Ben Wilkins
@bgwilkins.bsky.social
Trying to come up with a description is triggering a mid-life crisis.
Reposted by Ben Wilkins
"Are my migraines hormonal, or am I thinking too hard about how Peter Thiel has more money than all nurses on Earth combined?"
Is It Perimenopause or the Fascist Death Knell of Late-Stage Capitalism?
Are my hot flashes due to an estrogen imbalance or a rapidly warming planet hastened by unaccountable oil barons who own our elections? Am I irrita...
buff.ly
October 17, 2025 at 1:32 PM
"Are my migraines hormonal, or am I thinking too hard about how Peter Thiel has more money than all nurses on Earth combined?"
Reposted by Ben Wilkins
Re-reading the truly excellent Giant Days by @badmachinery.com and... Did Dean invent ChatGPT and ruin everything?
August 24, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Re-reading the truly excellent Giant Days by @badmachinery.com and... Did Dean invent ChatGPT and ruin everything?
Reposted by Ben Wilkins
"Sure, some kids remain friends no matter what class they are in, and therefore, the parents do too. I’ve also heard that some people win the lottery twice, but I’m not going to waste my money on a ticket."
Our Kids Will No Longer Be in the Same Class, So I Guess We’re Dead to Each Other Now
It was beautiful witnessing our children’s blossoming friendship when they were in Miss Penny’s first-grade class—and by extension, our friendship ...
buff.ly
August 24, 2025 at 1:30 PM
"Sure, some kids remain friends no matter what class they are in, and therefore, the parents do too. I’ve also heard that some people win the lottery twice, but I’m not going to waste my money on a ticket."
It comes at the end, so you might miss it: @kaine.senate.gov is calling all patriots to protest this lawless administration on June 14th.
What happened to @padilla.senate.gov is an attempt to intimidate anyone with a dissenting view of this Administration and stop them from exercising their First Amendment rights. We will not be silenced.
youtu.be/7dNpkFlP0BQ
youtu.be/7dNpkFlP0BQ
DHS Assault of Senator Padilla is Unacceptable
YouTube video by Senator Kaine
youtu.be
June 13, 2025 at 12:40 PM
It comes at the end, so you might miss it: @kaine.senate.gov is calling all patriots to protest this lawless administration on June 14th.
This is what I want to see.
Great day hearing from 1,500 constituents in Hampton Roads. I’ve got a hell of a lot of fight left in me, and I’m ready to bring these folks’ energy back to the Capitol.
March 30, 2025 at 6:00 PM
This is what I want to see.
Reposted by Ben Wilkins
this is why you can’t give it credence with “sure there’s lots of waste and fraud and abuse, but.” You’ve gotta contest the premise that this is what they’re doing at all.
Look, this is much simpler than that.
When a billionaire says there's "fraud and waste" in the government, they mean "the government is giving money to non rich people which is a waste and those poor are frauds"
That's it.
That's the whole fuckin thing.
When a billionaire says there's "fraud and waste" in the government, they mean "the government is giving money to non rich people which is a waste and those poor are frauds"
That's it.
That's the whole fuckin thing.
March 29, 2025 at 1:49 PM
this is why you can’t give it credence with “sure there’s lots of waste and fraud and abuse, but.” You’ve gotta contest the premise that this is what they’re doing at all.
"“I have defended service members accused of violating the Espionage Act through gross negligence for far, far less,” Carroll said. “If these people were junior uniformed personnel, they would be court-martialed.”"
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Trump officials shared war planning in unclassified chat with journalist
The Atlantic reported that its top editor, Jeffrey Goldberg, was accidentally added to a group chat where Trump’s national security team plotted attacking Yemen.
www.washingtonpost.com
March 25, 2025 at 12:07 PM
"“I have defended service members accused of violating the Espionage Act through gross negligence for far, far less,” Carroll said. “If these people were junior uniformed personnel, they would be court-martialed.”"
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Reposted by Ben Wilkins
"Yes, there’s danger in opening our gates to this statue. But there’s also danger in keeping it out… the danger of eroding the sanctity of the gift-giving process."
