Ben Alpers
@benalpers.bsky.social
Professor of US History. Author of HAPPY DAYS: IMAGES OF THE PRE-SIXTIES PAST IN SEVENTIES AMERICA (Rutgers University Press, 2024). Opinions are entirely my own. He/him.
Reposted by Ben Alpers
Well, it was either all this or another black person in a Star Wars movie
January 3, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Well, it was either all this or another black person in a Star Wars movie
Reposted by Ben Alpers
This is what happens when you recklessly extend BRICS right up to America’s borders and ignore America’s legitimate security concerns.
January 3, 2026 at 7:45 PM
This is what happens when you recklessly extend BRICS right up to America’s borders and ignore America’s legitimate security concerns.
Reposted by Ben Alpers
Ok let me tell you why legally Venezuela is not Panama
1. Panama declared war formally against the US prior to Operation Just Cause
2. US responded militarily to that declaration of war and seized Panama from the military government
3. Noriega fled into hiding rather than remain as head of state
1. Panama declared war formally against the US prior to Operation Just Cause
2. US responded militarily to that declaration of war and seized Panama from the military government
3. Noriega fled into hiding rather than remain as head of state
a group of people are standing on a stage playing guitars and singing .
ALT: a group of people are standing on a stage playing guitars and singing .
media.tenor.com
January 4, 2026 at 12:25 AM
Ok let me tell you why legally Venezuela is not Panama
1. Panama declared war formally against the US prior to Operation Just Cause
2. US responded militarily to that declaration of war and seized Panama from the military government
3. Noriega fled into hiding rather than remain as head of state
1. Panama declared war formally against the US prior to Operation Just Cause
2. US responded militarily to that declaration of war and seized Panama from the military government
3. Noriega fled into hiding rather than remain as head of state
Reposted by Ben Alpers
Anyway it’s stupid as fuck for democrats to “he may have been a bad guy, but…” when it comes to black bagging people
Trump’s also calling Tim Walz a criminal leader in Minnesota who is conducting fraud. What’s stopping him from just snatching him up too? If anything that seems far less risky than snatching a foreign leader.
January 4, 2026 at 1:41 AM
Anyway it’s stupid as fuck for democrats to “he may have been a bad guy, but…” when it comes to black bagging people
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personally I think if a story about an illegal war and kidnapping leaks to you should publish it.
NEW: Plans for secret U.S. raid to capture Maduro leaked to the Washington Post and New York Times before it happened, but both decided not to publish to protect U.S. troops - Semafor
January 4, 2026 at 6:07 AM
personally I think if a story about an illegal war and kidnapping leaks to you should publish it.
Reposted by Ben Alpers
If you are a trans person and you think you might need to leave the country, I implore you: start now. Not just thinking. Planning. Because it’s harder than you think.
#transrightsarehumanrights #transgender #protecttranskids
#transrightsarehumanrights #transgender #protecttranskids
January 4, 2026 at 12:40 AM
If you are a trans person and you think you might need to leave the country, I implore you: start now. Not just thinking. Planning. Because it’s harder than you think.
#transrightsarehumanrights #transgender #protecttranskids
#transrightsarehumanrights #transgender #protecttranskids
Reposted by Ben Alpers
It's good to know that not even a little wargasm can dissuade him from his one true love -- being a lying sack of shit.
Donald Trump is now reposting videos on Truth Social suggesting that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz had Melissa Hortman assassinated.
This is objectively evil, and calling it out should not be political.
This is objectively evil, and calling it out should not be political.
January 4, 2026 at 12:13 AM
It's good to know that not even a little wargasm can dissuade him from his one true love -- being a lying sack of shit.
Reposted by Ben Alpers
So it's appropriate to arrest a world leader if you consider them criminal? You can just go get them? Just asking questions here.
January 3, 2026 at 5:18 PM
So it's appropriate to arrest a world leader if you consider them criminal? You can just go get them? Just asking questions here.
Reposted by Ben Alpers
he’s probably going to unfollow me for this but I don’t really care. Polis is the worst elected Dem in the country imo
![Jared Polis
@jaredpolis
Follow back
"¡Libertad!" Today I celebrate with the people of Venezuela in Colorado and elsewhere. The tyrant has fallen!
1:57 PM • 1/3/26 • 228K Views
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sam
@sam_d_1995• 18s
what happens now, jared?
ill
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Zaid Jilani
@ZaidJilani • 1h
Nobody is free in Venezuela and there's rocky days ahead. For a libertarian you're sure caping for state power. Trumps in particular.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:gouysuoxatjdb5bjcqe4sfh7/bafkreieuo5re5yikud2twzqgsfgqly456kg6xjvkotdyg2j6v4ddxnoeee@jpeg)
January 3, 2026 at 9:06 PM
he’s probably going to unfollow me for this but I don’t really care. Polis is the worst elected Dem in the country imo
Reposted by Ben Alpers
At least respect us enough to tell us that Venezuela did 9/11
January 4, 2026 at 12:23 AM
At least respect us enough to tell us that Venezuela did 9/11
Reposted by Ben Alpers
So for months they have tried to blame the entire fentanyl crisis on Venezuela and the indictment only mentions cocaine, which they pardoned a different guy for weeks ago
January 3, 2026 at 2:03 PM
So for months they have tried to blame the entire fentanyl crisis on Venezuela and the indictment only mentions cocaine, which they pardoned a different guy for weeks ago
Reposted by Ben Alpers
New Interview: www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
January 3, 2026 at 9:42 PM
New Interview: www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a...
Easily the weakest statement from Democrats I've read today. The party needs better Congressional leadership. Judging from all the better statements, they'd likely do better just pulling the names of a Democratic Congressperson and a Democratic Senator out of a hat.
