Baggage
@carrieonbaggage.bsky.social
Science, politics, environment, community 🐸
Kindness and smarts are our best hopes
Assoc. Prof. Micro+Ento+Ag Eco systems
PhD Virology
🇬🇧🇦🇺🇺🇸🇪🇺 (it's complicated)
Proud Union Member
Always celebrating Global Pride 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈
Kindness and smarts are our best hopes
Assoc. Prof. Micro+Ento+Ag Eco systems
PhD Virology
🇬🇧🇦🇺🇺🇸🇪🇺 (it's complicated)
Proud Union Member
Always celebrating Global Pride 🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈
Pinned
Reposted by Baggage
Last year, surveillance giant Palantir (who got an 8-figure contract from ICE) paid $0 in federal income tax despite making $1.5 BILLION, partly due to new tax cuts in Trump's Big, Beautiful Bill.
They cut Medicaid & SNAP to pay for this.
This monstrosity must be reversed.
They cut Medicaid & SNAP to pay for this.
This monstrosity must be reversed.
Palantir Pays Zero Federal Income Tax Despite Explosive Growth, Largely Due to Trump Tax Law
Palantir reported $1.5 billion of U.S. income but paid exactly zero federal income tax in 2025. Despite explosive growth, tax breaks from the Trump tax law helped Palantir avoid paying even a dime of...
itep.org
February 17, 2026 at 8:48 PM
Last year, surveillance giant Palantir (who got an 8-figure contract from ICE) paid $0 in federal income tax despite making $1.5 BILLION, partly due to new tax cuts in Trump's Big, Beautiful Bill.
They cut Medicaid & SNAP to pay for this.
This monstrosity must be reversed.
They cut Medicaid & SNAP to pay for this.
This monstrosity must be reversed.
For 'farmers' read 'corporate agriculture'
Misleading #Florida Farm Bill would let the state auction off preserve land such as the Florida Wildlife Corridor to farmers to use. jasongarcia.substack.com/p/farm-bill-... via @jasongarcia.bsky.social
‘Farm bill’ would let the governor auction off conservation land to agribusinesses
A recap of the fifth week of the Florida Legislature's 2026 session, plus a preview of week six.
jasongarcia.substack.com
February 17, 2026 at 8:49 PM
For 'farmers' read 'corporate agriculture'
Crockett v Talarico: por que no las dos?
Texas is lucky to have them.
Congress needs them
Texas is lucky to have them.
Congress needs them
Early voting begins for high-stakes Texas primary elections
Democrats, who haven’t won statewide race since 1994, aim to gain ground with rising stars as Republicans clash between incumbent and embattled Maga ally
www.theguardian.com
February 17, 2026 at 8:32 PM
Crockett v Talarico: por que no las dos?
Texas is lucky to have them.
Congress needs them
Texas is lucky to have them.
Congress needs them
“I think that Donald Trump is worried that we’re about to flip Texas,”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiTJ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiTJ...
Rep. James Talarico On Confronting Christian Nationalism, And Strange Days In The Texas Legislature
YouTube video by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
www.youtube.com
February 17, 2026 at 8:01 PM
“I think that Donald Trump is worried that we’re about to flip Texas,”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiTJ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiTJ...
Vote early
Vote often 😆
Vote often 😆
Today is early voting day!! Here’s a look at the Texas democratic candidates. In the small section are Republican! Don’t vote for e. GO VOTE 💙🫂🌊💫
February 17, 2026 at 10:55 AM
Vote early
Vote often 😆
Vote often 😆
And as for the 'war' on Venezuela, Denmark, Iran...
"The lesson—the actual lesson—of Iraq and Afghanistan was the same lesson of Vietnam. You can’t bomb your way out of a war that the American public doesn’t particularly care about winning."
"The lesson—the actual lesson—of Iraq and Afghanistan was the same lesson of Vietnam. You can’t bomb your way out of a war that the American public doesn’t particularly care about winning."
Evidently, something was broken with the other link. So, here, I've written about the right-wing attacks on PME and civilian educational institutions.
othermeans.substack.com/p/the-myth-o...
othermeans.substack.com/p/the-myth-o...
The Myth of the Warfighter
The Soldier and the Educational Institutions
othermeans.substack.com
February 16, 2026 at 10:54 PM
And as for the 'war' on Venezuela, Denmark, Iran...
"The lesson—the actual lesson—of Iraq and Afghanistan was the same lesson of Vietnam. You can’t bomb your way out of a war that the American public doesn’t particularly care about winning."
"The lesson—the actual lesson—of Iraq and Afghanistan was the same lesson of Vietnam. You can’t bomb your way out of a war that the American public doesn’t particularly care about winning."
