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jonahbenton.bsky.social
@jonahbenton.bsky.social
NYC, PTA Dad, software guy. The wrong people are suffering.
Reposted
NEW: Epstein survivors release the most powerful PSA I have ever seen.

Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
November 16, 2025 at 11:43 PM
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My question is who is doing all the Epsteining for these powerful wealthy men now?
November 16, 2025 at 1:59 PM
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a big runoff last night, in New Orleans:

Calvin Duncan was exonerated after spending *28 years* in prison; he tried to get his own case records from the New Orleans city clerk—but the office dragged its feet.

So Duncan ran to become city clerk himself, and yesterday ousted the incumbent.
Calvin Duncan wins Orleans clerk of court race - Verite News New Orleans
Duncan, a political newcomer and former prisoner, defeated incumbent Darren Lombard by a wide margin in Saturday's runoff.
veritenews.org
November 16, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Solid competitor for the Pulitzer with the spacey meme Trump
Oh wow @reuters.com got the photo here:
November 14, 2025 at 9:31 PM
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Given what we’ve seen on America’s streets, it’s worth repeating what the court says here:

Needlessly pointing a firearm at someone can violate the Fourth Amendment, even if the officer never pulls the trigger.
Fourth Circuit publishes an opinion to make a point that otherwise would go unseen.
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/...
November 14, 2025 at 12:04 AM
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I think it's the "saving up for braces" part of this story that adds a whole new level of ick. Like... that's a kid, man
The 17 year old who had sex for money with Trump’s first nominee for Attorney General was in and out of a homeless shelter, working at McDonalds. and trying to save up for braces. (Gift link).
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
In Matt Gaetz Scandal, Circumstances Left Teen Vulnerable to Exploitation
www.nytimes.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:50 PM
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The new batch of Epstein emails makes me ponder the folks deeply outraged by trans people who want to do sports because they think it harms women. Decades of hard proof that cis men who abuse their power to harm women in the worst ways are the actual threat can alter this counterfactual obsession.
November 13, 2025 at 1:02 PM
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For $7000, you could buy season tickets for you and over a dozen of your closest friends to any NWSL club’s supporters section.
Another price increase for the 2026 World Cup…

Sensing strong demand, FIFA raised the cost of many tickets to record-setting heights — the first large-scale implementation of its “variable pricing” strategy.

Details from @henrybushnell.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/679...
November 13, 2025 at 1:28 AM
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So, uh, the Jed Rubenfeld referenced here was disciplined by Yale Law for sexually harassing students. He's married to Amy Chua who among other things took to the pages of the NYT to defend Kavanaugh when he was under fire for sexually harassment. Ken Starr, well we know. This is just incredible.
Ken Starr signed an email to Jeffery Epstein with "hugs"
November 13, 2025 at 1:03 AM
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I am hiring 4 postdoctoral researchers for up to 4 years each. Topics include ice sheet reconstruction, GIA, spatial stats, and satellite geodesy. Based in Tasmania.

All details are here: careers.utas.edu.au/en/listing/ with titles below

I am also recruiting multiple PhD students (see below)

1/n
Current Vacancies
careers.utas.edu.au
November 13, 2025 at 3:04 AM
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Today is a good day to remember, and to say, that the #MeToo movement was right, and was righteous, and has been vindicated over and over again. There was no overreach. There was no excess. There was no they-went-too-far.

So much work remains to be done.
November 12, 2025 at 11:16 PM
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In the US, if someone wants to quit a job to pursue a career in the arts, that means forgoing health insurance. A few have other options, some take the risk, others can’t even consider it. They claimed I was so lucky to be born here. Greatest country in the world they said.
November 13, 2025 at 12:43 AM
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C R Y I N G this is so perfect lmao

x: www.instagram.com/reel/DQ7cPSf...
November 12, 2025 at 3:29 AM
The ability to end flows into Treasury is a war time tool.

This is an invasion, war has been declared by the invaders, time to act.
Soft secession

Legislation creates a Federal Tax Escrow Account in the state treasury. Instead of employers forwarding collected federal taxes to Washington, they send them to the state. The state holds the money in escrow. A legislative panel reviews federal spending for constitutional compliance.
Experts Say Blue States Can Stop Paying Federal Taxes. There’s Precedent
If we could use nullification for people to get high, why can’t we use it to protect human rights and stop fascism?
medium.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Excellent piece.

1. No filibuster
2. Supreme Court reform
3. Add new States
4. Codify Presidential authority
5. Outlaw extreme gerrymandering

What else?

talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/the-s...
The Status Interview – Or How To Write Up a Senate Purge List
Over the last couple days I’ve argued both that the denouement of...
talkingpointsmemo.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Yeah, buy this. There are different camps of non fighters. One of them caved early. The various fictions- that there was a fighting caucus, that there was even a caucus- are now dissolved.

That our system lets lame ducks run out the clock after confidence has been lost is a bug and should be fixed.
I took a few moments this morning to write about why this shutdown deal sucks — how caving to GOP cruelty again is maddening. But also how it feels like the final gasp of an older Democratic Party that never really knew how to fight.

endlessurgency.com/p/this-shutd...
This Shutdown Deal Sucks
It's not all bad news, though.
endlessurgency.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:26 PM
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I received this email about Democrats caving to end the shutdown from one of the SNAP recipients I spoke to:
November 10, 2025 at 2:17 PM
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Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.

He is a computer safety researcher.

And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.

In under 1600 words.

aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
November 9, 2025 at 8:49 PM
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i think this is key. taking the deal would amount to taking the blame. it would turn a clear political victory into an unambiguous defeat.
If the Dems blink after all of this, for a deal that all but ensures no ACA subsidies in 2026 anyway, then what was the purpose of letting the shutdown go for 40 days in the first place?
November 10, 2025 at 12:56 AM
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The only way I would ever support a short term funding bill is if Adelita Grijalva is immediately sworn in first thing tomorrow morning, SNAP is fully funded, federal workers get back pay, and a vote is passed to release the Epstein files before January. Otherwise…No.
November 9, 2025 at 11:53 PM
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I want Brad Lander to announce TOMORROW.

Or AOC for that matter.

Just imagine how much money they will raise to primary this motherfucker.
November 10, 2025 at 1:17 AM
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So Democrats get:

1. A CR that will prevent the GOP from facing the wrath of Americans for a shutdown over the holidays

2. A coupon for one (1) meaningless ACA vote that will fail

3. An end to the illegal RIF/SNAP moves that are already before the courts

Those all seem like wins for the GOP.
November 10, 2025 at 12:08 AM
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Government is shut down. Chaos in airports. 42 million going hungry. 24 million face skyrocketing healthcare costs. Economy in turmoil. And the president of the United States is in the Fox broadcast booth calling plays for a football game.
November 9, 2025 at 11:28 PM
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Please see yourself out, @schumer.senate.gov.
November 10, 2025 at 2:02 AM