David Baer
@davidbaer.bsky.social
Prof of ethics, Texas Lutheran University; founder, Christians Associated for Democracy; expertise on Hungary
Reposted by David Baer
Mood in Hungary "is palpably different" than a year ago, with people "more comfortable criticizing Orbán in public.…Public figures speak about the 'Orbán regime' instead of the 'Orbán government.'…
"In response, the rhetoric from the regime…has become more threatening, violent, and openly fascist."
"In response, the rhetoric from the regime…has become more threatening, violent, and openly fascist."
Hungary Could Free Itself from Orbánism Next Spring
An upstart opposition leader, Péter Magyar, is shrewdly capitalizing on the prime minister’s blunders.
www.thebulwark.com
September 3, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Mood in Hungary "is palpably different" than a year ago, with people "more comfortable criticizing Orbán in public.…Public figures speak about the 'Orbán regime' instead of the 'Orbán government.'…
"In response, the rhetoric from the regime…has become more threatening, violent, and openly fascist."
"In response, the rhetoric from the regime…has become more threatening, violent, and openly fascist."
Reposted by David Baer
The author of this article, @davidbaer.bsky.social, is as keen-eyed an observer of Hungary as you will find among Americans—and a helluva writer.
(I like the line about how Tucker Carlson and JD Vance types treat Hungary as a "Christian conservative Disneyland.")
(I like the line about how Tucker Carlson and JD Vance types treat Hungary as a "Christian conservative Disneyland.")
Mood in Hungary "is palpably different" than a year ago, with people "more comfortable criticizing Orbán in public.…Public figures speak about the 'Orbán regime' instead of the 'Orbán government.'…
"In response, the rhetoric from the regime…has become more threatening, violent, and openly fascist."
"In response, the rhetoric from the regime…has become more threatening, violent, and openly fascist."
Hungary Could Free Itself from Orbánism Next Spring
An upstart opposition leader, Péter Magyar, is shrewdly capitalizing on the prime minister’s blunders.
www.thebulwark.com
September 3, 2025 at 2:54 AM
The author of this article, @davidbaer.bsky.social, is as keen-eyed an observer of Hungary as you will find among Americans—and a helluva writer.
(I like the line about how Tucker Carlson and JD Vance types treat Hungary as a "Christian conservative Disneyland.")
(I like the line about how Tucker Carlson and JD Vance types treat Hungary as a "Christian conservative Disneyland.")
Is Orbánism heading to regime collapse? I share a few of my thoughts here. www.thebulwark.com/p/hungary-co...
Hungary Could Free Itself from Orbánism Next Spring
An upstart opposition leader, Péter Magyar, is shrewdly capitalizing on the prime minister’s blunders.
www.thebulwark.com
September 2, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Is Orbánism heading to regime collapse? I share a few of my thoughts here. www.thebulwark.com/p/hungary-co...
The four greatest country music artists
June 13, 2025 at 3:54 PM
The four greatest country music artists
Reposted by David Baer
PM Orbán is tightening control ahead of the 2026 election: intimidating critics, banning Pride, allowing the use of facial recognition.
These moves aren't unique. We've seen them in Russia, Turkey, Serbia - now they enter the EU.
My piece for @gmfus.bsky.social ⤵️
www.gmfus.org/news/authori...
These moves aren't unique. We've seen them in Russia, Turkey, Serbia - now they enter the EU.
My piece for @gmfus.bsky.social ⤵️
www.gmfus.org/news/authori...
Authoritarian Innovation Inside the EU
www.gmfus.org
May 3, 2025 at 10:22 AM
PM Orbán is tightening control ahead of the 2026 election: intimidating critics, banning Pride, allowing the use of facial recognition.
These moves aren't unique. We've seen them in Russia, Turkey, Serbia - now they enter the EU.
My piece for @gmfus.bsky.social ⤵️
www.gmfus.org/news/authori...
These moves aren't unique. We've seen them in Russia, Turkey, Serbia - now they enter the EU.
My piece for @gmfus.bsky.social ⤵️
www.gmfus.org/news/authori...
Reposted by David Baer
The Secretary of the Navy doesn’t know when Pearl Harbor happened
April 28, 2025 at 9:10 PM
The Secretary of the Navy doesn’t know when Pearl Harbor happened
Reposted by David Baer
ICYMI: According to a newly released court document, NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware was used in a 2019 hacking campaign to target a total of 1,223 WhatsApp users across 51 countries, including in multiple EU countries. 🕵️🤳
@investigacecz.bsky.social @vsquare.bsky.social
vsquare.org/pegasus-...
@investigacecz.bsky.social @vsquare.bsky.social
vsquare.org/pegasus-...
