Andy Craig
@andycraig.bsky.social
@theunpopulist.net
Election law and policy, liberalism and democracy, and occasional pugs.
Election law and policy, liberalism and democracy, and occasional pugs.
In conclusion, the White House is a land of contrasts.
INGRAHAM: Where did you get the stone?
TRUMP: Different places
INGRAHAM: Different places? Hmm
TRUMP: Different places
INGRAHAM: Different places? Hmm
November 12, 2025 at 3:48 AM
In conclusion, the White House is a land of contrasts.
Threatening to yank federal funding unless a state agrees to impositions on what its state-law, state-funded programs do was the whole point of why they got SCOTUS to strike down mandatory Medicaid expansion.
They never really mean it about states' rights, but sometimes it's particularly flagrant.
They never really mean it about states' rights, but sometimes it's particularly flagrant.
NEWS: Senate Republicans are threatening to block the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies—unless Democrats agree to tougher abortion restrictions.
Republicans demand tougher abortion restrictions to extend Obamacare funds
Democrats say that’s a nonstarter, arguing there are already limits on abortion access. The dispute could torpedo a deal, leading to higher health insurance premiums for millions.
www.nbcnews.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Threatening to yank federal funding unless a state agrees to impositions on what its state-law, state-funded programs do was the whole point of why they got SCOTUS to strike down mandatory Medicaid expansion.
They never really mean it about states' rights, but sometimes it's particularly flagrant.
They never really mean it about states' rights, but sometimes it's particularly flagrant.
Reposted by Andy Craig
The Trump administration is objectively pro-dictatorship, in the global sense.
In September, the Trump administration conducted a historic deportation flight to Iran.
We tracked down people deported on the plane.
Some are in hiding, others have fled the country.
Their story:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/w...
We tracked down people deported on the plane.
Some are in hiding, others have fled the country.
Their story:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/w...
‘It Feels Like I’m in a Nightmare’: Inside the First Deportation Flight to Iran
www.nytimes.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:29 PM
The Trump administration is objectively pro-dictatorship, in the global sense.
First I’ve heard of it, early childhood education is admittedly not my cup of tea, but this is horrifying and infuriating and also explains a lot.
how did i go so long not knowing we were literally teaching people to read wrong. i knew something wasn't right but jesus christ www.apmreports.org/episode/2019...
How a flawed idea is teaching millions of kids to be poor readers
For decades, schools have taught children the strategies of struggling readers, using a theory about reading that cognitive scientists have repeatedly debunked. And many teachers and parents don't kno...
www.apmreports.org
November 11, 2025 at 11:08 PM
First I’ve heard of it, early childhood education is admittedly not my cup of tea, but this is horrifying and infuriating and also explains a lot.
Reposted by Andy Craig
ever since I learned about three-cueing I've developed infinitely more patience for replies on social media. mfers literally do not know how to read. people are walking around conjuring random meanings into words they don't know, and they don't know a lot of words. it's crazy
November 11, 2025 at 6:15 PM
ever since I learned about three-cueing I've developed infinitely more patience for replies on social media. mfers literally do not know how to read. people are walking around conjuring random meanings into words they don't know, and they don't know a lot of words. it's crazy
Reposted by Andy Craig
You get arrested by ICE and held for days even though you're an American citizen, and now you want compensation?
> Go talk to Bivens.
You're a US senator angry that the FBI subpoenaed your phone records?
> Come up and collect your $500,000!
> Go talk to Bivens.
You're a US senator angry that the FBI subpoenaed your phone records?
> Come up and collect your $500,000!
November 11, 2025 at 7:48 PM
You get arrested by ICE and held for days even though you're an American citizen, and now you want compensation?
> Go talk to Bivens.
You're a US senator angry that the FBI subpoenaed your phone records?
> Come up and collect your $500,000!
> Go talk to Bivens.
You're a US senator angry that the FBI subpoenaed your phone records?
> Come up and collect your $500,000!
I know it's all so stupid, but this isn't why it's DoD. Army/War and Navy being separate was outdated and impractical, needed to unify. "Defense" as a common name for that started w/ "Minister of Defence" in the UK, created for the same reason by notoriously woke war-loser Winston Churchill.
Trump: "We have officially renamed the Dept of Defense back to the original name, Dept of War. And remember we won World War 1, we won World War 2, we won everything in between. We won everything that came before. And then we brilliantly decided to change the name. We became politically correct"
November 11, 2025 at 8:49 PM
I know it's all so stupid, but this isn't why it's DoD. Army/War and Navy being separate was outdated and impractical, needed to unify. "Defense" as a common name for that started w/ "Minister of Defence" in the UK, created for the same reason by notoriously woke war-loser Winston Churchill.
Reposted by Andy Craig
This is the FIFTH ICE flight out of Chicago in less than week, per tracking by @jjindc.bsky.social.. (2 GlobalX, 3 Avelo)
Never seen that many stops to one city in a week. My guess, they’ve extracted all the overcrowding-induced “voluntary” deports they’re gonna get, so now they’re moving out.
