Frederic H. Decker
@fredericdecker.bsky.social
An informative detailed read.
(Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription.)
(Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription.)
Will the C.D.C. Survive?
www.nytimes.com
September 3, 2025 at 3:33 PM
An informative detailed read.
(Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription.)
(Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription.)
Another shooting, one killing children in church. Something I wrote years ago, sadly, remains relevant. As I concluded: “There may be no cure-all remedy that stops all mass shootings or gun violence generally, but dimming America’s pagan worship of guns is a step in the right direction.”
America’s gun culture continues running amok
“Amok” originally referred to mass murders in Southeastern Asia first observed by European voyagers in the late 1700’s. Some argue public mass murders today—like the recent Valentine’s Day school mass...
www.star-telegram.com
August 29, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Another shooting, one killing children in church. Something I wrote years ago, sadly, remains relevant. As I concluded: “There may be no cure-all remedy that stops all mass shootings or gun violence generally, but dimming America’s pagan worship of guns is a step in the right direction.”
Article on President Trump’s drive to whitewash our history so white only. Instead of learning history and the introspection coming with helping move our great country closer to where principles of equality and fairness our founders envisioned (though themselves short of living) apply to all.
Trump's next fight: "woke" museum interpretations of history
The president's efforts to exert control over museum content is unprecedented.
www.axios.com
August 24, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Article on President Trump’s drive to whitewash our history so white only. Instead of learning history and the introspection coming with helping move our great country closer to where principles of equality and fairness our founders envisioned (though themselves short of living) apply to all.
This may be only the tip of the iceberg on scary, dangerous stuff the Trump administration wants to do with heretofore secure personal data on us the government holds. Thank you, PBS, for helping keep the citizenry informed. (Video clip starts after brief PBS messages.)
PBS News Hour | IRS to share personal data with immigration agents | Season 2025
IRS to share personal data with immigration agents to aid deportation efforts
www.pbs.org
July 18, 2025 at 12:29 PM
This may be only the tip of the iceberg on scary, dangerous stuff the Trump administration wants to do with heretofore secure personal data on us the government holds. Thank you, PBS, for helping keep the citizenry informed. (Video clip starts after brief PBS messages.)
Federal prosecutor Maurene Comey sent colleagues a letter (via email) after being summarily fired, apparently for having prosecuted the Epstein case. She urges her colleagues not to give into the fear which she writes is “the tool of a tyrant, wielded to suppress independent thought.”
Read Epstein prosecutor Maurene Comey’s letter to colleagues after DOJ firing
“Fear is the tool of a tyrant,” wrote the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, a frequent target of President Donald Trump.
www.msnbc.com
July 18, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Federal prosecutor Maurene Comey sent colleagues a letter (via email) after being summarily fired, apparently for having prosecuted the Epstein case. She urges her colleagues not to give into the fear which she writes is “the tool of a tyrant, wielded to suppress independent thought.”
This NPR article from 2018 is about high school students in the summer of 1965 participating in a federal program aimed at replacing migrant workers in the fields picking crops. Spoiler alert: Didn’t last long or work out too well.
When The U.S. Government Tried To Replace Migrant Farmworkers With High Schoolers
In 1964, a program that brought migrant Mexican laborers to the U.S. ended. So the U.S. recruited American students to pick crops instead. When they saw their living conditions, strikes ensued.
www.npr.org
July 16, 2025 at 11:10 AM
This NPR article from 2018 is about high school students in the summer of 1965 participating in a federal program aimed at replacing migrant workers in the fields picking crops. Spoiler alert: Didn’t last long or work out too well.
For history buffs, an essay on airbrushing/photoshopping through history to disappear images of inconvenient truths.
Chilling Parallels
In early June, the Washington Post published a follow-up to earlier stories on a Trump administration plan to remove thousands of photographs from Defense Department websites because of "DEI-related c...
tomdispatch.com
July 9, 2025 at 11:09 AM
For history buffs, an essay on airbrushing/photoshopping through history to disappear images of inconvenient truths.
Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription.
Isn't former GOP Senator Jeff Flake (AZ) describing a cult here? He writes: “When a party’s North Star is an individual, the direction of policy and the integrity of governance itself suffer.”
