John Voelcker
@johnvoelcker.bsky.social
Raconteur. Random cultural, political, sociological, science, tech, #EV, #LGBTQ, British car stuff. "Plucky and good fun."Contributing Editor, CAR and DRIVER, Green Car Reports, others; Cofounder, Tempting Fate Tours.
Welcome to Bluesky. Don’t be a jerk.
Welcome to Bluesky. Don’t be a jerk.
Pinned
General Ulysses S. Grant wrote this to his father in 1861, immediately after the Confederacy fired the first shots, signaling the start of the Civil War.
"There are but two parties now, traitors and patriots.
"I want hereafter to be ranked with the latter."
"There are but two parties now, traitors and patriots.
"I want hereafter to be ranked with the latter."
Reposted by John Voelcker
Pew Research Institute (2023):
• Red State Texas has about 2.1 million undocumented immigrants
• Red State Florida has 1.6 M undocumented immigrants
• Blue State Minnesota has 130,000.
And yet only Minnesota is being occupied by masked thugs over "immigration."
It's *not* about immigration.
• Red State Texas has about 2.1 million undocumented immigrants
• Red State Florida has 1.6 M undocumented immigrants
• Blue State Minnesota has 130,000.
And yet only Minnesota is being occupied by masked thugs over "immigration."
It's *not* about immigration.
January 18, 2026 at 9:03 PM
Pew Research Institute (2023):
• Red State Texas has about 2.1 million undocumented immigrants
• Red State Florida has 1.6 M undocumented immigrants
• Blue State Minnesota has 130,000.
And yet only Minnesota is being occupied by masked thugs over "immigration."
It's *not* about immigration.
• Red State Texas has about 2.1 million undocumented immigrants
• Red State Florida has 1.6 M undocumented immigrants
• Blue State Minnesota has 130,000.
And yet only Minnesota is being occupied by masked thugs over "immigration."
It's *not* about immigration.
My very own Congressman @pkryan.bsky.social !!
The phrase "legal—and I think criminal—liability for multiple members ... certainly Stephen Miller" warms me to my core.
The phrase "legal—and I think criminal—liability for multiple members ... certainly Stephen Miller" warms me to my core.
.@PabloReports: Stephen Miller seems to be operating sort of as a shadow president at this point. Is there any legal liability he could face at the end of this presidency?
Ryan: There’s going to be legal—and I think criminal—liability for multiple members.. certainly Stephen Miller.
Ryan: There’s going to be legal—and I think criminal—liability for multiple members.. certainly Stephen Miller.
January 19, 2026 at 12:06 AM
My very own Congressman @pkryan.bsky.social !!
The phrase "legal—and I think criminal—liability for multiple members ... certainly Stephen Miller" warms me to my core.
The phrase "legal—and I think criminal—liability for multiple members ... certainly Stephen Miller" warms me to my core.
"Voters wanted the border secured—but they didn’t want mass deportations, family separations or violent enforcement.
"They want sensible, humane immigration policy, a functioning govt + lower prices for health care + groceries. Trump has given them Venezuela, Greenland, midnight ICE raids + chaos."
"They want sensible, humane immigration policy, a functioning govt + lower prices for health care + groceries. Trump has given them Venezuela, Greenland, midnight ICE raids + chaos."
Americans say Trump has the wrong priorities
Your weekly political data roundup for January 18, 2026
www.gelliottmorris.com
January 18, 2026 at 9:02 PM
"Voters wanted the border secured—but they didn’t want mass deportations, family separations or violent enforcement.
"They want sensible, humane immigration policy, a functioning govt + lower prices for health care + groceries. Trump has given them Venezuela, Greenland, midnight ICE raids + chaos."
"They want sensible, humane immigration policy, a functioning govt + lower prices for health care + groceries. Trump has given them Venezuela, Greenland, midnight ICE raids + chaos."
Reposted by John Voelcker
Noem's claim is FALSE. Here is ICE's own data on the detention population among those arrested by ICE:
- 43% no criminal record (up from 6% at the start of the year),
- 29% at least one prior conviction*
- 28% at least one pending charge
*most common are traffic and immigration offenses.