Never seen that many stops to one city in a week. My guess, they’ve extracted all the overcrowding-induced “voluntary” deports they’re gonna get, so now they’re moving out.
Just moments ago, detainees transported from ICE’s Broadview facility this morning were loaded onto an Avelo Airlines plane in Gary, Indiana.
November 11, 2025 at 8:23 PM
This is the FIFTH ICE flight out of Chicago in less than week, per tracking by @jjindc.bsky.social.. (2 GlobalX, 3 Avelo)
Never seen that many stops to one city in a week. My guess, they’ve extracted all the overcrowding-induced “voluntary” deports they’re gonna get, so now they’re moving out.
Never seen that many stops to one city in a week. My guess, they’ve extracted all the overcrowding-induced “voluntary” deports they’re gonna get, so now they’re moving out.
Reposted by Andy Craig
US senators will say anything. "Standing up to donald trump gave him more power." No it didn't. That isn't true.
This is what bullies want you to think, and it's why they get stronger
November 11, 2025 at 8:09 PM
US senators will say anything. "Standing up to donald trump gave him more power." No it didn't. That isn't true.
Saluting is for the national anthem, you don't have to do it anytime somebody's performing some other patriotic song.
Trump knows the first three words to "God Bless America" but that seems to be about it
November 11, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Saluting is for the national anthem, you don't have to do it anytime somebody's performing some other patriotic song.
Reposted by Andy Craig
One of many costs to US murder (sorry, no better word for it) in Caribbean:
"United Kingdom is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes the attacks are illegal."
"United Kingdom is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes the attacks are illegal."
Exclusive: UK suspends some intelligence sharing with US over boat strike concerns in major break | CNN Politics
The United Kingdom is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes ...
edition.cnn.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:02 PM
One of many costs to US murder (sorry, no better word for it) in Caribbean:
"United Kingdom is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes the attacks are illegal."
"United Kingdom is no longer sharing intelligence with the US about suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean because it does not want to be complicit in US military strikes and believes the attacks are illegal."
It's probably not something anybody would have standing to challenge, but a straightforward case could be made this violates the 27th Amendment. By limiting it to only senators, the value of this cause of action is thus a perk, a kind of 'compensation,' granted simply because they're senators.
This allows Trump (via DOJ) to use taxpayer money to bribe eight GOP Senators. It's that simple, there's no other way to describe it.
And where's the compensation for people injured by the Trump admin's unlawful conduct through DHS & DOGE?
Take a bow, @schumer.senate.gov, you did this.
And where's the compensation for people injured by the Trump admin's unlawful conduct through DHS & DOGE?
Take a bow, @schumer.senate.gov, you did this.
November 11, 2025 at 4:55 PM
It's probably not something anybody would have standing to challenge, but a straightforward case could be made this violates the 27th Amendment. By limiting it to only senators, the value of this cause of action is thus a perk, a kind of 'compensation,' granted simply because they're senators.
A thing that's striking about how Bovino is always there in-person mugging it up for the cameras: they really don't have the manpower to do this on the massive scale they want to make it look like. They can't do this to multiple cities simultaneously on the level of how they're terrorizing Chicago.
November 11, 2025 at 4:45 PM
A thing that's striking about how Bovino is always there in-person mugging it up for the cameras: they really don't have the manpower to do this on the massive scale they want to make it look like. They can't do this to multiple cities simultaneously on the level of how they're terrorizing Chicago.
Reposted by Andy Craig
Had to write about Angus King's declaration that "standing up to Trump didn't work" because I've never heard anything bleaker in my life.
badfaithtimes.com/were-not-ask...
badfaithtimes.com/were-not-ask...
We’re Not Asking For Much, Angus
"Standing up to Donald Trump didn't work."
badfaithtimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Had to write about Angus King's declaration that "standing up to Trump didn't work" because I've never heard anything bleaker in my life.
badfaithtimes.com/were-not-ask...
badfaithtimes.com/were-not-ask...
Reposted by Andy Craig
This photo was taken by @chicagotribune.com photog @mandophotos.bsky.social this past Saturday in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood. Chicago's local news journalists are doing a helluva job capturing the aggressive tactics CPB & ICE are using here.
bsky.app/profile/mand...
bsky.app/profile/mand...
a new genre of photo in the last year is federal agents working for ICE pointing guns directly at photographers
November 11, 2025 at 3:21 PM
This photo was taken by @chicagotribune.com photog @mandophotos.bsky.social this past Saturday in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood. Chicago's local news journalists are doing a helluva job capturing the aggressive tactics CPB & ICE are using here.
bsky.app/profile/mand...
bsky.app/profile/mand...
"What’s the point of standards?" could be her slogan.
“I’ve been hearing that standards will be eliminated or severely cut back. Bari has told people that she wants to get rid of standards and is shocked that they have so much power. She also asked openly, ‘What’s the point of standards?’” one CBS source said.
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
Bari Weiss wants to take down ‘too much power’ CBS News Standards unit: sources
EXCLUSIVE: Internal rumblings within the newsroom come after the S&P head resigned and the network disbanded its vaunted Race and Culture unit.
www.independent.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 4:34 PM
"What’s the point of standards?" could be her slogan.
