Michael Gauger
@mtgauger.bsky.social
Writer/editor focused on American history (especially the Progressive Era and World War I) and political science, funding for youth music education. Proud University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee alumnus. Opinions mine. A repost isn’t necessarily an endorsement.
Reposted by Michael Gauger
State media watch
New WSJ reporting: "During a December visit to Washington, David Ellison offered assurances to Trump administration officials that if he bought Warner, he'd make sweeping changes to CNN, a common target of President Trump's ire, people familiar with the matter said..."
Behind Paramount’s Relentless Campaign to Woo Warner Discovery and President Trump
David Ellison has launched a hostile takeover bid for Warner Discovery, taking his case directly to shareholders after Netflix clinched a deal.
www.wsj.com
December 9, 2025 at 2:57 PM
State media watch
Reposted by Michael Gauger
Trump: I’m a singular genius capable of solving every problem myself and no one makes my decisions for me.
Also Trump: I know almost nothing about the decisions I make.
Also Trump: I know almost nothing about the decisions I make.
Awful: Trump just admitted in a new interview that he knows "very little" about the Honduran ex-president he pardoned. This guy trafficked a gazillion times more drugs into the US than anyone Trump has executed. Wrecks his case for the boat bombings.
New from me:
newrepublic.com/article/2041...
New from me:
newrepublic.com/article/2041...
Trump Accidentally Sabotages Case for Bombings in New Interview Fiasco
The president’s claims about the boat killings and his pardon of the Honduran ex-president in a new Politico interview should finally convince Republicans that they, and we, must get to the bottom of ...
newrepublic.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Trump: I’m a singular genius capable of solving every problem myself and no one makes my decisions for me.
Also Trump: I know almost nothing about the decisions I make.
Also Trump: I know almost nothing about the decisions I make.
Reposted by Michael Gauger
"The investigation found that agents deployed chemical irritants at least 30 times even after a federal judge placed restrictions on their use, with the majority...targeting nonviolent protesters or bystanders rather than ppl posing physical threats to officers." southsideweekly.com/feds-tear-ga...
Feds Used Chemical Agents Dozens of Times in Chicago—Even After Judge Said To Stop
An investigation by reporters from six newsrooms found that agents used chemical irritants nearly 50 times during Operation Midway Blitz.
southsideweekly.com
December 9, 2025 at 5:09 PM
"The investigation found that agents deployed chemical irritants at least 30 times even after a federal judge placed restrictions on their use, with the majority...targeting nonviolent protesters or bystanders rather than ppl posing physical threats to officers." southsideweekly.com/feds-tear-ga...
Reposted by Michael Gauger
Rand Paul: "It has not been the history of the US to kill people who are out of combat. Even if there is a war, which most of us dispute -- that a bunch of people who are unarmed allegedly running drugs is a war -- we still don't kill people when they're incapacitated ... it's illegal and immoral."
December 9, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Rand Paul: "It has not been the history of the US to kill people who are out of combat. Even if there is a war, which most of us dispute -- that a bunch of people who are unarmed allegedly running drugs is a war -- we still don't kill people when they're incapacitated ... it's illegal and immoral."
Reposted by Michael Gauger
The best reading of this article: Trump is going to use FDA to restrict medication abortion, but he wants to wait until after the midterms so the Republicans don't experience blowback. But that just makes the midterms more important. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
FDA Slow Walking a Long-Awaited Abortion Pill Safety Study
The Food and Drug Administration has delayed a promised review of safety data for the abortion drug mifepristone at Commissioner Marty Makary’s request to put it off until after the midterm elections,...
www.bloomberg.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:20 PM
The best reading of this article: Trump is going to use FDA to restrict medication abortion, but he wants to wait until after the midterms so the Republicans don't experience blowback. But that just makes the midterms more important. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Michael Gauger
Just building on @josephpolitano.bsky.social ‘s point here, the press just STEADFASTLY refuses to report this
December 9, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Just building on @josephpolitano.bsky.social ‘s point here, the press just STEADFASTLY refuses to report this
Reposted by Michael Gauger
it is actually kind of bananas how unitary executive theorists have taken a straightforward clause requiring the president to "faithfully execute the laws" and transformed it into a grant for the exercise of limitless unenumerated power.
The Take Care Clause was a byproduct of the lessons learned from the Glorious Revolution that the executive should not be able to dispense with the law promulgated by the legislature. It was not a constitutional provision to empower the executive branch— but to constrain it!
