Mara
@maralinn.bsky.social
Half pessimistic doom-scroller, half progressive socialist. Ex-librarian into rug-hooking, cats, dogs, nature, classic film, Jeopardy, US politics, climate. I try to post/repost interesting things in addition to politics.
Reposted by Mara
For those who don't know, Luttig was once considered the intellectual heir to Scalia. He was about as conservative a judge as you could find...
Luttig: It doesn’t matter what the Supreme Court does from this point forward. For two years, the Supreme Court has authorized the absolute lawlessness and unconstitutional activity of this president.
February 6, 2026 at 1:32 AM
For those who don't know, Luttig was once considered the intellectual heir to Scalia. He was about as conservative a judge as you could find...
Reposted by Mara
In case you’re wondering: it’s the shingles vaccine, which there were already lots of reasons to get without this. Still, anything that cuts the risk of dementia is great.
We have a miraculous anti-aging vaccine. Why aren’t more people getting it? www.vox.com/health/47776...
We have a miraculous anti-aging vaccine. Why aren’t more people getting it?
Research has found that a routine vaccine slows aging and cut dementia risk.
www.vox.com
February 5, 2026 at 9:33 PM
In case you’re wondering: it’s the shingles vaccine, which there were already lots of reasons to get without this. Still, anything that cuts the risk of dementia is great.
Reposted by Mara
⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️
What impact are the US boat strikes having, besides killing >124 people?
- October-December 2024: 7,764 pounds of cocaine seized at the US-Mexico border.
- October-December 2025: 10,593 pounds of cocaine seized.
Cocaine is up 34% year-over-year *despite* the boat strikes.
Data: bit.ly/4bJOeFs
- October-December 2024: 7,764 pounds of cocaine seized at the US-Mexico border.
- October-December 2025: 10,593 pounds of cocaine seized.
Cocaine is up 34% year-over-year *despite* the boat strikes.
Data: bit.ly/4bJOeFs
February 5, 2026 at 7:11 PM
⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️
Reposted by Mara
Measles climbs to 876 in SC
Some have developed encephalitis.
Thanks, Junior.
www.wired.com/story/measle...
Some have developed encephalitis.
Thanks, Junior.
www.wired.com/story/measle...
Measles Is Causing Brain Swelling in Children in South Carolina
In the ongoing measles outbreak in South Carolina that has infected more than 800 people, some children have developed a rare but serious complication called encephalitis.
www.wired.com
February 5, 2026 at 3:23 AM
Measles climbs to 876 in SC
Some have developed encephalitis.
Thanks, Junior.
www.wired.com/story/measle...
Some have developed encephalitis.
Thanks, Junior.
www.wired.com/story/measle...
Reposted by Mara
Democrats say Republicans have set a precedent with subpoenas of an ex-president and first lady. "We will follow it ... Donald Trump, all of his kids. Everybody," Rep. Maxwell Frost said.
After Republicans push Clintons to testify on Epstein, Democrats warn they'll haul in Trump
Democrats say Republicans have set a precedent with subpoenas of an ex-president and first lady. "We will follow it ... Donald Trump, all of his kids. Everybody," Rep. Maxwell Frost said.
nbcnews.to
February 5, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Democrats say Republicans have set a precedent with subpoenas of an ex-president and first lady. "We will follow it ... Donald Trump, all of his kids. Everybody," Rep. Maxwell Frost said.
Reposted by Mara
If the argument is “the Russians honeytrapped me into going to pedo island”, the key part here is not “the Russians”
Honestly I don’t care. Adding a Russian angle doesn’t change any of it for me. The evidence that a ton of powerful elites were pals with Epstein has done more to discredit the elite than whether Putin himself dreamed up the op
February 5, 2026 at 7:23 PM
If the argument is “the Russians honeytrapped me into going to pedo island”, the key part here is not “the Russians”
Reposted by Mara
Immigrants have paid more in taxes than they have received in benefits every single year for the past 30 years, according to new analysis from Cato.
Remember this the next time Trump and his racist lackeys call immigrants "freeloaders."
Remember this the next time Trump and his racist lackeys call immigrants "freeloaders."
February 5, 2026 at 7:20 PM
Immigrants have paid more in taxes than they have received in benefits every single year for the past 30 years, according to new analysis from Cato.
