Jean-Marc Liotier
@liotier.bsky.social
Like an old information technology blog that collided with a European Union politics column, a geographic information systems consultancy and a defense think tank.
French alt: https://bsky.app/profile/liotier-fr.bsky.social
Matrix: @liotier:tedomum.net
French alt: https://bsky.app/profile/liotier-fr.bsky.social
Matrix: @liotier:tedomum.net
Pinned
Jean-Marc Liotier: Your Friendly Neighborhood Policy Nerd
Where EU politics meets tech rants and unexpected humor.
blueskyroast.com
You just discovered my Bluesky account and wonder what it is about ? Here is a fun summary:
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it” - Upton Sinclair
Like most of the House, Mike Johnson has only been there in the Trump era. It’s not simply that he’s abdicating his power as a coequal branch, it’s that he doesn’t seem to understand that it *is* a coequal branch.
WELKER: MTG says you're '100% under the direct orders of the WH'
JOHNSON: The president and I work closely together because we have unified govt. That's what the American people voted for
W: Is there any area where you disagree?
J: Yes. But we do that privately. I'm going to support my president.
JOHNSON: The president and I work closely together because we have unified govt. That's what the American people voted for
W: Is there any area where you disagree?
J: Yes. But we do that privately. I'm going to support my president.
February 1, 2026 at 5:21 PM
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it” - Upton Sinclair
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
For those objecting to comparisons between Germany then & the U.S. now:
“About 500 seniors live at Sinai Residences in Boca Raton, Florida, including many Holocaust survivors. Recently, some of them asked if they could hide the building’s Haitian staff in their apartments.”
“About 500 seniors live at Sinai Residences in Boca Raton, Florida, including many Holocaust survivors. Recently, some of them asked if they could hide the building’s Haitian staff in their apartments.”
'Reminds me of Anne Frank': Jewish seniors are offering to hide their Haitian caregivers as Trump's TPS end looms - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
The end of Temporary Protected Status has Holocaust survivors offering to hide Haitian staffers, according to the CEO of a senior-living center in Florida.
www.jta.org
January 31, 2026 at 3:42 PM
For those objecting to comparisons between Germany then & the U.S. now:
“About 500 seniors live at Sinai Residences in Boca Raton, Florida, including many Holocaust survivors. Recently, some of them asked if they could hide the building’s Haitian staff in their apartments.”
“About 500 seniors live at Sinai Residences in Boca Raton, Florida, including many Holocaust survivors. Recently, some of them asked if they could hide the building’s Haitian staff in their apartments.”
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
Trump’s main demand with tariffs: say words that give Trump positive headlines.
To the extent it’s an actual strategy, it’s like getting vague announcements to lease some units in a new building then telling other investors it’s going fast.
Except international relations isn’t scammy real estate.
To the extent it’s an actual strategy, it’s like getting vague announcements to lease some units in a new building then telling other investors it’s going fast.
Except international relations isn’t scammy real estate.
About those pinky promises 🎀 that were made to curry favor, post-Liberation Day:
Reality is setting in.
@piie.com @scottlincicome.bsky.social
www.piie.com/research/pii...
Reality is setting in.
@piie.com @scottlincicome.bsky.social
www.piie.com/research/pii...
February 1, 2026 at 3:58 PM
Trump’s main demand with tariffs: say words that give Trump positive headlines.
To the extent it’s an actual strategy, it’s like getting vague announcements to lease some units in a new building then telling other investors it’s going fast.
Except international relations isn’t scammy real estate.
To the extent it’s an actual strategy, it’s like getting vague announcements to lease some units in a new building then telling other investors it’s going fast.
Except international relations isn’t scammy real estate.
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
Audience vs. public, cont.
When people share common problems but don't realize it, they are an "inchoate" public. (John Dewey.)
One reason the presidential debates used to be such a big deal is that they are one of the few occasions when the audience is the public and vice versa.
6/
When people share common problems but don't realize it, they are an "inchoate" public. (John Dewey.)
One reason the presidential debates used to be such a big deal is that they are one of the few occasions when the audience is the public and vice versa.
6/
February 1, 2026 at 4:39 PM
Audience vs. public, cont.
When people share common problems but don't realize it, they are an "inchoate" public. (John Dewey.)
