Who Needs a Handle
@joeyossarian.bsky.social
"The old world is dying and the new one struggles to be born... Now is the time of monsters." -Antonio Gramsci
Pinned
What happens when your very self-conception as an American, itself, becomes a partisan issue?
That your identity and assumption of yourself as a fellow citizen of the United States is not unconditional to your fellow Americans?
What are you supposed to do with the dishonor at such a realization?
That your identity and assumption of yourself as a fellow citizen of the United States is not unconditional to your fellow Americans?
What are you supposed to do with the dishonor at such a realization?
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
The US is at war with Venezuela.
No Congressional authorization, no public debate, no clearly stated goal, no casus belli, and a gradual ramp up rather than big opening, so many haven’t noticed (or deny it). But this attack removes the ambiguity.
US is at war with Venezuela. With no end in sight.
No Congressional authorization, no public debate, no clearly stated goal, no casus belli, and a gradual ramp up rather than big opening, so many haven’t noticed (or deny it). But this attack removes the ambiguity.
US is at war with Venezuela. With no end in sight.
Exclusive: CIA carried out drone strike on port facility on Venezuelan coast | CNN Politics
The CIA carried out a drone strike earlier this month on a port facility on the coast of Venezuela, sources familiar with the matter told CNN, marking the first known US attack on a target inside that...
www.cnn.com
December 30, 2025 at 2:05 AM
The US is at war with Venezuela.
No Congressional authorization, no public debate, no clearly stated goal, no casus belli, and a gradual ramp up rather than big opening, so many haven’t noticed (or deny it). But this attack removes the ambiguity.
US is at war with Venezuela. With no end in sight.
No Congressional authorization, no public debate, no clearly stated goal, no casus belli, and a gradual ramp up rather than big opening, so many haven’t noticed (or deny it). But this attack removes the ambiguity.
US is at war with Venezuela. With no end in sight.
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
Exclusive: A year after Tenet Media was busted for funneling Russian money to MAGA pundits like Benny Johnson and Tim Pool, a Trump administration effort involving State and the FBI has welcomed Tenet's founders back into the US. @thebulwark.com: www.thebulwark.com/p/lauren-che...
Trump Admin Scores Visa for Founder of Russian Propaganda Outlet
Tenet Media’s Lauren Chen is back—even though the illegal-influence and money-laundering investigation remains open.
www.thebulwark.com
December 30, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Exclusive: A year after Tenet Media was busted for funneling Russian money to MAGA pundits like Benny Johnson and Tim Pool, a Trump administration effort involving State and the FBI has welcomed Tenet's founders back into the US. @thebulwark.com: www.thebulwark.com/p/lauren-che...
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
All of the money that changed hands in the Teapot Dome scandal totaled less than $10 million after adjusting for inflation, and it was considered so corrupt we still teach it in high school government classes a century later.
Corruption so pungent, it wafts right off the page:
Lobbyists who do pardon deals “say their going rate is $1 million. Pardon-seekers have offered some lobbyists close to the president success fees of as much as $6 million if they can close the deal.”
Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Lobbyists who do pardon deals “say their going rate is $1 million. Pardon-seekers have offered some lobbyists close to the president success fees of as much as $6 million if they can close the deal.”
Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Inside the New Fast Track to a Presidential Pardon
Even some of the president’s closest advisers have been surprised by a number of the recent series of pardons.
www.wsj.com
December 27, 2025 at 9:24 PM
All of the money that changed hands in the Teapot Dome scandal totaled less than $10 million after adjusting for inflation, and it was considered so corrupt we still teach it in high school government classes a century later.
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
My constituent, Wilmer, was mauled by an ICE attack dog despite the fact that, as he has consistently explained, he was not resisting arrest or trying to flee—his wife and young children, all U.S. citizens, were forced to watch helplessly as Wilmer was violently attacked and dragged away.
December 6, 2025 at 2:41 AM
My constituent, Wilmer, was mauled by an ICE attack dog despite the fact that, as he has consistently explained, he was not resisting arrest or trying to flee—his wife and young children, all U.S. citizens, were forced to watch helplessly as Wilmer was violently attacked and dragged away.