- 43% no criminal record (up from 6% at the start of the year),
- 29% at least one prior conviction*
- 28% at least one pending charge
*most common are traffic and immigration offenses.
January 18, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Noem's claim is FALSE. Here is ICE's own data on the detention population among those arrested by ICE:
- 43% no criminal record (up from 6% at the start of the year),
- 29% at least one prior conviction*
- 28% at least one pending charge
*most common are traffic and immigration offenses.
- 43% no criminal record (up from 6% at the start of the year),
- 29% at least one prior conviction*
- 28% at least one pending charge
*most common are traffic and immigration offenses.
I'm increasingly intolerant of the, "Everything's f*cked, there's nothing we can do" narrative. BS.
In a time of democratic decay, preparing to repair is the best form of optimism. It counterbalances cynicism.
On dark times + planning to implement fixes to problems that have already been solved...
In a time of democratic decay, preparing to repair is the best form of optimism. It counterbalances cynicism.
On dark times + planning to implement fixes to problems that have already been solved...
The Wall Looks Permanent Until It Falls
On the optimism of preparation in a time of democratic decay.
data4democracy.substack.com
January 18, 2026 at 4:12 PM
I'm increasingly intolerant of the, "Everything's f*cked, there's nothing we can do" narrative. BS.
In a time of democratic decay, preparing to repair is the best form of optimism. It counterbalances cynicism.
On dark times + planning to implement fixes to problems that have already been solved...
In a time of democratic decay, preparing to repair is the best form of optimism. It counterbalances cynicism.
On dark times + planning to implement fixes to problems that have already been solved...
It's the middle of winter in the Catskill Mountains. We're getting another 2-5" of snow today. My home is nice + warm.
And ... I haven't paid a dime to the local electric utility since July!
Rooftop #solar works. Ugly upfront costs, but in this case: a definite win. Payback is 8-12 years.
And ... I haven't paid a dime to the local electric utility since July!
Rooftop #solar works. Ugly upfront costs, but in this case: a definite win. Payback is 8-12 years.
January 18, 2026 at 2:47 PM
It's the middle of winter in the Catskill Mountains. We're getting another 2-5" of snow today. My home is nice + warm.
And ... I haven't paid a dime to the local electric utility since July!
Rooftop #solar works. Ugly upfront costs, but in this case: a definite win. Payback is 8-12 years.
And ... I haven't paid a dime to the local electric utility since July!
Rooftop #solar works. Ugly upfront costs, but in this case: a definite win. Payback is 8-12 years.
"A lot of people still assume this ends with US troops landing in Greenland, fighting European forces. We at The Concis put the odds of that at zero."
Why? NARRATIVE.
Read this smart piece on how dictators structure the narrative well before attacking. In this case, he's already lost that ability.
Why? NARRATIVE.
Read this smart piece on how dictators structure the narrative well before attacking. In this case, he's already lost that ability.
Greenland and Europe Are Safer Than They Were Two Weeks Ago
When the MAGA base refuses to buy Donald Trump’s bullshit, you have won. The challenge now is to keep it there.
www.theconcis.com
January 18, 2026 at 1:39 PM
"A lot of people still assume this ends with US troops landing in Greenland, fighting European forces. We at The Concis put the odds of that at zero."
Why? NARRATIVE.
Read this smart piece on how dictators structure the narrative well before attacking. In this case, he's already lost that ability.
Why? NARRATIVE.
Read this smart piece on how dictators structure the narrative well before attacking. In this case, he's already lost that ability.
We will soon learn whether the masked, unidentified, white males who kidnap citizens + others off U.S. streets based on their skin color, will pay any attention whatsoever to this court order ... and what the current president will do about it. (I can predict what he'll SAY.)
wapo.st/4pFeIeN
wapo.st/4pFeIeN
Minneapolis judge bars DHS agents from arresting peaceful protesters
The judge’s order comes in response to a lawsuit from Minneapolis-area residents alleging that their rights were violated while they were observing or protesting immigration raids.
wapo.st
January 17, 2026 at 3:40 PM
We will soon learn whether the masked, unidentified, white males who kidnap citizens + others off U.S. streets based on their skin color, will pay any attention whatsoever to this court order ... and what the current president will do about it. (I can predict what he'll SAY.)
wapo.st/4pFeIeN
wapo.st/4pFeIeN
Yes. This. Nominate a candidate with actual experience in GOVERNING. Which requires compromise + listening to all sides + making tradeoffs + juggling.
