Depeche Median
@depechemedian.bsky.social
exhausted political scientist in a red state, avid cat collector, friend to dogs everywhere, antifascist, lapsed midwesterner and cold weather aficionado, adequate learned league player, currently obsessed with the Big Bear eagle family
Reposted by Depeche Median
Fascinating. So Congress knows how to write a bill allowing people to sue federal officers?! www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/u...
Spending Bill Would Pave Way for Senators to Sue Over Phone Searches
www.nytimes.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Fascinating. So Congress knows how to write a bill allowing people to sue federal officers?! www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/u...
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This hidden provision is so crooked and selfish, it doesn't even apply to US Representatives. Just US Senators.
Look at this new outrage. To open govt, we're retroactively letting 8 Senators sue for $500K each over having had their J6 phone toll records looked at. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/u...
Spending Bill Would Pave Way for Senators to Sue Over Phone Searches
www.nytimes.com
November 11, 2025 at 12:43 AM
This hidden provision is so crooked and selfish, it doesn't even apply to US Representatives. Just US Senators.
Reposted by Depeche Median
Look at this new outrage. To open govt, we're retroactively letting 8 Senators sue for $500K each over having had their J6 phone toll records looked at. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/u...
Spending Bill Would Pave Way for Senators to Sue Over Phone Searches
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Look at this new outrage. To open govt, we're retroactively letting 8 Senators sue for $500K each over having had their J6 phone toll records looked at. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/u...
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Politico is reporting that the breach at the Congressional Budget Office is "ongoing."
“Do NOT click on any links in emails from CBO. Do NOT share sensitive information with CBO colleagues over email, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom at this time,” the email to CBO staff reads.
“Do NOT click on any links in emails from CBO. Do NOT share sensitive information with CBO colleagues over email, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom at this time,” the email to CBO staff reads.
Cybersecurity breach at Congressional Budget Office remains a live threat
Library of Congress employees were informed to take caution when emailing the office of the congressional scorekeeper.
www.politico.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Politico is reporting that the breach at the Congressional Budget Office is "ongoing."
“Do NOT click on any links in emails from CBO. Do NOT share sensitive information with CBO colleagues over email, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom at this time,” the email to CBO staff reads.
“Do NOT click on any links in emails from CBO. Do NOT share sensitive information with CBO colleagues over email, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom at this time,” the email to CBO staff reads.
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this is literally never not accurate
November 10, 2025 at 6:32 PM
this is literally never not accurate
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Is there anything good in this deal?
Buried inside the deal to reopen government is a provision that would give Senators private right of action to sue for millions in damages over their phone records being analyzed by Jack Smith's team.
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...
Shutdown Deal Would Let Senators Sue Over Jack Smith Searches
Senators whose phone records were sought by Special Counsel Jack Smith would gain authority to sue for millions in damages under a provision buried in the Senate-advanced deal to reopen the government...
news.bloomberglaw.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Is there anything good in this deal?
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How does your pathetic "plan" keep me alive through 2026? How does it pay the premium increase I face? How fucking dare you come on here with this bullshit.
1. We need to fight hard for a good ACA extension early in December and hold Republicans fiercely accountable if they betray everyone.
November 10, 2025 at 11:37 PM
How does your pathetic "plan" keep me alive through 2026? How does it pay the premium increase I face? How fucking dare you come on here with this bullshit.
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Self-described “moderates” and mainlining right-wing bullshit and lies. Name a more iconic duo.
November 10, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Self-described “moderates” and mainlining right-wing bullshit and lies. Name a more iconic duo.
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It looks like they are accredited through HLC. I'm slightly concerned this is going to setup a fight over the role of accreditation and/or the "capture" of accreditation bodies by the Trump administration.
The U.S. Air Force Academy's academic accreditation is under review following a formal complaint that the institution no longer has sufficient Ph.D.-level faculty as the federal government reduces its civilian workforce // Story by @thenoellephillips.bsky.social
Air Force Academy’s accreditation under review after cuts to civilian faculty
Concerned alumni and former faculty told The Denver Post they believe the academy is losing too many civilian Ph.D.-level instructors without the ability to replace them with qualified military mem…
www.denverpost.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:29 PM
It looks like they are accredited through HLC. I'm slightly concerned this is going to setup a fight over the role of accreditation and/or the "capture" of accreditation bodies by the Trump administration.
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seems to me that those democrats inclined not to fight perceive themselves as living through a somewhat ordinary cycle of presidential overreach and backlash and not something much more significant and dangerous
November 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
seems to me that those democrats inclined not to fight perceive themselves as living through a somewhat ordinary cycle of presidential overreach and backlash and not something much more significant and dangerous
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The problem isn't that they caved for a promised vote; the problem is that the vote will be a meaningless gesture impressing no one but Senate Democrats.
It will fail. ACA beneficiaries will suffer considerably as a result and there will be no consequences of any kind for Republicans.
It will fail. ACA beneficiaries will suffer considerably as a result and there will be no consequences of any kind for Republicans.
Whoa -- Sen. Durbin went to up Leader Thune during the vote last night to tell him that on the shutdown vote and ACA promise that "8 of us are sticking our neck out that you're going to keep your word. I hope you will. He said 'I assure you I will,'" Durbin says just now
November 10, 2025 at 6:31 PM
The problem isn't that they caved for a promised vote; the problem is that the vote will be a meaningless gesture impressing no one but Senate Democrats.
