Sign in

Jen Rubin

@jenrubin.bsky.social
321K followers 891 following 4.7K posts

Editor-in-chief of The Contrarian, Premier League and tennis fan, dog and art lover, democracy defender, and pro-Oxford comma. Book and travel recommendations welcomed.

PostsRepliesMedia
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 6h
shame on junior officers for applauding his claptrap, and for their bosses not giving them appropriate instructions in advance www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/u...
nytimes.com
In Speech, Hegseth Targets Diversity, Transgender People, Reporters and Iran
The defense secretary returned to culture-war themes and used coarse and offensive terms to describe people he believes have no place in the military.
2942990
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 9h
Folks, grown up Democrats are showing leadership. Watch our space at @contrariannews.org for AI ideas/policy/leadership
110318
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 9h
An imbecile. Trump might fire him to deprive us of the joy of impeaching him.
4240763
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 9h
Criminal contempt inquiry looms. The en banc D.C. Circuit seemed poised to allow a full inquiry into who was responsible for defying Judge Boasberg’s order to turn around planes with deportees headed for El Salvador. The Trump regime is trembling at prospect higher-ups will be held accountable
open.substack.com
Sen. Schmitt’s Unparalleled Buffoonery
And a polling apocalypse for the GOP.
215136
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 9h
a bad faith conspiracy nut blows himself up:
open.substack.com
Sen. Schmitt’s Unparalleled Buffoonery
And a polling apocalypse for the GOP.
720835
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 13h
A serious, forward leaning piece from a top 2028 contender on AI- EXCLUSIVE to @contrariannews.org
open.substack.com
March Us Toward the Summit, Not the Chasm
By Governor JB Pritzker
310220
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Susan Rice: this is what an informed, highly intelligent veteran of govt sounds like on AI, China and Iran... one day such people could return to govt. open.substack.com/pub/contrari...
open.substack.com
What Do Dictators and Rogue AI Have in Common? Trump's Overwhelming Love
Ambassador Susan Rice warns that unregulated AI will kill civilians and arm hostile parties.
332682
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Paid for by the U.S. Government... well, we did. We fixed it. open.substack.com/pub/contrari...
open.substack.com
Paid for by the U.S. Government
Trump’s taxpayer-sponsored ad doesn’t paint the full picture of his presidency, so we made some improvements
111426
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
How the Word Is Passed is one of the great books of our time so looking forward to this!
0576
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Given all this more Trump ads would be a big boost for Democrats!
412227
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
amazing QUinnipiac: not only 12pts lead in generic but: Democrats lead on all major issues: (health care 55-31%; cost of living 49-36%; international conflicts 48-40%; the economy 48-42%; immigration [!] 47-42%; corruption in government 45-33%; AI 42-29%) poll.qu.edu/poll-release...
poll.qu.edu
Generic Ballot For Control Of U.S. House: Dems 51%, GOP 39%, Dem Party Ahead On Key Issues, Boosted By Independents, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; 71% Prefer Candidates Who Support St...
"A warning light flashing red for the GOP scrambling to stay in power. From the economy to international conflicts to AI, independent voters are siding with Democrats, even though a vast majority of t...
815128
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
they can smell the stench of loserdom
open.substack.com
Dismal Polls for Republicans — And No Wonder
Even some ‘Front-Row Joes’ are abandoning the weak president.
819443
Reposted by Jen Rubin
MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · 28/09/2026
Former DOJ pardon attorney Liz Oyer on the Trump DOJ: They’re just making stuff up as they go along to try to defend the president’s indefensible decisions after the fact.
201257416
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Watch the returns on November 3. The worse they are for Republicans, the less the “heir apparent” talk will make sense. Maybe that is why Vance seems so personally desperate .. It’s his own political career that is hanging by a thread. And, as of today, it looks ready to snap.
714735
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Regardless of who they find and what ideology they adopt to assuage their resentment, Rs in 2028 may have little patience for someone who carries the stench of Trump’s detested war, his economic meltdown, his serial failed initiatives, and, most profoundly, the political calamity he provoked in 2026
open.substack.com
Words & Phrases: ‘Heir Apparent’ or Ballot Box Poison?
🚨 35 Days to the Midterms 🚨
812319
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
ok, it they insist!!
open.substack.com
Words & Phrases: ‘Heir Apparent’ or Ballot Box Poison?
🚨 35 Days to the Midterms 🚨
35210
Reposted by Jen Rubin
Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"Fuck that." "I'm Sherrod Brown and I approve of this message."
