Laura Weiss
@lauralew105.bsky.social
Writer covering social issues especially health justice, disability, immigration & labor mostly for Prism Reports and New Republic. Editor at IndyKids. Forever NACLA. I also have a TV newsletter and beloved cat. She/her. Website: Lauraweiss.me
Pinned
After massive CDC cuts, what’s left of COVID-19 mitigation efforts?
Massive cuts at CDC and growing hostility toward vaccination under Kennedy leave the public more vulnerable to COVID-19, experts say
prismreports.org
My latest for @prismreports.org on the chaos at the CDC, amid the government shutdown and what it means in terms of the ongoing threat of Covid. As @drdemetre.bsky.social put it: “there’s going to be really poor outcomes for people who can least afford them.” prismreports.org/2025/10/27/c...
Reposted by Laura Weiss
KEEP SHARING YOUR STORIES about increased ACA premiums due to the disappearance of subsidies. The stories clearly are having an impact, they help people feel less helpless, and they create solidarity that leads to action.
Mine went from $395→ $821. What happened for you?
Mine went from $395→ $821. What happened for you?
November 18, 2025 at 3:28 PM
KEEP SHARING YOUR STORIES about increased ACA premiums due to the disappearance of subsidies. The stories clearly are having an impact, they help people feel less helpless, and they create solidarity that leads to action.
Mine went from $395→ $821. What happened for you?
Mine went from $395→ $821. What happened for you?
Just gave. Join me!
in the last 5 days these laid-off VIBE staffers have only made it to 31% of their GoFundMe goal after being laid off. please show them the same support you showed Teen Vogue!!
November 17, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Just gave. Join me!
Reposted by Laura Weiss
Rest in Power, Alice Wong.
“Don’t let the bastards grind you down. I love you all.”
November 15, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Rest in Power, Alice Wong.
Reposted by Laura Weiss
Immigrants had their visas revoked and were deported over jokes about Charlie Kirk on social media.
Why?
Because the regime claims it won’t tolerate any violent political speech.
Yet Trump just pardoned Suzanne Ellen Kaye, a woman who threatened to kill FBI agents in the wake of Jan 6th.
Why?
Because the regime claims it won’t tolerate any violent political speech.
Yet Trump just pardoned Suzanne Ellen Kaye, a woman who threatened to kill FBI agents in the wake of Jan 6th.
Florida woman spent 18 months in prison for threatening FBI. Trump pardoned her
Boca Raton’s Suzanne Ellen Kaye, who went by “Angry Patriot Hippie” online, had said the videos that got her convicted were meant as a joke.
amp.miamiherald.com
November 16, 2025 at 5:20 AM
Immigrants had their visas revoked and were deported over jokes about Charlie Kirk on social media.
Why?
Because the regime claims it won’t tolerate any violent political speech.
Yet Trump just pardoned Suzanne Ellen Kaye, a woman who threatened to kill FBI agents in the wake of Jan 6th.
Why?
Because the regime claims it won’t tolerate any violent political speech.
Yet Trump just pardoned Suzanne Ellen Kaye, a woman who threatened to kill FBI agents in the wake of Jan 6th.
Reposted by Laura Weiss
Interesting how ICE flights weren't impacted by the shutdown. Just commercial flights. Yet we had to end the shutdown for the airlines?
Sure, Jan.
Sure, Jan.
November 14, 2025 at 4:53 AM
Interesting how ICE flights weren't impacted by the shutdown. Just commercial flights. Yet we had to end the shutdown for the airlines?
Sure, Jan.
Sure, Jan.
So proud of the amazing students at @indykidsnews.bsky.social for their latest issue! Working with these kids is a bright spot amid the horrors. Check it out!!
indykids.org/wp-content/u...
indykids.org/wp-content/u...
indykids.org
November 12, 2025 at 8:39 PM
So proud of the amazing students at @indykidsnews.bsky.social for their latest issue! Working with these kids is a bright spot amid the horrors. Check it out!!
indykids.org/wp-content/u...
indykids.org/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Laura Weiss
“It’s like The Twilight Zone,” one CDC staffer says of the sudden shifts at the agency.
Scientists vanish, truth gets censored, and the new boss thinks expertise is optional. Tune in as “Data” and “Evidence” are written out of the script.
nymag.com/intelligence...
Scientists vanish, truth gets censored, and the new boss thinks expertise is optional. Tune in as “Data” and “Evidence” are written out of the script.
nymag.com/intelligence...
Working at the CDC Is a Living Hell
Gaslighting, surveillance, and layoffs under the RFK Jr. regime.
nymag.com
November 12, 2025 at 5:58 PM
“It’s like The Twilight Zone,” one CDC staffer says of the sudden shifts at the agency.
Scientists vanish, truth gets censored, and the new boss thinks expertise is optional. Tune in as “Data” and “Evidence” are written out of the script.
nymag.com/intelligence...
Scientists vanish, truth gets censored, and the new boss thinks expertise is optional. Tune in as “Data” and “Evidence” are written out of the script.
nymag.com/intelligence...
