Penny Messinger
@pennymessinger.bsky.social
History professor, gardener, Appalachian expat, feminist, opponent of fascism, Mom, fascinated by the world.
Reposted by Penny Messinger
When we learned last year that Bessent got in a shoving match with Elon Musk in the White House, I'm sure some people said "Huh, maybe he's an okay guy" but in actuality Bessent is a smug asshole, and he just happened to get in a fight with another smug asshole
Bessent: "I'd encourage Carney to do what he thinks is best for Canadians, not his own virtue signaling. We do have a USMCA negotiation coming up. He rose to power on an anti-American, anti-Trump message. That's not a great place to be when you're negotiating w/ an economy multiples larger than you"
January 28, 2026 at 4:38 PM
When we learned last year that Bessent got in a shoving match with Elon Musk in the White House, I'm sure some people said "Huh, maybe he's an okay guy" but in actuality Bessent is a smug asshole, and he just happened to get in a fight with another smug asshole
Reposted by Penny Messinger
if bovino is out and conservatives are turning on noem then there is a real opportunity to demand that miller resign too.
January 27, 2026 at 1:07 AM
if bovino is out and conservatives are turning on noem then there is a real opportunity to demand that miller resign too.
Wow
trump has probably destroyed the minnesota republican party for the duration
pretty wild statement re: Republican Chris Madel drop from race for MN governor:
"Saying he cannot support the national GOP's 'stated retribution on citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so."
"Saying he cannot support the national GOP's 'stated retribution on citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so."
January 26, 2026 at 2:44 PM
Wow
Reposted by Penny Messinger
All of this is fucking senseless. Minnesota did not have an immigration problem. Trump sent his Nazi thugs here because he's racist against Somali people and to own libs like Tim Walz. Now two Minnesotans are dead and Minneapolis is on the verge of going up in flames. None. Of. This. Was. Necessary.
January 24, 2026 at 4:55 PM
All of this is fucking senseless. Minnesota did not have an immigration problem. Trump sent his Nazi thugs here because he's racist against Somali people and to own libs like Tim Walz. Now two Minnesotans are dead and Minneapolis is on the verge of going up in flames. None. Of. This. Was. Necessary.
What is wrong with him?
The president encounters a binder clip for the first time, then talks about it for a while.
Remember when Joe Biden had a raspy voice and every major news organization created a 10-person Biden Is Old investigative team?
Remember when Joe Biden had a raspy voice and every major news organization created a 10-person Biden Is Old investigative team?
Trump: "Whoo. I'm glad my finger wasn't in that sucker. That could've dome some damage but you know what? I wouldn't have shown the pain. I would've gone back. Boy did you hear that? That was nasty. But I would not have shown the pain. I would've acted like nothing happens as my finger fell off."
January 20, 2026 at 8:30 PM
What is wrong with him?
Q: How far are you willing to go to acquire Greenland?
TRUMP: You'll find out
TRUMP: You'll find out
January 20, 2026 at 8:24 PM
Reposted by Penny Messinger
Stephen Miller’s cousin 👇🏽
January 9, 2026 at 3:43 AM
Stephen Miller’s cousin 👇🏽
No serious historians agree that Hitler was a genius. It's a shame that anyone who is serious listens to Yarvin's utter bullshit.
Again, the man who’s next in line for the presidency after this walking corpse has said he’s deeply influenced by this outright Nazi, so maybe we could get a little more attention on that?
Curtis Yarvin, JD Vance’s friend & ideological influence, ended 2025 by claiming “only Hitler spoke the truth” about “too many subjects” & “Hitler was a genius.”
Extremism isn’t fringe on the right. Once marginal online extremists like Yarvin are influential at the highest levels of government.
Extremism isn’t fringe on the right. Once marginal online extremists like Yarvin are influential at the highest levels of government.
January 1, 2026 at 5:37 PM
No serious historians agree that Hitler was a genius. It's a shame that anyone who is serious listens to Yarvin's utter bullshit.
WTF
Burgum: "Today we're sending notifications to the 5 large offshore wind projects that are under construction that their leases will be suspended due to national security concerns ... the Dept of War has come back conclusively that these large offshore wind programs create radar interference"
December 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
WTF
Reposted by Penny Messinger
Burgum: "Today we're sending notifications to the 5 large offshore wind projects that are under construction that their leases will be suspended due to national security concerns ... the Dept of War has come back conclusively that these large offshore wind programs create radar interference"
December 22, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Burgum: "Today we're sending notifications to the 5 large offshore wind projects that are under construction that their leases will be suspended due to national security concerns ... the Dept of War has come back conclusively that these large offshore wind programs create radar interference"
Reposted by Penny Messinger
My favorite tyrant joke: a man comes every day and peers at the front page of the newspaper without buying it.
The newspaper vendor says, "what are you looking for?"
"An obituary."
"Obituaries aren't on the front page."
"This one will be."
The newspaper vendor says, "what are you looking for?"
"An obituary."
"Obituaries aren't on the front page."
"This one will be."
December 16, 2025 at 5:02 PM
My favorite tyrant joke: a man comes every day and peers at the front page of the newspaper without buying it.
The newspaper vendor says, "what are you looking for?"
"An obituary."
