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Chad Lykins

@chadlykins.bsky.social
706 followers 487 following 116 posts

International Policy Wonkery Portland 🌹 | Amsterdam 🚲

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Reposted by Chad Lykins
Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
“We need an Ozempic for cars. They are growing at a phenomenal rate, wreaking havoc on roads, squeezing out smaller vehicles and endangering pedestrians. Like ever-hungry teenagers, cars in Europe are growing on average a centimetre wider every year.” Don’t repeat North America’s mistake, Europe.
theguardian.com
Britain’s cars and SUVs are growing bigger – but there is a way to stop this deadly ‘carspreading’ | Christian Wolmar
Larger vehicles crowd our roads and are far more dangerous to pedestrians. Let’s curb them before they do even more damage, says says transport commentator Christian Wolmar
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Update: DOJ is now 0-20 on its demand for voter files.
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
I registered at votefromabroad.org and requested to receive my ballot electronically in order to protect it from Trump's corrupt efforts to limit ballot delivery. If you know US voters living abroad, please pass along the suggestion.
votefromabroad.org
Request Absentee Ballots for US Citizens | VoteFromAbroad.org
Helping US Citizens Request Their Absentee Ballot to Vote from Outside the US | VoteFromAbroad.org
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Great digging by @portlandmercury.com. www.portlandmercury.com/news/in-late...
portlandmercury.com
In Latest Newsletter, Mayor Wilson Ridicules Blazers Fan and Influential Critic as a “Techbro” - Portland Mercury
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson had critiques and a sharp tongue in a Tuesday newsletter that took jabs at city councilors as well as a data analyst who’s become one of the most influential sources of inf...
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
If you aren't following @demsabroad.bsky.social it's worth fixing that. One of the clearest and most consistent sources of info on voting rights. Also, this.
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
This is kind of embarrassing but I seem to have misplaced every piece of evidence I had about voter fraud. Asked my Republican friends for help but it seems that they haven't seen it either, which is weird because they keep talking about voter fraud like they see it all the time. So frustrating!
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Reposted by Chad Lykins
Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
DOJ demanded voter files from all 50 states. DOJ sued 31 states for refusing their demand. My law firm intervened to protect voters in those cases. DOJ is now 0-5. My firm is 5-0. Lesson: When we fight we win.
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
Trump announced that he intends to commit genocide hours from now. Congress should impeach and remove him from office before he has the chance. The threat alone is a war crime.
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Reposted by Chad Lykins
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield @agdanrayfield.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
The president cannot rewrite the Constitution and overturn birthright citizenship by executive order. We are confident the Supreme Court will agree. Read our full statement following today’s oral arguments. #orpol
“Today, the Supreme Court heard arguments on whether a president can simply decide – by executive order, on his first day in office – to strip citizenship from children born on American soil. The answer, as court after court has found, is no.”“Oregon joined this fight because we believe in the rule of law –and because we know who this order actually harms. It’s children growing up in our communities. Children attending our schools. Children who are, by every measure of our Constitution and our history, Americans. The president does not get to rewrite the Constitution by executive order. We are confident the Court will agree.”
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
When people ask “what are Democrats doing” send them one of the dozens of links like this.
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Reposted by Chad Lykins
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield @agdanrayfield.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Read our statement on today’s executive order limiting vote by mail. #orpol
“Oregonians have been voting by mail for decades. It’s safe and secure. Even the president does it. Vote by mail increases access to the ballot which is a cornerstone to our democracy, and we’ll use every legal tool available to us to fight this and protect Oregonians’ right to vote.”
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Another illegal executive order issued yesterday attempting to give the president control of elections. Oregons’s AG has been great on fighting these.
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Reposted by Chad Lykins
Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
In case you missed it, Utrecht, Netherlands has begun building the largest Dutch “car-free” neighbourhood. 12K people 6K homes 1.8K social rental homes 1.5 mid-range rental & affordable owner-occupied homes 21.5K bike parking spaces 250 shared cars 2 parcel hubs Parking structures on the edge.
nltimes.nl
Utrecht to start construction on largest car-free neighborhood in the country next week
Construction of a new neighborhood is set to begin in Utrecht next week. The neighborhood, called Merwede, is scheduled to be the largest car-free district in the Netherlands, with 6,000 homes. The ar...
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
Portland Frog showed up at today's No Tyrants Protest in Amsterdam 🐸.
Chad and Frog wearing blue cape. Democrats Abroad sign reminding people to request their ballots. Crowd at Museumplein.
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Reposted by Chad Lykins
Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
Media & police commonly report that “speed wasn’t a factor in a crash.” What they mean is the driver wasn’t technically breaking the speed limit, or at least not too much. But speed is ALWAYS a factor, in how much distance is needed to stop, how well crash victims can be seen, and whether they die.
Graphic showing how hard it is for drivers to yield at different speeds, how a drivers field of vision is reduced at higher speeds, and how the likelihood of a struck pedestrian dying increases with speed. #SpeedKills #SpeedIsALWAYSaFactor
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
Very good read.
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Reposted by Chad Lykins
Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
When Massachusetts passed a "millionaires tax" in 2023, conservatives claimed the rich would flee. But two years later, they haven't — and MA has collected $5.7B for infrastructure and public education. A reminder that positive change can still happen at the state level.
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Reposted by Chad Lykins
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 20/02/2026
The SAVE Act would require American citizens to show documents like a passport or birth certificate to register to vote. Our research shows that more than 21 million Americans lack ready access to those documents. bit.ly/4rA2p4R
brennancenter.org
New SAVE Act Bills Would Still Block Millions of Americans From Voting
The “show your papers” requirement is an attack on the freedom to vote.
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
Copy this idea: Sixteen year olds in Amsterdam can vote in elections for District Committee.
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
This bill is another attack on all Americans' right to vote, but it is especially devastating to the 1.3 million Americans who vote while abroad. It effectively strips them of voting rights. www.democracydocket.com/opinion/the-...
