Mark Brandriss
@markbrandriss.bsky.social
Geologist, bird enthusiast
Wesleyan University and its president are putting it all out there in the fight against authoritarianism. They're not hiding from Trump while waiting for the storm to pass.
“We have been and can again be a country that refuses to get used to authoritarianism. We can choose instead to work with our neighbors, co-workers and fellow citizens to build our more perfect union.” — Wesleyan University President @msroth.bsky.social in @latimes.com #HigherEd
Contributor: Americans still have a choice whether to let the nation turn authoritarian
Obsequiousness and collaboration spread like viruses to weaken our republic, but the choice to support one another and defend our institutions strengthens it.
www.latimes.com
December 9, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Wesleyan University and its president are putting it all out there in the fight against authoritarianism. They're not hiding from Trump while waiting for the storm to pass.
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
They are now targeting people who did everything by the book and were literally at the ceremony where they were going to become citizens...
"Immigrants lined up to become U.S. citizens in Boston on Dec. 4 were pulled from line by USCIS officials moments before the oath ceremony"
"Immigrants lined up to become U.S. citizens in Boston on Dec. 4 were pulled from line by USCIS officials moments before the oath ceremony"
Immigrants Approved for Citizenship ‘Plucked Out’ of Line Moments Before Pledging Allegiance: Report
Immigrants lined up to become U.S. citizens in Boston on Dec. 4 were pulled from line by USCIS officials moments before the ceremony. The incident comes after USCIS told employees to halt all immigrat...
people.com
December 8, 2025 at 2:45 AM
They are now targeting people who did everything by the book and were literally at the ceremony where they were going to become citizens...
"Immigrants lined up to become U.S. citizens in Boston on Dec. 4 were pulled from line by USCIS officials moments before the oath ceremony"
"Immigrants lined up to become U.S. citizens in Boston on Dec. 4 were pulled from line by USCIS officials moments before the oath ceremony"
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
I don’t think people outside of healthcare realize how much AAP is standing out as a moral backbone of medicine right now, especially in pediatrics. There is so much fear at institutions. Seeing an org directly and repeatedly targeted refuse to budge an inch is extraordinary.
AAP: ‘Stop wasting government resources to amplify false claims’ about vaccines, autism
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its website to include false claims linking vaccines and autism, prompting a swift rebuke from the AAP and other medical experts.
publications.aap.org
November 27, 2025 at 6:17 AM
I don’t think people outside of healthcare realize how much AAP is standing out as a moral backbone of medicine right now, especially in pediatrics. There is so much fear at institutions. Seeing an org directly and repeatedly targeted refuse to budge an inch is extraordinary.
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
Trump said last year that he would focus on deporting immigrants who were violent criminals. But a study of arrests in major operations in DC, LA, Illinois and Massachusetts shows that the vast majority of those swept up by ICE have no criminal record.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
ICE Arrest Data Shows Many Immigrants With No Criminal Record
In high-profile operations, more than half of those arrested had no criminal record, an analysis shows.
www.nytimes.com
December 6, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Trump said last year that he would focus on deporting immigrants who were violent criminals. But a study of arrests in major operations in DC, LA, Illinois and Massachusetts shows that the vast majority of those swept up by ICE have no criminal record.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
Wow! The Supreme Court basically just said, if you want to do racial gerrymandering, have at it.
Let’s be clear, what Texas did was racial gerrymandering, plain and simple. SCOTUS just opened the floodgates.
Let’s be clear, what Texas did was racial gerrymandering, plain and simple. SCOTUS just opened the floodgates.
December 5, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Wow! The Supreme Court basically just said, if you want to do racial gerrymandering, have at it.
Let’s be clear, what Texas did was racial gerrymandering, plain and simple. SCOTUS just opened the floodgates.
Let’s be clear, what Texas did was racial gerrymandering, plain and simple. SCOTUS just opened the floodgates.
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
I hope people take two minutes to listen to this shocking display of bigotry. It brings clarity to what we are fighting against. We should all be sick to hear such un-American drivel from the President of the United States.
Trump: "It’s a hellhole right now. And those Somalians should be out of here. They've destroyed our country. And all they do is complain, complain, complain. You have her. She’s always talking about the Constitution provides me with – go back to your own country and figure out your constitution."
December 3, 2025 at 9:53 PM
I hope people take two minutes to listen to this shocking display of bigotry. It brings clarity to what we are fighting against. We should all be sick to hear such un-American drivel from the President of the United States.
Racism has always been the foundation of the Trump movement, and the press remains barely interested. They're far more inclined to ascribe everything to economic anxiety, concerns about crime, etc. Not willing to name the monster that's been standing right in front of them for the past 10 years.
Really appreciate the clarity of the president saying black people are ruining the country and this entire room of groveling empty suits saying nothing bsky.app/profile/just...
Trump, continued: "What the Somalian people have done to Minnesota is not even believable. It’s not even believable. And a lot of it starts with the governor. A lot of it starts with Barack HUSSEIN Obama, because that’s when people started coming in... They want to kiss our country good night."
