Thor Benson
@thorbenson.bsky.social
Writer. Featured in Rolling Stone, WIRED, The Daily Beast, NBC News and elsewhere. I write about politics, tech and science.
Newsletter: madness.ghost.io
Newsletter: madness.ghost.io
Yes, for $200 a month you can pay rent, eat, pay your bills and party every night
Trump claims that food stamps "puts the country in jeopardy. People that are able-bodied can do a job, they leave their job because they figure they can pick this up, it's easier."
November 11, 2025 at 1:21 AM
Yes, for $200 a month you can pay rent, eat, pay your bills and party every night
We need a new Bill Nye-style show or something
November 10, 2025 at 9:56 PM
We need a new Bill Nye-style show or something
This means WAR
November 10, 2025 at 7:38 PM
This means WAR
Reposted by Thor Benson
i find every story about costco's brand strategy and overall approach completely fascinating.
Why Costco Went All in on Kirkland — and How It Paid Off | WSJ Case Study
YouTube video by The Wall Street Journal
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:18 PM
i find every story about costco's brand strategy and overall approach completely fascinating.
Reposted by Thor Benson
"Another thing you don't have to worry about in the EU, or really in any developed nation outside the U.S., is the threat of a mass shooter. What I've come to realize is that America is a country being run by mass shooters."
I wrote about how I'm seeing America after my long trip around Europe for my newsletter
madness.ghost.io/an-isolated-...
madness.ghost.io/an-isolated-...
An isolated nightmare
An international perspective on what's happening in the United States.
madness.ghost.io
November 10, 2025 at 6:47 PM
"Another thing you don't have to worry about in the EU, or really in any developed nation outside the U.S., is the threat of a mass shooter. What I've come to realize is that America is a country being run by mass shooters."
Reposted by Thor Benson
"The people I spoke to in Europe who asked me where I was from sometimes perked up—probably imagining America's former reputation and its influence on culture—but they often looked upon me with sympathy. What a terrible thing you're experiencing. The world is learning to live without us."
I wrote about how I'm seeing America after my long trip around Europe for my newsletter
madness.ghost.io/an-isolated-...
madness.ghost.io/an-isolated-...
An isolated nightmare
An international perspective on what's happening in the United States.
madness.ghost.io
November 10, 2025 at 6:39 PM
"The people I spoke to in Europe who asked me where I was from sometimes perked up—probably imagining America's former reputation and its influence on culture—but they often looked upon me with sympathy. What a terrible thing you're experiencing. The world is learning to live without us."
I wrote about how I'm seeing America after my long trip around Europe for my newsletter
madness.ghost.io/an-isolated-...
madness.ghost.io/an-isolated-...
An isolated nightmare
An international perspective on what's happening in the United States.
madness.ghost.io
November 10, 2025 at 6:26 PM
I wrote about how I'm seeing America after my long trip around Europe for my newsletter
madness.ghost.io/an-isolated-...
madness.ghost.io/an-isolated-...
So is the House at least going to swear in Adelita Grijalva now
November 10, 2025 at 8:02 AM
So is the House at least going to swear in Adelita Grijalva now
In LA for the first time in years and they have delivery robots that have anxiety now
November 10, 2025 at 6:40 AM
In LA for the first time in years and they have delivery robots that have anxiety now
Popular opinion: New Senate minority leader
November 10, 2025 at 5:40 AM
Popular opinion: New Senate minority leader
Reposted by Thor Benson
I truly don’t know how you look at the past week and THEN decide THIS is an appropriate — let alone the right — response.
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 11:14 PM
I truly don’t know how you look at the past week and THEN decide THIS is an appropriate — let alone the right — response.
A promise to vote on extending ACA tax credits for one year is not a good deal
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 9:43 PM
A promise to vote on extending ACA tax credits for one year is not a good deal
Reposted by Thor Benson
Reductions in Force not required by shutdowns, have never happened in any previous shutdown, and a judge has ruled they are illegal.
The shutdown is an excuse, not a reason, for them to do what they wanted to do: destroy government.
The shutdown is an excuse, not a reason, for them to do what they wanted to do: destroy government.
Lee Zeldin announces on Fox that there will be "severe" layoffs at the EPA if the shutdown continues
November 9, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Reductions in Force not required by shutdowns, have never happened in any previous shutdown, and a judge has ruled they are illegal.
The shutdown is an excuse, not a reason, for them to do what they wanted to do: destroy government.
The shutdown is an excuse, not a reason, for them to do what they wanted to do: destroy government.
