Mark
@markwhittier.bsky.social
Democracy over Autocracy / Theocracy
Socially liberal – Fiscally conservative
Fitness for life: Eat whole foods & Exercise
Socially liberal – Fiscally conservative
Fitness for life: Eat whole foods & Exercise
Pinned
Mark
@markwhittier.bsky.social
· Sep 26
This is, without any exaggeration, exactly how Putin and Orbán proceeded — using antisemitism to discredit the idea of civil society and political opposition, and as an excuse to undo the rule of law.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/25/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/25/u...
Justice Dept. Official Pushes Prosecutors to Investigate George Soros’s Foundation
www.nytimes.com
The Executive / Judicial faces of Authoritarianism ⬇️
Consumer Protection Agency being shuttered.
"The CFPB has returned more than $21bn to US consumers since it was set up.
Trump lets fraud run rampant and pardons same.
"Russell Vought, the WH OMB director, said in October that he plans to shut down the agency."
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
"The CFPB has returned more than $21bn to US consumers since it was set up.
Trump lets fraud run rampant and pardons same.
"Russell Vought, the WH OMB director, said in October that he plans to shut down the agency."
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Trump administration moves again to dismantle top US consumer watchdog
Government argues funding mechanism behind Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is unlawful
www.theguardian.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Consumer Protection Agency being shuttered.
"The CFPB has returned more than $21bn to US consumers since it was set up.
Trump lets fraud run rampant and pardons same.
"Russell Vought, the WH OMB director, said in October that he plans to shut down the agency."
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
"The CFPB has returned more than $21bn to US consumers since it was set up.
Trump lets fraud run rampant and pardons same.
"Russell Vought, the WH OMB director, said in October that he plans to shut down the agency."
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Mark
A judge’s decision to read a 111-year-old poem in court before curbing federal agents’ use of force in Chicago has brought fresh relevance to an iconic piece of local literature.
Carl Sandburg’s ‘Chicago’ poem finds fresh relevance in a city occupied by ICE
www.wbez.org
November 11, 2025 at 5:37 PM
A judge’s decision to read a 111-year-old poem in court before curbing federal agents’ use of force in Chicago has brought fresh relevance to an iconic piece of local literature.
Reposted by Mark
“If Jeanne Shaheen or Angus King, or ideally just Chuck Schumer, went to the mics and said: We have tried everything we can to make Republicans give you back your health care. They refuse to do so. The only way you’re going to get your health care back is to elect Democrats.”
Now that Dems have capitulated, at the very least they should now make every future extension of funding contingent on Trump following the law. Any lawbreaking must be met with: No more votes from us, period.
My exchange with @brianbeutler.bsky.social on that point:
newrepublic.com/article/2029...
My exchange with @brianbeutler.bsky.social on that point:
newrepublic.com/article/2029...
November 11, 2025 at 5:43 PM
“If Jeanne Shaheen or Angus King, or ideally just Chuck Schumer, went to the mics and said: We have tried everything we can to make Republicans give you back your health care. They refuse to do so. The only way you’re going to get your health care back is to elect Democrats.”
NYTimes open share:
David French is spot on as usual about the moral rot within MAGA Land.
Cruelty, Bigotry and Rage. What’s Not to Like? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/09/o...
David French is spot on as usual about the moral rot within MAGA Land.
Cruelty, Bigotry and Rage. What’s Not to Like? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/09/o...
Opinion | Cruelty, Bigotry and Rage. What’s Not to Like?
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:34 PM
NYTimes open share:
David French is spot on as usual about the moral rot within MAGA Land.
Cruelty, Bigotry and Rage. What’s Not to Like? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/09/o...
David French is spot on as usual about the moral rot within MAGA Land.
Cruelty, Bigotry and Rage. What’s Not to Like? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/09/o...
Reposted by Mark
Trump’s Jan. 6 Pardons Keep Child Sex Predator Out of Prison
www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-jan-6...
www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-jan-6...
Trump’s Jan. 6 Pardons Keep Child Sex Predator Out of Prison
Andrew Taake walked free because of Trump’s pardons, despite being convicted of a child sex crime.
www.thedailybeast.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Trump’s Jan. 6 Pardons Keep Child Sex Predator Out of Prison
www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-jan-6...
www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-jan-6...
