Hal Philip Walker
@dionysusdisco.bsky.social
"Number one: all of us are equally involved with politics whether we know it or not and whether we like it or not. And number two: we can do something about it." - H.P.W. (1975)
𝑪𝑶𝒀𝑺 🏆
𝑪𝑶𝒀𝑺 🏆
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
“When I look at Mamdani, I don’t see some radical departure. I see him as an heir to the Yiddish socialism that helped build New York.” @theguardian.com @mollycrabapple.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... #opinion #nyc #socialism
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... #opinion #nyc #socialism
They tried to smear him as an antisemite – but Mayor Zohran Mamdani walks in a rich Jewish tradition | Molly Crabapple
When I look at Mamdani, I don’t see some radical departure. I see him as an heir to the Yiddish socialism that helped build New York
www.theguardian.com
January 3, 2026 at 3:05 PM
“When I look at Mamdani, I don’t see some radical departure. I see him as an heir to the Yiddish socialism that helped build New York.” @theguardian.com @mollycrabapple.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... #opinion #nyc #socialism
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... #opinion #nyc #socialism
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
NYT gonna NYT: "Both Mr. Mamdani and Mr. Maduro identify as socialists, though they have no relationship.” — would be funny if they did this every time you write about two capitalists.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/w...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/w...
Mamdani Called Trump to Criticize Venezuela Strikes
www.nytimes.com
January 3, 2026 at 10:01 PM
NYT gonna NYT: "Both Mr. Mamdani and Mr. Maduro identify as socialists, though they have no relationship.” — would be funny if they did this every time you write about two capitalists.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/w...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/03/w...
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
The median position needs to be "abolish ICE," the vanguard left should be more "burn down the DHS, salt the earth, restore protections & path to full citizenship for EVERYONE who suffered from these pricks' depradations (& is still, you know, around & WANT to be here).
Every Dem candidate ought to be saying abolish ICE.
January 2, 2026 at 7:42 AM
The median position needs to be "abolish ICE," the vanguard left should be more "burn down the DHS, salt the earth, restore protections & path to full citizenship for EVERYONE who suffered from these pricks' depradations (& is still, you know, around & WANT to be here).
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
January 3, 2026 at 2:37 PM
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
There's no byline on this. There's an editing byline, but it appears no reporter at Reuters was willing to put their name on this.
Nicolas Maduro's heavy-handed rule in Venezuela is finally ended by Trump reut.rs/3YWbo3K
Nicolas Maduro's heavy-handed rule in Venezuela is finally ended by Trump
Nicolas Maduro ruled Venezuela with a heavy hand for more than 12 years, presiding over deep economic and social crises and resisting pressure from domestic opponents and foreign governments for political change.
reut.rs
January 3, 2026 at 2:40 PM
There's no byline on this. There's an editing byline, but it appears no reporter at Reuters was willing to put their name on this.
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
Colombian President Petro commenting on the US;
“A clan of pedophiles wants to destroy our democracy. To keep Epstein's list from coming out, they send warships to kill fishermen & threaten our neighbor with invasion for their oil."
“A clan of pedophiles wants to destroy our democracy. To keep Epstein's list from coming out, they send warships to kill fishermen & threaten our neighbor with invasion for their oil."
January 4, 2026 at 3:40 AM
Colombian President Petro commenting on the US;
“A clan of pedophiles wants to destroy our democracy. To keep Epstein's list from coming out, they send warships to kill fishermen & threaten our neighbor with invasion for their oil."
“A clan of pedophiles wants to destroy our democracy. To keep Epstein's list from coming out, they send warships to kill fishermen & threaten our neighbor with invasion for their oil."
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
Of all the competitive authoritarian developments of the past year I think the fall of CBS News is among the most chilling. That this can happen to easily and so quickly freaks me the fuck out.
Nightmarish. CBS News is now running straight state propaganda. They handed Hegseth all three segments and are now tweeting flattering sound bites.
January 4, 2026 at 2:24 AM
Of all the competitive authoritarian developments of the past year I think the fall of CBS News is among the most chilling. That this can happen to easily and so quickly freaks me the fuck out.
