Mark van Roojen
@markvr1.bsky.social
Phil prof, woodworker, metalworker, cabin builder, vegetable gardener, flyfisher. Leftish Dem, worried about climate, who believes in coalitions; old and cranky.
Pinned
Mark van Roojen
@markvr1.bsky.social
· Feb 10
I'm going to be harsh with my blocking - any follows that look like catfishing, crypto-promoting or vaguely scamish is going to be blocked. Will block those w no posts. Don't waste both of our time. I'll get some wrong - email me if I'm wrong - you know how to use Google.
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
My wife and I pay for life insurance even though we have never died. I pay for fire insurance even though my house has never burned down. That's not because we want to throw money at insurance companies. It's because THAT'S HOW INSURANCE WORKS.
November 10, 2025 at 3:44 PM
My wife and I pay for life insurance even though we have never died. I pay for fire insurance even though my house has never burned down. That's not because we want to throw money at insurance companies. It's because THAT'S HOW INSURANCE WORKS.
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
I have never read a more complete analysis of that demented squatter. Enjoy.
November 10, 2025 at 10:34 PM
I have never read a more complete analysis of that demented squatter. Enjoy.
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
November 10, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
While we're at it, why do we pay for a fire department when most houses don't even burn down.
Tell me you don’t understand risk pools without telling me you don’t understand risk pools
November 10, 2025 at 6:46 PM
While we're at it, why do we pay for a fire department when most houses don't even burn down.
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
Speaker Johnson has literally said he's "not promising anyone anything."
For once, I believe him.
For once, I believe him.
November 10, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Speaker Johnson has literally said he's "not promising anyone anything."
For once, I believe him.
For once, I believe him.
No point with my current Senators.
You ever drunk dial your senator?
November 10, 2025 at 3:34 AM
No point with my current Senators.
Fallows is astute, but also not a radical. There is a lesson in both parts of that.
November 10, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Fallows is astute, but also not a radical. There is a lesson in both parts of that.
Happy to see no one I'm contributing to defecting. I don't have much money but I am motivated and I figure there are others like me.
The fact that none of the 8 Dems are up for re-election in 2026 is a pretty good sign @schumer.senate.gov engineered the surrender
November 10, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Happy to see no one I'm contributing to defecting. I don't have much money but I am motivated and I figure there are others like me.
This Adam guy wants people to feel sorry for him. I do. But not for the reasons he was looking for. It must be hard being a pathetic loser.
He’s the one who filed for divorce. They had twins together, and he kept most of his assets, including a $13 million car collection.
The money he’s talking about was part of an equalization payment related to the sale of their home.
The money he’s talking about was part of an equalization payment related to the sale of their home.
November 10, 2025 at 3:30 AM
This Adam guy wants people to feel sorry for him. I do. But not for the reasons he was looking for. It must be hard being a pathetic loser.
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
The average SNAP benefit per month is $177 a person.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
November 10, 2025 at 1:49 AM
The average SNAP benefit per month is $177 a person.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
My statement on the proposed Senate deal
November 10, 2025 at 1:14 AM
My statement on the proposed Senate deal
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
My family has been without half our income for 40 days. It has been.. very hard.
We are willing to feel that pain so people can have health care next year, or to undo these illegal recissions.
We are not willing to have been put through this for NOTHING.
We are willing to feel that pain so people can have health care next year, or to undo these illegal recissions.
We are not willing to have been put through this for NOTHING.
November 10, 2025 at 1:36 AM
My family has been without half our income for 40 days. It has been.. very hard.
We are willing to feel that pain so people can have health care next year, or to undo these illegal recissions.
We are not willing to have been put through this for NOTHING.
We are willing to feel that pain so people can have health care next year, or to undo these illegal recissions.
We are not willing to have been put through this for NOTHING.
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
This is really good to see: Miki Sherrill just put out a statement sharply criticizing the Senate Dems' pending cave in the government shutdown, ripping it as "malpractice" and a betrayal of the people who are "counting on us to fight for them." Sherrill knows what drove her victory. Wake up, Dems.
November 10, 2025 at 1:38 AM
This is really good to see: Miki Sherrill just put out a statement sharply criticizing the Senate Dems' pending cave in the government shutdown, ripping it as "malpractice" and a betrayal of the people who are "counting on us to fight for them." Sherrill knows what drove her victory. Wake up, Dems.
I get why some Ds may think it is a good idea to make a deal with no real concessions from the Rs - But I think that this ignores the reality that D allied citizens just rallied to support the fight against Trumpism. Motivation matters especially in off years. Don't kill our enthusiasm.
November 10, 2025 at 1:41 AM
I get why some Ds may think it is a good idea to make a deal with no real concessions from the Rs - But I think that this ignores the reality that D allied citizens just rallied to support the fight against Trumpism. Motivation matters especially in off years. Don't kill our enthusiasm.
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
This is not a deal — it's an empty promise.
Trump and his Republican Congress are making healthcare more expensive for the middle class and ending it for working families.
Time for Democrats to stand tall for affordable healthcare. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Trump and his Republican Congress are making healthcare more expensive for the middle class and ending it for working families.
Time for Democrats to stand tall for affordable healthcare. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Senate reaches deal on ending the shutdown
Democrats are coalescing around a bipartisan agreement to fund the government.
www.politico.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:50 AM
This is not a deal — it's an empty promise.