Senator Schumer Votes to Let the Big Wooden Horse into Troy
“In the wake of votes by a handful of key Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, to pass a GOP-led continuing resolution funding f...
www.mcsweeneys.net
March 22, 2025 at 12:30 PM
"Yes, there’s danger in opening our gates to this statue. But there’s also danger in keeping it out… the danger of eroding the sanctity of the gift-giving process."
Reposted by Ben Wilkins
Secretary Lutnick: You are a billionaire.
Maybe your mother-in-law wouldn't complain if she didn't get her Social Security check, but tens of millions of seniors struggling to survive would.
They're not fraudsters. They earned it.
How out of touch are you not to realize that?
Maybe your mother-in-law wouldn't complain if she didn't get her Social Security check, but tens of millions of seniors struggling to survive would.
They're not fraudsters. They earned it.
How out of touch are you not to realize that?
BREAKING: Trump's billionaire Commerce Secretary says that seniors won't care if they don't get their Social Security checks — and that anyone who does complain is a fraudster.
March 21, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Secretary Lutnick: You are a billionaire.
Maybe your mother-in-law wouldn't complain if she didn't get her Social Security check, but tens of millions of seniors struggling to survive would.
They're not fraudsters. They earned it.
How out of touch are you not to realize that?
Maybe your mother-in-law wouldn't complain if she didn't get her Social Security check, but tens of millions of seniors struggling to survive would.
They're not fraudsters. They earned it.
How out of touch are you not to realize that?
Reposted by Ben Wilkins
How it started…. How it’s going
March 13, 2025 at 12:09 PM
How it started…. How it’s going
"Hiding out while the world burns is an untenable look for Democrats. But they may find themselves quickly back in business if they can simply swallow their pride and follow Bernie’s lead..."
Bernie Sanders Is Showing Democrats How It’s Done
The Vermont senator is taking his anti-Trump tour to red America—and it’s a smash hit.
newrepublic.substack.com
March 12, 2025 at 3:53 PM
"Hiding out while the world burns is an untenable look for Democrats. But they may find themselves quickly back in business if they can simply swallow their pride and follow Bernie’s lead..."
Reposted by Ben Wilkins
Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s Doge is expending over $9 million a week, with more than 50 staffers—many earning six-figure salaries—adding even more expenses on top of the $9 million weekly cost.
March 10, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s Doge is expending over $9 million a week, with more than 50 staffers—many earning six-figure salaries—adding even more expenses on top of the $9 million weekly cost.
Reposted by Ben Wilkins
Heroes.
Small federal agency blocks DOGE employees from entering its building
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Small federal agency blocks DOGE employees from entering its building
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Small federal agency blocks DOGE employees from entering its building
The U.S. African Development Foundation denied several DOGE employees access to its offices Wednesday.
www.washingtonpost.com
March 6, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Heroes.
Small federal agency blocks DOGE employees from entering its building
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Small federal agency blocks DOGE employees from entering its building
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Ben Wilkins
The U.S. State Dept is killing an air monitoring program that helped pressure China to clean up Beijing's air, and later expanded to cities around the world.
"I’ve never seen an initiative of the US government have such an immediate, dramatic impact in a country."
www.wired.com/story/air-mo...
"I’ve never seen an initiative of the US government have such an immediate, dramatic impact in a country."
www.wired.com/story/air-mo...
US State Department Kills Global Air Monitoring Program Researchers Say Paid for Itself
The initiative helped pressure the Chinese government to clean up the air in Beijing and was later expanded to dozens of cities around the world. Now, it’s been abruptly halted.
www.wired.com
March 5, 2025 at 6:12 PM
The U.S. State Dept is killing an air monitoring program that helped pressure China to clean up Beijing's air, and later expanded to cities around the world.
"I’ve never seen an initiative of the US government have such an immediate, dramatic impact in a country."
www.wired.com/story/air-mo...
"I’ve never seen an initiative of the US government have such an immediate, dramatic impact in a country."
www.wired.com/story/air-mo...
