Don Van Atta
@oldsovetlog.bsky.social
I study (agrarian) politics in the former Soviet states.
Long-term policy advisor in Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Tajikistan. Resident director of 5 USAID-funded projects.
Democratic institutions are hard to build and keep.
Berkeley PolSci PhD eons ago.
Long-term policy advisor in Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Tajikistan. Resident director of 5 USAID-funded projects.
Democratic institutions are hard to build and keep.
Berkeley PolSci PhD eons ago.
Reposted by Don Van Atta
The sheer arrogance. Chuck Schumer must step down. He let this happen
www.youtube.com/live/KklaA25...
www.youtube.com/live/KklaA25...
Jen Taub LIVE - WTF Chuck?!!
YouTube video by Jen Taub
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:56 PM
The sheer arrogance. Chuck Schumer must step down. He let this happen
www.youtube.com/live/KklaA25...
www.youtube.com/live/KklaA25...
Saw this, suspected it was an effort to swindle people.
Authors, Beware! There's a firm called "ClaimsHero" doing aggressive social media outreach claiming to
"help" you file to get $ in the Anthropic class action. In fact, it's a bait-and-switch, they are luring authors to sign up with them, then OPTING THEM OUT of the class action so they'll get zilch.
"help" you file to get $ in the Anthropic class action. In fact, it's a bait-and-switch, they are luring authors to sign up with them, then OPTING THEM OUT of the class action so they'll get zilch.
November 10, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Saw this, suspected it was an effort to swindle people.
Reposted by Don Van Atta
His fuckery regarding the civil suit alone should prevent his ever being an attorney again.
Having been pardoned by Trump, Rudy Giuliani wants his bar license “immediately reinstated,” per his rep Ted Goodman
November 10, 2025 at 9:20 PM
His fuckery regarding the civil suit alone should prevent his ever being an attorney again.
Reposted by Don Van Atta
The President pardoned members of his private militia after they failed to overturn an election; they, in turn, pledge their support to him and urge him to use them to police civil society.
New:
On The Gateway Pundit's podcast yesterday, Stewart Rhodes announced he's relaunching the Oath Keepers
He also urged Trump to “call us up as a militia" & "order us all to come together in our counties under his command."
www.mediamatters.org/oath-keepers...
On The Gateway Pundit's podcast yesterday, Stewart Rhodes announced he's relaunching the Oath Keepers
He also urged Trump to “call us up as a militia" & "order us all to come together in our counties under his command."
www.mediamatters.org/oath-keepers...
![STEWART RHODES (FOUNDER, OATH KEEPERS): And one other thing I want to say is that President Trump, as commander in chief, always has absolute authority to call all of us up as the militia because every one of us — in federal statues defining the militia, it's every able-bodied male from age 17-45. And for us veterans, it goes up to age 64 because of our prior training and experience.
Right now, under federal statutes, President Trump can call us up as the militia if he sees it necessary, especially for three purposes: to repel invasions, to suppress insurrections, and to execute the laws of the union. And right now, we see all three of those in play.
...
And the militia is all of us. So the National Guard is part of the militia, which is why it's completely lawful for him to use the National Guard as he has, and he should do more of that, I think, across the country.
...
He could just say given the circumstances of an invasion, insurrection, and resistance against federal law being being enforced, I'm calling up the militia, ordering all the men to come together [in] every county, put the veterans in charge of training and organizing all the other men and just have them stand too and await his orders. He can do that and I think he should do that. And so that's what I'll be advocating for from him. So from the bottom, from down the rank and file, we can let President Trump know that we're ready to serve, encourage him to do that, call us up as a militia, order us all to come together in our counties under his command, which gives you complete legal sanction to do what you're doing.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:af7tqcetuyt352aolf3znlxe/bafkreialm4skuozqobejpd6vx4m6kuwsgtidxmmxvj3ftcff6otiuyohiy@jpeg)
November 10, 2025 at 5:17 PM
The President pardoned members of his private militia after they failed to overturn an election; they, in turn, pledge their support to him and urge him to use them to police civil society.