December 3, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Racism has always been the foundation of the Trump movement, and the press remains barely interested. They're far more inclined to ascribe everything to economic anxiety, concerns about crime, etc. Not willing to name the monster that's been standing right in front of them for the past 10 years.
Trump's vile comments yesterday about Somalis and Ilhan Omar are the newest exhibits in the Donald Trump is a Despicable Racist Museum. It's totally insane that the press isn't much interested in this.
December 3, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Trump's vile comments yesterday about Somalis and Ilhan Omar are the newest exhibits in the Donald Trump is a Despicable Racist Museum. It's totally insane that the press isn't much interested in this.
When Trump raged that there were millions of fake votes in 2020, millions of people believed him because it was a lie about something they couldn't see. When he brags for the millionth time that the price of everything is going down fast, nobody believes him because everyone can see it's not true.
December 2, 2025 at 10:46 PM
When Trump raged that there were millions of fake votes in 2020, millions of people believed him because it was a lie about something they couldn't see. When he brags for the millionth time that the price of everything is going down fast, nobody believes him because everyone can see it's not true.
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
Dear Senator Cassidy,
“We” didn’t. WE didn’t pardon anyone. HE did. The President of the United States pardoned him. Come on Bill, say his name. Who’s our president? Say his name.
Best,
Your Former Congressional Colleague
“We” didn’t. WE didn’t pardon anyone. HE did. The President of the United States pardoned him. Come on Bill, say his name. Who’s our president? Say his name.
Best,
Your Former Congressional Colleague
December 1, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Dear Senator Cassidy,
“We” didn’t. WE didn’t pardon anyone. HE did. The President of the United States pardoned him. Come on Bill, say his name. Who’s our president? Say his name.
Best,
Your Former Congressional Colleague
“We” didn’t. WE didn’t pardon anyone. HE did. The President of the United States pardoned him. Come on Bill, say his name. Who’s our president? Say his name.
Best,
Your Former Congressional Colleague
This Guardian article documents how Appalachian communities are being crushed by Trump's cancellation of Biden programs that were designed specifically to help them. It also documents how MAGA residents in these communities have no idea whose fault this is.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘Deeply demoralizing’: how Trump derailed coal country’s clean-energy revival
Biden earmarked billions for former coal communities in Appalachia – and his successor came and took it away
www.theguardian.com
November 30, 2025 at 12:03 PM
This Guardian article documents how Appalachian communities are being crushed by Trump's cancellation of Biden programs that were designed specifically to help them. It also documents how MAGA residents in these communities have no idea whose fault this is.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
This is one advantage of having the historical memory of authoritarianism, as I have from Brazil: you know that, when the regime is gone, the people who collaborated and acquiesced look terrible in retrospect. It may look reasonable and justifiable now, but believe me, it will age like milk.
November 29, 2025 at 3:34 PM
This is one advantage of having the historical memory of authoritarianism, as I have from Brazil: you know that, when the regime is gone, the people who collaborated and acquiesced look terrible in retrospect. It may look reasonable and justifiable now, but believe me, it will age like milk.
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
Pete Hegseth claims that killing two men-clutching the debris of a boat the US had destroyed-was a lawful act
No indictment. No arrest. No trial. No conviction. Not even any proof they were drug runners
Just straight to execution of two people who were-at that point-absolutely no threat to the US
No indictment. No arrest. No trial. No conviction. Not even any proof they were drug runners
Just straight to execution of two people who were-at that point-absolutely no threat to the US
November 29, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Pete Hegseth claims that killing two men-clutching the debris of a boat the US had destroyed-was a lawful act
No indictment. No arrest. No trial. No conviction. Not even any proof they were drug runners
Just straight to execution of two people who were-at that point-absolutely no threat to the US
No indictment. No arrest. No trial. No conviction. Not even any proof they were drug runners
Just straight to execution of two people who were-at that point-absolutely no threat to the US
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
When a politician says: we’ll deregulate health insurance and send you a “freedom account” check, ask: freedom to buy what? If insurers don’t offer real policies or can cherry-pick only healthy people, that money is a coupon for a store that’s not open.
November 28, 2025 at 12:52 PM
When a politician says: we’ll deregulate health insurance and send you a “freedom account” check, ask: freedom to buy what? If insurers don’t offer real policies or can cherry-pick only healthy people, that money is a coupon for a store that’s not open.
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
Elon Musk and the Trump administration gleefully shutting down USAID “has already caused the deaths of six hundred thousand people, two-thirds of them children.”
People throw around terms like genocide quite freely online but it’s hard to find other words to describe this level of man-made death.
People throw around terms like genocide quite freely online but it’s hard to find other words to describe this level of man-made death.
USAID shutdown has led to hundreds of thousands of deaths | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
The Trump administration’s decision to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths from infectious diseases and malnutrition, accord...
hsph.harvard.edu
November 28, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Elon Musk and the Trump administration gleefully shutting down USAID “has already caused the deaths of six hundred thousand people, two-thirds of them children.”