This is *extremely* weak leadership from Jeffries and Schumer. When the wannabe king ignores congress to initiate regime change abroad, they are requesting a fucking briefing sometime soon.
January 3, 2026 at 10:32 PM
Easily the weakest statement from Democrats I've read today. The party needs better Congressional leadership. Judging from all the better statements, they'd likely do better just pulling the names of a Democratic Congressperson and a Democratic Senator out of a hat.
Despite my annoyance at the worst statements coming from the Democratic leaders of each house of Congress, I think this is largely correct...though it's a shame that the party seems saddled with leadership that seems so far below replacement value.
This please. What matters from Dems right now is choosing the correct side, which almost all are doing, not the quality of their statements. (Also there's a range from pretty good and inept; marinating in the worst ones rather than amplifying the good ones is a choice.)
it is both true that dem leadership statements suck and also true that if you are vomiting in anger over them are you are very definitely reacting to the wrong thing right now.
January 3, 2026 at 10:17 PM
Despite my annoyance at the worst statements coming from the Democratic leaders of each house of Congress, I think this is largely correct...though it's a shame that the party seems saddled with leadership that seems so far below replacement value.
Reposted by Ben Alpers
NYT gonna NYT: "Both Mr. Mamdani and Mr. Maduro identify as socialists, though they have no relationship.” — would be funny if they did this every time you write about two capitalists.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/w...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/w...
Mamdani Called Trump to Criticize Venezuela Strikes
www.nytimes.com
January 3, 2026 at 10:01 PM
NYT gonna NYT: "Both Mr. Mamdani and Mr. Maduro identify as socialists, though they have no relationship.” — would be funny if they did this every time you write about two capitalists.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/w...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/w...
The idea that the right way for the Democratic Congressional leadership to deal with the fact that this Congress will never impeach, let alone convict, Trump is to lie and claim that clearly impeachable offenses aren't is politically insane.
January 3, 2026 at 9:28 PM
The idea that the right way for the Democratic Congressional leadership to deal with the fact that this Congress will never impeach, let alone convict, Trump is to lie and claim that clearly impeachable offenses aren't is politically insane.
"This is clearly an impeachable offense. But our job in the Senate begins after the House impeaches the President." How hard is that for Schumer to say?
Impeaching Trump would also require Republican support. Yet, folks up and down this app are expecting that to magically happen. How is that any different from what Schumer is saying?
January 3, 2026 at 8:43 PM
"This is clearly an impeachable offense. But our job in the Senate begins after the House impeaches the President." How hard is that for Schumer to say?
Far and away the worst Democratic responses to this that I've read have been from the party's two Congressional leaders. I wish I thought that other Democrats could take a hint and oust Schumer and Jeffries. They're worse than useless.
Asked about the possibility of impeachment, Schumer says "we hope that we can have support from our Republican colleagues to put a brake on this long before it gets that far"
January 3, 2026 at 8:35 PM
Far and away the worst Democratic responses to this that I've read have been from the party's two Congressional leaders. I wish I thought that other Democrats could take a hint and oust Schumer and Jeffries. They're worse than useless.
Reposted by Ben Alpers
The FIFA Peace Prize used to mean something
January 3, 2026 at 6:12 PM
The FIFA Peace Prize used to mean something
Reposted by Ben Alpers
This is the wild part about the whole Trump experience, even when he says politically disastrous things, reporters rush in to fill in the blanks and steelman his arguments. As soon as they cut away from him saying “we’ll run it,” they cut to someone saying “obviously he didn't mean that.”
January 3, 2026 at 5:40 PM
This is the wild part about the whole Trump experience, even when he says politically disastrous things, reporters rush in to fill in the blanks and steelman his arguments. As soon as they cut away from him saying “we’ll run it,” they cut to someone saying “obviously he didn't mean that.”
Reposted by Ben Alpers
Blows my mind that some of the same journalists who see Trump as a want-to-be dictator at home are earnestly discussing the "challenges" for this same man to "bring democracy" to a country it just illegal invaded. Please grow up.
January 3, 2026 at 6:16 PM
Blows my mind that some of the same journalists who see Trump as a want-to-be dictator at home are earnestly discussing the "challenges" for this same man to "bring democracy" to a country it just illegal invaded. Please grow up.
Reposted by Ben Alpers
French Foreign Ministry: “The removal of Maduro from power and the violation of sovereignty constitute a serious act of aggression against the dignity of the Venezuelan people and their right to determine their own future.
January 3, 2026 at 3:02 PM
French Foreign Ministry: “The removal of Maduro from power and the violation of sovereignty constitute a serious act of aggression against the dignity of the Venezuelan people and their right to determine their own future.
I suspect that Trump and his gang think that what was wrong with the neocons of the early 2000s is that the explicit (if crackpot) goal of their imperialism was to spread democracy around the world.
January 3, 2026 at 6:01 PM
I suspect that Trump and his gang think that what was wrong with the neocons of the early 2000s is that the explicit (if crackpot) goal of their imperialism was to spread democracy around the world.
Reposted by Ben Alpers
Kidnapping an asshole is still kidnapping
January 3, 2026 at 12:57 PM
Kidnapping an asshole is still kidnapping
So far it looks like Mexico is willing to condemn Trump's criminality, while the EU isn't.
"Mexico strongly condemns and rejects the military actions carried out unilaterally ... by armed forces of the United States of America against targets in the territory of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in clear violation of Article 2 of the [UN] Charter"
www.gob.mx/sre/prensa/m...
www.gob.mx/sre/prensa/m...
January 3, 2026 at 2:20 PM
So far it looks like Mexico is willing to condemn Trump's criminality, while the EU isn't.