Trump and his Republican Congress are making healthcare more expensive for the middle class and ending it for working families.
Time for Democrats to stand tall for affordable healthcare. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Trump and his Republican Congress are making healthcare more expensive for the middle class and ending it for working families.
Time for Democrats to stand tall for affordable healthcare. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
This right here.
Chris Murphy: "There will be pretty substantial damage to a Dem brand that has been rehabilitated if on the heels of an election in which the people told us to keep fighting, we immediately stop... if we surrender without having gotten anything, I worry it'll be hard to get them back up off the mat"
November 10, 2025 at 1:23 AM
This right here.
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
In another era, ICE raids would be described as persecution of Catholics.
November 9, 2025 at 2:04 AM
In another era, ICE raids would be described as persecution of Catholics.
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
Continuing with Dump’s out of touch, let them eat cake mindset, he floats the idea of 50 year home mortgages! So great. People will pay nearly twice as much interest and be in debt pretty much their whole lives. 🤦♀️
www.nj.com/politics/202...
www.nj.com/politics/202...
What is a 50-year mortgage? Trump under fire for latest idea to tackle housing costs
Do Americans really want 50-year mortgages to buy a home?
www.nj.com
November 9, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Continuing with Dump’s out of touch, let them eat cake mindset, he floats the idea of 50 year home mortgages! So great. People will pay nearly twice as much interest and be in debt pretty much their whole lives. 🤦♀️
www.nj.com/politics/202...
www.nj.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
BREAKING: Mark Wolf, appointed to the federal bench by Ronald Reagan, writes that he is resigning as a judge to have the freedom to speak out against the president's assault on the rule of law.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
November 9, 2025 at 2:27 PM
BREAKING: Mark Wolf, appointed to the federal bench by Ronald Reagan, writes that he is resigning as a judge to have the freedom to speak out against the president's assault on the rule of law.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
Read about WHY Ketanji Brown Jackson stayed the SNAP order. Her move is probably the best solution for getting SNAP benefits approved quickly. open.substack.com/pub/stevevla...
190. SNAP WTF?
A very quick explainer on what (and why) Justice Jackson issued an "administrative stay" in the SNAP case late on Friday night, and on what's likely to happen next
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
This is good, and should actually make us feel better.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily blocked a ruling that required Trump to fully fund SNAP because she’s playing chess, not checkers. She sent it back to the lower courts for a reason. 👀
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily blocked a ruling that required Trump to fully fund SNAP because she’s playing chess, not checkers. She sent it back to the lower courts for a reason. 👀
November 9, 2025 at 12:03 AM
This is good, and should actually make us feel better.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily blocked a ruling that required Trump to fully fund SNAP because she’s playing chess, not checkers. She sent it back to the lower courts for a reason. 👀
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily blocked a ruling that required Trump to fully fund SNAP because she’s playing chess, not checkers. She sent it back to the lower courts for a reason. 👀
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
They weren't terrorists. They weren't cartel members. They had no fentanyl. And they weren't coming here.
They were transporting cocaine. To Trinidad.
Most importantly, they were human beings.
And they were murdered.
By the government of the United States of America.
They were transporting cocaine. To Trinidad.
Most importantly, they were human beings.
And they were murdered.
By the government of the United States of America.
GÜIRIA, Venezuela (AP) — One was a fisherman struggling to eke out a living on $100 a month. Another was a career criminal. A third was a former military cadet. And a fourth was a down-on-his-luck bus driver.
apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com/article/trum...
Trump has accused boat crews of being narco-terrorists. The truth, AP found, is more nuanced
One was a fisherman struggling to eke out a living on $100 a month. Another was a career criminal. A third was a former military cadet.
apnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:29 AM
They weren't terrorists. They weren't cartel members. They had no fentanyl. And they weren't coming here.
They were transporting cocaine. To Trinidad.
Most importantly, they were human beings.
And they were murdered.
By the government of the United States of America.
They were transporting cocaine. To Trinidad.
Most importantly, they were human beings.
And they were murdered.
By the government of the United States of America.
Reposted by Mark van Roojen
I’ve come to believe that we need to gather considerable forces and a campaign to demand the removal of face masks by ICE, Border Patrol, FBI and police.
It is a practice in conflict with the principles of transparency & accountability that are central to the concept of democracy.
It is a practice in conflict with the principles of transparency & accountability that are central to the concept of democracy.
Video on social media shows an immigration agent pulling a gun in Little Village and holding it to the side — which is not an appropriate or safe way to hold a gun. (Among other issues.)
November 9, 2025 at 3:41 AM
I’ve come to believe that we need to gather considerable forces and a campaign to demand the removal of face masks by ICE, Border Patrol, FBI and police.
It is a practice in conflict with the principles of transparency & accountability that are central to the concept of democracy.
It is a practice in conflict with the principles of transparency & accountability that are central to the concept of democracy.
Reading it quickly it actually doesn't seem mean-spirited. More like even-handed and trying to explain something a bit baffling.
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
November 9, 2025 at 4:31 AM
Reading it quickly it actually doesn't seem mean-spirited. More like even-handed and trying to explain something a bit baffling.