Alex
@purplechrain.bsky.social
limited wit & the worst lines in Pundom | za’atar & insulin enthusiast | sporadically @singlesjukebox.bsky.social | MTL expat in Toronto with bagel opinions & T1D | crim appellate law | Jew for a Free Palestine | DuJour means seatbelts | 38🏳️🌈✡️
Pinned
Alex
@purplechrain.bsky.social
· Nov 17
to misquote @kierongillen.bsky.social: I don’t believe in modern love, but do believe in ‘This Modern Love’.
Reposted by Alex
The shutdown deal includes a ban on hemp products that none of its negotiators debated in public.
Disappointing that only 24 senators voted against killing an amendment to strike that ban.
www.senate.gov/legislative/...
Disappointing that only 24 senators voted against killing an amendment to strike that ban.
www.senate.gov/legislative/...
November 11, 2025 at 2:04 AM
The shutdown deal includes a ban on hemp products that none of its negotiators debated in public.
Disappointing that only 24 senators voted against killing an amendment to strike that ban.
www.senate.gov/legislative/...
Disappointing that only 24 senators voted against killing an amendment to strike that ban.
www.senate.gov/legislative/...
Reposted by Alex
for God’s sake
Buried inside the deal to reopen government is a provision that would give Senators private right of action to sue for millions in damages over their phone records being analyzed by Jack Smith's team.
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Shutdown Deal Would Let Senators Sue Over Jack Smith Searches
Senators whose phone records were sought by Special Counsel Jack Smith would gain authority to sue for millions in damages under a provision buried in the Senate-advanced deal to reopen the government...
news.bloomberglaw.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:27 PM
for God’s sake
Reposted by Alex
"Maxwell has received custom meals personally delivered to her cell, after-hours time in a private exercise area, access to a service puppy, and private meetings with visitors arranged by the warden, complete with snacks. Visitors were allowed to bring computers..."
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/d...
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/d...
Democrats reveal whistleblower details of Ghislaine Maxwell prison ‘luxuries’
In a letter to the president, House Democrats say Maxwell’s treatment as she prepares a clemency request makes the convicted sex offender look like a “guest at a Trump hotel.”
www.msnbc.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:26 PM
"Maxwell has received custom meals personally delivered to her cell, after-hours time in a private exercise area, access to a service puppy, and private meetings with visitors arranged by the warden, complete with snacks. Visitors were allowed to bring computers..."
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/d...
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/d...
Reposted by Alex
Wow: Per Hamdi's legal team, his only charge was a visa overstay — after Trump revoked his visa.
Despite DHS tweeting that Hamdi supported terrorism, they never charged him with any criminality.
In other words: Trump revoked a journalist's visa, so agents could arrest him for overstaying his visa.
Despite DHS tweeting that Hamdi supported terrorism, they never charged him with any criminality.
In other words: Trump revoked a journalist's visa, so agents could arrest him for overstaying his visa.
NEW: British journalist Sami Hamdi is being released from US detention.
Trump administration agents detained him two weeks ago at the San Francisco airport — hours after he addressed an event, where he urged US leaders to take an “America First” approach rather than “Israel First.”
Trump administration agents detained him two weeks ago at the San Francisco airport — hours after he addressed an event, where he urged US leaders to take an “America First” approach rather than “Israel First.”
November 10, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Wow: Per Hamdi's legal team, his only charge was a visa overstay — after Trump revoked his visa.
Despite DHS tweeting that Hamdi supported terrorism, they never charged him with any criminality.
In other words: Trump revoked a journalist's visa, so agents could arrest him for overstaying his visa.
Despite DHS tweeting that Hamdi supported terrorism, they never charged him with any criminality.
In other words: Trump revoked a journalist's visa, so agents could arrest him for overstaying his visa.
Reposted by Alex
The Supreme Court is doing bad things for gay, lesbian, and bisexual people, too. But, they are — at this point — far more likely to be in the form of exclusions, exceptions, and differential treatment under the free speech and religion clauses.