"Obituaries aren't on the front page."
"This one will be."
The newspaper vendor says, "what are you looking for?"
"An obituary."
"Obituaries aren't on the front page."
"This one will be."
Reposted by Penny Messinger
Reposted by Penny Messinger
None of this trump and Epstein stuff is surprising and yet seeing it in print still feels jarring. it’s easy to be cynical but we absolutely don’t know what will break through until it does.
November 13, 2025 at 3:37 AM
None of this trump and Epstein stuff is surprising and yet seeing it in print still feels jarring. it’s easy to be cynical but we absolutely don’t know what will break through until it does.
Reposted by Penny Messinger
Fresh from their six-week paid vacation, Speaker Johnson finally swore in Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva. A majority of the House has signed the discharge petition for full release of the Epstein File. Let’s vote.
November 12, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Fresh from their six-week paid vacation, Speaker Johnson finally swore in Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva. A majority of the House has signed the discharge petition for full release of the Epstein File. Let’s vote.
Reposted by Penny Messinger
In response to this claim that the "strategy didn't work."
The people were on our side. We were building momentum to help save our democracy. We could have won - the premium increase notices were just starting.
And giving in now will embolden him. Things will likely get worse.
The people were on our side. We were building momentum to help save our democracy. We could have won - the premium increase notices were just starting.
And giving in now will embolden him. Things will likely get worse.
November 10, 2025 at 5:43 PM
In response to this claim that the "strategy didn't work."
The people were on our side. We were building momentum to help save our democracy. We could have won - the premium increase notices were just starting.
And giving in now will embolden him. Things will likely get worse.
The people were on our side. We were building momentum to help save our democracy. We could have won - the premium increase notices were just starting.
And giving in now will embolden him. Things will likely get worse.
Reposted by Penny Messinger
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 Penny Messinger
“It all began back in the heat of summer, when conservatives and major capitalists were picking up the pieces after their attempt to stop Mamdani’s primary bid ran straight into the upstart socialist’s rock star popularity.” @rpaynereport.bsky.social for @salon.com www.salon.com/2025/10/30/p...
Panic in the Hamptons: The fight to stop Zohran Mamdani
Behind closed doors, wealthy donors plotted to stop a movement reshaping New York politics — and exposed their deepest fears.
www.salon.com
October 30, 2025 at 11:44 AM
“It all began back in the heat of summer, when conservatives and major capitalists were picking up the pieces after their attempt to stop Mamdani’s primary bid ran straight into the upstart socialist’s rock star popularity.” @rpaynereport.bsky.social for @salon.com www.salon.com/2025/10/30/p...
Reposted by Penny Messinger
you know this guy had to have made a huge number of enemies for oklahoma republicans to want to take him down (serves him right, he sucks)
THE CHICKENS ARE FINALLY COMING HOME TO ROOST
Ryan Walters is out & the investigation floodgates just opened. The Oklahoma AG launched a full audit of Walters’ entire tenure as Superintendent, and it’s about damn time.
Also the education dept website’s being scrubbed of his culture-war nonsense.
🧵
Ryan Walters is out & the investigation floodgates just opened. The Oklahoma AG launched a full audit of Walters’ entire tenure as Superintendent, and it’s about damn time.
Also the education dept website’s being scrubbed of his culture-war nonsense.
🧵
October 6, 2025 at 11:18 PM
you know this guy had to have made a huge number of enemies for oklahoma republicans to want to take him down (serves him right, he sucks)
Reposted by Penny Messinger
Tim Walz: "My god, we've got the White House threatening investigations and jail time because an escalator stopped? Walk up the damn stairs!"
October 2, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Tim Walz: "My god, we've got the White House threatening investigations and jail time because an escalator stopped? Walk up the damn stairs!"
Reposted by Penny Messinger
My number one message for high school seniors: Fill out the FAFSA. It'll unlock so many opportunities, whether that’s in higher education, job training, or apprenticeships.
The FAFSA form opens on Wednesday.
The FAFSA form opens on Wednesday.
September 30, 2025 at 2:17 AM
My number one message for high school seniors: Fill out the FAFSA. It'll unlock so many opportunities, whether that’s in higher education, job training, or apprenticeships.
The FAFSA form opens on Wednesday.
The FAFSA form opens on Wednesday.
Reposted by Penny Messinger
Pritzker: "In any other country, if federal agents fired upon journalists & protesters when unprovoked what would we call it? If officials marched down streets harassing civilians & demanding their papers, what would we say? I don't think we'd have trouble calling it what it is: authoritarianism"
September 29, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Pritzker: "In any other country, if federal agents fired upon journalists & protesters when unprovoked what would we call it? If officials marched down streets harassing civilians & demanding their papers, what would we say? I don't think we'd have trouble calling it what it is: authoritarianism"
One of the women (then a girl) raped by Ghislaine Maxwell.
Epstein survivor Sarah Ransome on Ghislaine Maxwell: “I have spent the last 17 years in my own prison for what she, Jeffrey, and all the co-conspirators did to me. I was raped three times a day. Ghislaine must die in prison.”
August 25, 2025 at 12:45 PM
One of the women (then a girl) raped by Ghislaine Maxwell.
Reposted by Penny Messinger
