LightNews LightNews
vernovas.bsky.social
@vernovas.bsky.social
49 followers 25 following 400 posts
Posts Replies Media Videos
vernovas.bsky.social
Screaming at resistance is for fools. Symbols are more powerful than words.
October 15, 2025 at 9:16 AM
vernovas.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/rachelvi...
Courage Is the Antidote
When the lights go out, it won't matter if you stayed quiet.
open.substack.com
September 23, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Reposted
donmoyn.bsky.social
Full resignation letter from Demetre C. Daskalakis, a CDC leader, does not hold back.
"The recent shooting at CDC is not why I am resigning. My grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in Greece and lost his life doing so. I am resigning to make him and his legacy proud."
My resignation letter from CDC. Dear Dr. Houry, I am writing to formally resign from my position as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective August 28, 2025, close of business. I am happy to stay on for two weeks to provide transition, if requested. This decision has not come easily, as I deeply value the work that the CDC does in safeguarding public health and am proud of my contributions to that critical mission. However, after much contemplation and reflection on recent developments and perspectives brought to light by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., I find that the views he and his staff have shared challenge my ability to continue in my current role at the agency and in the service of the health of the American people. Enough is enough. While I hold immense respect for the institution and my colleagues, I believe that it is imperative to align my professional responsibilities to my system of ethics and my understanding of the science of infectious disease, immunology, and my promise to serve the American people. This step is necessary to ensure that I can contribute effectively in a capacity that allows me to remain true to my principles. The recent change in the adult and children’s immunization schedule threaten the lives of the youngest Americans and pregnant people. The data analyses that supported this decision have never been shared with CDC despite my respectful requests to HHS and other leadership. This lack of meaningful engagement was further compounded by a “frequently asked questions” document written to support the Secretary’s directive that was circulated by HHS without input from CDC subject matter experts and that cited studies that did not support the conclusions that were attributed to these authors. Having worked in local and national public health for years, I have never experienced such radical non-transparency, nor have I seen such unskilled manipulation of data to achieve a political end rather than the good of the American people. It is untenable to serve in an organization that is not afforded the opportunity to discuss decisions of scientific and public health importance released under the moniker of CDC. The lack of communication by HHS and other CDC political leadership that culminates in social media posts announcing major policy changes without prior notice demonstrate a disregard of normal communication channels and common sense. Having to retrofit analyses and policy actions to match inadequately thought-out announcements in poorly scripted videos or page long X posts should not be how organizations responsible for the health of people should function. Some examples include the announcement of the change in the COVID-19 recommendations for children and pregnant people, the firing of scientists from ACIP by X post and an op-ed rather than direct communication with these valuable experts, the announcement of new ACIP members by X before onboarding and vetting have completed, and the release of term of reference for an ACIP workgroup that ignored all feedback from career staff at CDC. Their desire to please a political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable children and adults. Their base should be the people they serve not a political voting bloc. I have always been first to challenge scientific and public health dogma in my career and was excited by the opportunity to do so again. I was optimistic that there would be an opportunity to brief the Secretary about key topics such as measles, avian influenza, and the highly coordinated approach to the respiratory virus season. Such briefings would allow exchange of ideas and a shared path to support the vision of “Making America Healthy Again.” We are seven months into the new administration, and no CDC subject matter expert from my Center has ever briefed the Secretary. I am not sure who the Secretary is listening to, but it is quite certainly not to us. Unvetted and conflicted outside organizations seem to be the sources HHS use over the gold standard science of CDC and other reputable sources. At a hearing, Secretary Kennedy said that Americans should not take medical advice from him. To the contrary, an appropriately briefed and inquisitive Secretary should be a source of health information for the people he serves. As it stands now, I must agree with him, that he should not be considered a source of accurate information. The intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines favoring natural infection and unproven remedies will bring us to a pre-vaccine era where only the strong will survive and many if not all will suffer. I believe in nutrition and exercise. I believe in making our food supply healthier, and I also believe in using vaccines to prevent death and disability. Eugenics plays prominently in the rhetoric being generated and is derivative of a legacy that good medicine and science should continue to shun. The recent shooting at CDC is not why I am resigning. My grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in Greece and lost his life doing so. I am resigning to make him and his legacy proud. I am resigning because of the cowardice of a leader that cannot admit that HIS and his minions’ words over decades created an environment where violence like this can occur. I reject his and his colleagues’ thoughts and prayers, and advise they direct those to people that they have not actively harmed. For decades, I have been a trusted voice for the LGBTQ community when it comes to critical health topics. I must also cite the recklessness of the administration in their efforts to erase transgender populations, cease critical domestic and international HIV programming, and terminate key research to support equity as part of my decision. Public health is not merely about the health of the individual, but it is about the health of the community, the nation, the world. The nation’s health security is at risk and is in the hands of people focusing on ideological self-interest. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunities for growth, learning, and collaboration that I have been afforded during my time at the CDC. It has been a privilege to work alongside such dedicated professionals who are committed to improving the health and well-being of communities across the nation even when under attack from within both physically and psychologically. Thank you once again for the support and guidance I have received from you and previous CDC leadership throughout my tenure. I wish the CDC continued success in its vital mission and that HHS reverse its dangerous course to dismantle public health as a practice and as an institution. If they continue the current path, they risk our personal well-being and the security of the United States.
August 28, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Reposted
marcelias.bsky.social
Dems should fight on every front.