November 10, 2025 at 7:30 PM
The Supreme Court is doing bad things for gay, lesbian, and bisexual people, too. But, they are — at this point — far more likely to be in the form of exclusions, exceptions, and differential treatment under the free speech and religion clauses.
Reposted by Alex
Few things have made more more mad over recent months than the attention given to this while the Supreme Court is actually taking step after step to make life more difficult for trans and nonbinary people.
Like, this actually happened last week — in an unsigned order.
Like, this actually happened last week — in an unsigned order.
SCOTUS lets Trump administration implement anti-trans, anti-nonbinary passport policy
The Democratic appointees, led by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented. The ruling, which applies during litigation, effectively reverses two lower court rulings.
www.lawdork.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Few things have made more more mad over recent months than the attention given to this while the Supreme Court is actually taking step after step to make life more difficult for trans and nonbinary people.
Like, this actually happened last week — in an unsigned order.
Like, this actually happened last week — in an unsigned order.
Reposted by Alex
This was not a surprise to anyone who followed me and other actual reporters who know Supreme Court procedure.
The only places it succeeded were to generate donations for Liberty Counsel and to prompt clicks through ragebait headlines from your favorite resistance grifters.
Sorry, it's true.
The only places it succeeded were to generate donations for Liberty Counsel and to prompt clicks through ragebait headlines from your favorite resistance grifters.
Sorry, it's true.
BREAKING: The Supreme Court DENIES former county clerk Kim Davis's request for the justices to take up her longshot bid to overturn 2015's Obergefell v. Hodges marriage equality decision. No justice even writes about the request.
November 10, 2025 at 7:24 PM
This was not a surprise to anyone who followed me and other actual reporters who know Supreme Court procedure.
The only places it succeeded were to generate donations for Liberty Counsel and to prompt clicks through ragebait headlines from your favorite resistance grifters.
Sorry, it's true.
The only places it succeeded were to generate donations for Liberty Counsel and to prompt clicks through ragebait headlines from your favorite resistance grifters.
Sorry, it's true.
Reposted by Alex
Happy There Is A Circulatory System Walking Through The Kitchen Day to all who celebrate.
November 10, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Happy There Is A Circulatory System Walking Through The Kitchen Day to all who celebrate.
Reposted by Alex
Reposted by Alex
Reminder: we are in this together. Whether you accept it or not, they’ll eventually remind you.
November 10, 2025 at 4:42 AM
Reminder: we are in this together. Whether you accept it or not, they’ll eventually remind you.
Reposted by Alex
josh blackman contends that the equal protection clause allows discrimination against unpopular groups out of pure animus. I’ll just observe that the Court did not need Justice Kennedy to reach the opposite conclusion generations ago.
![The amendment, we held, was "divorced from any factual context from which we could discern a relationship to legitimate state interests," and "its sheer breadth [was] so discontinuous with the reasons offered for it" that the initiative seemed "inexplicable by
anything but animus." Romer v. Evans, 517
U. S. 620, 632, 635 (1996). In 2018, when Trump v. Hawaii was decided, the
Court needed Justice Kennedy's vote. That is no longer the case. I faulted Justice Barrett for citing this aspect of Trump v. Hawaii in her Skrmetti concurrence. And I will fault the per curiam Court
for citing Trump v. Hawaii in the passport case. This mode of constitutional adjudication should be jettisoned. We are no longer living in Justice Kennedy's shadow. Political majorities can disadvantage politically unpopular groups, unless
there is some a constitutional prohibition.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:f4d76fjna5nxqsy2fu6cgmp3/bafkreidqb4kjwq3sp7nzayuzvj67owatmcep34nndblnh7dm6bk5cjw6ri@jpeg)
November 10, 2025 at 2:23 PM
josh blackman contends that the equal protection clause allows discrimination against unpopular groups out of pure animus. I’ll just observe that the Court did not need Justice Kennedy to reach the opposite conclusion generations ago.
Reposted by Alex
The language of this pardon is extremely broad.