Reposted by Don Van Atta
Look forward to hosting this event tomorrow with Alexis Lerner at the Harriman Institute. Register today to attend. harriman.columbia.edu/event/book-t...
Book Talk. "Post-Soviet Graffiti"
Please join the Harriman Institute for a book talk by Alexis Lerner. Moderated by Timothy Frye.
harriman.columbia.edu
November 10, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Look forward to hosting this event tomorrow with Alexis Lerner at the Harriman Institute. Register today to attend. harriman.columbia.edu/event/book-t...
I read”The Hill’s” headlines the way I used to read “ Pravda”. They quickly tell me what the regime line is. The main questions are always “Why are they saying this? Why now?” One just assumes there’s only a tiny hook of truth. With Trump, that hook is _much_ smaller than with the old “Pravda.”
This.
We need to stop treating Yglesias and the Hill like good faith actors in any of this. Whatever Dems do, they're going to say it was wrong, because their whole brand is saying "Dems are tactically bad." Even if it happens to be true, they're just parrots.
We need to stop treating Yglesias and the Hill like good faith actors in any of this. Whatever Dems do, they're going to say it was wrong, because their whole brand is saying "Dems are tactically bad." Even if it happens to be true, they're just parrots.
seeing a lot of "even Yglesias thinks they shouldn't have folded," "even the Hill [...]," and so on. like, u know it's just opportunistic outflanking, right?
I guess I'm not clear on what the strategy was here. was the shutdown a revolutionary strategy? negotiation tool?
now what? total implosion?
I guess I'm not clear on what the strategy was here. was the shutdown a revolutionary strategy? negotiation tool?
now what? total implosion?
November 10, 2025 at 12:06 PM
I read”The Hill’s” headlines the way I used to read “ Pravda”. They quickly tell me what the regime line is. The main questions are always “Why are they saying this? Why now?” One just assumes there’s only a tiny hook of truth. With Trump, that hook is _much_ smaller than with the old “Pravda.”
Reposted by Don Van Atta
And Schumer, because none of this would have happened without his permission no matter how he voted. He’s the Minority Leader.
November 10, 2025 at 11:10 AM
And Schumer, because none of this would have happened without his permission no matter how he voted. He’s the Minority Leader.
Reposted by Don Van Atta
Never forget who sold us out:
Hassan
King
Cortez-Masto
Shaheen
Kaine
Fetterman
Durbin
Rosen
Hassan
King
Cortez-Masto
Shaheen
Kaine
Fetterman
Durbin
Rosen
November 10, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Never forget who sold us out:
Hassan
King
Cortez-Masto
Shaheen
Kaine
Fetterman
Durbin
Rosen
Hassan
King
Cortez-Masto
Shaheen
Kaine
Fetterman
Durbin
Rosen
Reposted by Don Van Atta
This cormorant was #standing by the ferry terminal in Anacortes, WA. #birdoftheday #photography #nature #birds #PNW
November 9, 2025 at 2:39 PM
This cormorant was #standing by the ferry terminal in Anacortes, WA. #birdoftheday #photography #nature #birds #PNW
Reposted by Don Van Atta
Burning tear gas grenades have been clocked at nearly 800 deg C (1450 F), which is way hotter than most gloves, mitts, etc will ever bear. So don't pick them up.
November 10, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Burning tear gas grenades have been clocked at nearly 800 deg C (1450 F), which is way hotter than most gloves, mitts, etc will ever bear. So don't pick them up.
Reposted by Don Van Atta
Pinning this again:
Do not use milk, juice, urine, antacids, baking soda on pepper spray or tear gas. Just water. Plain water..
Optical saline ok in eyes, but maybe save it for the dumbasses who wore contact lenses.
Plain soap or shampoo ok on skin, but never in eyes.
Do not use milk, juice, urine, antacids, baking soda on pepper spray or tear gas. Just water. Plain water..
Optical saline ok in eyes, but maybe save it for the dumbasses who wore contact lenses.
Plain soap or shampoo ok on skin, but never in eyes.
November 10, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Pinning this again:
Do not use milk, juice, urine, antacids, baking soda on pepper spray or tear gas. Just water. Plain water..
