Bryan LaVergne
@bryanlavergne.bsky.social
People helper in Houston, Texas. 🌹
I help win social security checks and healthcare for everyday people. Interests in math, biology, and admin law.
I help win social security checks and healthcare for everyday people. Interests in math, biology, and admin law.
“they call him ‘the mayor’”
February 7, 2026 at 5:16 PM
“they call him ‘the mayor’”
Honesty demonstrated by witty dialogue. What a beautiful scene. Can you imagine your government doing something good? That kind of reality is possible!
Child at the podium: “A woo woo woo.”
Mamdani: That’s how I felt when we came up with this plan. Together, we will expand the idea of what is possible in our city—and what sounds and noises we can make at a press conference.
Mamdani: That’s how I felt when we came up with this plan. Together, we will expand the idea of what is possible in our city—and what sounds and noises we can make at a press conference.
February 6, 2026 at 7:34 AM
Honesty demonstrated by witty dialogue. What a beautiful scene. Can you imagine your government doing something good? That kind of reality is possible!
One of these days I want to share what I witness inside one of the largest and most complex bureaucratic systems.
Medical mysteries, administrative absurdities, terrible tragedies: the disability determination process of the Social Security Administration touches so many extremes. It’s a lot!
Medical mysteries, administrative absurdities, terrible tragedies: the disability determination process of the Social Security Administration touches so many extremes. It’s a lot!
February 5, 2026 at 5:11 AM
One of these days I want to share what I witness inside one of the largest and most complex bureaucratic systems.
Medical mysteries, administrative absurdities, terrible tragedies: the disability determination process of the Social Security Administration touches so many extremes. It’s a lot!
Medical mysteries, administrative absurdities, terrible tragedies: the disability determination process of the Social Security Administration touches so many extremes. It’s a lot!
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
happy Groundhog Day to one of north americas greatest rodents 🎉
February 2, 2026 at 1:18 PM
happy Groundhog Day to one of north americas greatest rodents 🎉
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
In 2008 America voted for change. 18 years later America is getting rid of the penny. No more change.
January 29, 2026 at 9:15 PM
In 2008 America voted for change. 18 years later America is getting rid of the penny. No more change.
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
Not only is this bad management and counterproductive, it's all for show: The agency has known for MANY years that the overwhelming amount of contraband is brought into prison by guards. They can't fire them all, bc they're so understaffed they then cdnt run the units, so we get this garbage policy.
But many of us here in Texas prisons fear collective punishment will only make prisons more violent. That’s because people sometimes assault a violator who causes a prison lockdown. This form of vigilantism is known as being 'put in the bowl.'"
Will Texas Prisons’ New Collective Lockdown Policy Increase Violence?
Texas prisons are instituting 15-day lockdowns for drug offenses. These long lockdowns might increase violence and damage relationships.
prisonjournalismproject.org
January 29, 2026 at 2:51 PM
Not only is this bad management and counterproductive, it's all for show: The agency has known for MANY years that the overwhelming amount of contraband is brought into prison by guards. They can't fire them all, bc they're so understaffed they then cdnt run the units, so we get this garbage policy.
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
Alex Pretti was a colleague at the VA. We hired him to recruit for our trial. He became an ICU nurse- I lover working with him. He was a good kind person who lived to help and these fuckers executed him.
White. Hot. Rage.
White. Hot. Rage.
January 24, 2026 at 7:31 PM
Alex Pretti was a colleague at the VA. We hired him to recruit for our trial. He became an ICU nurse- I lover working with him. He was a good kind person who lived to help and these fuckers executed him.
White. Hot. Rage.
White. Hot. Rage.
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
hold on, these are the REGULAR expressions??
January 23, 2026 at 5:24 PM
hold on, these are the REGULAR expressions??