One reason the presidential debates used to be such a big deal is that they are one of the few occasions when the audience is the public and vice versa.
6/
When people share common problems but don't realize it, they are an "inchoate" public. (John Dewey.)
One reason the presidential debates used to be such a big deal is that they are one of the few occasions when the audience is the public and vice versa.
6/
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
And here we go with some key distinctions I use to do my work.
An audience is not a public.
"Audience" suggests people attending to a common object, typically a performance or spectacle.
A public is people with different interests who live in the same space and share common problems. 5/
An audience is not a public.
"Audience" suggests people attending to a common object, typically a performance or spectacle.
A public is people with different interests who live in the same space and share common problems. 5/
February 1, 2026 at 4:36 PM
And here we go with some key distinctions I use to do my work.
An audience is not a public.
"Audience" suggests people attending to a common object, typically a performance or spectacle.
A public is people with different interests who live in the same space and share common problems. 5/
An audience is not a public.
"Audience" suggests people attending to a common object, typically a performance or spectacle.
A public is people with different interests who live in the same space and share common problems. 5/
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
"When in doubt, draw a distinction."
Not sure where he got it, but in grad school one of my teachers taught me that.
This (long) thread is about the key distinctions I rely on as a critic. There's a Twitter version from 2021. This one builds on that one.
I will post them one at a time. Ready?
Not sure where he got it, but in grad school one of my teachers taught me that.
This (long) thread is about the key distinctions I rely on as a critic. There's a Twitter version from 2021. This one builds on that one.
I will post them one at a time. Ready?
February 1, 2026 at 4:31 PM
"When in doubt, draw a distinction."
Not sure where he got it, but in grad school one of my teachers taught me that.
This (long) thread is about the key distinctions I rely on as a critic. There's a Twitter version from 2021. This one builds on that one.
I will post them one at a time. Ready?
Not sure where he got it, but in grad school one of my teachers taught me that.
This (long) thread is about the key distinctions I rely on as a critic. There's a Twitter version from 2021. This one builds on that one.
I will post them one at a time. Ready?
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
The co-author of "How Democracies Die" says the guys who own the media platforms — Musk, Zuckerberg, Ellison, Bezos, Cook — led the way. "Their capitulation empowered the Trump administration to do much more than it might have otherwise, to reach further and eventually overreach.” Via @status.news
January 31, 2026 at 5:39 PM
The co-author of "How Democracies Die" says the guys who own the media platforms — Musk, Zuckerberg, Ellison, Bezos, Cook — led the way. "Their capitulation empowered the Trump administration to do much more than it might have otherwise, to reach further and eventually overreach.” Via @status.news
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
Yesterday, five-year-old Liam and his dad Adrian were released from Dilley detention center. I picked them up last night and escorted them back to Minnesota this morning.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
February 1, 2026 at 3:49 PM
Yesterday, five-year-old Liam and his dad Adrian were released from Dilley detention center. I picked them up last night and escorted them back to Minnesota this morning.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
Saying "CSA" and "paedophile" in a post got me (temporarily) banned from Facebook, the platform whose official internal policy is that child traffickers get 17 strikes before they're out
Elites have been doing sex crimes while forcing the rest of us to say "grape" and "unalive" to avoid having our posts taken down
Not being able to accurately describe abuse makes people (especially children) vulnerable to it
Not being able to accurately describe abuse makes people (especially children) vulnerable to it
Every major website/company now: Yeah if we find out you post or look at a boob we will freeze all your accounts without warning
The CEO of every major website/company over Gmail: Oh Jeffrey you are simply a hoot. Lovely spending time with you on Party Pervert Pedo Island
Jeffrey Epstein: yeag ,
The CEO of every major website/company over Gmail: Oh Jeffrey you are simply a hoot. Lovely spending time with you on Party Pervert Pedo Island
Jeffrey Epstein: yeag ,
February 1, 2026 at 9:43 AM
Saying "CSA" and "paedophile" in a post got me (temporarily) banned from Facebook, the platform whose official internal policy is that child traffickers get 17 strikes before they're out
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
By taking America out of it.
February 1, 2026 at 4:48 PM
By taking America out of it.
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
some good news buried among the horrible behavior listed:
“The third woman said federal agents at her hotel are subsisting on microwavable bowls of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup, because it’s become so difficult for them to find restaurants willing to serve them.”
