James Robbins
@jkr619.bsky.social
Democrat interested in architecture / urban planning / travel / civil society / art. Member of the fact-based community.
As I indicated over a month ago ago, we now have proof positive that Trump tore down the East Wing of the White House before even having a conceptual plan of the replacement. The design keeps changing, the program keeps getting bigger, and it keeps becoming even more hideous. #followthegrift
December 2, 2025 at 4:37 PM
As I indicated over a month ago ago, we now have proof positive that Trump tore down the East Wing of the White House before even having a conceptual plan of the replacement. The design keeps changing, the program keeps getting bigger, and it keeps becoming even more hideous. #followthegrift
The ruling overturning the Texas gerrymandering is especially noteworthy because the federal judge, Jeffrey V. Brown, is a Trump appointee who once served as a law clerk to Texas Supreme Court Justices Jack Hightower and Greg Abbott (the current governor of Texas).
I want to take a moment to thank the entire Elias Law Group team who worked on the Texas redistricting case as well as our fearless clients. The thirteen Black and Latino voters we represented stood up to challenge Texas's unprecedented mid-decade redistricting. We all ow them a debt of gratitude.
November 18, 2025 at 10:53 PM
The ruling overturning the Texas gerrymandering is especially noteworthy because the federal judge, Jeffrey V. Brown, is a Trump appointee who once served as a law clerk to Texas Supreme Court Justices Jack Hightower and Greg Abbott (the current governor of Texas).
I'm a registered architect and designed public buildings for over 40 years. Here are a few thoughts about Trump's ballroom.
First (always first with Trump) consider the blatant grifting: $350 M for a 90 K SF facility is more than three times the actual cost. Trump wants to pocket $250,000,000.
First (always first with Trump) consider the blatant grifting: $350 M for a 90 K SF facility is more than three times the actual cost. Trump wants to pocket $250,000,000.
October 25, 2025 at 6:46 PM
I'm a registered architect and designed public buildings for over 40 years. Here are a few thoughts about Trump's ballroom.
First (always first with Trump) consider the blatant grifting: $350 M for a 90 K SF facility is more than three times the actual cost. Trump wants to pocket $250,000,000.
First (always first with Trump) consider the blatant grifting: $350 M for a 90 K SF facility is more than three times the actual cost. Trump wants to pocket $250,000,000.
Reposted by James Robbins
Soon we’ll learn whether our military stand by the principles that define their duty to our country and the Constitution—or whether they break them to serve the depraved, degraded & lawless desires of a wannabe dictator and his sycophantic “War Secretary.”
www.americaamerica.news/p/snapshot-i...
www.americaamerica.news/p/snapshot-i...
Snapshot: "It's a War From Within"
Be clear: Trump will further exploit our military to wage war in our cities against our fellow Americans. That was the message he delivered to senior officers today.
www.americaamerica.news
September 30, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Soon we’ll learn whether our military stand by the principles that define their duty to our country and the Constitution—or whether they break them to serve the depraved, degraded & lawless desires of a wannabe dictator and his sycophantic “War Secretary.”
www.americaamerica.news/p/snapshot-i...
www.americaamerica.news/p/snapshot-i...
Reposted by James Robbins
It's simply not credible that Israel would conduct an airstrike in Qatar without prior approval from Washington. In less than a year, Trump, the (self-proclaimed) great dealmaker, has managed to convince every nation in the world that American security guarantees are worthless.
September 10, 2025 at 7:55 PM
It's simply not credible that Israel would conduct an airstrike in Qatar without prior approval from Washington. In less than a year, Trump, the (self-proclaimed) great dealmaker, has managed to convince every nation in the world that American security guarantees are worthless.
Trump's standard carnival barking includes claims that the Ukraine and Gaza wars wouldn't have happened had his coup succeeded. But here's today's truth: Russia would NEVER have sent drones over Poland, and Israel NEVER would have launched airstrikes in Doha had anyone EXCEPT Trump been President.
September 10, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Trump's standard carnival barking includes claims that the Ukraine and Gaza wars wouldn't have happened had his coup succeeded. But here's today's truth: Russia would NEVER have sent drones over Poland, and Israel NEVER would have launched airstrikes in Doha had anyone EXCEPT Trump been President.
Reposted by James Robbins
ED1 was incredible. Proved beyond any doubt that the LA establishment wants to grandstand about homelessness and housing without actually doing anything. The minute that housing developers called her bluff and proposed a ton of 100% affordable units, she began a furious retreat.
There was a brief window, when ED 1 was still in its original form, when I thought Los Angeles might finally have a mayor who was somewhat serious about addressing the housing and homelessness crisis. My bad!
August 21, 2025 at 4:35 AM
ED1 was incredible. Proved beyond any doubt that the LA establishment wants to grandstand about homelessness and housing without actually doing anything. The minute that housing developers called her bluff and proposed a ton of 100% affordable units, she began a furious retreat.
Reposted by James Robbins
Imagine if they’d had sandwiches. 🥪
August 15, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Imagine if they’d had sandwiches. 🥪
I'll never think of a scoundrel like Billy Ling as a hero, but compared to Trump, he's a paragon of virtue.
IRS, White House clashed over immigrants’ data before tax chief was ousted
The Trump administration’s move to push out IRS Commissioner Billy Long came after the agency said it couldn’t release some information on taxpayers suspected of being here illegally.
www.washingtonpost.com
August 9, 2025 at 7:19 PM
I'll never think of a scoundrel like Billy Ling as a hero, but compared to Trump, he's a paragon of virtue.
Job numbers got you down?
August 9, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Job numbers got you down?
Trump economizing on the White House rococo redo by buying all the glue on ornament through Temu
August 9, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Trump economizing on the White House rococo redo by buying all the glue on ornament through Temu
I'm trying to understand why Democrats have been losing support among working class voters. What could it be? Why? What possible reason?