Reposted by Thor Benson
FLAG: The Trump admin has told states to "immediately undo" any actions to provide full food stamp benefits to low-income families for the month of November — threatening financial penalties if they do not comply.
SNAP helps roughly one in eight Americans buy groceries.
SNAP helps roughly one in eight Americans buy groceries.
November 9, 2025 at 8:40 PM
FLAG: The Trump admin has told states to "immediately undo" any actions to provide full food stamp benefits to low-income families for the month of November — threatening financial penalties if they do not comply.
SNAP helps roughly one in eight Americans buy groceries.
SNAP helps roughly one in eight Americans buy groceries.
Reposted by Thor Benson
Yesterday at the farmer’s market I saw a vendor quietly give food to someone whose EBT (SNAP) card didn’t have enough money on it.
People helping people because the president and his administration refuse to.
Even when court-ordered.
People helping people because the president and his administration refuse to.
Even when court-ordered.
November 9, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Yesterday at the farmer’s market I saw a vendor quietly give food to someone whose EBT (SNAP) card didn’t have enough money on it.
People helping people because the president and his administration refuse to.
Even when court-ordered.
People helping people because the president and his administration refuse to.
Even when court-ordered.
You want to get nuts? Let's get nuts
November 9, 2025 at 8:58 AM
You want to get nuts? Let's get nuts
Reposted by Thor Benson
"The planes also don't have engines, which would need to be purchased separately."
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 12:18 AM
"The planes also don't have engines, which would need to be purchased separately."
Reposted by Thor Benson
Journalists for NYT document tortures to dozens of Venezuelans Trump sent to El Salvador earlier this year.
The piece is based on the testimonies of 40 people and on doctors who said their injuries are consistent and credible
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/w...
The piece is based on the testimonies of 40 people and on doctors who said their injuries are consistent and credible
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/w...
‘You Are All Terrorists’: Four Months in a Salvadoran Prison
www.nytimes.com
November 8, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Journalists for NYT document tortures to dozens of Venezuelans Trump sent to El Salvador earlier this year.
The piece is based on the testimonies of 40 people and on doctors who said their injuries are consistent and credible
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/w...
The piece is based on the testimonies of 40 people and on doctors who said their injuries are consistent and credible
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/w...
Reposted by Thor Benson
NYC is home to “384,000 millionaires” while 20% of residents are on #SNAP.
“.. the extent to which some .. have it all while others have absolutely nothing .. without a civil uprising .. is a minor miracle unto itself.”
@downtownjoshbrown.bsky.social
www.downtownjoshbrown.com/p/there-s-so...
“.. the extent to which some .. have it all while others have absolutely nothing .. without a civil uprising .. is a minor miracle unto itself.”
@downtownjoshbrown.bsky.social
www.downtownjoshbrown.com/p/there-s-so...
November 8, 2025 at 9:48 PM
NYC is home to “384,000 millionaires” while 20% of residents are on #SNAP.
“.. the extent to which some .. have it all while others have absolutely nothing .. without a civil uprising .. is a minor miracle unto itself.”
@downtownjoshbrown.bsky.social
www.downtownjoshbrown.com/p/there-s-so...
“.. the extent to which some .. have it all while others have absolutely nothing .. without a civil uprising .. is a minor miracle unto itself.”
@downtownjoshbrown.bsky.social
www.downtownjoshbrown.com/p/there-s-so...
Reposted by Thor Benson
A majority of the days the government has ever been shut down, Donald Trump was president. www.howtoreadthisch.art/red-versus-b...
November 8, 2025 at 7:04 PM
A majority of the days the government has ever been shut down, Donald Trump was president. www.howtoreadthisch.art/red-versus-b...
Reposted by Thor Benson
oh so these people do pay attention to who politicians follow on social media, they just don’t care that the vice president follows a bunch of actual neo-nazis
Axios tried to bust James Talarico for following adult content creators on Instagram and I'm genuinely impressed by his campaign's response
November 8, 2025 at 4:39 PM
oh so these people do pay attention to who politicians follow on social media, they just don’t care that the vice president follows a bunch of actual neo-nazis
AI will vastly reduce Elon's horse budget
Elon has never experienced this and neither have his biggest fans but now they can create these visuals with the help of a computermachine
November 8, 2025 at 4:27 PM
AI will vastly reduce Elon's horse budget
I don't think the president of the United States should starve Americans
November 8, 2025 at 5:28 AM
I don't think the president of the United States should starve Americans