Chris Fobare 🇺🇦
@cfobare.bsky.social
Political historian of the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Gilded Age, and the Progressive Era. Follow me on threads @chrisfobare. Opinions are my own.
Go back a year, and you'll see Trump proclaiming that DOGE was purging the federal government of the nation's "corrupt" civil service. In reality, Trump replaced career professionals with a spoils system in which crony capitalist oligarchs continue to undermine the rule of law daily.
A Year Later, Donors to Trump’s Transition Come to Light
www.nytimes.com
November 29, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Go back a year, and you'll see Trump proclaiming that DOGE was purging the federal government of the nation's "corrupt" civil service. In reality, Trump replaced career professionals with a spoils system in which crony capitalist oligarchs continue to undermine the rule of law daily.
Reposted by Chris Fobare 🇺🇦
The irony is rich.
November 28, 2025 at 7:39 PM
The irony is rich.
This is the same argument that proponents of immigration restriction used in the 1920s. It distracted from monopolies and trusts stealing the nation's wealth, ultimately paving the way to the Great Depression. The Republican Party of 2025 is the Republican Party of 1925 in almost every way.
Stephen Miller is now arguing that assimilation is fundamentally impossible and that certain cultures are not compatible with Western civilization
November 28, 2025 at 6:22 PM
This is the same argument that proponents of immigration restriction used in the 1920s. It distracted from monopolies and trusts stealing the nation's wealth, ultimately paving the way to the Great Depression. The Republican Party of 2025 is the Republican Party of 1925 in almost every way.
Donald Trump has persistently lied in order to obtain power. Despite more than a decade of illustrating many times over that he in no way supports working people, working people have empowered him to wield the full power of the state to harm them economically. The evidence was there all along.
The NLRB Is Suing to Keep States From Protecting Workers’ Rights
This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 28, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Donald Trump has persistently lied in order to obtain power. Despite more than a decade of illustrating many times over that he in no way supports working people, working people have empowered him to wield the full power of the state to harm them economically. The evidence was there all along.
Are Zohran Mamdani and Katie Wilson Democratic Socialists or FDR Democrats? They Are Both talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/zohran-...
Are Zohran Mamdani and Katie Wilson Democratic Socialists or FDR Democrats? They Are Both
This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Are Zohran Mamdani and Katie Wilson Democratic Socialists or FDR Democrats? They Are Both talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/zohran-...
A good break down of today's unprecedented act of the President of the United States calling for political violence by executing his political opponents. This is not funny, nor is it normal, and it's a powerful example of the threat that the Trump administration poses to our democracy.
House Dems Are in Touch With Capitol Police About Trump Death Threats
Dark Day You have likely seen the news by now, but a...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:59 PM
A good break down of today's unprecedented act of the President of the United States calling for political violence by executing his political opponents. This is not funny, nor is it normal, and it's a powerful example of the threat that the Trump administration poses to our democracy.
Is the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) perfect? No. But the reason for that is b/c of the compromises Republicans demanded only to vote against the law. Now Trump and his minions are laboring to restore the healthcare system that existed before the ACA. If that happens, many will die. l
We do not want to go back to sham health insurance plans and denials
Obamacare isn’t perfect, but it’s better than what we had—and what the GOP proposes.
contrarian.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Is the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) perfect? No. But the reason for that is b/c of the compromises Republicans demanded only to vote against the law. Now Trump and his minions are laboring to restore the healthcare system that existed before the ACA. If that happens, many will die. l
As if we needed any evidence, this image illustrates powerfully that Donald Trump is a soulless vessel who doesn't have a shred of decency or humanity. Someone is literally having a medical event behind him, and like all of those suffering from Trump's policies, he intentionally ignores it.
incredible photo that's definitely worth at least 1,000 words from Andrew Harnik of Getty
November 6, 2025 at 9:10 PM
As if we needed any evidence, this image illustrates powerfully that Donald Trump is a soulless vessel who doesn't have a shred of decency or humanity. Someone is literally having a medical event behind him, and like all of those suffering from Trump's policies, he intentionally ignores it.
Reposted by Chris Fobare 🇺🇦
Republicans have officially caused the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
Folks aren’t getting paid, families are wondering if they'll have food on the table — and now they’re closing off airspace right before the holidays. (1/2)
Folks aren’t getting paid, families are wondering if they'll have food on the table — and now they’re closing off airspace right before the holidays. (1/2)
November 5, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Republicans have officially caused the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
Folks aren’t getting paid, families are wondering if they'll have food on the table — and now they’re closing off airspace right before the holidays. (1/2)
Folks aren’t getting paid, families are wondering if they'll have food on the table — and now they’re closing off airspace right before the holidays. (1/2)
My grandfather was a World II veteran. He fought against fascism abroad only for his grandson to become a historian and have to fight against a uniquely American version of fascism at home. Want to know the importance of teaching history? We see it unfolding around us daily.