Pegasus Spyware Targeted Over 1,200 WhatsApp Users, Court Documents Show - VSquare.org
According to a newly released court document, NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware was used in a 2019 hacking campaign to target a total of 1,223 WhatsApp users.
vsquare.org
April 28, 2025 at 4:00 PM
ICYMI: According to a newly released court document, NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware was used in a 2019 hacking campaign to target a total of 1,223 WhatsApp users across 51 countries, including in multiple EU countries. 🕵️🤳
@investigacecz.bsky.social @vsquare.bsky.social
vsquare.org/pegasus-...
@investigacecz.bsky.social @vsquare.bsky.social
vsquare.org/pegasus-...
“For freedom is always on the defensive, and therefore in danger. Where the populace no longer feels freedom to be in peril, freedom is already lost.”
April 22, 2025 at 8:55 PM
“For freedom is always on the defensive, and therefore in danger. Where the populace no longer feels freedom to be in peril, freedom is already lost.”
“A faith which, as such, allows itself to be caught up in the pragmatics of power, is already lost as faith. It grows as truth only within the area of liberty without force.” Karl Jaspers.
April 22, 2025 at 8:51 PM
“A faith which, as such, allows itself to be caught up in the pragmatics of power, is already lost as faith. It grows as truth only within the area of liberty without force.” Karl Jaspers.
“The rule of law produces a climate of fearlessness, unconstraint, liberty and peace of mind. Where force rules there is fear, silence and concealment, coercion and unrest. In the constitutional State trust prevails, in the State based on force there is universal mistrust.” -Karl Jaspers
April 21, 2025 at 10:02 PM
“The rule of law produces a climate of fearlessness, unconstraint, liberty and peace of mind. Where force rules there is fear, silence and concealment, coercion and unrest. In the constitutional State trust prevails, in the State based on force there is universal mistrust.” -Karl Jaspers
Trump telling people on social media to “Be Strong, Courageous and GREATNESS will be the result” is like the comic strip version of Nietzsche’s Übermensch
April 7, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Trump telling people on social media to “Be Strong, Courageous and GREATNESS will be the result” is like the comic strip version of Nietzsche’s Übermensch
Reposted by David Baer
TAPPER: You're imposing a 10% on the Heard and MccDonald islands. They have zero human inhabitants. Why are you putting tariffs on islands entirely populated by penguins?
ROLLINS: Whatever. Listen, the people leading this are serious, intentional, patriotic, the smartest I've ever worked with.
ROLLINS: Whatever. Listen, the people leading this are serious, intentional, patriotic, the smartest I've ever worked with.
April 6, 2025 at 2:09 PM
TAPPER: You're imposing a 10% on the Heard and MccDonald islands. They have zero human inhabitants. Why are you putting tariffs on islands entirely populated by penguins?
ROLLINS: Whatever. Listen, the people leading this are serious, intentional, patriotic, the smartest I've ever worked with.
ROLLINS: Whatever. Listen, the people leading this are serious, intentional, patriotic, the smartest I've ever worked with.
Important to remember what Trump is doing in foreign policy to our alliances is as stupid and self destructive as what he’s doing with tariffs. Massive American self harm in every direction.
April 4, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Important to remember what Trump is doing in foreign policy to our alliances is as stupid and self destructive as what he’s doing with tariffs. Massive American self harm in every direction.
Reposted by David Baer
‼️🇺🇸 Trump allies Ric Grenell and Matt Mowers join the advisory board of Viktor Orbán’s pet company 4iG—a Hungarian IT/telecom/defense giant with major state support and a history of corruption claims. They're expanding fast in the Balkans.
👇Read our earlier @direkt36.bsky.social investigation.👇
👇Read our earlier @direkt36.bsky.social investigation.👇
The secret history of Viktor Orbán’s favorite company - Direkt36
A Direkt36 investigation has revealed that the Hungarian Prime Minister personally got involved in an acquisition of 4iG, a Hungarian telecommunications company that is officially owned by private ind...
www.direkt36.hu
April 2, 2025 at 7:57 PM
‼️🇺🇸 Trump allies Ric Grenell and Matt Mowers join the advisory board of Viktor Orbán’s pet company 4iG—a Hungarian IT/telecom/defense giant with major state support and a history of corruption claims. They're expanding fast in the Balkans.
👇Read our earlier @direkt36.bsky.social investigation.👇
👇Read our earlier @direkt36.bsky.social investigation.👇
Reposted by David Baer
💥🇭🇺 Police have given up guarding Budapest’s Liberty Bridge as anti-government protesters shut down traffic on four major bridges, rallying against Viktor Orbán’s new law curbing freedom of assembly and banning the Pride march.
