Paul Friedman
@cattled.bsky.social
Grandad, dad, husband and retired engineer/shipbuilder. Occasional motorcycle racer. Australian Cattle Dog fanatic. Annoyingly curious.
Susan Collins gives the term "useless" a bad name:
Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) told reporters Monday that she wants to see
the subsidies extended.
But when asked whether a fix could be a part of a funding deal, she said, "I have no idea. That's
above my pay grade."
Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) told reporters Monday that she wants to see
the subsidies extended.
But when asked whether a fix could be a part of a funding deal, she said, "I have no idea. That's
above my pay grade."
September 9, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Susan Collins gives the term "useless" a bad name:
Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) told reporters Monday that she wants to see
the subsidies extended.
But when asked whether a fix could be a part of a funding deal, she said, "I have no idea. That's
above my pay grade."
Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) told reporters Monday that she wants to see
the subsidies extended.
But when asked whether a fix could be a part of a funding deal, she said, "I have no idea. That's
above my pay grade."
"U.S. Sen. Susan Collins said on Thursday that she is "extremely alarmed" over the firing of U.S. CDC Director Susan Monarez". Where does "extremely alarmed" fall on the Collins Richter Scale of limp responses?
August 29, 2025 at 11:55 AM
"U.S. Sen. Susan Collins said on Thursday that she is "extremely alarmed" over the firing of U.S. CDC Director Susan Monarez". Where does "extremely alarmed" fall on the Collins Richter Scale of limp responses?
Reposted by Paul Friedman
When Ted Turner asked Carl Sagan if he was a socialist, Sagan gave the answer America keeps failing to learn.
August 21, 2025 at 5:40 PM
When Ted Turner asked Carl Sagan if he was a socialist, Sagan gave the answer America keeps failing to learn.
Where is our Teddy Roosevelt? “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.”
― Theodore Roosevelt
― Theodore Roosevelt
July 2, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Where is our Teddy Roosevelt? “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.”
― Theodore Roosevelt
― Theodore Roosevelt
The theme of my next set of calls: Where’s Susan?
July 1, 2025 at 7:29 PM
The theme of my next set of calls: Where’s Susan?
Now our job is to make sure Susan Collins wears this bill even if she made a lame, last minute effort. She never used her seniority, influence and moral outrage to persuade any of her colleagues. As we speak, she should be lobbying Republicans in the House to vote against and why.
July 1, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Now our job is to make sure Susan Collins wears this bill even if she made a lame, last minute effort. She never used her seniority, influence and moral outrage to persuade any of her colleagues. As we speak, she should be lobbying Republicans in the House to vote against and why.
Politico: "In order to pay for the megabill, Senate Republicans are considering substantially hiking “federal employees’ retirement contributions to 15.6 percent of their salary..." BUT PLAN TO EXEMPT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THEIR STAFF? Pretty self-serving... even for Congress.
June 27, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Politico: "In order to pay for the megabill, Senate Republicans are considering substantially hiking “federal employees’ retirement contributions to 15.6 percent of their salary..." BUT PLAN TO EXEMPT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THEIR STAFF? Pretty self-serving... even for Congress.
It's actually not enough that Collins votes against the bill. She should use her seniority and position as chair of appropriations to lead opposition to it in the senate.
June 18, 2025 at 11:52 PM
It's actually not enough that Collins votes against the bill. She should use her seniority and position as chair of appropriations to lead opposition to it in the senate.
Who knew? After all these years "I like Ike". bsky.app/profile/sand...
What Eisenhower said over 70 years ago is even more true today.
June 18, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Who knew? After all these years "I like Ike". bsky.app/profile/sand...
June 15, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Trump was in his prime in the 1980s and wants to go back there. It's a common "old person" fallacy (I should know). Having read about LA demonstrations and police panic, I think Trump turned the Wayback Machine too far and sent us into the 60's. Not good.
June 9, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Trump was in his prime in the 1980s and wants to go back there. It's a common "old person" fallacy (I should know). Having read about LA demonstrations and police panic, I think Trump turned the Wayback Machine too far and sent us into the 60's. Not good.
"Living hard will take its toll". Steely Dan, Glamour Profession. bsky.app/profile/thet...
This was today… Sotally tober… NYT clearly way off base…
May 31, 2025 at 2:33 PM
"Living hard will take its toll". Steely Dan, Glamour Profession. bsky.app/profile/thet...
The fog of politics briefly clears: per Robert Hubbell "In May, 96% of the cases filed against the Trump administration were decided adversely to the president. There can be no clearer or stronger signal that Trump is operating in violation of the Constitution and the laws of the United States."
May 30, 2025 at 10:53 AM
The fog of politics briefly clears: per Robert Hubbell "In May, 96% of the cases filed against the Trump administration were decided adversely to the president. There can be no clearer or stronger signal that Trump is operating in violation of the Constitution and the laws of the United States."
I guess the Nazi torches in Charlottesville explains Russia's interference in American elections. Putin "did what he had to do..." bsky.app/profile/maks...
