Mark Jacob
@markjacob.bsky.social
Former metro editor at Chicago Tribune and Sunday editor at Chicago Sun-Times. Co-author of 10 books, mostly on history. Writer of the Stop the Presses newsletter at www.stopthepresses.news. Subscribe! It's free.
Reposted by Mark Jacob
If at any point you are tempted to feel sorry for that miserable waste of skin please remind yourself that he has murdered a quarter of a million children and counting
Tracking Anticipated Deaths from USAID Funding Cuts
Brooke Nichols has launched online tracking tools that capture estimated increases in mortality and disease spread for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other diseases as a result of the near-total...
www.bu.edu
November 11, 2025 at 3:10 AM
If at any point you are tempted to feel sorry for that miserable waste of skin please remind yourself that he has murdered a quarter of a million children and counting
Trump has legalized crime if you’re a prominent Republican or married to one.
November 11, 2025 at 3:43 AM
Trump has legalized crime if you’re a prominent Republican or married to one.
Our politicians are speaking for us in Chicago: Homeland Security needs to get the hell out and leave us alone.
Federal agents pepper-sprayed a baby girl in Little Village this weekend. There's no limit to what these thugs will do.
To make Chicago safe again, we need ICE and CBP to get the hell out of our city.
#ice #chicago
To make Chicago safe again, we need ICE and CBP to get the hell out of our city.
#ice #chicago
Feds Pepper-Spray 1-Year-Old In Cicero, Use Tear Gas On Little Village Neighbors
Federal agents were shot at, according to the Department of Homeland Security, while legal observers said agents created a "dangerous and unsafe environment."
blockclubchicago.org
November 11, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Our politicians are speaking for us in Chicago: Homeland Security needs to get the hell out and leave us alone.
Reposted by Mark Jacob
"Trump has been dropping feces on us for a decade… and now we’re used to it." @markjacob.bsky.social dives into legacy media's response (or their lack of it) to Trump's lunacy and how these outlets are contributing to the gaslighting of America.
How news coverage eases us into tyranny
When the media act like things are normal, they don’t reassure us – they gaslight us
www.stopthepresses.news
November 10, 2025 at 10:00 PM
"Trump has been dropping feces on us for a decade… and now we’re used to it." @markjacob.bsky.social dives into legacy media's response (or their lack of it) to Trump's lunacy and how these outlets are contributing to the gaslighting of America.
Reposted by Mark Jacob
"For months I’ve been calling on the media to write headlines like 'Trump is building a dictatorship.' Because he is, and there’s a mountain of evidence to support that conclusion. The failure to do that keeps us sliding toward authoritarianism."
That old metaphor about the frog and the boiling water isn’t true: If you put a frog in a pot of water and slowly raise the heat, the frog will jump out before it gets boiled to death.
The question now is whether American journalists are smarter than frogs.
My Stop the Presses newsletter.
The question now is whether American journalists are smarter than frogs.
My Stop the Presses newsletter.
How news coverage eases us into tyranny
When the media act like things are normal, they don’t reassure us – they gaslight us
www.stopthepresses.news
November 10, 2025 at 7:24 PM
"For months I’ve been calling on the media to write headlines like 'Trump is building a dictatorship.' Because he is, and there’s a mountain of evidence to support that conclusion. The failure to do that keeps us sliding toward authoritarianism."
Reposted by Mark Jacob
I'm a huge fan of Chicago media critic @markjacob.bsky.social. Every week he has a brutally smart take on politics & the news media. This week may be my favorite yet with this graphic ⤵️ & this line:
"If only the media acted more like frogs"
"If only the media acted more like frogs"
That old metaphor about the frog and the boiling water isn’t true: If you put a frog in a pot of water and slowly raise the heat, the frog will jump out before it gets boiled to death.
The question now is whether American journalists are smarter than frogs.
My Stop the Presses newsletter.
The question now is whether American journalists are smarter than frogs.
My Stop the Presses newsletter.
How news coverage eases us into tyranny
When the media act like things are normal, they don’t reassure us – they gaslight us
www.stopthepresses.news
November 10, 2025 at 7:47 PM
I'm a huge fan of Chicago media critic @markjacob.bsky.social. Every week he has a brutally smart take on politics & the news media. This week may be my favorite yet with this graphic ⤵️ & this line:
"If only the media acted more like frogs"
"If only the media acted more like frogs"
Tim Kaine is on MSNBC accusing Katy Tur of "overdramatizing" the way he and some other Democrats caved. "This is by far a minor-league issue within the Democratic Party," Kaine said.