Isn't former GOP Senator Jeff Flake (AZ) describing a cult here? He writes: “When a party’s North Star is an individual, the direction of policy and the integrity of governance itself suffer.”
Opinion | Jeff Flake: The Republican Fever Must Break
www.nytimes.com
July 7, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription.
Isn't former GOP Senator Jeff Flake (AZ) describing a cult here? He writes: “When a party’s North Star is an individual, the direction of policy and the integrity of governance itself suffer.”
Isn't former GOP Senator Jeff Flake (AZ) describing a cult here? He writes: “When a party’s North Star is an individual, the direction of policy and the integrity of governance itself suffer.”
Any corruption and tackiness here you think?
Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription.
Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription.
Trump’s Finances Were Shaky. Then He Began to Capitalize on His Comeback.
www.nytimes.com
July 4, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Any corruption and tackiness here you think?
Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription.
Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription.
More folks living in rural America rely on Medicaid for healthcare than folks in urban America this study documents.
And more folks in rural America also voted for President Trump (e.g. www.barrons.com/news/rural-v... .)
And more folks in rural America also voted for President Trump (e.g. www.barrons.com/news/rural-v... .)
Medicaid’s Role in Small Towns and Rural Areas
Key Findings Non-elderly adults and children in small towns and rural areas are more likely than those living in metro areas to rely on Medicaid/CHIP for their health insurance. As a consequence, r…
ccf.georgetown.edu
July 1, 2025 at 3:06 PM
More folks living in rural America rely on Medicaid for healthcare than folks in urban America this study documents.
And more folks in rural America also voted for President Trump (e.g. www.barrons.com/news/rural-v... .)
And more folks in rural America also voted for President Trump (e.g. www.barrons.com/news/rural-v... .)
Rural hospitals (the ones that serve many who voted for President Trump) are at risk of closing with Trump’s Medicaid cuts, a study conducted for the National Rural Health Association indicates. PDF of the study at www.ruralhealth.us/nationalrura... .
July 1, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Rural hospitals (the ones that serve many who voted for President Trump) are at risk of closing with Trump’s Medicaid cuts, a study conducted for the National Rural Health Association indicates. PDF of the study at www.ruralhealth.us/nationalrura... .
After he announced he will not run for another term in the Senate in 2026, Republican Senator Thom Tillis from North Carolina speaks facts on Medicaid cuts in President Trump’s bill.
NC Sen. Thom Tillis speaks about his opposition to Medicaid cuts in Trump budget
North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis delivers an emotional speech on the floor about his opposition to Medicaid cuts in President Trump's budget bill. Tillis announced Sunday, June 30, 3035 that he wil...
www.newsobserver.com
July 1, 2025 at 2:55 PM
After he announced he will not run for another term in the Senate in 2026, Republican Senator Thom Tillis from North Carolina speaks facts on Medicaid cuts in President Trump’s bill.
Some interesting facts to ponder.
Why Obama’s Immigration Enforcement Policy Was Better Than Trump’s | Washington Monthly
Obama prioritized the deportation of felons and security threats. Trump is giving us legal chaos, fewer deportations, and less safety.
washingtonmonthly.com
June 13, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Some interesting facts to ponder.
HINT: It’s not the same reason many of the actual insurrectionists on January 6th stormed the U.S. Capitol carrying the Confederate flag and attacked and injured police officers with flag poles (you know, the ones Trump pardoned).
Why Los Angeles protesters fly the Mexican flag
Southern California demonstrators are continuing the long tradition of hoisting the red, white and green flag during times of anti-immigrant sentiment.
www.politico.com
June 12, 2025 at 1:04 PM
HINT: It’s not the same reason many of the actual insurrectionists on January 6th stormed the U.S. Capitol carrying the Confederate flag and attacked and injured police officers with flag poles (you know, the ones Trump pardoned).
“Jesus weeps over this cruelty. So do we,” writes the editorial staff of the National Catholic Reporter regarding the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
They outline quite distinctly in summarizing this bill the present and historical reasons why Jesus weeps.
They outline quite distinctly in summarizing this bill the present and historical reasons why Jesus weeps.
