Dave Secrest
@davesecrest.bsky.social
Husband, Dad, Grandfather, Friend. American. Trial attorney. Californian. Santa Barbarian. Political Observer. Independent.
Pinned
Is Trump Baiting His Own Trap?
The paradox of authoritarian competence and self-destructive impulse—and why the next major electoral test could be the hinge of his fate.
open.substack.com
Do you want to understand why Trump and MAGA are inevitably doomed to utter failure?
Read and follow.
Read and follow.
Reposted by Dave Secrest
It's time for Schumer to step down from his post as minority leader and allow for new leadership to emerge—someone who is willing to consistently fight for the American people. sign.moveon.org/petitions/sc...
Schumer: Step Down as Minority Leader!
It's time for Schumer to step down from his post as minority leader and allow for new leadership to emerge—someone who is willing to consistently fight for the American people.
sign.moveon.org
November 11, 2025 at 4:44 PM
It's time for Schumer to step down from his post as minority leader and allow for new leadership to emerge—someone who is willing to consistently fight for the American people. sign.moveon.org/petitions/sc...
My 70 year Census results are in:
Success!
Success!
November 8, 2025 at 9:26 PM
My 70 year Census results are in:
Success!
Success!
Do you want to understand why Trump and MAGA are inevitably doomed to utter failure?
Read and follow.
Read and follow.
Is Trump Baiting His Own Trap?
The paradox of authoritarian competence and self-destructive impulse—and why the next major electoral test could be the hinge of his fate.
open.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Do you want to understand why Trump and MAGA are inevitably doomed to utter failure?
Read and follow.
Read and follow.
Reposted by Dave Secrest
The federal judge in the lawsuit against Homeland Security's violent attacks in Chicago reads Carl Sandburg's poem "Chicago" in full as she prepares to issue her ruling. Read Sun-Times reporter Jon Seidel's live-posting from court.
Ellis begins by quoting from Carl Sandburg's "Chicago": www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazi...
Chicago
Laughing the stormy, husky, brawling laughter of Youth, half-naked, sweating, proud to be Hog Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with Railroads and Freight Handler to the Nation.
www.poetryfoundation.org
November 6, 2025 at 4:43 PM
The federal judge in the lawsuit against Homeland Security's violent attacks in Chicago reads Carl Sandburg's poem "Chicago" in full as she prepares to issue her ruling. Read Sun-Times reporter Jon Seidel's live-posting from court.
Reposted by Dave Secrest
Thank you Bobbi Bittker and @americanbar.org for the nice write up! www.americanbar.org/content/dam/...
November 6, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Thank you Bobbi Bittker and @americanbar.org for the nice write up! www.americanbar.org/content/dam/...
Reposted by Dave Secrest
As the mother of a 20-year-old daughter, I think it is hard to overstate how much what happened last night meant to many young people.
They came of political age under the shadow of Trumpism and the hardships of the pandemic.
They needed this glimmer of hope. Let’s build it into an enduring flame.
They came of political age under the shadow of Trumpism and the hardships of the pandemic.
They needed this glimmer of hope. Let’s build it into an enduring flame.
November 5, 2025 at 5:47 PM
As the mother of a 20-year-old daughter, I think it is hard to overstate how much what happened last night meant to many young people.
They came of political age under the shadow of Trumpism and the hardships of the pandemic.
They needed this glimmer of hope. Let’s build it into an enduring flame.
They came of political age under the shadow of Trumpism and the hardships of the pandemic.
They needed this glimmer of hope. Let’s build it into an enduring flame.
People don’t get it yet.
Mamdani is about to earn more votes, and a higher percentage of votes, than any candidate for Mayor of the City of New York…
in history.
Mamdani is about to earn more votes, and a higher percentage of votes, than any candidate for Mayor of the City of New York…
in history.
November 5, 2025 at 3:35 AM
People don’t get it yet.