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
The NYT reports that Air Force One has turned around due to a situation officials are describing as “creature on the wing”
January 21, 2026 at 5:11 AM
The NYT reports that Air Force One has turned around due to a situation officials are describing as “creature on the wing”
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
COW TOOLS COW TOOLS COW TOOLS
Back-scratching bovine leads scientists to reassess intelligence of cows
Brown Swiss in Austria has been discovered using tools in multiple ways – something only ever seen in humans and chimpanzees
www.theguardian.com
January 19, 2026 at 4:06 PM
COW TOOLS COW TOOLS COW TOOLS
The mayor of Houston posted this photo and I’m laughing at this guy in the background
January 17, 2026 at 5:02 PM
The mayor of Houston posted this photo and I’m laughing at this guy in the background
There’s a certain feeling of relief that may come when starting with a drawn out, irrational bureaucratic process but then getting resolution with a clear and even compassionate bureaucratic process: it’s the feeling of being saved from trauma. This can happen in social security disability appeals.
January 16, 2026 at 6:51 PM
There’s a certain feeling of relief that may come when starting with a drawn out, irrational bureaucratic process but then getting resolution with a clear and even compassionate bureaucratic process: it’s the feeling of being saved from trauma. This can happen in social security disability appeals.
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
Aware that he only had a few months left to live the great Mike Davis gave one of his final interviews to the Guardian in 202.
"You’ve been organizing for social change your whole life. How do you deal with a future that feels so bleak?" Lois Beckett asked.
"You’ve been organizing for social change your whole life. How do you deal with a future that feels so bleak?" Lois Beckett asked.
January 15, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Aware that he only had a few months left to live the great Mike Davis gave one of his final interviews to the Guardian in 202.
"You’ve been organizing for social change your whole life. How do you deal with a future that feels so bleak?" Lois Beckett asked.
"You’ve been organizing for social change your whole life. How do you deal with a future that feels so bleak?" Lois Beckett asked.
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
Which types of welfare fraud are politely litigated between white collar lawyers, and which types of welfare fraud are used to justify an immigration purge and shutting off resources to the poor?
Kaiser Permanente, DOJ reach $556 million Medicare Advantage fraud settlement, the largest of its kind www.statnews.com/2026/01/14/k...
Kaiser Permanente, DOJ reach $556 million Medicare Advantage fraud settlement, the largest of its kind
Kaiser Permanente and the DOJ reached a $556 million Medicare Advantage fraud settlement, the largest of its kind.
www.statnews.com
January 15, 2026 at 1:42 PM
Which types of welfare fraud are politely litigated between white collar lawyers, and which types of welfare fraud are used to justify an immigration purge and shutting off resources to the poor?
Agreed.
The government’s escalation is kicking the hornets nest given that we are otherwise in a country known for perverse gun obsessions and school shootings. Dangerous is putting it mildly.
The government’s escalation is kicking the hornets nest given that we are otherwise in a country known for perverse gun obsessions and school shootings. Dangerous is putting it mildly.
It’s actually amazing how restrained the people Minneapolis have been so far.
January 15, 2026 at 6:16 AM
Agreed.
The government’s escalation is kicking the hornets nest given that we are otherwise in a country known for perverse gun obsessions and school shootings. Dangerous is putting it mildly.
The government’s escalation is kicking the hornets nest given that we are otherwise in a country known for perverse gun obsessions and school shootings. Dangerous is putting it mildly.
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
This morning, Ms. Rachel and I visited District 2 Pre-K Center, where we sang and read with the wonderful students and educators. We also discussed universal childcare - and how we're making it happen for NYC!
January 9, 2026 at 8:41 PM
This morning, Ms. Rachel and I visited District 2 Pre-K Center, where we sang and read with the wonderful students and educators. We also discussed universal childcare - and how we're making it happen for NYC!
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
not saying it can't get worse but this week really feels like a straightforward depiction of what worst-case 'post truth' information apocalypse ppl were warning of in the late 2010s
January 7, 2026 at 10:43 PM
not saying it can't get worse but this week really feels like a straightforward depiction of what worst-case 'post truth' information apocalypse ppl were warning of in the late 2010s
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
The FBI sniper at Ruby Ridge was prosecuted by Idaho. The federal district court initially dismissed the charges but was overruled by the Ninth Circuit, allowing it to proceed. The case only ended when a new district attorney was elected and decided to drop it.