December 9, 2025 at 2:20 PM
it is actually kind of bananas how unitary executive theorists have taken a straightforward clause requiring the president to "faithfully execute the laws" and transformed it into a grant for the exercise of limitless unenumerated power.
Reposted by Michael Gauger
More than any president before him, Trump has embraced an expanded meaning of the “commander in chief” that extends far beyond its narrow military meaning to cover all kinds of authoritarian nonsense, but as soon as there’s an actual military scandal, he’s running away from it as fast as he can.
POLITICO: Do you believe the second strike was necessary?
TRUMP: Uhhhh. Well it looked like they were trying to turn back over the boat. But I don't get involved in that. That's up to them.
TRUMP: Uhhhh. Well it looked like they were trying to turn back over the boat. But I don't get involved in that. That's up to them.
December 9, 2025 at 2:36 PM
More than any president before him, Trump has embraced an expanded meaning of the “commander in chief” that extends far beyond its narrow military meaning to cover all kinds of authoritarian nonsense, but as soon as there’s an actual military scandal, he’s running away from it as fast as he can.
Reposted by Michael Gauger
Not just Jared but almost all the gulf monarchies plus a pass through entity for the ccp.
December 8, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Not just Jared but almost all the gulf monarchies plus a pass through entity for the ccp.
Reposted by Michael Gauger
“the judiciary will kill key parts of the working model of American governance, built up over time to adapt to the needs of the country, with no functional alternative beyond handing unprecedented power to an eager authoritarian.”— @donmoyn.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/donmoyni... Good mourning
At will? Whose will?
Removing independent agency heads is part of a broader assault on a nonpartisan government
open.substack.com
December 9, 2025 at 1:52 PM
“the judiciary will kill key parts of the working model of American governance, built up over time to adapt to the needs of the country, with no functional alternative beyond handing unprecedented power to an eager authoritarian.”— @donmoyn.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/donmoyni... Good mourning
Reposted by Michael Gauger
(2) seems to be an even more dubious point than (1). first because agencies are shaped by congress as well as executive appointments, and second because the agency rule-making process is more transparent and democratic than top-down decrees from political appointees
The theory of the unitary executive is that (1) the constitution requires it and (2) you get democratic accountability through presidential control through the power to remove agency heads. (1) is dubious (2) seems ridiculous at the present moment.
December 9, 2025 at 1:57 PM
(2) seems to be an even more dubious point than (1). first because agencies are shaped by congress as well as executive appointments, and second because the agency rule-making process is more transparent and democratic than top-down decrees from political appointees
Reposted by Michael Gauger
The other reporters in the White House press corps are apparently waiting until the president actually takes a swing at one of their female colleagues before they say anything
December 9, 2025 at 12:53 PM
The other reporters in the White House press corps are apparently waiting until the president actually takes a swing at one of their female colleagues before they say anything
Reposted by Michael Gauger
Your fellow reporter just got blasted on national TV by the president of the United States as "obnoxious" and "terrible" -- and you follow it up with a crappy question about the midterms, which are 11 months away.
You might want to think about another line of work. You aren't cut out for this.
You might want to think about another line of work. You aren't cut out for this.
December 9, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Your fellow reporter just got blasted on national TV by the president of the United States as "obnoxious" and "terrible" -- and you follow it up with a crappy question about the midterms, which are 11 months away.
You might want to think about another line of work. You aren't cut out for this.
You might want to think about another line of work. You aren't cut out for this.
Reposted by Michael Gauger
"Many of you mentioned how much you have come to rely on independent — not institutional — voices. Many of you mentioned writers like Heather Cox Richardson, Paul Krugman, Judd Legum and Marisa Kabas, among many others."
Trust in mainstream media is at rock bottom. Can it be fixed?
Why so many news consumers are turning to individual voices and away from institutions
margaretsullivan.substack.com
December 9, 2025 at 1:41 PM
"Many of you mentioned how much you have come to rely on independent — not institutional — voices. Many of you mentioned writers like Heather Cox Richardson, Paul Krugman, Judd Legum and Marisa Kabas, among many others."
Reposted by Michael Gauger
The lying is seriously getting more absurd by the day. Up is down.
Leavitt: "President Trump convinced President Xi to continue purchasing again American soybeans, which is something China wasn't doing under the last administration because they had no respect for President Biden or the country at the time."
December 9, 2025 at 1:28 PM
The lying is seriously getting more absurd by the day. Up is down.
