Dale
@dalepoak.bsky.social
Husband, dad, grandpa. Former House Approps Committee & OMB staff. Former Republican. Now retired and cranky. Posting on politics and Maine. https://substack.com/@daleoak?r=9q4gn&utm_medium=ios 🇺🇸🆘 🇺🇦
Pinned
Dale
@dalepoak.bsky.social
· Aug 31
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Benjamin Franklin, 1759
“Trump has no jurisdiction over state-level cases to offer the pardon”
Fact check: True
Fact check: True
JUST IN: President Trump says he pardoned Colorado's former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters for her "attempts to expose Voter Fraud" in the 2020 presidential election.
Trump says he's pardoned Tina Peters, but that may not save her from prison
Trump has no jurisdiction over state-level cases to offer the pardon.
www.axios.com
December 12, 2025 at 12:56 AM
“Trump has no jurisdiction over state-level cases to offer the pardon”
Fact check: True
Fact check: True
Reposted by Dale
Lindsey Graham voted to confirm RFK Jr.
The people of South Carolina should vote for @drannieandrews.com.
The people of South Carolina should vote for @drannieandrews.com.
The measles outbreak in South Carolina is “accelerating” with no end in sight following Thanksgiving and other large gatherings, state health officials say.
South Carolina measles outbreak is 'accelerating,' driving hundreds into quarantine
Some students who remain unvaccinated are now in a second 21-day quarantine since the beginning of the school year.
nbcnews.to
December 11, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Lindsey Graham voted to confirm RFK Jr.
The people of South Carolina should vote for @drannieandrews.com.
The people of South Carolina should vote for @drannieandrews.com.
Reposted by Dale
The US government is now a mafia organization.
December 11, 2025 at 6:08 PM
The US government is now a mafia organization.
Good piece by George Will. Share with your conventional Republican friends who, for some baseless reason, still voted for Trump.
wapo.st/4pg1HJa
wapo.st/4pg1HJa
Opinion | A sickening moral slum of an administration
Regarding Venezuela, Ukraine and much more, Trump and his acolytes are worse than simply incompetent.
wapo.st
December 3, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Good piece by George Will. Share with your conventional Republican friends who, for some baseless reason, still voted for Trump.
wapo.st/4pg1HJa
wapo.st/4pg1HJa
Reposted by Dale
George Retes is an American citizen and veteran who was unjustly pepper-sprayed, arrested, and imprisoned for three days by ICE.
Yet he won't be intimidated by this lawless administration. He's speaking up and telling his story as part of a new $250k @ofthebraveusa.bsky.social campaign. 👇
Yet he won't be intimidated by this lawless administration. He's speaking up and telling his story as part of a new $250k @ofthebraveusa.bsky.social campaign. 👇
December 3, 2025 at 12:01 PM
George Retes is an American citizen and veteran who was unjustly pepper-sprayed, arrested, and imprisoned for three days by ICE.
Yet he won't be intimidated by this lawless administration. He's speaking up and telling his story as part of a new $250k @ofthebraveusa.bsky.social campaign. 👇
Yet he won't be intimidated by this lawless administration. He's speaking up and telling his story as part of a new $250k @ofthebraveusa.bsky.social campaign. 👇
Come on Don, you’re getting close but you know you can do better! Try harder to get to 30%!
Trump’s job approval rating has fallen five percentage points to 36%, the lowest of his second term, while disapproval has risen to 60%, per @gallup.com news.gallup.com/poll/699221/...
Trump's Approval Rating Drops to 36%, New Second-Term Low
President Donald Trump's job approval rating has slipped to a new second-term low point and is approaching his all-time low of 34%.
news.gallup.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Come on Don, you’re getting close but you know you can do better! Try harder to get to 30%!
Reposted by Dale
I guess it’s clear why the lawmakers needed to make that video
November 29, 2025 at 12:02 AM
I guess it’s clear why the lawmakers needed to make that video
Reposted by Dale
A reminder that the current SECDEF caught the eye of the president by championing the pardoning of American war criminals — men whose own units testified against them, and who were convicted by military juries
He should never have been nominated for, let alone confirmed in, this job
He should never have been nominated for, let alone confirmed in, this job
November 28, 2025 at 7:28 PM
A reminder that the current SECDEF caught the eye of the president by championing the pardoning of American war criminals — men whose own units testified against them, and who were convicted by military juries
He should never have been nominated for, let alone confirmed in, this job
He should never have been nominated for, let alone confirmed in, this job
Always happy to post good federal budget geek material.
Former OMB official Mark Sandy describes in @lawfaremedia.org how Trump’s OMB is infringing on Congress’s power of the purse.
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/trum...
Former OMB official Mark Sandy describes in @lawfaremedia.org how Trump’s OMB is infringing on Congress’s power of the purse.
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/trum...
Trump Is Usurping Congress’s Power of the Purse
How is the Trump administration impounding congressional appropriations, and will Congress reassert its authorities?
www.lawfaremedia.org
November 25, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Always happy to post good federal budget geek material.
Former OMB official Mark Sandy describes in @lawfaremedia.org how Trump’s OMB is infringing on Congress’s power of the purse.
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/trum...
Former OMB official Mark Sandy describes in @lawfaremedia.org how Trump’s OMB is infringing on Congress’s power of the purse.
www.lawfaremedia.org/article/trum...
Tom is always worth reading, and this one is exceptional. Or perhaps exceptionally troubling.
