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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 11h

The Trump regime is working to desensitise his supporters (and frighten his detractors) via open extrajudicial violence against “foreign” targets so that it can expand and escalate operations against prominent opposition leaders and orgs, as well suppress collective actions and public dissent.

Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 11h

In case it has not already become abundantly clear, the Trump regime’s mass deployment of armed masked men to terrorise Democrat-led cities, designation of “Antifa” as a terrorist organisation, and extrajudicial killings of people from another sovereign nation in international waters are all linked.

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 11h

In case it has not already become abundantly clear, the Trump regime’s mass deployment of armed masked men to terrorise Democrat-led cities, designation of “Antifa” as a terrorist organisation, and extrajudicial killings of people from another sovereign nation in international waters are all linked.

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Reposted by Joshua Failé

Mueller, She Wrote @muellershewrote.com · 16h

NO. It's fundamentally inappropriate for the @dscc.bsky.social to form a fundraising committee with Janet Mills. What happened to staying OUT of the primaries?

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 12h

I suppose I should clarify that I reckon the primary will be competitive, as I think analysts, pundits, and party leadership are drastically underestimating Platner’s appeal and competence.

But I don’t think it’ll be “competitive” in the way primaries should be, which is what they’re referring to.

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 12h

The ‘machine’ that exists here is fragmented, but it exists, can be activated and, like other campaigns in other states, can be bolstered with national Democratic Party personnel/resources.

Platner will have to rely on non-official support. And his campaign has been building an army of volunteers.

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 12h

The Democratic Party establishment made it clear it did not want Platner to run, convinced Mills to enter the race, and is now deploying the entire party apparatus behind her.

I’m not sure why experienced political scientists and analysts keep claiming this will be a “competitive primary”.

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 12h

One of most vile men to ever be President and, based on current trajectory, he is set to become inarguably the most, much worse than the likes of Hoover, Nixon, GWB, and even Jackson.

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 13h

How anyone doubts thst Trump is a rapist and sex trafficker after hearing the words literally coming out of his mouth every day is beyond my understanding.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 15h

Trump ignores a question from a woman reporter but says, "I just like to watch her talk. Good job. Thank you darling."

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 13h

At present, ME Dems aren’t particularly well organised, nor is there a strong coalition, but the national Democratic Party is a separate entity, and Mills was lobbied to run for Collins’ seat by them (per reports, especially Chuck Schumer) and is set to get their full institutional support.

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 16h

Some pundits—perhaps including @whstancil.bsky.social—might argue that Platner prevailing in an “unfair” primary would significantly increase his chances of defeating Collins in the GE. But I’m not convinced that’s true or that such an outcome is likely given the substantial imbalance in support.

Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 17h

To be clear, my main concern with Mills entering the race is that the primary won’t be competitive because the Democratic Party establishment made it clear even before Platner announced that party resources would be going to Mills and any Dem official backing Platner would be punished for doing so.

Will Stancil @whstancil.bsky.social · 19h

The whining about Janet Mills jumping into the Maine Senate race is pretty hard to take. It's fine and healthy for our candidates to run in contested primaries. It's dangerous to simply nominate people by acclamation based on internet vibes. Mills isn't even bad, she's just extremely old.

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 17h

To be clear, my main concern with Mills entering the race is that the primary won’t be competitive because the Democratic Party establishment made it clear even before Platner announced that party resources would be going to Mills and any Dem official backing Platner would be punished for doing so.

Will Stancil @whstancil.bsky.social · 19h

The whining about Janet Mills jumping into the Maine Senate race is pretty hard to take. It's fine and healthy for our candidates to run in contested primaries. It's dangerous to simply nominate people by acclamation based on internet vibes. Mills isn't even bad, she's just extremely old.

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 17h

I await Bari Weiss’ scathing op-ed denouncing the Trump regime’s violation of the 1st amendment rights of the administrators and participants of that group by pressuring a tech company to silence their speech…

Renee DiResta @noupside.bsky.social · 19h

I'm sorry, is the Trump Administration talking to a tech platform?

Is it...requesting content moderation?