Reposted by Michael Gauger
Sadism is the lifeblood of MAGA, and US government agencies are sanctioning this as an operating principle on a daily basis:
December 8, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Sadism is the lifeblood of MAGA, and US government agencies are sanctioning this as an operating principle on a daily basis:
Reposted by Michael Gauger
She has done great work!! Hire her!!
Hey folks 👋 I'm the reporter who revealed immigration agents detained 170+ citizens this year
My fellowship w/ProPublica has been incredible, but it wraps January. I'm looking for my next gig. Please reach out to share leads & opportunities! [email protected]
www.propublica.org/people/nicol...
My fellowship w/ProPublica has been incredible, but it wraps January. I'm looking for my next gig. Please reach out to share leads & opportunities! [email protected]
www.propublica.org/people/nicol...
Nicole Foy
ProPublica is an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.
www.propublica.org
December 8, 2025 at 11:13 PM
She has done great work!! Hire her!!
Reposted by Michael Gauger
The President of the United States unilaterally levied a tax on all of us and is redistributing our taxes to a core segment of his supporters.
Trump: "I'm delighted to announce this afternoon that the US will be taking a small portion of the hundreds of billions of dollars we receive in tariffs ... and we're going to be giving and providing it to the farmers in economic assistance. We love our farmers. The farmers like me ... $12 billion"
December 8, 2025 at 7:48 PM
The President of the United States unilaterally levied a tax on all of us and is redistributing our taxes to a core segment of his supporters.
Reposted by Michael Gauger
I’ll re-up the offer: I’ll pay for a weekend for 2 anywhere in the world to the 1st media member who publicly defends their colleague with a variation of “fuck u sir, shame on u, she asked a legit question, you’re out of line, apologize to her” the next time Trump personally insults their colleague.
Trump to ABC's Rachel Scott: "You are the most obnoxious reporter in the whole place. Let me just tell you -- you are an obnoxious-- a terrible reporter. And it's always the same thing with you. I told you."
December 8, 2025 at 11:17 PM
I’ll re-up the offer: I’ll pay for a weekend for 2 anywhere in the world to the 1st media member who publicly defends their colleague with a variation of “fuck u sir, shame on u, she asked a legit question, you’re out of line, apologize to her” the next time Trump personally insults their colleague.
Reposted by Michael Gauger
Good.
December 8, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Good.
Reposted by Michael Gauger
"First he came for the female reporters, and I said nothing because I wasn't a female reporter."
The silence of media bosses is an embarrassing scandal.
The silence of media bosses is an embarrassing scandal.
“You’re the most obnoxious reporter in the whole place. A terrible reporter.”
Trump again attacks a Black female reporter, ABC’s Rachel Scott, for asking about releasing the full boat strike video - which he said he would do 5 days ago
And the other journalists stay silent🐔
Trump again attacks a Black female reporter, ABC’s Rachel Scott, for asking about releasing the full boat strike video - which he said he would do 5 days ago
And the other journalists stay silent🐔
December 8, 2025 at 10:53 PM
"First he came for the female reporters, and I said nothing because I wasn't a female reporter."
The silence of media bosses is an embarrassing scandal.
The silence of media bosses is an embarrassing scandal.
Reposted by Michael Gauger
this is going to apply to so many things, like the concussive looming harms from lobotomizing federal labor and consumer protection regulators
One of the most disturbing things about the U.S. government getting themselves into the anti-vaccine game is that it is a time-release poison pill.
It will take a few years before the worst of the harm is visible to enough people that they will truly understand what has been done to them.
It will take a few years before the worst of the harm is visible to enough people that they will truly understand what has been done to them.
December 8, 2025 at 11:19 PM
this is going to apply to so many things, like the concussive looming harms from lobotomizing federal labor and consumer protection regulators
Reposted by Michael Gauger
The cover up is out in the open. 👀⚖️🙄 #j6
JUST IN: Trump personally asserts executive privilege to protect 4K+ documents/messages from discovery in J6 civil suit. Court given very bare bones list. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26... As first reported by POLITICO last week w/ @kyledcheney.bsky.social
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
December 8, 2025 at 11:20 PM
The cover up is out in the open. 👀⚖️🙄 #j6
Reposted by Michael Gauger
This is the Tufts PhD student who seized by masked agents on the street and jailed for two months because she wrote an op-ed calling for the school to divest from Israel.
December 8, 2025 at 10:52 PM
This is the Tufts PhD student who seized by masked agents on the street and jailed for two months because she wrote an op-ed calling for the school to divest from Israel.