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Ben Speggen

@benspeggen.bsky.social
95 followers 194 following 41 posts

Generalist. Enthusiast. Perpetually curious. Think tank VP. Alt-weekly editor. More at: BenSpeggen.Substack.com

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Reposted by Ben Speggen
Tamara Ehs @tamaraehs.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
#Ungarn Nach Autokratisierung nun "democratic frontsliding" @chrishillion.bsky.social @tommasopavone.bsky.social @ascherz.bsky.social. Zum Beitrag d Lokalpolitik (Bsp #Budapest) transatlant Dialog mit @benspeggen.bsky.social @jcaustin.bsky.social @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.jeserie.org/events/detai...
jeserie.org
Upcoming Events & Classes - Jefferson Educational Society
View details about the upcoming events and classes hosted by the Jefferson Educational Society in Erie, PA.
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
From the 'Streets Of Minneapolis' to the heart of Pittsburgh -- Recommended Listening, Viewing open.substack.com/pub/benspegg...
open.substack.com
From the 'Streets Of Minneapolis' to the heart of Pittsburgh -- Recommended Listening, Viewing
Two powerful songs -- one a timely original, the other a timely rendition -- worth giving a listen to.
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
ICYMI, @booker.senate.gov is taking a stand: www.npr.org/2025/04/01/n...
npr.org
Cory Booker's anti-Trump speech on the Senate floor has lasted 19 hours and counting
The New Jersey Democrat has been criticizing the Trump administration's policies on immigration, education, the economy and more since 7 p.m. ET Monday. Here's what to know about his marathon speech.
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
An excellent, not to be overlooked point here (i.e., just because you have a security clearance, doesn't mean you have unfettered access; 'need to know' means exactly that.)
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
This is wild...
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
On 'Men in Crisis': In 2023, I had the chance to moderate a conversation w/ Richard Reeves, the founding president of the @aibm.bsky.social during the Jefferson Educational Society's Global Summit: youtu.be/ID1ZbrLTBzs?... 1/4
youtu.be
GS XV - Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What To Do About It
YouTube video by Jefferson Educational Society Of Erie
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
Great read (and featuring a source I know): www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solu...
washingtonpost.com
How to eat and drink fewer microplastics
Scientists are finding microplastics throughout the human body. Here are some simple strategies to reduce your exposure.
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Reposted by Ben Speggen
PolitiFact @politifact.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Donald Trump, Elon Musk and DOGE have touted billions of savings in canceled government contracts. But government spending isn't a secret and goes through bid processes to avoid fraud and waste. Here's how you can explore these contracts yourself: www.instagram.com/reel/DGn9XQQ...
instagram.com
Login • Instagram
Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.
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Reposted by Ben Speggen
The New York Times @nytimes.com · 05/03/2025
“You have no mandate to cut Medicaid!” Representative Al Green was escorted out of Congress during President Trump's speech to the joint session on Tuesday. Green, a Texas Democrat, introduced the first articles of impeachment against Trump in 2017. nyti.ms/4h7iiKi
Representative Al Green is wearing a black tie and holding a cane. The text reads: "Al Green Removed from House Chamber for Heckling President Trump." Photo by Kenny Holston/The New York Times.
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Reposted by Ben Speggen
Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Everything you need to know about Trump's tax cuts.
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Yup.
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Correction: Green ‘was removed’
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Although not officially a therapy dog, Gus kicked into therapy mode tonight… woof.
Golden retriever rests his head in thigh.
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
In case you were wondering about those Social Security numbers…
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 03/03/2025
More education is a good thing, period. (And data suggest a super majority of Americans want their children to go to college) Here, @jcaustin.bsky.social makes an excellent case, citing two excellent state-level initiatives -- one from Tennessee, the other from Michigan:
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
I'm speechless. I'm glad President Zelensky wasn't.
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
'The truth is ugly, but it’s necessary to face it.' On today's sad-for-America and stark-wake-up-call-for-democracies-and-US-allies Oval Office meeting:
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
Highly recommend subscribing:
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Reposted by Ben Speggen
Carole Cadwalladr @carolecadwalla.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
NEW: In November, I wrote a Guardian column headlined 'How to Survive the Broligarchy'. Pretty much everything predicted has now come true. What I'm launching today is part handbook, how to protect ourselves? And part manifesto, how to fight back? Please join me. 1/ open.substack.com/pub/broligar...
open.substack.com
How to Survive the Broligarchy
Three months ago, I warned we were entering the age of technoauthoritarianism. It's now here. We can and must fight back.
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
Another governor — Janet Mills of Maine — taking a stand rather than bending a knee: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
washingtonpost.com
Maine governor tells Trump ‘see you in court’ amid faceoff over trans athletes
Trump threatened to withhold federal education funding if Maine does not comply with his executive order and bar transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports.
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Reposted by Ben Speggen
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 21/02/2025
TRUMP: The NCAA has complied immediately. That's good. But I understand Maine -- is the governor of Maine here? JANET MILLS: Yeah I'm here TRUMP: Are you not gonna comply? JM: I'm going to comply with state and federal law T: You better do it bc you're not gonna get any federal funding at all
