John Lee
@johnleemk.bsky.social
Malaysian data scientist, among many other things
Reposted by John Lee
Difficult to overstate how profound a failure DOGE was. Spending in FY2025 was not only than in FY2024 – but higher than it was projected to be when Trump first took office.*
The little bit of spending DOGE cut has already killed hundreds of thousands and will eventually lead to millions of deaths.
The little bit of spending DOGE cut has already killed hundreds of thousands and will eventually lead to millions of deaths.
Bye bye, “DOGE”.
It no longer exists as a “centralized entity”, according to the Office of Personnel Management.
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/dog...
It no longer exists as a “centralized entity”, according to the Office of Personnel Management.
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/dog...
November 23, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Difficult to overstate how profound a failure DOGE was. Spending in FY2025 was not only than in FY2024 – but higher than it was projected to be when Trump first took office.*
The little bit of spending DOGE cut has already killed hundreds of thousands and will eventually lead to millions of deaths.
The little bit of spending DOGE cut has already killed hundreds of thousands and will eventually lead to millions of deaths.
If the US invades Venezuela it's hard to see how impeachment couldn't be on the table after 2026
I still doubt that Trump will actually go through with anything crazy vis-a-vis Venezuela because i genuinely think the dude has dementia (like actual dementia) but if i eat my own words this whole thing will make Iraqi freedom and its aftermath look like it was well planned
hey i've heard this one before
November 6, 2025 at 12:28 PM
If the US invades Venezuela it's hard to see how impeachment couldn't be on the table after 2026
Reposted by John Lee
i want to repeat this: mamdani and spanberger have run similar campaigns tailored to their respective electorates and it is maddening to watch political journalists attempt to create some broad contrast where none exist
the other thing about this is that there is no reason to pit these candidates against each other? each are good fits for their respective electorates and each shows the value of vigorous campaigns focused on the stated material problems of voters.
November 4, 2025 at 1:37 PM
i want to repeat this: mamdani and spanberger have run similar campaigns tailored to their respective electorates and it is maddening to watch political journalists attempt to create some broad contrast where none exist
Reposted by John Lee
us citizen shot by ICE officer after victim said 'not cool, bro'/'hey those are kids' is almost like a daily story at this point.
November 3, 2025 at 7:38 PM
us citizen shot by ICE officer after victim said 'not cool, bro'/'hey those are kids' is almost like a daily story at this point.
Reposted by John Lee
This is exactly the same argument — and, in parts, even the same language — that segregationists advanced to argue that white people had a “right” not to live next to people who were different from them.
Vance says it is "totally reasonable and acceptable" for people to not want to live next door to people who speak a different language than they do
October 29, 2025 at 4:43 PM
This is exactly the same argument — and, in parts, even the same language — that segregationists advanced to argue that white people had a “right” not to live next to people who were different from them.
Reposted by John Lee
Sort of incredible that we live in a world where the vice president of the United States is just spewing the sort of horseshit that literal children are traditionally taught is wrong
October 29, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Sort of incredible that we live in a world where the vice president of the United States is just spewing the sort of horseshit that literal children are traditionally taught is wrong
Reposted by John Lee
This is a real thing that a judge had to say to the Chief of US Customs and Border Protection.
"Kids dressed in halloween costumes walking to a parade" do not present an immediate threat to law enforcement officer and riot control measures may not be used, Ellis says.
October 28, 2025 at 3:20 PM
This is a real thing that a judge had to say to the Chief of US Customs and Border Protection.
Reposted by John Lee
"Won't be thwarted by impotent or subservient institutions" is not synonymous with "doesn't matter".
Jesus tap-dancing Christ.
Jesus tap-dancing Christ.
Trump’s move to pay the troops was probably illegal, and that probably doesn’t matter
Trump’s move to pay the troops was probably illegal, and that probably doesn’t matter
Trump’s move to pay the troops was probably illegal, and that probably doesn’t matter
www.independent.co.uk
October 27, 2025 at 7:59 AM
"Won't be thwarted by impotent or subservient institutions" is not synonymous with "doesn't matter".
