Rkthecynic
@rkthecynic.bsky.social
Disappointed idealist. Turns out living in interesting times really sucks.
Reposted by Rkthecynic
The photos in this Chicago Tribune piece… It's a quiet middle-class inner suburb, but these guys look like they're in Fallujah circa 2006.
The uniforms indicate Border Patrol and its BORTAC "special operations" unit.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/31/c...
The uniforms indicate Border Patrol and its BORTAC "special operations" unit.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/31/c...
November 3, 2025 at 6:31 PM
The photos in this Chicago Tribune piece… It's a quiet middle-class inner suburb, but these guys look like they're in Fallujah circa 2006.
The uniforms indicate Border Patrol and its BORTAC "special operations" unit.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/31/c...
The uniforms indicate Border Patrol and its BORTAC "special operations" unit.
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/31/c...
Reposted by Rkthecynic
September 22, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Reposted by Rkthecynic
No one is covering the threats to our democracy like the 20-person team at Democracy Docket. No venture capital, no corporate overloads, no compromises. Just pro-democracy news, information and analysis.
Help support their efforts to hold power to account and keep you informed. hubs.ly/Q03jcjqP0
Help support their efforts to hold power to account and keep you informed. hubs.ly/Q03jcjqP0
September 14, 2025 at 10:41 PM
No one is covering the threats to our democracy like the 20-person team at Democracy Docket. No venture capital, no corporate overloads, no compromises. Just pro-democracy news, information and analysis.
Help support their efforts to hold power to account and keep you informed. hubs.ly/Q03jcjqP0
Help support their efforts to hold power to account and keep you informed. hubs.ly/Q03jcjqP0
Reposted by Rkthecynic
Reposted by Rkthecynic
When public media disappears, so do the stories that bring us together.
With federal funding eliminated, millions may lose their last trusted source of news and connection.
If that matters to you, now’s the time to act. Donate: n.pr/458sOhq
With federal funding eliminated, millions may lose their last trusted source of news and connection.
If that matters to you, now’s the time to act. Donate: n.pr/458sOhq
August 3, 2025 at 3:24 PM
When public media disappears, so do the stories that bring us together.
With federal funding eliminated, millions may lose their last trusted source of news and connection.
If that matters to you, now’s the time to act. Donate: n.pr/458sOhq
With federal funding eliminated, millions may lose their last trusted source of news and connection.
If that matters to you, now’s the time to act. Donate: n.pr/458sOhq
Reposted by Rkthecynic
When the courthouse doors open tomorrow, my law firm will be litigating 55 voting and election cases in 24 states. Yes, that is a lot. In advance of 2026, Republicans and their allies are trying to make it harder for you to vote and easier for them to cheat.
July 6, 2025 at 5:37 PM
When the courthouse doors open tomorrow, my law firm will be litigating 55 voting and election cases in 24 states. Yes, that is a lot. In advance of 2026, Republicans and their allies are trying to make it harder for you to vote and easier for them to cheat.
Reposted by Rkthecynic
Reposted by Rkthecynic
The Russia's Future channel, launched by Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya and Reporters Without Borders, began broadcasting Wednesday, on what would have been the late Russian activist's 49th birthday.
A new satellite TV channel allows Alexei Navalny's videos to reach Russian audiences
The Russia's Future channel, launched by Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya and Reporters Without Borders, began broadcasting Wednesday, on what would have been the late Russian activist's 49th birthday.
n.pr
June 7, 2025 at 2:05 AM
The Russia's Future channel, launched by Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya and Reporters Without Borders, began broadcasting Wednesday, on what would have been the late Russian activist's 49th birthday.
Reposted by Rkthecynic
Supreme Court allows DOGE team to access Social Security systems with data on millions of Americans https://trib.al/gPKF6AD
Supreme Court allows DOGE team to access Social Security systems with data on millions of Americans
The Supreme Court handed the Trump administration two victories Friday in cases involving the Department of Government Efficiency, including giving it access to Social Security systems containing p…
trib.al
June 6, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Supreme Court allows DOGE team to access Social Security systems with data on millions of Americans https://trib.al/gPKF6AD
Reposted by Rkthecynic
We’re nonprofit. We’re independent. We only answer to readers like you.