Optical saline ok in eyes, but maybe save it for the dumbasses who wore contact lenses.
Plain soap or shampoo ok on skin, but never in eyes.
Do not use milk, juice, urine, antacids, baking soda on pepper spray or tear gas. Just water. Plain water..
Optical saline ok in eyes, but maybe save it for the dumbasses who wore contact lenses.
Plain soap or shampoo ok on skin, but never in eyes.
Reposted by Don Van Atta
Banning Citizens United is the floor.
November 10, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Banning Citizens United is the floor.
Reposted by Don Van Atta
Apart from everything else, the logic of it all just astounds me.
Your party gets a clean sweep of the elections a week ago, and your response is “let’s go cave to the people who our entire party hates so much they broke turnout records six days ago?”
What kind of thinking is THAT?
Your party gets a clean sweep of the elections a week ago, and your response is “let’s go cave to the people who our entire party hates so much they broke turnout records six days ago?”
What kind of thinking is THAT?
November 10, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Apart from everything else, the logic of it all just astounds me.
Your party gets a clean sweep of the elections a week ago, and your response is “let’s go cave to the people who our entire party hates so much they broke turnout records six days ago?”
What kind of thinking is THAT?
Your party gets a clean sweep of the elections a week ago, and your response is “let’s go cave to the people who our entire party hates so much they broke turnout records six days ago?”
What kind of thinking is THAT?
Reposted by Don Van Atta
Not that he didn’t already know, but now Trump knows for sure he can roll the Dems every time and there’s no need to negotiate for anything
November 10, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Not that he didn’t already know, but now Trump knows for sure he can roll the Dems every time and there’s no need to negotiate for anything
Trump covering for the Democratic leadership’s craven collapse by quickly changing the outrage focus to the pardon of his co-election deniers.
Did Schumer actually get that deal for cover, or is Trump just emphasizing the Dems’ unconditional surrender?
Did Schumer actually get that deal for cover, or is Trump just emphasizing the Dems’ unconditional surrender?
primary every democrat
Even the corporatist Hill reporters are gobsmacked by how complete @schumer.senate.gov's collapse is: "And this does absolutely zero on Obamacare. The most Democrats get is a Senate vote. After 40 days."
November 10, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Trump covering for the Democratic leadership’s craven collapse by quickly changing the outrage focus to the pardon of his co-election deniers.
Did Schumer actually get that deal for cover, or is Trump just emphasizing the Dems’ unconditional surrender?
Did Schumer actually get that deal for cover, or is Trump just emphasizing the Dems’ unconditional surrender?
Reposted by Don Van Atta
You’ve been given free access to this article from The Economist as a gift. You can open the link five times within seven days. After that it will expire.
Georgia is dousing the last embers of democracy
www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
Georgia is dousing the last embers of democracy
www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
Georgia is dousing the last embers of democracy
An oligarchic party outlaws the opposition and turns towards Russia
www.economist.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:24 AM
You’ve been given free access to this article from The Economist as a gift. You can open the link five times within seven days. After that it will expire.
Georgia is dousing the last embers of democracy
www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
Georgia is dousing the last embers of democracy
www.economist.com/europe/2025/...
Reposted by Don Van Atta
I am so fucking angry.
Senate dems are about to ensure that myself and my kids and millions of other families will most likely not be insured next year, or on insurance that might as well be nothing.
Fuck Chuck.
Senate dems are about to ensure that myself and my kids and millions of other families will most likely not be insured next year, or on insurance that might as well be nothing.
Fuck Chuck.
November 10, 2025 at 1:07 AM
I am so fucking angry.
Senate dems are about to ensure that myself and my kids and millions of other families will most likely not be insured next year, or on insurance that might as well be nothing.
Fuck Chuck.
Senate dems are about to ensure that myself and my kids and millions of other families will most likely not be insured next year, or on insurance that might as well be nothing.
Fuck Chuck.
Reposted by Don Van Atta
Dems backed Trump into a corner where he’s advocating for starving Americans and hemorrhaging support. If they vote to let him off the hook in exchange for nothing it’s a cataclysmic failure. I know people are in pain but insulating Republicans from political consequences is not the answer.
