@retiredslp.bsky.social
American citizen, wife, mother, grandmother, baker, and gardener.
Please share this and contact your senators.
Amidst all the atrocities taking place in the U.S., please don't forget the imminent threat of being robbed of our public lands. Once this happens, to paraphrase Heather Cox Richardson, we will never get them back. (Sample letter to U.S. senators included in article.)
The Senate Vote That Could Change Public Lands Forever
This week Republicans are pushing a legal maneuver that would undo a century of public land protections — starting with America’s most beloved wilderness.
morethanjustparks.substack.com
February 12, 2026 at 3:44 PM
Please share this and contact your senators.
Reposted
A CONVERSATION
“In this moment, what we can do is hold onto the truth and the truth of American Democracy,”
Heather Cox Richardson
“The only thing stronger than hate is . . . TRUTH.”
from Abraham Lincoln,
Vampire Hunter
#conversation-of-the-day
#dont-let-them-steal-your-joy
“In this moment, what we can do is hold onto the truth and the truth of American Democracy,”
Heather Cox Richardson
“The only thing stronger than hate is . . . TRUTH.”
from Abraham Lincoln,
Vampire Hunter
#conversation-of-the-day
#dont-let-them-steal-your-joy
February 12, 2026 at 3:43 AM
A CONVERSATION
“In this moment, what we can do is hold onto the truth and the truth of American Democracy,”
Heather Cox Richardson
“The only thing stronger than hate is . . . TRUTH.”
from Abraham Lincoln,
Vampire Hunter
#conversation-of-the-day
#dont-let-them-steal-your-joy
“In this moment, what we can do is hold onto the truth and the truth of American Democracy,”
Heather Cox Richardson
“The only thing stronger than hate is . . . TRUTH.”
from Abraham Lincoln,
Vampire Hunter
#conversation-of-the-day
#dont-let-them-steal-your-joy
Reposted
New poll: In 2024, low-engagement voters went for Trump over Harris by 11 percentage points. But now they disapprove of the way he's handling the presidency by 13. They have moved 25 points against Trump — 2x as large as the shift for high-knowledge voters www.gelliottmorris.com/p/trump-lost...
Trump has lost the voters who weren’t paying attention in 2024
The least-engaged Americans have swung 25 points against him since 2024 — about twice the shift among everyone else. Trump has flattened the engagement gap.
www.gelliottmorris.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:01 PM
New poll: In 2024, low-engagement voters went for Trump over Harris by 11 percentage points. But now they disapprove of the way he's handling the presidency by 13. They have moved 25 points against Trump — 2x as large as the shift for high-knowledge voters www.gelliottmorris.com/p/trump-lost...
Reposted
Terrible. The bill now goes to the Senate. Make those calls. 202-224-3121
www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
House passes SAVE America Act, sending Trump-backed election bill to the Senate
The legislation would overhaul federal election laws in all 50 states by imposing new voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. But it faces a daunting path in the Senate.
www.nbcnews.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:37 AM
Terrible. The bill now goes to the Senate. Make those calls. 202-224-3121
www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
Reposted
In my latest newsletter I unpack the $625 million in strategic literacy investments in Gretchen Whitmer’s final budget request as Governor.
Defending public schools also means improving public schools.
open.substack.com/pub/joshcowe...
Defending public schools also means improving public schools.
open.substack.com/pub/joshcowe...
"Helping our children live better, more prosperous lives is the most basic, sacred obligation we have."
Too many Republicans ignore educational equity. Too many Democrats ignore educational excellence. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's new strategic literacy investments focus on both.
open.substack.com
February 12, 2026 at 12:18 PM
In my latest newsletter I unpack the $625 million in strategic literacy investments in Gretchen Whitmer’s final budget request as Governor.
Defending public schools also means improving public schools.
open.substack.com/pub/joshcowe...
Defending public schools also means improving public schools.
open.substack.com/pub/joshcowe...
Reposted
February 12, 2026 at 2:27 PM
Reposted
The people of Minnesota are heroes.
Homan in Minnesota: "I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude. A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue."
February 12, 2026 at 2:29 PM
The people of Minnesota are heroes.
Reposted
Donald Trump, ICE, and CBP retreat defeated from another American city.
Homan in Minnesota: "I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude. A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue."
