Joel S. Berg
@joelsberg.bsky.social
Author of the book “America, We Need to Talk” and CEO of a nonpartisan nonprofit group, but all my views here are personal ones.
Actual fundraising email just got from Trump, asking if I blocked him (I assume because I consistently refuse to donate to him). One consistent behavior from the repellent Trump and his minions: they revel in never accepting that “no means no.”’
February 18, 2026 at 1:39 PM
Actual fundraising email just got from Trump, asking if I blocked him (I assume because I consistently refuse to donate to him). One consistent behavior from the repellent Trump and his minions: they revel in never accepting that “no means no.”’
Crazy idea: in picking our candidates, Democratic primary voters should prioritize whether candidates have actually governed well in their previous/current jobs — as well as whether they offer concrete, practical solutions to national problems — not just how well they pontificate on social media.
February 18, 2026 at 12:58 PM
Crazy idea: in picking our candidates, Democratic primary voters should prioritize whether candidates have actually governed well in their previous/current jobs — as well as whether they offer concrete, practical solutions to national problems — not just how well they pontificate on social media.
Jess Jackson was a giant of the long-term struggle for social progress.
February 17, 2026 at 1:16 PM
Jess Jackson was a giant of the long-term struggle for social progress.
All genocides are unconscionable and the U.S. and the entire world community should do more to stop all of them. news.un.org/en/story/202...
Sudan: Atrocities ‘repeated town by town’, ICC prosecutor tells UN Security Council
Atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur region are spreading from town to town in an organized campaign of violence that includes mass executions, rape and ethnic targeting, amounting to war crimes and crimes ag...
news.un.org
February 15, 2026 at 12:30 PM
All genocides are unconscionable and the U.S. and the entire world community should do more to stop all of them. news.un.org/en/story/202...
Reposted by Joel S. Berg
In case you missed it, America’s top “health leader” is bragging about having snorted cocaine off a toilet.
February 15, 2026 at 7:07 AM
In case you missed it, America’s top “health leader” is bragging about having snorted cocaine off a toilet.
Much of today’s GOP (obviously including Trump) — and a few extremists in the Democratic Partv — have convinced themselves the only reason that they lose elections is that the other side cheated. That’s a lot more comforting to them than acknowledging flaws in their policies, candidates, messaging.
February 13, 2026 at 5:23 AM
Much of today’s GOP (obviously including Trump) — and a few extremists in the Democratic Partv — have convinced themselves the only reason that they lose elections is that the other side cheated. That’s a lot more comforting to them than acknowledging flaws in their policies, candidates, messaging.
www.cityandstateny.com/opinion/2026... Vital reading from two esteemed colleagues.
Opinion: Mamdani makes the right choice, not the easy one, on ending homeless encampment sweeps
The tragic deaths of 18 people during a recent cold spell have no connection to the mayor’s decision to stop inhumane and ineffective encampment sweeps.
www.cityandstateny.com
February 12, 2026 at 12:47 PM
www.cityandstateny.com/opinion/2026... Vital reading from two esteemed colleagues.
As the old saying goes prosecutors can indicate a ham sandwich, but, it turns out, that grand jurors are too smart to indict a totally unconstitutional baloney sandwich. apple.news/Amy1YCur4SVS...
Grand jury declines to indict Democrats asking troops to refuse illegal orders — Guardian US
Trump, outraged by clip of six lawmakers, called them ‘traitors’ and said behavior was ‘punishable by death’
apple.news
February 11, 2026 at 1:38 PM
As the old saying goes prosecutors can indicate a ham sandwich, but, it turns out, that grand jurors are too smart to indict a totally unconstitutional baloney sandwich. apple.news/Amy1YCur4SVS...
Reposted by Joel S. Berg
My operating assumption is that he tried to do a hasty coup in 2020 that failed, and so everything he does in his second term should be understood as laying the groundwork for a second coup to succeed.
January 28, 2026 at 4:59 PM
My operating assumption is that he tried to do a hasty coup in 2020 that failed, and so everything he does in his second term should be understood as laying the groundwork for a second coup to succeed.
Why does the New York Times keep publishing op-eds by Republican politicians decrying problems they created without including any mention at all about how they created those problem? Josh Hawley voted to gut SNAP assistance and Mike Lawler voted to dramatically expand ICE with no strings attached.
January 27, 2026 at 12:52 PM
Why does the New York Times keep publishing op-eds by Republican politicians decrying problems they created without including any mention at all about how they created those problem? Josh Hawley voted to gut SNAP assistance and Mike Lawler voted to dramatically expand ICE with no strings attached.
Americans freezing to death outside because they are unhoused should generate as much outage as Americans being murdered by ICE. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/n...
New York City Races to Help Homeless People as Temperatures Plunge
www.nytimes.com
January 27, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Americans freezing to death outside because they are unhoused should generate as much outage as Americans being murdered by ICE. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/n...
People on social media who either did nothing to help the Democrats gain national power — or who actively railed against the Democrats gaining power — are now some of the people complaining the most loudly that Democrats are powerless.
January 25, 2026 at 5:59 PM
People on social media who either did nothing to help the Democrats gain national power — or who actively railed against the Democrats gaining power — are now some of the people complaining the most loudly that Democrats are powerless.
Hey self-professed MAGA Christians: are you ok with your tax dollars literally going to murder a Good Samaritan who was trying to help up a woman pushed to the ground?
January 25, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Hey self-professed MAGA Christians: are you ok with your tax dollars literally going to murder a Good Samaritan who was trying to help up a woman pushed to the ground?