Remember this the next time Trump and his racist lackeys call immigrants "freeloaders."
Remember this the next time Trump and his racist lackeys call immigrants "freeloaders."
Reposted by Mara
Trump: I'm a big crypto person. I'm the one that probably helped crypto more than anybody
(The crypto market has lost $1 trillion in market value in three weeks)
(The crypto market has lost $1 trillion in market value in three weeks)
February 5, 2026 at 7:33 PM
Trump: I'm a big crypto person. I'm the one that probably helped crypto more than anybody
(The crypto market has lost $1 trillion in market value in three weeks)
(The crypto market has lost $1 trillion in market value in three weeks)
Reposted by Mara
Context: this speech is from SIR THOMAS MORE, a history written, as near as scholars can tell, in the early 1600s by 6 or 7 people including Dekker, Heywood, Chettle, Shakespeare, and Munday.
It was never performed, because Jacobean England was a police state and it was banned by the censor.
It was never performed, because Jacobean England was a police state and it was banned by the censor.
Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue
#Pinks #ProudBlue
February 5, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Context: this speech is from SIR THOMAS MORE, a history written, as near as scholars can tell, in the early 1600s by 6 or 7 people including Dekker, Heywood, Chettle, Shakespeare, and Munday.
It was never performed, because Jacobean England was a police state and it was banned by the censor.
It was never performed, because Jacobean England was a police state and it was banned by the censor.
Reposted by Mara
RFK is using his position to push things that have never shown any benefit in autism & have shown serious harms, including numerous dead kids thru the years. Why push for things known to harm instead of looking for things that could actually provide benefit? Because the harmful things are profitable
February 5, 2026 at 5:57 PM
RFK is using his position to push things that have never shown any benefit in autism & have shown serious harms, including numerous dead kids thru the years. Why push for things known to harm instead of looking for things that could actually provide benefit? Because the harmful things are profitable
Reposted by Mara
why am I thinking they do this to drive up their milage they charge back on expense reports
You guys this is what they do. They drive around in circles in parking lot. Ice has to be the most dip shit inefficient organization on the planet.
February 5, 2026 at 6:25 PM
why am I thinking they do this to drive up their milage they charge back on expense reports
Reposted by Mara
Trump in 2015 on Bill Clinton: "Nice guy. Got a lot of problems coming up, in my opinion, with the famous island, with Jeffrey Epstein. A lot of problems."
What changed?
What changed?
February 5, 2026 at 6:46 PM
Trump in 2015 on Bill Clinton: "Nice guy. Got a lot of problems coming up, in my opinion, with the famous island, with Jeffrey Epstein. A lot of problems."
What changed?
What changed?
Reposted by Mara
They redacted MALE names!
While still leaving many victims' names & faces on display, the DOJ's overzealous redactions apparently blacked out even the name of "Joseph" from a photo caption describing a Nativity scene.
"A Nativity scene depicting Jesus, Mary and (REDACTED)," it said. #EpsteinFiles
apnews.com/article/jeff...
"A Nativity scene depicting Jesus, Mary and (REDACTED)," it said. #EpsteinFiles
apnews.com/article/jeff...
Epstein files rife with uncensored nudes and victims' names, despite redaction efforts
Nude photos. The names and faces of sexual abuse victims. Bank account and Social Security numbers in full view.
apnews.com
February 5, 2026 at 5:22 PM
They redacted MALE names!
Reposted by Mara
No, this is just 60s/70s New Left bs that turned into Reaganism.
The Federal Government is good. The Republicans are bad.
The Federal Government is good. The Republicans are bad.
So, my liberal buds, my progressive pals: you know how you're beginning to realize that ICE (perhaps the whole of DHS?) is structured to allow abuses, riddled with career psychopaths, utterly beyond saving as an institution?
Now, consider, in the spirit of inquiry: the entire federal government
Now, consider, in the spirit of inquiry: the entire federal government
February 5, 2026 at 3:41 PM
No, this is just 60s/70s New Left bs that turned into Reaganism.
The Federal Government is good. The Republicans are bad.
The Federal Government is good. The Republicans are bad.
Reposted by Mara
People are going to be really mad that the ask here isn’t abolishing any deportation ever (which would be my choice if it was just up to me) but this is a very calculated list of reasonable asks that Republicans will lose their minds over, reinforcing revulsion in the American lizard brain.
