Patrick Finnegan
@pfinns.bsky.social
Writer, editor, and consultant focusing on human rights, history, politics/policy, and the arts. Part-time musician. Talks to cats and sometimes people. Also digs comedy. Posts & opinions my own.
Pinned
Patrick Finnegan
@pfinns.bsky.social
· Aug 25
Resistance to the Trump regime needs to ramp up in frequency, intensity, and impact or we all lose. We are seeing mass capitulation on the part of corporations and other institutions nationwide because they haven't seen resistance as a viable threat to the consolidating right-wing dictatorship. 🧵
Reposted by Patrick Finnegan
The President pardoned members of his private militia after they failed to overturn an election; they, in turn, pledge their support to him and urge him to use them to police civil society.
New:
On The Gateway Pundit's podcast yesterday, Stewart Rhodes announced he's relaunching the Oath Keepers
He also urged Trump to “call us up as a militia" & "order us all to come together in our counties under his command."
www.mediamatters.org/oath-keepers...
On The Gateway Pundit's podcast yesterday, Stewart Rhodes announced he's relaunching the Oath Keepers
He also urged Trump to “call us up as a militia" & "order us all to come together in our counties under his command."
www.mediamatters.org/oath-keepers...
![STEWART RHODES (FOUNDER, OATH KEEPERS): And one other thing I want to say is that President Trump, as commander in chief, always has absolute authority to call all of us up as the militia because every one of us — in federal statues defining the militia, it's every able-bodied male from age 17-45. And for us veterans, it goes up to age 64 because of our prior training and experience.
Right now, under federal statutes, President Trump can call us up as the militia if he sees it necessary, especially for three purposes: to repel invasions, to suppress insurrections, and to execute the laws of the union. And right now, we see all three of those in play.
...
And the militia is all of us. So the National Guard is part of the militia, which is why it's completely lawful for him to use the National Guard as he has, and he should do more of that, I think, across the country.
...
He could just say given the circumstances of an invasion, insurrection, and resistance against federal law being being enforced, I'm calling up the militia, ordering all the men to come together [in] every county, put the veterans in charge of training and organizing all the other men and just have them stand too and await his orders. He can do that and I think he should do that. And so that's what I'll be advocating for from him. So from the bottom, from down the rank and file, we can let President Trump know that we're ready to serve, encourage him to do that, call us up as a militia, order us all to come together in our counties under his command, which gives you complete legal sanction to do what you're doing.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:af7tqcetuyt352aolf3znlxe/bafkreialm4skuozqobejpd6vx4m6kuwsgtidxmmxvj3ftcff6otiuyohiy@jpeg)
November 10, 2025 at 5:17 PM
The President pardoned members of his private militia after they failed to overturn an election; they, in turn, pledge their support to him and urge him to use them to police civil society.
This is a smart column by @mjtoma.bsky.social at the New Republic. Even if Senate Dems have reasonable arguments, the timing is bad. Also they didn't try to message much on _why_ to make a deal. They did it behind closed doors on a Sunday night. It just looks like cowardice and naiveté.
November 10, 2025 at 4:44 PM
This is a smart column by @mjtoma.bsky.social at the New Republic. Even if Senate Dems have reasonable arguments, the timing is bad. Also they didn't try to message much on _why_ to make a deal. They did it behind closed doors on a Sunday night. It just looks like cowardice and naiveté.
Reposted by Patrick Finnegan
but the caucus folded at the culmination of months of every democrat promising americans you would fight for their subsidies. but a day after air traffic problems become a massive news story, y’all folded? of course we’re angry. you lied to us.
Democrats have been fighting for months to address America's healthcare crisis
For the millions who will lose coverage
For people with cancer who won't get the care they need
For working families who can't afford to pay $25K more a year for healthcare
We will keep fighting
For the millions who will lose coverage
For people with cancer who won't get the care they need
For working families who can't afford to pay $25K more a year for healthcare
We will keep fighting
November 10, 2025 at 4:38 AM
but the caucus folded at the culmination of months of every democrat promising americans you would fight for their subsidies. but a day after air traffic problems become a massive news story, y’all folded? of course we’re angry. you lied to us.