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
A neat thing about birthright citizenship is how it tests whether a person cares at all about the Constitution. There's no argument against it, birthright citizenship is the unambitious text, the obvious intent of the drafters, and the undisputed way it was followed for the past 150+ years.
I continue to think that Matty coming out against birthright citizenship a few months ago should have been taken as a major warning sign that the group chats have already decided to surrender on this.
December 6, 2025 at 9:47 PM
A neat thing about birthright citizenship is how it tests whether a person cares at all about the Constitution. There's no argument against it, birthright citizenship is the unambitious text, the obvious intent of the drafters, and the undisputed way it was followed for the past 150+ years.
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
By “sovreignty” he means “states should be weak enough so that billionaires like me should be able to treat them as feudal vassals” bsky.app/profile/lora...
Elon Musk is against the European Union being the European Union —he posted this after X (fka Twitter) was fined for violations of the EU’s Digital Services Act.
December 6, 2025 at 10:16 PM
By “sovreignty” he means “states should be weak enough so that billionaires like me should be able to treat them as feudal vassals” bsky.app/profile/lora...
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
Van Hollen: "It's either murder from the first strike if their whole theory is wrong, and I think the weight of the legal opinion is they've concocted this ridiculous legal theory. But even if you accept it, then it is a war crime. I do believe the secretary of defense should be held accountable"
November 30, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Van Hollen: "It's either murder from the first strike if their whole theory is wrong, and I think the weight of the legal opinion is they've concocted this ridiculous legal theory. But even if you accept it, then it is a war crime. I do believe the secretary of defense should be held accountable"
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
There is absolutely no bottom. They will kill and murder and steal and break the law and laugh at every rule and institution until they are stopped. They think they are all-powerful and all conventional rules of morality and legality do not apply to them.
December 1, 2025 at 5:22 AM
There is absolutely no bottom. They will kill and murder and steal and break the law and laugh at every rule and institution until they are stopped. They think they are all-powerful and all conventional rules of morality and legality do not apply to them.
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
Government actors who refuse to be bound by the rule of law are not morally entitled to its protection.
KARL: Did you know about the judge's order when you issued your order for the planes to continue?
KRISTI NOEM: This is an activist judge. We comply with all federal orders that are lawful and binding.
KRISTI NOEM: This is an activist judge. We comply with all federal orders that are lawful and binding.
December 1, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Government actors who refuse to be bound by the rule of law are not morally entitled to its protection.
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
There are specific reasons Trumpists want war on Venezuela, but there‘s a generic one: they crave power to make war on anyone, any time, for completely fabricated reasons, and then to use the guise of war to increase violence and repression everywhere, including home.
They are lawless bestial scum.
They are lawless bestial scum.
November 29, 2025 at 6:28 PM
There are specific reasons Trumpists want war on Venezuela, but there‘s a generic one: they crave power to make war on anyone, any time, for completely fabricated reasons, and then to use the guise of war to increase violence and repression everywhere, including home.
They are lawless bestial scum.
They are lawless bestial scum.
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
Hoo boy
Whole buncha folks about to have to face a choice between complying with a Congressional subpoena and getting fired because pete's mad at them
Also if anything is a "start the clock" moment on pete's tenure coming to an end, it's this
Whole buncha folks about to have to face a choice between complying with a Congressional subpoena and getting fired because pete's mad at them
Also if anything is a "start the clock" moment on pete's tenure coming to an end, it's this
There are now bipartisan investigations in both the House and Senate into the administration targeting and killing people in the Caribbean without due process.
November 30, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Hoo boy
Whole buncha folks about to have to face a choice between complying with a Congressional subpoena and getting fired because pete's mad at them
Also if anything is a "start the clock" moment on pete's tenure coming to an end, it's this
Whole buncha folks about to have to face a choice between complying with a Congressional subpoena and getting fired because pete's mad at them
Also if anything is a "start the clock" moment on pete's tenure coming to an end, it's this
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
The house and senate have both expressed interest in investigating the strike on survivors of the first boat strike.
