Dave Merritt
@butwhatifitsall.bsky.social
Gen Xer (1965), benefitted from the golden age of the UK welfare state and social mobility. Career in social housing (remember that?) now retired. Father of Jack Merritt, killed in the 2019 Fishmongers’ Hall attack. Writing a book. Food. Music. Politics.
Reposted by Dave Merritt
The thing about the Tech Bros and their crazy transhumanism is that, psychologically, they’re all trying to compensate for being young and vulnerable as children, by pretending they will never get old and vulnerable. It’s all a manic way of avoiding inevitable mortality
December 9, 2025 at 10:46 PM
The thing about the Tech Bros and their crazy transhumanism is that, psychologically, they’re all trying to compensate for being young and vulnerable as children, by pretending they will never get old and vulnerable. It’s all a manic way of avoiding inevitable mortality
Reposted by Dave Merritt
All I’m saying is that there’s an anti-AI lane that remains entirely open to 2028 Dems.
And I think it’d be smart for them to jump on it before the bubble pops.
And I think it’d be smart for them to jump on it before the bubble pops.
December 8, 2025 at 3:22 AM
All I’m saying is that there’s an anti-AI lane that remains entirely open to 2028 Dems.
And I think it’d be smart for them to jump on it before the bubble pops.
And I think it’d be smart for them to jump on it before the bubble pops.
Reposted by Dave Merritt
When the Telegraph admits Brexit is a disaster, the ground is moving. The question is: why isn’t Starmer?
@eastangliabylines.co.uk @peterthurlow.bsky.social
@eastangliabylines.co.uk @peterthurlow.bsky.social
Now is the winter of our Brexit sent
While we have used this title before, perhaps this is the time to look at our options afresh, now that we have seen the disaster that is Brexit
eastangliabylines.co.uk
December 5, 2025 at 5:38 PM
When the Telegraph admits Brexit is a disaster, the ground is moving. The question is: why isn’t Starmer?
@eastangliabylines.co.uk @peterthurlow.bsky.social
@eastangliabylines.co.uk @peterthurlow.bsky.social
Reposted by Dave Merritt
Teach a man who hates socialism and votes for authoritarianism to farm and he can receive socialist handouts for life from the government that bankrupted him in the first place.
December 9, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Teach a man who hates socialism and votes for authoritarianism to farm and he can receive socialist handouts for life from the government that bankrupted him in the first place.
Reposted by Dave Merritt
One of the only films that nearly killed me because I was laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe (along with Spinal Tap, A Night at the Opera and Sturges’ Unfaithfully Yours)
[RICHARD PRYOR LIVE IN CONCERT] Probably the greatest of all recorded-performance films...Watching this mysteriously original physical comedian you can't account for his gift and everything he does seems to be for the first time. (1979)
December 9, 2025 at 10:50 PM
One of the only films that nearly killed me because I was laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe (along with Spinal Tap, A Night at the Opera and Sturges’ Unfaithfully Yours)
Reposted by Dave Merritt
We are dealing with such corruption in every aspect of our government, I don't know how we undo the damage.
December 9, 2025 at 1:26 AM
We are dealing with such corruption in every aspect of our government, I don't know how we undo the damage.
Reposted by Dave Merritt
Given the high suicide rates for veterans, cutting mental health and suicide prevention jobs at the Veterans Administration is UNCONSCIONABLE. The Trump administration is full of incompetent, hateful monsters.
December 9, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Given the high suicide rates for veterans, cutting mental health and suicide prevention jobs at the Veterans Administration is UNCONSCIONABLE. The Trump administration is full of incompetent, hateful monsters.
Reposted by Dave Merritt
Reform UK councillor Andrew Harrison's business was fined £40,000 for hiring an "illegal immigrant."
Almost like these people are shameless, two faced hypocrites isn't it
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Almost like these people are shameless, two faced hypocrites isn't it
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Seaham Reform councillor's firm fined over illegal worker
Durham councillor Andrew Harrison says the worker was legal and he is appealing against the fine.
www.bbc.com
December 8, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Reform UK councillor Andrew Harrison's business was fined £40,000 for hiring an "illegal immigrant."
Almost like these people are shameless, two faced hypocrites isn't it
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Almost like these people are shameless, two faced hypocrites isn't it
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Dave Merritt
Struck by this line in @maxbergmann.bsky.social's latest on the implications of the Trump admin's NSS. This take - implications of US democracy program cuts in Europe - pairs well with our latest policy brief "After USAID: Europe's Moment to Lead", just released today: bst-europe.eu/europe-in-th...
December 9, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Struck by this line in @maxbergmann.bsky.social's latest on the implications of the Trump admin's NSS. This take - implications of US democracy program cuts in Europe - pairs well with our latest policy brief "After USAID: Europe's Moment to Lead", just released today: bst-europe.eu/europe-in-th...
