Stephen Taylor
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stephenataylor.bsky.social
Stephen Taylor
@stephenataylor.bsky.social
Composer, semi-conductor, data-driven musician; professor of music at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
listen we’ve all been there
December 2, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
Pete Hegseth must be investigated, removed and criminally charged.
After World War II, 3 German U-boat crewmen were sentenced to death for machine-gunning Allied sailors who were clinging to life rafts after their boat was sunk.
It's long been known in the military that this is a war crime. Pete Hegseth must be fired and prosecuted.
December 1, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
This young man has it exactly right.
November 21, 2025 at 11:30 PM
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A reminder that seven years ago almost to the day, the CIA determined that Mohammed Bin Salman ordered the killing of @washingtonpost.com journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

I hired and worked with Jamal for a year.

www.washingtonpost.com/world/nation...
CIA concludes Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi’s assassination
Audio recordings, intercepted phone calls and other intelligence link Mohammed bin Salman to killing that Saudis say was conducted by rogue elements.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
If this picture was of Obama, you know @FoxNews would do three weeks solid on why the flag was on the ground.

At least three weeks
November 18, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
Trump doesn’t have to call on House Republican to vote to release the file.

Trump can order Bondi and Patel to release the files. Tomorrow.

The question is, has he already ordered Bondi and Patel to destroy some of the files after they went through them months ago.
Trump: "House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide."
November 17, 2025 at 3:04 AM
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
you could fact check this — there aren’t 30 million illegal immigrants and there is no evidence that the presence of an immigrant in say houston has any impact on housing in madison, wisconsin — or you could note straightforwardly that this is just nazi rhetoric
JD Vance: "A lot of young people are saying housing is way too expensive. Why is that? Because we flooded the country with 30 million illegal immigrants who were taking houses that ought by right go to American citizens."
November 13, 2025 at 10:12 PM
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This a big deal: "China’s carbon dioxide emissions have been flat or falling for 18 months"

China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
China’s CO2 emissions have been flat or falling for past 18 months, analysis finds
World’s biggest polluter on track to hit peak emissions target early but miss goal for cutting carbon intensity
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison for assisting in & participating in the rape of countless children & without explanation, the Trump admin moved her to a Club Fed where she is now being waited on hand & foot & they even gave her a fucking puppy.

Anyone wanna explain that?
November 10, 2025 at 3:43 PM
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Had Schumer been replaced after the spring fiasco you wonder if the result would have been different. He is not a wartime consigliere
November 10, 2025 at 2:39 AM
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Sounds like the squishes in the senate caucus are ready to pull the plug with no ACA changes. This is real. If you want to register your opinion you shld call yr senator in the next hour. They not only want to reopen w/nothing. They want cover from their colleagues who still want to hold out.
November 9, 2025 at 8:42 PM
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Regular reminder that Axios stories saying Dems are about to cave are likely sourced from GOP staffers trying to make it happen.
Doesn't mean it definitely won't happen. But it's like those NYT stories that Harvard is considering caving (they haven't). The anonymous source was trying to manifest it.
November 9, 2025 at 6:53 PM
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Cornell agreed to pay $30m, hand over admissions data with demographic breakdowns, produce annual "campus climate" surveys to check on antisemitism and changes "since October of 2023," and—here's the dumbest part they agreed to—that the govt can open new investigations whenever it wants.

Appeasers.
November 7, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Peter Thiel's company should be called Saruman instead of Palantir.
November 7, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
Congratulations to all the Democratic candidates who won tonight. It’s a reminder that when we come together around strong, forward-looking leaders who care about the issues that matter, we can win. We’ve still got plenty of work to do, but the future looks a little bit brighter.
November 5, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
If nothing else, the last nine months should have made it clear that elections matter. But what’s remarkable about America is that we have the power, as citizens, to change this country by voting. Go to IWillVote.com.
November 4, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
More than 47 million Americans — including one in five children — don’t have reliable, affordable access to nutritious food. And as the cost of living skyrockets, more families are depending on SNAP benefits, or food stamps, to put food on the table.
October 31, 2025 at 6:49 PM
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This is fucking amazing
October 31, 2025 at 2:05 AM
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🫢 😳 😧 🤢 🤮 😡

I have an even worse feeling about THIS:
October 28, 2025 at 4:42 PM
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We live in an episode of Veep
October 28, 2025 at 6:17 PM
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Will Trump try for an unconstitutional 3rd term?
Yes. Or if he's incapacitated, Vance or whoever is running things will try to hold power illegally. They tried last time they were legally required to leave power.

What can we do?
Now? Win the 2026 midterms. That's it. No more handwriting necessary.
October 28, 2025 at 3:11 PM
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This is several days old. But amidst so much else id missed it. That’s a stunning number. No wonder they about-faced. Reminder of the power of consumers in oligarch era, not subject to the same kind of targeting.
October 26, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
The richest man on earth owns X.

The second richest man on earth is about to acquire TikTok and his family could soon own both Paramount and Warner Bros.

The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.

See the problem here?
October 25, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Reposted by Stephen Taylor
there are good & worthwhile historical & legal arguments for why the unitary executive is nonsense but to my mind the most straightforward argument is that it makes no logical sense that the president has absolute removal power over the people whose job it is to keep the executive branch accountable
The Inspector General system is basically broken now. Most IGs have been fired, most positions remain vacant. Those who remain or would take the job pose no risk to holding the regime accountable.
Congress added more barriers to Trump firing IGs after his first term. He just ignored them.
October 21, 2025 at 10:47 PM