Investigative journalism isn’t free to do, but thanks to 80K+ members, it’s free to read.
As a believer in fearless reporting, take the next step and join us: propub.li/4jxFcf9
Investigative journalism isn’t free to do, but thanks to 80K+ members, it’s free to read.
As a believer in fearless reporting, take the next step and join us: propub.li/4jxFcf9
June 3, 2025 at 3:02 PM
We’re nonprofit. We’re independent. We only answer to readers like you.
Investigative journalism isn’t free to do, but thanks to 80K+ members, it’s free to read.
As a believer in fearless reporting, take the next step and join us: propub.li/4jxFcf9
Investigative journalism isn’t free to do, but thanks to 80K+ members, it’s free to read.
As a believer in fearless reporting, take the next step and join us: propub.li/4jxFcf9
Reposted by Rkthecynic
Half of the United States has been slowly and carefully inculcated by Fox News to believe that the other half of the country is their enemy and out to ruin their lives. Once this was established, it didn't take long for those viewers to value hurting these other Americans over helping themselves.
March 30, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Half of the United States has been slowly and carefully inculcated by Fox News to believe that the other half of the country is their enemy and out to ruin their lives. Once this was established, it didn't take long for those viewers to value hurting these other Americans over helping themselves.
Reposted by Rkthecynic
When the country's top academics who study facism and authoritarianism start leaving the country, you know you're screwed.
March 29, 2025 at 8:30 PM
When the country's top academics who study facism and authoritarianism start leaving the country, you know you're screwed.
Reposted by Rkthecynic
Breathtaking.
A federal prosecutor in LA was fired Friday at the behest of the White House, after lawyers for a fast-food executive he was prosecuting pushed officials in DC to drop all charges against him
White House ordered firing of L.A. federal prosecutor on ex-Fatburger CEO case, sources say
A federal prosecutor in LA was fired Friday at the behest of the White House, after lawyers for a fast-food executive he was prosecuting pushed officials in DC to drop all charges against him
White House ordered firing of L.A. federal prosecutor on ex-Fatburger CEO case, sources say
March 30, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Breathtaking.
A federal prosecutor in LA was fired Friday at the behest of the White House, after lawyers for a fast-food executive he was prosecuting pushed officials in DC to drop all charges against him
White House ordered firing of L.A. federal prosecutor on ex-Fatburger CEO case, sources say
A federal prosecutor in LA was fired Friday at the behest of the White House, after lawyers for a fast-food executive he was prosecuting pushed officials in DC to drop all charges against him
White House ordered firing of L.A. federal prosecutor on ex-Fatburger CEO case, sources say
Reposted by Rkthecynic
Reposted by Rkthecynic
I’m honestly not sure, but if they aren’t, they should be.
Most experts I’ve spoken with don’t believe there was any kind of large scale manipulation that could have changed the outcome, but I think for peace of mind it would be prudent to audit systems in swing states.
Most experts I’ve spoken with don’t believe there was any kind of large scale manipulation that could have changed the outcome, but I think for peace of mind it would be prudent to audit systems in swing states.
March 8, 2025 at 2:16 AM
I’m honestly not sure, but if they aren’t, they should be.
Most experts I’ve spoken with don’t believe there was any kind of large scale manipulation that could have changed the outcome, but I think for peace of mind it would be prudent to audit systems in swing states.
Most experts I’ve spoken with don’t believe there was any kind of large scale manipulation that could have changed the outcome, but I think for peace of mind it would be prudent to audit systems in swing states.
Reposted by Rkthecynic
Not seeing anything on NYT or Washington Post about Trump’s utterly scammy $25 billion (on paper) memecoin windfall
The traditional media is so ill-equipped to cover the broken modern world
The traditional media is so ill-equipped to cover the broken modern world
January 18, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Not seeing anything on NYT or Washington Post about Trump’s utterly scammy $25 billion (on paper) memecoin windfall
The traditional media is so ill-equipped to cover the broken modern world
The traditional media is so ill-equipped to cover the broken modern world
Reposted by Rkthecynic
They’re going to try and undo all the social programs
“We are living under FDR’s personal monarchy.”