People throw around terms like genocide quite freely online but it’s hard to find other words to describe this level of man-made death.
People throw around terms like genocide quite freely online but it’s hard to find other words to describe this level of man-made death.
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
In a way, this simply seems an elite, legacy-media microcosm of my catchall explanation for 2024:
“People were decadent and so bored by a dull, facilely annoying status quo that they decided ‘fuck it, let’s burn it all to the ground”, gambling they wouldn’t get scorched.
“In retrospect, oops.”
😕
“People were decadent and so bored by a dull, facilely annoying status quo that they decided ‘fuck it, let’s burn it all to the ground”, gambling they wouldn’t get scorched.
“In retrospect, oops.”
😕
November 22, 2025 at 7:21 PM
In a way, this simply seems an elite, legacy-media microcosm of my catchall explanation for 2024:
“People were decadent and so bored by a dull, facilely annoying status quo that they decided ‘fuck it, let’s burn it all to the ground”, gambling they wouldn’t get scorched.
“In retrospect, oops.”
😕
“People were decadent and so bored by a dull, facilely annoying status quo that they decided ‘fuck it, let’s burn it all to the ground”, gambling they wouldn’t get scorched.
“In retrospect, oops.”
😕
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
NYT jokesters: "The president also can press Congress to extend tax credits for Obamacare health insurance plans. He can work with Congress to expand legal immigration. He can nominate Fed officials who will resist political pressure to deliver short-term growth at the expense of inflation."
November 21, 2025 at 11:46 AM
NYT jokesters: "The president also can press Congress to extend tax credits for Obamacare health insurance plans. He can work with Congress to expand legal immigration. He can nominate Fed officials who will resist political pressure to deliver short-term growth at the expense of inflation."
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
The left has a problem with political violence. Anyway, here’s the President of the United States saying his political opponents should be executed.
November 20, 2025 at 2:46 PM
The left has a problem with political violence. Anyway, here’s the President of the United States saying his political opponents should be executed.
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
Marjorie Taylor Greene has been disliked by the left for years and years and had never had to fear for her life. She's been disliked by the right for 1 day and now has to hire security.
November 18, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Marjorie Taylor Greene has been disliked by the left for years and years and had never had to fear for her life. She's been disliked by the right for 1 day and now has to hire security.
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
The White House is objectively and demonstrably pro-sex trafficking
NEW: When Andrew Tate landed in the US, Customs & Border Protection seized his electronic devices. But @propublica.org found that a White House official told DHS to return the devices, emphasizing that the request came from the White House.
By @robert-faturechi.bsky.social & Avi Asher-Schapiro
By @robert-faturechi.bsky.social & Avi Asher-Schapiro
The White House Intervened on Behalf of Accused Sex Trafficker Andrew Tate During a Federal Investigation
Federal authorities were chided for seizing electronic devices from Tate and his brother, and told to return them, records and interviews show. Experts said the intervention was highly inappropriate.
www.propublica.org
November 18, 2025 at 11:37 AM
The White House is objectively and demonstrably pro-sex trafficking
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
Basically saying "if you do crime for me, I won't only pardon you--I'll give you millions of dollars of public money." Truly unprecedented level of corruption
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Michael Flynn, DOJ in Settlement Talks Over $50 Million Claim
The Justice Department has been discussing settlements with two former officials from Donald Trump’s first term who — like the president — claim they’re owed major payouts from the US government as vi...
www.bloomberg.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Basically saying "if you do crime for me, I won't only pardon you--I'll give you millions of dollars of public money." Truly unprecedented level of corruption
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
This is a heist, plain and simple. Just nonstop grift and corruption from this crooked President and his administration.
They're doing nothing to make life more affordable for regular people, but they ARE working overtime to get rich using taxpayer dollars and resources.
They're doing nothing to make life more affordable for regular people, but they ARE working overtime to get rich using taxpayer dollars and resources.
Firm Tied to Kristi Noem Secretly Got Money From $220 Million DHS Ad Contracts
The company is run by the husband of Noem’s chief DHS spokesperson and has personal and business ties to Noem and her aides. DHS invoked the “emergency” at the border to skirt competitive bidding rule...
www.propublica.org
November 15, 2025 at 1:00 AM
This is a heist, plain and simple. Just nonstop grift and corruption from this crooked President and his administration.
They're doing nothing to make life more affordable for regular people, but they ARE working overtime to get rich using taxpayer dollars and resources.
They're doing nothing to make life more affordable for regular people, but they ARE working overtime to get rich using taxpayer dollars and resources.
Reposted by Mark Brandriss
Why would we believe anything this administration says today?
I mean if they had told the truth like a COUPLE of times then we’d be like “well, maybe”
But now? No
I mean if they had told the truth like a COUPLE of times then we’d be like “well, maybe”
But now? No
November 14, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Why would we believe anything this administration says today?
I mean if they had told the truth like a COUPLE of times then we’d be like “well, maybe”
But now? No
I mean if they had told the truth like a COUPLE of times then we’d be like “well, maybe”
But now? No