It will fail. ACA beneficiaries will suffer considerably as a result and there will be no consequences of any kind for Republicans.
It will fail. ACA beneficiaries will suffer considerably as a result and there will be no consequences of any kind for Republicans.
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It's not just that the Democratic party is a gerontocracy—it's a gerontocracy run by the people most likely to fall for Publishers Clearing House scam.
Whoa -- Sen. Durbin went to up Leader Thune during the vote last night to tell him that on the shutdown vote and ACA promise that "8 of us are sticking our neck out that you're going to keep your word. I hope you will. He said 'I assure you I will,'" Durbin says just now
November 10, 2025 at 6:49 PM
It's not just that the Democratic party is a gerontocracy—it's a gerontocracy run by the people most likely to fall for Publishers Clearing House scam.
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Nobody in American politics hates their own voters more than the Democratic Party
November 10, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Nobody in American politics hates their own voters more than the Democratic Party
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If Dems were going to lose by giving votes to Rs, it should have been to give votes to a Senate Rules change to end the filibuster on appropriations bills, since that would resolve the conflict, not give GOP cover on the ACA subsidies by making them own it, and improve rules for a future D majority
November 10, 2025 at 12:30 PM
If Dems were going to lose by giving votes to Rs, it should have been to give votes to a Senate Rules change to end the filibuster on appropriations bills, since that would resolve the conflict, not give GOP cover on the ACA subsidies by making them own it, and improve rules for a future D majority
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A promise on a vote on ACA subsidies seems kind of meaningless, even if it happens, because there were *already* votes on ACA subsidies as part of Dems alternative CR
November 10, 2025 at 12:28 PM
A promise on a vote on ACA subsidies seems kind of meaningless, even if it happens, because there were *already* votes on ACA subsidies as part of Dems alternative CR
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Maybe if people think the Democratic Party is "weak" it is not because they think that Democrats "care about other people" but that they "fold every single time."
This shit is why people don’t trust the Democratic Party.
November 10, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Maybe if people think the Democratic Party is "weak" it is not because they think that Democrats "care about other people" but that they "fold every single time."
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Unfortunately still true bsky.app/profile/adam...
American politics makes a lot more sense when you realize that the GOP is afraid of pissing off the GOP base, and the Dems are afraid of pissing off the GOP base, but neither party is afraid of pissing off the Dem base.
November 10, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Unfortunately still true bsky.app/profile/adam...
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How about we shut down the government for this very popular and specific goal and then, hear me out, we hold out for like a month and a half and then, ok this part is important, after a watershed election where we ran the table, ONLY THEN, fold and don't get the one thing we said we wanted.
November 10, 2025 at 2:31 AM
How about we shut down the government for this very popular and specific goal and then, hear me out, we hold out for like a month and a half and then, ok this part is important, after a watershed election where we ran the table, ONLY THEN, fold and don't get the one thing we said we wanted.
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I get why the people most directly personally impacted by the government shutdown are saying things like this but "the entire underpinnings of the country" have *already* collapsed and pretending they haven't isn't helpful
👇There it is, the alternative was to keep federal employees unpaid for 13 MONTHS. How the fuck do you think that would play out? A collapse of the entire underpinnings of the country, that's how.
Victory looks like a bill that extends the ACA subsidies OR (and this is a key or) keeps the government shut down until the midterms.
Yes. That's a victory too.
Yes. That's a victory too.
November 10, 2025 at 11:43 AM
I get why the people most directly personally impacted by the government shutdown are saying things like this but "the entire underpinnings of the country" have *already* collapsed and pretending they haven't isn't helpful
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Voting to fund the government means you voted to fund everything the government is doing. That's the whole point. It's not about some narrow this or that on the margins. You own the whole enchilada, you're saying "yes, this overall package for everything the government's doing is acceptable to me."
November 10, 2025 at 5:43 AM
Voting to fund the government means you voted to fund everything the government is doing. That's the whole point. It's not about some narrow this or that on the margins. You own the whole enchilada, you're saying "yes, this overall package for everything the government's doing is acceptable to me."
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Lots going on but from outside it seems that at least part of the calculus was that flight disruption for middle class and up travelers matters more than life disruption for untold numbers who’ll be deprived of health care.
November 10, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Lots going on but from outside it seems that at least part of the calculus was that flight disruption for middle class and up travelers matters more than life disruption for untold numbers who’ll be deprived of health care.
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So cool! Prince *loved* libraries. For example, this is one donation he made from his charity a few days after 9/11 to save the Louisville Free Public Library, the first library in the community to serve African Americans.
November 9, 2025 at 12:00 AM
So cool! Prince *loved* libraries. For example, this is one donation he made from his charity a few days after 9/11 to save the Louisville Free Public Library, the first library in the community to serve African Americans.
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In a normal democracy, a total collapse of party leadership would result in an no-confidence vote and immediate snap elections to find leaders who can lead
November 10, 2025 at 3:18 AM
In a normal democracy, a total collapse of party leadership would result in an no-confidence vote and immediate snap elections to find leaders who can lead