None of which were embodied in growling, "You're FIRED!" on reality TV. As we now know.
None of which were embodied in growling, "You're FIRED!" on reality TV. As we now know.
Democrats Should Run a Governor for President in 2028
A governor who’s actually run something would provide a good contrast to J.D. Vance, who has only run his mouth.
nymag.com
January 17, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Yes. This. Nominate a candidate with actual experience in GOVERNING. Which requires compromise + listening to all sides + making tradeoffs + juggling.
None of which were embodied in growling, "You're FIRED!" on reality TV. As we now know.
None of which were embodied in growling, "You're FIRED!" on reality TV. As we now know.
There has been, naturally, last-minute pushback.
Jobs to Move America, a nonprofit + Neighbors for a Better Micron filed an 11th-hour lawsuit seeking to block Micron's chip-fab facility in Clay, NY, outside Syracuse.
They argue the environmental review of the massive project was inadequate.
Jobs to Move America, a nonprofit + Neighbors for a Better Micron filed an 11th-hour lawsuit seeking to block Micron's chip-fab facility in Clay, NY, outside Syracuse.
They argue the environmental review of the massive project was inadequate.
January 17, 2026 at 1:51 PM
There has been, naturally, last-minute pushback.
Jobs to Move America, a nonprofit + Neighbors for a Better Micron filed an 11th-hour lawsuit seeking to block Micron's chip-fab facility in Clay, NY, outside Syracuse.
They argue the environmental review of the massive project was inadequate.
Jobs to Move America, a nonprofit + Neighbors for a Better Micron filed an 11th-hour lawsuit seeking to block Micron's chip-fab facility in Clay, NY, outside Syracuse.
They argue the environmental review of the massive project was inadequate.
"Worldwide, people no longer accept the same sources, authorities or even the validity of the act of disagreement itself."
Congratulations, Rupert Murdoch. You won.
Congratulations, Rupert Murdoch. You won.
Exclusive: Global trust data finds our shared reality is collapsing
Democracy, markets and social cohesion all depend on some shared understanding of facts and legitimacy.
www.axios.com
January 17, 2026 at 1:12 PM
"Worldwide, people no longer accept the same sources, authorities or even the validity of the act of disagreement itself."
Congratulations, Rupert Murdoch. You won.
Congratulations, Rupert Murdoch. You won.
This is a fascinating article on one promising, very specific application for AI that may help reduce suffering + save lives.
It also made me spit tea right across the desk.
"The human element is crucial. For treatment of Fajgenbaum’s own disease, the AI program once suggested car exhaust fumes."
It also made me spit tea right across the desk.
"The human element is crucial. For treatment of Fajgenbaum’s own disease, the AI program once suggested car exhaust fumes."
Did AI Alter the Course of This Baby’s Life?
When Jorie Kraus was diagnosed with an incurable rare disease, two young researchers created an AI tool to find a treatment.
nymag.com
January 17, 2026 at 12:04 PM
This is a fascinating article on one promising, very specific application for AI that may help reduce suffering + save lives.
It also made me spit tea right across the desk.
"The human element is crucial. For treatment of Fajgenbaum’s own disease, the AI program once suggested car exhaust fumes."
It also made me spit tea right across the desk.
"The human element is crucial. For treatment of Fajgenbaum’s own disease, the AI program once suggested car exhaust fumes."
Remember when it the #EV transition that was going to bring down the grid + cause everyone's electricity prices to rise?
Those were the days.
Those were the days.
What history says about AI's power consumption
The U.S. has met soaring electricity demand in decades past.
www.axios.com
January 17, 2026 at 3:27 AM
Remember when it the #EV transition that was going to bring down the grid + cause everyone's electricity prices to rise?
Those were the days.
Those were the days.