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
Holding stories like this is a longstanding practice and also completely antithetical to the entire purpose of journalism. RIP Gawker.
🟡 NEW: The New York Times and Washington Post learned of a secret US raid on Venezuela soon before it was scheduled to begin Friday night — but held off publishing what they knew to avoid endangering US troops.
www.semafor.com/article/01/0...
www.semafor.com/article/01/0...
News organizations held off on reporting Venezuela raid
The American news organizations held their stories over concerns about endangering US troops.
www.semafor.com
January 4, 2026 at 2:56 AM
Holding stories like this is a longstanding practice and also completely antithetical to the entire purpose of journalism. RIP Gawker.
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
Trump and his cronies can try to dress this up, but it is an illegal act of war to replace Maduro and grab Venezuela's oil for his billionaire buddies.
Full statement below:
Full statement below:
January 3, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Trump and his cronies can try to dress this up, but it is an illegal act of war to replace Maduro and grab Venezuela's oil for his billionaire buddies.
Full statement below:
Full statement below:
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
It’s not about drugs. If it was, Trump wouldn’t have pardoned one of the largest narco traffickers in the world last month.
It’s about oil and regime change.
And they need a trial now to pretend that it isn’t. Especially to distract from his sinking under Epstein and skyrocketing healthcare costs.
It’s about oil and regime change.
And they need a trial now to pretend that it isn’t. Especially to distract from his sinking under Epstein and skyrocketing healthcare costs.
January 3, 2026 at 3:34 PM
It’s not about drugs. If it was, Trump wouldn’t have pardoned one of the largest narco traffickers in the world last month.
It’s about oil and regime change.
And they need a trial now to pretend that it isn’t. Especially to distract from his sinking under Epstein and skyrocketing healthcare costs.
It’s about oil and regime change.
And they need a trial now to pretend that it isn’t. Especially to distract from his sinking under Epstein and skyrocketing healthcare costs.
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
Pro-Trump billionaires like Musk and Ellison didn’t buy media outlets to maximize the company’s profits.
They bought media companies to maximize their power—and minimize the opposition’s ability to disseminate the truth.
They bought media companies to maximize their power—and minimize the opposition’s ability to disseminate the truth.
I still don’t really understand who this is supposed to be for. If you want the unabashedly pro-America news you know where to get it and are already receiving it, CBS is for people who still want regular reporting in a non-24/7 format. Do you think they won’t notice and turn it off?
We love frosting and make no apologies
January 2, 2026 at 10:48 PM
Pro-Trump billionaires like Musk and Ellison didn’t buy media outlets to maximize the company’s profits.
They bought media companies to maximize their power—and minimize the opposition’s ability to disseminate the truth.
They bought media companies to maximize their power—and minimize the opposition’s ability to disseminate the truth.
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
I was wondering what Mamdani's first executive order would be, and I'm not disappointed by this.
He has wiped off the books EVERY Eric Adams executive order issued on or after September 26, 2024, the day Adams was indicted on federal bribery charges.
He has wiped off the books EVERY Eric Adams executive order issued on or after September 26, 2024, the day Adams was indicted on federal bribery charges.
January 1, 2026 at 11:07 PM
I was wondering what Mamdani's first executive order would be, and I'm not disappointed by this.
He has wiped off the books EVERY Eric Adams executive order issued on or after September 26, 2024, the day Adams was indicted on federal bribery charges.
He has wiped off the books EVERY Eric Adams executive order issued on or after September 26, 2024, the day Adams was indicted on federal bribery charges.
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
how can we exist in a world ran by people who don’t think this shit is a problem
January 2, 2026 at 2:08 AM
how can we exist in a world ran by people who don’t think this shit is a problem
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
I've been tracking the spread of nonconsensual deepfakes on X for more than two years. Here's a timeline of how Musk's leadership allowed the practice to flourish from a once-underground market to a viral trend, with little recourse for victims or legal enforcement.
spitfirenews.com/p/grok-csam-...
spitfirenews.com/p/grok-csam-...
