@bwfoster.bsky.social
In the vein of "just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're NOT out to get you," worrying that Trump [& the cabal of ultra-rich supporting his rise & return to power] will successfully sabotage & end the post-WW2 world order doesn't mean he & they haven't already succeeded in doing just that.
December 8, 2025 at 4:28 AM
In the vein of "just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're NOT out to get you," worrying that Trump [& the cabal of ultra-rich supporting his rise & return to power] will successfully sabotage & end the post-WW2 world order doesn't mean he & they haven't already succeeded in doing just that.
When included in the 1st Amendment, free speech came with caveats.
1) One takes full responsibility for what one says.
2) Rules of civility apply.
3) Violate #2 & you could be challenged to a duel [see #1].
#3 assured people exercising free speech stuck to the point & avoided vile personal insults.
1) One takes full responsibility for what one says.
2) Rules of civility apply.
3) Violate #2 & you could be challenged to a duel [see #1].
#3 assured people exercising free speech stuck to the point & avoided vile personal insults.
December 8, 2025 at 1:04 AM
When included in the 1st Amendment, free speech came with caveats.
1) One takes full responsibility for what one says.
2) Rules of civility apply.
3) Violate #2 & you could be challenged to a duel [see #1].
#3 assured people exercising free speech stuck to the point & avoided vile personal insults.
1) One takes full responsibility for what one says.
2) Rules of civility apply.
3) Violate #2 & you could be challenged to a duel [see #1].
#3 assured people exercising free speech stuck to the point & avoided vile personal insults.
..Attack universities, slash research funding, diminish America's standing in the world
Attack medicine, diminish trust in doctors & health experts
Attack teachers & curriculums, diminish trust in public education
Attack judges, diminish trust in our judiciary
Attack healthcare & SNAP, diminish life
Attack medicine, diminish trust in doctors & health experts
Attack teachers & curriculums, diminish trust in public education
Attack judges, diminish trust in our judiciary
Attack healthcare & SNAP, diminish life
December 7, 2025 at 7:37 PM
..Attack universities, slash research funding, diminish America's standing in the world
Attack medicine, diminish trust in doctors & health experts
Attack teachers & curriculums, diminish trust in public education
Attack judges, diminish trust in our judiciary
Attack healthcare & SNAP, diminish life
Attack medicine, diminish trust in doctors & health experts
Attack teachers & curriculums, diminish trust in public education
Attack judges, diminish trust in our judiciary
Attack healthcare & SNAP, diminish life
The "modified" Blitzkrieg approach. Simultaneously do the following:
Attack elections, diminish trust in our elections
Attack alliances, diminish trust, diminish security
Attack immigration using militarized policing, masked agents, warrantless arrests, diminish hope, blur jurisdictional lines...
Attack elections, diminish trust in our elections
Attack alliances, diminish trust, diminish security
Attack immigration using militarized policing, masked agents, warrantless arrests, diminish hope, blur jurisdictional lines...
December 7, 2025 at 7:37 PM
The "modified" Blitzkrieg approach. Simultaneously do the following:
Attack elections, diminish trust in our elections
Attack alliances, diminish trust, diminish security
Attack immigration using militarized policing, masked agents, warrantless arrests, diminish hope, blur jurisdictional lines...
Attack elections, diminish trust in our elections
Attack alliances, diminish trust, diminish security
Attack immigration using militarized policing, masked agents, warrantless arrests, diminish hope, blur jurisdictional lines...
Not expert nor that informed. Labored to read through new NSS. Glanced over several prior NSSs. An immediate difference is emphasis of newest NSS on Trump. National interest and/or policy seem derived from or augmented by Trump. Prior NSSs focused on policy, clarifying national interests, not POTUS.
December 7, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Not expert nor that informed. Labored to read through new NSS. Glanced over several prior NSSs. An immediate difference is emphasis of newest NSS on Trump. National interest and/or policy seem derived from or augmented by Trump. Prior NSSs focused on policy, clarifying national interests, not POTUS.
..are scrambling to catch up with a prison break of authoritarian, oligarchic impulses that we thought we had somewhat contained. Apparently not.
Regardless, an era has ended. A new one must inevitably begin.
An EU based NATO must form to thwart Putin's imperial ambitions or at least limit them.
Regardless, an era has ended. A new one must inevitably begin.
An EU based NATO must form to thwart Putin's imperial ambitions or at least limit them.
December 7, 2025 at 1:15 PM
..are scrambling to catch up with a prison break of authoritarian, oligarchic impulses that we thought we had somewhat contained. Apparently not.
Regardless, an era has ended. A new one must inevitably begin.
An EU based NATO must form to thwart Putin's imperial ambitions or at least limit them.
Regardless, an era has ended. A new one must inevitably begin.
An EU based NATO must form to thwart Putin's imperial ambitions or at least limit them.
