Melissa Jones Pelczynski
@mejomelissa.bsky.social
Mom of awesome 👨🏼💻🙋🏼👩🏼🏫 Wife of wonderful Army vet. Democrat. Davidson College & UVA Law alumna. Public school tutor. Moms Demand advocate. Armchair musher with #UglyDogs.
Pinned
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11th ANNUAL
BULL CITY FOODRAISER
FUNDRAISING THREAD
***
It's that time again! 🦃 For the 11th year in a row, we need your help providing groceries to 5,100+ schoolkids!
➡️ GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/11th-annua...
➡️ PPGF: www.paypal.com/US/fundraise...
(Plus other donation options in thread!)
11th ANNUAL
BULL CITY FOODRAISER
FUNDRAISING THREAD
***
It's that time again! 🦃 For the 11th year in a row, we need your help providing groceries to 5,100+ schoolkids!
➡️ GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/11th-annua...
➡️ PPGF: www.paypal.com/US/fundraise...
(Plus other donation options in thread!)
Please chip in if you’re able. The need is greater than ever this year. 🦃 🌽 ♥️
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
My church! If Jesus were born into our world right now, this is how it would look. It's a good reminder that God is always emerging into our present context, and you know what they would do to Jesus if he showed up right now because ICE is showing you every day.
Savage! 🎄 Lake Street Church of Evanston creates a nativity scene with gas masks to remind us that Jesus was a refugee.
"This installation is not subtle. The crisis it addresses is not abstract. We ask viewers to confront the disconnect between professed religious or moral values & immigration."
"This installation is not subtle. The crisis it addresses is not abstract. We ask viewers to confront the disconnect between professed religious or moral values & immigration."
December 1, 2025 at 9:14 PM
My church! If Jesus were born into our world right now, this is how it would look. It's a good reminder that God is always emerging into our present context, and you know what they would do to Jesus if he showed up right now because ICE is showing you every day.
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
As for the benchmark SILVER plan, for this hypothetical couple, the cost would jump from $599/month in 2025 to $6,186/month.
That's over 10.3x as much, and would cost 88% of their GROSS income in premiums alone.
DO. NOT. PASSIVELY. AUTORENEW. NEXT. YEAR.
SHOP. AROUND. SHOP. AROUND. SHOP. AROUND.
That's over 10.3x as much, and would cost 88% of their GROSS income in premiums alone.
DO. NOT. PASSIVELY. AUTORENEW. NEXT. YEAR.
SHOP. AROUND. SHOP. AROUND. SHOP. AROUND.
December 1, 2025 at 8:44 PM
As for the benchmark SILVER plan, for this hypothetical couple, the cost would jump from $599/month in 2025 to $6,186/month.
That's over 10.3x as much, and would cost 88% of their GROSS income in premiums alone.
DO. NOT. PASSIVELY. AUTORENEW. NEXT. YEAR.
SHOP. AROUND. SHOP. AROUND. SHOP. AROUND.
That's over 10.3x as much, and would cost 88% of their GROSS income in premiums alone.
DO. NOT. PASSIVELY. AUTORENEW. NEXT. YEAR.
SHOP. AROUND. SHOP. AROUND. SHOP. AROUND.
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
Incredible - balcony solar, for owners or tenants, is ready to go. The tech is there; all that's missing is the legislation.
Delighted to to learn Maryland is one of the states queuing up laws that would make it possible for anyone to pop down to Costco or Ikea, buy a panel and plug it in.
Delighted to to learn Maryland is one of the states queuing up laws that would make it possible for anyone to pop down to Costco or Ikea, buy a panel and plug it in.
Today on Volts: I've had more requests to cover this than almost any other topic in the pod's history, so now, at long last, balcony solar! We dig into how "plug-in solar" took off in Europe & how it's making its way to the US, starting in Utah. Backyard DIY types rejoice!
What's the deal with balcony solar?
Cora Stryker joins me to explain how "plug-in" solar took Europe by storm and is finally, via Utah (?), making its way to America.
www.volts.wtf
December 1, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Incredible - balcony solar, for owners or tenants, is ready to go. The tech is there; all that's missing is the legislation.