Dear Republicans: to paraphrase a searing question from another time in history when our democracy was in jeopardy: “at long last, do you have no sense of decency?”
January 25, 2026 at 2:45 PM
Dear Republicans: to paraphrase a searing question from another time in history when our democracy was in jeopardy: “at long last, do you have no sense of decency?”
Man, I am grateful for NYC’s bus drivers, subway operators, cops,firefighters, EMTs, and health care professionals keeping the city moving and safe in this storm.
January 25, 2026 at 1:55 PM
Man, I am grateful for NYC’s bus drivers, subway operators, cops,firefighters, EMTs, and health care professionals keeping the city moving and safe in this storm.
MAGA’s opposition to masking, social distancing, and vaccines in the pandemic proved they really weren’t pro-life.
MAGA’s refusal to defend the right of Alex Pretti to peacefully carry a firearm also proves they are full of crap about the Second Amendment protecting us all.
MAGA’s refusal to defend the right of Alex Pretti to peacefully carry a firearm also proves they are full of crap about the Second Amendment protecting us all.
January 25, 2026 at 1:25 PM
MAGA’s opposition to masking, social distancing, and vaccines in the pandemic proved they really weren’t pro-life.
MAGA’s refusal to defend the right of Alex Pretti to peacefully carry a firearm also proves they are full of crap about the Second Amendment protecting us all.
MAGA’s refusal to defend the right of Alex Pretti to peacefully carry a firearm also proves they are full of crap about the Second Amendment protecting us all.
Even though the nonprofit organization I run — Hunger Free America — would suffer pain and hardship in a new government shutdown, we strongly support this move. There is no question that, if America lose democracy, Americans in poverty will suffer most: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Senate Democrats to block government funding after second fatal shooting in Minneapolis
The move could force a partial government shutdown next weekend. Lawmakers are set to vote on spending bills this week but may look to split Homeland Security from other agencies.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 25, 2026 at 1:03 PM
Even though the nonprofit organization I run — Hunger Free America — would suffer pain and hardship in a new government shutdown, we strongly support this move. There is no question that, if America lose democracy, Americans in poverty will suffer most: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Trump built a fascist murder & illegal detention machine. Every single Dem in House & Senate voted against increasing its funding in HR1, while nearly every Republican voted for increase. 97% of House Dems just voted to end its funding entirely, while 99% of GOP kept it open. We must defeat GOP.
January 25, 2026 at 12:13 PM
Trump built a fascist murder & illegal detention machine. Every single Dem in House & Senate voted against increasing its funding in HR1, while nearly every Republican voted for increase. 97% of House Dems just voted to end its funding entirely, while 99% of GOP kept it open. We must defeat GOP.
www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio... Murder, plain and simple.
Federal agent secured gun from Minn. man before fatal shooting, videos show
A Post analysis of videos sheds light on the encounter that left 37-year-old Alex Pretti dead.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 25, 2026 at 11:58 AM
www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio... Murder, plain and simple.
If a government official lies to Congress under oath, that’s a crime.
Serious question: should federal law be changed so it’s also a crime to lie to the American people?
Serious question: should federal law be changed so it’s also a crime to lie to the American people?
January 24, 2026 at 10:48 PM
If a government official lies to Congress under oath, that’s a crime.
Serious question: should federal law be changed so it’s also a crime to lie to the American people?
Serious question: should federal law be changed so it’s also a crime to lie to the American people?
Reposted by Joel S. Berg
Worse than Kent State, really than any episode I can think of probably dating back to Reconstruc & earlier b/c
1. continuing, not 1 off.
2. organized, not individual ofcrs losing it
3. literally at hand of federal government, which is
4. immediately lying & circling the wagons to prevent inves.
1. continuing, not 1 off.
2. organized, not individual ofcrs losing it
3. literally at hand of federal government, which is
4. immediately lying & circling the wagons to prevent inves.
January 24, 2026 at 10:07 PM
Worse than Kent State, really than any episode I can think of probably dating back to Reconstruc & earlier b/c
1. continuing, not 1 off.
2. organized, not individual ofcrs losing it
3. literally at hand of federal government, which is
4. immediately lying & circling the wagons to prevent inves.
1. continuing, not 1 off.
2. organized, not individual ofcrs losing it
3. literally at hand of federal government, which is
4. immediately lying & circling the wagons to prevent inves.
I don’t suppose the NRA will slam the “Jack-booted thugs” of the Trump Administration for murdering a man for lawfully exercising his Second Amendment right to have a firearm on his person.
January 24, 2026 at 8:04 PM
I don’t suppose the NRA will slam the “Jack-booted thugs” of the Trump Administration for murdering a man for lawfully exercising his Second Amendment right to have a firearm on his person.
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/us... Nee video shows the victim was holding a camera, not a gun, when federal officers wrestled him to the ground a shot him.
Update from Devon Lum
www.nytimes.com
January 24, 2026 at 7:58 PM
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/us... Nee video shows the victim was holding a camera, not a gun, when federal officers wrestled him to the ground a shot him.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/u... The video seems to show that multiple additional shots were fired by the federal agents AFTER he was already shot and was lying motionless on the ground.
Video Shows Moments in Which Agents Killed a Man in Minneapolis
www.nytimes.com
January 24, 2026 at 7:38 PM
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/24/u... The video seems to show that multiple additional shots were fired by the federal agents AFTER he was already shot and was lying motionless on the ground.