Reposted by Laura Weiss
The problem isn't that they caved for a promised vote; the problem is that the vote will be a meaningless gesture impressing no one but Senate Democrats.
It will fail. ACA beneficiaries will suffer considerably as a result and there will be no consequences of any kind for Republicans.
It will fail. ACA beneficiaries will suffer considerably as a result and there will be no consequences of any kind for Republicans.
Whoa -- Sen. Durbin went to up Leader Thune during the vote last night to tell him that on the shutdown vote and ACA promise that "8 of us are sticking our neck out that you're going to keep your word. I hope you will. He said 'I assure you I will,'" Durbin says just now
November 10, 2025 at 6:31 PM
The problem isn't that they caved for a promised vote; the problem is that the vote will be a meaningless gesture impressing no one but Senate Democrats.
It will fail. ACA beneficiaries will suffer considerably as a result and there will be no consequences of any kind for Republicans.
It will fail. ACA beneficiaries will suffer considerably as a result and there will be no consequences of any kind for Republicans.
Reposted by Laura Weiss
THE SUPREME COURT WON’T REVISIT GAY MARRIAGE
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
LOVE IS LOVE
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
LOVE WINS. AGAIN AND AGAIN.
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
(and a big fuck you to Kim Davis. Babe, it’s over. Go find another hobby. Buhbye)
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
LOVE IS LOVE
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
LOVE WINS. AGAIN AND AGAIN.
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
(and a big fuck you to Kim Davis. Babe, it’s over. Go find another hobby. Buhbye)
Supreme Court won't revisit landmark decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide
Kim Davis asked the Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges appealing damages she owed a gay couple after she denied them a marriage license.
www.usatoday.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:57 PM
THE SUPREME COURT WON’T REVISIT GAY MARRIAGE
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
LOVE IS LOVE
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
LOVE WINS. AGAIN AND AGAIN.
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
(and a big fuck you to Kim Davis. Babe, it’s over. Go find another hobby. Buhbye)
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
LOVE IS LOVE
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
LOVE WINS. AGAIN AND AGAIN.
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
(and a big fuck you to Kim Davis. Babe, it’s over. Go find another hobby. Buhbye)
Reposted by Laura Weiss
This deal to reopen the government is fucking disgraceful.
Tens of millions will lose their healthcare. Trump will be emboldened.
This is exactly what’s wrong with Democratic Party leadership and why we need more people in Congress who will actually hold the line.
Tens of millions will lose their healthcare. Trump will be emboldened.
This is exactly what’s wrong with Democratic Party leadership and why we need more people in Congress who will actually hold the line.
November 10, 2025 at 12:43 PM
This deal to reopen the government is fucking disgraceful.
Tens of millions will lose their healthcare. Trump will be emboldened.
This is exactly what’s wrong with Democratic Party leadership and why we need more people in Congress who will actually hold the line.
Tens of millions will lose their healthcare. Trump will be emboldened.
This is exactly what’s wrong with Democratic Party leadership and why we need more people in Congress who will actually hold the line.
Reposted by Laura Weiss
Yesterday, Georgia Representative Buddy Carter introduced the Moving American Money Distant from Anti-National Interests (MAMDANI) Act, to defund NYC as long as Zohran Mamdani is mayor.
The GOP is attacking American cities and democracy itself. How long can we pretend this isn't a civil war?
The GOP is attacking American cities and democracy itself. How long can we pretend this isn't a civil war?
November 9, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Yesterday, Georgia Representative Buddy Carter introduced the Moving American Money Distant from Anti-National Interests (MAMDANI) Act, to defund NYC as long as Zohran Mamdani is mayor.
The GOP is attacking American cities and democracy itself. How long can we pretend this isn't a civil war?
The GOP is attacking American cities and democracy itself. How long can we pretend this isn't a civil war?
Reposted by Laura Weiss
Watching RFK jr run away from someone collapsing feels like a harbinger of things to come
November 6, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Watching RFK jr run away from someone collapsing feels like a harbinger of things to come
Christ
RFK Jr's response to someone collapsing nearby him was to haul ass out of the room as quickly as possible
November 7, 2025 at 5:22 AM
Christ
Reposted by Laura Weiss
here is my story about how Zohran's focus on community amid the loneliness epidemic helped young people connect their politics to an organizing infrastructure, that interviewed ZM, and does not use the NYT's framing of "they don't know how to make friends" :-) and also ran 4 days before NYT's lol
Zohran Mamdani's Establishment-Fighting Campaign Built Community for Young People
“What Mamdani has done is not only inspire and mobilize young people, but he has exposed the establishment and some of their calcified views of participation and inclusion.”
www.teenvogue.com
November 5, 2025 at 2:14 PM
here is my story about how Zohran's focus on community amid the loneliness epidemic helped young people connect their politics to an organizing infrastructure, that interviewed ZM, and does not use the NYT's framing of "they don't know how to make friends" :-) and also ran 4 days before NYT's lol
Reposted by Laura Weiss
😎😎😎😎 GOOD THINGS CAN STILL HAPPEN 😎😎😎😎
November 5, 2025 at 5:22 AM
😎😎😎😎 GOOD THINGS CAN STILL HAPPEN 😎😎😎😎
Reposted by Laura Weiss
The current government shutdown is now officially the longest in U.S. history, surpassing the 35-day shutdown of President Trump’s first term. The impact of the shutdown, having lasted 35 full days, has already been felt across the country. nyti.ms/3Xaygvt
November 5, 2025 at 5:20 AM
The current government shutdown is now officially the longest in U.S. history, surpassing the 35-day shutdown of President Trump’s first term. The impact of the shutdown, having lasted 35 full days, has already been felt across the country. nyti.ms/3Xaygvt
Reposted by Laura Weiss
Mamdani: "New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant."