Reposted by Patrick Finnegan
If outside moderate factionalists really want to disclaim this outcome, they should seize the whip hand in demanding accountability. Immediate new leadership elections, mid-session resignation for all Dem capitulators who would be replaced by Dem governors. www.offmessage.net/p/16-thought...
16 Thoughts On The Dem Shutdown Cave
Another disgrace, and a new path forward.
www.offmessage.net
November 10, 2025 at 4:04 AM
If outside moderate factionalists really want to disclaim this outcome, they should seize the whip hand in demanding accountability. Immediate new leadership elections, mid-session resignation for all Dem capitulators who would be replaced by Dem governors. www.offmessage.net/p/16-thought...
Reposted by Patrick Finnegan
👇🎯 Unfortunately, this is true & probably the only way. Voters need to realize that hating government, & illegally defunding & dismantling it, & pretending that we can run a modern society/economy on Ronald Reagan's shabby talking point & worn copies of Atlas Shrugged & Mein Kampf is untenable.
Democrats have to stop bailing out Republicans from facing the consequences of their own policies. And yeah, that means they have to stop sparing voters from experiencing what GOP government truly means.
Every time Dems step in, it only emboldens the GOP & they make it even worse the next time.
Every time Dems step in, it only emboldens the GOP & they make it even worse the next time.
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.
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 12:35 AM
👇🎯 Unfortunately, this is true & probably the only way. Voters need to realize that hating government, & illegally defunding & dismantling it, & pretending that we can run a modern society/economy on Ronald Reagan's shabby talking point & worn copies of Atlas Shrugged & Mein Kampf is untenable.
👇👇‼️
there is nothing “moderate” about siding with MAGA to impose crushing health insurance price hikes on tens of millions.
The Senate voted to advance a GOP bill to reopen the government after a bloc of moderate Dems dropped their party’s health care demands
November 10, 2025 at 4:23 AM
👇👇‼️
👇👇
These 8 Senators sold us out to Trump:
Hassan
King
Cortez-Masto
Shaheen
Kaine
Fetterman
Durbin
Rosen
Understand This Fact: Chuck Schumer is behind this. None of these 8 are up for reelection in 2026. Schumer asked them vote yes—they agreed. He's such a coward that he folded and won't even own it.
Hassan
King
Cortez-Masto
Shaheen
Kaine
Fetterman
Durbin
Rosen
Understand This Fact: Chuck Schumer is behind this. None of these 8 are up for reelection in 2026. Schumer asked them vote yes—they agreed. He's such a coward that he folded and won't even own it.
November 10, 2025 at 4:20 AM
👇👇
Reposted by Patrick Finnegan
Any deal that counts on GOP being good faith partners in governance misunderstands the modern Republican Party. Idiotic and out of touch!
November 10, 2025 at 2:39 AM
Any deal that counts on GOP being good faith partners in governance misunderstands the modern Republican Party. Idiotic and out of touch!
👇👇
2/2
You think Dem voters would have turned out in the numbers, and with the enthusiasm, they did JUST FIVE DAYS AGO if they thought the party was going cave like this? Jesus
You think Dem voters would have turned out in the numbers, and with the enthusiasm, they did JUST FIVE DAYS AGO if they thought the party was going cave like this? Jesus
November 10, 2025 at 2:47 AM
👇👇
THIS. 👇👇
The coordinated nature of this—none are facing voters in 2026—means that either Schumer approved it or failed in his job as Senate Majority Leader to stop it.
Dems voting "no" get zero credit until they demand a change in leadership. Schumer out as Leader, Durbin out as Whip.
Dems voting "no" get zero credit until they demand a change in leadership. Schumer out as Leader, Durbin out as Whip.
so currently defectors are:
Kaine (2030)
Shaheen (Retiring)
Hasan (2028)
Fetterman (2028)
Durbin (Retiring)
CCM (2028)
Rosen (2030)
King (2030)
Kaine (2030)
Shaheen (Retiring)
Hasan (2028)
Fetterman (2028)
Durbin (Retiring)
CCM (2028)
Rosen (2030)
King (2030)
November 10, 2025 at 2:46 AM
THIS. 👇👇
Democrats: always up for turning victory into ignominious defeat and failure! 😃🤦♂️🤬.