NYTimes open share:
David French is spot on about the moral rot within MAGA Land.
Cruelty, Bigotry and Rage. What’s Not to Like? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/09/o...
David French is spot on about the moral rot within MAGA Land.
Cruelty, Bigotry and Rage. What’s Not to Like? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/09/o...
Opinion | Cruelty, Bigotry and Rage. What’s Not to Like?
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:30 PM
NYTimes open share:
David French is spot on about the moral rot within MAGA Land.
Cruelty, Bigotry and Rage. What’s Not to Like? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/09/o...
David French is spot on about the moral rot within MAGA Land.
Cruelty, Bigotry and Rage. What’s Not to Like? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/09/o...
Quite the inspiring story of 2 British women who rowed across the Pacific Ocean.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...
How Jess Rowe and Miriam Payne made history rowing the Pacific Ocean
It took Jess Rowe and Miriam Payne six months, plenty of snacks and sleepless nights to row from Peru to Australia
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:07 AM
Quite the inspiring story of 2 British women who rowed across the Pacific Ocean.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...
Reposted by Mark
The WSJ on how unbelievably stupid Noem and Lewandowski are.
I don’t care that I’m late to this; it’s to good to pass up.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
I don’t care that I’m late to this; it’s to good to pass up.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
November 9, 2025 at 12:13 AM
The WSJ on how unbelievably stupid Noem and Lewandowski are.
I don’t care that I’m late to this; it’s to good to pass up.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
I don’t care that I’m late to this; it’s to good to pass up.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
A Federal Judge appointed by Pres. Ronald Reagan speaks out.
"Why I am Resigning"
Hint: It's about massive corruption from President Trump.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
"Why I am Resigning"
Hint: It's about massive corruption from President Trump.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Why I Am Resigning
A federal judge explains his reasoning for leaving the bench.
www.theatlantic.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:34 PM
A Federal Judge appointed by Pres. Ronald Reagan speaks out.
"Why I am Resigning"
Hint: It's about massive corruption from President Trump.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
"Why I am Resigning"
Hint: It's about massive corruption from President Trump.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
President for life:
"For more Americans, & evangelical Christians than not, Trump is the representative man of our time. His ethics and corruptions are theirs. America has lost its moral bearings; as a result, it has also lost its moral standing in the world."
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
"For more Americans, & evangelical Christians than not, Trump is the representative man of our time. His ethics and corruptions are theirs. America has lost its moral bearings; as a result, it has also lost its moral standing in the world."
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
Trump’s Plan Is Now Out in the Open
It’s getting ever harder to avoid connecting the authoritarian dots.
www.theatlantic.com
November 9, 2025 at 4:28 PM
President for life:
"For more Americans, & evangelical Christians than not, Trump is the representative man of our time. His ethics and corruptions are theirs. America has lost its moral bearings; as a result, it has also lost its moral standing in the world."
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
"For more Americans, & evangelical Christians than not, Trump is the representative man of our time. His ethics and corruptions are theirs. America has lost its moral bearings; as a result, it has also lost its moral standing in the world."
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
NYTimes share
How the Trump Administration Is Giving Even More Tax Breaks to the Wealthy: The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service are issuing rules that provide hundreds of billions of dollars in tax relief to big companies and the ultra-rich.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/b...
How the Trump Administration Is Giving Even More Tax Breaks to the Wealthy: The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service are issuing rules that provide hundreds of billions of dollars in tax relief to big companies and the ultra-rich.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/b...
How the Trump Administration Is Giving Even More Tax Breaks to the Wealthy
www.nytimes.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:14 PM
NYTimes share
How the Trump Administration Is Giving Even More Tax Breaks to the Wealthy: The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service are issuing rules that provide hundreds of billions of dollars in tax relief to big companies and the ultra-rich.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/b...
How the Trump Administration Is Giving Even More Tax Breaks to the Wealthy: The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service are issuing rules that provide hundreds of billions of dollars in tax relief to big companies and the ultra-rich.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/b...
