Reposted by Blaine StumSusan Rinkunas @susanrinkunas.com · 30/09/2026To recap: three GOP-led states that wanted the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade in order to "send abortion back to the states" are now asking the Court to strike down abortion protections in blue states 125311169
Reposted by Blaine StumBobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · 26/09/2026Russ Vought just sent a rescissions request to Congress, signaling he intends to illegally impound funds. The $810 million highlighted in this “request” (but this is a pretext to just illegally impound the funds) is not the exhaustive list of many billions of dollars he’s impounding this year. 32974408
Reposted by Blaine StumCorey Rayburn Yung @coreyryung.bsky.social · 22/09/2026He doesn't understand how risk pooling or insurance fraud works. People who "never file a claim" subsidize everyone else and cannot be committing insurance fraud (which requires filing claims). 1412938
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Last few weeks have been super fun: Still experiencing my first bout with eczema (0/10 do not recommend) and sprained my back (also 0/10) the other day. 110
Reposted by Blaine StumDefector @defector.com · 28/08/20261998 should always be remembered as the year DMX took over the world. defector.com/the-year-dmx...defector.comThe Year DMX Painted The World Blood Red | DefectorThe most awe-inspiring thing in music is when an artist takes over the world. At least back when there was a monoculture, it was possible for a single person to dominate collective attention, at… 5426
Reposted by Blaine StumAlly Whelan @amwhelan.bsky.social · 25/08/2026Dolly Parton, Superstar Whose Songs Spoke to Millions, Dies at 80nytimes.comDolly Parton, Superstar Whose Songs Spoke to Millions, Dies at 80 (Gift Article)Known for her outsize persona, appearance and talent, she rose from rural poverty to become a top-selling singer, songwriter and entrepreneur. 2196
Reposted by Blaine StumPierce @pierceah66.bsky.social · 25/08/2026RIP Dolly www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...nbcnews.comDolly Parton, country music icon, dies at 80Her death came after in May 2026 she announced she was canceling a Las Vegas show and said she’d been undergoing treatment for kidney stones for several years. 1264
Reposted by Blaine StumNBC4 Washington @nbcwashington.com · 24/08/2026“You come Monday, someone’s gone.” Students in the D.C. area describe the effects of immigration enforcement.nbcwashington.com‘You come Monday, someone's gone': How immigration enforcement is affecting DMV schoolsAs millions of students across the country prepare to head back to school, the News4 I-Team examined the impacts of President Trump‘s immigration enforcement operations on schools in the D.C. area, fr... 02620
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 24/08/2026The level naivety some academics possess is astonishing.... 100
Reposted by Blaine StumChristina Henderson @chenderson.bsky.social · 24/08/2026Nope, we’re not. Downtown DC has had ongoing road closures since July 20 for this one event. And that will stretch until the first week of September. 7 weeks of this is enough. 115641
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 20/08/2026This is so real, and it's true for all policy-related jobs, frankly. I remember when I was interviewed for (what would become) my first policy job by a Councilmember in Spokane circa 2012.... 262
Reposted by Blaine StumNick Carnes @carnes.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Working-class people almost never go on to become politicians, and that's not a fluke or a recent development: it's a ***built-in feature of elections*** in all democracies (w/ @noamlupu.bsky.social) theconversation.com/why-working-...theconversation.comWhy working-class people account for around 1% of lawmakers in the US – and only 2% in the average democracy around the worldCampaigning anywhere for any office at any level of government is personally burdensome. 76833
Reposted by Blaine StumBrad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · 19/08/2026President Donald Trump sent thousands of National Guard to Washington as what he has said is an effort to get tough on an epidemic of crime. They seldom actually fight crime. Soldiers have been involved in about 1.3% of the city's criminal cases since they arrived. www.reuters.com/world/us/tru... 16398178
Reposted by Blaine StumAdam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · 16/08/2026The fundraising texts you delete are working on someone. It’s infuriating and heartbreaking. An 85yo in Ohio gave more than double the value of his home. A 91yo in an Indianapolis senior facility gave 25K times. The DCCC/DSCC don’t just tolerate the spammers who exploit seniors. They take part.data4democracy.substack.comHook and SqueezeHow Democratic consultants, committees, and party leaders built a fundraising spam pipeline that funnels money from a captive pool of elderly donors into their own operations. 17845351588
Reposted by Blaine StumBrendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 16/08/2026Disturbing @adambonica.bsky.social analysis of the Democratic scam PAC ecosystem and how the tactics they employ are also used by mainstream party orgs and elected officials to take advantage of vulnerable seniors data4democracy.substack.com/p/hook-and-s... 1233897