13248941035
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Josh Turek responds to the belated steel mill promise: open.substack.com/pub/contrari...
open.substack.com
Iowa Is ‘Uniquely Hurting.’ This Senate Candidate Is Ready to Bring the Cure
Iowa made a big swing to the right in 2016. Will it swing back in 2026?
614035
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
utterly gripping, horrifying... there were no right or even easy answers www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
theatlantic.com
How Biden Averted a War With Iran
In April 2024, the U.S. military helped avoid a wider conflict in the Middle East by working with Israel to defeat an Iranian missile attack.
314034
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Heroine, definitely
nytimes.com
Heroine or Public Enemy? The Israeli Blocking Much of Netanyahu’s Agenda.
Gali Baharav-Miara, Israel’s first female attorney general, has stopped many of the government’s efforts to remove constraints on its power.
1328151
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
what does he have to do to get fired?? this is what happens when croynism controls
nytimes.com
Embarrassing Breach at F.B.I. Fuels Fears of Harm to Its Employees
In an internal memo, the F.B.I. said it believed the hackers may have stolen sensitive information on all of its employees.
1123346
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Even John Thune knows it's a terrible idea: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
GOP Leader Thune Says Taxpayers Shouldn’t Pay for Trump TV Ads
Senate Republican Leader John Thune said taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill for video advertisements lauding President Donald Trump that the administration has called “presidential public service...
1730665
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
It's illegal... and an hilariously awful ad
open.substack.com
Trump Goes Full-Orwell
The administration’s propaganda hype-ads are an abuse of power.
2942178
Reposted by Jen Rubin
The Contrarian @contrariannews.org · 28/09/2026
“When the Trump Administration converts taxpayer money to use for partisan hype-pieces, it not only affronts the law, but it inevitably leads to the diversion of taxpayer funds from important government programs that support the American public.” More on Trump’s corrupt propaganda campaign ⬇️
contrariannews.org
Trump Goes Full-Orwell
The administration’s propaganda hype-ads are an abuse of power.
17284103
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
BINGO:
625336
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
WOW
4238797
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The always “concerned” Maine Republican voted to confirm Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought knowing his views on rescission. Now she whines when he again acts lawlessly. “White House orders over $800M in funds rescinded; Collins calls it ‘clear violation’ of law.”
open.substack.com
The Supreme Court Gets It Half Right
The White House press corps caves, and Trump’s horror show continues.
616853
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Morally spineless and professionally foolish, the WH pool capitulated and returned with CNN still excluded. Given how inept Trump are lackeys like Blanche (the AG in the business of vouching for suppression?!?)in defending exclusion of press on phony national security grounds, no reason to relent.
open.substack.com
The Supreme Court Gets It Half Right
The White House press corps caves, and Trump’s horror show continues.
212934
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The WH press corps never learns
open.substack.com
The Supreme Court Gets It Half Right
The White House press corps caves, and Trump’s horror show continues.
821347
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Can't wait!!
2797
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
If Democratic candidates identifying as progressive Christians win in November, they will help sustain a Democratic blue wave but also, and more important, reaffirm the ideals of a country founded by religious dissenters and renegades who suffered from repressive established religion.
open.substack.com
A Defining Moment of Religious Pluralism
🚨 36 Days to the Midterms 🚨
1016231
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
defeat of white Christian nationalism at the hands of a diverse political electorate that includes millions of faithful Christians would be transformative for Democrats, democracy, and American Christianity. What a fitting rebuke to white Christian nationalism that would be.
open.substack.com
A Defining Moment of Religious Pluralism
🚨 36 Days to the Midterms 🚨
517334
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Progressive Christians find their voice
open.substack.com
A Defining Moment of Religious Pluralism
🚨 36 Days to the Midterms 🚨
410616
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
@usapolling.bsky.social
1110
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Passive voice is bad writing and disguises respnsiblitity for absolute incompetence: "The Moves That Backfired on Trump and Drove Interest Rates and Inflation Higher".. NO! "Trump screwed up, drove up interest rates and inflation" www.wsj.com/economy/trum...
wsj.com
The Moves That Backfired on Trump and Drove Interest Rates and Inflation Higher
The president’s own agenda has helped undermine promises to fix the economy and get the deficit under control.
23535102
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
makes a huge amount of sense... she would be awesome candidate, clear the field and help shake up Senate www.axios.com/2026/09/27/a...
axios.com
AOC test-runs a Senate bid in upstate New York
She says her goal is to "transform the state."