Today following outreach from @thejusticedept, Facebook removed a large group page that was being used to dox and target @ICEgov agents in Chicago.
The wave of violence against ICE has been driven by online apps and social media campaigns designed to put ICE officers at risk just for doing their jobs. The Department of Justice will continue engaging tech companies to eliminate platforms where radicals can incite imminent violence against federal law enforcement.

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 19h

Narrator: In fact, there was no line that ICE could cross which would spur Johnson—or any other member of the fascist Trump regime—into restraining their unconstitutional actions. ICE were operating in exactly the way the regime intended.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 19h

Q: We've seen images out of Chicago of federal agents shooting faith leaders with pepper balls and arresting journalists. Where's the limit for you on what's acceptable conduct by federal agents?

MIKE JOHNSON: I've not seen them cross the line yet.

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 19h

The 911 call is coming from inside the regime.

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 19h

I think some people that self-identify as “leftist” are well-meaning. But, again, calling *others* “leftists” is almost never meant as a complimentary or inclusive term, hence why I think it‘s use, from either side, is a sign of unseriousness, especially when more specific descriptors are available.

Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 19h

For what it’s worth, I am doing my part to try to make the “left” functionally a major political movement in the US.

But, again, I think ”leftist” is a trite, amorphous term that is mostly used by unserious people (which I define as people that are not serious participants in the movement).

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 19h

I’m am Spanish, English, and American, having grown up outside of the US and live here now (whilst regularly visiting my other home countries/cities), and so regularly make the point here that the “left” does not actually functionally exist as a major political movement in the US. At least, not yet.

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 19h

Just to emphasise how impressive it is that these countries are hosting ‘No Kings’ protests in solidarity with their US counterparts, I would point out that more than half of them are constitutional monarchies.

darren32359.bsky.social @darren32359.bsky.social · 22h

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 19h

I am very happy that the remaining living Israeli hostages have been released and there seems to be at least a break in the campaign of death and destruction in Gaza.

But please—I beg everyone—not to allow this to obscure or displace the *reality* that the Netanyahu regime has committed genocide.

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 22h

I actually expand on this point a reply or two later in this chain. Although I do not think that most serious people call themselves “leftist” these days (see thread), my response to the original reply was about people calling *others* “leftist”, which is nearly always meant as a bad faith attack.

Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 2d

Whilst “leftist” does have it’s origins in the genesis of the concept of the left/right political continuum—based on physical seated position in the French assembly in the late 1700s—it has been recently adopted by the right-wing to brand Democrats (especially progressives) as extremists. 1/3

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 1d

CBS News: Is it e-sign or do we need to send Bari Weiss to the Pentagon with a calligraphy pen?

Brian Stelter @brianstelter.bsky.social · 1d

Reps for CNN, Reuters, The AP, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic and NPR all say that journalists from their newsrooms are not signing the new paperwork about Pentagon access. Newsmax says it doesn't intend to sign, either — a potentially significant sign of MAGA dissension.

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 1d

Mills is not progressive and I have met not a single political analyst in Maine that would characterise her as such. She is centre-left, with only her views on LGBTQ+ rights aligning with progressive views. The others you mention only appear “progressive” to centrists and the centre-right.

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Joshua Failé @joshuafaile.bsky.social · 1d

Fried is one of the prolific naysayers, unfortunately, as evidenced by her near obsessive replies to any pro-Platner and/or anti-Mills post on Bluesky.

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Reposted by Joshua Failé

Graham Platner for Senate @grahamformaine.bsky.social · 1d

Today, Maine observes Indigenous Peoples' Day. We honor the lands and legacies of the Wabanaki Nations — Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Maliseet, Mi’kmaq, Abenaki.

I look forward to passing legislation in the Senate to protect tribal sovereignty, which has been trampled for too long.

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Reposted by Joshua Failé

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 1d

yearly reminder to people insisting that we view Christopher Columbus as "a man of his time" that *the people responsible for the Spanish Inquisition* thought Columbus was out of pocket

Thomas Lecaque @tlecaque.bsky.social · 1d

Christopher Columbus was dragged back to Spain in chains by a crusading knight, convicted of tyranny and immeasurable cruelty, pardoned by Isabella but banned from returning to Hispaniola.

Fuck Columbus.

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