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 2:45 AM
Democrats: always up for turning victory into ignominious defeat and failure! 😃🤦♂️🤬.
We should all refuse to donate any more money to any Dem candidates for Senate until Democratic leadership resigns. Schumer et al. must go.
Important to understand this. There's a reasonable chance that your Dem Senator who voted against it and is acting mad now was in on the play. It's the same reason why they scheduled the surrender for AFTER the election this week. They didn't want people pissed at Dems right before an election.
The caucus meeting was just to orchestrate who would fall on the sword but not be up for a vote in 2026.
November 10, 2025 at 2:37 AM
We should all refuse to donate any more money to any Dem candidates for Senate until Democratic leadership resigns. Schumer et al. must go.
👇👇‼️
I will not support a deal that does nothing to make health care more affordable.
We are in a health care emergency. A simple one-year extension of these tax credits would cost less than Donald Trump’s $40 billion bailout for Argentina.
A vote for this bill is a mistake.
We are in a health care emergency. A simple one-year extension of these tax credits would cost less than Donald Trump’s $40 billion bailout for Argentina.
A vote for this bill is a mistake.
November 10, 2025 at 2:35 AM
👇👇‼️
Reposted by Patrick Finnegan
"This deal guarantees that we can lose AGAIN in a couple months. Not just now. We can keep losing every month or so! And for that reason, I have to vote for it"
November 10, 2025 at 2:21 AM
"This deal guarantees that we can lose AGAIN in a couple months. Not just now. We can keep losing every month or so! And for that reason, I have to vote for it"
This would be an unforced political suicide on the part of Dems if they do it, as well as a betrayal of the people for whom they claim to have shut down the government to defend; GOP and Trump cannot be trusted to honor their word on a later vote. Dem Leadership is so out of touch.
The proposal is “not a deal," says Democratic U.S. House Rep. Ritchie Torres.
"It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.”
buff.ly/9aW3zLz
"It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.”
buff.ly/9aW3zLz
Democrats Consider GOP Deal to Reopen Government, With Promise of Later Vote on ACA Subsidies
Democrats are considering a Republican offer to reopen the government with a promise of a later vote on extending ACA health-care tax credits.
buff.ly
November 9, 2025 at 11:59 PM
This would be an unforced political suicide on the part of Dems if they do it, as well as a betrayal of the people for whom they claim to have shut down the government to defend; GOP and Trump cannot be trusted to honor their word on a later vote. Dem Leadership is so out of touch.
Reposted by Patrick Finnegan
The president is desperate to make sure Americans go hungry.
Seems like a pretty big news story? Especially as he's throwing massive parties for himself and building a giant golden ballroom?
If the media or Democrats are looking for a "kitchen table" issue, this seems like a *pretty* good fit
Seems like a pretty big news story? Especially as he's throwing massive parties for himself and building a giant golden ballroom?
If the media or Democrats are looking for a "kitchen table" issue, this seems like a *pretty* good fit
Donald Trump has asked his employees on the Supreme Court to overrule lower court orders demanding that he fulfill his duties to feed Americans who are due SNAP benefits
AND
He's demanding that states which just rushed to fill the vacuum created by his cruelty "undo" that work.
AND
He's demanding that states which just rushed to fill the vacuum created by his cruelty "undo" that work.
NEW: The Trump admin told states it must immediately "undo" the work to provide full food stamp benefits, or face penalties. The feds sent this in a late-night memo, only adding to the chaos and confusion around SNAP. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/09/b...
November 9, 2025 at 3:27 PM
The president is desperate to make sure Americans go hungry.
Seems like a pretty big news story? Especially as he's throwing massive parties for himself and building a giant golden ballroom?
If the media or Democrats are looking for a "kitchen table" issue, this seems like a *pretty* good fit
Seems like a pretty big news story? Especially as he's throwing massive parties for himself and building a giant golden ballroom?