Mamdani is about to earn more votes, and a higher percentage of votes, than any candidate for Mayor of the City of New York…
in history.
Mamdani is about to earn more votes, and a higher percentage of votes, than any candidate for Mayor of the City of New York…
in history.
Online life is less spiritual than the physical communality of in-person worship with others.
A Thesis.
A Thesis.
Flesh and Blood: Why Faith Needs a Body
By Pope Leo XIV* (imagined)
open.substack.com
November 1, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Online life is less spiritual than the physical communality of in-person worship with others.
A Thesis.
A Thesis.
I’m shocked and dismayed there are no extensive, poll-tested, fully funded efforts to form a Coalition for Freedom and Democracy, consisting of Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and all patriotic Americans, to advance this fight for our democracy, against Trump and MAGA authoritarianism.
October 30, 2025 at 8:58 PM
I’m shocked and dismayed there are no extensive, poll-tested, fully funded efforts to form a Coalition for Freedom and Democracy, consisting of Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and all patriotic Americans, to advance this fight for our democracy, against Trump and MAGA authoritarianism.
While the radical right wing coup d'état in the Executive has been as sudden and brutal as a Nazi blitzkrieg, and includes the Legislature, a parallel coup in the Judicial Branch has been sustained and methodical for 50 years.
But make no mistake: Authoritarian power is being consolidated.
But make no mistake: Authoritarian power is being consolidated.
The Powell Memo Helped Create Project 2025
A new investigative podcast shows the toxic legacy of the founding father of modern American plutocracy.
www.thenation.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:55 PM
While the radical right wing coup d'état in the Executive has been as sudden and brutal as a Nazi blitzkrieg, and includes the Legislature, a parallel coup in the Judicial Branch has been sustained and methodical for 50 years.
But make no mistake: Authoritarian power is being consolidated.
But make no mistake: Authoritarian power is being consolidated.
This is Trump’s America.
Is it yours?
Is it yours?
DHS Nazis! Shouldn't protecting our children from this kind of violent trauma be more important than immigration enforcement? How about we ban this kind of violence by federal agents in schools and every other venue where there are children present? What is wrong with these people? 🤬
October 28, 2025 at 4:18 AM
This is Trump’s America.
Is it yours?
Is it yours?
Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/30/o...
Opinion | ‘This Is What We Were Always Scared of’: DOGE Is Building a Surveillance State
www.nytimes.com
October 28, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/30/o...
Reposted by Dave Secrest
Honestly at some point you have to start doing psyops with these people:
Have Obama announce that he will seek a third term tomorrow. Then watch all the con law “scholars” and Fix News MELT DOWN trying to explain why he can’t but Trump can. (It’s like Newsom taking over his social media persona)
Have Obama announce that he will seek a third term tomorrow. Then watch all the con law “scholars” and Fix News MELT DOWN trying to explain why he can’t but Trump can. (It’s like Newsom taking over his social media persona)
Q: One theory on how you might try to serve a 3rd term is that you could run at the vice president
TRUMP: Yeah, I'd be allowed to do that. But I would rule that out because it's too cute.
TRUMP: Yeah, I'd be allowed to do that. But I would rule that out because it's too cute.
October 27, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Honestly at some point you have to start doing psyops with these people:
Have Obama announce that he will seek a third term tomorrow. Then watch all the con law “scholars” and Fix News MELT DOWN trying to explain why he can’t but Trump can. (It’s like Newsom taking over his social media persona)
Have Obama announce that he will seek a third term tomorrow. Then watch all the con law “scholars” and Fix News MELT DOWN trying to explain why he can’t but Trump can. (It’s like Newsom taking over his social media persona)
Reposted by Dave Secrest
“Walmart was the top employer of SNAP recipients in five states and one of the top four employers in the remaining four states. McDonald’s was among the top five employers of Medicaid enrollees in five of six states and SNAP recipients in eight of nine states.”
www.cnbc.com/2020/11/19/w...
www.cnbc.com/2020/11/19/w...