Reposted by Blaine StumHakeem Jefferson @hakeemjefferson.bsky.social · 17/08/2026“I was asked not to mention the Times at all. I’m choosing not to honor that norm, b/c silence abt how accountability journalism gets suppressed is itself a form of suppression.” Read the back story of how @nytimes.com and @thebulwark.com killed @adambonica.bsky.social’s piece. What a mf badass.data4democracy.substack.comWith Fear and FavorInstitutions don’t have courage. They have incentives. 11197451
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 07/08/2026I’ve been in my current place for 7 years, but am about to move to a new building so I can live with my partner. I’ve had a wonderful experience at my current property, but the cost of moving reminds me of why so many people who don’t have good experiences stay put. 220
Reposted by Blaine StumReuters @reuters.com · 03/08/2026About 60,000 ordered to evacuate from fires in Spokane, Washington reut.rs/4caRSYfreut.rsAbout 60,000 ordered to evacuate from fires in Spokane, WashingtonAround 60,000 people have been ordered to evacuate as wildfires threaten the city of Spokane in Washington state, local officials said Sunday, adding the fires in the region had destroyed 600 buildings, including homes and businesses. 311171
Reposted by Blaine StumMartin Austermuhle @maustermuhle.bsky.social · 30/07/2026NEWS: @chairmanmendelson.com has fired back at @mayorbowser.dc.gov after she returned the 2027 budget unsigned and criticized the D.C. Council for its spending decisions. "At a time when our government is under siege, it not constructive to take gratuitous pot shots at your co-equal branch." 3299
Reposted by Blaine StumMurshed Zaheed @murshedz.bsky.social · 30/07/2026“Trump has rejected disaster aid for Democratic-run states at the highest rate in the 47-year history of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.” Right now people in blue states are basically paying federal taxes as if they’re colonized territories of red states. www.politico.com/news/2026/03... 16154702518
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 23/07/2026In their letter, DoorDash seems to be conflating the passive congressional review that all of our legislation undergoes with active approval. Suffice to say, those are not even close to the same thing. 713346
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 16/07/2026Another day that ends in "y" and another proposal to interfere in the District's affairs. www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/ju...washingtontimes.comComer moves to give Congress veto power over D.C. tax hikesHouse Oversight Chairman James Comer on Thursday introduced legislation that would require congressional approval of any act passed by the D.C. Council that would impose or increase a tax or fee. 131
Reposted by Blaine StumThe New York Times @nytimes.com · 13/07/2026Sam Neill, the New Zealand actor who was perhaps best known for his star turn as Dr. Alan Grant in the “Jurassic Park” series, died on Monday in Sydney, Australia. He was 78. Read more about his life and legacy: nyti.ms/3SWU8vI 22461115
Reposted by Blaine StumAaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 09/07/2026ICE is engaged in a very large escalation nationwide, with the agency claiming to be hitting record arrest numbers amid the return of quotas. This has gotten very little attention from the media because ICE learned lessons from the chaotic disasters of Kristi Noem’s tenure. Keep a watch. 11886945495
Reposted by Blaine StumMatt Binder @mattbinder.bsky.social · 05/07/2026this guy is the co-founder of Airbnb 876144233856
Reposted by Blaine StumMark Harris @markharris.bsky.social · 03/07/202645 years ago today. Buried on page 20 on a holiday Friday just like this one, news that changed the world. www.nytimes.com/1981/07/03/u...nytimes.comRARE CANCER SEEN IN 41 HOMOSEXUALS (Published 1981) 9443131477
Reposted by Blaine StumKelsey Reichmann @kelseyreichmann.bsky.social · 30/06/2026BREAKING: Supreme Court rules against Trump on birthright citizenship, holding that the EO limiting right for for children of certain immigrants does not comply with the 14th Amendment 21613
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 26/06/2026This is a really poorly reasoned decision that leans heavily (and wrongly) on the Supreme Court's decision in Chiles v. Salazar. 111
Reposted by Blaine StumGabriel Malor @gabrielmalor.bsky.social · 26/06/2026In his decision for SCOTUS published this morning, Justice Alito dismissed the idea that the Trump administration would halt all asylum seekers as a mere "hypothetical" not even worth considering. 122344899
Reposted by Blaine StumMark Joseph Stern @mjsdc.bsky.social · 25/06/2026Here is Sotomayor, in dissent, explaining the dire consequences of today's decision in Otro Lado. The government may now circumvent a vast range of laws protecting asylum-seekers by simply blocking their entry at the border. An insane loophole to open up. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25p... 8521220
Reposted by Blaine StumChairman Phil Mendelson @chairmanmendelson.com · 23/06/2026I appreciate that building and protecting the reserve funds is the CFO's policy view, but the CFO does not have the authority to make a policy decision that the Council may not use local reserves to support appropriations. My full letter below or at: chairmanmendelson.com/wp-content/u... 024
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 17/06/2026I know the race hasn’t been called yet, but with this kind of an early lead @janeese4dc.bsky.social is all but assured to win. Congrats to her and her team! 030