Reposted by Baggage
Right-wing Heritage Foundation’s own data shows fewer than 100 noncitizens voted since 1982 (!!!)
This is not a real problem. “The SAVE ACT is a Trojan horse to nationalize elections”: open.substack.com/pub/thiswill...
This is not a real problem. “The SAVE ACT is a Trojan horse to nationalize elections”: open.substack.com/pub/thiswill...
February 16, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Right-wing Heritage Foundation’s own data shows fewer than 100 noncitizens voted since 1982 (!!!)
This is not a real problem. “The SAVE ACT is a Trojan horse to nationalize elections”: open.substack.com/pub/thiswill...
This is not a real problem. “The SAVE ACT is a Trojan horse to nationalize elections”: open.substack.com/pub/thiswill...
Hanging out for below 40.
Opinion polling on the second Trump presidency - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
February 16, 2026 at 10:25 PM
Hanging out for below 40.
Always worth reading
February 16, 2026 at 9:57 PM
Always worth reading
Oooh!
Heather Cox Richardson points out that Pam Bondi’s bizarre testimony makes more sense when you realize she couldn’t talk about the Epstein files without perjuring herself. Watch our discussion here: www.muellershewrote.com/p/heather-co...
Heather Cox Richardson and Allison Gill Discuss Republican Spying and Weaponized Justice
Watch now | A recording from Allison Gill's live video
www.muellershewrote.com
February 16, 2026 at 3:26 AM
Oooh!
Reposted by Baggage
Even Grok acknowledges that the so-called “Save America Act” (backed by Trump & Musk) may undermine the security of our elections by creating a Single Point of Attack for voter roll maintenance via the Save Program, which links to an SSA database mishandled by DOGE. #NoOnSave #ProtectOurVotes 1/
February 16, 2026 at 1:57 AM
Even Grok acknowledges that the so-called “Save America Act” (backed by Trump & Musk) may undermine the security of our elections by creating a Single Point of Attack for voter roll maintenance via the Save Program, which links to an SSA database mishandled by DOGE. #NoOnSave #ProtectOurVotes 1/
Reposted by Baggage
The Dow was at 43,488 when Trump took office. It just hit 50,000.
So if you had invested $43,488 in the US, you would now have $50,000. But if you had invested the same amount in the rest of the world, you would now be worth $60,000.
Lemme do a expla-youtube-nation
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYL5...
So if you had invested $43,488 in the US, you would now have $50,000. But if you had invested the same amount in the rest of the world, you would now be worth $60,000.
Lemme do a expla-youtube-nation
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYL5...
"Dow 50,000" Sound Nice. Until Justin Wolfers Shows You That U.S. Markets Are Coming 21st Out of 23.
What does “Dow 50,000” actually tell you—anything about the economy, or just that a number got bigger?
Dow 50,000 is a milestone, not a measurement. The level of the Dow is basically arbitrary: it’s…
www.youtube.com
February 15, 2026 at 12:52 PM
The Dow was at 43,488 when Trump took office. It just hit 50,000.
So if you had invested $43,488 in the US, you would now have $50,000. But if you had invested the same amount in the rest of the world, you would now be worth $60,000.
Lemme do a expla-youtube-nation
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYL5...
So if you had invested $43,488 in the US, you would now have $50,000. But if you had invested the same amount in the rest of the world, you would now be worth $60,000.
Lemme do a expla-youtube-nation
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYL5...
Reposted by Baggage
ICYMI: In 24 years, only 77 “illegals” have voted — representing 0.00000764% of total votes…
And the research comes from the far-right Heritage Foundation
electionfraud.heritage.org/search?combi...
And the research comes from the far-right Heritage Foundation
electionfraud.heritage.org/search?combi...
February 15, 2026 at 5:57 PM
ICYMI: In 24 years, only 77 “illegals” have voted — representing 0.00000764% of total votes…
And the research comes from the far-right Heritage Foundation
electionfraud.heritage.org/search?combi...
And the research comes from the far-right Heritage Foundation
electionfraud.heritage.org/search?combi...
Reposted by Baggage
I knew I saw this somewhere before. Funny that it’s almost exactly what’s actually happening now.
February 14, 2026 at 2:33 PM
I knew I saw this somewhere before. Funny that it’s almost exactly what’s actually happening now.
The US is driving a wedge into Europe
"Unlike Vance, he did not laud rightwing European populist parties, but he nonetheless wrapped himself in their ideology. His next stop after Munich was Budapest, where Viktor Orbán faces a battle in April to remain in power."