August 9, 2025 at 6:04 PM
I'm trying to understand why Democrats have been losing support among working class voters. What could it be? Why? What possible reason?
New press secretary same as the old one
August 9, 2025 at 5:59 PM
New press secretary same as the old one
Reposted by James Robbins
We’ve discovered a literal miracle with almost unlimited potential and it’s being scrapped for *no reason whatsoever*. This isn’t even nihilism, it’s outright worship of death and human suffering.
"The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced the beginning of a coordinated wind-down of its mRNA vaccine development activities...."
cc: Sen. Bill Cassidy
cc: Sen. Bill Cassidy
August 5, 2025 at 11:09 PM
We’ve discovered a literal miracle with almost unlimited potential and it’s being scrapped for *no reason whatsoever*. This isn’t even nihilism, it’s outright worship of death and human suffering.
Reposted by James Robbins
BREAKING: A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore millions of dollars in canceled grants to University of California researchers, calling the terminations flagrantly illegal and unconstitutional. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
June 24, 2025 at 1:07 AM
BREAKING: A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore millions of dollars in canceled grants to University of California researchers, calling the terminations flagrantly illegal and unconstitutional. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
The New York Fed is reporting that students majoring in Physics, Computer Science, and Information Systems are among the LEAST likely to easily find employment after college. Societal pressure to pursue STEM studies didn't anticipate impacts of AI on the job market.
June 23, 2025 at 6:04 PM
The New York Fed is reporting that students majoring in Physics, Computer Science, and Information Systems are among the LEAST likely to easily find employment after college. Societal pressure to pursue STEM studies didn't anticipate impacts of AI on the job market.
Arrested and charged with assault for asking to see a judicial warrant...
Here's a longer video of Brad Lander's detention just now inside 26 Federal Plaza as he tried to walk a man out of immigration court, by masked federal agents.
June 18, 2025 at 4:59 AM
Arrested and charged with assault for asking to see a judicial warrant...
Do you think Iran ( or anyone) will believe that this was solely an Israeli initiative? As I noted two months ago, follow the bombers.
Open source intelligence reports forward deployment of 7 B2-A Stealth bombers (more than half the active force) at Diego Garcia Air Base, and the Carl Vinson carrier group has been redeployed from the South China Sea to the Middle East. If Trump isn't planning to bomb Iran, it's a hell of a bluff.
June 13, 2025 at 5:58 AM
Do you think Iran ( or anyone) will believe that this was solely an Israeli initiative? As I noted two months ago, follow the bombers.
Preview of coming attractions: Televisa provides a look into the future of Fox News.
Mexico data leak exposes broadcaster's methods to destroy reputations of public figures
With fake news and false testimonies, Latin America's largest media conglomerate carried out 'media warfare operations' between 2018 and 2024 to sway public opinion.
www.lemonde.fr
June 9, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Preview of coming attractions: Televisa provides a look into the future of Fox News.
This bill would really make a difference.
Sacramento's Fox 40 provided a great overview this morning of AB 609 -- interviewing bill author @buffywicks.bsky.social and our own @mnolangray.bsky.social. Take a look:
Legislation proposed to fast-track housing construction in California
YouTube video by FOX40 News
www.youtube.com
May 27, 2025 at 10:35 PM
This bill would really make a difference.
Reposted by James Robbins
George Floyd was murdered by police five years ago today.
The Say Their Names cemetery in Minneapolis features memorials for Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Amadou Diallo, Oscar Grant, Korryn Gaines, Freddie Gray and far too many more Black people who died at the hands of police.
The Say Their Names cemetery in Minneapolis features memorials for Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Amadou Diallo, Oscar Grant, Korryn Gaines, Freddie Gray and far too many more Black people who died at the hands of police.
May 25, 2025 at 5:09 PM
George Floyd was murdered by police five years ago today.
The Say Their Names cemetery in Minneapolis features memorials for Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Amadou Diallo, Oscar Grant, Korryn Gaines, Freddie Gray and far too many more Black people who died at the hands of police.
The Say Their Names cemetery in Minneapolis features memorials for Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Amadou Diallo, Oscar Grant, Korryn Gaines, Freddie Gray and far too many more Black people who died at the hands of police.
The conclave of cardinals has begun meeting in the Sistine Chapel to select a new pope. Will they get right to the point? Here's a detail from "The Circumcision of Moses' Son," a monumental fresco by Pietro Perugino on the chapel's south wall.
May 8, 2025 at 12:39 AM
The conclave of cardinals has begun meeting in the Sistine Chapel to select a new pope. Will they get right to the point? Here's a detail from "The Circumcision of Moses' Son," a monumental fresco by Pietro Perugino on the chapel's south wall.
Disgusting, yes, but it's easy to see why Trump wants to play dress-up as the Pope. Consider St. Peter's branding for example: its inscription translates as "In honor of the Prince of the Apostles; Paul V Borghese, Roman Pontifex Maximus, in the year 1612, the seventh year of his pontificate."
May 4, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Disgusting, yes, but it's easy to see why Trump wants to play dress-up as the Pope. Consider St. Peter's branding for example: its inscription translates as "In honor of the Prince of the Apostles; Paul V Borghese, Roman Pontifex Maximus, in the year 1612, the seventh year of his pontificate."
Reposted by James Robbins
“Also, we’re ending the environmental and regulatory standards”
Miller: "If you had a choice between a doll from China that might have lead paint from it that is not as well constructed, as a doll made in America that has a highly environmental and regulatory standard & those two products are both on Amazon, that yes, you probably would be willing to pay more."
May 1, 2025 at 2:07 PM
“Also, we’re ending the environmental and regulatory standards”