Keith A. Eddins
@eugeneinoregon.bsky.social
Retired American diplomat who focused on NATO, USSR/Russia, & post-1989 Central Europe. Now adjunct faculty at the Univ. of Oregon. Political & foreign policy/international security views are my own. I will never be a collaborator. Proudly anti-fascist.
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
It's a revealing moment...
J.D. Vance welcomes a two-legged robot helping on the job site. But if that helper is a person named Jose, he calls it a threat. Same tasks, same productivity boost.
The inconsistency reveals this isn’t about economics.
J.D. Vance welcomes a two-legged robot helping on the job site. But if that helper is a person named Jose, he calls it a threat. Same tasks, same productivity boost.
The inconsistency reveals this isn’t about economics.
November 16, 2025 at 12:52 PM
It's a revealing moment...
J.D. Vance welcomes a two-legged robot helping on the job site. But if that helper is a person named Jose, he calls it a threat. Same tasks, same productivity boost.
The inconsistency reveals this isn’t about economics.
J.D. Vance welcomes a two-legged robot helping on the job site. But if that helper is a person named Jose, he calls it a threat. Same tasks, same productivity boost.
The inconsistency reveals this isn’t about economics.
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
The ultrawealthy live lives in which literally the only human beings they ever come in contact with are either other rich freaks or people who are being paid to serve them.
Of course that turns them into sociopaths. How could it not?
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/tr...
Of course that turns them into sociopaths. How could it not?
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/tr...
The Ultrarich Are Spending a Fortune to Live in Extreme Privacy
In Miami and elsewhere, the wealthy are moving in increasingly private spheres, shelling out big money to bypass the indignities of public life.
www.wsj.com
November 16, 2025 at 4:17 AM
The ultrawealthy live lives in which literally the only human beings they ever come in contact with are either other rich freaks or people who are being paid to serve them.
Of course that turns them into sociopaths. How could it not?
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/tr...
Of course that turns them into sociopaths. How could it not?
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/tr...
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
A huge amount of state resources intended to fight crime - from the FBI to state and local police to DEA agents to IRS tax enforcement - have been redeployed to immigration enforcement. It is a great time to be a criminal in America.
“Homeland security agents investigating sexual crimes against children…have been redeployed to the immigrant crackdown…hampering their pursuit of child predators…efforts to combat human smuggling and sex trafficking have languished…”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/16/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/16/u...
The Department of Deportation
www.nytimes.com
November 16, 2025 at 1:43 PM
A huge amount of state resources intended to fight crime - from the FBI to state and local police to DEA agents to IRS tax enforcement - have been redeployed to immigration enforcement. It is a great time to be a criminal in America.
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
Is anyone surprised that the Trump Administration has slashed resources committed to combatting child sexual exploitation by 33%?
This as Trump does everything he can to prevent the release of the full Epstein files.
This as Trump does everything he can to prevent the release of the full Epstein files.
November 16, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Is anyone surprised that the Trump Administration has slashed resources committed to combatting child sexual exploitation by 33%?
This as Trump does everything he can to prevent the release of the full Epstein files.
This as Trump does everything he can to prevent the release of the full Epstein files.
I had been wondering about the Peace Corps. Now I’m feeling kinda sick.
"The volunteers are still in the field—for now. But the spine is gone. The trainers, the placement officers, the veterans who could see trouble before it came—that architecture is vanishing, one resignation letter at a time."
Defending the Peace Corps When It Needs No Defense
In a nation that no longer knows what to do with humility, service itself has become suspect.
thelastmilewithusaid.substack.com
November 15, 2025 at 9:32 PM
I had been wondering about the Peace Corps. Now I’m feeling kinda sick.
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
Imprisoned Sen. Bob Menendez would like a word about that gold bar
"It was tough to beat Apple, but the Swiss did it." said one administration official.
How the Swiss convinced Trump to drop tariffs with gifts of a Rolex desk clock and a 1 kg gold bar.
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
How the Swiss convinced Trump to drop tariffs with gifts of a Rolex desk clock and a 1 kg gold bar.
www.axios.com/2025/11/14/t...
How to lobby Trump with Swiss precision: gifts, gold and gab
How the Swiss broke a diplomatic logjam on tariffs by arriving with tributes fit for a king.
www.axios.com
November 15, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Imprisoned Sen. Bob Menendez would like a word about that gold bar
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
And Administration filled with black sheep. Losers in their own families now inflicted upon us.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/b...
Housing Official Who Attacked Democrats Invokes a Disputed Family Legacy
www.nytimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 12:40 PM
And Administration filled with black sheep. Losers in their own families now inflicted upon us.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/b...
