curmudgeoness.bsky.social
@curmudgeoness.bsky.social
Johanna Steinmetz. Retired journalist, unretired curiosity, fond of pith.
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
Yes. My theory of the moment is Miller/Vance thought their view that immigrants threaten social solidarity would be widely shared. But ICE raids are driving native-born Americans to show solidarity with immigrants quite courageously. Now Miller is trying to disrupt that alliance with state violence.
Insightful point here: Even if you take Trump seriously - he does not like the optics - they rested on an assumption that communities would welcome ICE as heroes, rather than showing the type of solidarity that Trump inherently cannot understand.
Trump is privately worried about the "optics" of ICE raids and his advisers are looking for ways to soften them, Axios reports. I'm calling bullshit: The terror and violence cannot be hived off from the broader policy agenda. They are 100% intrinsic to it.
New piece:
newrepublic.com/article/2053...
New piece:
newrepublic.com/article/2053...
January 19, 2026 at 2:52 PM
Yes. My theory of the moment is Miller/Vance thought their view that immigrants threaten social solidarity would be widely shared. But ICE raids are driving native-born Americans to show solidarity with immigrants quite courageously. Now Miller is trying to disrupt that alliance with state violence.
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
George Conway in 2019 wrote about Trump's malignant narcissism (article link).
Today it's even worse: a psychopathic malignant narcissist *in cognitive decline* is a formula for disaster. There is no restraint, no judgment, and no grounding in reality.
25th Amendment is overdue.
#TrumpDementia
Today it's even worse: a psychopathic malignant narcissist *in cognitive decline* is a formula for disaster. There is no restraint, no judgment, and no grounding in reality.
25th Amendment is overdue.
#TrumpDementia
January 20, 2026 at 3:51 AM
George Conway in 2019 wrote about Trump's malignant narcissism (article link).
Today it's even worse: a psychopathic malignant narcissist *in cognitive decline* is a formula for disaster. There is no restraint, no judgment, and no grounding in reality.
25th Amendment is overdue.
#TrumpDementia
Today it's even worse: a psychopathic malignant narcissist *in cognitive decline* is a formula for disaster. There is no restraint, no judgment, and no grounding in reality.
25th Amendment is overdue.
#TrumpDementia
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
This is what’s so stupefying about Congressional leaders: Republicans, Schumer, Durbin, Jeffries.
My brothers and sisters. You are leading the U.S. Congress at a moment of INDESCRIBABLE world historic import.
Your faces and names will be plastered all over history books. How do you think you
My brothers and sisters. You are leading the U.S. Congress at a moment of INDESCRIBABLE world historic import.
Your faces and names will be plastered all over history books. How do you think you
We are watching one of the wildest things a nation-state has ever done: A superpower is committing suicide because the GOP Congress is too cowardly to stand up to the Mad King.
This is one of the wildest moments in all of geopolitics ever.
This is one of the wildest moments in all of geopolitics ever.
Footage shows Danish troops arriving in Greenland as part of a new military deployment. Among the personnel who landed on the island is Major General Peter H. Boysen, Chief of the Danish Army Command. #Greenland
January 19, 2026 at 11:31 PM
This is what’s so stupefying about Congressional leaders: Republicans, Schumer, Durbin, Jeffries.
My brothers and sisters. You are leading the U.S. Congress at a moment of INDESCRIBABLE world historic import.
Your faces and names will be plastered all over history books. How do you think you
My brothers and sisters. You are leading the U.S. Congress at a moment of INDESCRIBABLE world historic import.
Your faces and names will be plastered all over history books. How do you think you
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
If you live in the Cities, an easy way to help immigrant families in hiding is: laundry! Laundromats are ICE magnets, so people without washers need help.
The People’s Laundry will drop off laundry to your door to wash and dry and pick up a few days later:
thepeopleslaundrympls.com/volunteer/
The People’s Laundry will drop off laundry to your door to wash and dry and pick up a few days later:
thepeopleslaundrympls.com/volunteer/
January 18, 2026 at 11:46 PM
If you live in the Cities, an easy way to help immigrant families in hiding is: laundry! Laundromats are ICE magnets, so people without washers need help.