February 12, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Donald Trump, ICE, and CBP retreat defeated from another American city.
Reposted
🇳🇱🇺🇦 The Netherlands will transfer F-16 fighter simulators for training Ukrainian pilots — country's Ministry of Defense
February 12, 2026 at 11:47 AM
🇳🇱🇺🇦 The Netherlands will transfer F-16 fighter simulators for training Ukrainian pilots — country's Ministry of Defense
Reposted
U.S. attorney general Pam Bondi would like you to stop asking her to prosecute people in the Epstein files and instead focus on the real issue, the stock market is up.
February 12, 2026 at 2:36 PM
U.S. attorney general Pam Bondi would like you to stop asking her to prosecute people in the Epstein files and instead focus on the real issue, the stock market is up.
Reposted
Veterans / Black Farmers meeting in Dalton, GA yesterday. Great conversation. I look forward to working for all of them in DC.
February 12, 2026 at 2:37 PM
Veterans / Black Farmers meeting in Dalton, GA yesterday. Great conversation. I look forward to working for all of them in DC.
Reposted
“my ‘we’re not out scouring the streets to disappear people or deny people their civil rights or due process’ shirt is raising a lot of questions that are answered by the shirt”
Homan: "ICE is a legitimate federal law enforcement agency. We're not out scouring the streets to disappear people or deny people their civil rights or due process."
February 12, 2026 at 2:44 PM
“my ‘we’re not out scouring the streets to disappear people or deny people their civil rights or due process’ shirt is raising a lot of questions that are answered by the shirt”
Reposted
Donald Trump is suing the IRS for $10 billion because a contractor illegally shared his tax returns.
Do each of the thousands of taxpayers who saw their confidential tax information illegally given to DHS get $10 billion as well?
Do each of the thousands of taxpayers who saw their confidential tax information illegally given to DHS get $10 billion as well?
IRS improperly disclosed confidential immigrant tax data to DHS
The tax agency only recently discovered it improperly disclosed tax information on thousands of the wrong people to immigration enforcement.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 12, 2026 at 2:47 PM
Donald Trump is suing the IRS for $10 billion because a contractor illegally shared his tax returns.
Do each of the thousands of taxpayers who saw their confidential tax information illegally given to DHS get $10 billion as well?
Do each of the thousands of taxpayers who saw their confidential tax information illegally given to DHS get $10 billion as well?
Good point!
Donald Trump is suing the IRS for $10 billion because a contractor illegally shared his tax returns.
Do each of the thousands of taxpayers who saw their confidential tax information illegally given to DHS get $10 billion as well?
Do each of the thousands of taxpayers who saw their confidential tax information illegally given to DHS get $10 billion as well?
IRS improperly disclosed confidential immigrant tax data to DHS
The tax agency only recently discovered it improperly disclosed tax information on thousands of the wrong people to immigration enforcement.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 12, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Good point!
Good point!
Donald Trump is suing the IRS for $10 billion because a contractor illegally shared his tax returns.
Do each of the thousands of taxpayers who saw their confidential tax information illegally given to DHS get $10 billion as well?
Do each of the thousands of taxpayers who saw their confidential tax information illegally given to DHS get $10 billion as well?
IRS improperly disclosed confidential immigrant tax data to DHS
The tax agency only recently discovered it improperly disclosed tax information on thousands of the wrong people to immigration enforcement.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 12, 2026 at 3:32 PM
Good point!
Reposted
“Historians are vampire hunters.”
— @hcrichardson.bsky.social
What does that mean?
We talk Lincoln, Reconstruction, and why some American myths refuse to die.
— @hcrichardson.bsky.social
What does that mean?
We talk Lincoln, Reconstruction, and why some American myths refuse to die.
February 12, 2026 at 2:22 PM
“Historians are vampire hunters.”
— @hcrichardson.bsky.social
What does that mean?
We talk Lincoln, Reconstruction, and why some American myths refuse to die.
— @hcrichardson.bsky.social
What does that mean?
We talk Lincoln, Reconstruction, and why some American myths refuse to die.
Reposted
Lincoln’s words I come back to right now are
“We cannot escape history…We of this Congress and this administration, will be remembered in spite of ourselves…We know how to save the Union. The world knows we do know how to save it…We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth.”