-Marc Andreessen, quoting Curtis Yarvin, yesterday
-Marc Andreessen, quoting Curtis Yarvin, yesterday
December 15, 2024 at 10:36 PM
They’re going to try and undo all the social programs
Reposted by Rkthecynic
I truly can’t wrap my head around these people who have so very much, in fact have more than almost anyone on the planet, being driven by taking away what paltry safety net the the people on the lower level of income spectrum have to just survive in their old age.
It seems profoundly evil
It seems profoundly evil
December 16, 2024 at 1:08 AM
I truly can’t wrap my head around these people who have so very much, in fact have more than almost anyone on the planet, being driven by taking away what paltry safety net the the people on the lower level of income spectrum have to just survive in their old age.
It seems profoundly evil
It seems profoundly evil
Reposted by Rkthecynic
They will never blame Trump.
One thing about 2024 is that millions of people voted for Trump because of some fantastical nonsense like Trump making them personally rich or Trump ending inflation for good with tariffs, and when they don't get it their little brains are going to be mad and that's an opportunity.
“this is a permanent political realignment and we are doomed to the fringes of minority forever” has never once been true in the history of American politics and I don’t think it’s going to start now
there’s a lot of work to do but that’s no reason to give up
there’s a lot of work to do but that’s no reason to give up
December 16, 2024 at 12:38 AM
They will never blame Trump.
Reposted by Rkthecynic
So same old weak leadership that will allow the gop to define the democratic party, get constantly outmanuvered in the media, and be ineffective at stopping the fascists.
Can we get some fighters in leadership please.
Can we get some fighters in leadership please.
December 2, 2024 at 10:21 PM
So same old weak leadership that will allow the gop to define the democratic party, get constantly outmanuvered in the media, and be ineffective at stopping the fascists.
Can we get some fighters in leadership please.
Can we get some fighters in leadership please.
Reposted by Rkthecynic
New book on democratic backsliding finds that it's been misunderstood: "Backsliding is less a result of democracies failing to deliver than of democracies failing to constrain the predatory political ambitions and methods of certain elected leaders."
www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/mis...
www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/mis...
Misunderstanding Democratic Backsliding | Journal of Democracy
If democracies did a better job “delivering” for their citizens, so the thinking goes, people would not be so ready to embrace antidemocratic alternatives. Not so. This conventional wisdom about…
www.journalofdemocracy.org
November 24, 2024 at 8:22 PM
New book on democratic backsliding finds that it's been misunderstood: "Backsliding is less a result of democracies failing to deliver than of democracies failing to constrain the predatory political ambitions and methods of certain elected leaders."
www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/mis...
www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/mis...
Reposted by Rkthecynic
Reposted by Rkthecynic
Bernie Sanders: The working class is angry that they have so little and the billionaires and corporations keep getting richer.
America: We're going to vote for the billionaire who will make his rich buddies richer.
Make it make sense.
America: We're going to vote for the billionaire who will make his rich buddies richer.
Make it make sense.
November 12, 2024 at 4:37 AM
Bernie Sanders: The working class is angry that they have so little and the billionaires and corporations keep getting richer.
America: We're going to vote for the billionaire who will make his rich buddies richer.
Make it make sense.
America: We're going to vote for the billionaire who will make his rich buddies richer.
Make it make sense.
Reposted by Rkthecynic
Trump is a billionaire. Elon, the guy funding him and running his propaganda network is a billionaire man child.
Dems, I'm begging you, start demonizing billionaires like they do immigrants and trans people. We need a leftist populism that makes people hate the very concept of billionaires.
Dems, I'm begging you, start demonizing billionaires like they do immigrants and trans people. We need a leftist populism that makes people hate the very concept of billionaires.
November 13, 2024 at 2:51 AM
Trump is a billionaire. Elon, the guy funding him and running his propaganda network is a billionaire man child.
Dems, I'm begging you, start demonizing billionaires like they do immigrants and trans people. We need a leftist populism that makes people hate the very concept of billionaires.
Dems, I'm begging you, start demonizing billionaires like they do immigrants and trans people. We need a leftist populism that makes people hate the very concept of billionaires.