Whenever people complain about the number of folks relying on food stamps, it is worth reminding them that SNAP is, by too large of a degree, a subsidy for corporations that refuse to pay a living wage and their political allies who reject public policy prescriptions to reduce income inequality.
October 27, 2025 at 2:10 AM
“Walmart was the top employer of SNAP recipients in five states and one of the top four employers in the remaining four states. McDonald’s was among the top five employers of Medicaid enrollees in five of six states and SNAP recipients in eight of nine states.”
www.cnbc.com/2020/11/19/w...
www.cnbc.com/2020/11/19/w...
Why are Trump & GOP stealing elections to stay in power? Because people in Red states governed by GOP hacks die much faster than in Blue states.
GOP policies are killing their own voters.
So they're stealing votes from the other side.
Words fail to express how fucked up this is.
On so many levels.
GOP policies are killing their own voters.
So they're stealing votes from the other side.
Words fail to express how fucked up this is.
On so many levels.
October 23, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Why are Trump & GOP stealing elections to stay in power? Because people in Red states governed by GOP hacks die much faster than in Blue states.
GOP policies are killing their own voters.
So they're stealing votes from the other side.
Words fail to express how fucked up this is.
On so many levels.
GOP policies are killing their own voters.
So they're stealing votes from the other side.
Words fail to express how fucked up this is.
On so many levels.
At this point, the United States federal government is being run by carnival barkers on acid, howling at the moon, brought to you by Fox News.
They should just go ahead and change the logo to a tinfoil hat.
They should just go ahead and change the logo to a tinfoil hat.
October 23, 2025 at 7:43 PM
At this point, the United States federal government is being run by carnival barkers on acid, howling at the moon, brought to you by Fox News.
They should just go ahead and change the logo to a tinfoil hat.
They should just go ahead and change the logo to a tinfoil hat.
Reposted by Dave Secrest
Thanks to his Supreme Court, Trump more or less has legal carte blanche in the U.S.
But he’s not immune from international prosecution for war crimes in Argentina.
Nor is Secretary WarriorBro™️.
But he’s not immune from international prosecution for war crimes in Argentina.
Nor is Secretary WarriorBro™️.
October 22, 2025 at 3:59 AM
Thanks to his Supreme Court, Trump more or less has legal carte blanche in the U.S.
But he’s not immune from international prosecution for war crimes in Argentina.
Nor is Secretary WarriorBro™️.
But he’s not immune from international prosecution for war crimes in Argentina.
Nor is Secretary WarriorBro™️.
Wowsers. Must read for any American who thinks the United States Department of Justice should be staffed by minimally competent adults.
Because it ain’t.
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...
Because it ain’t.
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...
“Anna, Lindsey Halligan Here.”
My Signal exchange with the interim U.S. attorney about the Letitia James grand jury.
www.lawfaremedia.org
October 21, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Wowsers. Must read for any American who thinks the United States Department of Justice should be staffed by minimally competent adults.
Because it ain’t.
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...
Because it ain’t.
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...
Reposted by Dave Secrest
“We found over 35 cases in which the judges have specifically said what the government is providing…false information. It might be intentionally false information, including false sworn declarations time and again," says Ryan Goodman, law professor at New York University.
October 19, 2025 at 11:43 PM
“We found over 35 cases in which the judges have specifically said what the government is providing…false information. It might be intentionally false information, including false sworn declarations time and again," says Ryan Goodman, law professor at New York University.
Reposted by Dave Secrest
Reposted by Dave Secrest
French philosopher and novelist Jean-Paul Sartre knew what made fascists tick.
badfaithtimes.com/its-one-long...
badfaithtimes.com/its-one-long...
October 17, 2025 at 2:02 PM
French philosopher and novelist Jean-Paul Sartre knew what made fascists tick.
badfaithtimes.com/its-one-long...
badfaithtimes.com/its-one-long...