Reposted by Dave Merritt
It is almost as if Starmer's team wants to hand "cowardice" talking points to Polanski and Davey
Asked repeatedly about Donald Trump calling Sadiq Khan "disgusting" and suggesting that he was only elected because of immigrants, Keir Starmer's spokesman says only that the PM has a "strong relationship" with the President which has "yielded positive results for this country"
December 9, 2025 at 10:53 PM
It is almost as if Starmer's team wants to hand "cowardice" talking points to Polanski and Davey
Reposted by Dave Merritt
Striking to me are Max's three points Max on how the US could support far-right parties in Europe:
- redirect funding that used to go to support civil society
- empower social media companies to boost far-right reach (and fight European laws)
- support far-right parties via US intelligence agencies
- redirect funding that used to go to support civil society
- empower social media companies to boost far-right reach (and fight European laws)
- support far-right parties via US intelligence agencies
December 8, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Striking to me are Max's three points Max on how the US could support far-right parties in Europe:
- redirect funding that used to go to support civil society
- empower social media companies to boost far-right reach (and fight European laws)
- support far-right parties via US intelligence agencies
- redirect funding that used to go to support civil society
- empower social media companies to boost far-right reach (and fight European laws)
- support far-right parties via US intelligence agencies
Reposted by Dave Merritt
After Europe had a weekend to digest the confrontative new US National Security Strategy, time to ponder the questions raised by @maxbergmann.bsky.social in this excellent piece:
The NSS That Could Destroy the NATO Alliance
The latest U.S. National Security Strategy doesn’t just sideline Europe—it seeks to reshape its politics, backing nationalist parties and challenging the European Union in ways that could push the tra...
www.csis.org
December 8, 2025 at 10:19 AM
After Europe had a weekend to digest the confrontative new US National Security Strategy, time to ponder the questions raised by @maxbergmann.bsky.social in this excellent piece:
Listen also to this excellent summary by Byline Times overcast.fm/+AAeP6pC8nsQ
America under Trump has turned from ally to foe. I really hope Starmer wakes up to this soon, and acts with Europe to shore up democracy, or we are all fucked.
America under Trump has turned from ally to foe. I really hope Starmer wakes up to this soon, and acts with Europe to shore up democracy, or we are all fucked.
December 9, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Listen also to this excellent summary by Byline Times overcast.fm/+AAeP6pC8nsQ
America under Trump has turned from ally to foe. I really hope Starmer wakes up to this soon, and acts with Europe to shore up democracy, or we are all fucked.
America under Trump has turned from ally to foe. I really hope Starmer wakes up to this soon, and acts with Europe to shore up democracy, or we are all fucked.
Reposted by Dave Merritt
Musk and Trump want a smaller state, for the same reason the Sopranos wanted a smaller police force.
Musk and Trump hate the EU for the same reasons Farage and Putin hate it. It stands for civil rights, the rule of law, and regulation of oligarchs
December 8, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Musk and Trump want a smaller state, for the same reason the Sopranos wanted a smaller police force.
Reposted by Dave Merritt
Excellent piece by @gideonrachman.bsky.social - which frames the NSS correctly and walks through the three plausible implications for Europe. All of them are worrying, and will be a big part of our research coverage at Eurasia Group going forward
December 8, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Excellent piece by @gideonrachman.bsky.social - which frames the NSS correctly and walks through the three plausible implications for Europe. All of them are worrying, and will be a big part of our research coverage at Eurasia Group going forward
Reposted by Dave Merritt
POLITICO: You pardoned the former president of Honduras even though he was convicted in a massive intl drug trafficking scheme. How is that 0 tolerance on drug trafficking?
TRUMP: Well I don't know him and I know very little about him other than people said it was like an Obama-Biden type set up
TRUMP: Well I don't know him and I know very little about him other than people said it was like an Obama-Biden type set up
December 9, 2025 at 5:42 PM
POLITICO: You pardoned the former president of Honduras even though he was convicted in a massive intl drug trafficking scheme. How is that 0 tolerance on drug trafficking?
TRUMP: Well I don't know him and I know very little about him other than people said it was like an Obama-Biden type set up
TRUMP: Well I don't know him and I know very little about him other than people said it was like an Obama-Biden type set up
Reposted by Dave Merritt
Q. ON DEC. 8th : “You said you would have no problem with releasing the full video of that strike on Sept. 2nd.”
TRUMP : “I didn’t say that. You said that. I didn’t say that. This is ABC fake news.” + Insults journalist.
TRUMP ON DEC. 3d : “Whatever they have we’d certainly release. No problem.”
TRUMP : “I didn’t say that. You said that. I didn’t say that. This is ABC fake news.” + Insults journalist.