Reposted by Blaine StumZach Israel @zachisrael.bsky.social · 15/06/2026A friendly reminder that political candidates don’t control what type of messaging Independent Expenditure (IE) groups decided to put out (via text, mail, online, or on cable TV) 041
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 11/06/2026Just to clarify something here: A tax increase could not be moved at second reading of the Local Budget Act (LBA) on June 23rd. Why? Because a tax increase requires the inclusion of legislative language in the Budget Support Act BEFORE it can be recognized and directed in the LBA. 110
Reposted by Blaine StumChairman Phil Mendelson @chairmanmendelson.com · 08/06/2026Chairman Mendelson's Budget Recommendations have been circulated on the Council Hearing Management System. The documents are available here: lims.dccouncil.gov/Hearings/hea... Tune in to the Media Press Conference on the Budget at Noon on chairmanmendelson.com or on the Council website.lims.dccouncil.govDC Council Hearings Management SystemView Hearings, Register to Witness, Submit Testimony 011
Reposted by Blaine StumJoshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 31/05/2026Hey, DC, check out the brand-new independent, free, and reader-supported @capitalweather.bsky.social (they got out of the gang life) www.capitalweather.com 9562159
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 29/05/2026Jac is a friend who has done incredible work in Spokane. The charges against Jac and others (including those who accepted plea deals) should have never been pursued, but the Trump administration wanted to make an example out of them. Absolutely disgusted by the USAOs conduct and this verdict. 001
Reposted by Blaine StumSahil Kapur @sahilkapur.bsky.social · 20/05/2026Former Rep. Barney Frank, champion of Wall Street reform and LGBTQ trailblazer, dies at 86 www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...nbcnews.comFormer Rep. Barney Frank, champion of Wall Street reform and LGBTQ trailblazer, dies at 86The most prominent gay member of Congress of his generation, the Democrat represented southern Massachusetts in the House for more than 30 years. 25420
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 15/05/2026Not only did many Democrats vote to criminalize bail funds, even more Democrats (96) supported a bill (HR 5625) directing Trump’s Attorney General to develop and publicly post a list of states and localities that do not require cash bail for a variety of alleged offenses. 131
Reposted by Blaine StumBrianne K Nadeau @brianneknadeau.bsky.social · 05/05/2026Council gave final approval today to my bill to make it easier to building small and mid-size buildings. The legislation allows buildings up to 6 stories to have one staircase instead of two. With modern fire suppression, sprinklers evidence shows no need for 2 stairwells. 0122
Reposted by Blaine StumNiko Bowie @nikobowie.bsky.social · 02/05/2026By gutting the Voting Rights Act, the Supreme Court is killing the Second Reconstruction. The first Reconstruction shows how Congress should respond. Me and Daphna Renan in the NYT on the tools we have to save democracy from a hostile Court.nytimes.comOpinion | Ruling by Ruling, the Supreme Court Is Undoing the Civil Rights Movement 412126688
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 29/04/2026This is basically how I described the decision to a friend earlier today. 031
Reposted by Blaine Stumjamelle @jamellebouie.net · 29/04/2026this is very funny as well as good evidence — you know, beyond what we can see with our own eyes — that there is not some epidemic of anti-white discrimination 6949241193
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 27/04/2026Not sure how I missed this, but Niknam et al. (2026) released their evaluation of the District's (formerly) two violence-interruption programs: Cure the Streets and the Violence Interruption Initiative. The results are... not good. academic.oup.com/aje/advance-...academic.oup.comEffects of two community violence interruption programs on firearm violence in Washington, DCAbstract. To reduce urban firearm violence, many cities have enacted community violence interruption (CVI) programs, which rely on credible messengers who 2108
Reposted by Blaine StumZach Halper @zanath.bsky.social · 27/04/2026"Why won't Democrats tone down the rhetoric?" 60855158
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 23/04/2026Today, Acting Attorney General Blanche signed an order reclassifying FDA-approved cannabis products and state licensed medical cannabis products from Schedule I to Schedule III.../1 100
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 22/04/2026Policymakers and party leaders should be pre-ordering this book en masse. @noamlupu.bsky.social and @carnes.bsky.social are (in my mind) the most thoughtful researchers currently studying the under representation of working class people in legislative bodies. 020
Reposted by Blaine Stumpublic health guy @publichealthguy1.bsky.social · 18/04/2026i think folks might be unfamiliar with "the pharisees", so let's make it clear: he's saying the jews run the press, and that they are conspiring to undermine the military. it's not just antisemitism, it's indistinguishable from nazism. 6638311247
Reposted by Blaine StumSpencer Ackerman @attackerman.bsky.social · 12/04/2026We have entered the “you can’t kill me if I commit suicide” phase of American Decline 18671151710