The Tennessee Holler (@thetnholler) on Threads
🇺🇸 TEARFUL NAVY VET: “I never thought this country would see this day. 20 years in the navy fighting for our freedom — for somebody like Trump come in and take it away.”
www.threads.com
November 5, 2025 at 10:05 PM
My grandfather was a World II veteran. He fought against fascism abroad only for his grandson to become a historian and have to fight against a uniquely American version of fascism at home. Want to know the importance of teaching history? We see it unfolding around us daily.
Reposted by Chris Fobare 🇺🇦
Reporter @virginiagewin.bsky.social interviewed 19 current and former US federal agency scientists about the science being dismantled at EPA, NOAA, NASA, CDC, NIH, & USGS.
They say it's making America unprepared for environmental and public health crises.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
They say it's making America unprepared for environmental and public health crises.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Dismantling of US federal agencies will ‘destroy science’
From NASA to the National Institutes of Health, federal agencies conduct research that universities cannot. Agency scientists speak out about the irreplaceable facilities, institutional knowledge and ...
www.nature.com
November 4, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Reporter @virginiagewin.bsky.social interviewed 19 current and former US federal agency scientists about the science being dismantled at EPA, NOAA, NASA, CDC, NIH, & USGS.
They say it's making America unprepared for environmental and public health crises.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
They say it's making America unprepared for environmental and public health crises.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
This article offers a decent breakdown of the staggering level of corruption unfolding at the hands of the Trump administration. None of this is normal. And it will only continue to get worse as long as Republicans are in power.
In Our New Gilded Age, Everything Is for Sale
I struggled to find a unifying theme for the latest parade of...
talkingpointsmemo.com
October 27, 2025 at 9:28 PM
This article offers a decent breakdown of the staggering level of corruption unfolding at the hands of the Trump administration. None of this is normal. And it will only continue to get worse as long as Republicans are in power.
The No Kings protests offered a glimmer of hope. It's crucial that we continue to struggle for the resurrection of American democracy. ICE is a shadow military, the Supreme Court has granted Trump tyrannical powers, and the Republican Party has destroyed the system of checks-and-balances.
How Trump is Building a Violent, Shadowy Federal Police Force
Trump’s DHS appointees have dismantled civil rights guardrails, protected agents’ anonymity and encouraged them to wear masks, threatened groups that stood in their way, and overwhelmed legal challeng...
www.propublica.org
October 20, 2025 at 4:16 PM
The No Kings protests offered a glimmer of hope. It's crucial that we continue to struggle for the resurrection of American democracy. ICE is a shadow military, the Supreme Court has granted Trump tyrannical powers, and the Republican Party has destroyed the system of checks-and-balances.
It’s pretty stunning to hear the VP of the U.S. wave off the celebration of Nazism and genocide. He did the same thing when it came out the a member of DOGE proudly posted he was “racist before it was cool.” All of this builds a clear cut case for who Vance is and what he believes.
JD Vance brushes off racist texts by adults in Republican group chat as ‘what kids do’
Vice-president downplays messages such as ‘I love Hitler’ in chat by 24 to 35-year-olds to ‘stupid jokes’
www.theguardian.com
October 16, 2025 at 5:49 AM
It’s pretty stunning to hear the VP of the U.S. wave off the celebration of Nazism and genocide. He did the same thing when it came out the a member of DOGE proudly posted he was “racist before it was cool.” All of this builds a clear cut case for who Vance is and what he believes.
Our crony capitalist oligarchy is propping up another crony capitalist. What a surprise 🙄.
What he not saying is that his friends and cronies invested a fortune in Argentina since their guy Milei won, they stand to lose a big chunk of those fortunes the way things are going, and Argentina’s elections are in two weeks and we are tampering in them to bail Milei out.
October 11, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Our crony capitalist oligarchy is propping up another crony capitalist. What a surprise 🙄.
Reposted by Chris Fobare 🇺🇦
Wild stuff. Furloughed employees within HHS got an email this morning telling them to set an out-of-office reply blaming Democrats for the shutdown.
"I take that email as coercing subordinates to engage in political activity," one worker told me.
www.huffpost.com/entry/out-of...
"I take that email as coercing subordinates to engage in political activity," one worker told me.
www.huffpost.com/entry/out-of...
Trump Admin Tells Federal Employees To Set OOO Message Blaming Democrats For Shutdown
One health department employee said the directions seemed to be "coercing" subordinates into political activity.
www.huffpost.com
October 1, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Wild stuff. Furloughed employees within HHS got an email this morning telling them to set an out-of-office reply blaming Democrats for the shutdown.
"I take that email as coercing subordinates to engage in political activity," one worker told me.
www.huffpost.com/entry/out-of...
"I take that email as coercing subordinates to engage in political activity," one worker told me.
www.huffpost.com/entry/out-of...