“We cannot escape history…We of this Congress and this administration, will be remembered in spite of ourselves…We know how to save the Union. The world knows we do know how to save it…We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth.”
February 12, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Lincoln’s words I come back to right now are
“We cannot escape history…We of this Congress and this administration, will be remembered in spite of ourselves…We know how to save the Union. The world knows we do know how to save it…We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth.”
“We cannot escape history…We of this Congress and this administration, will be remembered in spite of ourselves…We know how to save the Union. The world knows we do know how to save it…We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth.”
Reposted
This is a great press release, and a welcome reminder that state GOP officials' self-interest is increasingly at odds with the demands of the Trump admin.
WV Secretary of State announces he will follow the law, and in doing so becomes the first state Republican since Trump retook office to say he will break with the administration.
WV Secretary of State Kris Warner says he will not release protected personal voter information to U.S. Department of Justice
The mission of the Office of Secretary of State is to enhance commerce, ensure integrity of the electoral process, and to preserve certain historical documents essential to our State while providing p...
sos.wv.gov
February 12, 2026 at 2:46 PM
This is a great press release, and a welcome reminder that state GOP officials' self-interest is increasingly at odds with the demands of the Trump admin.
Reposted
In honor of Abraham Lincoln's birthday everyone should read this.
February 12, 2026 at 1:51 PM
In honor of Abraham Lincoln's birthday everyone should read this.
Reposted
[Abraham] “Lincoln saw clearly that if we give up the principle of equality before the law, we have given up the whole game.”
—Letters from an American 🇺🇸 by @hcrichardson.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/heatherc...
—Letters from an American 🇺🇸 by @hcrichardson.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/heatherc...
February 12, 2026 at 1:38 PM
[Abraham] “Lincoln saw clearly that if we give up the principle of equality before the law, we have given up the whole game.”
—Letters from an American 🇺🇸 by @hcrichardson.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/heatherc...
—Letters from an American 🇺🇸 by @hcrichardson.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/heatherc...
Reposted
#VisibilityBrigade #america #usa #ICE #CivilLiberties #DueProcess #GovernmentAccountability #PeacefulProtest #icecampskill
@visibilitybrigade.bsky.social @rosaliewong.bsky.social @karenb4good.bsky.social @emmatk.bsky.social @hcrichardson.bsky.social @roberthubbell.skystack.xyz
#epstein
@visibilitybrigade.bsky.social @rosaliewong.bsky.social @karenb4good.bsky.social @emmatk.bsky.social @hcrichardson.bsky.social @roberthubbell.skystack.xyz
#epstein
February 12, 2026 at 1:37 PM
Yep
Spoiler alert: When top officials have to start saying in an agency’s defense “no, no, no, that’s a totally legitimate law enforcement agency,” they have already lost and it is, in fact, no longer a legitimate law enforcement agency.
Homan: "ICE is a legitimate federal law enforcement agency. We're not out scouring the streets to disappear people or deny people their civil rights or due process."
February 12, 2026 at 3:26 PM
Yep
Reposted
There is no partial equality.
February 12, 2026 at 1:05 PM
There is no partial equality.
Reposted
The FTC has sent a letter to Tim Cook because Apple News is too woke and needs to include more right wing content.
This would sound silly even for The Onion but it’s our current reality.
This would sound silly even for The Onion but it’s our current reality.
Apple faces new tensions with Trump administration
US regulator issues warning to iPhone maker about its News platform following controversy over Super Bowl half-time show
www.ft.com
February 12, 2026 at 2:50 PM
The FTC has sent a letter to Tim Cook because Apple News is too woke and needs to include more right wing content.
This would sound silly even for The Onion but it’s our current reality.
This would sound silly even for The Onion but it’s our current reality.
Reminders
NOTHING TO SEE HERE
2013: Florida AG Pam Bondi decided not to join a multi-state fraud lawsuit against Trump University AFTER her campaign received a $25,000 donation from the Donald Trump Foundation that she personally solicited. Despite consumer complaints, her office took no action.
2013: Florida AG Pam Bondi decided not to join a multi-state fraud lawsuit against Trump University AFTER her campaign received a $25,000 donation from the Donald Trump Foundation that she personally solicited. Despite consumer complaints, her office took no action.
February 12, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Reminders