Nick Nelson
malthol.bsky.social
Nick Nelson
@malthol.bsky.social
Historian, gamer, dad
Reposted by Nick Nelson
Talarico speaking on Rogan: I'm a Christian, and I think there is no more dangerous form of government than theocracy—because the only thing worse than a tyrant is a tyrant who thinks they’re on a mission from God.
July 18, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Important thread
My take on the NARA2 restrictions from someone who did records service at NARA1 for 6 years: the public facing staff probably heard only what the public was told at the same time or 5 minutes before the notice went up. NARA staff work very hard and deal with a lot of entitled folks every day. 1/?
June 24, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Texas House Republicans poised to scale back legislation that targets state’s universities www.texastribune.org/2025/05/06/t... via @texastribune.org
Texas House Republicans poised to scale back legislation that targets state’s universities
A House amendment would strip the bill of several controversial provisions, including one that sought to stretch the state's ban on diversity, equity and inclusion.
www.texastribune.org
May 6, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Trying to control information is both anti-1st Amendment & and authoritarian move.
apnews.com/article/trum...
May 2, 2025 at 12:19 PM
I have made it home safely from the IAAS comference. It was a very good meeting.
April 28, 2025 at 12:44 AM
In the midst of all this bullshit *waves arms around at all the news*, I am finding hope and kindness in individual persons.
April 4, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Reposted by Nick Nelson
I can't believe Big Balls, the Douche and Tommy Tuna could make a mistake like this, given their combined year of work experience.
DOGE’s federal property sell-off has accidentally revealed a CIA black site in Northern Virginia, according to Bloomberg.
March 6, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Reposted by Nick Nelson
KEILAR: So you endorse the cuts to key support staff on the veteran hotline?

BANKS: There have not been cuts to key support staff at the VA

KEILER: Sir, there have. It's easy to find.

BANKS: The VA is gonna work more efficiently

KEILAR: Senator, that's just not true
March 6, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Good thread
In 1961, the National Review, that bastion of "reasonable conservatism" published a pamphlet by L. Brent Bozell (WFBuckley's bro-in-law) making the menacing argument that Chief Justice Earl Warren deserved a punishment greater than censure or impeachment because he'd "made war against public order."
March 6, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Reposted by Nick Nelson
you’re fired. wait you’re rehired. email us a list of things you’ve done today wait forget it you’re fired again. come back your job was important. you’re fired. or hired. come in to the office. wait the office has no computers go home. we are the department of government efficiency.
March 5, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Thread worth reading.
JUST IN: A trove of emails posted tonight in court reveal the utter chaos unleashed at the CFPB after Acting Director Russ Vought ordered a total work stoppage on Feb. 10. Mass cancelation of contracts soon followed.
March 5, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Reposted by Nick Nelson
Swalwell: The stock market is crashing, and prices are rising. This guy has gone to the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, and a UFC fight. He should go to the fucking supermarket and see what people are spending to feed themselves
March 4, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Reposted by Nick Nelson
I can't tell if this is an ethics test or an intelligence test, but the US is failing either way. 🙃
March 5, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Reposted by Nick Nelson
We’ve had several kinds of vice presidents — ass kissers and attack dogs, ambitious strivers and marginalized nobodies, blowhards and tryhards — but Vance somehow combines the worst traits of all.

He’s basically Veep Voltron.
March 4, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Reposted by Nick Nelson
It’s nice how they’ve replicated the middle school dynamic of the insecure bully and his sniveling sidekick picking on someone surrounded by a circle of scared little boys who also try to talk shit so the bully doesn’t come after them.

Or as the right calls it, “masculinity.”
GLENN: Why don't you wear a suit? You're at the highest level in this country's office & you refuse to wear a suit. A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting the office.

ZELENSKYY: I will wear a costume after this war will finish. Maybe something like yours. Maybe something better.
February 28, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Reposted by Nick Nelson
Could not agree more. The Prez & VP are shameful, embarrassing Putin puppets & a disgrace to our country. 🤮

#SlavaUkraine 🇺🇦
February 28, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Reposted by Nick Nelson
GLENN: Why don't you wear a suit? You're at the highest level in this country's office & you refuse to wear a suit. A lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting the office.

ZELENSKYY: I will wear a costume after this war will finish. Maybe something like yours. Maybe something better.
February 28, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Reposted by Nick Nelson
Many Medicaid recipients do not know they receive it because Medicaid is called different things in different states. The public narrative of Medicaid focuses on a distant other, but 40% of US children and 60% of nursing home residents receive Medicaid. Just SOME of the names by state are below:
February 27, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Reposted by Nick Nelson
If this goes into effect, it will crush higher ed in the U.S.: mass layoffs, slashed services, and even higher tuitions. When coupled with the government firings, it will cause a sharp recession just as the Republicans slash nutritional and medical support for the poor.

And that’s the point.
I completely missed that Republicans introduced a bill to increase the endowment tax from 1.4% to 21%. If passed, Harvard would go from paying ~$35m to $525m/yr in federal taxes (that’s 8.2% of its current operating expenses)
February 26, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Reposted by Nick Nelson
Watch this. Share this. Demand more reporting like this.
“You’re terminated because…?”

Fired federal employees are telling their stories—no deep state, just career public servants tossed aside.

DOGE’s mass firings aren’t about efficiency—they’re gutting expertise, wrecking lives, and calling it “reform.”
February 26, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Reposted by Nick Nelson
After playing a fictional member of the Resistance a long time ago, I never could have imagined it ever happening in real life, but here we are.
Mark Hamill posting rebellious content in a battle against a dictator and his robotic sidekick is the most Star Wars shit ever.
February 24, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Reposted by Nick Nelson
Hey, when random guys with no badges and no authority try to grab a protester and drag her away, that's when you put down the phone, get out of your seat, and fucking help her.
During a GOP town hall at Coeur d'Alene High School, Teresa Borrenpohl called out, “Is this a lecture or a town hall?” Witnesses said three unidentified men, who were not wearing badges or ID, then physically removed from her seat by order of the Idaho county sheriff.
February 24, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Reposted by Nick Nelson
The CFPB has returned $21 billion to 205 million consumers who were scammed at the hands of predatory banks. You can root out waste, fraud, and abuse... or you can eliminate the CFPB. But you can't do both.
February 11, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Go read this thread!
Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania has indirect rate of 70%, but they probably didn’t want to list that atop Harvard because defunding a children’s hospital might be perceived as problematic.

This is devastating
These overhead rates are negotiated. Lowering it unilaterally to 15% is another way to destroy science in the US. Can’t wait to see what’s next.
February 8, 2025 at 4:07 AM