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rwendler.bsky.social
@rwendler.bsky.social
40 followers 61 following 11 posts
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rwendler.bsky.social
Wow, this quote. Everything in a nutshell.
kat4obama.bsky.social Kat4Obama @kat4obama.bsky.social · 20d
"Opponents of democracy in the United States, from slaveholders to Gilded Age oligarchs to the contemporary Republican party [try] to keep their political opponents from voting [and ensure] that the government is too starved of revenue to invest in egalitarian policies or restrain private power."
donmoyn.bsky.social Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 21d
New at Can We Still Govern: The IRS is a key agency and its decline is emblematic of Trump-era mismanagement.

@vanessawilliamson.bsky.social & Eliis Chen lay out the questions that Democrats should be asking its new leader.

Incredibly informative piece.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/five-quest...
November 12, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Reposted
prasad.bsky.social
I am astounded, disgusted, demoralized, & fed up

every single institution of our great nation is under siege by these grifters, scammers, liars, & idiots

they are sabotaging the greatest engine of progress, prosperity, and power that the world has ever known

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/u...
The White House on Wednesday sent letters to nine of the nation's top public and private universities, urging campus leaders to pledge support for President Trump's political agenda to help ensure access to federal research funds. The letters came attached to a 10-page "compact" that serves as a sort of priority statement for the administration's educational goals - the most comprehensive accounting to date of what Mr. Trump aims to achieve from an unparalleled, months long pressure campaign on academia. The compact would require colleges to freeze tuition for five years, cap the enrollment of international students and commit to strict definitions of gender. Among other steps, universities would also be required to change their governance structures to prohibit anything that would "punish, belittle and even spark violence against conservative ideas." Colleges that sign the agreement would receive "multiple positive benefits," according to a letter included with the compact signed by Education Secretary Linda McMahon; Vince Haley, the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council; and May Mailman, the White House's senior adviser for special projects. Colleges that agree would get priority access to federal funds and looser restraints on overhead costs. Signed compacts would also serve as assurance to the government that schools are complying with civil rights laws. Federal civil rights investigations have been used to halt much of the research funding that the administration has blocked so far this year.
October 2, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Reposted
bencollins.bsky.social
Just gonna keep tapping the sign*

*𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers. He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance. He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures. He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power. He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation: For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us: For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury: For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences: For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies: For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments: For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
October 1, 2025 at 3:14 AM
Reposted
deejaymcg.bsky.social
I'm gifting this piece from @radiofreetom.bsky.social because everyone needs to read it. It's Tom at his best.

He's worth the subscription price all by himself, btw.

www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
The Government Wants to See Your Papers
And the Supreme Court decides that the Fourth Amendment might not be for everyone.
www.theatlantic.com
September 10, 2025 at 12:02 AM
rwendler.bsky.social
Actual communications from our current government. Childish, embarrassing, and divisive, yes, but also a frightening sign of a failing nation.
casmudde.bsky.social Cas Mudde @casmudde.bsky.social · Sep 6
How many more warning do American elites and masses need?
September 7, 2025 at 4:08 PM
rwendler.bsky.social
This thread is internet perfection. These are my people.
justinbaragona.bsky.social Justin Baragona @justinbaragona.bsky.social · Aug 13
The DC sandwich guy has been charged with assault for shouting at a CBP officer, throwing a sub into his chest, and then running off.

"I did it. I threw the sandwich," he said while he was being processed.
August 13, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Reposted
astrokatie.com
I still can't get past the idea that people in America are now supposed to accept that this is a valid form of law enforcement and just assume it's fine when random dudes in groups with face-coverings, no ID, no warrant, & no uniform grab people off the street and force them into unmarked vehicles
jlazarus.bsky.social Jeff Lazarus @jlazarus.bsky.social · Jun 17
Not an original point but worth saying again - there is not a single element in this picture that identifies any of these folks as law enforcement agents. No badges, no uniforms, no vests. Out of context it just looks like a bunch of random guys are kidnapping a mayoral candidate.
nytimes.com The New York Times @nytimes.com · Jun 17
Breaking News: Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller who is running for mayor, was detained by ICE agents at an immigration court as he tried to escort a migrant out of the courthouse to prevent his arrest. nyti.ms/4jWkANE
June 17, 2025 at 6:59 PM
rwendler.bsky.social
"They require so much inventing of perverse principles to reach a cruel end that the pain of others begins to seem like the first priority rather than the inadvertent result."
June 5, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Reposted
asharangappa.bsky.social
Criminals deserve due process because due process is literally how we determine whether someone is, *in fact*, a criminal
April 14, 2025 at 11:51 PM
rwendler.bsky.social
Trump only simulates madness
The rest of us pay the price
open.substack.com
April 9, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Reposted
clancyny.bsky.social
I'm very sorry. This is nutz. That is a necessary book! Extremely relevant for our times too!

