Jack Pondit
@jackpondit.bsky.social
We all do better when we all do better.
~Paul Wellstone
#Alaska
~Paul Wellstone
#Alaska
Pinned
Jack Pondit
@jackpondit.bsky.social
· Apr 20
In addition to giving the contract to himself and so stealing public money the very concept of this thing is a crazy level boondoggle www.reuters.com/business/aer...
Exclusive: Musk's SpaceX is frontrunner to build Trump's Golden Dome missile shield
Elon Musk's SpaceX and two partners have emerged as frontrunners to win a crucial part of President Donald Trump's "Golden Dome" missile defense shield, six people familiar with the matter said.
www.reuters.com
We are going to spend trillions on military boondoggles while limiting our civil rights all in the name of ‘national security’ while decimating all the things like health care, cancer research, vaccines, and food safety that actually do protect us.
Reposted by Jack Pondit
Ellison: "I've never been prouder to be a Minnesotan. I'm so proud of the people who helped their neighbors, who stood up for their First Amendment rights. I hope it's over and now it's a time to heal and put things back together again."
February 12, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Ellison: "I've never been prouder to be a Minnesotan. I'm so proud of the people who helped their neighbors, who stood up for their First Amendment rights. I hope it's over and now it's a time to heal and put things back together again."
Reposted by Jack Pondit
Hard to describe the depth of outrage and feeling this story has generated across in Ukraine - remarkable and sad.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/w...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/w...
Ukrainian Olympian Is Disqualified Over Helmet With Images of War Dead
www.nytimes.com
February 12, 2026 at 12:20 PM
Hard to describe the depth of outrage and feeling this story has generated across in Ukraine - remarkable and sad.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/w...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/w...
Reposted by Jack Pondit
Rhetorial question but how is it ice's job to go after agitators
He literally says in this clip that ICE will keep in Minnesota “quick reaction forces” — a military term — to go after “agitators.” Remember that those on the ground in MPLS have spent more than a week trying to tell everyone that Trump’s prior “deescalation” was a ruse and ICE is still operational
Homan: "Operation Metro Surge is ending. In the next week, we're going to deploy the officers here on detail back to their home stations or to other areas of the country where they're needed."
February 12, 2026 at 3:20 PM
Rhetorial question but how is it ice's job to go after agitators
Ron Johnson is perfectly happy to let Trump keep blocking investigations into these two murders.
Ron Johnson to Keith Ellison: "Two people are dead because you encouraged them to put themselves into harm's way! And now you are exploiting those two martyrs. You ought to feel damn guilty about it. Yeah, sit there and smirk. Smirk. It's sick! It's despicable. You disgust me."
February 12, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Ron Johnson is perfectly happy to let Trump keep blocking investigations into these two murders.
Reposted by Jack Pondit
I think the lesson of biden should be that winning an election with someone who isn't willing to treat the current situation as a massive emergency is just going to make things worse.
February 12, 2026 at 3:48 PM
I think the lesson of biden should be that winning an election with someone who isn't willing to treat the current situation as a massive emergency is just going to make things worse.
Reposted by Jack Pondit
Embarrassing. For all of us.
"Sir, to show our appreciation, the trophy says 'the undisputed champion of beautiful, clean coal'"
February 12, 2026 at 4:27 AM
Embarrassing. For all of us.
Reposted by Jack Pondit
The short story of the 21st century in the United States is that out of malice or cowardice or some combination of both, every presidency contributed to building and expanding a federal secret police of goons and thugs, despite clear warning and obvious abuses, until we got to this point.
This is the second account - the first being in Chicago - of DHS agents mass detaining people and then *sorting them by race*.
More than 400 people, including hundreds of citizens, were “sorted” at gun point into racial and ethnic groups by 200 ICE agents who fired flash-bang grenades into cars with people inside, pointed guns at children & demanded their zip tied parents not comfort them. apple.news/Ausdx6kWtT0e...