Both Hegseth and adm Bradley will need to answer some questions.
This is why a reminder to not follow illegal orders is important
Both Hegseth and adm Bradley will need to answer some questions.
This is why a reminder to not follow illegal orders is important
November 30, 2025 at 3:57 AM
The house and senate have both expressed interest in investigating the strike on survivors of the first boat strike.
Both Hegseth and adm Bradley will need to answer some questions.
This is why a reminder to not follow illegal orders is important
Both Hegseth and adm Bradley will need to answer some questions.
This is why a reminder to not follow illegal orders is important
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
A significant part of recovering from Trump 2.0 is going to be prosecuting its lawbreaking and the non-administration officials who aided it.
I'm not a lawyer but the 'Conspiracy against rights' statute (18USC241) seems like it could be a vehicle for pursuing non-state actors in this regard.
I'm not a lawyer but the 'Conspiracy against rights' statute (18USC241) seems like it could be a vehicle for pursuing non-state actors in this regard.
November 28, 2025 at 6:12 PM
A significant part of recovering from Trump 2.0 is going to be prosecuting its lawbreaking and the non-administration officials who aided it.
I'm not a lawyer but the 'Conspiracy against rights' statute (18USC241) seems like it could be a vehicle for pursuing non-state actors in this regard.
I'm not a lawyer but the 'Conspiracy against rights' statute (18USC241) seems like it could be a vehicle for pursuing non-state actors in this regard.
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
They believe that Trump will use the formal powers of the government and whatever informal powers he may have to extract costs from them if they do not play ball and they equally believe that the anti-Trump coalition will not extract these costs.
So we need to extract those costs.
So we need to extract those costs.
given how unpopular Trump is, it’s insane that civil society/universities/law firms are still asking themselves “how do I stay on Trump’s good side” rather than “how do I avoid facing consequences for complying with Trump’s illegal demands”
New Gallup poll shows Trump's approval hit a new low for his second term:
-36% approve
-60% disapprove
His approval among Republicans went from 91% in January to 84% in November
news.gallup.com/poll/699221/...
-36% approve
-60% disapprove
His approval among Republicans went from 91% in January to 84% in November
news.gallup.com/poll/699221/...
November 28, 2025 at 6:09 PM
They believe that Trump will use the formal powers of the government and whatever informal powers he may have to extract costs from them if they do not play ball and they equally believe that the anti-Trump coalition will not extract these costs.
So we need to extract those costs.
So we need to extract those costs.
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
How low we have sunk as a country. The US Department of Defense is now run by a rabid war criminal.
Ordering the execution of helpless survivors of an attack is ALWAYS a war crime, whether they civilian or military.
Pure, mindless, barbarism.
www.thedailybeast.com/pentagon-pet...
Ordering the execution of helpless survivors of an attack is ALWAYS a war crime, whether they civilian or military.
Pure, mindless, barbarism.
www.thedailybeast.com/pentagon-pet...
Pentagon Pete in Legal Peril Over ‘Kill Them All’ Orders
A follow-up missile allegedly killed survivors of a U.S. strike on a drug boat.
www.thedailybeast.com
November 29, 2025 at 6:06 AM
How low we have sunk as a country. The US Department of Defense is now run by a rabid war criminal.
Ordering the execution of helpless survivors of an attack is ALWAYS a war crime, whether they civilian or military.
Pure, mindless, barbarism.
www.thedailybeast.com/pentagon-pet...
Ordering the execution of helpless survivors of an attack is ALWAYS a war crime, whether they civilian or military.
Pure, mindless, barbarism.
www.thedailybeast.com/pentagon-pet...
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
this is just gutter racism
Stephen Miller is now arguing that assimilation is fundamentally impossible and that certain cultures are not compatible with Western civilization
November 28, 2025 at 12:59 PM
this is just gutter racism
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
A reminder for those who are not aware: "remigration" is the process of deporting all non-white people from a country. It includes citizens and is, by definition, ethnic cleansing.
And to be clear: this is not fake. I just screenshot it myself.