November 9, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Dems backed Trump into a corner where he’s advocating for starving Americans and hemorrhaging support. If they vote to let him off the hook in exchange for nothing it’s a cataclysmic failure. I know people are in pain but insulating Republicans from political consequences is not the answer.
Surprise, surprise. Because of the government shutdown the US has stopped arms deliveries to NATO allies and Ukraine.
Wonder what took them so long?
Ballroom construction continues.
США приостановили поставки оружия союзникам по НАТО и Украине из-за шатдауна www.svoboda.org/a/33585490.h...
Wonder what took them so long?
Ballroom construction continues.
США приостановили поставки оружия союзникам по НАТО и Украине из-за шатдауна www.svoboda.org/a/33585490.h...
США приостановили поставки оружия НАТО и Украине из-за шатдауна
В том числе ракет HIMARS
www.svoboda.org
November 10, 2025 at 1:12 AM
Surprise, surprise. Because of the government shutdown the US has stopped arms deliveries to NATO allies and Ukraine.
Wonder what took them so long?
Ballroom construction continues.
США приостановили поставки оружия союзникам по НАТО и Украине из-за шатдауна www.svoboda.org/a/33585490.h...
Wonder what took them so long?
Ballroom construction continues.
США приостановили поставки оружия союзникам по НАТО и Украине из-за шатдауна www.svoboda.org/a/33585490.h...
Reposted by Don Van Atta
The president of the United States is on his way to an NFL game after a weekend spent partying at his country club and fighting to starve poor Americans.
And Senate Democrats want to surrender to him?!
Fuck that and fuck them.
And Senate Democrats want to surrender to him?!
Fuck that and fuck them.
November 9, 2025 at 10:22 PM
The president of the United States is on his way to an NFL game after a weekend spent partying at his country club and fighting to starve poor Americans.
And Senate Democrats want to surrender to him?!
Fuck that and fuck them.
And Senate Democrats want to surrender to him?!
Fuck that and fuck them.
Reposted by Don Van Atta
this is where I’m at
it sounds like the mods are going to do this but they should walk the plank alone
no cover from leadership, whatever deal goes through the House entirely on Republican votes, and they own the cave entirely
it sounds like the mods are going to do this but they should walk the plank alone
no cover from leadership, whatever deal goes through the House entirely on Republican votes, and they own the cave entirely
I think if senate mods want to break, they will break, but it's really important they do it without cover from the caucus or leadership
November 9, 2025 at 9:40 PM
this is where I’m at
it sounds like the mods are going to do this but they should walk the plank alone
no cover from leadership, whatever deal goes through the House entirely on Republican votes, and they own the cave entirely
it sounds like the mods are going to do this but they should walk the plank alone
no cover from leadership, whatever deal goes through the House entirely on Republican votes, and they own the cave entirely
Reposted by Don Van Atta
JUST IN: The Justice Department formally appeals U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis' preliminary injunction, which restricts the use of force against protesters and journalists.
November 9, 2025 at 9:40 PM
JUST IN: The Justice Department formally appeals U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis' preliminary injunction, which restricts the use of force against protesters and journalists.
Reposted by Don Van Atta
The US government is trying as hard as it can to ensure that Americans starve. The USG is threatening states that are trying to help.
Here's the unbelievable "undo" letter USDA sent: www.fns.usda.gov/snap/updated...
November 9, 2025 at 9:41 PM
The US government is trying as hard as it can to ensure that Americans starve. The USG is threatening states that are trying to help.
Reposted by Don Van Atta
After the public blamed the GOP and Trump, and after the Dem blowout on Tuesday, Schumer is surrendering and, in the process, the Dems will be blamed for not caving earlier and having the country go through all this.
BREAKING: Deal to end government shutdown in reach
Deal to end government shutdown in reach
At least 10 Senate Democrats are expected to support a key procedural motion.
www.axios.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:28 PM
After the public blamed the GOP and Trump, and after the Dem blowout on Tuesday, Schumer is surrendering and, in the process, the Dems will be blamed for not caving earlier and having the country go through all this.