February 12, 2026 at 5:12 AM
The short story of the 21st century in the United States is that out of malice or cowardice or some combination of both, every presidency contributed to building and expanding a federal secret police of goons and thugs, despite clear warning and obvious abuses, until we got to this point.
I am guessing the rate of criminality among ICE agents is far higher than the rate of the people they are arresting.
At ICE, a strong preference for violent felons and pedophiles. At least two dozen ICE officers and contractors have been charged with crimes since 2020 and the wrongdoing includes patterns of violence, sexual abuse and corruption, a review by The Associated Press found.
Several ICE agents were arrested in recent months, showing risk of misconduct
Investigators say one immigration official abused his girlfriend for years. Another admitted he sexually abused a woman in his custody.
apnews.com
February 11, 2026 at 10:02 PM
I am guessing the rate of criminality among ICE agents is far higher than the rate of the people they are arresting.
Reposted by Jack Pondit
MAGA dimwit Peter Navarro accidentally admitted Trump-MAGA's claim about immigrants taking jobs is a scam. And as @pkrugman.bsky.social notes, not only is job growth down; *manufacturing* jobs are also down. The whole MAGA story is in collapse.
Our exchange on this:
newrepublic.com/article/2064...
Our exchange on this:
newrepublic.com/article/2064...
February 11, 2026 at 1:06 PM
MAGA dimwit Peter Navarro accidentally admitted Trump-MAGA's claim about immigrants taking jobs is a scam. And as @pkrugman.bsky.social notes, not only is job growth down; *manufacturing* jobs are also down. The whole MAGA story is in collapse.
Our exchange on this:
newrepublic.com/article/2064...
Our exchange on this:
newrepublic.com/article/2064...
Reposted by Jack Pondit
You won't find a more important piece than this -- an absolute must-read from the woman who wrote the book on concentration camps
When I got the contract to write a history of concentration camps in 2014, I hoped to keep the US from ending up here. That didn't work out! But now it's critical to understand how much is already in process and the enormity of what's coming. The sooner we act to stop it, the more people we'll save.
Building the camps
The warehouseification of detention and initial thoughts on stopping it.
degenerateart.beehiiv.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:49 AM
You won't find a more important piece than this -- an absolute must-read from the woman who wrote the book on concentration camps
Reposted by Jack Pondit
Helluva statement from Colorado Rep Crow (D) on the Trump administration's failure to indict him and others
February 11, 2026 at 2:35 AM
Helluva statement from Colorado Rep Crow (D) on the Trump administration's failure to indict him and others
Reposted by Jack Pondit
Trump claims he has the authority to impose tariffs to respond to an economic “emergency.” Is getting his feelings hurt an emergency? This shows how absurd is tariff crusade is.
Trump: "So I put on a 30% tariff, which is very low. I got an emergency call from I believe the prime minister of Switzerland. She was very aggressive ... I didn't really like the way she talked to us, so instead of giving her a reduction, I raised it to 39%."
February 11, 2026 at 3:06 AM
Trump claims he has the authority to impose tariffs to respond to an economic “emergency.” Is getting his feelings hurt an emergency? This shows how absurd is tariff crusade is.
Reposted by Jack Pondit
This is real America.
Team USA Curler Rich Ruohonen:
"We'd be remiss if we didn't at least mention what's going on in Minnesota...I am a lawyer, as you know, and we have a constitution... and what's happening in Minnesota is wrong. There's no shades of gray. It's clear."
"We'd be remiss if we didn't at least mention what's going on in Minnesota...I am a lawyer, as you know, and we have a constitution... and what's happening in Minnesota is wrong. There's no shades of gray. It's clear."
February 11, 2026 at 5:38 AM
This is real America.
Reposted by Jack Pondit
Donald Trump is taxing Americans at levels not seen in decades. His tariffs increased taxes on US households by an average of $1,000 last year and will cost families another $1,300 in 2026. taxfoundation.org/research/all...
February 10, 2026 at 5:15 PM
Donald Trump is taxing Americans at levels not seen in decades. His tariffs increased taxes on US households by an average of $1,000 last year and will cost families another $1,300 in 2026. taxfoundation.org/research/all...