🤡 Peskov: "It was Ukraine that turned out to be a country where shoots of Nazism began to grow faster than in other countries. And these Nazis began to walk with torches again, began to raise their hands. We could not help but react to this, and our president did what he had to do."
April 30, 2025 at 10:23 AM
I guess the Nazi torches in Charlottesville explains Russia's interference in American elections. Putin "did what he had to do..." bsky.app/profile/maks...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8CM...
Justin Wolfers lays it out pretty clearly (again).
Justin Wolfers lays it out pretty clearly (again).
Trump is ‘punching America in the face’ as the ‘biggest loser’ in trade war
YouTube video by Times Radio
www.youtube.com
April 27, 2025 at 8:57 PM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8CM...
Justin Wolfers lays it out pretty clearly (again).
Justin Wolfers lays it out pretty clearly (again).
Finally I agree with a Trump post: bsky.app/profile/jim-...
When evil taunts the World for being too lazy to stop it.
April 21, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Finally I agree with a Trump post: bsky.app/profile/jim-...
Reposted by Paul Friedman
Bernie doing Bernie things on CNN. #MedicareForAll
April 10, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Bernie doing Bernie things on CNN. #MedicareForAll
Just spitballing here, but is it wise to allow any single person authority to infect the global economy with a whipsawing tariff virus?
Maybe Congress should honor its constitutional duty and stabilize things by actually managing taxes (aka tariffs). Why is this even an issue?
Maybe Congress should honor its constitutional duty and stabilize things by actually managing taxes (aka tariffs). Why is this even an issue?
April 10, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Just spitballing here, but is it wise to allow any single person authority to infect the global economy with a whipsawing tariff virus?
Maybe Congress should honor its constitutional duty and stabilize things by actually managing taxes (aka tariffs). Why is this even an issue?
Maybe Congress should honor its constitutional duty and stabilize things by actually managing taxes (aka tariffs). Why is this even an issue?
The old bait and switch. They gave it away, NOW they want democracy back. Rand Paul:“I don’t care if the president is a Republican or a Democrat. I don’t want to live under emergency rule. I don’t want to live where my representatives cannot speak for me and have a check and balance on power.”
April 9, 2025 at 10:15 AM
The old bait and switch. They gave it away, NOW they want democracy back. Rand Paul:“I don’t care if the president is a Republican or a Democrat. I don’t want to live under emergency rule. I don’t want to live where my representatives cannot speak for me and have a check and balance on power.”
Just sayin...
1991: Trump’s Taj Mahal
1992: First of two Atlantic City Trump casinos
1992: Second of two Atlantic City Trump casinos
1992: Trump’s Plaza Hotel in New York City
2004: Trump’s Hotels and Casinos Resorts
2009: Trump’s Entertainment Resorts
2025: US Economy
1991: Trump’s Taj Mahal
1992: First of two Atlantic City Trump casinos
1992: Second of two Atlantic City Trump casinos
1992: Trump’s Plaza Hotel in New York City
2004: Trump’s Hotels and Casinos Resorts
2009: Trump’s Entertainment Resorts
2025: US Economy
April 8, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Just sayin...
1991: Trump’s Taj Mahal
1992: First of two Atlantic City Trump casinos
1992: Second of two Atlantic City Trump casinos
1992: Trump’s Plaza Hotel in New York City
2004: Trump’s Hotels and Casinos Resorts
2009: Trump’s Entertainment Resorts
2025: US Economy
1991: Trump’s Taj Mahal
1992: First of two Atlantic City Trump casinos
1992: Second of two Atlantic City Trump casinos
1992: Trump’s Plaza Hotel in New York City
2004: Trump’s Hotels and Casinos Resorts
2009: Trump’s Entertainment Resorts
2025: US Economy
How often do you wonder if Trump enablers are stupid, or they just think we are? I just realized that it's both. bsky.app/profile/thet...
🔥 Trump’s Deputy Press Secretary gets owned by guy who wrote the Financial Page for the New Yorker re: their tariffs calculations
April 3, 2025 at 1:24 PM
How often do you wonder if Trump enablers are stupid, or they just think we are? I just realized that it's both. bsky.app/profile/thet...
Welp, this sums things up: bsky.app/profile/navi...
April 3, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Welp, this sums things up: bsky.app/profile/navi...
As a crowd sourcing patriot, I hereby report and request a deport of Laura Loomer. bsky.app/profile/norm...
I’m sure the Stasi wish they’d thought of the phrase “crowdsourced patriotism.”
April 1, 2025 at 11:47 AM
As a crowd sourcing patriot, I hereby report and request a deport of Laura Loomer. bsky.app/profile/norm...
Because why? bsky.app/profile/apne...
BREAKING: Layoffs begin at US health agencies charged with tracking disease, conducting research, regulating food and drugs.
Layoffs begin at US health agencies charged with tracking disease, researching, regulating food
Employees across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have begun receiving notices of dismissal in a major overhaul expected to ultimately lay off up to 10,000 people.
bit.ly
April 1, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Because why? bsky.app/profile/apne...