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
What is social and community infrastructure, and why is it important? What are the unique community challenges in “left-behind places” that are often overlooked and can derail economic recovery? New report answering those questions and why they matter: www.jeserie.org/uploads/BUIL...
jeserie.org
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
A must-watch video of @govpritzker.illinois.gov to inspire and remind us how we tamp down the flames of hatred, attempts at oppression, and the threatening rise of tyranny and continue to give democracy the oxygen it needs to survive, and thrive. Extended clip here: www.nbcnews.com/video/illino...
nbcnews.com
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker warns against authoritarianism in address
In his State of the State address, Gov. JB Pritzker, D-Ill., warned against authoritarianism, saying “it took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours, and 40 minutes to dismantle a con...
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
ALERT FROM ME: My work email address (JESErie) was hacked overnight, and apparently thousands of emails were sent with a link to a SharePoint that wasn't mine. I'm 'back at the controls', but working through to regain access to my inbox, which I still don't have full access to. 1/
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 01/02/2025
A reminder/context: It is Feb. 1, and Inauguration Day was Jan. 20.
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Reposted by Ben Speggen
Adrienne LaFrance @adriennelaf.bsky.social · 01/02/2025
This is crucial reporting from @katherinejwu.com. Among the data being scrubbed is “the agency’s AtlasPlus tool, which contains nearly 20 years of CDC surveillance data on HIV, hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections, and tuberculosis…” www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...
theatlantic.com
CDC Data Are Disappearing
The agency has already removed scientific data from public view. More could follow.
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 24/01/2025
I shared this elsewhere earlier this week. Sharing here now as it is still a good, important read given the timing:
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 24/01/2025
Worthwhile, rallying read, and call-to-action, from @sanders.senate.gov:
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
Voters in US Heartland delivered for Trump a narrow, but decisive win in the 2024 election. @jcaustin.bsky.social, for @thehill.com, offers 10 ways he can deliver for them (spoiler alert: it includes leaving things in place begun before his admin, building on others): thehill.com/opinion/camp...
thehill.com
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 20/01/2025
Good advice on Inauguration Day 2025: ‘Don’t be shocked. Don’t be awed.’ There will be seemingly *a lot* happening quickly. Some serious; some banal and (intentionally) distracting. Now is not the time to look away, or ignore all of it because of some of it. open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...
open.substack.com
Don’t Be Shocked. Don’t Be Awed.
Trumpism is beatable.
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Reposted by Ben Speggen
markmuro1.bsky.social @markmuro1.bsky.social · 11/01/2025
And here's how U.S. industrial policy is helping counter threats from China over capacity threats (from Glencora Haskins and myself @BrookingsMetro) brookings.edu/articles/pla... @brookings.edu @tracyalloway.bsky.social @benspeggen.bsky.social @bencasselman.bsky.social @robatkinson.bsky.social
brookings.edu
‘Place-based industrial strategy’ responds to past and future industrial and labor market shocks
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
Excellent, insightful new work out by @markmuro1.bsky.social @robmaxim.bsky.social and others at @brookings.edu on regional growth efforts -- what's been accomplished, what's at stake with impending fed-level changes, and recommendations for pathways forward:
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
"The ability of the polity to withstand autocratic initiatives does not only require a solid legal framework and institutional design," @mariaskora.bsky.social warns, adding ... 1/2
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 30/11/2024
Two very different reactions to the snow…
A brown dog stands knees-deep in the snow with her eyes closed.A blonde dog on a leash bounds throw chest-deep snow.
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
A highlight of our Thanksgiving: learning how much Gus loves watching the Dog Show…
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
'We cannot be mesmerized by the worst things that we see happening. We will be inclined to react with shock by some things that are done precisely with the intent of shocking us, we need to move very quickly through the shock.'
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
As America looks inward to contend with Trumpism, it must also look outward to see how other countries are dealing with the rise of authoritarianism. In addition to Brazil offering lessons, so has Poland with 10/2023 election: www.jeserie.org/uploads/Repo...
jeserie.org
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
Kudos, @davidfrum.bsky.social, on admitting what he 'got wrong'. More journalists, commentators, pundits, etc. need to follow this example. The more we all admit where we were wrong, the more we can learn, and reconcile the present -- what it means, why it matters, and plot how to move forward:
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
'How to survive the broligarchy,' from @carolecadwalla.bsky.social, who pulls no punches via @theguardian.com: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
How to survive the broligarchy: 20 lessons for the post-truth world | Carole Cadwalladr
In the wake of Trump’s unnerving appointees, the investigative journalist and veteran of the libel court offers pointers on coping in an age of surveillance
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
.@kyledcheney.bsky.social's opening line, "Donald Trump is not a monarch," is an important one to note today, 11/21, as Gaetz withdrew his nomination for AG...
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Ben Speggen @benspeggen.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
Like many, I struggled with 'where to go' with further, umm, decline of Twitter/X... Just a few days after joining BlueSky, I am encouraged by this space. I am also grateful for @radiofreetom.bsky.social, who has been churning out recommended follows. Follow him; check out the lists. Onward.
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