Taking his yacht to Epstein Island with 4 children and multiple nannies. What a man of the people.
VAN HOLLEN: Did you in fact make the visit to Epstein's private island?
LUTNICK: I did have lunch w/ him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation. My wife was with me as were my 4 children and nannies. We had lunch on the island. That's true. For an hour. We left with all of my children
LUTNICK: I did have lunch w/ him as I was on a boat going across on a family vacation. My wife was with me as were my 4 children and nannies. We had lunch on the island. That's true. For an hour. We left with all of my children
February 10, 2026 at 4:39 PM
Taking his yacht to Epstein Island with 4 children and multiple nannies. What a man of the people.
There is a strong moral case for abolishing ICE, but Democrats would do better politically by calling for abolishing ICE and diverting the billions to things that actually keep us safe but were cut by DOGE/Trump like cancer research, health care and weather forecasting.
Why do Trump and MAGA think it's good to spend billions on huge prison camps and divert massive law enforcement resources away from child and drug trafficking to arrest and detain non-criminals who would otherwise be contributing vitally to our economy?
February 10, 2026 at 4:31 PM
There is a strong moral case for abolishing ICE, but Democrats would do better politically by calling for abolishing ICE and diverting the billions to things that actually keep us safe but were cut by DOGE/Trump like cancer research, health care and weather forecasting.
Reposted by Jack Pondit
"It's not a hypothetical anymore. Trump is interfering with the 2026 election. He is using the full weight of the federal government to interfere, and I think if it was treated that way, we would be having a very different conversation."
February 10, 2026 at 12:57 AM
"It's not a hypothetical anymore. Trump is interfering with the 2026 election. He is using the full weight of the federal government to interfere, and I think if it was treated that way, we would be having a very different conversation."
Reposted by Jack Pondit
Oof. This is so heartbreaking
Super Bowl viewers Sunday speculated that 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos appeared in the halftime show. In fact, he has been in hiding with his family.
“He can’t sleep well at night. He wakes up three or four times a night screaming, ‘Daddy, Daddy,’” Liam's father Adrian Conejo Arias, said.
“He can’t sleep well at night. He wakes up three or four times a night screaming, ‘Daddy, Daddy,’” Liam's father Adrian Conejo Arias, said.
‘He’s not the same’: Father of Liam Conejo Ramos says 5-year-old continues to suffer
Some people thought they say the 5-year-old during the Super Bowl halftime show. But Liam is still in hiding with his family, after he and his father were detained and then released from a Texas deten...
www.mprnews.org
February 10, 2026 at 1:59 AM
Oof. This is so heartbreaking
Reposted by Jack Pondit
American political and economic elites continue to pal around with a guy who killed 750,000 kids.
HORRIFYING -
Dismantling USAID & cancelling >80% of aid caused ~750,000 deaths by mid-2025
🧸Most were children
⌛️ Many died within the first year
😰 Preventable deaths were mainly from:
- HIV, TB, malaria
- Maternal & fetal deaths
- Malnutrition
news.westernu.ca/2026/01/u-s-...
Dismantling USAID & cancelling >80% of aid caused ~750,000 deaths by mid-2025
🧸Most were children
⌛️ Many died within the first year
😰 Preventable deaths were mainly from:
- HIV, TB, malaria
- Maternal & fetal deaths
- Malnutrition
news.westernu.ca/2026/01/u-s-...
Expert insight: U.S. withdrawal from WHO could affect global health - Western News
History professor Mitchell L. Hammond explains how the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization could affect global health and disease threats.
news.westernu.ca
February 10, 2026 at 4:11 AM
American political and economic elites continue to pal around with a guy who killed 750,000 kids.
Reposted by Jack Pondit
Anyway, enjoy the World Cup!
In Boston ICE randomly pulled over this huge white Irish guy with a Mass drivers license, 20 years in the states, legal status, pending green card and have held him for 5 months, his citizen wife paid a $4k bond that was ignored(!) ICE forged his signature on deportation agreement, no appeal
Kerryman who is married, living and working legally in the United States for >20 years has been incarcerated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) since September 2025.
