Brad | Toward a Better Union
@towardabetterunion.bsky.social
Civic resilience, democratic norms, and constitutional balance.
Healing through good-faith dialogue.
Toward a better union.
Healing through good-faith dialogue.
Toward a better union.
Important info regarding the decision not to comply with the court order. Unlikely that the DOJ or Solicitor General will take action. The *current* Congress is not functioning as a check on executive power.
Opportunity for civil action based on International human-rights violation? Other ideas?
Opportunity for civil action based on International human-rights violation? Other ideas?
November 26, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Important info regarding the decision not to comply with the court order. Unlikely that the DOJ or Solicitor General will take action. The *current* Congress is not functioning as a check on executive power.
Opportunity for civil action based on International human-rights violation? Other ideas?
Opportunity for civil action based on International human-rights violation? Other ideas?
Dismissal will now be part of a broader effort to sanitize the record. (“False charges,” “total exoneration,” “I did nothing wrong.”)
But dismissing a case doesn’t erase the underlying facts, the conduct, or the guilty pleas that did happen. This is a loss for justice but we must not give up.
But dismissing a case doesn’t erase the underlying facts, the conduct, or the guilty pleas that did happen. This is a loss for justice but we must not give up.
November 26, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Dismissal will now be part of a broader effort to sanitize the record. (“False charges,” “total exoneration,” “I did nothing wrong.”)
But dismissing a case doesn’t erase the underlying facts, the conduct, or the guilty pleas that did happen. This is a loss for justice but we must not give up.
But dismissing a case doesn’t erase the underlying facts, the conduct, or the guilty pleas that did happen. This is a loss for justice but we must not give up.
Hegseth quoting that “orders are presumed lawful” while ignoring the prohibition on following "manifestly illegal" orders is intentionally misleading.
Omitting the second half is designed to chill dissent, intimidate, and to imply that questioning presidential directives is by definition illegal.
Omitting the second half is designed to chill dissent, intimidate, and to imply that questioning presidential directives is by definition illegal.
November 26, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Hegseth quoting that “orders are presumed lawful” while ignoring the prohibition on following "manifestly illegal" orders is intentionally misleading.
Omitting the second half is designed to chill dissent, intimidate, and to imply that questioning presidential directives is by definition illegal.
Omitting the second half is designed to chill dissent, intimidate, and to imply that questioning presidential directives is by definition illegal.
True. Not to mention that it actively amplifies bad actors and makes civil, collaborative discussion impossible.
November 26, 2025 at 3:57 AM
True. Not to mention that it actively amplifies bad actors and makes civil, collaborative discussion impossible.
Exactly right. I’m not even sure *this* Senate would fully honor its Advice & Consent role to ensure officials are loyal to the country rather than the president. But if the low bar is deference, the no bar at all is the refusal to assert that constitutional duty, and the guardrails vanish.
November 26, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Exactly right. I’m not even sure *this* Senate would fully honor its Advice & Consent role to ensure officials are loyal to the country rather than the president. But if the low bar is deference, the no bar at all is the refusal to assert that constitutional duty, and the guardrails vanish.
Fully agree. Reduced capacity for sustained work would be worrying in any job but in the presidency it’s destabilizing. Beyond the stamina issue, being completely out of touch with younger Americans and their needs is its own form of incapacity.
November 26, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Fully agree. Reduced capacity for sustained work would be worrying in any job but in the presidency it’s destabilizing. Beyond the stamina issue, being completely out of touch with younger Americans and their needs is its own form of incapacity.
I would love it if the next step for the GOP was to back the Constitution. But that seems unlikely, at least as a next step for many of them. The tactic now is to assert that, by definition, the President's orders are ALWAYS legal.
November 26, 2025 at 1:22 AM
I would love it if the next step for the GOP was to back the Constitution. But that seems unlikely, at least as a next step for many of them. The tactic now is to assert that, by definition, the President's orders are ALWAYS legal.
Give him time, KC. Pete is currently working on understanding mirror imaging when inspecting Senator Kelly's uniform pics...
November 26, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Give him time, KC. Pete is currently working on understanding mirror imaging when inspecting Senator Kelly's uniform pics...
Can we handle the truth?
November 25, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Can we handle the truth?
Welcome aboard the Big Red Misinformation Bus!
