@billejzak.bsky.social
Husband, father to 3 adult sons, grandfather, lawyer, Chicagoan and Democrat. Like Michael Bloomberg, I know a con when I see one.
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The key question in American politics now is whether public disapproval of Trump will grow fast enough to save our democracy before Trump builds such a crushing dictatorship that public opinion no longer matters.
December 11, 2025 at 8:48 PM
The key question in American politics now is whether public disapproval of Trump will grow fast enough to save our democracy before Trump builds such a crushing dictatorship that public opinion no longer matters.
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Trump on Americans' healthcare costs going up by 200-300%: "Don't make it sound so bad"
Q: At the end of this year, those extended Obamacare subsidies expire. What's your message to those 24m Americans who will see their premiums go up?
TRUMP: Don't make it sound so bad. Obviously you're a sycophant for Democrats. You're obviously a provider of bad news for Republicans.
TRUMP: Don't make it sound so bad. Obviously you're a sycophant for Democrats. You're obviously a provider of bad news for Republicans.
December 12, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Trump on Americans' healthcare costs going up by 200-300%: "Don't make it sound so bad"
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The news site Defense One has obtained classified version of the new US National Security Strategy. Austria, Hungary, Italy, and Poland are listed as countries the U.S. should “work more with…with the goal of pulling them away from the [European Union].
www.defenseone.com/policy/2025/...
www.defenseone.com/policy/2025/...
‘Make Europe Great Again’ and more from a longer version of the National Security Strategy
A fuller version reviewed by Defense One outlines the Trump administration’s plans for shedding old relationships and creating new ones.
www.defenseone.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:40 AM
The news site Defense One has obtained classified version of the new US National Security Strategy. Austria, Hungary, Italy, and Poland are listed as countries the U.S. should “work more with…with the goal of pulling them away from the [European Union].
www.defenseone.com/policy/2025/...
www.defenseone.com/policy/2025/...
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This is huge, right? They just Trump-proofed the Fed.
@federalreserve.gov announces reappointment of Federal Reserve Bank presidents and first vice presidents after a comprehensive review by the boards of directors of each Reserve Bank, along with unanimous support by Federal Reserve Board members: www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/p...
Federal Reserve Board announces reappointment of Reserve Bank presidents and first vice presidents
Following a comprehensive review by the boards of directors of the regional Reserve Banks, and the unanimous concurrence of Federal Reserve Board members, the
www.federalreserve.gov
December 12, 2025 at 1:50 AM
This is huge, right? They just Trump-proofed the Fed.
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These 14 states have 3 close Senate races (ME, MI, NH) and about 25 close Congressional races - close to half of the competitive federal races in the 2026 election.
Great care by citizens, election administrators, and advocates will be needed to ensure fair and orderly contests.
Great care by citizens, election administrators, and advocates will be needed to ensure fair and orderly contests.
DOJ has sued Maine, Oregon, California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Washington, Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Vermont for access to its most sensitive voter data.
My firm has moved to intervene in 10 of those cases. We are working on the last 4.
My firm has moved to intervene in 10 of those cases. We are working on the last 4.
December 13, 2025 at 12:26 AM
These 14 states have 3 close Senate races (ME, MI, NH) and about 25 close Congressional races - close to half of the competitive federal races in the 2026 election.
Great care by citizens, election administrators, and advocates will be needed to ensure fair and orderly contests.
Great care by citizens, election administrators, and advocates will be needed to ensure fair and orderly contests.
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It's kind of a remarkable read as an example of the fine art of simply declaring victory. Similar to how antivax activists are saying "the CDC is finally telling the truth!" because control of the .gov domain has passed to a crank and policies are changing.
Nothing has changed in vaccine science.
Nothing has changed in vaccine science.
December 12, 2025 at 3:20 PM
It's kind of a remarkable read as an example of the fine art of simply declaring victory. Similar to how antivax activists are saying "the CDC is finally telling the truth!" because control of the .gov domain has passed to a crank and policies are changing.
Nothing has changed in vaccine science.
Nothing has changed in vaccine science.
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I just interviewed Jimmy Wales about it for Lawfare. He was refreshingly unapologetic about the Wikipedia editorial community's perpetual discussion of sources and the reality that some simply better than others.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtp1...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtp1...
December 12, 2025 at 3:52 PM
I just interviewed Jimmy Wales about it for Lawfare. He was refreshingly unapologetic about the Wikipedia editorial community's perpetual discussion of sources and the reality that some simply better than others.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtp1...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtp1...
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December 12, 2025 at 3:52 PM
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Trump's declining popularity is real. But it's not clear he needs popularity.
@jvl.bsky.social on our unstable moment and Trump's bet: lnk.thebulwark.com/4oIF0MJ
@jvl.bsky.social on our unstable moment and Trump's bet: lnk.thebulwark.com/4oIF0MJ
December 10, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Trump's declining popularity is real. But it's not clear he needs popularity.
@jvl.bsky.social on our unstable moment and Trump's bet: lnk.thebulwark.com/4oIF0MJ
@jvl.bsky.social on our unstable moment and Trump's bet: lnk.thebulwark.com/4oIF0MJ
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“Extrajudicial killing is something our government condemns when it is conducted by other nations with deplorable human rights records. We must now summon the strength of our convictions to look in the mirror and hold ourselves to the same standards.”