Yesterday, Trump told ~ 800 generals that American citizens are "the enemy within." Today a Republican Party that controls all three branches of government shut the government down and are using government website to push their propaganda. This is what the weaponization of gov't. looks like.
October 1, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Yesterday, Trump told ~ 800 generals that American citizens are "the enemy within." Today a Republican Party that controls all three branches of government shut the government down and are using government website to push their propaganda. This is what the weaponization of gov't. looks like.
Spot On:
"Republicans have chosen the rules of legislative engagement. Now that Democrats, for once, have a cudgel, they’re supposed to be a pal(s) and help the Republican-only approach keep chugging along. That’s absurd and Democrats should be saying as much."
"Republicans have chosen the rules of legislative engagement. Now that Democrats, for once, have a cudgel, they’re supposed to be a pal(s) and help the Republican-only approach keep chugging along. That’s absurd and Democrats should be saying as much."
About Overthinking the Shutdown
There’s now a flurry of statements from GOP congressional leadership essentially saying,...
talkingpointsmemo.com
September 30, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Spot On:
"Republicans have chosen the rules of legislative engagement. Now that Democrats, for once, have a cudgel, they’re supposed to be a pal(s) and help the Republican-only approach keep chugging along. That’s absurd and Democrats should be saying as much."
"Republicans have chosen the rules of legislative engagement. Now that Democrats, for once, have a cudgel, they’re supposed to be a pal(s) and help the Republican-only approach keep chugging along. That’s absurd and Democrats should be saying as much."
Reposted by Chris Fobare 🇺🇦
September 19, 2025
September 19, 2025
Today U.S.
heathercoxrichardson.substack.com
September 20, 2025 at 5:39 AM
September 19, 2025
Reposted by Chris Fobare 🇺🇦
“What we’re seeing is an unprecedented attempt to silence disfavored speech by the government,” said Brendan Nyhan, a political scientist at Dartmouth College. “Donald Trump is trying to dictate what Americans can say.” https://to.pbs.org/46AYg7U
Trump's moves against media outlets mirror authoritarian approaches to silencing dissent
Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has waged an aggressive campaign against the media unlike any in modern U.S. history, making moves similar to those of authoritarian leaders that...
to.pbs.org
September 19, 2025 at 12:15 AM
“What we’re seeing is an unprecedented attempt to silence disfavored speech by the government,” said Brendan Nyhan, a political scientist at Dartmouth College. “Donald Trump is trying to dictate what Americans can say.” https://to.pbs.org/46AYg7U
Reposted by Chris Fobare 🇺🇦
Just so I'm clear:
TV host says we should kill every homeless person? No big deal
TV host says the right must "go to war" with the left? Pfft.
TV host says the government is cracking down on critics? Well, the government cracks down on him for the criticism.
Free speech, everyone.
TV host says we should kill every homeless person? No big deal
TV host says the right must "go to war" with the left? Pfft.
TV host says the government is cracking down on critics? Well, the government cracks down on him for the criticism.
Free speech, everyone.
September 17, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Just so I'm clear:
TV host says we should kill every homeless person? No big deal
TV host says the right must "go to war" with the left? Pfft.
TV host says the government is cracking down on critics? Well, the government cracks down on him for the criticism.
Free speech, everyone.
TV host says we should kill every homeless person? No big deal
TV host says the right must "go to war" with the left? Pfft.
TV host says the government is cracking down on critics? Well, the government cracks down on him for the criticism.
Free speech, everyone.
Reposted by Chris Fobare 🇺🇦
If you are a wealthy criminal defendant, it makes sense under this administration to hire the AG’s brother to represent you.
August 29, 2025 at 5:36 PM
If you are a wealthy criminal defendant, it makes sense under this administration to hire the AG’s brother to represent you.
Reposted by Chris Fobare 🇺🇦
Fed Governor Lisa Cook just sued to block Trump’s attempt to fire her. No president has ever tried this before. If courts allow it, the Fed stops being independent - and the economy becomes just another arm of politics.
August 28, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Fed Governor Lisa Cook just sued to block Trump’s attempt to fire her. No president has ever tried this before. If courts allow it, the Fed stops being independent - and the economy becomes just another arm of politics.
Another sign of the real danger the Trump administration poses. I've long been tired of people trying to rationalize Trump voters returning a man to office whose incompetence and corruption are legendary. In every way possible our lives are in danger because of those who voted for Donald Trump.
Abbe Lowell and I represent CDC Director #SusanMonarez. Contrary to govt statements, Dr. Monarez has neither resigned nor yet been fired. She will not resign. We have issued the following statement:
August 28, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Another sign of the real danger the Trump administration poses. I've long been tired of people trying to rationalize Trump voters returning a man to office whose incompetence and corruption are legendary. In every way possible our lives are in danger because of those who voted for Donald Trump.