“The third woman said federal agents at her hotel are subsisting on microwavable bowls of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup, because it’s become so difficult for them to find restaurants willing to serve them.”
I visited hotels all over Minneapolis, went into back rooms & talked to the staff.
They're afraid.
One told me she resents how her undocumented coworkers spend their days cleaning the rooms of agents who are “hunting down their family members.”
@notus.com:
www.notus.org/immigration/...
They're afraid.
One told me she resents how her undocumented coworkers spend their days cleaning the rooms of agents who are “hunting down their family members.”
@notus.com:
www.notus.org/immigration/...
Minneapolis’ Hotel Workers Are on Edge
Staff across the city told NOTUS how their lives have changed since the start of the federal immigration operation. “It's frightening,” one said.
www.notus.org
January 30, 2026 at 2:44 PM
some good news buried among the horrible behavior listed:
“The third woman said federal agents at her hotel are subsisting on microwavable bowls of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup, because it’s become so difficult for them to find restaurants willing to serve them.”
“The third woman said federal agents at her hotel are subsisting on microwavable bowls of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup, because it’s become so difficult for them to find restaurants willing to serve them.”
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
i hate to say it but huge priority for next potus selection is picking someone who knows how to feed the media circus
Sending Tom Homan to lower the temperature in Minnesota was self-evidently insane, but he's a reliable interview so the press pretended it made sense
Nothing has changed and these masked, armed federal paramilitaries are just as aggressive and lawless as ever.
February 1, 2026 at 3:53 PM
i hate to say it but huge priority for next potus selection is picking someone who knows how to feed the media circus
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
As many times before, thanks main-shadow-enlighter @pa.nton.cx for the Timor-Leste 'detail'
PEACE IMO# 9249130 is claiming to fly Timor-Leste flag. This country has no registry and has demanded via IMO that other states act and stop these illegal actions.
There is zero legal risk in stopping her.
PEACE IMO# 9249130 is claiming to fly Timor-Leste flag. This country has no registry and has demanded via IMO that other states act and stop these illegal actions.
There is zero legal risk in stopping her.
We are missing the point.
The Maritime Ecosystem is challenged by the quality of data like this. There is uncertainty around the validity of such a data point.
We are not even stopping OBVIOUSLY false-flagged vessels, like PEACE (IMO 9249130). Where the government have communicated: plz stop them
The Maritime Ecosystem is challenged by the quality of data like this. There is uncertainty around the validity of such a data point.
We are not even stopping OBVIOUSLY false-flagged vessels, like PEACE (IMO 9249130). Where the government have communicated: plz stop them
February 1, 2026 at 3:41 PM
As many times before, thanks main-shadow-enlighter @pa.nton.cx for the Timor-Leste 'detail'
PEACE IMO# 9249130 is claiming to fly Timor-Leste flag. This country has no registry and has demanded via IMO that other states act and stop these illegal actions.
There is zero legal risk in stopping her.
PEACE IMO# 9249130 is claiming to fly Timor-Leste flag. This country has no registry and has demanded via IMO that other states act and stop these illegal actions.
There is zero legal risk in stopping her.
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
Shadow tanker PEACE lacks safety management, insurance.
She is flying a false flag of Timor-Leste where Timor-Leste demands of other states to stop her.
She is lawless. Sanctioned by EU and UK. She is on her fifth delivery of Russian crude to India last 12m.
She is leaving Baltic Sea laden now.
She is flying a false flag of Timor-Leste where Timor-Leste demands of other states to stop her.
She is lawless. Sanctioned by EU and UK. She is on her fifth delivery of Russian crude to India last 12m.
She is leaving Baltic Sea laden now.
February 1, 2026 at 3:41 PM
Shadow tanker PEACE lacks safety management, insurance.
She is flying a false flag of Timor-Leste where Timor-Leste demands of other states to stop her.
She is lawless. Sanctioned by EU and UK. She is on her fifth delivery of Russian crude to India last 12m.
She is leaving Baltic Sea laden now.
She is flying a false flag of Timor-Leste where Timor-Leste demands of other states to stop her.
She is lawless. Sanctioned by EU and UK. She is on her fifth delivery of Russian crude to India last 12m.
She is leaving Baltic Sea laden now.
