Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Haras @abazoo.bsky.social · 12h

This is a sad example of Cuomo desperately trying to sound like a strong statesman against Trump without ever actually criticizing him. Points go to the reporter Mannarino for not letting go of the point
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XLb...

Cuomo says both 'playing politics' after Trump pursued indictment of NY Attorney General

YouTube video by PIX11 News

www.youtube.com

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davidbowman17.bsky.social @davidbowman17.bsky.social · 3d

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Steven W. Thrasher is finishing The Overseer Class @thrasherxy.bsky.social · 4d

I never understand folks who complain abt how OTHER ppl protest. If you don’t like protesters to cuss or where frog suits, why don’t YOU go protest wearing a tuxedo and reciting the Magna Carta? No one’s stopping you, least of all the frogman, who will likely leap for joy for your involvement

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Kieran Healy @kjhealy.co · 5d

White House staff should just make and show him an AI-generated video where he wins, fly him to Duluth and tell him it’s Oslo, and dare the New York Times to say anything more than “Experts disagree about whether Mr Trump was awarded the Nobel Prize”.

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Coach Finstock @coachfinstock.bsky.social · 5d

2028: Trump wins all 50 states and wins big in California.

Jacob Shamsian @jayshams.bsky.social · 5d

I've been wondering why Dominion Voting Systems suddenly reached settlements with Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and One America News.

Turns out, it's been purchased by a Republican-owned election tech firm that insisted on it, per Axios.

www.axios.com/2025/10/09/d...

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Alan Elrod @aselrod.bsky.social · 5d

The America we used to live in—the America we want to think we live in—is gone.

We’ll have to build again.

We want to think that the repeated, widespread abuse of basic rights by DHS; the DOJ actions against former officials like James Comey and John Bolton; the presence of 2020 election deniers across congressional and executive branch leaders; the unconstitutional dismantling of federal agencies; the consolidation of old and new media under leadership favorable to Trump; the use of lawsuits and executive branch power to intimidate and silence critics; and the clear attempts to subvert the 2026 and 2028 elections; and Trump’s constant insinuation that he might seek a third term do not all in fact mean that we have crossed the threshold into a competitive authoritarian environment.
But we have. We have passed through the veil. Whatever becomes of American liberal democracy in the near or distant future, it will be a resurrection and not a continuation.

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Alan Elrod @aselrod.bsky.social · 5d

America is a competitive authoritarian state now. More than a few scholars of democracy are saying this

www.fairobserver.com/politics/ame...

America Crosses Into Competitive Authoritarian Rule Under Trump

Harvard political scientists Steven Levitsky, Lucan Way and Daniel Ziblatt argue that the United States has transitioned into a competitive...

www.fairobserver.com

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Kai Ryssdal @kairyssdal.bsky.social · 6d

This is the lesson of 2025

Quinta Jurecic @qjurecic.bsky.social · 6d

he's going to come after you either way, so you might as well act with integrity

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Amy @lolennui.bsky.social · 6d

So cool that whenever someone asks the president, “did you eat the Lindbergh baby” he’s like, “no but I’d be allowed to, I have the right to, I might do it later”

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TrustedReveler @trustedreveler.bsky.social · 7d

LA: we will fight you.

Chicago: we will fight you.

PDX: we will make you endure week after week of of improv theater.

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Keith W. Dickinson @keithwdickinson.bsky.social · 7d

Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

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Haras @abazoo.bsky.social · 7d

It's very pretty. Assuming you like it, I'll note that there are 7 episodes and then there are 14 extra (very short) episodes. Some find the extra episodes a little meandering, which is a fair criticism, but I love the whole thing.

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Haras @abazoo.bsky.social · 8d

I recently watched Secrets Happened on the Litchi Island on YouTube. It's a queer coming of age story from China and I thought it was really well done

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Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 9d

One of the lessons I discuss in "On Tyranny":
Listen for dangerous words.

Text card: Listen for dangerous words.
Be alert to the use of the words extremism and terrorism. Be alive to the fatal notions of emergency and exception. Be angry about the treacherous use of patriotic vocabulary.
#OnTyranny

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Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 10d

If you’re white, your accomplishments are your own and you can resent and criticize the country all you like, but if you’re black and successful you should be grateful to white people for allowing you in their presence. bsky.app/profile/jess...

Jess Calarco @jessicacalarco.com · 10d

Weaponized gratitude is a key tool in the abuser's toolkit. The goal is to convince the victim that they owe the abuser so much, they should feel guilty for wanting to complain.

Tweet from the VP:
Joy Reid has had such a good life in this country. It's been
overwhelmingly kind and gracious to her. She is far wealthier than most.
Yet she oozes with contempt.
My honest, non-trolling advice to Joy Reid is that you'd be a much
happier person if you showed a little gratitude

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V S @dragonaerie.bsky.social · 11d

At last it becomes clear! F*ckers.

Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net · 11d

And there it is. The entire attack on Netflix is just a grift for far right influencers to promote a religious streaming site.