democracydocket.com
The SAVE America Act would disenfranchise Americans living abroad
The “SAVE America Act” is a rebranded version of the anti-voter SAVE Act, and its new name should not fool anyone.
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
My article for @dutchnewsnl.bsky.social just came out. Thank you to the editors for not titling it, "Dum Dum Thinks Netherlands Needs More Dum Dums Just Like Him, But Like, More Famous." 🇺🇸 🇳🇱 🇪🇺 www.dutchnews.nl/2026/02/the-...
dutchnews.nl
The Netherlands needs more influencers from the United States - DutchNews.nl
Last month, Molly Quell asked in her regular column if the Netherlands can survive the onslaught of American influencers. This week, Chad Lykins says we need to welcome even more of them.  I enjoy an ...
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Reposted by Chad Lykins
sarah jeong @sarahjeong.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
ICE tear gassed a bunch of children on Saturday. This was a massive escalation of force. They were shooting tear gas at the back of the crowd, it took these unmasked people maybe 3-5 minutes in the cloud of tear gas to escape in without trampling. www.theverge.com/policy/87278...
theverge.com
ICE is afraid of children protesting
“Next time, I’ll be back with a gas mask.”
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Reposted by Chad Lykins
Khanh Pham for Oregon @khanhphamfororegon.com · 01/02/2026
I join my City Councilors in calling for prosecution of ICE for this flagrant violation of city and state law. This is illegal, and if ICE does this to families and children on a sunny peaceful daytime protest, I shudder to think what they do without that kind of daylight and public scrutiny.
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Reposted by Chad Lykins
Mitch Green @councilorgreen.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
I just got tear gassed along with thousands of union members, many of whom had their families with them. Federal agents at the ICE facility tear gassed children. We must abolish ICE, DHS, and we must have prosecutions. I expect to see enforcement of our city code prohibiting the use of tear gas.
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
Federal agents in Portland fired tear gas and flash bangs at children, elderly people, and elected leaders.
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Would love to hear US housing folks' opinions about what can be learned from tax reform in the Dutch housing market. I think it's murky enough to be a kind or Rorschach test. share.google/QgTdQlBRYRdv...
share.google
Record apartment sales last year as landlords ditch rentals
Landlords selling their rentals into the owner-occupied market led to a record number of apartment sales last year. These former rentals are typically cheaper than the other homes in the housing marke...
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Reposted by Chad Lykins
Qagggy! @qagggy.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
<sips tea> I agree 100%.
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
"I think us masked executioners are the real victims here." bsky.app/profile/paul...
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Reposted by Chad Lykins
ACLU @aclu.org · 26/01/2026
NEW: A Texas county medical examiner found that Geraldo Lunas Campos was choked to death by a guard while he was held in ICE custody earlier this month. Geraldo is the sixth person to die in ICE detention this year.
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Reposted by Chad Lykins
Ana Marie Cox @anamariecox.com · 25/01/2026
The majority of organizing happening in Minnesota isn’t just peaceful, it’s INVISIBLE. Moms showing up who won’t be interviewed on TV, people whose ICE patrols don’t turn into viral video. The grocery runs, the donations, the people filming bc they happen to be there. Please remember this.
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
ICE kidnapped a 7 year old who was on her way to urgent care and sent her to a concentration camp in Texas. This is the same camp where they imprisoned a five-year old from Minnesota who they had snatched and used as bait to lure out his relatives. This must stop. www.opb.org/article/2026...
opb.org
Gresham family detained by immigration officers while seeking medical care for their 7-year-old
The family’s detainment marks the first confirmed detainment of an entire family in Oregon, advocates say.
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Visiting the @verzetsmuseum.bsky.social (Resistance Museum) is a really powerful experience. The exhibits are well done and are clearly attempting to balance pride in their heroes with shame for their nation’s collective failure. 🧵
Front of Verstsmuseum
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
Everyone: Judges have ruled several times that the President has broken the law. Do you support impeachment? House Leader: Yes... Everyone: Oh, okay... House Leader: ....of the judges.
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Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
IMPORTANT: The Dutch invest €595 million annually on urban biking, resulting in €19 BILLION saved in public health care costs alone. That’s how smart governments do the math on investing in better mobility. Let’s be clear— it WASTES public money to NOT do it. #CityMakingMath HT @modacitylife.com
Striking images of Dutch bike infrastructure taken by @ModaCityLife.com
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Made the mistake of tuning in to watch Trump's rambling nonsense at Davos and he said China only sells windmills and doesn't use them because they aren't cost effective. In 2024 China produced more windpower than the US and Europe combined. www.reuters.com/world/china/...
reuters.com
China widens wind power lead with new generation record: Maguire
China's wind farms produced over 100 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity in March, the highest monthly total ever by a single country and as much as all of Europe and North America combined, data from...
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Excited for this kickoff event! One of the best things about being abroad is seeing how local government works (or doesn't work) outside the US. Already learning things I hope to bring back to MultCo and PDX. February 1 at 11:00am Cafe R. De Rosa, Boomstraat 41A, 1015 LB
Flier for GroenLinks event on February 1 at 11am at Cafe R De Rosa.
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
When Hitler invaded the Rhineland & broke the Treaty of Versailles, some thought he'd stop there & that negotiation was preferable to confrontation. Trump and MAGA extremists will not stop at Venezuela. They will not stop at Greenland. This is the Fourth Reich. www.bbc.com/news/live/cx...
bbc.com
'We have to have it': Trump sets out Greenland stance to European leaders and shares Macron text
Ahead of the Davos forum in Switzerland, Trump shares a message apparently from the French president that says:
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
This is the hardest job in Oregon politics. Many thanks to @jvegapederson.bsky.social for your service to MultCo.
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Jonathan Maus @jonathanmaus.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
Look at the central city riverfront of Portland. It's just so shocking and embarrassing that we tolerate this.
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
@bikeloudpdx.bsky.social @bikeportland.org @thestreettrust.org @strongtownspdx.bsky.social @amb.fyi @wilsonxcassie.bsky.social @nomorefreewayspdx.com
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Portland: Neighbors Welcome @portlandneighborswelcome.org · 24/11/2025
The Portland Neighbors Welcome Board of Directors has five spots open for election this winter! Consider applying to be on the board - applications are due December 10th. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Required responsibilities