Republican senators are now leading a delegation to Denmark with a clear purpose: to signal they will not allow Trump's headline-driven Greenland posturing to harden into something real.
His strategy is designed to lure headlines away from ICE brutality, rising prices, tariff costs + Epstein files.
His strategy is designed to lure headlines away from ICE brutality, rising prices, tariff costs + Epstein files.
thehill.com
January 17, 2026 at 12:49 AM
Republican senators are now leading a delegation to Denmark with a clear purpose: to signal they will not allow Trump's headline-driven Greenland posturing to harden into something real.
His strategy is designed to lure headlines away from ICE brutality, rising prices, tariff costs + Epstein files.
His strategy is designed to lure headlines away from ICE brutality, rising prices, tariff costs + Epstein files.
Good LORD. Central New York State could have the largest semiconductor facility in the United States. One day, anyhow.
I very, very much hope this fares better than previous state-funded high-tech expansions ... including the #Tesla site in Buffalo + the closed iM3NY Li-ion cell plant in Endicott.
I very, very much hope this fares better than previous state-funded high-tech expansions ... including the #Tesla site in Buffalo + the closed iM3NY Li-ion cell plant in Endicott.
Groundbreaking held for massive Micron chipmaking facility in Central N.Y.
Local, state and federal officials were on hand for the ceremony Friday.
nystateofpolitics.com
January 17, 2026 at 12:08 AM
Good LORD. Central New York State could have the largest semiconductor facility in the United States. One day, anyhow.
I very, very much hope this fares better than previous state-funded high-tech expansions ... including the #Tesla site in Buffalo + the closed iM3NY Li-ion cell plant in Endicott.
I very, very much hope this fares better than previous state-funded high-tech expansions ... including the #Tesla site in Buffalo + the closed iM3NY Li-ion cell plant in Endicott.
At a White House event today, Trump administration officials said they planned to keep open as many coal plants as they could + prevent any further retirements over the next 3 years.
[NARRATOR VOICE] Utilities largely stayed silent while adding up the costs of expensive, uneconomic coal generation.
[NARRATOR VOICE] Utilities largely stayed silent while adding up the costs of expensive, uneconomic coal generation.
Trump Wants to Halt Almost All Coal Plant Shutdowns. It Could Get Messy.
www.nytimes.com
January 16, 2026 at 11:34 PM
At a White House event today, Trump administration officials said they planned to keep open as many coal plants as they could + prevent any further retirements over the next 3 years.
[NARRATOR VOICE] Utilities largely stayed silent while adding up the costs of expensive, uneconomic coal generation.
[NARRATOR VOICE] Utilities largely stayed silent while adding up the costs of expensive, uneconomic coal generation.
This headline is clickbait-y ... but not entirely inaccurate.
The Detroit 2.5 face not just an overwhelmingly aggressive Chinese #EV onslaught, but actions by their own govt that show zero understanding of how trade policy is implemented + how the damn auto industry even works in the first place.
The Detroit 2.5 face not just an overwhelmingly aggressive Chinese #EV onslaught, but actions by their own govt that show zero understanding of how trade policy is implemented + how the damn auto industry even works in the first place.
The US Auto Industry Is Facing Extinction
When Donald Trump assumed office for the second time a year ago, he almost immediately began imposing massive import tariffs on most of the U.S.’s biggest trading partners, including immediate neighbo...
www.telemetryagency.com
January 16, 2026 at 10:59 PM
This headline is clickbait-y ... but not entirely inaccurate.
The Detroit 2.5 face not just an overwhelmingly aggressive Chinese #EV onslaught, but actions by their own govt that show zero understanding of how trade policy is implemented + how the damn auto industry even works in the first place.
The Detroit 2.5 face not just an overwhelmingly aggressive Chinese #EV onslaught, but actions by their own govt that show zero understanding of how trade policy is implemented + how the damn auto industry even works in the first place.
The destruction of the CDC's decades-old vaccination recommendations, at the hands of deranged antivaxxers, ensures more children will get sick + more children will die.
The same applies to adults, especially the elderly. #science
Get. Your. Vaccines. And be sure your kids have all theirs. NOW.