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
From this minister's op-ed: "People wanting to experience God are more likely to meet the Divine trying to shut down the Broadview, Illinois, ICE facility than we ever were in church...God does not live in our houses of worship, but...with those who are bearing the brunt of cruelty in this moment."
Oh wow @reuters.com got the photo here:
November 14, 2025 at 9:38 PM
From this minister's op-ed: "People wanting to experience God are more likely to meet the Divine trying to shut down the Broadview, Illinois, ICE facility than we ever were in church...God does not live in our houses of worship, but...with those who are bearing the brunt of cruelty in this moment."
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
Once again, any U.S. attack on Venezuela would be patently illegal.
Breaking news: High-level discussions over whether to attack Venezuela — and how — have been underway for days.
It remains unclear if President Trump has decided to pursue such an escalation.
It remains unclear if President Trump has decided to pursue such an escalation.
Trump weighs Venezuela strikes as U.S. forces prepare for attack order
High-level discussions, underway for days, have explored a variety of potential military options, people familiar with the matter said.
wapo.st
November 14, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Once again, any U.S. attack on Venezuela would be patently illegal.
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
The context is Homan being asked about the UK reportedly curtailing intel sharing due to concerns of being complicit in violating international law w/r/t the boat strikes.
Homan: "I don't think the UK is a friend to this country and friend of the president"
November 14, 2025 at 6:52 PM
The context is Homan being asked about the UK reportedly curtailing intel sharing due to concerns of being complicit in violating international law w/r/t the boat strikes.
This is exactly right. It will need to be like Central Europe in 1990. Rebuilding democratic governance and the rule of law. It won’t be easy or instantaneous.
November 14, 2025 at 7:39 PM
This is exactly right. It will need to be like Central Europe in 1990. Rebuilding democratic governance and the rule of law. It won’t be easy or instantaneous.
Trump moves the clock back decades every time he addresses any international security issue.
Top energy & nuclear officials in the Trump administration are planning to meet with the White House & National Security Council in the coming days to dissuade Trump from resuming testing of the nation’s nuclear weapons.-CNN
www.cnn.com/2025/11/14/p...
www.cnn.com/2025/11/14/p...
Exclusive: Department of Energy officials to meet with White House to tamp down Trump’s idea of explosive nuclear testing | CNN Politics
Top energy and nuclear officials in the Trump administration are planning to meet with the White House and National Security Council in the coming days to dissuade President Donald Trump from resuming...
www.cnn.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Trump moves the clock back decades every time he addresses any international security issue.
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
Reading this remarkable letter offers more evidence that the Trump administration and its allies are far more interested in taking down elite universities than in supporting higher ed, even in the areas they claim to care about, such as "viewpoint diversity," or even helping UVA enforce the law.
Former UVA president Jim Ryan, who resigned over the summer due to pressure from the Trump Administration, just shared this 12-page letter with the Faculty Senate, detailing his experience with the Board of Visitors and DOJ.
It's a surreal--and troubling--read.
drive.google.com/file/d/1Is6x...
It's a surreal--and troubling--read.
drive.google.com/file/d/1Is6x...
November 14, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Reading this remarkable letter offers more evidence that the Trump administration and its allies are far more interested in taking down elite universities than in supporting higher ed, even in the areas they claim to care about, such as "viewpoint diversity," or even helping UVA enforce the law.
Corruption, corruption, corruption…why aren’t Democrats screaming this whenever a reporter puts a microphone in front of them?
Every day there are multiple instances of blatant corruption. Our government policy is for sale to the highest bidder and every bad actor in the world knows it. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/w...
November 14, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Corruption, corruption, corruption…why aren’t Democrats screaming this whenever a reporter puts a microphone in front of them?
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
“Housing shortage – Jews to blame," letter sticker, German Reich, 1938
zwangsraeume.berlin/en/context
zwangsraeume.berlin/en/context
November 14, 2025 at 2:16 AM
“Housing shortage – Jews to blame," letter sticker, German Reich, 1938
zwangsraeume.berlin/en/context
zwangsraeume.berlin/en/context
If Democrats want to win elections in 2026 they need to start hammering on the corruption now!
NEW: DHS launched a $200mln+ ad campaign, featuring, Kristi Noem, aimed at stemming illegal immigration.
We found the firm secretly hired for the work has ties to Noem.
@justinelliott.bsky.social, @josh-kaplan.bsky.social & @amierjeski.bsky.social:
www.propublica.org/article/kris...
We found the firm secretly hired for the work has ties to Noem.
@justinelliott.bsky.social, @josh-kaplan.bsky.social & @amierjeski.bsky.social:
www.propublica.org/article/kris...
November 14, 2025 at 11:50 AM
If Democrats want to win elections in 2026 they need to start hammering on the corruption now!