Schumer & Jeffries lay out the Democratic demands for a DHS funding deal in a letter to the top Republican leaders
February 5, 2026 at 2:46 AM
People are going to be really mad that the ask here isn’t abolishing any deportation ever (which would be my choice if it was just up to me) but this is a very calculated list of reasonable asks that Republicans will lose their minds over, reinforcing revulsion in the American lizard brain.
Reposted by Mara
A traveler from an antique land--great guy--said to me with tears in his eyes "Sir, two vast and trunkless legs of stone stand in the desert." And I said wow, that's really something. But we'll be building a big beautiful statue to my hubris and it will stand for eternity
October 5, 2025 at 6:13 PM
A traveler from an antique land--great guy--said to me with tears in his eyes "Sir, two vast and trunkless legs of stone stand in the desert." And I said wow, that's really something. But we'll be building a big beautiful statue to my hubris and it will stand for eternity
Reposted by Mara
Avowed Christian Donald Trump has never heard of praying before meals.
Trump: "Mike Johnson is a very religious person. He does not hide it. He'll say to me sometimes at lunch, 'Sir, may we pray.' I'll say, 'Excuse me? We're having lunch.'"
February 5, 2026 at 2:44 PM
Avowed Christian Donald Trump has never heard of praying before meals.
Reposted by Mara
in real terms, #7 would give states leverage to put an end to surges, #8 would give states the ability to outright stop construction of new detention facilities, #1 and #6 would slow the rate at which DHS could train and deploy officers, #2 and #10 would likely shrink the pool of recruits
Schumer & Jeffries lay out the Democratic demands for a DHS funding deal in a letter to the top Republican leaders
February 5, 2026 at 3:18 AM
in real terms, #7 would give states leverage to put an end to surges, #8 would give states the ability to outright stop construction of new detention facilities, #1 and #6 would slow the rate at which DHS could train and deploy officers, #2 and #10 would likely shrink the pool of recruits
Reposted by Mara
I had seen the "hold me in contempt so I can sleep" line, but the whole transcript is striking. Julie Le she tried to quit but then stayed so she could get more people OUT of detention; and expressed concern that her own family might get picked up.
www.lawdork.com/p/the-minnes...
www.lawdork.com/p/the-minnes...
February 5, 2026 at 2:05 PM
I had seen the "hold me in contempt so I can sleep" line, but the whole transcript is striking. Julie Le she tried to quit but then stayed so she could get more people OUT of detention; and expressed concern that her own family might get picked up.
www.lawdork.com/p/the-minnes...
www.lawdork.com/p/the-minnes...
Reposted by Mara
Am I the only one who’s had this clip running in his head all day?
February 5, 2026 at 12:47 AM
Am I the only one who’s had this clip running in his head all day?
Reposted by Mara
Nancy Mace has an auto responder for comments containing the word “drugs”.
February 4, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Nancy Mace has an auto responder for comments containing the word “drugs”.
Reposted by Mara
Totally normal & not concerning at all that LA is 88 degrees hot today - a solid 22 degrees above the average.
February 4, 2026 at 11:50 PM
Totally normal & not concerning at all that LA is 88 degrees hot today - a solid 22 degrees above the average.
Reposted by Mara
Remember, ruining the ability of our democracy to fund itself is the point, not a mistake
'Setting this agency up for failure': Amid staffing crunch, IRS taps employees with no relevant experience to assist during filing season
The tax agency is taking unusual steps to prepare for its busy season after watchdog finds it is severely underprepared.
www.govexec.com
February 4, 2026 at 11:14 PM
Remember, ruining the ability of our democracy to fund itself is the point, not a mistake
Reposted by Mara
At what point does a misrepresentation become a lie?
February 4, 2026 at 9:27 PM
At what point does a misrepresentation become a lie?
Reposted by Mara
You know, @seancasten.bsky.social is very good at this.
If you want to FINALLY watch Scott Bessent get pinned down on specifics about the illegal money laundering operation being conducted by the Trump admin from someone who knows WTF he’s talking about, this clip is your chance. Bessent gets destroyed.
February 4, 2026 at 9:30 PM
You know, @seancasten.bsky.social is very good at this.