How Grok's sexual abuse hit a tipping point
Nonconsensual deepfakes on X are nothing new, but now it's built into the platform.
spitfirenews.com
January 2, 2026 at 7:47 PM
I've been tracking the spread of nonconsensual deepfakes on X for more than two years. Here's a timeline of how Musk's leadership allowed the practice to flourish from a once-underground market to a viral trend, with little recourse for victims or legal enforcement.
spitfirenews.com/p/grok-csam-...
spitfirenews.com/p/grok-csam-...
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
I've mentioned this essay a few times in discussing shame: here it is for anyone who hasn't yet read it. Can't recommend more highly.
Including @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social on Ezra Klein, living together, and the problem with “reading lines from the script of a fascist movement eroding basic democratic freedoms and aiming to subordinate whichever large swaths of the country are not simply removed outright”:
How Can We Live Together? - Boston Review
Ezra Klein is wrong: shame is essential.
www.bostonreview.net
December 30, 2025 at 8:43 PM
I've mentioned this essay a few times in discussing shame: here it is for anyone who hasn't yet read it. Can't recommend more highly.
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
Is it that difficult to conceive of someone with actual ideological commitments, who supports unions not for transactional reasons but because they genuinely believe in workers' power? nymag.com/intelligence...
December 30, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Is it that difficult to conceive of someone with actual ideological commitments, who supports unions not for transactional reasons but because they genuinely believe in workers' power? nymag.com/intelligence...
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
Angelenos need to demand the firing of the people responsible for this shit
Careful planning: on Eagle Rock Blvd., the city repaved an 1/8-mile length but split it into two unconnected patches to avoid triggering HLA and installing protected bike lanes. The patches stop just before the intersection to avoid triggering the ADA and installing updated curb ramps.
December 29, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Angelenos need to demand the firing of the people responsible for this shit
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
"In a 2020 survey by national newspaper Die Zeit, 30% of Germans claimed their families had been opposed to the Nazis, and only one fifth said they had been followers – a statistical impossibility." observer.co.uk/news/interna...
‘My grandfather was a Wehrmacht soldier. It left him a br...
More Germans are trying to discover what their ancestors did in the second world war – and if they were involved in its crimes
observer.co.uk
December 29, 2025 at 8:19 PM
"In a 2020 survey by national newspaper Die Zeit, 30% of Germans claimed their families had been opposed to the Nazis, and only one fifth said they had been followers – a statistical impossibility." observer.co.uk/news/interna...
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
“You are not entitled to a response from us, or anyone, ever." - Dept. of Education to ProPublica's @megomatz.bsky.social
"Our journalists reach out to people they’re writing about to ensure fairness. But ... their efforts to do so are more likely to be vilified than appreciated."
"Our journalists reach out to people they’re writing about to ensure fairness. But ... their efforts to do so are more likely to be vilified than appreciated."
Our Reporters Reached Out for Comment. They Were Accused of Stalking and Intimidation.
Our journalists reach out to people they’re writing about to ensure fairness. But in this environment, they’ve found their efforts to do so are more likely to be vilified than appreciated.
www.propublica.org
December 29, 2025 at 4:19 PM
“You are not entitled to a response from us, or anyone, ever." - Dept. of Education to ProPublica's @megomatz.bsky.social
"Our journalists reach out to people they’re writing about to ensure fairness. But ... their efforts to do so are more likely to be vilified than appreciated."
"Our journalists reach out to people they’re writing about to ensure fairness. But ... their efforts to do so are more likely to be vilified than appreciated."
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
IMHO, barring a deep personal connection to a story, journalists should cover what they are passionate about.
Take a stance against injustice. Be willing to call balls and strikes. But also be exacting and fair—or you’ll undermine the side you agree with.
Your readers will be better served for it.
Take a stance against injustice. Be willing to call balls and strikes. But also be exacting and fair—or you’ll undermine the side you agree with.
Your readers will be better served for it.