Profoundly disturbing report by Karlin Lillington @klillington.bsky.social
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
Profoundly disturbing report by Karlin Lillington @klillington.bsky.social
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
February 9, 2026 at 7:38 PM
Anyway, enjoy the World Cup!
Reposted by Jack Pondit
House Oversight Democrat Rep. Melanie Stansbury
Who came out of the Ghislaine Maxwell deposition
"The US gov is engaged in an active cover-up of the largest sex-trafficking scandal and influence pedalling scandal in the history of the US"
"And Donald Trump is right at the centre of it"
Who came out of the Ghislaine Maxwell deposition
"The US gov is engaged in an active cover-up of the largest sex-trafficking scandal and influence pedalling scandal in the history of the US"
"And Donald Trump is right at the centre of it"
February 9, 2026 at 7:46 PM
House Oversight Democrat Rep. Melanie Stansbury
Who came out of the Ghislaine Maxwell deposition
"The US gov is engaged in an active cover-up of the largest sex-trafficking scandal and influence pedalling scandal in the history of the US"
"And Donald Trump is right at the centre of it"
Who came out of the Ghislaine Maxwell deposition
"The US gov is engaged in an active cover-up of the largest sex-trafficking scandal and influence pedalling scandal in the history of the US"
"And Donald Trump is right at the centre of it"
Reposted by Jack Pondit
The Republican war on kids
1/ ProPublica collected handwritten letters in mid-January from children held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, the same facility where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was taken.
Hundreds of kids are still detained.
We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵
Hundreds of kids are still detained.
We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵
February 9, 2026 at 12:32 PM
The Republican war on kids
Reposted by Jack Pondit
8/ For more on what kids are experiencing inside the Dilley detention center, read the full story by reporter @micarosenberg.bsky.social:
The Kids Trump Sent to ICE’s Dilley Detention Center
ProPublica went inside the immigrant detention center for families in Dilley, Texas. Children held there told us about the anguish of being ripped from their lives in the United States and the fear of...
www.propublica.org
February 9, 2026 at 12:43 PM
8/ For more on what kids are experiencing inside the Dilley detention center, read the full story by reporter @micarosenberg.bsky.social:
Reposted by Jack Pondit
*Green card application in process and work permit, married to US citizen
*Lived in US for 20 years, no criminal record
*In detention for five months with no charge, despite judge approving release
*He disputes ICE claim that he signed forms agreeing to deportation
*Lived in US for 20 years, no criminal record
*In detention for five months with no charge, despite judge approving release
*He disputes ICE claim that he signed forms agreeing to deportation
And here is my story: ‘Absolute hell’: Irishman with valid US work permit held by Ice since September
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
‘Absolute hell’: Irishman with valid US work permit held by Ice since September
Seamus Culleton has been in a detention facility in Texas for nearly five months despite having no criminal record
www.irishtimes.com
February 9, 2026 at 12:29 PM
*Green card application in process and work permit, married to US citizen
*Lived in US for 20 years, no criminal record
*In detention for five months with no charge, despite judge approving release
*He disputes ICE claim that he signed forms agreeing to deportation
*Lived in US for 20 years, no criminal record
*In detention for five months with no charge, despite judge approving release
*He disputes ICE claim that he signed forms agreeing to deportation
Reposted by Jack Pondit
This is absolutely insane. The sort of Kafka-esque nightmare you would find in a Philip K Dick book set far in the dystopian future. A window on America tumbling into autocracy.
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
‘Absolute hell’: Irishman with valid US work permit held by Ice since September
Seamus Culleton has been in a detention facility in Texas for nearly five months despite having no criminal record
www.irishtimes.com
February 9, 2026 at 7:59 AM
This is absolutely insane. The sort of Kafka-esque nightmare you would find in a Philip K Dick book set far in the dystopian future. A window on America tumbling into autocracy.
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...