He's completely out of touch, or just lying.
He's completely out of touch, or just lying.
November 10, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Tim Kaine is on MSNBC accusing Katy Tur of "overdramatizing" the way he and some other Democrats caved. "This is by far a minor-league issue within the Democratic Party," Kaine said.
He's completely out of touch, or just lying.
He's completely out of touch, or just lying.
That old metaphor about the frog and the boiling water isn’t true: If you put a frog in a pot of water and slowly raise the heat, the frog will jump out before it gets boiled to death.
The question now is whether American journalists are smarter than frogs.
My Stop the Presses newsletter.
The question now is whether American journalists are smarter than frogs.
My Stop the Presses newsletter.
How news coverage eases us into tyranny
When the media act like things are normal, they don’t reassure us – they gaslight us
www.stopthepresses.news
November 10, 2025 at 6:53 PM
That old metaphor about the frog and the boiling water isn’t true: If you put a frog in a pot of water and slowly raise the heat, the frog will jump out before it gets boiled to death.
The question now is whether American journalists are smarter than frogs.
My Stop the Presses newsletter.
The question now is whether American journalists are smarter than frogs.
My Stop the Presses newsletter.
Homeland Security thugs are enjoying themselves while they terrorize people in Chicago.
Border Patrol agents posed at "The Bean" for an apparent photo op after a weekend of clashes in Little Village. blockclubchi.co/4oUHKae
November 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Homeland Security thugs are enjoying themselves while they terrorize people in Chicago.
This Chicago Tribune reporter is working hard to get to the truth despite the Trump regime's lies about its assaults on Chicagoans. Tip him off if you have info.
Bluesky, a reintroduction!
I’m an investigative reporter @chicagotribune.com covering big stories. Now focused on immigration. But I’ll take any tips about people being hurt by government, junk science, healthcare, business or anybody else. Reach out [email protected] or Signal grp.27
I’m an investigative reporter @chicagotribune.com covering big stories. Now focused on immigration. But I’ll take any tips about people being hurt by government, junk science, healthcare, business or anybody else. Reach out [email protected] or Signal grp.27
November 10, 2025 at 2:35 PM
This Chicago Tribune reporter is working hard to get to the truth despite the Trump regime's lies about its assaults on Chicagoans. Tip him off if you have info.
I still have trouble believing that this despicable person got elected twice. But it does show that in American politics, all things are possible – including people power to defeat the fascists. Get active now to help save our country. We can do this.
November 10, 2025 at 2:29 PM
I still have trouble believing that this despicable person got elected twice. But it does show that in American politics, all things are possible – including people power to defeat the fascists. Get active now to help save our country. We can do this.
Democratic caver Jeanne Shaheen: "Hopefully, our Republican colleagues will work with us."
Sigh.
We've got to defeat the Weimar Democrats before we can defeat the fascist Republicans.
Sigh.
We've got to defeat the Weimar Democrats before we can defeat the fascist Republicans.
November 10, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Democratic caver Jeanne Shaheen: "Hopefully, our Republican colleagues will work with us."
Sigh.
We've got to defeat the Weimar Democrats before we can defeat the fascist Republicans.
Sigh.
We've got to defeat the Weimar Democrats before we can defeat the fascist Republicans.
Reposted by Mark Jacob
Read every word & share with everyone you know. This is real life here in Chicago. Americans need to know this grotesque reality & stand with us.
Kyle Kingsbury is not a journalist. He is not an op-ed writer.
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
He is a computer safety researcher.
And he has written one of the most compelling, comprehensive accounts of the ongoing hell in Chicago that you could possibly imagine.
In under 1600 words.
aphyr.com/posts/397-i-...
November 10, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Read every word & share with everyone you know. This is real life here in Chicago. Americans need to know this grotesque reality & stand with us.
Reposted by Mark Jacob
80% of Democratic voters want a new leader in the Senate.
Does that matter at all to Democratic senators?
Does that matter at all to Democratic senators?
November 10, 2025 at 3:25 AM
80% of Democratic voters want a new leader in the Senate.
Does that matter at all to Democratic senators?
Does that matter at all to Democratic senators?
I know some folks like to show respect for veteran politicians, but I’m done with that.
Dick Durbin has been useless in a job that could’ve been held by someone who actually understood the fascist threat.