And to be clear: this is not fake. I just screenshot it myself.
November 28, 2025 at 6:12 PM
A reminder for those who are not aware: "remigration" is the process of deporting all non-white people from a country. It includes citizens and is, by definition, ethnic cleansing.
And to be clear: this is not fake. I just screenshot it myself.
And to be clear: this is not fake. I just screenshot it myself.
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
How could I see this as anything other than a direct threat to my foreign-born wife and children?
November 29, 2025 at 3:18 AM
How could I see this as anything other than a direct threat to my foreign-born wife and children?
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
You have to ask, why was Witkoff chosen for this critically important role of special envoy to Putin? He had no diplomatic or foreign policy experience. No education on those subjects. So of all people, why him? I think what we all surmised is clear - Putin wanted Witkoff.
November 25, 2025 at 9:58 PM
You have to ask, why was Witkoff chosen for this critically important role of special envoy to Putin? He had no diplomatic or foreign policy experience. No education on those subjects. So of all people, why him? I think what we all surmised is clear - Putin wanted Witkoff.
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
Great urgency in reviewing Epstein files. Then silence for three months. Then the July 6 “nothing to see here” memo.
Wonder what they found that led to panicked silence then attempted cover up?
Wonder what they found that led to panicked silence then attempted cover up?
The docs also reveal the number of hours the FBI devoted to the project, which required some agents to work nights and weekends. The FBI paid personnel $851,344 in overtime for working on the Epstein files between March 17 and March 22.
November 25, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Great urgency in reviewing Epstein files. Then silence for three months. Then the July 6 “nothing to see here” memo.
Wonder what they found that led to panicked silence then attempted cover up?
Wonder what they found that led to panicked silence then attempted cover up?
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
CDC has overhauled its website to assert that “the claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim”
November 20, 2025 at 2:26 AM
CDC has overhauled its website to assert that “the claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim”
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
"A Chinese immigrant was found dead in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention, with his hands and feet tied behind him, an attorney has alleged."
www.newsweek.com/ice-detainee...
www.newsweek.com/ice-detainee...
Man detained by ICE found dead, hanging with hands and feet tied—attorney
The Chinese national died in Pennsylvania in August, but his family's requests for answers from DHS have gone unmet.
www.newsweek.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:15 AM
"A Chinese immigrant was found dead in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention, with his hands and feet tied behind him, an attorney has alleged."
www.newsweek.com/ice-detainee...
www.newsweek.com/ice-detainee...
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
We’re asking a lot these questions these days.
Like, could the president really just order the DOJ to pay him $230 million? Can he really just execute private citizens of other countries on a whim? Can he just abduct people off the street and send them to a foreign torture prison?
Like, could the president really just order the DOJ to pay him $230 million? Can he really just execute private citizens of other countries on a whim? Can he just abduct people off the street and send them to a foreign torture prison?
It's all uncharted territory. I did a little digging when I was working on a piece for Lawfare and couldn't find any case where a federal court initiated contempt proceedings against a judge for pre-appointment conduct.
November 19, 2025 at 9:58 PM
We’re asking a lot these questions these days.
Like, could the president really just order the DOJ to pay him $230 million? Can he really just execute private citizens of other countries on a whim? Can he just abduct people off the street and send them to a foreign torture prison?
Like, could the president really just order the DOJ to pay him $230 million? Can he really just execute private citizens of other countries on a whim? Can he just abduct people off the street and send them to a foreign torture prison?
Reposted by Who Needs a Handle
I think the key things here are that it wasn't a secret, and that the tolerated norm of powerful men trading access to 18-24 year old women very easily slid into them trading access to children.
to me the truly disturbing thing about all the epstein shit is not so much who it comes out was part of it. it's that it is essentially something that shouldn't, conventional (among progressives too!) wisdom suggested, have been possible: an actual secret paedophile ring of the rich and powerful
November 19, 2025 at 10:29 PM
I think the key things here are that it wasn't a secret, and that the tolerated norm of powerful men trading access to 18-24 year old women very easily slid into them trading access to children.