Reposted by Ben Wilkins
hey guess what trump's numbers about social security are total horseshit www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
March 5, 2025 at 2:49 AM
hey guess what trump's numbers about social security are total horseshit www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Reposted by Ben Wilkins
The Democrats shouldn’t have to be told to do this 😭
If your rep is republican and is too afraid to hold a town hall... reach out to a Democrat and ask them to hold a town hall in your area instead. Seriously.
LOCK TF IN TIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 4, 2025 at 7:23 PM
The Democrats shouldn’t have to be told to do this 😭
Reposted by Ben Wilkins
Not to like toot my own horn but *every time* I bring up tariffs on the radio I define them: "tariffs are taxes American businesses pay to import goods from abroad."
Given all the lies and the fact that many Americans didn't take international economics 101, I encourage others to do this as well.
Given all the lies and the fact that many Americans didn't take international economics 101, I encourage others to do this as well.
March 4, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Not to like toot my own horn but *every time* I bring up tariffs on the radio I define them: "tariffs are taxes American businesses pay to import goods from abroad."
Given all the lies and the fact that many Americans didn't take international economics 101, I encourage others to do this as well.
Given all the lies and the fact that many Americans didn't take international economics 101, I encourage others to do this as well.
Reposted by Ben Wilkins
"As soon as Trump was inaugurated, the department’s processing of disability rights complaints ground to a halt ... That has left students—including a 12-year-old boy with autism and epilepsy who’s been unwillingly assigned to remote schooling—without recourse"
America’s kids are already suffering under Trump’s education policies
What Trump and DOGE want to do to the Education Department, explained.
www.vox.com
March 4, 2025 at 3:41 PM
"As soon as Trump was inaugurated, the department’s processing of disability rights complaints ground to a halt ... That has left students—including a 12-year-old boy with autism and epilepsy who’s been unwillingly assigned to remote schooling—without recourse"
Watch the video - as if I needed even more reason to be ashamed that this Russian stooge is our President, but there it is. Slava Ukraini.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Trump-Zelensky meeting cut short after contentious Oval Office exchange
The Ukrainian leader came to Washington to prevent Trump from abandoning Kyiv in favor of Moscow three years into Russia’s war on his country but was met with vocal anger from the American president.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 28, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Watch the video - as if I needed even more reason to be ashamed that this Russian stooge is our President, but there it is. Slava Ukraini.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
"Today, three former heads of the EPA warned...that Americans would miss the agency “when it’s gone.” The EPA...deliver[s] health benefits that outweigh its costs, the authors say, by more than 30 to 1."
open.substack.com/pub/heatherc...
open.substack.com/pub/heatherc...
February 27, 2025
Yesterday an unvaccinated child in Texas died of measles as nearly 140 people in Texas and New Mexico have been reported ill with the disease.
open.substack.com
February 28, 2025 at 3:00 PM
"Today, three former heads of the EPA warned...that Americans would miss the agency “when it’s gone.” The EPA...deliver[s] health benefits that outweigh its costs, the authors say, by more than 30 to 1."
open.substack.com/pub/heatherc...
open.substack.com/pub/heatherc...
Reposted by Ben Wilkins
Reminder that today is an economic blackout. Don't buy from chains or big box stores!
However! You are still encouraged to shop at local and small businesses, and you can, of course, still buy medicine, food and emergency supplies.
Good explainer here:
www.npr.org/2025/02/27/n...
However! You are still encouraged to shop at local and small businesses, and you can, of course, still buy medicine, food and emergency supplies.
Good explainer here:
www.npr.org/2025/02/27/n...
A movement is calling for an 'economic blackout' on Friday. Here's what to know
The People's Union USA, a grassroots group, is calling on Americans to join a national boycott by not shopping for 24 hours on Friday.
www.npr.org
February 28, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Reminder that today is an economic blackout. Don't buy from chains or big box stores!
However! You are still encouraged to shop at local and small businesses, and you can, of course, still buy medicine, food and emergency supplies.
Good explainer here:
www.npr.org/2025/02/27/n...
However! You are still encouraged to shop at local and small businesses, and you can, of course, still buy medicine, food and emergency supplies.
Good explainer here:
www.npr.org/2025/02/27/n...