If Texas steals 5 seats, Dem states should redistrict 30 GOP members out of their districts.

We should insist DOJ release the entire Epstein File.

Not only shouldn't we bring knives to a gun fight, if they bring pistols, we should bring machine guns.
August 5, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Reposted
marcelias.bsky.social
I am baffled by the Washington Post's sanitized framing of this story. The Supreme Court is clearly going to "rule on the law" -- that is what courts do! The news is that SCOTUS signaled that it might gut the VRA entirely.

Compare WaPo and Democracy Docket's headlines. Which source do you trust?
August 2, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Reposted
marcelias.bsky.social
Please pay attention.👇

We cannot afford to leave our democracy in the hands of a process that requires this DOJ to act in good faith. We must act now to harden our election systems. www.democracydocket.com/opinion/what...
What the DOJ Is Doing Behind the Scenes
Read more here.
www.democracydocket.com
July 31, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Reposted
marlenagraves.bsky.social
The truth here is so ever relevant, is so simple and profound. I think I might pop it into my next book. Sharing yet again:
July 30, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Reposted
mcuban.bsky.social
Here is a prompt to test in the AI model of your choice. Let me know what you think of the responses

How complicated are states Medicaid rules in expansion states and what can be done to simplify them given the changes under the OBBB that were passed in July.
July 27, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Reposted
motherjones.com
Why Colbert's cancellation marks a dangerous new stage for the culture at large
Colbert's cancellation is a dark warning
CBS's decision marks a dangerous new stage for the culture at large.
www.motherjones.com
July 18, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Reposted
pete52.bsky.social
MAGA Mike-
July 3, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Reposted
dpcarrington.bsky.social
Coral reefs are now “flickering out across the world” -
‘It’s death by a thousand cuts"

- latest in tipping points series from @jonathan-watts.bsky.social

#climatecrisis
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘It’s death by a thousand cuts’: marine ecologist on the collapse of coral reefs
David Obura believes humans have been using nature for free, and tipping points at some reefs have already passed
www.theguardian.com
June 25, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Reposted
adamkinzinger.substack.com
If you need a mask to enforce the law, you don’t deserve a badge.
Federal agents are snatching people off the streets—faces covered, names hidden.
This isn’t safety. It’s secrecy.
It’s not America.

adamkinzinger.substack.com/p/why-are-fe...
Why Are Federal Agents Wearing Masks? It’s a Threat to American Democracy
Masked Federal Agents Are Undermining Trust—and Democracy
adamkinzinger.substack.com
June 24, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Reposted
marcelias.bsky.social
I joined Nicolle Wallace on Deadline White House to discuss former President Barack Obama’s warnings of the U.S. being “dangerously close” to autocracy and the recent arrests of Democratic officials.