"Unlike Vance, he did not laud rightwing European populist parties, but he nonetheless wrapped himself in their ideology. His next stop after Munich was Budapest, where Viktor Orbán faces a battle in April to remain in power."
Offer to join Trump’s new era is met with growing sense of European steeliness
Talk of a stronger, independent Europe was the dominant mood in Munich amid bitter disagreement on Ukraine
www.theguardian.com
February 15, 2026 at 9:16 PM
The US is driving a wedge into Europe
"Unlike Vance, he did not laud rightwing European populist parties, but he nonetheless wrapped himself in their ideology. His next stop after Munich was Budapest, where Viktor Orbán faces a battle in April to remain in power."
"Unlike Vance, he did not laud rightwing European populist parties, but he nonetheless wrapped himself in their ideology. His next stop after Munich was Budapest, where Viktor Orbán faces a battle in April to remain in power."
Follow the money
"Tech billionaires are contributing to campaigns ranging from candidates for governor to local city council and school board races.
They are also donating heavily to groups campaigning for relaxed taxation and minimal regulation around AI."
"Tech billionaires are contributing to campaigns ranging from candidates for governor to local city council and school board races.
They are also donating heavily to groups campaigning for relaxed taxation and minimal regulation around AI."
California’s billionaires pour cash into elections as big tech seeks new allies
As Gavin Newsom departs, ultra-wealthy flex wealth and influence to fight regulation and keep the boom going
www.theguardian.com
February 15, 2026 at 9:06 PM
Follow the money
"Tech billionaires are contributing to campaigns ranging from candidates for governor to local city council and school board races.
They are also donating heavily to groups campaigning for relaxed taxation and minimal regulation around AI."
"Tech billionaires are contributing to campaigns ranging from candidates for governor to local city council and school board races.
They are also donating heavily to groups campaigning for relaxed taxation and minimal regulation around AI."
The profits of 'wellness'
"a wellness industry seeking profit would naturally undermine the government’s responsibility for safeguarding the health of the entire population."
"a wellness industry seeking profit would naturally undermine the government’s responsibility for safeguarding the health of the entire population."
Professor @sarasilverstein.bsky.social is someone to whom I listen on issues of health and history. This essay helps us to situate the present American health drama in the history of health care, and thereby to see much more clearly what we face.
snyder.substack.com/p/consumptiv...
snyder.substack.com/p/consumptiv...
Consumptive Capitalism
On MAHA and Expensive Suffering -- A Guest Post by Sara Silverstein
snyder.substack.com
February 15, 2026 at 8:54 PM
The profits of 'wellness'
"a wellness industry seeking profit would naturally undermine the government’s responsibility for safeguarding the health of the entire population."
"a wellness industry seeking profit would naturally undermine the government’s responsibility for safeguarding the health of the entire population."
"Let me not mince words: I really truly believe you’re doing a sh*tty job.
I’ve said and will continue to say that many of the things you and ICE are doing are unconstitutional."
@rbreich.bsky.social
I’ve said and will continue to say that many of the things you and ICE are doing are unconstitutional."
@rbreich.bsky.social
The New York Times reports that the Department of Homeland Security has sent Google, Meta, and other media corporations subpoenas for the names on accounts that criticize ICE enforcement. The department wants to identify Americans who oppose what it’s doing. I’ll save them time.
A short note to Kristi Noem
To a current Cabinet secretary from a former one
robertreich.substack.com
February 15, 2026 at 8:39 PM
"Let me not mince words: I really truly believe you’re doing a sh*tty job.
I’ve said and will continue to say that many of the things you and ICE are doing are unconstitutional."
@rbreich.bsky.social
I’ve said and will continue to say that many of the things you and ICE are doing are unconstitutional."
@rbreich.bsky.social
"When leaders elected on platforms of hope fail to deliver, whether because of political cowardice or because entrenched corporate power blocks change, popular mobilization is often the only force capable of compelling action,"
The key to defeating Trump? Mass non-cooperation | Mark Engler and Paul Engler
Our studies in civil resistance offer insight into the level of popular organizing needed to repel assaults on democracy
www.theguardian.com
February 15, 2026 at 7:51 PM
"When leaders elected on platforms of hope fail to deliver, whether because of political cowardice or because entrenched corporate power blocks change, popular mobilization is often the only force capable of compelling action,"
Reposted by Baggage
Sometimes understatement amounts to enabling. This NYT article frames this as a battle between "vaccine activists" and "vaccine proponents" rather than unhinged conspiracy theorists vs. science. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/h...
Kennedy Allies Target States to Overturn Vaccine Mandates for Schoolchildren
www.nytimes.com
February 13, 2026 at 11:20 PM
Sometimes understatement amounts to enabling. This NYT article frames this as a battle between "vaccine activists" and "vaccine proponents" rather than unhinged conspiracy theorists vs. science. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/h...