The People’s Laundry will drop off laundry to your door to wash and dry and pick up a few days later:
thepeopleslaundrympls.com/volunteer/
The People’s Laundry will drop off laundry to your door to wash and dry and pick up a few days later:
thepeopleslaundrympls.com/volunteer/
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
In Louisiana, an ICE officer named David Courvelle has pleaded guilty on charges related to his monthslong sexual abuse of a Nicaraguan woman held in a detention center. www.wbrz.com/news/contrac...
Contract detention officer pleads guilty to sexually abusing Nicaraguan detainee at ICE facility in Basile
A former ICE detention officer pleaded guilty Monday to the sexual abuse of a Nicaraguan detainee at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile, according to court documents obtained by WBRZ.
www.wbrz.com
January 19, 2026 at 10:10 PM
In Louisiana, an ICE officer named David Courvelle has pleaded guilty on charges related to his monthslong sexual abuse of a Nicaraguan woman held in a detention center. www.wbrz.com/news/contrac...
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
Everything Is Russiagate truly lol
The cynics think today's attack on Venezuela is staged and transactional. Maduro is allied with Putin, but in 2019 Putin offered Trump a swap: Russia cedes Venezuela and gets Ukraine. (See Fiona Hill's testimony in Trump's first impeachment trial, h/t @davetroy.com). Even Maduro may be in on it. 2/
January 4, 2026 at 2:22 AM
Everything Is Russiagate truly lol
Puts an interesting spin on Trump's relationship with Putin, since Russia is a consumer of Venezuelan oil.
January 4, 2026 at 2:40 AM
Puts an interesting spin on Trump's relationship with Putin, since Russia is a consumer of Venezuelan oil.
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
The president unilaterally decided to attack a sovereign nation and kidnap its leader, and now he says he's just going to run that county himself for a while too.
Call your representatives now and demand they impeach him.
Call your representatives now and demand they impeach him.
Trump on Venezuela: "We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition"
January 3, 2026 at 4:51 PM
The president unilaterally decided to attack a sovereign nation and kidnap its leader, and now he says he's just going to run that county himself for a while too.
Call your representatives now and demand they impeach him.
Call your representatives now and demand they impeach him.
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
Trump has always wanted to be, and has seen himself as, a “wartime president.” He likes the idea of that visual on his TV. He’s been very open about this. Sadly, a lot of our political press chose to pretend otherwise.
"WE'RE NOT AFRAID OF BOOTS ON THE GROUND"--Donald Trump
January 3, 2026 at 5:43 PM
Trump has always wanted to be, and has seen himself as, a “wartime president.” He likes the idea of that visual on his TV. He’s been very open about this. Sadly, a lot of our political press chose to pretend otherwise.
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
"What they are doing is writing term sheets for a new power arrangement that benefits Trump, Putin, their donors, and their oligarch circles — and leaves the rest of us to live with the consequences."
They are bribing the greedy Trump to sell out Ukraine for a profit.
They are bribing the greedy Trump to sell out Ukraine for a profit.
December 3, 2025 at 4:36 AM
"What they are doing is writing term sheets for a new power arrangement that benefits Trump, Putin, their donors, and their oligarch circles — and leaves the rest of us to live with the consequences."
They are bribing the greedy Trump to sell out Ukraine for a profit.
They are bribing the greedy Trump to sell out Ukraine for a profit.
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
“There’s plenty of room beneath the vehicle, Admiral."
December 3, 2025 at 4:40 AM
“There’s plenty of room beneath the vehicle, Admiral."
Not really surprising, but good to have it out there.
November 3, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Not really surprising, but good to have it out there.
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
October 23, 2025 at 3:37 AM
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
Calling your rep can work.
October 23, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Calling your rep can work.
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
I know some might be tired of me repeating this, but it bears mentioning again and again....
Trump is not leaving office.
They are going to go for martial law if it looks likely that the GOP will lose the House.
You just have to listen to them.
Trump is not leaving office.
They are going to go for martial law if it looks likely that the GOP will lose the House.
You just have to listen to them.
October 23, 2025 at 3:41 AM
I know some might be tired of me repeating this, but it bears mentioning again and again....
Trump is not leaving office.
They are going to go for martial law if it looks likely that the GOP will lose the House.
You just have to listen to them.
Trump is not leaving office.
They are going to go for martial law if it looks likely that the GOP will lose the House.