Delighted to to learn Maryland is one of the states queuing up laws that would make it possible for anyone to pop down to Costco or Ikea, buy a panel and plug it in.
Delighted to to learn Maryland is one of the states queuing up laws that would make it possible for anyone to pop down to Costco or Ikea, buy a panel and plug it in.
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
Regular reminder that NFL and NBA teams are required to publicly disclose athlete health conditions and injuries in far greater detail than the president of the United States who has the nuclear codes
A recent MRI conducted on President Donald Trump was preventative in nature and revealed that he was in good cardiovascular health, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a White House briefing reut.rs/4pFyas1
White House says Trump MRI was preventative, president in excellent health
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that a recent MRI conducted on President Donald Trump was preventative in nature and revealed that he was in good cardiovascular health.
reut.rs
December 1, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Regular reminder that NFL and NBA teams are required to publicly disclose athlete health conditions and injuries in far greater detail than the president of the United States who has the nuclear codes
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
There is no such thing as a “preventative MRI.”
December 1, 2025 at 7:00 PM
There is no such thing as a “preventative MRI.”
Whites only — Trump regime immigration policy
Leavitt: "Refugee admissions into the country right now are essentially at 0, with the exception of Afrikaners fleeing persecution in South Africa."
December 1, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Whites only — Trump regime immigration policy
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
AI can pose some real dangers to minors and others. Here's what your democratic legislators are doing to protect you. Mind you, Gov. Red Vest vetoed the previous iteration of this bill.
virginiamercury.com/2025/11/27/v...
virginiamercury.com/2025/11/27/v...
Virginia lawmaker wants guardrails for minors interacting with chatbots • Virginia Mercury
Legislators may tackle chatbots, deepfakes and scalper bots in upcoming session.
virginiamercury.com
December 1, 2025 at 7:03 PM
AI can pose some real dangers to minors and others. Here's what your democratic legislators are doing to protect you. Mind you, Gov. Red Vest vetoed the previous iteration of this bill.
virginiamercury.com/2025/11/27/v...
virginiamercury.com/2025/11/27/v...
Be like NYC. Stand with striking Starbucks workers #NoContractNoCoffee
BREAKING: According to a recent investigation by NYC's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, Starbucks illegally violated workers' protection laws in NYC 500,000 times since 2021. Over $35.5 million will be paid in restitution to Starbucks workers!
gothamist.com/news/starbuc...
gothamist.com/news/starbuc...
Starbucks to pay $35M to NYC workers after city alleges years of abuses
The city says about 15,000 employees will get paid $50 for each week worked over a three-year period. For some workers, that's thousands of dollars.
gothamist.com
December 1, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Be like NYC. Stand with striking Starbucks workers #NoContractNoCoffee
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
“we failed a veteran” is the ultimate story here and if I were a soldier currently being asked to do war crimes on Trump’s behalf I would consider this instructive
Suspect in National Guard attack struggled with 'dark isolation' as community raised concerns
Emails obtained by the Associated Press show that the Afghan man accused of shooting two National Guard members near the White House had been unraveling for years.
www.latimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 5:12 PM
“we failed a veteran” is the ultimate story here and if I were a soldier currently being asked to do war crimes on Trump’s behalf I would consider this instructive
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
If you want people to spend more, pay them more.
December 1, 2025 at 5:12 PM
If you want people to spend more, pay them more.
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
Democracies run on rules. Autocracies run on allegiance. Reuters makes clear which direction we’re moving. #holdfast #getsmart #SteadyState
www.reuters.com/investigates...
www.reuters.com/investigates...
Trump’s campaign of retribution: At least 470 targets and counting
A Reuters investigation documents at least 470 acts of retribution under Trump’s leadership.
www.reuters.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Democracies run on rules. Autocracies run on allegiance. Reuters makes clear which direction we’re moving. #holdfast #getsmart #SteadyState
www.reuters.com/investigates...
www.reuters.com/investigates...
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
MTG’s exit is a sideshow — but it spotlights what’s truly broken in the House. The real fix starts with organized blocs and serious rules reform.
How would that work? Glad you asked....