Reposted by Mark
There’s a young southern woman on tt doing an experiment: calling churches & asking if they can help her get baby formula, saying she can’t afford it. Of the 30+ she’s called, nearly every church has said no. The ones who said yes were:
Black Baptist Churches
A Mosque
A small Appalachian church
Black Baptist Churches
A Mosque
A small Appalachian church
November 8, 2025 at 11:07 AM
There’s a young southern woman on tt doing an experiment: calling churches & asking if they can help her get baby formula, saying she can’t afford it. Of the 30+ she’s called, nearly every church has said no. The ones who said yes were:
Black Baptist Churches
A Mosque
A small Appalachian church
Black Baptist Churches
A Mosque
A small Appalachian church
Sure seems like it:
"The Trump administration behaves like an organized crime syndicate running a protection racket".
"The Trump administration behaves like an organized crime syndicate running a protection racket".
Went back to the history of the Sicilian Mafia to illustrate something obvious but worth stating explicitly: The Trump administration behaves like an organized crime syndicate running a protection racket, not a representative government www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
November 8, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Sure seems like it:
"The Trump administration behaves like an organized crime syndicate running a protection racket".
"The Trump administration behaves like an organized crime syndicate running a protection racket".
Reposted by Mark
My interview with Dr. Susan Monarez, former CDC Director, who was fired for doing her job, standing up for public health and science. Learn about her resilience and optimism.
erictopol.substack.com/p/dr-susan-m...
erictopol.substack.com/p/dr-susan-m...
Dr. Susan Monarez—Former CDC Director, First Live Interview
An American hero for standing up for science and public health
erictopol.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 4:06 PM
My interview with Dr. Susan Monarez, former CDC Director, who was fired for doing her job, standing up for public health and science. Learn about her resilience and optimism.
erictopol.substack.com/p/dr-susan-m...
erictopol.substack.com/p/dr-susan-m...
WSJ open source:
The Crack-Up at the #HeritageFoundation Is a Warning Sign for #MAGA World: By defending a controversial Tucker Carlson interview, think tank president Kevin Roberts unleashed a flood of discontent in the conservative establishment.
Added to: Epstein Files
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
The Crack-Up at the #HeritageFoundation Is a Warning Sign for #MAGA World: By defending a controversial Tucker Carlson interview, think tank president Kevin Roberts unleashed a flood of discontent in the conservative establishment.
Added to: Epstein Files
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
The Crack-Up at the Heritage Foundation Is a Warning Sign for MAGA World
By defending a controversial Tucker Carlson interview, think tank president Kevin Roberts unleashed a flood of discontent in the conservative establishment.
www.wsj.com
November 8, 2025 at 4:10 PM
WSJ open source:
The Crack-Up at the #HeritageFoundation Is a Warning Sign for #MAGA World: By defending a controversial Tucker Carlson interview, think tank president Kevin Roberts unleashed a flood of discontent in the conservative establishment.
Added to: Epstein Files
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
The Crack-Up at the #HeritageFoundation Is a Warning Sign for #MAGA World: By defending a controversial Tucker Carlson interview, think tank president Kevin Roberts unleashed a flood of discontent in the conservative establishment.
Added to: Epstein Files
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Reposted by Mark
It’s been 45 days since Adelita Grijalva was elected by the people of Arizona.
Mike Johnson is still refusing to swear her in because she’s the final vote for the discharge petition to release the Epstein files.
Mike Johnson is still refusing to swear her in because she’s the final vote for the discharge petition to release the Epstein files.
November 7, 2025 at 7:46 PM
It’s been 45 days since Adelita Grijalva was elected by the people of Arizona.
Mike Johnson is still refusing to swear her in because she’s the final vote for the discharge petition to release the Epstein files.
Mike Johnson is still refusing to swear her in because she’s the final vote for the discharge petition to release the Epstein files.
Reposted by Mark
These gangsters are using the email addresses of govt employees to send out messages to their address lists blaming Democrats for the shut down without their consent. Leave the damn civil servants who just want to do their jobs out of your illegal hackery.
November 8, 2025 at 12:16 AM
These gangsters are using the email addresses of govt employees to send out messages to their address lists blaming Democrats for the shut down without their consent. Leave the damn civil servants who just want to do their jobs out of your illegal hackery.
Reposted by Mark
He said that the agents would throw food at them to eat. The agents threatened to withhold food for a week and to beat him up if he didn't sign deportation papers. He said he saw others refuse and get beaten/receive no food. He signed because he was afraid.