The same applies to adults, especially the elderly. #science
Get. Your. Vaccines. And be sure your kids have all theirs. NOW.
Kids' flu shots are lagging despite "super flu" outbreak
Kids' flu shots are lagging compared to last year, even amid what's shaping up to be a historically nasty influenza season.
www.axios.com
January 16, 2026 at 10:13 PM
The destruction of the CDC's decades-old vaccination recommendations, at the hands of deranged antivaxxers, ensures more children will get sick + more children will die.
The same applies to adults, especially the elderly. #science
Get. Your. Vaccines. And be sure your kids have all theirs. NOW.
The same applies to adults, especially the elderly. #science
Get. Your. Vaccines. And be sure your kids have all theirs. NOW.
I have to think it's the world's *ONLY* hydrogen-fueled '57 Chevy too.
Not a factory prototype, or a rediscovered alt-fuel attempt, this one's a build by vendors + shops who are auctioning it off for charity.
It burns the H2 in a V8, so Chevy purists can rest easy. But good luck finding fuel!
Not a factory prototype, or a rediscovered alt-fuel attempt, this one's a build by vendors + shops who are auctioning it off for charity.
It burns the H2 in a V8, so Chevy purists can rest easy. But good luck finding fuel!
World’s First Hydrogen-Powered 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Is Heading To Charity Auction | The Online Automotive Marketplace | Hemmings, The World's Largest Collector Car Marketplace
While the exterior retains the iconic lines of a 1957 Bel Air, the engineering beneath the hood is entirely revolutionary.
www.hemmings.com
January 16, 2026 at 6:42 PM
I have to think it's the world's *ONLY* hydrogen-fueled '57 Chevy too.
Not a factory prototype, or a rediscovered alt-fuel attempt, this one's a build by vendors + shops who are auctioning it off for charity.
It burns the H2 in a V8, so Chevy purists can rest easy. But good luck finding fuel!
Not a factory prototype, or a rediscovered alt-fuel attempt, this one's a build by vendors + shops who are auctioning it off for charity.
It burns the H2 in a V8, so Chevy purists can rest easy. But good luck finding fuel!
"Despite the above restrictions, ICE reportedly detained + deported numerous U.S. citizens in 2025, including children born in the United States."
A useful primer on the legal rights + responsibilities around ICE actions (some of them aka kidnappings).
It is unclear ICE pays ANY attention to them.
A useful primer on the legal rights + responsibilities around ICE actions (some of them aka kidnappings).
It is unclear ICE pays ANY attention to them.
Can ICE arrest US citizens? Explaining agents' legal authority
Questions surrounding ICE's arrest powers resurfaced after an agent fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis on Jan. 7, 2026.
www.snopes.com
January 16, 2026 at 3:56 PM
"Despite the above restrictions, ICE reportedly detained + deported numerous U.S. citizens in 2025, including children born in the United States."
A useful primer on the legal rights + responsibilities around ICE actions (some of them aka kidnappings).
It is unclear ICE pays ANY attention to them.
A useful primer on the legal rights + responsibilities around ICE actions (some of them aka kidnappings).
It is unclear ICE pays ANY attention to them.
After Trump told reporters he doesn't really care about the USMCA trade deal—which he negotiated in his first term + which is vitally important to US automakers—Canada will allow up to 49,000 Chinese-built #EV models to be sold in the country, at only a 6.1% tariff.
Oh.
[h/t: @chadkirchner.com]
Oh.
[h/t: @chadkirchner.com]
Carney reaches 'landmark' tariff-quota deal with China on EVs, canola
National Newswatch: Canada's most comprehensive site for political news and views.
nationalnewswatch.com
January 16, 2026 at 2:49 PM
After Trump told reporters he doesn't really care about the USMCA trade deal—which he negotiated in his first term + which is vitally important to US automakers—Canada will allow up to 49,000 Chinese-built #EV models to be sold in the country, at only a 6.1% tariff.
Oh.
[h/t: @chadkirchner.com]
Oh.
[h/t: @chadkirchner.com]
This article looks back at our 2024 adventure: shipping 2 very slow Morrises from the States to drive in Europe + the UK.