It includes “all United States citizens for conduct relating to the advice, creation, organization, execution, submission, support, voting, activities, participation in, or advocacy for or of any slate or proposed slate of Presidential
electors…”
It includes “all United States citizens for conduct relating to the advice, creation, organization, execution, submission, support, voting, activities, participation in, or advocacy for or of any slate or proposed slate of Presidential
electors…”
November 10, 2025 at 4:51 AM
The language of this pardon is extremely broad.
It includes “all United States citizens for conduct relating to the advice, creation, organization, execution, submission, support, voting, activities, participation in, or advocacy for or of any slate or proposed slate of Presidential
electors…”
It includes “all United States citizens for conduct relating to the advice, creation, organization, execution, submission, support, voting, activities, participation in, or advocacy for or of any slate or proposed slate of Presidential
electors…”
I already see people calling Matt complicit etc. in Trump’s victories for this post, when he is simply describing the reality of *what actually affects voting levels*. He’s not necessarily advocating for it. He is explaining why this was a stupid thing for Dems to do.
Much like 2024, Democrats seem to think there’s a binary choice in the 2026 election between voting for Republicans (evil) and voting for Democrats (feckless).
They rarely acknowledge the third option which inevitably harms them the most: staying home.
They rarely acknowledge the third option which inevitably harms them the most: staying home.
November 10, 2025 at 4:41 AM
I already see people calling Matt complicit etc. in Trump’s victories for this post, when he is simply describing the reality of *what actually affects voting levels*. He’s not necessarily advocating for it. He is explaining why this was a stupid thing for Dems to do.
Reposted by Alex
They caved in March so they could get a better deal now. They’re caving now so they can get a better deal in some indeterminate future. The better deal is always just beyond their reach, but continuing to cave will get them there. And if you don’t agree with that, you don’t understand Politics,
November 10, 2025 at 2:44 AM
They caved in March so they could get a better deal now. They’re caving now so they can get a better deal in some indeterminate future. The better deal is always just beyond their reach, but continuing to cave will get them there. And if you don’t agree with that, you don’t understand Politics,
Reposted by Alex
Waiting for Democrat fundraising texts and emails to begin in 3… 2…1
November 10, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Waiting for Democrat fundraising texts and emails to begin in 3… 2…1
Reposted by Alex
That THEY CHOSE to insist this fight was only about! They didn’t want it to be about ending the military occupation of our cities! They didn’t want to stand in opposition to concentration camps and secret police! They chose health care as their only issue, and then caved on it immediately.
I will say, it’s somewhat refreshing that they’re just openly admitting that they do not think that the “concession” they “won” from the GOP has any chance of resulting in the restoration of the healthcare that this fight was supposedly all about.
Reporter: What do you say to your colleagues who say this isn't a fight, this is a capitulation?
Shaheen: We have a guaranteed vote by a guaranteed date…
Reporter: There is no guarantee that this will become law.
Shaheen: There was never a guarantee that it would be become law.
Shaheen: We have a guaranteed vote by a guaranteed date…
Reporter: There is no guarantee that this will become law.
Shaheen: There was never a guarantee that it would be become law.
November 10, 2025 at 3:00 AM
That THEY CHOSE to insist this fight was only about! They didn’t want it to be about ending the military occupation of our cities! They didn’t want to stand in opposition to concentration camps and secret police! They chose health care as their only issue, and then caved on it immediately.
“We are going to give the Republicans what they want right now and if it turns out they tricked us & don’t follow through on their promise to let us have a meaningless vote in a few weeks, we will release statements saying ‘I am very disappointed in you, Donald Trump.’.”
Agree.
Sen Hassan, asked what will happen if Republicans don't carry out the deal, "Well, shame on them."
This is not what people were mobilizing for on Oct 18.
Sen Hassan, asked what will happen if Republicans don't carry out the deal, "Well, shame on them."
This is not what people were mobilizing for on Oct 18.