Jesus tap-dancing Christ.
Jesus tap-dancing Christ.
Reposted by John Lee
Reposted by John Lee
One thing that is clear from the kicker to this excellent WSJ story on the WH ballroom is that Trump himself can't believe how easy it is to run roughshod over rules and traditions.
There's probably a metaphor in there somewhere.
Free link: www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
There's probably a metaphor in there somewhere.
Free link: www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
October 26, 2025 at 7:23 PM
One thing that is clear from the kicker to this excellent WSJ story on the WH ballroom is that Trump himself can't believe how easy it is to run roughshod over rules and traditions.
There's probably a metaphor in there somewhere.
Free link: www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
There's probably a metaphor in there somewhere.
Free link: www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Reposted by John Lee
Even if you think some of Mamdani’s policy ideas are ill-conceived dorm room stuff (which I do), the level of performative panic around him just seems bizzarely, irrationally detached from any sense of what an NYC mayor can actually DO unilaterally.
Andrew Cuomo says he will continue to not live in New York City if Zohran Mamdani becomes NYC mayor.
October 26, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Even if you think some of Mamdani’s policy ideas are ill-conceived dorm room stuff (which I do), the level of performative panic around him just seems bizzarely, irrationally detached from any sense of what an NYC mayor can actually DO unilaterally.
Reposted by John Lee
Here are the companies destroying the east wing of the White House
October 23, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Here are the companies destroying the east wing of the White House
Reposted by John Lee
"normies do not care about this thing and so it is no use raising a stink" is imho just an excuse for not doing politics, which is the job of making normies care about something
October 24, 2025 at 2:47 AM
"normies do not care about this thing and so it is no use raising a stink" is imho just an excuse for not doing politics, which is the job of making normies care about something
Reposted by John Lee
Odds are this aggressively did not happen. But it would of course be just as unconstitutional to spend money donated to the government without a duly enacted appropriation as it is to spend tax money that way.
Trump: "By the way, a friend of mine called us the other day and he said 'I'd like to contribute any shortfall you have because of the Democrat shutdown. I'd like to contribute any shortfall you have with the military.' Today, he sent us a check for $130 million. It's gonna go the military."
October 23, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Odds are this aggressively did not happen. But it would of course be just as unconstitutional to spend money donated to the government without a duly enacted appropriation as it is to spend tax money that way.
Reposted by John Lee
a live look this morning at the demolished East Wing of the White House
October 23, 2025 at 1:38 PM
a live look this morning at the demolished East Wing of the White House
Reposted by John Lee
“Medical staff did not give her any food, water, or pain medication for several hours. Much later that evening, after a significant loss of blood, Lucia was transported to an emergency room approximately an hour away, with her arms and legs shackled.” www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
Pregnant women describe miscarrying and bleeding out while in ICE custody, advocates say
The ACLU and other groups are pressing for ICE to identify and release all pregnant women in custody and to stop detaining anyone known to be pregnant, postpartum or nursing.
www.nbcnews.com
October 23, 2025 at 2:39 AM
“Medical staff did not give her any food, water, or pain medication for several hours. Much later that evening, after a significant loss of blood, Lucia was transported to an emergency room approximately an hour away, with her arms and legs shackled.” www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
Reposted by John Lee
Platner was calling people the f-slur in 2018. A Senate term is six years. If he changed that much in the last seven years, how much will he change in the next seven?
October 23, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Platner was calling people the f-slur in 2018. A Senate term is six years. If he changed that much in the last seven years, how much will he change in the next seven?
Reposted by John Lee
What if POTUS decided to simply demo the entire White House, pave it over, and conduct all business from some other location.
Camp David. NYC. Moscow.
If he just allowed to do that? No notice? No permission?
The answer now seems to be: Sure.
Camp David. NYC. Moscow.
If he just allowed to do that? No notice? No permission?
The answer now seems to be: Sure.