Idiocracy
"Staff members at the United States’s premier infectious-disease research institute have been instructed to remove the words “biodefense” and “pandemic preparedness” from the institute’s web pages,"
"Staff members at the United States’s premier infectious-disease research institute have been instructed to remove the words “biodefense” and “pandemic preparedness” from the institute’s web pages,"
Good time to remind everyone that NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, a right-wing economist, has made it a personal goal to make sure lockdowns can never return.
Because in his mind, there is nothing that could ever justify shutting down the economy.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Because in his mind, there is nothing that could ever justify shutting down the economy.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Exclusive: Key US infectious-diseases centre to drop pandemic preparation
Staff members have been instructed to scrub this topic and ‘biodefense’ from the agency’s website.
www.nature.com
February 15, 2026 at 2:22 AM
Idiocracy
"Staff members at the United States’s premier infectious-disease research institute have been instructed to remove the words “biodefense” and “pandemic preparedness” from the institute’s web pages,"
"Staff members at the United States’s premier infectious-disease research institute have been instructed to remove the words “biodefense” and “pandemic preparedness” from the institute’s web pages,"
Reposted by Baggage
Periodic reminder that mumps can cause testicular inflammation and subsequent infertility in post-pubescent males.
Measles is a bellwether. Because it’s the most contagious vaccine-preventable disease, when vaccination rates drop, it’s the first to start spreading.
Now we’ve got mumps rolling up.
Expect more.
This is just the beginning of RFK Jr.’s successful infectious disease reintroduction plan.
Now we’ve got mumps rolling up.
Expect more.
This is just the beginning of RFK Jr.’s successful infectious disease reintroduction plan.
Maryland health officials warn providers about an upsurge in mumps cases
Maryland health officials are warning about an uptick in cases of mumps.
www.thebanner.com
February 15, 2026 at 12:08 AM
Periodic reminder that mumps can cause testicular inflammation and subsequent infertility in post-pubescent males.
Reposted by Baggage
The anti-trans propaganda push is one of the best examples I know of real-world disinformation in action.
Part 3: "The astronomical rise in stories about trans people that I’d collected over the previous year told a different story. This massive, messy dataset was brimming with increasingly vile headlines that only seemed to metastasize with time. ... two years later we know how the story turns out."
Welcome to the anti-trans outrage factory — Jessica Kant
When I first wrote Anatomy of a moral panic in February 2024, I had only a faint glimmer of what was to come.The astronomical rise in stories about trans people that I’d collected over the previous ye...
jessk.org
February 15, 2026 at 12:13 AM
The anti-trans propaganda push is one of the best examples I know of real-world disinformation in action.
Reposted by Baggage
The RSF murdered 6,000 people in the city of El Fasher in only 3 days. What more will it take for the Trump Admin to act?
Congress must pass my & @sarajacobs.house.gov bill to halt US arms sales to the UAE until we know they have stopped arming the RSF’s slaughter in Sudan.
Congress must pass my & @sarajacobs.house.gov bill to halt US arms sales to the UAE until we know they have stopped arming the RSF’s slaughter in Sudan.
Sudan: RSF violations in capture of El Fasher amount to war crimes
GENEVA – The Rapid Support Forces unleashed “a wave of intense violence … shocking in its scale and brutality” during its final offensive to capture the besieged city of El Fasher last October, commit...
www.ohchr.org
February 14, 2026 at 3:33 PM
The RSF murdered 6,000 people in the city of El Fasher in only 3 days. What more will it take for the Trump Admin to act?
Congress must pass my & @sarajacobs.house.gov bill to halt US arms sales to the UAE until we know they have stopped arming the RSF’s slaughter in Sudan.
Congress must pass my & @sarajacobs.house.gov bill to halt US arms sales to the UAE until we know they have stopped arming the RSF’s slaughter in Sudan.
Reposted by Baggage
NEW: @hcrichardson.bsky.social and I discuss republican clandestine spying, weaponization of the Justice Department, and failures of Pam Bondi. Never any paywalls, and you can subscribe for free. www.muellershewrote.com/p/heather-co...
Heather Cox Richardson and Allison Gill Discuss Republican Spying and Weaponized Justice
Watch now | A recording from Allison Gill's live video
www.muellershewrote.com
February 14, 2026 at 11:01 PM
NEW: @hcrichardson.bsky.social and I discuss republican clandestine spying, weaponization of the Justice Department, and failures of Pam Bondi. Never any paywalls, and you can subscribe for free. www.muellershewrote.com/p/heather-co...