If you haven't seen this, Jason Rhody is a former program officer for NEH and highly familiar with the entire process. Please look at his advice for next steps.
jasonrhody.bsky.social Jason Rhody @jasonrhody.bsky.social · Apr 2
A few tips for NEH grantees:
1) if you've spent money on an awarded grant but have not yet drawn down the funds, make sure to submit the paperwork to drawn down funds ASAP.

2) the NYTimes article suggests that "DOGE" might cancel awards. If you receive an email from DOGE cancelling your NEH award,
April 3, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Reposted
noahdahl.bsky.social
Arias: "Trump is behaving like a Roman emperor, arbitrarily inflicting punishment for valid activity and legal speech."

Trump: [Behaves like Roman emperor]
April 2, 2025 at 10:35 AM
rwendler.bsky.social
It's impossible to overstate the damage to the nation of this administration's vengeful actions against research and education.
Opinion | Trump is launching America’s version of the Cultural Revolution
The way the White House has attacked research funding and free speech recalls China’s Cultural Revolution.
wapo.st
March 14, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Reposted
nameshiv.bsky.social
turns out the art of the deal is to scream till youre red in the face in front of cameras and still not get what you want
March 1, 2025 at 11:28 AM
rwendler.bsky.social
For the umpteenth time, what is wrong with these people?
Trump Cancels The SEC's Westlaw Subscription For Probably The Dumbest Possible Reason - Above the Law
It will shock you not at all to learn that Trump and Musk do not understand what Westlaw is or why lawyers might need access to it.
abovethelaw.com
February 20, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Reposted
davekarpf.bsky.social
I appreciate @donmoyn.bsky.social summing up the DOGE fiasco so succinctly.

"Don't fire the guys taking care of the nukes... don't fire the guys collecting the money... don't fire the guys keeping the planes in the sky."

donmoynihan.substack.com/p/doge-misma...
DOGE Mismanagement Principles
Musk et al. don't know or care about the damage they are doing
donmoynihan.substack.com
February 17, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Reposted
himal.bsky.social
What’s seen as bloat or bureaucracy is the undocumented processes, workarounds and institutional memory that make government function. It exists in human brains. Once lost it can’t be replaced. You can get contractors and let consultancies and agencies collect rent. Won’t fix anything. Or AI. Sure.
donmoyn.bsky.social Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · Jan 29
New, from me: Looking closer at the effort to induce mass civil servant resignations.
*The offers are not real buyouts
*Feds should read the fine print
*If mass resignations occur, it is really bad for the rest of us
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/compelling...
Compelling Mass Civil Servant Resignations Will Create Chaos
Twitter is not a model for government reform
donmoynihan.substack.com
January 29, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Reposted
radiofreetom.bsky.social
I was dead-set against Hegseth's nomination. But here we are. My advice for the new SecDef:

www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
America Is Now Counting on You, Pete Hegseth
My advice for the incoming secretary of defense
www.theatlantic.com
January 25, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Reposted
anneapplebaum.bsky.social
"When conspiracy theories and nonsense cures are widely accepted, the evidence-based concepts of guilt and criminality vanish quickly too."

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
The New Rasputins
Anti-science mysticism is enabling autocracy around the globe.
www.theatlantic.com
January 7, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Reposted
newseye.bsky.social
An incredible photo posted today by French President Emmanuel Macron.

The floor of Notre Dame Cathedral is filled with the workers involved in the 5 year project to restore the building following the devastating fire in 2019.

1/2
Hundreds of workers, some in high viz vests, cover the floor of Notre Dame cathedral with a photo taken from above, looking down the length of the restored building.
November 29, 2024 at 6:26 PM