December 28, 2025 at 4:10 PM
IMHO, barring a deep personal connection to a story, journalists should cover what they are passionate about.
Take a stance against injustice. Be willing to call balls and strikes. But also be exacting and fair—or you’ll undermine the side you agree with.
Your readers will be better served for it.
Take a stance against injustice. Be willing to call balls and strikes. But also be exacting and fair—or you’ll undermine the side you agree with.
Your readers will be better served for it.
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
what else is there to say
December 29, 2025 at 12:10 AM
what else is there to say
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
Proud of this one. I don’t horn-toot as a rule but it’s my birthday so screw it. This was my most read column of the year and the third most read story of year at @thenation.com . I was one of two writers to have more than one in the yearly top ten. Ok. Stopping now. Making myself sick. Got issues.
December 28, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Proud of this one. I don’t horn-toot as a rule but it’s my birthday so screw it. This was my most read column of the year and the third most read story of year at @thenation.com . I was one of two writers to have more than one in the yearly top ten. Ok. Stopping now. Making myself sick. Got issues.
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
we’ve been over this
we just did this in Massachusetts
they’re not gonna leave, they’ll whine and bitch and moan and eventually this will raise more money than expected because nowhere they go is actually like the place they’re leaving
we just did this in Massachusetts
they’re not gonna leave, they’ll whine and bitch and moan and eventually this will raise more money than expected because nowhere they go is actually like the place they’re leaving
Billionaires are considering cutting or reducing their ties to California by the end of the year because of a proposed ballot measure that could tax the state’s wealthiest residents.
A Wealth Tax Floated in California Has Billionaires Thinking of Leaving
It’s uncertain whether the proposal will reach the statewide ballot in November, but some billionaires like Peter Thiel and Larry Page may be unwilling to take the risk.
nyti.ms
December 27, 2025 at 12:49 AM
we’ve been over this
we just did this in Massachusetts
they’re not gonna leave, they’ll whine and bitch and moan and eventually this will raise more money than expected because nowhere they go is actually like the place they’re leaving
we just did this in Massachusetts
they’re not gonna leave, they’ll whine and bitch and moan and eventually this will raise more money than expected because nowhere they go is actually like the place they’re leaving
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
When I was on CNN's northeast desk, the first job at 6a every morning was to read the local papers. That guided some of what the massive CNN machine followed every day.
When those papers die, CNN doesn't hire new regional reporters. What you get instead is more panel shows, more punditry.
When those papers die, CNN doesn't hire new regional reporters. What you get instead is more panel shows, more punditry.
"The newspaper industry served as a feeder for our entire news media ecosystem. So when we lose those newspapers, we've lost that journalism. In the early 2000s, we had 40 journalists per 100,000 people. We're now down to 8 journalists per 100,000 people," says @victorpickard.bsky.social.
December 16, 2025 at 7:25 PM
When I was on CNN's northeast desk, the first job at 6a every morning was to read the local papers. That guided some of what the massive CNN machine followed every day.
When those papers die, CNN doesn't hire new regional reporters. What you get instead is more panel shows, more punditry.
When those papers die, CNN doesn't hire new regional reporters. What you get instead is more panel shows, more punditry.
Reposted by Hal Philip Walker
This guy was murdered by the government for absolutely no reason, and this fact will be lucky to get a fraction of a percent of the coverage given to dead squirrels and uneaten house pets.
Authorities have reported the death of a Nicaraguan immigrant in ICE custody in a hospital in Natchez, Mississippi, the seventh reported death of an immigrant in ICE custody this month.
buff.ly/NntUdNz
buff.ly/NntUdNz
Nicaraguan Man in ICE Custody Dies in Mississippi Hospital
A Nicaraguan man has died in ICE custody at a hospital in Natchez, Mississippi, the seventh reported death of a person in custody this month.
www.mississippifreepress.org
December 26, 2025 at 7:40 AM
This guy was murdered by the government for absolutely no reason, and this fact will be lucky to get a fraction of a percent of the coverage given to dead squirrels and uneaten house pets.