Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 42m

No, actually, it is not remotely emasculating to be socially constrained from talking about how much you love Hitler.

Needing a safe space to talk racism and genocide isn't masculine, it's just Nazi.

bsky.app/profile/prch...

Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 2h

No, this is how Nazis talk in their own spaces. I don’t know abut this dude, but I never talked about gassing people and raping women when I was hanging out with my pals.

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 1h

Weird . . .

bsky.app/profile/atru...

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1h

Pritzker: "Stephen Miller is clearly ordering people to break the law. So he should know that yeah, it may be three years from now that he is held accountable, but I think it's important for them to know that whatever they do now, it's not like we're going to forget."

1

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 1h

Damn, this guy looks as angry and betrayed about having his command used for extrajudicial murder to generate social media content as I feel.

(I also note that a significant part of Trump's military purge seems focused on eliminating non-white senior officers.)

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/u...

Head of the U.S. Military’s Southern Command Is Stepping Down, Officials Say

www.nytimes.com

1

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 1h

Pritzker seems to be the leader of political opposition to Trump.

There are some people in Congress who matter, but in the minority they are fairly powerless and Pritzker is literally on the front lines of the attempt to use military force against Americans in Chicago

bsky.app/profile/atru...

1

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 6h

These demographics are pretty wild.

Assuming neither fascist consolidation nor color revolution render the issue moot before then, I personally am hoping for something of an extinction-level event in Dem primaries next year.

This is...not inconsistent with that hope.

bsky.app/profile/jake...

Jake Grumbach @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social · 7h

AOC has just officially become the top House fundraiser, beating out Hakeem Jeffries. Now lemme take a big sip of coffee as I look at the age distribution of donors to AOC vs Jeffries

Alexandria Ocasio Cortez
80000
60000
40000
20000
0
Bernie Sanders
200000
Number of Donations
150000
100000
50000
Elizabeth Warren
60000
40000
20000
01
25
50
Donor Age
75

Hakeem Jeffries
40000
30000
20000
10000
Nancy Pelosi
100000
Number of
Donations
75000
50000
25000
Suzan DelBene
2000
1500
1000
500
25
50
75
Donor Age

1

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 8h

Nice to see a Democrat who is not named Pritzker look the beast in its eyes and call it by its right name.

bsky.app/profile/atru...

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 8h

Chris Murphy: "This is a country that's falling apart because Trump is in the middle of an authoritarian takeover. We're not on the verge of an authoritarian takeover. We're in the middle of it ... I have no moral obligation to vote for a budget that literally funds the destruction of our democracy"

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 9h

Citations: 19 USC 527 and US Const. Art. I, Sec. 9, cl. 7.

Seizing public money & spending it in violation of laws passed by Congress is one of the most serious violations of the Constitution that can be committed, because doing so provides resources for other unlawful activities.

No Stuart kings

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 9h

Under the US Constitution, this is basically like saying, "President Trump needed some cash for stuff he wanted, so he knocked over a 7-11 and is using that money to fund his priorities."

Money from tariffs are receipts of the US Treasury and may only be spent by Congress.

bsky.app/profile/atru...

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 10h

Leavitt: "President Trump had to tap into tariff revenue to get WIC money out the door for vulnerable women, infants, and children/"

1 2 3

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 10h

I reiterate: Skynet just thinks it's funnier to kill us one by one instead of using autonomous drones and nuclear weapons.

bsky.app/profile/happ...

Depeche Median @happybusman.bsky.social · 19h

Two people check tide times with ChatGPT, almost die.

uk.news.yahoo.com/restaurant-b...

Restaurant boss saw two people about to do something deadly so he grabbed his megaphone

He ran out of the restaurant and warned the pair to turn back

uk.news.yahoo.com

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 10h

I hope that Columbia does this, but the university and its Trustees have broken the intellectual and moral foundation of a university. They have collaborated with fascists to attack their own students and faculty.

I don't know how or even whether that can be undone.

bsky.app/profile/ansl...

Ansley Erickson @ansleyerickson.bsky.social · 1d

Former Columbia Provost Jonathan Cole asks the university to bravely admit where it was wrong:

www.columbiaspectator.com/opinion/2025...

Columbia must now show courage and empathy

Dear Columbia leaders,

www.columbiaspectator.com

1 1

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 1d

Huh. Between this and the military, someone must have told Trump that not paying the agents that wield state coercive power during a coup was a really bad idea.

Paying them illegally from funds appropriated for other purposes, too - the archetype of an impeachable offense

bsky.app/profile/giga...

Distinguished Herbert West Fellow, Miskatonic Institute Gigan @gigansprogress.bsky.social · 1d

How much more illegal can we get? lets find out together!
www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-f...

FBI agents will get paid despite government shutdown, Patel says

The Trump administration will continue paying FBI agents despite the ongoing government shutdown that has frozen paychecks for nearly all federal workers, FBI Director Kash Patel announced.

www.cbsnews.com

3 4

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 1d

To the extent it's possible to infer meaning to Trump's demented rambling, he's saying that he will violate the law to eliminate by executive fiat any program, person, or agency that he dislikes and spend budgeted money as he wishes.

Asserting the powers of a Stuart king.

bsky.app/profile/atru...

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Trump: "We're getting rid of problems that we didn't like but that were negotiated in but we didn't like. We're terminating those programs. And they're gonna be terminated on a permanent basis."

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 1d

Why are tens of thousands of children globally dying of preventable diseases? Why are families starving after food that could have saved them was left to rot in warehouses?

So Donald Trump could pay the bills run up by a foreign fascist dictator who is good at flattery.

bsky.app/profile/radl...