The far-right guy from Spain loves it. Everyone else is rattled. That sums it up.
For those mystified how we got here, it's not the majority of Americans. We fumbled & bumbled our way into "Another Fine Mess." Think of what happened to the East Wing as a graphic metaphor for the US & NATO.
We all..
For those mystified how we got here, it's not the majority of Americans. We fumbled & bumbled our way into "Another Fine Mess." Think of what happened to the East Wing as a graphic metaphor for the US & NATO.
We all..
December 7, 2025 at 1:15 PM
The far-right guy from Spain loves it. Everyone else is rattled. That sums it up.
For those mystified how we got here, it's not the majority of Americans. We fumbled & bumbled our way into "Another Fine Mess." Think of what happened to the East Wing as a graphic metaphor for the US & NATO.
We all..
For those mystified how we got here, it's not the majority of Americans. We fumbled & bumbled our way into "Another Fine Mess." Think of what happened to the East Wing as a graphic metaphor for the US & NATO.
We all..
The 6 GOP picked Justices represent self-interest w/o enlightenment
Roberts, Alito, Gorsuch serve elitist
Thomas serves himself & the missus
Neither Kavanaugh nor Barret should be there
Sotomayor, Kagan, & Jackson must hold the fort in hopes our democratic republic can survive and send relief
Roberts, Alito, Gorsuch serve elitist
Thomas serves himself & the missus
Neither Kavanaugh nor Barret should be there
Sotomayor, Kagan, & Jackson must hold the fort in hopes our democratic republic can survive and send relief
December 6, 2025 at 10:05 PM
The 6 GOP picked Justices represent self-interest w/o enlightenment
Roberts, Alito, Gorsuch serve elitist
Thomas serves himself & the missus
Neither Kavanaugh nor Barret should be there
Sotomayor, Kagan, & Jackson must hold the fort in hopes our democratic republic can survive and send relief
Roberts, Alito, Gorsuch serve elitist
Thomas serves himself & the missus
Neither Kavanaugh nor Barret should be there
Sotomayor, Kagan, & Jackson must hold the fort in hopes our democratic republic can survive and send relief
..offer more support for
i) open primaries and/or rank-choice voting
ii) multiple run-offs to require 50%+1 to win elected office
iii) strict limits on political spending
iv) overturning absurdist notion that "money is speech"
v) overturning absurdist notion that "corporations are persons"
i) open primaries and/or rank-choice voting
ii) multiple run-offs to require 50%+1 to win elected office
iii) strict limits on political spending
iv) overturning absurdist notion that "money is speech"
v) overturning absurdist notion that "corporations are persons"
December 6, 2025 at 3:33 PM
..offer more support for
i) open primaries and/or rank-choice voting
ii) multiple run-offs to require 50%+1 to win elected office
iii) strict limits on political spending
iv) overturning absurdist notion that "money is speech"
v) overturning absurdist notion that "corporations are persons"
i) open primaries and/or rank-choice voting
ii) multiple run-offs to require 50%+1 to win elected office
iii) strict limits on political spending
iv) overturning absurdist notion that "money is speech"
v) overturning absurdist notion that "corporations are persons"
..oligarchies, they cooperatively exclude strong 3rd parties. Effectively, we have a two-party ONLY system.
Of our ONLY two parties, Democrats give us the best chance because
a) they never were nor ever will be a single, unified party
b) Dems...
Of our ONLY two parties, Democrats give us the best chance because
a) they never were nor ever will be a single, unified party
b) Dems...
December 6, 2025 at 3:31 PM
..oligarchies, they cooperatively exclude strong 3rd parties. Effectively, we have a two-party ONLY system.
Of our ONLY two parties, Democrats give us the best chance because
a) they never were nor ever will be a single, unified party
b) Dems...
Of our ONLY two parties, Democrats give us the best chance because
a) they never were nor ever will be a single, unified party
b) Dems...
A rough breakdown of voters nationally is 30% GOP, 30% Dem, 40% Indie. IN voters is 31% GOP, 25% Dem, 44% undeclared/Ind. Voters choose between which oligarchy, GOP or Dem, governs. Of the 40% Indie, 15% "lean" Dem, 15% "lean" GOP. That means a 45% plurality. No true majority.
As competing...
As competing...
December 6, 2025 at 3:31 PM
A rough breakdown of voters nationally is 30% GOP, 30% Dem, 40% Indie. IN voters is 31% GOP, 25% Dem, 44% undeclared/Ind. Voters choose between which oligarchy, GOP or Dem, governs. Of the 40% Indie, 15% "lean" Dem, 15% "lean" GOP. That means a 45% plurality. No true majority.
As competing...
As competing...
What Putin meant was "piecefully"
December 5, 2025 at 10:00 PM
What Putin meant was "piecefully"
Forgive me for appropriating from my Jewish friends. Shellenberger is such a schmuck!
