Steve Rafferty
@sraffert.bsky.social
Librarian to Data Analyst/Programmer to Data Scientist to Retired
News junkie and, at 68, an aspiring novelist.
News junkie and, at 68, an aspiring novelist.
A new nickname for Secretary Kegbreath.
Pete Hagueseth. We should make it a thing.
Hagueseth
November 29, 2025 at 2:59 PM
A new nickname for Secretary Kegbreath.
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
"We blow up ‘alleged’ drug boats in the Caribbean but pardon actually convicted drug traffickers in the U.S. Someone help me make sense of this.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
Trump Announces Pardon for Honduran Ex-President Convicted in Drug Case
www.nytimes.com
November 29, 2025 at 3:24 AM
"We blow up ‘alleged’ drug boats in the Caribbean but pardon actually convicted drug traffickers in the U.S. Someone help me make sense of this.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
1) Start the worst European war since 1945 and commit every imaginable war crime
2) Decide how you want to be rewarded for your aggression
3) Leak the list of your desiderata to the US press
4) Wait for the US president to enforce your wish list on your victim.
Russian policy 2025
2) Decide how you want to be rewarded for your aggression
3) Leak the list of your desiderata to the US press
4) Wait for the US president to enforce your wish list on your victim.
Russian policy 2025
November 23, 2025 at 3:30 PM
1) Start the worst European war since 1945 and commit every imaginable war crime
2) Decide how you want to be rewarded for your aggression
3) Leak the list of your desiderata to the US press
4) Wait for the US president to enforce your wish list on your victim.
Russian policy 2025
2) Decide how you want to be rewarded for your aggression
3) Leak the list of your desiderata to the US press
4) Wait for the US president to enforce your wish list on your victim.
Russian policy 2025
I'm always struck when reminded of Ruby Bridges that she is only 2 years older than I am. This is not ancient history.
It's ONLY been 65 years since six year old Ruby Bridges walked through the halls of William Frantz Elementary as the first Black child to attend an all white school. Met with mobs and hate, her bravery and courage helped change the course of history for this nation.
(1/3)
(1/3)
November 14, 2025 at 2:24 PM
I'm always struck when reminded of Ruby Bridges that she is only 2 years older than I am. This is not ancient history.
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
Personally I don't think it's OK to say "I'm not interested in politics, I just want to live my life", because it means you're asking others to hold the line against people who would destroy you.
November 13, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Personally I don't think it's OK to say "I'm not interested in politics, I just want to live my life", because it means you're asking others to hold the line against people who would destroy you.
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
'Tis the season never to write "'Tis the season" in any headline, ad copy, whatever.
Burn it like a Yule log.
Burn it like a Yule log.
November 13, 2025 at 11:11 PM
'Tis the season never to write "'Tis the season" in any headline, ad copy, whatever.
Burn it like a Yule log.
Burn it like a Yule log.
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
Can we just take a minute and acknowledge that our POTUS is right OUT IN THE OPEN lobbying Congressional members to vote against releasing the Epstein files?! Like... what the fuck else does anyone even need to know?
November 13, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Can we just take a minute and acknowledge that our POTUS is right OUT IN THE OPEN lobbying Congressional members to vote against releasing the Epstein files?! Like... what the fuck else does anyone even need to know?
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
There are four leaks to plug for Trump: the survivors, Ghislaine Maxwell, the Epstein Estate, and the 1000+ FBI and DoJ employees he locked in a building and forced to remove his name from the files.
Good luck, asshole.
Good luck, asshole.
November 13, 2025 at 6:11 PM
There are four leaks to plug for Trump: the survivors, Ghislaine Maxwell, the Epstein Estate, and the 1000+ FBI and DoJ employees he locked in a building and forced to remove his name from the files.
Good luck, asshole.
Good luck, asshole.
Driving home from the bar a few minutes ago, The Cure was on the radio. Good omen.
November 10, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Driving home from the bar a few minutes ago, The Cure was on the radio. Good omen.
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
(1 of 3) I used to negotiate for a living, and I'm trying to determine how many basic rules of negotiation these eight schmucks who somehow stumbled into becoming United States Senators violated. The list seems endless. For instance, if your negotiating partner is fucking crazy sociopathic ghoul...
November 10, 2025 at 6:25 PM
(1 of 3) I used to negotiate for a living, and I'm trying to determine how many basic rules of negotiation these eight schmucks who somehow stumbled into becoming United States Senators violated. The list seems endless. For instance, if your negotiating partner is fucking crazy sociopathic ghoul...
Thoughts about what Democratic Senators are doing with respect to the measure to re-open the government.
open.substack.com/pub/steveraf...
open.substack.com/pub/steveraf...
What Are the Democrats Doing?
3 Dimensional Chess? or Something Stupid?
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Thoughts about what Democratic Senators are doing with respect to the measure to re-open the government.
open.substack.com/pub/steveraf...
open.substack.com/pub/steveraf...
Torture and Extrajudicial Executions
. . . Create a Formidable Enemy That Must Be Eradicated
open.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
all those analysis of the huge changes Ds had to make to win back working class voters, Hispanics, etc. was DEAD WRONG. they did not make wholesale changes and yet they won huge. Context, candidates, and intensity. That's it. throw away the pundit playbooks.