1,000 mi proved daunting (one ran like a top, one didn't) + exhilarating, from driving my 1949 car to its plant 75 yrs to the week after it left ... to winning a basket of beer.
1,000 mi proved daunting (one ran like a top, one didn't) + exhilarating, from driving my 1949 car to its plant 75 yrs to the week after it left ... to winning a basket of beer.
Hagerty asked us to write up our 2024 European adventures ... and it's finally out. They may have used all 130 pix we sent!
Let us know what you think of the piece. It's got links to videos scattered throughout, to refresh your memories if you've watched them. If not, you can watch 'em now!
Let us know what you think of the piece. It's got links to videos scattered throughout, to refresh your memories if you've watched them. If not, you can watch 'em now!
Driving 1000 Miles in a 75-Year-Old Car: Anxious, Exhausting, and a Total Blast - Hagerty Media
A 1000-mile road trip isn't easy, even for newer cars. But in two 70-plus-year-old Morris Minors? Well, the memories made it all worthwhile.
www.hagerty.com
January 16, 2026 at 12:32 PM
This article looks back at our 2024 adventure: shipping 2 very slow Morrises from the States to drive in Europe + the UK.
1,000 mi proved daunting (one ran like a top, one didn't) + exhilarating, from driving my 1949 car to its plant 75 yrs to the week after it left ... to winning a basket of beer.
1,000 mi proved daunting (one ran like a top, one didn't) + exhilarating, from driving my 1949 car to its plant 75 yrs to the week after it left ... to winning a basket of beer.
Ronald Deibert directs the Citizen Lab, a research center he founded in 2001 to serve as "counterintelligence for civil society."
For years, Deibert held up the U.S. as the standard for liberal democracy. That’s changed. “I do not believe an institution like the Citizen Lab could exist there now."
For years, Deibert held up the U.S. as the standard for liberal democracy. That’s changed. “I do not believe an institution like the Citizen Lab could exist there now."
Meet the man hunting the spies in your smartphone
Ronald Deibert and his research group, the Citizen Lab, have rigorously worked to unveil alarming digital threats for the past two decades. Now, he warns, this kind of work is under threat.
www.technologyreview.com
January 16, 2026 at 3:34 AM
Ronald Deibert directs the Citizen Lab, a research center he founded in 2001 to serve as "counterintelligence for civil society."
For years, Deibert held up the U.S. as the standard for liberal democracy. That’s changed. “I do not believe an institution like the Citizen Lab could exist there now."
For years, Deibert held up the U.S. as the standard for liberal democracy. That’s changed. “I do not believe an institution like the Citizen Lab could exist there now."
Google said it will allow its Gemini AI service to use what the company knows about its users through apps like Gmail, Search + YouTube to answer questions.
A good reason never to be signed into Google, hmm? Or to use different Google logins for each function? Think I'm up to 13 Google IDs now ...
A good reason never to be signed into Google, hmm? Or to use different Google logins for each function? Think I'm up to 13 Google IDs now ...
Google’s Gemini AI will use what it knows about you from Gmail, Search, and YouTube
Google wants Gemini to give you more personalized responses.
www.theverge.com
January 16, 2026 at 1:59 AM
Google said it will allow its Gemini AI service to use what the company knows about its users through apps like Gmail, Search + YouTube to answer questions.
A good reason never to be signed into Google, hmm? Or to use different Google logins for each function? Think I'm up to 13 Google IDs now ...
A good reason never to be signed into Google, hmm? Or to use different Google logins for each function? Think I'm up to 13 Google IDs now ...
A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration acted illegally when it canceled $7.6 billion in clean-energy grants for projects in states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
Ruling issued Monday.
Ruling issued Monday.
Court says Trump admin illegally blocked billions in clean energy grants to Democratic states
A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration acted illegally when it canceled $7.6 billion in clean energy grants for projects in states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 el...
apnews.com
January 15, 2026 at 1:31 PM
A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration acted illegally when it canceled $7.6 billion in clean-energy grants for projects in states that voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
Ruling issued Monday.
Ruling issued Monday.