If you’re not built for the fight, get out of the fight. But don’t throw us to the dogs.
Dick Durbin has been useless in a job that could’ve been held by someone who actually understood the fascist threat.
If you’re not built for the fight, get out of the fight. But don’t throw us to the dogs.
November 10, 2025 at 4:02 AM
I know some folks like to show respect for veteran politicians, but I’m done with that.
Dick Durbin has been useless in a job that could’ve been held by someone who actually understood the fascist threat.
If you’re not built for the fight, get out of the fight. But don’t throw us to the dogs.
Dick Durbin has been useless in a job that could’ve been held by someone who actually understood the fascist threat.
If you’re not built for the fight, get out of the fight. But don’t throw us to the dogs.
Reposted by Mark Jacob
It is thinking like this that helped bring about the authoritarian nightmare in which we are living.
Durbin should resign now so Gov. Pritzker could appoint someone willing to fight.
Durbin should resign now so Gov. Pritzker could appoint someone willing to fight.
Durbin said critics of his vote “need to understand how the Senate works”
November 10, 2025 at 3:40 AM
It is thinking like this that helped bring about the authoritarian nightmare in which we are living.
Durbin should resign now so Gov. Pritzker could appoint someone willing to fight.
Durbin should resign now so Gov. Pritzker could appoint someone willing to fight.
The people are demanding Democrats who are fighters. The folders must step aside.
November 10, 2025 at 3:12 AM
The people are demanding Democrats who are fighters. The folders must step aside.
Dick Durbin can room with Merrick Garland in the Neville Chamberlain Retirement Home.
November 10, 2025 at 3:04 AM
Dick Durbin can room with Merrick Garland in the Neville Chamberlain Retirement Home.
If Schumer thinks a no vote will absolve him of responsibility, he’s dead wrong. He’s the minority leader. It‘s his job to keep Senate Dems in line — or to hand over the job to someone who can.
November 10, 2025 at 1:50 AM
If Schumer thinks a no vote will absolve him of responsibility, he’s dead wrong. He’s the minority leader. It‘s his job to keep Senate Dems in line — or to hand over the job to someone who can.
Reposted by Mark Jacob
3/ Do they understand what winning looks like? Do they give a rat's ass that all Republicans do is lie and break promises? (That's quite literally all they do.) Do they think rewarding shitty behavior ever works? Have they ever raised kids? Did that work for them?
November 10, 2025 at 1:25 AM
3/ Do they understand what winning looks like? Do they give a rat's ass that all Republicans do is lie and break promises? (That's quite literally all they do.) Do they think rewarding shitty behavior ever works? Have they ever raised kids? Did that work for them?
Reposted by Mark Jacob
2/ Do they need to listen again to the cascading boos when Trump showed up at the Washington Commanders game tonight? Do they like being punched in the face by Republicans and thus are asking for the face-punching to please continue? Do they need to review the results of last Tuesday's election?
November 10, 2025 at 1:23 AM
2/ Do they need to listen again to the cascading boos when Trump showed up at the Washington Commanders game tonight? Do they like being punched in the face by Republicans and thus are asking for the face-punching to please continue? Do they need to review the results of last Tuesday's election?
Reposted by Mark Jacob
1/ Do the caving Democrats need to see a few more children being ripped from the arms of their parents? Do they need a few more specific examples of ACA premiums forcing people to drop insurance in order to eat? Do they need some additional polling showing how unpopular Trump is?
November 10, 2025 at 1:22 AM
1/ Do the caving Democrats need to see a few more children being ripped from the arms of their parents? Do they need a few more specific examples of ACA premiums forcing people to drop insurance in order to eat? Do they need some additional polling showing how unpopular Trump is?
Durbin‘s office offers only a recording that says it’s not fielding calls or taking messages outside of “business hours.” What a waste of a Senate seat he’s been during this fascist assault on our country.
November 10, 2025 at 1:12 AM
Durbin‘s office offers only a recording that says it’s not fielding calls or taking messages outside of “business hours.” What a waste of a Senate seat he’s been during this fascist assault on our country.
Reposted by Mark Jacob
Call them. Tell them not to surrender.
November 10, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Call them. Tell them not to surrender.
Any Democrat in Congress who would accept a promise from a Republican in Congress should undergo a cognitive test.
November 10, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Any Democrat in Congress who would accept a promise from a Republican in Congress should undergo a cognitive test.