Ben Cairns
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Ben Cairns
@bencairns.bsky.social
*Scrolling anxiously*
Reposted by Ben Cairns
🚨 The Shocking Truth About Self-Censorship in Politics 🚨

What happens when people prioritize economic promises over democracy?

Watch the full episode here to find out: youtu.be/2G_Yixuc3Qg
February 17, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Reposted by Ben Cairns
Bernie Sanders: "We're not only dealing with a move toward authoritarianism, we're dealing with what is new to America -- politicians have always lied, nothing new about that. But the level that we're seeing right now. The big lie, over and over again ... "
February 19, 2025 at 2:44 AM
First we got Kendrick at the Super Bowl and now Macklemore put this out?

So encouraging to see artists with titanium spines while so many other public figures continue to disappoint us.

This song (and video) are so punk I am actually kind of scared for the dude:

youtu.be/sn9EKC9nqU4?...
MACKLEMORE - fucked up (official video)
YouTube video by Macklemore
youtu.be
February 13, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Reposted by Ben Cairns
This reads like the opening paragraph of a novel so bleakly dystopian you'd put it down after five pages
February 12, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Reposted by Ben Cairns
In an email obtained by NPR, employees at EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights were told they were on administrative leave, effective immediately.
EPA employees who work on environmental justice are put on leave
In an email obtained by NPR, employees at EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights were told they were on administrative leave, effective immediately.
www.npr.org
February 7, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Reposted by Ben Cairns
Received a letter from POTUS today purporting to remove me as Commissioner and Chair of the FEC. There's a legal way to replace FEC commissioners-this isn't it. I've been so fortunate to serve the American people and stir up some good trouble along the way. That's not changing anytime soon.
February 6, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Reposted by Ben Cairns
To recap, Trump:

-Forced out the FAA chief at Musk's insistence
-Imposed a hiring freeze that reportedly included air traffic controllers
-Fired the TSA head and gutted a key aviation safety committee
-Blamed the DCA crash on DEI

This is disastrous leadership.
January 31, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Possibly the best take I’ve heard on Trump’s base. Anyone who knows a Trump supporter has seen this firsthand. Hating and lying can feel great. Holding empathy and thinking critically can be exhausting (sometimes even painful). So how do we break through the catharsis of hate?
Free to hate-delivers the votes
January 24, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Reposted by Ben Cairns
Free to hate-delivers the votes
January 24, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Reposted by Ben Cairns
Where is Debbie Dingell, head of the Committee Chair, and Gerry Connolley, head of Oversight?

Why are AOC and Jasmine Crockett reflecting the righteous anger to the American public?
AOC: "I want folks at home to look at what members of Congress are invested in private prisons companies, and look at the votes on this bill. It is atrocious that people are lining their pockets with private prison profits in the name of a horrific tragedy."
January 22, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Why not start in the rural areas that voted you in, Trump? It’s almost their only aim is to weaponize mass deportation to weaken the economies of highly populated blue areas 🤔
January 23, 2025 at 12:13 AM
We aren’t very far into it, but I’m calling Bad Bunny’s “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” album of the year.

It seems Tainy, Mag, and La Paciencia are due heavy credit for their production— blending old and new styles & seamlessly moving through música tropical, bomba, reggaeton, jazz, r&b, hiphop, etc. 🔥 🇵🇷
January 21, 2025 at 11:04 PM
I can’t explain why, but this TikTok repost of a RedNote repost sums up the past week of social media for me.
January 21, 2025 at 9:00 AM
One of my lowest performing TikTok videos for Bluesky’s viewing displeasure
January 21, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Reposted by Ben Cairns
Rep. Raskin is one of the people Biden pardoned before he left office. Raskin says it's strange to be pardoned for doing his job.
Jan. 6 committee member Jamie Raskin calls Biden pardon 'a sign of our strange times'
Rep. Raskin is one of the people Biden pardoned before he left office. Raskin says it's strange to be pardoned for doing his job.
www.npr.org
January 20, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Reposted by Ben Cairns
Big Tech billionaires had a front row seat at Trump's inauguration. They were seated in front of Trump's own cabinet. Tells you everything you need to know.
January 20, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Reposted by Ben Cairns
Today at Trump’s Inauguration… I love Bernie Sanders.
January 20, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Wtf was that inauguration? Elon’s salute, Trump’s speech, tech billionaires grinning like I’ve never seen. I knew we were descending into fascism, but I fear we have already hit ground. 😳
January 20, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Reposted by Ben Cairns
RIP TikTok. The ultimate example of the olds not getting it.

It is especially ironic that we're freaking out about a foreign owned social network when we're letting untrustworthy figures straight through the door over here
January 19, 2025 at 4:23 AM
Reposted by Ben Cairns
Now that TikTok has officially gone dark, I’m re-upping my post from a few days ago to remind folks that this praise for Trump is wrong.
January 19, 2025 at 4:32 AM
In all seriousness though—
I have mixed feelings about the #tiktok ban, but this creepy, bootlick-y message from the app developers has my stomach turning.

If the alternative is that it becomes (only) another far right pipeline, please just take it out behind the shed now.
January 19, 2025 at 6:57 AM
My last viewed video on my #Tiktok FYP being #RickandMorty #adultswim feels morbidly apt.
This reality/dimension/timeline kind of blows.
January 19, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Apparently acting on our strongly held values = virtue signaling. Why say it so dismissively, Zuck? At least we still have some virtues to display 🤷‍♂️

#facebook #instagram #boycott #metaboycott
Mark Zuckerberg says users who leave Meta after fact-checking shutdown would be 'virtue signaling'
Mark Zuckerberg is not afraid of users leaving Meta for "virtue signaling."
www.businessinsider.com
January 18, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Reposted by Ben Cairns
As Chicago braces for potential Trump deportations, here are some tips on how to stay safe and what to do. I hate this.
But please spread the word.

youtube.com/shorts/FH0-_...
As Chicago braces for potential Trump deportations, here are tips on how to stay safe and what to do
YouTube video by Eliza Orlins
youtube.com
January 18, 2025 at 6:14 AM