    Attend and actively participate in all regularly scheduled board meetings (Meetings are generally held once per month, often virtual with a goal of quarterly in-person meetings, mutually agreed upon by the board)
    Read all prepared materials in advance of board meetings and review as necessary
    Respond to board-relevant Slack and email communications in a timely manner
    Act as a community ambassador for Portland: Neighbors Welcome
    Stay apprised of key campaign activity of Portland: Neighbors Welcome
    Leverage any personal expertise or connections to support Portland: Neighbors Welcome campaigns, governance, and mission

Recommended (but not required) activities for board members

    Raise financial resources for Portland: Neighbors Welcome and trusted partners
    Attend and participate in Organizing Committee meetings and activities
    Join and participate in at least one Portland: Neighbors Welcome workgroup
    Serve as a spokesperson for Portland: Neighbors Welcome in media

Minimum time expectation

     Attend each 1.5-2 hour monthly board meeting (and adequately prepare for each)
    ~1-to-2 hours per week in other board responsibilities (primarily interim communication & decision-making)
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BikePortland @bikeportland.org · 21/11/2025
It's open, and it's an absolute triumph. I never thought we'd get our own little version of Amsterdam's famous Rijksmuseum tunnel! I had to see it to believe it. youtu.be/zKqKCWsSOcU
youtu.be
New Bike Path Through Portland Art Museum
YouTube video by BikePortland
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Happy Sint-Maartenfeest to all who celebrate! Learned about this holiday when I opened the door and two primary schoolers holding lanterns started singing to me. According to Dutch tradition, you give them candy or they get to set your house on fire.
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
Still settling in after moving from Portland to Amsterdam, but I gotta share our first bike purchase. Picked up a secondhand bike with a new lock, basket, lights, and 90 day warranty for €265. It's a beauty. Still building the rest of the family fleet 🚲.
Chad standing with a crimson Union bike in front of Westerpark Bike Shop.
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
Wow wow wow. 🪓🪵
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Chad Lykins @chadlykins.bsky.social · 01/11/2025
Portland's ruling class has a bizarre theory that the way to revitalize troubled locations is to remove seating, bathrooms, and open spaces, then add boulders and hideous fencing. You see it at Central Library, Firefighter Memorial, etc. Meanwhile in Europe...
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107IST @107ist.org · 01/11/2025
Today at 1! #BAONPDX #RCTID
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The Oregonian @oregonian.com · 01/11/2025
A Portland-area youth soccer organization has had to adjust its schedule as teams cancel play due to nearby ICE activity.
oregonlive.com
Portland youth soccer games canceled over nearby ICE activity
A Portland-area youth soccer organization has had to adjust its schedule as teams cancel play due to nearby ICE activity.
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