John Pettus
@johngpettus.bsky.social
Social venture entrepreneur. San Francisco native. Iraq veteran. Economics-trained, MBA liberal. Both more liberal and more conservative than you, in some ways. Working on improving public discourse and teaching & measuring critical thinking at scale.
Pinned
CBS didn't experience a hostile takeover by the fascists. It literally sold out, to become a propaganda mill for the regime.
This is the inevitable result of oligarch-owned media. It is bought and used for control.
This is the inevitable result of oligarch-owned media. It is bought and used for control.
This entire article is positive about Trump Gold Cards. It contains positive quotes about it from Trump, Lutnick and a CEO. It contains no quotes from the many critics of the program. This is sandwiched between 6 posts about Erika Kirk. CBS is lost.
December 13, 2025 at 6:26 AM
CBS didn't experience a hostile takeover by the fascists. It literally sold out, to become a propaganda mill for the regime.
This is the inevitable result of oligarch-owned media. It is bought and used for control.
This is the inevitable result of oligarch-owned media. It is bought and used for control.
Reposted by John Pettus
My hot sports take is that Michael Jordan using his otherworldly basketball talent to act like an asshole whilst disguising it as "dominance" was a bad thing, actually
December 12, 2025 at 11:55 PM
My hot sports take is that Michael Jordan using his otherworldly basketball talent to act like an asshole whilst disguising it as "dominance" was a bad thing, actually
Reposted by John Pettus
A simple question
December 12, 2025 at 3:47 AM
A simple question
Reposted by John Pettus
behold, the platonic ideal of social media
December 12, 2025 at 6:01 PM
behold, the platonic ideal of social media
Reposted by John Pettus
U.S. pals:
Do. Not. Donate. To. Salvation. Army.
There are better charities out there. Much better.
Do. Not. Donate. To. Salvation. Army.
There are better charities out there. Much better.
December 12, 2025 at 3:43 PM
U.S. pals:
Do. Not. Donate. To. Salvation. Army.
There are better charities out there. Much better.
Do. Not. Donate. To. Salvation. Army.
There are better charities out there. Much better.
Reposted by John Pettus
If you’re wondering why Democratic staffers are happily leaking photos of Epstein with the likes of Bill Clinton and Larry Summers you’re really not paying attention.
The parties (and their voters) are *not* the same.
The Dems are not perfect and have ample problems.
But GOP is different.
The parties (and their voters) are *not* the same.
The Dems are not perfect and have ample problems.
But GOP is different.
December 12, 2025 at 3:46 PM
If you’re wondering why Democratic staffers are happily leaking photos of Epstein with the likes of Bill Clinton and Larry Summers you’re really not paying attention.
The parties (and their voters) are *not* the same.
The Dems are not perfect and have ample problems.
But GOP is different.
The parties (and their voters) are *not* the same.
The Dems are not perfect and have ample problems.
But GOP is different.
Reposted by John Pettus
1 win and two other teams losing, and the Niners are the #1 seed
December 13, 2025 at 2:11 AM
1 win and two other teams losing, and the Niners are the #1 seed
Reposted by John Pettus
Do the reading yourself. Write your essays yourself. Why? You need to build the connections in your mind (heuristics) so that you can function in an AI-free environment like the bar exam or a hearing in front of a judge without electronics. ⚖️ #lawschool #tips
What other tips do you lawyers have for the kids just starting law school?
December 13, 2025 at 3:48 AM
Do the reading yourself. Write your essays yourself. Why? You need to build the connections in your mind (heuristics) so that you can function in an AI-free environment like the bar exam or a hearing in front of a judge without electronics. ⚖️ #lawschool #tips
Reposted by John Pettus
This is where the right is now. It's not enough to be a white nationalist. Not enough to fetishize "white culture". Instead, it is necessary to erase all non-white claims to the nation, to make white Europeans the "new indigenous". The deepest roots, the blood, the soil -- all white, only white.
December 13, 2025 at 1:13 AM
This is where the right is now. It's not enough to be a white nationalist. Not enough to fetishize "white culture". Instead, it is necessary to erase all non-white claims to the nation, to make white Europeans the "new indigenous". The deepest roots, the blood, the soil -- all white, only white.
Not human
December 13, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Not human
Reposted by John Pettus
💯 percent this
“Congress has largely been focused on the double-tap strike. But the consensus among experts is that the entirety of the strikes is illegal.”
@naomilachance.bsky.social breaks down the details of Trump’s recent strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and what makes them illegal.
@naomilachance.bsky.social breaks down the details of Trump’s recent strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and what makes them illegal.
December 13, 2025 at 12:59 AM
💯 percent this
We don't live under the rule of law.
Amazing reporting from @katiemangan.bsky.social and @peterelkind.bsky.social
www.chronicle.com/article/the-...
previously unreported documents and interviews... reveals the extent to which the government violated legal and procedural norms to gin up its case against the institution
www.chronicle.com/article/the-...
previously unreported documents and interviews... reveals the extent to which the government violated legal and procedural norms to gin up its case against the institution
Trump’s DOJ Pressured Lawyers to “Find” Evidence UCLA Had Illegally Tolerated Antisemitism
How the government ignored due process to gin up its attack on the University of California
www.chronicle.com
December 13, 2025 at 2:18 AM
We don't live under the rule of law.