Radley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 1d

That’s $5 billion more than the entire annual USAID budget. All to one country. To rescue one friend of the president’s.

Ilhan Omar @ilhanmn.bsky.social · 1d

Trump found another $20 BILLION to give to Argentina, totaling their bailout to $40 BILLION.

Yet we can’t afford to prevent millions of Americans from losing their healthcare.

Shame.

1

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 1d

It is sad and demeaning to admit, but the incompetence and stupidity of Trump and the people he has appointed to positions of power based on their craven willingness to flatter him is our best hope to save the republic.

Hegseth's stupidity and alcoholism limits the effectiveness of his purges.

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 1d

Stupid, inefficient, and capacity-destroying attempt at a political purge of the military, but a purge of the military and a deadly threat to American freedom nonetheless.

A military loyal to a dictator and willing to use force against Americans is the end of the republic.

bsky.app/profile/prem...

Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 2d

NEW: Pentagon officials are forcing staff to watch Pete Hegseth's "Warrior" speech he forced generals to listen to.

Officials are even "testing" staff to see if they watched — and are threatening consequences if they lie about watching it or if they mock it, sources tell @swin24.bsky.social and I.

The Pentagon Is Ordering Staff to Watch Hegseth’s ‘MAGA Garbage’ Speech… Or Else

Defense Department sources tell Zeteo that staff have been warned that if they don’t watch or read the speech, or if they speak negatively of it, they could face severe consequences.

zeteo.com

1

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 1d

These people need to be shunned, they need to be mocked and despised by every person who values freedom or equality. Employers should be boycotted for hiring them.

They are enemies of the idea of America, and they will destroy everything we value if we don't stop them.

bsky.app/profile/carl...

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 2d

You'd really think that the fact that there is no actual Antifa organization would make this propaganda blitz more difficult, but I suppose the sky's the limit when you have a multi-billion dollar oligarch-controlled national media apparatus focused on willing Emmanuel Goldstein into existence.

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 2d

First they came for the inflatable frogs . . .

bsky.app/profile/atru...

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d

AG Bondi: "We're gonna get to the funding of antifa, we're gonna get to the root of antifa, and we're gonna find and charge all of those people who are causing this chaos in Portland and all these other cities across our country."

1

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 2d

The heroes America needs.

bsky.app/profile/amut...

alexis simpson @amutepiggy.bsky.social · 5d

hell yeah

Cover of the classic children's book Frog And Toad Are Friends.

Drawing of Toad, a brown toad, sitting on a bench, dressed in a green jacket and slacks. He is reading a book to his friend Frog, a green frog dressed in a brown jacket and slacks. They are surrounded by green plants and mushrooms. There is a silver Caldecott Medal in the corner.

Text has been altered from original. It reads
Fiftieth Anniversary
Frog and Toad Are Antifa
by Arnold Lobel

Commemorative Edition

1

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 2d

Amazing to think that just a few years ago, this craven, broken little toady whose primary job is facilitating bribes for his boss by propping up foreign dictators was the future.

Is there a single ideal in this press release that Rubio has not betrayed?

www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/ru...

Rubio Campaign Press Release - This Is the Story of Marco Rubio's Presidential Campaign | The American Presidency Project

www.presidency.ucsb.edu

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 2d

They should workshop this a bit . . . "Bureau of Ethnic Cleansing" has a real ring to it.

And we all saw how proud Hegseth was to have a plaque on his door that said "War Department" - Rubio might really get off on becoming the "Secretary of Genocide."

bsky.app/profile/mari...

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · May 29

SCOOP: The State Department's new reorganization plan includes the opening of an "Office for Remigration," a term popularized by far right extremists and neo-Nazis in Europe. The office will coordinate directly with DHS "to advance the President’s immigration agenda."

My report:

State Department set to launch ‘Office of Remigration’

The concept of remigration has explicitly neo-Nazi roots and has been popularized in Europe.

www.thehandbasket.co

1

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 2d

The Republican Party reflects his will and nothing else. The fact that Republicans voters support something or that Republican legislators enacted a program are irrelevant.

The Republican Party is an extension of his will. He wants that to apply to the entire government as well.

That's fascism.

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 2d

Common mistake of a legal-rational mindset. For Trump, "Republican Programs" are those that he personally likes or that benefit people he favors (predominantly those who give him money).

The term has no objective or fixed meaning, and no relationship to Republican Voters.

bsky.app/profile/mira...

Miranda Yaver @mirandayaver.bsky.social · 2d

My Lancet analysis with @scottlgreer.bsky.social @hjarman.bsky.social @xrkulik.bsky.social shows how inaccurate it is to say it's just "Democrat programs" being cut. From insurance to service delivery (incl. veterans' crisis services), people of both parties harmed. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

1

Reposted by Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile

James Davis Nicoll @jdnicoll.bsky.social · 3d

Old time SF might still have the edge over 2020s where blurbs are concerned. I'll take HE KNEW THE MARTIAN LOVE SECRET over LORD OF THE FLIES MEETS ANNE OF GREEN GABLES IN THIS FRIENDS TO ENEMIES FOUND FAMILY ACCIDENTAL WISH ROMANTASY.

4 31 150

Social Scientist (Mostly) in Exile @exiledsocscientist.bsky.social · 2d

For the record, even non-Nazi billionaires would be very bad and dangerous for a free society.

But yes, litetal Nazi billionaires who openly aspire to be villains from a James Bond movie are worse.

bsky.app/profile/whst...

Will Stancil @whstancil.bsky.social · 2d

is it ever going to be news that the richest man in the world openly promotes full-bore, swastika-flying, pro-genocide neo-Nazis