November 7, 2025 at 3:08 AM
He said that the agents would throw food at them to eat. The agents threatened to withhold food for a week and to beat him up if he didn't sign deportation papers. He said he saw others refuse and get beaten/receive no food. He signed because he was afraid.
$DJT Trump Media valued at $4.8 billion
Short interest has increased to 9.5% of tradable stock
Stock ended the first day of trading March 26, 2024 at $58 after soaring as high as $79 a share.
$DJT Trump Media currently trading at $13.10 a share
Short interest has increased to 9.5% of tradable stock
Stock ended the first day of trading March 26, 2024 at $58 after soaring as high as $79 a share.
$DJT Trump Media currently trading at $13.10 a share
This is acting like a pure money laundering operation. They reported losing another $54 million last quarter. It has never made money. Investor money is just flying out the back door faster than in comes in to enrich a lot of shysters and grifters.
November 8, 2025 at 4:37 AM
$DJT Trump Media valued at $4.8 billion
Short interest has increased to 9.5% of tradable stock
Stock ended the first day of trading March 26, 2024 at $58 after soaring as high as $79 a share.
$DJT Trump Media currently trading at $13.10 a share
Short interest has increased to 9.5% of tradable stock
Stock ended the first day of trading March 26, 2024 at $58 after soaring as high as $79 a share.
$DJT Trump Media currently trading at $13.10 a share
Reposted by Mark
BREAKING: Judge Immergut issues a permanent injunction against Pete Hegseth and the deployment of the National Guard to Portland.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
November 8, 2025 at 1:01 AM
BREAKING: Judge Immergut issues a permanent injunction against Pete Hegseth and the deployment of the National Guard to Portland.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Mark
🚨BREAKING: President Donald Trump violated the Constitution and federal law by ordering hundreds of National Guard soldiers to Portland, Oregon, earlier this year, a federal judge ruled Friday. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Trump-Appointed Judge Rules His Portland Military Takeover Was Unconstitutional
Read more here.
www.democracydocket.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:30 AM
🚨BREAKING: President Donald Trump violated the Constitution and federal law by ordering hundreds of National Guard soldiers to Portland, Oregon, earlier this year, a federal judge ruled Friday. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Reposted by Mark
Crockett: When you go and you hit those booths come the midterms, think about which party decided that it was okay to literally be on vacation while people were going hungry in the streets of America.
November 8, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Crockett: When you go and you hit those booths come the midterms, think about which party decided that it was okay to literally be on vacation while people were going hungry in the streets of America.
Trump wisely stepped aside because he DGAF since there's no focus on him.
I’m an ER doc who has responded to hundreds of events like this in the hospital & on planes and other public spaces. The right side of this photo is like exhibit A of normal human behavior in these circumstances. People rush to help so instinctively that part of the skill of a code is crowd control.
November 8, 2025 at 4:14 AM
Trump wisely stepped aside because he DGAF since there's no focus on him.
NYTimes share
Trump’s Roaring '20s Could Be Headed for a Crash
"This administration professes to be so concerned about crime, it is deploying troops to confront American citizens in our own cities, while it removes the constables patrolling our financial markets.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/o...
Trump’s Roaring '20s Could Be Headed for a Crash
"This administration professes to be so concerned about crime, it is deploying troops to confront American citizens in our own cities, while it removes the constables patrolling our financial markets.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/o...
Opinion | Trump’s Roaring 2020s Could Be Headed for a Crash
www.nytimes.com
November 7, 2025 at 3:42 PM
NYTimes share
Trump’s Roaring '20s Could Be Headed for a Crash
"This administration professes to be so concerned about crime, it is deploying troops to confront American citizens in our own cities, while it removes the constables patrolling our financial markets.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/o...
Trump’s Roaring '20s Could Be Headed for a Crash
"This administration professes to be so concerned about crime, it is deploying troops to confront American citizens in our own cities, while it removes the constables patrolling our financial markets.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/o...
Seems prophetic, and for good reason.
Steve Bannon: If we lose the midterms and we lose 2028, some in this room are going to prison, myself included.
November 6, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Seems prophetic, and for good reason.