TRUMP ON DEC. 3d : “Whatever they have we’d certainly release. No problem.”
December 9, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Q. ON DEC. 8th : “You said you would have no problem with releasing the full video of that strike on Sept. 2nd.”
TRUMP : “I didn’t say that. You said that. I didn’t say that. This is ABC fake news.” + Insults journalist.
TRUMP ON DEC. 3d : “Whatever they have we’d certainly release. No problem.”
TRUMP : “I didn’t say that. You said that. I didn’t say that. This is ABC fake news.” + Insults journalist.
TRUMP ON DEC. 3d : “Whatever they have we’d certainly release. No problem.”
Reposted by Dave Merritt
Once more for the haters...
December 9, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Once more for the haters...
Reposted by Dave Merritt
Listen to the story of this Marine Corps Veteran.
He says he feels betrayed after ICE handcuffed his wife during her final green card interview. She was following the lawful process that spouses of U.S. service members have used for decades.
He says he feels betrayed after ICE handcuffed his wife during her final green card interview. She was following the lawful process that spouses of U.S. service members have used for decades.
ICE arrests military spouses at green card interviews in San Diego
A Marine Corps veteran is speaking out, saying he feels “betrayed” after his wife was one of the military spouses arrested during a green card interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services....
www.nbcnews.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Listen to the story of this Marine Corps Veteran.
He says he feels betrayed after ICE handcuffed his wife during her final green card interview. She was following the lawful process that spouses of U.S. service members have used for decades.
He says he feels betrayed after ICE handcuffed his wife during her final green card interview. She was following the lawful process that spouses of U.S. service members have used for decades.
Reposted by Dave Merritt
These stories are less than 6 weeks apart. Billionaires don’t care about working people. They care about power. Stop defending billionaires. Start taxing them out of existence.
December 9, 2025 at 5:42 PM
These stories are less than 6 weeks apart. Billionaires don’t care about working people. They care about power. Stop defending billionaires. Start taxing them out of existence.
Reposted by Dave Merritt
That's because you're in Dubai.
December 9, 2025 at 10:08 AM
That's because you're in Dubai.
Reposted by Dave Merritt
Thatchersim — still the basis of so much of our economy — worked by making us buy things we already owned, using money we borrowed from our grandkids, and then cancelling the maintenance and calling it "savings".
And now everything is broken.
And now everything is broken.
December 8, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Thatchersim — still the basis of so much of our economy — worked by making us buy things we already owned, using money we borrowed from our grandkids, and then cancelling the maintenance and calling it "savings".
And now everything is broken.
And now everything is broken.
Reposted by Dave Merritt
Labour are attacking Greens. Fine. I have yet to see any party that has entirely affordable aspirations.
But at least the Greens HAVE aspirations.
Labour have seemingly decided the status quo cannot be touched, even when it doesn't work for 90% of people, or the viability of life on the planet.
But at least the Greens HAVE aspirations.
Labour have seemingly decided the status quo cannot be touched, even when it doesn't work for 90% of people, or the viability of life on the planet.
December 8, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Labour are attacking Greens. Fine. I have yet to see any party that has entirely affordable aspirations.
But at least the Greens HAVE aspirations.
Labour have seemingly decided the status quo cannot be touched, even when it doesn't work for 90% of people, or the viability of life on the planet.
But at least the Greens HAVE aspirations.
Labour have seemingly decided the status quo cannot be touched, even when it doesn't work for 90% of people, or the viability of life on the planet.
Reposted by Dave Merritt
A reminder that when Kemi Badenoch hacked Harriet Harman's website it was an offence carrying a sentence of up to five years in prison
The Conservative party’s policy also includes stripping people of their British citizenship when they are found guilty of a crime ⬇️
All criminals with dual nationality must be deported, say Tories
The Conservative party’s policy also includes stripping people of their British citizenship when they are found guilty of a crime
www.thetimes.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:08 PM
A reminder that when Kemi Badenoch hacked Harriet Harman's website it was an offence carrying a sentence of up to five years in prison
Reposted by Dave Merritt
On the one hand, I’ve seen Zarah Sultana with my own eyes. On the other, everything else increasingly suggests she can’t possibly be a real person.
Zarah Sultana voted with the Tories in every vote on the Employment Rights Bill last night.
That includes voting to keep the Lords' wrecking amendments on strike ballot thresholds and to keep the 2016 Trade Union Act's restrictions on unions' political funds.
That includes voting to keep the Lords' wrecking amendments on strike ballot thresholds and to keep the 2016 Trade Union Act's restrictions on unions' political funds.
December 9, 2025 at 12:15 PM
On the one hand, I’ve seen Zarah Sultana with my own eyes. On the other, everything else increasingly suggests she can’t possibly be a real person.