How would that work? Glad you asked....
Quitters Never Win: What MTG’s Exit Says About Fixing Congress
How organized blocs and rules reform can make the House great again
firstbranchforecast.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:28 PM
MTG’s exit is a sideshow — but it spotlights what’s truly broken in the House. The real fix starts with organized blocs and serious rules reform.
How would that work? Glad you asked....
How would that work? Glad you asked....
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
With the U.S. military’s blatantly war crime strikes in the Caribbean, there are no libs getting owned, no rich people making money, no national security goal being advanced.
It’s only this: Are you better than history’s monsters like you’ve long said you are, or not?
It’s only this: Are you better than history’s monsters like you’ve long said you are, or not?
I'm shocked but somewhat pleased the mainstream media is going all Watergate on the Hegseth war crimes in the Caribbean. "Morning Joe" (yes, I know, don't @ me) has talked about little else for 2 hours
I'm not 100% convinced that this is the turning point but it might be, with Trump at just 36%
I'm not 100% convinced that this is the turning point but it might be, with Trump at just 36%
December 1, 2025 at 1:29 PM
With the U.S. military’s blatantly war crime strikes in the Caribbean, there are no libs getting owned, no rich people making money, no national security goal being advanced.
It’s only this: Are you better than history’s monsters like you’ve long said you are, or not?
It’s only this: Are you better than history’s monsters like you’ve long said you are, or not?
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
❤️❤️❤️
I have lived in Nashville since 2002 and have never seen excitement around a candidate like this ever.
December 1, 2025 at 2:32 AM
❤️❤️❤️
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
it is impossible to imagine any Pentagon lawyer blessing this action. The concept of hors de combat—literally, out of combat—is a fundamental aspect of the law of war that prevents harming those disabled from combat.
open.substack.com/pub/contrari...
open.substack.com/pub/contrari...
War Crime...or Murder?
Killing shipwreck survivors is patently illegal and morally abhorrent
open.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:23 PM
it is impossible to imagine any Pentagon lawyer blessing this action. The concept of hors de combat—literally, out of combat—is a fundamental aspect of the law of war that prevents harming those disabled from combat.
open.substack.com/pub/contrari...
open.substack.com/pub/contrari...
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
To liberals who understand the stakes but feel at sea when it comes to solutions: The Reconstruction Papers will provide solutions. It will lay out a vision to rebuild for our era rather than repairing relics of the past. Let go of your grief for a flawed liberal past, embrace the liberal future.
A Preview of a Project We'll Pursue if Fully Funded
Investing in a positive vision for a liberal future, rather than remaining in a defensive crouch on behalf of a liberal past.
www.liberalcurrents.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:25 PM
To liberals who understand the stakes but feel at sea when it comes to solutions: The Reconstruction Papers will provide solutions. It will lay out a vision to rebuild for our era rather than repairing relics of the past. Let go of your grief for a flawed liberal past, embrace the liberal future.
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
It's wild to be of the generation of educators who was told by elders to never let students use Wikipedia (which is meticulously sourced and curated and which I taught students to use as a starting point) to now have those same folks embrace a crystal ball that doesn't identify its sources.
December 1, 2025 at 1:17 PM
It's wild to be of the generation of educators who was told by elders to never let students use Wikipedia (which is meticulously sourced and curated and which I taught students to use as a starting point) to now have those same folks embrace a crystal ball that doesn't identify its sources.
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
Oh, yes, these ppl definitely want to create a true middle independent party.
They’d also like to inspect NPR’s wallet. Just for a moment.
They’d also like to inspect NPR’s wallet. Just for a moment.
December 1, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Oh, yes, these ppl definitely want to create a true middle independent party.
They’d also like to inspect NPR’s wallet. Just for a moment.
They’d also like to inspect NPR’s wallet. Just for a moment.
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
Glad to see our State Senate taking action to address UVA's agreement with the federal government to suspend multiple civil rights investigations. The UVA community and state lawmakers oppose this agreement.
virginiamercury.com/briefs/va-se...
virginiamercury.com/briefs/va-se...
