Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Nancy Hicks

Adam Klasfeld @klasfeldreports.com · 10h

It's "far from normal for an administration to fire line-level civilian employees during a government shutdown as a way to punish the opposing political party."

From a judge's TRO blocking Trump's mass firings under cover of the shutdown

It is also far from normal for an administration to fire line-level civilian employees during a
government shutdown as a way to punish the opposing political party. But this is precisely what President Trump has announced he is doing, by taking to social media on the second day of the
shutdown to post: “I have a meeting today with Russ Vought, he of PROJECT 2025 Fame, to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent. I can’t believe
the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity.”

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Reposted by Nancy Hicks

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 10h

A nationwide backlash to AI data centers is brewing.

And for good reason: while AI enriches Big Tech CEOs and props up the stock market, data centers are sucking up communities’ water and power.

When the AI bubble bursts, the rest of us will be stuck holding the bag. Be warned.

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Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · 15h

Trump's mechanism to pay the troops during the shutdown is by far the most illegal budgetary action he's taken as POTUS, potentially setting the stage to break everything.

It's also needless because Congress would easily pass a troop pay bill if Johnson were willing to gavel in.

Long thread.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/10/national-security-presidential-memorandum-nspm-8/

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Tom Moore @thmoore.bsky.social · 10h

This is long, and detailed, and authoritative, and important. I learned a lot.

Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · 15h

Trump's mechanism to pay the troops during the shutdown is by far the most illegal budgetary action he's taken as POTUS, potentially setting the stage to break everything.

It's also needless because Congress would easily pass a troop pay bill if Johnson were willing to gavel in.

Long thread.

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Nancy Hicks @nancyhicks.bsky.social · 6h

I’m horrified.
I was educated in NYC public schools. I got my degree in early childhood education.
I believe in public education.

I hated Betsy DeVos with every fiber of my being. Trump’s Dept of Education 2.0 is so much worse!

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Reposted by Nancy Hicks

ProPublica @propublica.org · 9h

Among the Education Department’s new appointees is Lindsey Burke, the lead author of Project 2025’s education section.

She envisions dramatic enrollment declines for public schools: “We’re going to have a lot of empty school buildings.”

By @megomatz.bsky.social @jsmithrichards.bsky.social

These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.

Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of publ...

www.propublica.org

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Nancy Hicks @nancyhicks.bsky.social · 6h

Turns out our laws are mostly toothless.
The founding fathers thought the honor system would work. It doesn’t.

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Jessica Kant @jessdkant.bsky.social · 21h

Agent lobs a gas canister into a residential neighborhood in Illinois for no discernible reason, gassing dozens of neighbors including a baby. The comfort with which they deploy weapons of war is unreal.

Source: www.reddit.com/r/illinois/s...

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Jesse Dollemore @dollemore.com · 1d

She also spent a considerable amount of time on Donald Trump’s Truth Social account and on Rapid Response 47 on Twitter.

NOT shocking that the staffer of guy who DMd classified war plans to a journalist is wildly careless with her “important work” in public.

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Jesse Dollemore @dollemore.com · 1d

Currently on a flight to Japan watching a Pentagon Assistant Press Secretary (Riley Podleski) work on a document in the open on her laptop. She spent the last hour copy and pasting headlines from articles critical of the Administration’s hostility toward the 1st amendment.

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 21h

First they came for the woodwind section, and I said nothing ...

David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 23h

“A clarinet player was arrested after playing her instrument to the tune of the ‘Ghostbusters’ theme song outside of a Portland ICE facility…”

Musician playing ‘Ghostbusters’ outside ICE facility is arrested by agents

‘Taking us citizens out of state to detain them without charge is a new action from the Feds and should be opposed,’ her band said

www.independent.co.uk

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Senator Sheldon Whitehouse @whitehouse.senate.gov · 20h

If you want to see who is serious about ending the Republican shutdown, look at who's showing up and who's skedaddled. House Republicans have run away, hiding from Epstein and healthcare votes.

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Reposted by Nancy Hicks

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse @whitehouse.senate.gov · 20h

Republicans more and more admit they need to extend Affordable Care credits, but disagree on WHEN to start negotiating. Seriously, they're shutting down the government over WHEN to negotiate healthcare? Why not now?

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 20h

What could be worse than screaming at a Capitol police officer?

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southpaw @nycsouthpaw.bsky.social · 19h

This administration’s policy of serial open murders on the high seas is starting to make some members of Congress mildly uncomfortable. www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...

Members of Congress growing concerned over lack of information from administration about Venezuela strikes, sources say

Republicans and Democrats say the administration is failing to share basic information with Congress about the intelligence, rationale and goals of its war on drug trafficking.

www.nbcnews.com

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Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 17h

Now we are up to $40 billion for Argentina. Can anyone stop Bessent from unilaterally sending unlimited amounts of our money to South America? And Republicans won’t even negotiate with the Democrats on health care for Americans. Where is Congress?

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Nancy Hicks @nancyhicks.bsky.social · 7h

Absolutely true. I’m fortunate that my next door neighbors are like minded politically.

My best friend moved to Suffolk. It’s even worse out there.

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Nancy Hicks @nancyhicks.bsky.social · 17h

“I don’t know the details” and “I haven’t seen the report” are common responses from GOP elected officials anytime they’re asked about something that should concern them. Trump’s a champ at that kind of reply.

Johnson absolutely should know about House GOP news & I feel confident that he does.

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Reposted by Nancy Hicks

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 19h

Q: This has been reported for a while. Cory Mills was accused of beating a girlfriend in his DC apt. Are you concerned about these allegations?

JOHNSON: You have to ask Rep. Mills about that. He's been a faithful colleague. I don't know the details. Let's talk about things that are really serious

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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 19h

Topics Mike Johnson thinks are serious:

- Super Bowl halftime entertainer
- getting a Nobel Prize for Trump
- terrifying naked bike riders

Topics he thinks are not serious:

- Epstein Files
- domestic violence
- being able to keep the govt open
- the neutering of Congress

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 19h

Q: This has been reported for a while. Cory Mills was accused of beating a girlfriend in his DC apt. Are you concerned about these allegations?

JOHNSON: You have to ask Rep. Mills about that. He's been a faithful colleague. I don't know the details. Let's talk about things that are really serious

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Nancy Hicks @nancyhicks.bsky.social · 17h

Hopefully that bunch will number in the multi millions.

Nancy Hicks @nancyhicks.bsky.social · 17h

Thune gave the Senate a four day weekend Friday through Columbus Day. Before I retired I don’t recall ever getting Columbus Day off regardless of it being a federal holiday.

Shockingly Thune voted no yesterday on the 8th vote on the CR. I wonder if there’s some technicality he’s trying to trigger.

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Reposted by Nancy Hicks

How You Like Me Now?... @1bigbullshitbill.bsky.social · 19h

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Nancy Hicks @nancyhicks.bsky.social · 17h

That has a ring to it. I have to remember that one.

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Nancy Hicks @nancyhicks.bsky.social · 17h

Although I see no confirmation from MSM I read that the idea of Barron Trump potentially being put on the TikTok’s Board has been floated by his father's former social media manager, Jack Advent.

So no DEI, just big time nepotism. The kid is 19 & has no experience whatsoever.