November 6, 2025 at 1:20 PM
all those analysis of the huge changes Ds had to make to win back working class voters, Hispanics, etc. was DEAD WRONG. they did not make wholesale changes and yet they won huge. Context, candidates, and intensity. That's it. throw away the pundit playbooks.
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
Zohran Mamdani in his victory speech:
"Donald Trump, since I know you're watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up."
The cheers in the room are deafening.
"Donald Trump, since I know you're watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up."
The cheers in the room are deafening.
November 5, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Zohran Mamdani in his victory speech:
"Donald Trump, since I know you're watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up."
The cheers in the room are deafening.
"Donald Trump, since I know you're watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up."
The cheers in the room are deafening.
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
Breaking the 12 year long GOP supermajority in Mississippi seems like a big deal. A bunch of Black women mayors seems like a big deal.
Can’t wait for the hot “How Democrats winning is bad news for Democrats” takes.
Can’t wait for the hot “How Democrats winning is bad news for Democrats” takes.
November 5, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Breaking the 12 year long GOP supermajority in Mississippi seems like a big deal. A bunch of Black women mayors seems like a big deal.
Can’t wait for the hot “How Democrats winning is bad news for Democrats” takes.
Can’t wait for the hot “How Democrats winning is bad news for Democrats” takes.
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
I can’t believe they called prop 50 the moment polls closed. That tells you something. Most of these races were called within 45 minutes. It’s a BLOWOUT, y’all. THAT is what we call a MANDATE.
November 5, 2025 at 4:12 AM
I can’t believe they called prop 50 the moment polls closed. That tells you something. Most of these races were called within 45 minutes. It’s a BLOWOUT, y’all. THAT is what we call a MANDATE.
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
Has anyone said that Zohran has a "Mamdate" to lead now? If not, let's get on that.
November 5, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Has anyone said that Zohran has a "Mamdate" to lead now? If not, let's get on that.
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
I do think yesterday’s results reinforced the dynamic that while much of the American leadership class is chickenshit, most of the electorate is not
November 5, 2025 at 1:36 PM
I do think yesterday’s results reinforced the dynamic that while much of the American leadership class is chickenshit, most of the electorate is not
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
Earlier this year, I met a Croatian journalist who was in the US doing a piece on America’s politics and I asked her what surprised her. And she said, “What you all call the far left is just being normal.”
November 4, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Earlier this year, I met a Croatian journalist who was in the US doing a piece on America’s politics and I asked her what surprised her. And she said, “What you all call the far left is just being normal.”
The world is a somewhat more moral place than it was yesterday.
November 4, 2025 at 1:28 PM
The world is a somewhat more moral place than it was yesterday.
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
You laugh, but this is how the exododus went extinct
November 3, 2025 at 3:36 PM
You laugh, but this is how the exododus went extinct
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
it's time for journos to start asking Johnson meta questions
"Speaker, on 5 occasions last week you said 'I haven't seen it' when asked about news events w/big implications for public policy. Do you ever read the news, and do you agree it's problematic for the Speaker to be so woefully uninformed?"
"Speaker, on 5 occasions last week you said 'I haven't seen it' when asked about news events w/big implications for public policy. Do you ever read the news, and do you agree it's problematic for the Speaker to be so woefully uninformed?"
November 3, 2025 at 3:36 PM
it's time for journos to start asking Johnson meta questions
"Speaker, on 5 occasions last week you said 'I haven't seen it' when asked about news events w/big implications for public policy. Do you ever read the news, and do you agree it's problematic for the Speaker to be so woefully uninformed?"
"Speaker, on 5 occasions last week you said 'I haven't seen it' when asked about news events w/big implications for public policy. Do you ever read the news, and do you agree it's problematic for the Speaker to be so woefully uninformed?"
I think that a lot of problems may stem from the fact that many people value what they believe as much as what they know. The line between those categories erodes and convincing alternate facts take hold. I've been saying for years that 'the easily manipulated are easily manipulated'.
November 1, 2025 at 1:36 AM
I think that a lot of problems may stem from the fact that many people value what they believe as much as what they know. The line between those categories erodes and convincing alternate facts take hold. I've been saying for years that 'the easily manipulated are easily manipulated'.
Reposted by Steve Rafferty
If a temporary resident of the White House can totally demolish the East Wing to build a gaudy ballroom, without any authority, approval, or regulation, he can tear down the rest of the White House to build a Walmart. That this destruction is allowed underscores how off the rails our country is now.
October 24, 2025 at 7:35 PM
If a temporary resident of the White House can totally demolish the East Wing to build a gaudy ballroom, without any authority, approval, or regulation, he can tear down the rest of the White House to build a Walmart. That this destruction is allowed underscores how off the rails our country is now.
Right Wing complaints about No Kings almost invariably begin with the juvenile "Webster's defines . . ." that you heard in middle school English or Communications classes.
October 22, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Right Wing complaints about No Kings almost invariably begin with the juvenile "Webster's defines . . ." that you heard in middle school English or Communications classes.