This isn't an improvement. The legislature's map (their attempt to respond to a prior ruling) was a classic dummymander, it had an R+1 and an R+6 seat and Dems were very likely to pick up both next year. Now they get one packed D+24 safe seat.
This takes a likely 2-2 map and makes it 3-1.
This takes a likely 2-2 map and makes it 3-1.
Breaking: A Utah judge just tossed out Republicans’ gerrymandered map and ordered a new map that will include a new safe Democratic seat.
Utah now joins California in helping to cancel out Trump’s gerrymandering.
Utah now joins California in helping to cancel out Trump’s gerrymandering.
November 11, 2025 at 4:00 PM
This isn't an improvement. The legislature's map (their attempt to respond to a prior ruling) was a classic dummymander, it had an R+1 and an R+6 seat and Dems were very likely to pick up both next year. Now they get one packed D+24 safe seat.
This takes a likely 2-2 map and makes it 3-1.
This takes a likely 2-2 map and makes it 3-1.
There's no reason to think Axelrod has any particular insight on this, and I haven't seen or heard of any indication whatsoever that anybody in the caucus intends to challenge Schumer. No trial balloons, no rumors, not the slightest hint from any of them. And they know how to do that if they wanted.
Schumer’s leadership potentially stands on uncertain ground amid the shutdown and criticism from members within his own party.
Schumer Likely Won’t Be Leader of Senate Democrats in 2027: David Axelrod
www.newsweek.com
November 11, 2025 at 5:09 AM
There's no reason to think Axelrod has any particular insight on this, and I haven't seen or heard of any indication whatsoever that anybody in the caucus intends to challenge Schumer. No trial balloons, no rumors, not the slightest hint from any of them. And they know how to do that if they wanted.
There has never been any question about this, it has been Johnson's stated position this whole time, and it's what House rules and precedents unambiguously require. Seating new members takes automatic priority over any other business. They've only been delaying by not doing any business at all.
BREAKING via Punchbowl
“Speaker Mike Johnson plans to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) before the House votes on a government funding package, according to sources familiar with the planning.“
“Speaker Mike Johnson plans to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) before the House votes on a government funding package, according to sources familiar with the planning.“
November 11, 2025 at 4:48 AM
There has never been any question about this, it has been Johnson's stated position this whole time, and it's what House rules and precedents unambiguously require. Seating new members takes automatic priority over any other business. They've only been delaying by not doing any business at all.
Reposted by Andy Craig
NEW: President Trump's pardon of his alleged 2020 co-conspirators was less about shielding them from past crimes, his adversaries say, than about signaling to others that he has their back if he needs them again in 2026 or 2028.
w/ @joshgerstein.bsky.social
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
w/ @joshgerstein.bsky.social
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
November 11, 2025 at 12:27 AM
NEW: President Trump's pardon of his alleged 2020 co-conspirators was less about shielding them from past crimes, his adversaries say, than about signaling to others that he has their back if he needs them again in 2026 or 2028.
w/ @joshgerstein.bsky.social
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
w/ @joshgerstein.bsky.social
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Rhetorical pleas against infighting are always begging the question about who's actually on the same side as you.
The sooner we get past internal recriminations and back to fighting united, the better off we all are — the likelier our victory next November.
November 11, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Rhetorical pleas against infighting are always begging the question about who's actually on the same side as you.
Reposted by Andy Craig
These people don't have the first fucking clue how to deal with a bully
November 10, 2025 at 5:44 PM
These people don't have the first fucking clue how to deal with a bully
They already had this, when they passed axing ACA credits. There's no ambiguity that Republicans did that and you can attack them for it. The marginal advantage of having another vote for messaging purposes is, at best, extremely thin, and even negative if it lets some Rs cast a meaningless yes vote
Kaine on why he thinks just getting a vote on healthcare is a win: "We're the minority party, but everybody will get to see who is standing for them when it comes to lowering their healthcare costs"
November 10, 2025 at 5:28 PM
They already had this, when they passed axing ACA credits. There's no ambiguity that Republicans did that and you can attack them for it. The marginal advantage of having another vote for messaging purposes is, at best, extremely thin, and even negative if it lets some Rs cast a meaningless yes vote
Re: Kim Davis, worrying about Obergefell is one thing, or even that they'd take that particular case. But there's something very dishonest and grifter-y about prominent people who absolutely know better being substantively misleading about how cert petitions work. That was wrong and in bad faith.
November 10, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Re: Kim Davis, worrying about Obergefell is one thing, or even that they'd take that particular case. But there's something very dishonest and grifter-y about prominent people who absolutely know better being substantively misleading about how cert petitions work. That was wrong and in bad faith.
It was very obvious they were never going to take this case and some people got very mad if you said that.
Supreme Court declines to hear case on constitutionality of same-sex marriage
The Supreme Court on Monday morning turned down a request from Kim Davis, a former county clerk in Kentucky, to reconsider its 2015 decision recognizing a constitutional right to same-sex […]
www.scotusblog.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:50 PM
It was very obvious they were never going to take this case and some people got very mad if you said that.