Remember: Federal officials do not enjoy categorical, absolute immunity from state-level prosecutions. They are entitled to removal to federal court. But conduct that is unreasonable or unnecessary for the execution of their law enforcement duties is susceptible to criminal prosecution.
January 7, 2026 at 6:30 PM
The FBI sniper at Ruby Ridge was prosecuted by Idaho. The federal district court initially dismissed the charges but was overruled by the Ninth Circuit, allowing it to proceed. The case only ended when a new district attorney was elected and decided to drop it.
This is a common tragedy in our disability system: you meet SSA’s definition of “disabled” but you must choose to divorce your spouse before you can receive <$1K/month and Medicaid.
This terrible scenario is more likely to happen to women. What a horrible creation of law.
This terrible scenario is more likely to happen to women. What a horrible creation of law.
I can't qualify for benefits unless I divorce my SO and literally live on the streets. The system is rigged from the beginning, making it near impossible to get help & very easy to lose it. It's on purpose. They don't want us to survive.
January 6, 2026 at 6:36 PM
This is a common tragedy in our disability system: you meet SSA’s definition of “disabled” but you must choose to divorce your spouse before you can receive <$1K/month and Medicaid.
This terrible scenario is more likely to happen to women. What a horrible creation of law.
This terrible scenario is more likely to happen to women. What a horrible creation of law.
My heart breaks witnessing how the GOP’s ACA premium spikes are affecting my poor, disabled clients.
January 6, 2026 at 6:02 PM
My heart breaks witnessing how the GOP’s ACA premium spikes are affecting my poor, disabled clients.
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
The Trump administration's key changes have been a) to add more burdens to SSA clients, increasing frictions and b) to expect that SSA clients will be able to manage those burdens via online processes without help. Recipe for failure.
January 5, 2026 at 3:29 PM
The Trump administration's key changes have been a) to add more burdens to SSA clients, increasing frictions and b) to expect that SSA clients will be able to manage those burdens via online processes without help. Recipe for failure.
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
December 24, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
Originalism is and always was a convenient litigating position for the conservative legal movement. That we've come full circle, where the ascendant theory is observationally equivalent to Warren Court style moral reasoning, right at this moment speaks volumes.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Originalism's General-Law Turn
Originalists are increasingly turning to a general-law theory of constitutional rights. Under this theory, constitutional enactment declared but did not create
papers.ssrn.com
December 13, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Originalism is and always was a convenient litigating position for the conservative legal movement. That we've come full circle, where the ascendant theory is observationally equivalent to Warren Court style moral reasoning, right at this moment speaks volumes.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
For the left, it has long been a valid critique that the legal system and courts are not the means to ameliorate our country’s problems.
But it’s a quite different matter to be under a pretext of a legal system that openly serves partisan goals in spite of the law.
We live under a juristocracy!
But it’s a quite different matter to be under a pretext of a legal system that openly serves partisan goals in spite of the law.
We live under a juristocracy!
In predicting Roberts Court decisions, one needs to ask only two questions: (1) what result aligns with the policy preferences of the Republican Party? (2) What result will help the Republican Party electorally? Only if there is cross-pressure between those objectives is there ever really any doubt.
December 4, 2025 at 11:50 PM
For the left, it has long been a valid critique that the legal system and courts are not the means to ameliorate our country’s problems.
But it’s a quite different matter to be under a pretext of a legal system that openly serves partisan goals in spite of the law.
We live under a juristocracy!
But it’s a quite different matter to be under a pretext of a legal system that openly serves partisan goals in spite of the law.
We live under a juristocracy!
Reposted by Bryan LaVergne
In predicting Roberts Court decisions, one needs to ask only two questions: (1) what result aligns with the policy preferences of the Republican Party? (2) What result will help the Republican Party electorally? Only if there is cross-pressure between those objectives is there ever really any doubt.
December 4, 2025 at 11:38 PM
In predicting Roberts Court decisions, one needs to ask only two questions: (1) what result aligns with the policy preferences of the Republican Party? (2) What result will help the Republican Party electorally? Only if there is cross-pressure between those objectives is there ever really any doubt.