This is a new and dire development in the ongoing American constitutional crisis. The voters, Congress, and, yes, the U.S. military must all now be more vigilant than at any time in our modern history.
www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
The President Is Losing Control of Himself
Donald Trump’s outbursts on social media this week were different than usual.
www.theatlantic.com
November 22, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Tom is always worth reading, and this one is exceptional. Or perhaps exceptionally troubling.
What could possibly go wrong?
November 18, 2025 at 12:25 PM
What could possibly go wrong?
I’m sure it does violate federal law. And I’m sure Trump couldn’t care less.
A site affiliated with Lee Greenwood sells merchandise with the seal—such as a $20 beer pong set with “Presidential themed balls”—and pays licensing fees to a Trump LLC.
Trump-Licensed Presidential Seal Beer Pong Set Could Violate Federal Law
A site affiliated with Lee Greenwood sells merchandise with the seal—such as a $20 beer pong set with “Presidential themed balls”—and pays licensing fees to a Trump LLC.
www.forbes.com
November 16, 2025 at 5:44 PM
I’m sure it does violate federal law. And I’m sure Trump couldn’t care less.
If you do nothing else today, you have to read this piece on the destruction of American international aid and the lives lost as a result.
#USAID
#RovinasChoice
#USAID
#RovinasChoice
This May Be the Cruelest, Most Senseless Thing Trump Has Done
A conversation with Atul Gawande about the human toll of the dismantling of foreign aid.
open.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 1:56 PM
If you do nothing else today, you have to read this piece on the destruction of American international aid and the lives lost as a result.
#USAID
#RovinasChoice
#USAID
#RovinasChoice
Amen George
November 14, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Amen George
November 14, 2025 at 1:58 PM
This UnPopulist article is porn for federal budget geeks.
The Trump administration’s violations of budget law are troubling and affect a wide range of federal programs. This is a good article to read even if you’re not a geek.
The Trump administration’s violations of budget law are troubling and affect a wide range of federal programs. This is a good article to read even if you’re not a geek.
Founders Would Be Horrified by Congress's Surrender of its Power of the Purse to POTUS
The shutdown is testimony to how a subservient legislature makes governance dysfunctional
open.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 6:40 PM
This UnPopulist article is porn for federal budget geeks.
The Trump administration’s violations of budget law are troubling and affect a wide range of federal programs. This is a good article to read even if you’re not a geek.
The Trump administration’s violations of budget law are troubling and affect a wide range of federal programs. This is a good article to read even if you’re not a geek.
One of the best-articulated cases I’ve seen of how law enforcement cooperation with ICE (especially today’s ICE) harms local policing.
I was a police chief in seven cities. Here’s how ICE undermines local law enforcement.
A career cop on why Trump’s strong-arm tactics are destined to backfire.
open.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:00 PM
One of the best-articulated cases I’ve seen of how law enforcement cooperation with ICE (especially today’s ICE) harms local policing.
There won’t be much more of this before the peasants storm the Bastille.
Eric Trump: "You can send $500 million worth of bitcoin on a Sunday night at 11pm while having a glass of wine with your wife for virtually zero fees."
November 13, 2025 at 3:19 PM
There won’t be much more of this before the peasants storm the Bastille.
Good case made by @chriscillizza.bsky.social that the press needs to push hard at the White House to get better answers on what’s going on with Trump’s health.
What the heck is *actually* going on with Donald Trump's health? 🏥
The MRI.
open.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Good case made by @chriscillizza.bsky.social that the press needs to push hard at the White House to get better answers on what’s going on with Trump’s health.
I’ve been through quite a few government shutdowns over the years, and I have some thoughts on how this one ended.
On Ending the Shutdown
The outcome isn’t great, but it’s time to move on
oakd.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 3:35 AM
I’ve been through quite a few government shutdowns over the years, and I have some thoughts on how this one ended.
@billkristolbulwark.bsky.social is shipping up to Boston.
“If you’re coming under the punk-rock banner and you voted for that f*****g guy, and you support that f*****g s**t that they’re doing, you’ve twisted your mind into knots. The far right ain’t the new punk—you heard it here first.”
open.substack.com/pub/ofthebra...
open.substack.com/pub/ofthebra...
WATCH: The Punk Rock Frontman Calling Out Trump's BS
Dropkick Murphys’ Ken Casey to MAGA supporters: “You’ve twisted your mind into knots.”
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 11:16 PM
@billkristolbulwark.bsky.social is shipping up to Boston.
@politico.com, I’m sorry, but Steve Bannon’s muddle-headed rantings are hardly worthy of filling people’s in-boxes as “breaking news.”
November 5, 2025 at 3:31 PM
@politico.com, I’m sorry, but Steve Bannon’s muddle-headed rantings are hardly worthy of filling people’s in-boxes as “breaking news.”
I suppose chronic ketamine use could make it harder for his brain to process a relatively straightforward ballot.
November 4, 2025 at 5:01 PM
I suppose chronic ketamine use could make it harder for his brain to process a relatively straightforward ballot.
On January 20, Trump gave a blanket pardon to 1500+ rioters responsible for the #January6 Capitol attack, including Howard C. Richardson.
Richardson pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement and was sentenced to 46 months in prison. He beat an officer with a metal flagpole holding a Trump flag.
Richardson pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement and was sentenced to 46 months in prison. He beat an officer with a metal flagpole holding a Trump flag.
November 3, 2025 at 1:57 PM
On January 20, Trump gave a blanket pardon to 1500+ rioters responsible for the #January6 Capitol attack, including Howard C. Richardson.
Richardson pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement and was sentenced to 46 months in prison. He beat an officer with a metal flagpole holding a Trump flag.
Richardson pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement and was sentenced to 46 months in prison. He beat an officer with a metal flagpole holding a Trump flag.