-Jeh Johnson, former DOD GC and head of DHS
-Jeh Johnson, former DOD GC and head of DHS
Opinion | Not All Targeted Killings Are the Same. Hegseth’s Boat Strikes Are Illegal.
www.nytimes.com
December 7, 2025 at 3:34 PM
“Extrajudicial killing is something our government condemns when it is conducted by other nations with deplorable human rights records. We must now summon the strength of our convictions to look in the mirror and hold ourselves to the same standards.”
-Jeh Johnson, former DOD GC and head of DHS
-Jeh Johnson, former DOD GC and head of DHS
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It may be that members of Congress and the public are so focused on the “war crimes” narrative not only because of the President’s false war framing, but also because criticizing war overreach is in our muscle memory.
We’re not used to accusing *our own* president of mass summary executions.
We’re not used to accusing *our own* president of mass summary executions.
“Extrajudicial killing is something our government condemns when it is conducted by other nations with deplorable human rights records. We must now summon the strength of our convictions to look in the mirror and hold ourselves to the same standards.”
-Jeh Johnson, former DOD GC and head of DHS
-Jeh Johnson, former DOD GC and head of DHS
Opinion | Not All Targeted Killings Are the Same. Hegseth’s Boat Strikes Are Illegal.
www.nytimes.com
December 7, 2025 at 3:50 PM
It may be that members of Congress and the public are so focused on the “war crimes” narrative not only because of the President’s false war framing, but also because criticizing war overreach is in our muscle memory.
We’re not used to accusing *our own* president of mass summary executions.
We’re not used to accusing *our own* president of mass summary executions.
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For those asking what Congress can do, here’s one example of what it means to wield the power of the purse:
Congress to withhold Pentagon travel funds until it sees boat strike videos
Lawmakers quietly stuck the requirement into their must-pass annual defense policy bill.
www.politico.com
December 8, 2025 at 7:06 PM
For those asking what Congress can do, here’s one example of what it means to wield the power of the purse:
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Honored to join the @strictscrutiny.bsky.social hosts to talk about summary executions at sea
We Need To Talk About Trump’s Maritime Murders
YouTube video by Strict Scrutiny
youtu.be
December 8, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Honored to join the @strictscrutiny.bsky.social hosts to talk about summary executions at sea
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“U.S. authorities said upon his sentencing to 45 years in prison that he had played a central role in ‘one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world.’
Mr. Trump formally pardoned the former president on Dec. 1.”
Mr. Trump formally pardoned the former president on Dec. 1.”
Honduran Authorities Issue Arrest Warrant for Ex-President Pardoned by Trump
www.nytimes.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:35 AM
“U.S. authorities said upon his sentencing to 45 years in prison that he had played a central role in ‘one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world.’
Mr. Trump formally pardoned the former president on Dec. 1.”
Mr. Trump formally pardoned the former president on Dec. 1.”
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Renewed free to read link. as.ft.com/r/2706dddc-f...
December 9, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Renewed free to read link. as.ft.com/r/2706dddc-f...
With fleeting Rooseveltian exceptions, America’s capitalist odyssey has been about the owners of capital finding ways of pitching labour’s have-nots against each other. The faultlines are racial and cultural.
Renewed free to read link. as.ft.com/r/2706dddc-f...
December 9, 2025 at 7:11 PM
With fleeting Rooseveltian exceptions, America’s capitalist odyssey has been about the owners of capital finding ways of pitching labour’s have-nots against each other. The faultlines are racial and cultural.
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This lady was the Steve Jobs of the Online Death Threat Industry for like 10 years. Not to be a dick, but fucking spare me.
Marjorie Taylor Greene claims she shared with Trump death threat she received that he incited, and his response was "extremely unkind"
December 8, 2025 at 3:26 AM
This lady was the Steve Jobs of the Online Death Threat Industry for like 10 years. Not to be a dick, but fucking spare me.
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There’s no other way to spin it.
The strikes are murder. They’re illegal. And they put our troops at greater risk.
The strikes are murder. They’re illegal. And they put our troops at greater risk.
December 7, 2025 at 8:01 PM
There’s no other way to spin it.
The strikes are murder. They’re illegal. And they put our troops at greater risk.
The strikes are murder. They’re illegal. And they put our troops at greater risk.
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By “sovreignty” he means “states should be weak enough so that billionaires like me should be able to treat them as feudal vassals” bsky.app/profile/lora...
Elon Musk is against the European Union being the European Union —he posted this after X (fka Twitter) was fined for violations of the EU’s Digital Services Act.
December 6, 2025 at 10:16 PM
By “sovreignty” he means “states should be weak enough so that billionaires like me should be able to treat them as feudal vassals” bsky.app/profile/lora...
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Rep. Crockett’s Statement on the Supreme Court’s Ruling on Texas’s 2026 Map
December 5, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Rep. Crockett’s Statement on the Supreme Court’s Ruling on Texas’s 2026 Map
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"it’s more than just politics, the dismantling of the Education Department (ED) destabilizes public education generally, undermining trust in the public administration of schools. Like the implication of Goujian’s suicide squad, the core “dismantling” message is that public education is expendable."
What's behind the dismantling of the Education Department? Here's my take. open.substack.com/pub/edlawpro...
Ancient Diabolical Tactic Explains Education Department’s “Dismantling”
As legend has it from 5th Century BC China, King Goujian once put condemned convicts or suicidal soldiers on his frontlines, ordering them to slit their own throats in view of the approaching enemy.
open.substack.com
December 4, 2025 at 12:08 PM
"it’s more than just politics, the dismantling of the Education Department (ED) destabilizes public education generally, undermining trust in the public administration of schools. Like the implication of Goujian’s suicide squad, the core “dismantling” message is that public education is expendable."