November 10, 2025 at 3:07 AM
“We are going to give the Republicans what they want right now and if it turns out they tricked us & don’t follow through on their promise to let us have a meaningless vote in a few weeks, we will release statements saying ‘I am very disappointed in you, Donald Trump.’.”
if you genuinely think Schumer and Democratic leadership opposed this & Republicans coincidentally got exactly the number of votes they needed to avoid a filibuster and none of those votes are from Democratic Senators who are up for reelection in the midterms next year, I have a bridge to sell you.
November 10, 2025 at 3:05 AM
if you genuinely think Schumer and Democratic leadership opposed this & Republicans coincidentally got exactly the number of votes they needed to avoid a filibuster and none of those votes are from Democratic Senators who are up for reelection in the midterms next year, I have a bridge to sell you.
I will say, it’s somewhat refreshing that they’re just openly admitting that they do not think that the “concession” they “won” from the GOP has any chance of resulting in the restoration of the healthcare that this fight was supposedly all about.
Reporter: What do you say to your colleagues who say this isn't a fight, this is a capitulation?
Shaheen: We have a guaranteed vote by a guaranteed date…
Reporter: There is no guarantee that this will become law.
Shaheen: There was never a guarantee that it would be become law.
Shaheen: We have a guaranteed vote by a guaranteed date…
Reporter: There is no guarantee that this will become law.
Shaheen: There was never a guarantee that it would be become law.
November 10, 2025 at 2:50 AM
I will say, it’s somewhat refreshing that they’re just openly admitting that they do not think that the “concession” they “won” from the GOP has any chance of resulting in the restoration of the healthcare that this fight was supposedly all about.
Well, at the cost of sounding cynical, it appears that the Republicans were right, and that once the Democrats performatively motivated their base to get out the vote and deliver significant victories for Democratic candidates, some of them decided that there was no longer a reason to keep fighting
Republicans had predicted that Democrats would cave on the government shutdown as soon as the election was over because they were only keeping the standoff going to motivate their base.
A group of Senate Democrats give in and agree to a deal with Republicans that would reopen the government without a guarantee that ACA subsidies would be extended. Catie Edmondson @migold.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/live/2025/11...
November 10, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Well, at the cost of sounding cynical, it appears that the Republicans were right, and that once the Democrats performatively motivated their base to get out the vote and deliver significant victories for Democratic candidates, some of them decided that there was no longer a reason to keep fighting
getting Republicans to agree to something that the law already requires them to do is not winning a concession. *people are already supposed to follow the law*
THAT IS ALREADY A LAW. TRUMP IS THE PRESIDENT WHO SIGNED THAT LAW. YOU ARE A FUCKING NEWS REPORTER
November 10, 2025 at 1:23 AM
getting Republicans to agree to something that the law already requires them to do is not winning a concession. *people are already supposed to follow the law*
ok so then who is giving them enough votes to allegedly pass this? can DC media not count votes properly?
Mark Kelly is a NO on the continuing resolution deal
November 10, 2025 at 1:15 AM
ok so then who is giving them enough votes to allegedly pass this? can DC media not count votes properly?
Reposted by Alex
agreeing to make a terrible deal while your main opponent is quite literally being boo'd on live tv by an entire stadium of people is the kind of political instinct you'd normally only find in a 3 week old dead goldfish
November 10, 2025 at 12:36 AM
agreeing to make a terrible deal while your main opponent is quite literally being boo'd on live tv by an entire stadium of people is the kind of political instinct you'd normally only find in a 3 week old dead goldfish
so….GOP get to reopen the government and avoid the negative press and public anger over the government being closed over Christmas and in exchange Democrats get…a vote on healthcare that Republicans will still be allowed to filibuster and a promise that Trump won’t fire people until after Christmas?
November 10, 2025 at 12:42 AM
so….GOP get to reopen the government and avoid the negative press and public anger over the government being closed over Christmas and in exchange Democrats get…a vote on healthcare that Republicans will still be allowed to filibuster and a promise that Trump won’t fire people until after Christmas?