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
And we knew this. This wasn't speculation. We studied it, we had the talking points. We trained volunteers to explain this to people. It's not a surprise. Rich people don't flee places with good quality of life when we increase the quality of life. They might try to cheat us, but they don't leave.
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Millionaire Tax That Inspired Mamdani Fuels $5.7 Billion Haul in Massachusetts
A millionaire levy in Massachusetts that New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani holds up as a model for taxing the rich has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing...
www.bloomberg.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:16 AM
And we knew this. This wasn't speculation. We studied it, we had the talking points. We trained volunteers to explain this to people. It's not a surprise. Rich people don't flee places with good quality of life when we increase the quality of life. They might try to cheat us, but they don't leave.
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
If you have tenure at Texas A&M and aren't maliciously emailing the president a dozen times every day to ask if you can say this or you can say that, then what's the point in having tenure?
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M adopts policy requiring professors to get OK from school president to discuss certain race and gender issues.
November 13, 2025 at 11:18 PM
If you have tenure at Texas A&M and aren't maliciously emailing the president a dozen times every day to ask if you can say this or you can say that, then what's the point in having tenure?
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
If you have to get permission to teach in your area of expertise from people who are definitionally not qualified to adjudicate your expertise then you are no longer working at a university.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M adopts policy requiring professors to get OK from school president to discuss certain race and gender issues.
November 13, 2025 at 11:48 PM
If you have to get permission to teach in your area of expertise from people who are definitionally not qualified to adjudicate your expertise then you are no longer working at a university.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
I can further confirm that @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social is experiencing retaliation by “Free speech” Jay and the Trump administration.
@standupforscience.bsky.social stands with her and will continue to support public servants who speak out against the harms of this administration.
@standupforscience.bsky.social stands with her and will continue to support public servants who speak out against the harms of this administration.
NIH program officer @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social has been placed on admin leave, sources say.
Norton has been outspoken about the Trump administration's dismantling of science, and she signed the Bethesda Declaration.
Bhattacharya has said that "science is dead without free speech".
Norton has been outspoken about the Trump administration's dismantling of science, and she signed the Bethesda Declaration.
Bhattacharya has said that "science is dead without free speech".
November 13, 2025 at 11:22 PM
I can further confirm that @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social is experiencing retaliation by “Free speech” Jay and the Trump administration.
@standupforscience.bsky.social stands with her and will continue to support public servants who speak out against the harms of this administration.
@standupforscience.bsky.social stands with her and will continue to support public servants who speak out against the harms of this administration.
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
Whatever permission slip OLC has concocted for these premeditated killings, it is not binding on other countries.
The furor over the death of a Colombian fisherman has ignited a feud over the huge U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean and the legality of the deadly attacks on nearly 20 vessels since September.
Family of Fisherman Killed in U.S. Military Strike Says It Wants Justice
www.nytimes.com
November 13, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Whatever permission slip OLC has concocted for these premeditated killings, it is not binding on other countries.
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
All of which would be illegal.
"Senior military officials on Wednesday presented President Trump with updated options for potential operations in Venezuela, including strikes on land, according to multiple sources familiar with the meetings at the White House. "
Top officials present Trump with military options for Venezuela in the coming days
The potential operations for Venezuela presented to Trump included options for strikes on land, multiple sources said.
www.cbsnews.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:31 PM
All of which would be illegal.
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
In my 44 years as a journalist, I'm pretty sure I never advised a "source" on how to blackmail the president of the United States
November 13, 2025 at 2:54 PM
In my 44 years as a journalist, I'm pretty sure I never advised a "source" on how to blackmail the president of the United States
Reposted by Keith A. Eddins
These Epstein emails make at least one thing abundantly clear:
The rumors that Trump “kicked Epstein out of Mar a Lago and cut ties with him” were bullshit.
The rumors that Trump “kicked Epstein out of Mar a Lago and cut ties with him” were bullshit.
November 13, 2025 at 5:53 PM
These Epstein emails make at least one thing abundantly clear:
The rumors that Trump “kicked Epstein out of Mar a Lago and cut ties with him” were bullshit.
The rumors that Trump “kicked Epstein out of Mar a Lago and cut ties with him” were bullshit.
Anti-corruption has to be a top-three element of 2026 Democratic campaigns.
There's a direct correlation between corruption in Washington and Americans' trust in government.
When it comes to rebuilding Americans' faith in our democracy and government, fighting corruption head-on is a must.
When it comes to rebuilding Americans' faith in our democracy and government, fighting corruption head-on is a must.
November 13, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Anti-corruption has to be a top-three element of 2026 Democratic campaigns.