I hope you watch and enjoy. www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8e8...
Obama: U.S. is “Dangerously Close” to Autocracy | Marc Elias
YouTube video by Democracy Docket
www.youtube.com
June 18, 2025 at 11:32 PM
vernovas.bsky.social
Throw all who detained him against his will in jail
financialtimes.com Financial Times @financialtimes.com · Jun 17
Brad Lander, New York City’s top finance official, was handcuffed and taken away while trying to escort a defendant out of immigration court. He can be heard saying, ‘You don’t have the authority to arrest US citizens.' www.ft.com/content/dbcc...
June 18, 2025 at 5:07 AM
Reposted
financialtimes.com
Brad Lander, New York City’s top finance official, was handcuffed and taken away while trying to escort a defendant out of immigration court. He can be heard saying, ‘You don’t have the authority to arrest US citizens.' www.ft.com/content/dbcc...
June 17, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Reposted
marcelias.bsky.social
True.
annecaprara.bsky.social Anne Caprara @annecaprara.bsky.social · Jun 17
I think one of the reasons you hear so much visceral anger coming from Dems about politics these days is bc for years now we’ve been expected to respond with dignity and respect (which we do) when political violence touches the GOP. But when it touches us - we get the Mike Lee’s of the world.
melissaryan.bsky.social Melissa Ryan @melissaryan.bsky.social · Jun 17
Because of my work and writing, I've talked to countless elected officials and their staffers about political violence over the past several years. Mostly Dem, though not all. The collective trauma for these folks is immeasurable and justified. With no recourse. www.semafor.com/article/06/1...
June 17, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Reposted
krassenstein.bsky.social
EPIC response.
June 15, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Reposted
adamkinzinger.substack.com
Hey there Scott Walker. I noticed you deleted this after learning that in fact the shooter was from the right. I don’t think it matters either way, violence is violence, so I’m waiting for you to tweet the same thing with corrected facts?

Cuz you’re uh, to use your words, “being silent.”
June 16, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Reposted
financialtimes.com
What history tells us about the impact of an oil price jolt | Opinion

https://www.ft.com/content/83bf1257-6553-4b9f-80f9-5717eb92f435
What history tells us about the impact of an oil price jolt | Opinion
The effects of anything short of a major disruption in Middle Eastern output are likely to be contained
www.ft.com
June 16, 2025 at 4:10 AM
vernovas.bsky.social
Evidence matters
financialtimes.com Financial Times @financialtimes.com · Jun 16
Experts say there is no evidence Iran has decided to build a nuclear bomb. Its recent advances mean though that it has become a 'threshold state' — a nation with technical expertise and capacity to weaponise its nuclear programme if it chooses. https://on.ft.com/4ni8W2K
June 16, 2025 at 9:50 AM
vernovas.bsky.social
In the movie Rabbit Proof Fence, the Australian government created laws allowing their citizens to rip babies from indigenous mothers.
June 15, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Reposted
msmalarkey24.bsky.social
Goddamnit Joe Rogan, I still can’t stand you, but you nailed it 🎯👇

“You say ‘well they shouldn’t have broke the law.’

You don’t get to do something that’s a thousand times worse than crossing a line in the dirt.

….that’s NOTHING in comparison to YOUR crime of stealing a baby from its mother.”
June 15, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Reposted
krassenstein.bsky.social
BREAKING: I feel sick!
krassencast.com/p/us-militar...
US Military Detains American for First Time Ever Without Insurrection Act in Los Angeles
What just happened?
krassencast.com
June 13, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Reposted
louiseplease.bsky.social
June 13, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Reposted
iwillnotbesilenced.bsky.social
WHAT FOX WILL NEVER SHOW YOU!!

The news won't show you this because they have a narrative to spin.
June 14, 2025 at 12:31 AM