Reposted by John Pettus
that’s a helluva cover
Excited to announce that my next book, I AM THE NIGHT, not only has a great cover but is available for pre-order now: us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
December 13, 2025 at 1:38 AM
that’s a helluva cover
Reposted by John Pettus
Oh. Cool. Just as the President is using every power he can to suppress dissent and stifle speech, @whitehouse.senate.gov and the @judiciarydems.senate.gov are trying to hand Trump a new tool to suppress speech online.
What a joke.
What a joke.
Sen. WHITEHOUSE: We finally are moving to file a bipartisan Section 230 repeal bill. Waiting any longer serves no useful purpose.
December 12, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Oh. Cool. Just as the President is using every power he can to suppress dissent and stifle speech, @whitehouse.senate.gov and the @judiciarydems.senate.gov are trying to hand Trump a new tool to suppress speech online.
What a joke.
What a joke.
We are a completely lawless country and we will be until the pardon power is removed from the Constitution.
The Dems not abusing the pardon power doesn't mean we've returned to the rule of law.
The Dems not abusing the pardon power doesn't mean we've returned to the rule of law.
"Trump Is Already Discussing Preemptive Pardons For His Lawless Administration"
The revelation comes as Pete Hegseth faces scrutiny for a possible war crime, and as a judge pursues a contempt inquiry into the defiance of his order.
Read/share/subscribe:
The revelation comes as Pete Hegseth faces scrutiny for a possible war crime, and as a judge pursues a contempt inquiry into the defiance of his order.
Read/share/subscribe:
Trump Is Already Discussing Preemptive Pardons For His Lawless Administration
The revelation comes as Pete Hegseth faces scrutiny for a possible war crime, and as a judge pursues a contempt inquiry into the defiance of his order.
zeteo.com
December 13, 2025 at 2:01 AM
We are a completely lawless country and we will be until the pardon power is removed from the Constitution.
The Dems not abusing the pardon power doesn't mean we've returned to the rule of law.
The Dems not abusing the pardon power doesn't mean we've returned to the rule of law.
Reposted by John Pettus
crisp gradient
December 13, 2025 at 1:48 AM
crisp gradient
Reposted by John Pettus
This is, uh, not a smart move. Section 230 has its flaws, but repealing it without having an *extremely solid* plan in place to replace the protections for free speech it offers is tantamount to banning the LGBTQ+ community and others from public online spaces.
Sen. WHITEHOUSE: We finally are moving to file a bipartisan Section 230 repeal bill. Waiting any longer serves no useful purpose.
December 13, 2025 at 1:51 AM
This is, uh, not a smart move. Section 230 has its flaws, but repealing it without having an *extremely solid* plan in place to replace the protections for free speech it offers is tantamount to banning the LGBTQ+ community and others from public online spaces.
Reposted by John Pettus
This would be a fucking disaster
Sen. WHITEHOUSE: We finally are moving to file a bipartisan Section 230 repeal bill. Waiting any longer serves no useful purpose.
December 13, 2025 at 1:51 AM
This would be a fucking disaster
Reposted by John Pettus
It is hard to overstate how shallow and embarrassing the Washington Post Editorial Board's analysis is whenver it tries to write about the law. They don't make arguments so much as they crank out half-assed jumbles of buzzwords that they hope will make Jeff Bezos happy. Don't care for it at all!
The Washington Post Editorial Board Is Spectacularly Awful at Legal Analysis
Since Bezos overhauled the board earlier this year, it has been very good at cranking out billionaire-friendly propaganda. It is quite bad at everything else.
ballsandstrikes.org
December 12, 2025 at 9:05 PM
It is hard to overstate how shallow and embarrassing the Washington Post Editorial Board's analysis is whenver it tries to write about the law. They don't make arguments so much as they crank out half-assed jumbles of buzzwords that they hope will make Jeff Bezos happy. Don't care for it at all!
It’s just Conservative BullShit News now
CBS News has now made 13 posts about Erika Kirk in the last 2 days, dominating their news page over all other stories.
December 13, 2025 at 12:49 AM
It’s just Conservative BullShit News now
You can think of this command as coming directly from Lord Thiel
USA visa requirements
If you think you can just delete social media before visiting the USA read this 👇🏼 from Arnaud Bertrand
If you think you can just delete social media before visiting the USA read this 👇🏼 from Arnaud Bertrand
December 12, 2025 at 8:55 AM
You can think of this command as coming directly from Lord Thiel
Who could have predicted such a thing?
Other than everyone who knows anything about A.I., and any actual journalist.
Other than everyone who knows anything about A.I., and any actual journalist.
Staffers at The Washington Post revolted en masse after the newspaper debuted an error-prone A.I. podcast feature, according to Slack messages obtained by Status.
Details in @status.news: www.status.news/p/washington...
Details in @status.news: www.status.news/p/washington...
The Post’s A.I. ‘Disaster’
Staffers at The Washington Post revolted en masse after the newspaper debuted an error-prone A.I. podcast feature, according to Slack messages obtained by Status.
www.status.news
December 12, 2025 at 4:07 AM
Who could have predicted such a thing?
Other than everyone who knows anything about A.I., and any actual journalist.
Other than everyone who knows anything about A.I., and any actual journalist.
Reposted by John Pettus
"Unless a media company owns itself, its independence is conditional."
www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-and-...
www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-and-...
Trump and the Oligarchs Are Killing Corporate Media
The oligarchs only care about money. The dictator only cares about power. They can make that arrangement work.
www.thebulwark.com
December 12, 2025 at 3:33 AM
"Unless a media company owns itself, its independence is conditional."
www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-and-...
www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-and-...