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Reposted by Bob Kopp

Faine Greenwood @faineg.bsky.social · 12h

“The single most important problem for pro-democracy forces is that too many people — especially in position of power — seem unable to truly believe that we are living in a consolidating competitive authoritarian regime.”

Faine Greenwood @faineg.bsky.social · 12h

I agree with everything @dhnexon.bsky.social says in this post about where we’re at with the American Republic today and where we must go from here:

www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2025/10/the-...

The State of the Republic is Grim - Lawyers, Guns & Money

If you’re on Bluesky and follow me, you’ve probably seen that I’m writing threads that really should be the basis for posts at LGM. You’ve also likely gotten a bead on where I am these days. Here’s a ...

www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com

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Thomas Zimmer @thomaszimmer.bsky.social · 20h

Sunday reading:

I wrote about the aggrieved extremist who is currently firing thousands of federal workers and ravaging state capacity based on conspiratorial nonsense - and about mainstream media’s infuriating tendency to sanitize Russell Vought and the regime he serves.

This week’s piece:

We need to talk about Russell Vought – But Properly

Why certain mainstream outlets insist on sanitizing Vought as a devout “small government” conservative – and what actually animates his war against pluralistic democracy

steady.page

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Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD DSc(hon) @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social · May 30

No words

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Kevin Elliott @kjephd.bsky.social · 1d

Unconstitutionally taking money that the law says must be spent on one purpose & using it for something else—when it's to establish personalist control over the FUCKING MILITARY—is about as dangerous a constitutional crisis/failure as you can imagine

Via: www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

The Office of Management and Budget sent a notification to Congress about their intent to use research and development funds to pay members of the military, two sources with direct knowledge tell NBC News.

A spokesperson for the OMB confirmed to NBC News that it plans to use the research and development funds and that there are two years' worth of funds available within the Department of Defense.

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Eos @eos.org · 1d

We need ethical, accurate science reporting now more than ever. Help Eos continue to provide context for law and policy changes that impact Earth and space scientists around the world. Donate today.
bit.ly/SupportEos

A series of blue silhouettes against a dark purple background, with the text "R&D: Research and Developments"

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Bob Kopp @bobkopp.net · 1d

@mikiesherrill.bsky.social should insist that Ciattarelli either break with “A-grade” Donald Trump on this or own it

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Cheryl Rofer @cherylrofer.bsky.social · 1d

The offices now being cut are the parts of government we use to take care of each other. This is a consistent theme with Trump, starting with the destruction of USAID.

The Office of Special Education. The CDC on-the-ground operations. Attacking vaccines.

They want to divide us. Don't let them.

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Sara Partridge, Ph.D. @sarapartridge.bsky.social · 1d

There are reports that the *entire* office of special education at the US Dept of Education has been cut. These hardworking folks ensure kids with disabilities get equal access to a quality education.

America’s children deserve better than this.

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Anna Holmes @annabookwriter.bsky.social · 1d

Taps the “this administration is full of eugenicists so yes, they do want people to die” sign so hard it snaps and shards go scattering everywhere.

And yes, we saw it coming.

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Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · 2d

New from me at Cato: I go through the numerous and massive First Amendment and academic-freedom violations of Trump's proffered "compact" with universities and then talk about the mechanism by which it would be enforced, by way of what I describe as a "retroactive push-button guillotine."

Universities Must Defend Their Independence by Rejecting Trump's "Compact"

The Trump administration has proffered a “compact” to universities that would require them to surrender their independence and academic freedom. How many First Amendment violations can we identify in ...

www.cato.org

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Aaron Huertas @aaronhuertas.bsky.social · 1d

As bad as what happened to USAID in terms of eventual body count and avoidable suffering.

In addition to jail time and barring Trump officials from public office, we deserve a national and global truth and reconciliation program.