They vow to escalate with a 24-hour shutdown next week.
They vow to escalate with a 24-hour shutdown next week.
April 1, 2025 at 7:31 PM
💥🇭🇺 Police have given up guarding Budapest’s Liberty Bridge as anti-government protesters shut down traffic on four major bridges, rallying against Viktor Orbán’s new law curbing freedom of assembly and banning the Pride march.
They vow to escalate with a 24-hour shutdown next week.
They vow to escalate with a 24-hour shutdown next week.
In 1939 the German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer left the United States, where he was studying, to return to Germany. He explained his decision in a letter to Reinhold Niebuhr, "I must live through this difficult period of our national history with the Christian people of Germany.... 1/2
March 31, 2025 at 8:31 PM
In 1939 the German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer left the United States, where he was studying, to return to Germany. He explained his decision in a letter to Reinhold Niebuhr, "I must live through this difficult period of our national history with the Christian people of Germany.... 1/2
Reposted by David Baer
This, from Timothy Snyder, is definitive, on Greenland open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...
The Imperialism Has no Clothes
JD Vance in Greenland
open.substack.com
March 29, 2025 at 1:03 PM
This, from Timothy Snyder, is definitive, on Greenland open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...
I suppose if Walz had been running around on stage with a chainsaw that would have been justified joy.
Musk: I mean, have you Tim Walz, who is a huge jerk, running on stage with the Tesla stock price.. What an evil thing to do. What a creep, what a jerk. Like who derives joy from that?
March 29, 2025 at 5:58 PM
I suppose if Walz had been running around on stage with a chainsaw that would have been justified joy.
Reposted by David Baer
Swedish journalist Joakim Medin arrested on arrival in Istanbul. His whereabouts are unknown.
March 28, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Swedish journalist Joakim Medin arrested on arrival in Istanbul. His whereabouts are unknown.
Reposted by David Baer
Right-wing YouTuber Tim Pool has made it to the White House pool — someone from his “Timcast” channel will be part of today’s pool duty covering the president.
Last year, DOJ revealed Pool was receiving millions of dollars from the Russian gov. Pool says he didn’t know where it was coming from.
Last year, DOJ revealed Pool was receiving millions of dollars from the Russian gov. Pool says he didn’t know where it was coming from.
March 28, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Right-wing YouTuber Tim Pool has made it to the White House pool — someone from his “Timcast” channel will be part of today’s pool duty covering the president.
Last year, DOJ revealed Pool was receiving millions of dollars from the Russian gov. Pool says he didn’t know where it was coming from.
Last year, DOJ revealed Pool was receiving millions of dollars from the Russian gov. Pool says he didn’t know where it was coming from.
Reposted by David Baer
Swedish journalist Joakim Medin arrested on arrival in Istanbul. His whereabouts are unknown.
March 28, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Swedish journalist Joakim Medin arrested on arrival in Istanbul. His whereabouts are unknown.
Now he wants price controls?! www.wsj.com/business/aut...
Trump Warned U.S. Automakers Not to Raise Prices in Response to Tariffs
The threat came in a call earlier this month, leaving CEOs worried they would face punishment if prices go up.
www.wsj.com
March 28, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Now he wants price controls?! www.wsj.com/business/aut...
Reposted by David Baer
America is now a place that sends masked secret police to abduct people off the street and uses prisoners to create government propaganda.
And this all happened in 8 weeks. www.thebulwark.com/p/this-is-th...
And this all happened in 8 weeks. www.thebulwark.com/p/this-is-th...
This Is the Land of Wolves Now
Masked agents snatching people off the street. Government officials using caged prisoners for propaganda videos. We are the villains.
www.thebulwark.com
March 27, 2025 at 5:14 PM
America is now a place that sends masked secret police to abduct people off the street and uses prisoners to create government propaganda.
And this all happened in 8 weeks. www.thebulwark.com/p/this-is-th...
And this all happened in 8 weeks. www.thebulwark.com/p/this-is-th...
Reposted by David Baer
"The point is to create a climate in which agents of the state routinely wear masks to conceal their identities and street abductions are not out of the ordinary." // great read from @jvl.bsky.social
www.thebulwark.com/p/this-is-th...
www.thebulwark.com/p/this-is-th...
This Is the Land of Wolves Now
Masked agents snatching people off the street. Government officials using caged prisoners for propaganda videos. We are the villains.
www.thebulwark.com
March 27, 2025 at 4:39 PM
"The point is to create a climate in which agents of the state routinely wear masks to conceal their identities and street abductions are not out of the ordinary." // great read from @jvl.bsky.social
www.thebulwark.com/p/this-is-th...
www.thebulwark.com/p/this-is-th...