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Haras @abazoo.bsky.social · 11d

I'm really excited about this, should be a great day!

This Day (A History Podcast) @thisdaypod.com · 18d

Announcing a good ol’ fashioned Teach-In in Washington, DC on Sunday, October 26th.

We’ll convene for a series of lectures, stories, and conversations to celebrate and stand up for the work of history and museums.

Shoutout to @natedimeo.bsky.social for bringing this idea to us.

See you in DC!

A poster announcing a teach-in in washington DC.

Sunday, October 26th - Sunup to Sundown
Washington, DC - The National Mall
“AMERICA’S FRONT YARD”

FEATURING KELLIE CARTER JACKSON, NICOLE HEMMER, DEREK MUSGROVE, NATE DIMEO, TRESSIE MCMILLAN COTTOM, AMANDA SEALES, JODY AVIRGAN, JAMES FALLOWS, MARTHA JONES, MARCIA CHATELAIN, PAUL BUTLER, NATHAN CONNOLLY, AND MORE

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Lala11_7 @lala1967.bsky.social · 11d

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Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 13d

PM of Albania having a good laugh with President of Azerbaijan and Macron about Trump repeatedly claiming that he ended the war between their two countries which were not at war with each other.

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Cooperstreaming ♿️ @cooperstreaming.bsky.social · Jul 22

Alan Cumming on bathroom bills:

"Why on earth would a rapist go through the bother of pretending to be trans in a country that treats rapists better than trans people."

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Haras @abazoo.bsky.social · 17d

Oh no! How can anyone ever survive being taunted by donuts? No wonder we're being told Portland is under siege

Jon Walker @jonwalkerpdx.bsky.social · 17d

This is literally what the actual "siege" of the auxiliary ICE building looks like

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Haras @abazoo.bsky.social · 18d

In summary, having the desired actions of the President limited by decisions Congress makes isn't an error that has to be fixed, it's the entire point of why our government was designed the way it was

Matt Ford @mford.bsky.social · 18d

Kagan on the “asserted harms” to the Trump’s foreign policy, to which the conservative justices deferred in their unsigned order:

The Executive’s argument about irreparable harm and the balance of equities fares no better. The Executive says that to comply with the District Court’s order to obligate the $4 billion, it will have to “enter into negotiations” with “for- eign states or international organizations.” Application 35. And in those discussions, the Executive protests, it will have to “advocate against its own objectives”—“under- min[ing]” its real view that the expenditures are “contrary to U. S. foreign policy.” Id., at 3, 34–35. But that is just the price of living under a Constitution that gives Congress the power to make spending decisions through the enactment of appropriations laws. If those laws require obligation of the money, and if Congress has not by rescission or other action relieved the Executive of that duty, then the Execu- tive must comply. It cannot be heard to complain, as it does here, that the laws clash with the President’s differing view of “American values” and “American interests.” Id., at 34. That inconsistency, in other words, is not a cognizable harm, to be weighed in the equitable balance. It is merely a frustration any President must bear.

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Haras @abazoo.bsky.social · 18d

SCOTUS has once again decided that Congress doesn't actually have any power, so can someone ask them "if Congress doesn't have the power of the purse and the president can fire Congressionally-appointed people without its permission, then why list this branch of government in the Constitution?"

Matt Ford @mford.bsky.social · 18d

Supreme Court rules 6-3 that congressional appropriations are optional: www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...

On September 3, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia entered a preliminary injunction directing the Executive to obligate roughly $10.5 billion of appropriated aid funding set to expire on September 30. Of that $10.5 billion, $4 billion was proposed to be rescinded in a “special message” transmitted pursuant to the Impoundment Control Act. See 2 U. S. C. §681 et seq. After the District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied stays of that order, the Government filed this application to stay the District Court’s injunction. The application for stay presented to THE CHIEF JUSTICE and by him referred to the Court is granted. The Government, at this early stage, has made a sufficient showing that the Impoundment Control Act precludes respondents’ suit, brought pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, to enforce the appropriations at issue here. The Government has also made a sufficient showing that mandamus relief is unavailable to respondents. And, on the record before the Court, the asserted harms to the Executive’s conduct of foreign affairs appear to outweigh the potential harm faced by respondents. This order should not be read as a final determination on the merits. The relief granted by the Court today reflects our preliminary view, consistent with the standards for interim relief.

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Your Internet Friend Tom Tomorrow @tomtomorrow.bsky.social · 20d

hey @jimmykimmel.com you won your battle, for the moment, with a lot of help from the public, now pay it forward and have this woman on your show

Karen Attiah @karenattiah.bsky.social · 20d

Yes I will be fighting back against the unjust firing by @washingtonpost.com.

I have filed a grievance and will be represented by none other than the amazing @katiephang.bsky.social and an incredible legal team.

Journalistic freedom is a bedrock of a healthy society and is worth battling for.

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ElieNYC @elienyc.bsky.social · 20d

Once again, if you are just repeating shit from this administration, including especially Kash Patel, you are most likely repeating lies and spreading misinformation

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