November 25, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Welcome aboard the Big Red Misinformation Bus!
Always impressive when a friend can nail the whole dynamic in one neat little insight.
November 25, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Always impressive when a friend can nail the whole dynamic in one neat little insight.
But, what about the bus?🤷♂️
November 25, 2025 at 9:08 PM
But, what about the bus?🤷♂️
If it is indeed a deep state conspiracy, Molly, it was clearly assembled without an instruction booklet.
November 25, 2025 at 7:12 PM
If it is indeed a deep state conspiracy, Molly, it was clearly assembled without an instruction booklet.
Richard's piece nails it. The antidote to democratic erosion lies in rebuilding local civic muscle: trusted institutions, election-ready communities, cross-sector coalitions, and common-sense norms.
Hard work ahead. 💪
Hard work ahead. 💪
November 25, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Richard's piece nails it. The antidote to democratic erosion lies in rebuilding local civic muscle: trusted institutions, election-ready communities, cross-sector coalitions, and common-sense norms.
Hard work ahead. 💪
Hard work ahead. 💪
I must admit that I agree with McConnell when he said “Those who think pressuring the victim and appeasing the aggressor will bring peace are kidding themselves.”
This moment demands vigilance (the president does care which side makes concessions) and a firm refusal to reward the aggressor.
This moment demands vigilance (the president does care which side makes concessions) and a firm refusal to reward the aggressor.
November 25, 2025 at 6:28 PM
I must admit that I agree with McConnell when he said “Those who think pressuring the victim and appeasing the aggressor will bring peace are kidding themselves.”
This moment demands vigilance (the president does care which side makes concessions) and a firm refusal to reward the aggressor.
This moment demands vigilance (the president does care which side makes concessions) and a firm refusal to reward the aggressor.
Opening line before the proceedings commence:
Agent: “Look, we don’t make the rules. We just investigate people who explain them.”
Agent: “Look, we don’t make the rules. We just investigate people who explain them.”
November 25, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Opening line before the proceedings commence:
Agent: “Look, we don’t make the rules. We just investigate people who explain them.”
Agent: “Look, we don’t make the rules. We just investigate people who explain them.”
If being “charismatic” means sharing a lane with Dershowitz and Loesch, I’m comfortable being profoundly uncharismatic.
Painting them as the voice of “most Americans” is a distressing - and I hope profoundly innaccurate - claim.
Painting them as the voice of “most Americans” is a distressing - and I hope profoundly innaccurate - claim.
November 25, 2025 at 4:16 PM
If being “charismatic” means sharing a lane with Dershowitz and Loesch, I’m comfortable being profoundly uncharismatic.
Painting them as the voice of “most Americans” is a distressing - and I hope profoundly innaccurate - claim.
Painting them as the voice of “most Americans” is a distressing - and I hope profoundly innaccurate - claim.
Okay. I'll say it...Jim’s justice finally found Jim.
November 25, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Okay. I'll say it...Jim’s justice finally found Jim.
Good point, Cathy. I interpreted the quotes as an attempt to say that Senator Kelly was "only" a Captain (O-6). But I bet that you are right regarding his intentions.
November 25, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Good point, Cathy. I interpreted the quotes as an attempt to say that Senator Kelly was "only" a Captain (O-6). But I bet that you are right regarding his intentions.
Very true, Josh. Calling it the Department of War reinforces the strong-man aesthetic they’re chasing. And, like the ‘Gulf of America’ stunt, it’s another way to sort people by who echoes the new language and who refuses.
November 25, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Very true, Josh. Calling it the Department of War reinforces the strong-man aesthetic they’re chasing. And, like the ‘Gulf of America’ stunt, it’s another way to sort people by who echoes the new language and who refuses.
It’s striking to see the momentum slow and Egger captures that well. But we can’t mistake disarray for defeat. This project still has enormous power and plenty of willing bureaucratic enablers. If anything, the stumbles show that public and institutional resistance matters. We need to keep at it.
November 25, 2025 at 3:30 PM
It’s striking to see the momentum slow and Egger captures that well. But we can’t mistake disarray for defeat. This project still has enormous power and plenty of willing bureaucratic enablers. If anything, the stumbles show that public and institutional resistance matters. We need to keep at it.