October 22, 2025 at 11:55 PM
What if POTUS decided to simply demo the entire White House, pave it over, and conduct all business from some other location.
Camp David. NYC. Moscow.
If he just allowed to do that? No notice? No permission?
The answer now seems to be: Sure.
Camp David. NYC. Moscow.
If he just allowed to do that? No notice? No permission?
The answer now seems to be: Sure.
Reposted by John Lee
Really didn't have "look whomst amongst us hasn't accidentally had a large Nazi SS tattoo on their chest for 18 years, it's no big deal" coming from the progressive wing of the Democratic party on my bingo card for 2025 but remind me to draft my 2026 bingo card in hell.
October 23, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Really didn't have "look whomst amongst us hasn't accidentally had a large Nazi SS tattoo on their chest for 18 years, it's no big deal" coming from the progressive wing of the Democratic party on my bingo card for 2025 but remind me to draft my 2026 bingo card in hell.
Reposted by John Lee
Also worth noting that trying to code marriage as conservative is basically the exact opposite of promoting marriage.
it's such horseshit that conservatives like ross douthat dare to call marriage and having kids conservative coded
every prominent conservative is either
1) a pederast
2) a rapist
3) fucking corey lewandowski while married to somebody else
sorry conservatives, but family values are lib now
every prominent conservative is either
1) a pederast
2) a rapist
3) fucking corey lewandowski while married to somebody else
sorry conservatives, but family values are lib now
October 23, 2025 at 2:06 AM
Also worth noting that trying to code marriage as conservative is basically the exact opposite of promoting marriage.
Reposted by John Lee
The average age of marriage in the late Victorian era years in the US was 26 for men and 22 for women.
The whole "teen marriage were common" thing is a myth.
The whole "teen marriage were common" thing is a myth.
October 23, 2025 at 3:16 AM
The average age of marriage in the late Victorian era years in the US was 26 for men and 22 for women.
The whole "teen marriage were common" thing is a myth.
The whole "teen marriage were common" thing is a myth.
Reposted by John Lee
had to put this one together from the archives but: called it again
October 23, 2025 at 3:07 AM
had to put this one together from the archives but: called it again
Reposted by John Lee
there are good & worthwhile historical & legal arguments for why the unitary executive is nonsense but to my mind the most straightforward argument is that it makes no logical sense that the president has absolute removal power over the people whose job it is to keep the executive branch accountable
The Inspector General system is basically broken now. Most IGs have been fired, most positions remain vacant. Those who remain or would take the job pose no risk to holding the regime accountable.
Congress added more barriers to Trump firing IGs after his first term. He just ignored them.
Congress added more barriers to Trump firing IGs after his first term. He just ignored them.
October 21, 2025 at 10:47 PM
there are good & worthwhile historical & legal arguments for why the unitary executive is nonsense but to my mind the most straightforward argument is that it makes no logical sense that the president has absolute removal power over the people whose job it is to keep the executive branch accountable
Reposted by John Lee
You have to be willing to walk away from these guys if they let you down, just as a matter of basic self respect. It's not a fandom. You're hiring them to do a job or not.
I liked the Platner ads too but I think there's a difference between "guy who had some bad reddit posts a decade ago" and "ex-Blackwater merc who still has a Nazi tattoo." Sucks bigtime that he's the only one taking positions and talking policy I like, but them's the breaks!
October 21, 2025 at 3:50 PM
You have to be willing to walk away from these guys if they let you down, just as a matter of basic self respect. It's not a fandom. You're hiring them to do a job or not.
Reposted by John Lee
One benchmark of a democracy is whether it is willing to hold those who have served at the very highest levels to account.
Can you imagine the United States ever doing something like this?
Can you imagine the United States ever doing something like this?
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy enters a prison in Paris on the first day of a five-year sentence https://cnn.it/4hvGEiD
October 21, 2025 at 8:35 AM
One benchmark of a democracy is whether it is willing to hold those who have served at the very highest levels to account.
Can you imagine the United States ever doing something like this?
Can you imagine the United States ever doing something like this?