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
Dnipro Osint published clearer images of a 200 MVA transformer destroyed at Luhansk's Kirovska 220 kV substation on January 26. Protective structures failed to help.
February 1, 2026 at 3:41 PM
Dnipro Osint published clearer images of a 200 MVA transformer destroyed at Luhansk's Kirovska 220 kV substation on January 26. Protective structures failed to help.
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
Siri, show me the Platonic Form of “Neither our media nor our political system is designed to deal with a far right authoritarian party”
Folks look at you like you’re crazy when you say we’re in the midst of the worst, most unprecedented Article I constitutional crisis in 🇺🇸 history, & then:
Folks look at you like you’re crazy when you say we’re in the midst of the worst, most unprecedented Article I constitutional crisis in 🇺🇸 history, & then:
WELKER: MTG says you're '100% under the direct orders of the WH'
JOHNSON: The president and I work closely together because we have unified govt. That's what the American people voted for
W: Is there any area where you disagree?
J: Yes. But we do that privately. I'm going to support my president.
JOHNSON: The president and I work closely together because we have unified govt. That's what the American people voted for
W: Is there any area where you disagree?
J: Yes. But we do that privately. I'm going to support my president.
February 1, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Siri, show me the Platonic Form of “Neither our media nor our political system is designed to deal with a far right authoritarian party”
Folks look at you like you’re crazy when you say we’re in the midst of the worst, most unprecedented Article I constitutional crisis in 🇺🇸 history, & then:
Folks look at you like you’re crazy when you say we’re in the midst of the worst, most unprecedented Article I constitutional crisis in 🇺🇸 history, & then:
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
the man who is well known to mainline ketamine and offer his semen to couples at parties is here to reassure you he has never partaken in any questionable sexual gatherings
February 1, 2026 at 3:24 PM
the man who is well known to mainline ketamine and offer his semen to couples at parties is here to reassure you he has never partaken in any questionable sexual gatherings
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
no idea what is going on in this dutch cycling race my eurosport obsessed in-laws are watching but delighted by the large rubber duck overseeing it
February 1, 2026 at 3:28 PM
no idea what is going on in this dutch cycling race my eurosport obsessed in-laws are watching but delighted by the large rubber duck overseeing it
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
Russian aviation used a record 5,717 air bombs against Ukraine in January 2026.
militarnyi.com/en/news/over...
militarnyi.com/en/news/over...
Over 5,700 Air Bombs in a Month: Russia Sets Record for Use in Ukraine - Militarnyi
According to calculations, Russian forces dropped 26% more bombs in January than in December 2025.
militarnyi.com
February 1, 2026 at 2:58 PM
Russian aviation used a record 5,717 air bombs against Ukraine in January 2026.
militarnyi.com/en/news/over...
militarnyi.com/en/news/over...
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
seems like there’s got to be a better way to let them know
February 1, 2026 at 2:27 AM
seems like there’s got to be a better way to let them know
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
This race was such a massive swing blowout that Democrat Taylor Rehmet literally won a city called White Settlement
February 1, 2026 at 1:03 PM
This race was such a massive swing blowout that Democrat Taylor Rehmet literally won a city called White Settlement
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
On Feb. 1, 1968, the Canadian Forces Reorganization Act combined the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force into the unified Canadian Armed Forces.
The move was deeply unpopular among veterans.
This is the story.
🧵 1/10
The move was deeply unpopular among veterans.
This is the story.
🧵 1/10
February 1, 2026 at 3:00 PM
On Feb. 1, 1968, the Canadian Forces Reorganization Act combined the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force into the unified Canadian Armed Forces.
The move was deeply unpopular among veterans.
This is the story.
🧵 1/10
The move was deeply unpopular among veterans.
This is the story.
🧵 1/10
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
Reposted by Jean-Marc Liotier
ICE agents just seem to consider pepper spraying people in the face to be an appropriate casual greeting. www.noozhawk.com/federal-ice-...
Federal ICE Agent Pepper Sprays Person in Face in Santa Barbara Eastside Incident
A masked federal agent wearing a vest labeled “police” pepper sprayed a person in the face at close range Wednesday morning on Santa Barbara’s Eastside.
www.noozhawk.com
January 28, 2026 at 10:11 PM
ICE agents just seem to consider pepper spraying people in the face to be an appropriate casual greeting. www.noozhawk.com/federal-ice-...