You just have to listen to them.
Listening to the gorgeous performance of Eric Lu at the Chopin competition final reminded me of hearing recordings of the splendid Walter Gieseking many years ago. Just the incomparable delicacy.
October 23, 2025 at 4:14 AM
Listening to the gorgeous performance of Eric Lu at the Chopin competition final reminded me of hearing recordings of the splendid Walter Gieseking many years ago. Just the incomparable delicacy.
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
Machado has voiced support for U.S. sanctions against Venezuela and other efforts to topple the government; she aims to privatize the country’s state oil industry and has praised right-wing Latin American leaders, including Argentina’s Javier Milei and El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele.
October 11, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Machado has voiced support for U.S. sanctions against Venezuela and other efforts to topple the government; she aims to privatize the country’s state oil industry and has praised right-wing Latin American leaders, including Argentina’s Javier Milei and El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele.
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
We are changing our antifa secret handshake to slap-slap-fistbump-fistbump. Then you snap your fingers once, eat everyone's pets, and make everyone within 50' instantly become trans. Pass it along.
October 8, 2025 at 9:20 PM
We are changing our antifa secret handshake to slap-slap-fistbump-fistbump. Then you snap your fingers once, eat everyone's pets, and make everyone within 50' instantly become trans. Pass it along.
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
I stole your meme but I’m leaving you this.
September 17, 2025 at 5:30 PM
I stole your meme but I’m leaving you this.
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
August 29, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
They’re going to rebrand it as the Centers for Disease Creation
August 27, 2025 at 10:57 PM
They’re going to rebrand it as the Centers for Disease Creation
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
They know that they’re a minority.
They can’t win a fair election.
They can’t win a fair election.
Dems support fair, independent districting. Why don’t Republicans?
For the same reason they want to ban mail-in ballots, and make it harder to regain your voting rights, and on and on.
They have made voter suppression an art form. They want minority rule. 🇺🇸
For the same reason they want to ban mail-in ballots, and make it harder to regain your voting rights, and on and on.
They have made voter suppression an art form. They want minority rule. 🇺🇸
August 21, 2025 at 2:26 AM
They know that they’re a minority.
They can’t win a fair election.
They can’t win a fair election.
Bondi oversteps trying to prove her bonafides.
Trump Administration Live Updates: D.C. Files Lawsuit Challenging Administration’s Police Takeover www.nytimes.com/live/2025/08...
Trump Administration Live Updates: D.C. Files Lawsuit Challenging Administration’s Police Takeover www.nytimes.com/live/2025/08...
Trump Administration Live Updates: D.C. Files Lawsuit Challenging Administration’s Police Takeover
www.nytimes.com
August 15, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Bondi oversteps trying to prove her bonafides.
Trump Administration Live Updates: D.C. Files Lawsuit Challenging Administration’s Police Takeover www.nytimes.com/live/2025/08...
Trump Administration Live Updates: D.C. Files Lawsuit Challenging Administration’s Police Takeover www.nytimes.com/live/2025/08...
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
Most North American cities that have a “Vision Zero” declaration have not actually done the work. Vision Zero works, but it’s not going to happen if we’re too afraid to inconvenience a single motorist.
“Helsinki has not recorded a single traffic fatality in the past 12 months, city and police officials confirmed this week.”
City engineer credits lower speed limits and smart design.
I agree. #Helsinki #VisionZero
City engineer credits lower speed limits and smart design.
I agree. #Helsinki #VisionZero
Helsinki goes a full year without a traffic death
A city traffic engineer credits the success to lower speed limits and smarter design.
yle.fi
July 31, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Most North American cities that have a “Vision Zero” declaration have not actually done the work. Vision Zero works, but it’s not going to happen if we’re too afraid to inconvenience a single motorist.
Reposted by curmudgeoness.bsky.social
Musical satirist Tom Lehrer has died. He once declared: “Political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.” Here’s one of my favorite Lehrer tunes
Tom Lehrer - The Vatican Rag - fabulous version - LIVE FILM From Copenhagen in 1967
YouTube video by The Tom Lehrer Wisdom Channel
m.youtube.com
July 27, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Musical satirist Tom Lehrer has died. He once declared: “Political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.” Here’s one of my favorite Lehrer tunes