Lena Sun @lenasun.bsky.social · 1d

NEW: @CDCgov hit hard by massive firings that several staff describe to me as a “bloodbath.”
Among those RIFd:
—leadership of the center for immunization and respiratory diseases;
—leadership of global health center
—leadership of the measles outbreak response; 1/4

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Jonathan Gilligan @jgilligan.org · 2d

Student governments of Vanderbilt, MIT, Brown, Dartmouth, Penn, UVA, and Arizona issued a joint statement condemning the Compact and stating that "Academic Freedom is not negotiable." www.instagram.com/p/DPm507ljBJ...

On October 1st, 2025, the White House sent the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education to our seven universities, outlining expectations universities must meet to continue receiving federal benefits.

Although the compact's full implications remain unclear, the document outlines
unprecedented expectations universities must meet to receive federal benefits. This could systemically alter the mission of higher education and erode the independence that has long defined our universities. We must not allow these attempts to control what can be taught, studied, or spoken on our campuses.

Our universities represent the full spectrum of American higher education, from liberal arts colleges to leading research institutions. As students, this directly impacts us, and thus, our voices must be heard. We know firsthand that institutional autonomy is instrumental to the perpetuation of innovation and progress. As the Compact itself acknowledges, “American higher education is the envy of the world and represents a key strategic benefit for our Nation," yet the document undermines the very principles that make this statement true. Our administrations have been presented with a false choice between their commitments to knowledge and education and our access to the resources that sustain them. To preserve our status as world leaders in education, we must remain true to the foundation of academic freedom that has propelled us forward.

As student representatives, we stand in united opposition to the outlined conditions. We call on our community of students, faculty, alumni, and leadership to reaffirm our commitment to reject political interference and federal overreach. Academic freedom is not negotiable.

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NightMar on Hicks Street, Part 4: The Rabbit’s Revenge @histoftech.bsky.social · 2d

The Virginia Senate just told UVA it’s not getting state funding if it accepts the compact since UVA exists to serve Virginia, its residents, & their interests—not be a tool of the federal govt. Scoop from our student newspaper, who’ve been doing vital reporting www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2025...

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Johnnie Jae @johnniejae.bsky.social · 3d

I've been working on an article for Indigenous Peoples Day, we're finalizing and then this happens 🤣

Ironically, for a POTUS complaining about the "rewriting" of history, he just did a MAJOR rewriting of history or should I say a complete REIMAGINING.

www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Columbus Day, 2025

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Today our Nation honors the legendary Christopher Columbus -- the original American hero,

www.whitehouse.gov

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Bob Kopp @bobkopp.net · 2d

The one case I know about has been shared with Rutgers public safety; I don’t think they are someone who wants public attention.

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Bob Kopp @bobkopp.net · 2d

Rutgers TPUSA says they don't condone harassment of anyone who opposes them, but I hear from colleagues that people who signed the petition calling for them to be banned are receiving email threats to publicize their home addresses if they don't remove their name and apologize.

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 3d

The Rutgers TPUSA chapter — whose characterization of a historian there as a “outspoken, well-known antifa member” led to death threats and moving his family to Europe — think *other* people are being “blatantly defamatory.”

Not them, though. They’re doing politics the right way.

Rutgers TPUSA officers slam petition to shut down chapter, ‘Blatantly defamatory’

Alexander Di Filippo accuses Turning Point USA of inciting violence against Antifa handbook author Mark Bray.

www.foxnews.com

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Ruth Delgado @heylookitsruth.bsky.social · 2d

Jack Ciattarelli speaks proudly about his immigrant roots and his family's American Dream here in New Jersey.

But at a church in Elizabeth, he told children of immigrants that their birthright citizenship, their very claim to that same American Dream, isn't valid.

meidasnews.com/news/jack-ci...

Jack Ciattarelli Denies Birthright Citizenship, Backs Trump’s ICE Deportation Raids

The GOP gubernatorial candidate would welcome Trump's chaos to New Jersey

J.D. Wolf Oct 9, 2025

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Jameel Jaffer @jameeljaffer.bsky.social · 2d

MIT's response to the Trump admin's proposed "compact" is excellent and should be a model for other universities. orgchart.mit.edu/letters/rega...