December 5, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Forgive me for appropriating from my Jewish friends. Shellenberger is such a schmuck!
CO SecState Jena Griswold has been & continues to be one the important & politically brave souls risking her career & personal safety [we all know publicly standing up to Trump means you will inevitably get death threats] in fighting to preserve our constitutionally based democratic republic.
December 5, 2025 at 6:15 PM
CO SecState Jena Griswold has been & continues to be one the important & politically brave souls risking her career & personal safety [we all know publicly standing up to Trump means you will inevitably get death threats] in fighting to preserve our constitutionally based democratic republic.
Per the Almighty AI Google God in The Cloud: "No, a U.S. President cannot lawfully revoke a pardon issued by a previous president. Once a presidential pardon is granted and officially delivered and accepted, it is considered a final and irrevocable act of executive power under the Constitution"
December 5, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Per the Almighty AI Google God in The Cloud: "No, a U.S. President cannot lawfully revoke a pardon issued by a previous president. Once a presidential pardon is granted and officially delivered and accepted, it is considered a final and irrevocable act of executive power under the Constitution"
While we wonder, $100M is being transferred from a secret account in Cyprus to a secret account in the Maldives. Another $150M is going into forming WKI[Witkoff-Kushner International] LLC to invest in "various Middle East reclamation projects" along with 3000 shares of Lukoil stock. /s
December 4, 2025 at 8:31 PM
While we wonder, $100M is being transferred from a secret account in Cyprus to a secret account in the Maldives. Another $150M is going into forming WKI[Witkoff-Kushner International] LLC to invest in "various Middle East reclamation projects" along with 3000 shares of Lukoil stock. /s
One definition of diplomacy is "skill in handling affairs without arousing hostility : tact." When negotiations involve divvying up the spoils of an invaded and/or conquered nation, arousing hostility in the people of the nation invaded or conquered is certain. There is no diplomacy in any sense.
December 3, 2025 at 10:12 PM
One definition of diplomacy is "skill in handling affairs without arousing hostility : tact." When negotiations involve divvying up the spoils of an invaded and/or conquered nation, arousing hostility in the people of the nation invaded or conquered is certain. There is no diplomacy in any sense.
My view is that Trump is the Swiss Army Knife of useful idiots. He is useful to American libertarian billionaire oligarchs. He is useful to Putin. He is useful to Mid-East oil sheiks, useful to the European far-right, useful to Xi, useful to Orbán & Erdoğan. And the fool thinks he's using them.
December 3, 2025 at 10:02 PM
My view is that Trump is the Swiss Army Knife of useful idiots. He is useful to American libertarian billionaire oligarchs. He is useful to Putin. He is useful to Mid-East oil sheiks, useful to the European far-right, useful to Xi, useful to Orbán & Erdoğan. And the fool thinks he's using them.
"Past is prologue" -Shakespeare
Past: Russia was an empire. Russia has a long history of devoting blood & treasure to empire.
Putin has said repeatedly & put into writing he intends to restore Russia as an empire. Putin has a history of devoting blood & treasure to empire.
Putin will pursue empire.
Past: Russia was an empire. Russia has a long history of devoting blood & treasure to empire.
Putin has said repeatedly & put into writing he intends to restore Russia as an empire. Putin has a history of devoting blood & treasure to empire.
Putin will pursue empire.
December 3, 2025 at 9:49 PM
"Past is prologue" -Shakespeare
Past: Russia was an empire. Russia has a long history of devoting blood & treasure to empire.
Putin has said repeatedly & put into writing he intends to restore Russia as an empire. Putin has a history of devoting blood & treasure to empire.
Putin will pursue empire.
Past: Russia was an empire. Russia has a long history of devoting blood & treasure to empire.
Putin has said repeatedly & put into writing he intends to restore Russia as an empire. Putin has a history of devoting blood & treasure to empire.
Putin will pursue empire.
Although I can't find documentation to support that Kurt Vonnegut Jr. said this, I believe he's the one who said it.
"The problem with poor people is that rich people are running out of uses for them."
"The problem with poor people is that rich people are running out of uses for them."
December 3, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Although I can't find documentation to support that Kurt Vonnegut Jr. said this, I believe he's the one who said it.
"The problem with poor people is that rich people are running out of uses for them."
"The problem with poor people is that rich people are running out of uses for them."
If GOP states are smart, they will join in the minimal [only redacted data already available to the public] compliance or total non-compliance with this DOJ demand for voter & voting data. Compliance becomes precedent. Precedent can be used by any future DOJ, any future POTUS, any future majority.
December 3, 2025 at 7:49 PM
If GOP states are smart, they will join in the minimal [only redacted data already available to the public] compliance or total non-compliance with this DOJ demand for voter & voting data. Compliance becomes precedent. Precedent can be used by any future DOJ, any future POTUS, any future majority.