taken
open.substack.com
January 20, 2026 at 9:22 PM
Sucks shit to watch Atlanticism get shot on sixth avenue, but perhaps we will be fortunate enough to build a better New Atlanticism in the near(ish) future
Reposted by Alex Bean
What this means is that Trump didn't care about her death until he learned her dad was a fan of his. Then it became a problem.
Trump: "ICE is gonna be too rough with somebody. They're gonna make a mistake sometimes. I felt horribly when I was told the young woman had the tragedy. But when I learned her father is - I hope he still is, but I don't know - was a tremendous Trump fan. It's terrible. It's so sad. It just happens"
January 20, 2026 at 8:06 PM
What this means is that Trump didn't care about her death until he learned her dad was a fan of his. Then it became a problem.
Reposted by Alex Bean
The US is literally the only NATO country that's ever used Article 5. Everyone else showed up.
Like... what are you even taking about???
Like... what are you even taking about???
Trump: "The big fear I have with NATO is we spend tremendous amounts of money with NATO and I know we'll come to their rescue, but I just really do question whether or not they'll come to ours. Just saying."
January 20, 2026 at 8:05 PM
The US is literally the only NATO country that's ever used Article 5. Everyone else showed up.
Like... what are you even taking about???
Like... what are you even taking about???
Reposted by Alex Bean
every time I read this, I get apocalyptically apoplectic about how clear it is. it is instant. it does not require explicit congressional action to invoke, it instead only requires that to remove.
donald trump is not the current president right now, according to the constitution.
donald trump is not the current president right now, according to the constitution.
January 20, 2026 at 6:44 PM
every time I read this, I get apocalyptically apoplectic about how clear it is. it is instant. it does not require explicit congressional action to invoke, it instead only requires that to remove.
donald trump is not the current president right now, according to the constitution.
donald trump is not the current president right now, according to the constitution.
Reposted by Alex Bean
Reposted by Alex Bean
The Founders (rightly) thought financial corruption was so concerning they banned it in the Constitution three separate times: the two emoluments clauses, and the only named impeachable offense besides treason.
Starting in 2017, America decided it just kinda didn't matter anymore, whatcha gonna do.
Starting in 2017, America decided it just kinda didn't matter anymore, whatcha gonna do.
UNREAL: Per NY Times amazing reporting today they found "Trump has used the office of the presidency to make at least $1.4 billion. We know this number to be an underestimate because some of his profits remain hidden from public view." We live in a 3rd world sh*thole! www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Opinion | How Trump Has Used the Presidency to Make at Least $1.4 Billion
The president took an oath to serve the American people. Instead, he’s focused his second term on enriching himself and his family.
www.nytimes.com
January 20, 2026 at 6:20 PM
The Founders (rightly) thought financial corruption was so concerning they banned it in the Constitution three separate times: the two emoluments clauses, and the only named impeachable offense besides treason.
Starting in 2017, America decided it just kinda didn't matter anymore, whatcha gonna do.
Starting in 2017, America decided it just kinda didn't matter anymore, whatcha gonna do.
Reposted by Alex Bean
The king cannot be wrong, only misled by wicked advisors.
Tillis: "To be clear -- I'm not critical of the president. I'm critical of the bad advice he's getting on Greenland."
January 20, 2026 at 4:45 PM
The king cannot be wrong, only misled by wicked advisors.
Reposted by Alex Bean
Trump, an insane man, voluntarily destroying American global economic supremacy while the greatest beneficiaries of that supremacy stand by doing nothing sure is something to see. What can you say really.
January 20, 2026 at 2:04 PM
Trump, an insane man, voluntarily destroying American global economic supremacy while the greatest beneficiaries of that supremacy stand by doing nothing sure is something to see. What can you say really.
Reposted by Alex Bean
The UK did this deal, btw, at significant political and financial cost, so that the US could keep operating a crucial regional military base at Diego Garcia.
Donald Trump and Marco Rubio both welcomed the deal. There is nothing in it for the UK other than helping the US relationship. So: hmmmm.
Donald Trump and Marco Rubio both welcomed the deal. There is nothing in it for the UK other than helping the US relationship. So: hmmmm.
Trump on his website laying in to the UK over Diego Garcia as an act of “GREAT STUPIDITY”, cites it as a reason the US should “acquire” Greenland
January 20, 2026 at 12:41 PM
The UK did this deal, btw, at significant political and financial cost, so that the US could keep operating a crucial regional military base at Diego Garcia.
Donald Trump and Marco Rubio both welcomed the deal. There is nothing in it for the UK other than helping the US relationship. So: hmmmm.
Donald Trump and Marco Rubio both welcomed the deal. There is nothing in it for the UK other than helping the US relationship. So: hmmmm.
Begging Congress to do its fucking job.
The Guardian had a rundown of Trump's late night Truth Social binge, which included "an AI generated visual of himself planting the US flag on Greenland."
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
January 20, 2026 at 12:36 PM
Begging Congress to do its fucking job.
Woah!
TITLE GAME POSTGAME WIN EXPECTANCY: Indiana 14.1%!
Full 2025 list here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Full 2025 list here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
2025 SP+
docs.google.com
January 20, 2026 at 12:22 PM
Woah!