Va. Senate to meet with UVA leaders over arrangement to suspend DOJ investigations • Virginia Mercury
State senators will meet with representatives from the University of Virginia on Monday, after the institution signed an agreement with the federal government to suspend multiple civil rights investig...
virginiamercury.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Glad to see our State Senate taking action to address UVA's agreement with the federal government to suspend multiple civil rights investigations. The UVA community and state lawmakers oppose this agreement.
virginiamercury.com/briefs/va-se...
virginiamercury.com/briefs/va-se...
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
A lot has happened this year. If you'd like a recap of what's happened to education research and statistics, here's my attempt. This might be a good one to listen to on your commute today. (Audio play button below headline. 16 minutes long.) hechingerreport.org/proof-points...
How Trump 2.0 upended education research and statistics in one year
Decades of carefully built infrastructure aimed at improving and tracking how American children learn vanished in an ideological attack
hechingerreport.org
December 1, 2025 at 12:35 PM
A lot has happened this year. If you'd like a recap of what's happened to education research and statistics, here's my attempt. This might be a good one to listen to on your commute today. (Audio play button below headline. 16 minutes long.) hechingerreport.org/proof-points...
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
This is actually quite brilliant, up to and including the final sentence 🔥
December 1, 2025 at 11:09 AM
This is actually quite brilliant, up to and including the final sentence 🔥
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
"There is more than a tinge of anti-intellectualism in the perception that social sciences and humanities have a negative effect on officer candidates"
www.usni.org/magazines/pr...
www.usni.org/magazines/pr...
The U.S. Naval Academy Needs Civilian Faculty
Civilian faculty help provide midshipmen with a well-rounded education.
www.usni.org
December 1, 2025 at 12:25 PM
"There is more than a tinge of anti-intellectualism in the perception that social sciences and humanities have a negative effect on officer candidates"
www.usni.org/magazines/pr...
www.usni.org/magazines/pr...
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
“In days after Alaska, a European intel agency distributed a hard-copy report in an envelope to some of the continent’s most senior national security officials, who were shocked by the contents: Inside were details of the commercial and economic plans the Trump admin had been pursuing with Russia.”
Make Money Not War: Trump’s Real Plan for Peace in Ukraine
The Kremlin pitched the White House on peace through business. To Europe’s dismay, the president and his envoy are on board.
www.wsj.com
November 29, 2025 at 5:44 AM
“In days after Alaska, a European intel agency distributed a hard-copy report in an envelope to some of the continent’s most senior national security officials, who were shocked by the contents: Inside were details of the commercial and economic plans the Trump admin had been pursuing with Russia.”
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
To put a finer point on this whole thing: "Two people with direct knowledge of the operation" — presumably uniformed military leaders — are accusing the U.S. Secretary of Defense of personally ordering specific war crimes. That's a historic accusation.
Textbook war crime/extrajudicial killing
"Two survivors were clinging to the smoldering wreck. The Special Operations commander overseeing the Sept. 2 attack ... ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions."
Report by @alexhorton.bsky.social @ellenwapo.bsky.social o.bsky.social
"Two survivors were clinging to the smoldering wreck. The Special Operations commander overseeing the Sept. 2 attack ... ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions."
Report by @alexhorton.bsky.social @ellenwapo.bsky.social o.bsky.social
Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order to kill all crew members in the Sept. 2 strike on a suspected drug boat. Navy SEALs fired a second missile.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 28, 2025 at 11:48 PM
To put a finer point on this whole thing: "Two people with direct knowledge of the operation" — presumably uniformed military leaders — are accusing the U.S. Secretary of Defense of personally ordering specific war crimes. That's a historic accusation.
Reposted by Melissa Jones Pelczynski
every trans person i see post about the OU suspension knows that the suspended target is trans & a grad student, & has an innate awareness that this is about purging trans employees. every cis person i see thinks the target is a rando professor & that this is about giving conservatives good grades
December 1, 2025 at 12:04 AM
every trans person i see post about the OU suspension knows that the suspended target is trans & a grad student, & has an innate awareness that this is about purging trans employees. every cis person i see thinks the target is a rando professor & that this is about giving conservatives good grades