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Dominique Baker @bakerdphd.bsky.social · 2d

Here's a snippet from the MIT president's letter to ED

Screenshot from link that reads: The document also includes principles with which we disagree, including those that would restrict freedom of expression and our independence as an institution. And fundamentally, the premise of the document is inconsistent with our core belief that scientific funding should be based on scientific merit alone.

In our view, America’s leadership in science and innovation depends on independent thinking and open competition for excellence. In that free marketplace of ideas, the people of MIT gladly compete with the very best, without preferences. Therefore, with respect, we cannot support the proposed approach to addressing the issues facing higher education.

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Kevin St. Alder @kevinstalder.bsky.social · 2d

Statement from the Nobel Peace Prize Committee 👏 🙏

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Dr. Sandra Steingraber 🏳️‍🌈 @ssteingraber1.bsky.social · 3d

Ok but they aren’t “critics” within the scientific community. They are the actual oil industry and the think tanks that work on their behalf. And “linking” refers to source and impact attribution science which quantifies human influence on extreme weather events. 1/4

www.eenews.net/articles/cli...

Climate critics try to discredit IPCC author for linking disasters to global warming

Roger Pielke Jr. and oil industry supporters are attacking climate scientist Friederike Otto, whose work has been used in lawsuits against polluters.

www.eenews.net

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 3d

We never incited violence, we just called this guy a member of antifa who funded terrorism and told our followers to pay him a visit ha ha and then a totally unrelated group of people threatened to murder him in front of his students ha ha

"The petition to disband our Turning Point chapter is blatantly defamatory," Ava Kwan, outreach coordinator for the Turning Point USA chapter at Rutgers, told Fox News Digital in a statement.
"The accusations of 'inciting violence' and 'making threats' are complete lies," Kwan said. "The same people claiming we're suppressing their free speech are actively trying to silence us for speaking the truth. It's not just ironic, it's hypocritical and absurd."

tpusa_rutgers Do you want to become a socialist? If so, make sure to pay this professor a visit!!!! All jokes aside help us report this professor who has ties to Antifa which now is designated as a domestic terrorist organization. DO YOUR PART AND HELP MAKE RUTGERS A PLACE FOR ALL STUDENTS TO LEARN WITHOUT BECOMING A RADICAL SOCIALIST

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 3d

The Rutgers TPUSA chapter — whose characterization of a historian there as a “outspoken, well-known antifa member” led to death threats and moving his family to Europe — think *other* people are being “blatantly defamatory.”

Not them, though. They’re doing politics the right way.

Rutgers TPUSA officers slam petition to shut down chapter, ‘Blatantly defamatory’

Alexander Di Filippo accuses Turning Point USA of inciting violence against Antifa handbook author Mark Bray.

www.foxnews.com

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Heidi Kitrosser @heidikitrosser.bsky.social · 3d

Outstanding piece on the "compact" to turn universities into vehicles of thought control for the Trump administration. (Uh oh, I'm a university professor who just said something belittling about a "conservative" administration's compact, in violation of the compact's terms ...)

Siva @sivav.bsky.social · 4d

The “compact” for higher ed is an unserious document written by unserious people from a position of spectacular ignorance. No one should take it seriously. Sadly, my bosses are taking it seriously.

newrepublic.com/article/2013...

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down

How Linda McMahon’s latest “compact” would do deep and permanent harm to American higher education

newrepublic.com

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Akshat Rathi @akshatrathi.bsky.social · 3d

Fast and cheap way to cut the warming impact of flying, but few are working on it. Main reason @hannahritchie.bsky.social thinks is lack of awareness of contrail's effects. You can change that by reading and sharing this: www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/eliminatin...

Eliminating contrails from flying could be incredibly cheap

Could we halve aviation's climate impact at a fraction of the cost of sustainable aviation fuels?

www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com

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