52736108
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
If you are going to do an illegal ad at least don’t make it creepy and repulsive But this is Trump so of course it is
5953991
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Fucking ridiculous headline. How about the people dragged off the street?!
politico.com
ICE operations are making it hard for vulnerable Republicans fighting for their political survival
Immigration enforcement in Kansas, Texas, Florida and beyond is forcing battleground Republicans to answer for the fallout.
41639124
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
he's pathetically bad at this... a whiny child
40973121
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
SO COOL. Free World Cup tix and now Opera give away. THIS is what a NYC mayor does! www.nytimes.com/2026/09/24/a...
nytimes.com
Opera for New Yorkers: Mamdani and the Met’s 70,000-Ticket Giveaway
The mayor, with a video filmed at the Metropolitan Opera House, joins the Met in announcing a program to distribute free tickets
1148784
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Just awful people www.cnn.com/2026/09/26/p...
cnn.com
Two senior FBI agents ousted over investigation into alleged harassing calls to wife of Trump adviser Stephen Miller | CNN Politics
Two veteran FBI agents overseeing counterterrorism operations in the nation’s capital have been removed from their jobs and reassigned over the handling of an investigation involving Katie Miller, the...
41507118
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Spineless wimps. They never learn.
nytimes.com
TV Networks to Resume Trump Coverage, Even as White House Excludes CNN
The White House TV pool went dark this past week amid a standoff between CNN and the president. Network leaders, however, believe an indefinite suspension may be untenable.
711016210
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Run through the tape. Every vote matters. The margin matters.
2756997
Reposted by Jen Rubin
Sherrod Brown @sherrodbrownoh.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Jon Husted just voted to continue the Iran war for the 14th time. While Ohioans are paying record high costs at the gas pump and the grocery store, Jon Husted is voting for more war – and costing you more money – every chance he gets.
251290430
Reposted by Jen Rubin
Troy Jackson @troyjackson207.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Susan Collins has voted to confirm 60+ anti-abortion judges in her time in the Senate, and now she's voted for 3 more just since last week. Nice to see Senator Collins was able to take a break from lying about corruption to give a lifetime appointment to another anti-choice judge.
262011663
Reposted by Jen Rubin
MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · 24/09/2026
Katie Phang directly challenges California AG Rob Bonta over claims that political and economic pressure played a role in the Paramount-Warner Bros. settlement, including David Ellison’s reported threat to pull Paramount out of California. Bonta: “There was no pressure.”
1762342688
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Bravo to @govsherrill.bsky.social and other NJ Dem reformers. This is the difference between Rs and Ds. DS police their own
nytimes.com
Embattled New Jersey Lt. Governor Resigns After Ethics Inquiry
Dale G. Caldwell, a Methodist minister and former university president, quit one day after the release of a report that found he had crossed ethical lines.
827851
Jen Rubin @jenrubin.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Both the majority and dissent agree that this case is likely to have limited impact on the midterms, because another law, the NVRA prohibits mass purges of voters in the 90 days before the election
electionlawblog.org
Breaking: Supreme Court, over the Dissent of at Least the Three Democratic Appointed Justices, Allows States to Use Unreliable SAVE Database to Bulk Check Voter Citizenship Information (Now Updated wi...
You can find the opinion and dissent here. The Supreme Court, with at least the three liberal Justices dissenting, has allowed states to do queries to the federal “SAVE” database that contains informa...
1915537
Reposted by Jen Rubin
Rick Hasen @rickhasen.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Breaking: Supreme Court, over the Dissent of at Least the Three Democratic Appointed Justices, Allows States to Use Unreliable SAVE Database to Bulk Check Voter Citizenship Information (Now Updated with Analysis) electionlawblog.org/2026/breakin...
electionlawblog.org
Breaking: Supreme Court, over the Dissent of at Least the Three Democratic Appointed Justices, Allows States to Use Unreliable SAVE Database to Bulk Check Voter Citizenship Information (Now Updated wi...
You can find the opinion and dissent here. The Supreme Court, with at least the three liberal Justices dissenting, has allowed states to do queries to the federal “SAVE” database that contains informa...
914886
Reposted by Jen Rubin
Norm Eisen @normeisen.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Please don't overreact to the SCOTUS SAVE database decision today Page 6 of the decision makes clear that we are in the 90 day statutory window when mass changes cannot be made to voter lists! Yeah it's a shit decision for the reasons the 3 dissenters say but we can deal with it. More to come...
nytimes.com
Supreme Court Allows Expansive Voter Screening Tool Ahead of Midterms (Gift Article)
Critics of the Trump administration system to monitor the citizenship status of voters had raised alarms about privacy and improper voter purges.
31144901823