Editorial: One big shameful bill
Jesus weeps over this cruelty. So do we.
www.ncronline.org
June 5, 2025 at 2:49 PM
“Jesus weeps over this cruelty. So do we,” writes the editorial staff of the National Catholic Reporter regarding the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
They outline quite distinctly in summarizing this bill the present and historical reasons why Jesus weeps.
They outline quite distinctly in summarizing this bill the present and historical reasons why Jesus weeps.
I guess the frequency of word salads popping up often laced with incoherent rambling and sour dressing doesn’t make press sharable to portray being on the ball and all there.
'Most Transparent’ White House In History Keeps Majority Of Trump’s Remarks Secret
Trump's aides released just 20% of the transcripts of his speeches and interactions with the press over his first 100 days, excluding many of his most unhinged comments
www.huffpost.com
May 18, 2025 at 12:22 PM
I guess the frequency of word salads popping up often laced with incoherent rambling and sour dressing doesn’t make press sharable to portray being on the ball and all there.
Another picture “worth a thousand words.”
Episcopal Church leader says helping Afrikaners over other refugees is 'unfathomable'
The Episcopal Church says it will not assist with the resettlement of white South Africans and will end its government partnership to support refugees. The church's presiding bishop, Sean Rowe, explai...
www.npr.org
May 14, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Another picture “worth a thousand words.”
It is said “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Like speaking to prime reason Trump fired the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden.
May 14, 2025 at 3:28 PM
It is said “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Like speaking to prime reason Trump fired the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden.
Something I wrote recently (open access):
www.commondreams.org/opinion/trum...
www.commondreams.org/opinion/trum...
Trump Is Making the Pentagon an Even Bigger Budget Buster, Purging Programs People Need | Common Dreams
In the Republican’s budget, programs elevating lives in the working and middle class are sacrificed to enrich the wealthiest and the defense industry.
www.commondreams.org
May 9, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Something I wrote recently (open access):
www.commondreams.org/opinion/trum...
www.commondreams.org/opinion/trum...
Author reminds us message of Pope Francis rooted in early sermons of Christian humanism.
Words from those sermons finding their way into early movements for social equality and compassion for one's neighbor. Words also which seem foreign to the lexicon of Christian nationalism in America today.
Words from those sermons finding their way into early movements for social equality and compassion for one's neighbor. Words also which seem foreign to the lexicon of Christian nationalism in America today.
Pope Francis' Mission Was Rooted in Deep, Traditional Christian Principles—So Why Did It Feel So Radical? | Common Dreams
One would have thought that this tradition was dead. When he was installed as pope, Francis seemed poised to continue the Catholic Church's conservative line of John Paul and Benedict. But instead, he...
www.commondreams.org
May 5, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Author reminds us message of Pope Francis rooted in early sermons of Christian humanism.
Words from those sermons finding their way into early movements for social equality and compassion for one's neighbor. Words also which seem foreign to the lexicon of Christian nationalism in America today.
Words from those sermons finding their way into early movements for social equality and compassion for one's neighbor. Words also which seem foreign to the lexicon of Christian nationalism in America today.
Tip of the iceberg...
www.cnn.com/politics/fac...
www.cnn.com/politics/fac...
Fact check: Debunking 100 Trump false claims from his first 100 days | CNN Politics
President Donald Trump filled his first 100 days back in office with the same relentless dishonesty that was a hallmark of his first presidency and his 2016 and 2024 presidential campaigns.
www.cnn.com
April 30, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Tip of the iceberg...
www.cnn.com/politics/fac...
www.cnn.com/politics/fac...
Doesn’t seem a good idea for Trump’s home in Florida given Florida is a favored target of severe weather like, you know, hurricanes. But then it does have the word “climate” in it which is a Trump no-no.
Trump’s budget plan eviscerates weather and climate research, and it could be enacted immediately | CNN
The cuts could cripple US industries — including agriculture — that depend on free, accurate weather and climate data and expert analysis. It could also halt research on deadly weather, including seve...
www.cnn.com
April 12, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Doesn’t seem a good idea for Trump’s home in Florida given Florida is a favored target of severe weather like, you know, hurricanes. But then it does have the word “climate” in it which is a Trump no-no.