November 5, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Mamdani: "New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant."
Reposted by Laura Weiss
I yearn for a political party where not endorsing Mamdani while praising Dick Cheney gets you automatically booted out
November 4, 2025 at 11:37 PM
I yearn for a political party where not endorsing Mamdani while praising Dick Cheney gets you automatically booted out
Reposted by Laura Weiss
Lex McMenamin, one of many valuable Teen Vogue reporters laid off today, said, "Majority of today’s layoffs were women of color. There are no longer any Black women working at Teen Vogue." 💔
As @sifill.bsky.social noted, this is NOT a business decision. Goal is to suppress knowledge, analysis. 🧵
As @sifill.bsky.social noted, this is NOT a business decision. Goal is to suppress knowledge, analysis. 🧵
November 4, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Lex McMenamin, one of many valuable Teen Vogue reporters laid off today, said, "Majority of today’s layoffs were women of color. There are no longer any Black women working at Teen Vogue." 💔
As @sifill.bsky.social noted, this is NOT a business decision. Goal is to suppress knowledge, analysis. 🧵
As @sifill.bsky.social noted, this is NOT a business decision. Goal is to suppress knowledge, analysis. 🧵
Reposted by Laura Weiss
if you want to know what happened to Teen Vogue yesterday, my work wife @allegrak.bsky.social — who ran our politics section for 6 years until this past June — said it all in this.
can't even pull out a favorite part til I sign my separation letter lol, just read the whole thing.
can't even pull out a favorite part til I sign my separation letter lol, just read the whole thing.
What We Lost When Condé Nast Unceremoniously Shuttered Teen Vogue
This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:14 PM
if you want to know what happened to Teen Vogue yesterday, my work wife @allegrak.bsky.social — who ran our politics section for 6 years until this past June — said it all in this.
can't even pull out a favorite part til I sign my separation letter lol, just read the whole thing.
can't even pull out a favorite part til I sign my separation letter lol, just read the whole thing.
This is awful news. Lex was such a huge part of making Teen Vogue the progressive political magazine it became, and the media landscape will be far worse off without Teen Vogue covering politics. These are such dark days.
I was laid off from Teen Vogue today along with multiple other staffers, and today is my last day.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
November 3, 2025 at 11:08 PM
This is awful news. Lex was such a huge part of making Teen Vogue the progressive political magazine it became, and the media landscape will be far worse off without Teen Vogue covering politics. These are such dark days.
Reposted by Laura Weiss
ICE shooting a food bank worker in the back is a little on the nose for the current moment
US citizen shot from behind as he warned ICE agents children would be coming to get bus, lawyers say
U.S. citizen shot from behind as he warned ICE agents about children gathering at bus stop, lawyers say
Lawyers for Carlos Jimenez said he was in fear after an agent threatened him with chemical spray, then pointed a gun at him.
www.latimes.com
November 3, 2025 at 12:16 AM
ICE shooting a food bank worker in the back is a little on the nose for the current moment
Reposted by Laura Weiss
NYC is going to have the world's biggest media-manufactured crime panic in history the second Mamdani is elected. They aren't even going to wait until he is inaugurated. Whether or not you like the guy, you need to start preparing now for the fire hose of disinformation that is about to activate.
November 2, 2025 at 11:19 PM
NYC is going to have the world's biggest media-manufactured crime panic in history the second Mamdani is elected. They aren't even going to wait until he is inaugurated. Whether or not you like the guy, you need to start preparing now for the fire hose of disinformation that is about to activate.
Anyone here on Medicare and used telehealth before? For an article. Thanks!!
November 1, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Anyone here on Medicare and used telehealth before? For an article. Thanks!!
Reposted by Laura Weiss
“Dozens of scientists are considering leaving the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, where Prasad serves as director, to escape a work environment that eight agency officials described to STAT as rife with mistrust and paranoia. These officials said staffers are terrified of pushing back”
Under Vinay Prasad, employees at a key FDA center fear speaking out, look for the exits
Exclusive: Vinay Prasad has rattled FDA staff by expanding his power and pushing out senior leaders.
www.statnews.com
October 31, 2025 at 3:47 PM
“Dozens of scientists are considering leaving the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, where Prasad serves as director, to escape a work environment that eight agency officials described to STAT as rife with mistrust and paranoia. These officials said staffers are terrified of pushing back”