If the media or Democrats are looking for a "kitchen table" issue, this seems like a *pretty* good fit
Reposted by Patrick Finnegan
'Feed the hungry' is one of the basic, fundamental, direct-order-from-Jesus, tenets of being a Christian, and it's not 'feed the hungry when it's politically expedient to do so or advances your wider agenda'.
You'd think the party full of people claiming to be guided by their faith would be on this
You'd think the party full of people claiming to be guided by their faith would be on this
Donald Trump has asked his employees on the Supreme Court to overrule lower court orders demanding that he fulfill his duties to feed Americans who are due SNAP benefits
AND
He's demanding that states which just rushed to fill the vacuum created by his cruelty "undo" that work.
AND
He's demanding that states which just rushed to fill the vacuum created by his cruelty "undo" that work.
NEW: The Trump admin told states it must immediately "undo" the work to provide full food stamp benefits, or face penalties. The feds sent this in a late-night memo, only adding to the chaos and confusion around SNAP. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/09/b...
November 9, 2025 at 3:27 PM
'Feed the hungry' is one of the basic, fundamental, direct-order-from-Jesus, tenets of being a Christian, and it's not 'feed the hungry when it's politically expedient to do so or advances your wider agenda'.
You'd think the party full of people claiming to be guided by their faith would be on this
You'd think the party full of people claiming to be guided by their faith would be on this
Don't jump on the false choices train. It's not "either/or," it's "yes and...."
Per @gregsargent.bsky.social
newrepublic.com/article/2027...
Per @gregsargent.bsky.social
newrepublic.com/article/2027...
November 6, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Don't jump on the false choices train. It's not "either/or," it's "yes and...."
Per @gregsargent.bsky.social
newrepublic.com/article/2027...
Per @gregsargent.bsky.social
newrepublic.com/article/2027...
This is a good point about the double standards applied to Democrats over Republicans by so many media outlets (not just the right-wing propaganda outfits).
Though the Republicans got shellacked, they are not being asked to rethink their future. It’s the Dems who must settle a “civil war over the best way to move forward after its crushing losses in 2024.” Do they choose to moderate Dems or “leftwing” Dems? It sounds reasonable. It’s not. It’s phony.
November 5, 2025 at 11:05 PM
This is a good point about the double standards applied to Democrats over Republicans by so many media outlets (not just the right-wing propaganda outfits).
November 5, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Reposted by Patrick Finnegan
Along with everything else, Trump admitting the shutdown led to a bloodbath for Republicans should at an absolute minimum lead Dem Senators to shelve their apparent plan to prematurely cave. He's admitting he and the GOP are in a weak position, Dems. Exploit that!
Trump to Republican senators: "I thought we'd have a discussion after the press leaves about what last night represented and what we should do about it and also about the shutdown and how that relates to last night. If you read the pollsters, the shutdown was a big factor, negative for Republicans."
November 5, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Along with everything else, Trump admitting the shutdown led to a bloodbath for Republicans should at an absolute minimum lead Dem Senators to shelve their apparent plan to prematurely cave. He's admitting he and the GOP are in a weak position, Dems. Exploit that!
Dems outperformed polls last night, as GOP has in recent years.
I think the problem is polling, y'all. It's busted. Take any single poll with a big ol' block of salt. I'd even venture to give aggregate polling the raised eyebrow... 🤨
I think the problem is polling, y'all. It's busted. Take any single poll with a big ol' block of salt. I'd even venture to give aggregate polling the raised eyebrow... 🤨
November 5, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Dems outperformed polls last night, as GOP has in recent years.
I think the problem is polling, y'all. It's busted. Take any single poll with a big ol' block of salt. I'd even venture to give aggregate polling the raised eyebrow... 🤨
I think the problem is polling, y'all. It's busted. Take any single poll with a big ol' block of salt. I'd even venture to give aggregate polling the raised eyebrow... 🤨
November 5, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Interesting analysis of why Mamdani continues to do well despite Democratic leaderships attacks on him. Democrats desperately need new leadership.
newrepublic.com/article/2025...
newrepublic.com/article/2025...
November 3, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Interesting analysis of why Mamdani continues to do well despite Democratic leaderships attacks on him. Democrats desperately need new leadership.
newrepublic.com/article/2025...
newrepublic.com/article/2025...