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Ronald Roberts

@civicswithron.bsky.social
743 followers 458 following 232 posts

Retired educator correcting misinformation wherever I find it, as any teacher would. Social media is the public square, and class is still in session.

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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Trump didn’t get here alone. Republicans had chance after chance to restrain him. They chose loyalty instead. That was their betrayal—of Trump, their oath, and the country.
Poster titled “The Betrayal of Donald J. Trump” with the subtitle “They never told him no.” Donald Trump stands alone in a dim hallway while a group of suited figures walks away in the background.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Political disagreement isn’t new. What worries me is when we stop trying to learn from it. I don’t need to be right. I need to get it right.
Split red-and-blue graphic comparing two ways of thinking. On the red side, “MAGA wants to be RIGHT” appears above a silhouette with a locked mind and the words, “I’ve made up my mind. Don’t confuse me with facts.” On the blue side, “I WANT TO GET IT RIGHT” appears above a silhouette with an open door and the words, “I could be wrong. Show me the truth. Help me understand.” Across the bottom: “BIG DIFFERENCE IN THINKING.”
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Autocrats rise one step at a time—and only when others enable them. Republicans chose the autocrat. I choose the Constitution.
Dark staircase infographic titled “Power doesn’t appear overnight. It is taken—step by step.” Each rising step traces Trump’s authoritarian conduct: abuse of power becoming normal (2017–2019), first impeachment (2019), acquittal by Republican senators (2020), refusal to concede, efforts to overturn the election, January 6 insurrection, second impeachment, Republicans preventing conviction, and continued lack of accountability. A large arrow warns, “The climb is gradual. The risk is real.” Yellow text reads: “Autocrats don’t rise alone. They rise when others enable them.”
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Campaigns train volunteers to knock on doors. They should also train them to verify claims and correct misinformation online. Use AI to check the facts before posting. A bot or troll is simply another door to knock on—another place to leave the truth behind.
Graphic split between a campaign volunteer knocking on a front door and another volunteer correcting misinformation on a laptop. Text reads: “Campaigns train people to knock on doors. Rebutting misinformation online is the same work—just a different door. Let’s train volunteers to do both.”
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
I can testify to this. My guitar never made me wealthy, but it has made my life richer in ways money never could.
Pencil-style drawing of an older bearded man seated on a stool and playing an acoustic guitar. Text reads: “A guitar may never make you wealthy. But it will make your life richer.”
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Free speech gives every person a voice; it does not give anyone control over everyone else’s response. When hate, racism, lies, or misinformation enter a space we share, we have an equal right—and a civic duty—to answer with truth. This is our space too.
Civic poster titled “The Public Square.” Large cream-colored text on a dark blue background reads: “Free speech gives you a voice. It gives us one too. This is our space too.” Below, in a sunny town square, a diverse group of neighbors gathers as a man reaches down to help a seated woman to her feet, representing shared responsibility and community care.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Constitutional conservatives and constitutional liberals may disagree about policy, but we can walk together to defend our republic. Right now, the Democratic tent is the path—not the destination. The Constitution is the destination.
Political illustration reading “The Constitution Is the Destination.” Constitutional conservatives and constitutional liberals walk together toward a Democratic tent, while MAGA follows an authoritarian path marked “Dead End.”
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
The Founders pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor. I’m nearly 80, a retired teacher and Army veteran. I’ve given more than I should because I would rather lose everything I own than surrender the Constitution I swore to defend to authoritarians. What are you willing to give?
Illustration connecting two eras: Above, five Founders sign the Declaration of Independence by candlelight. Below, an older Army veteran holds the U.S. Constitution at his kitchen table beside a framed service photograph, household bills, and the Capitol at dusk. Text reads: “They pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What are we willing to sacrifice to keep the republic?”
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Public Square is the name. Anyone could view everything posted there, but only verified registered voters could post or comment. It would be a civic forum for those choosing our government, not a replacement for the free speech everyone already has elsewhere.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I wondered the same thing, so I looked into it and contacted New_ Public. They’re already working on healthier digital public spaces designed for constructive civic participation. The pieces of this idea already exist; the next step is bringing them together into a true public platform.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
The blinds are closed.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
That’s a fair distinction. The public keeps every existing platform and its free-speech rights. I’m proposing a verified civic forum—more like a public town hall—where voters can discuss government and question officials without bots, fake accounts, ads, or outrage for profit.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
I agree—we should discuss it everywhere. “Protected” doesn’t mean hidden or censored. It means an official civic space where voters, candidates and government are verified; opinions remain free, claims carry sources or an “unverified” label, and evidence—not outrage—earns reach.
A square civic poster fading from chaotic red social-media symbols on the left to a calm blue-and-gold public square with a courthouse and verification marks on the right. Large text reads: “The algorithm is a teacher. Today it rewards outrage. A Public Square should reward evidence. What we reward, we become.”
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Social media’s algorithm is already a teacher. Today it rewards outrage. We the People need a publicly owned, nonpartisan Public Square where citizens and government meet, evidence travels farther than anger, and free speech remains free. What we reward, we become.
A square civic poster fading from chaotic red social-media symbols on the left to a calm blue-and-gold public square with a courthouse and verification marks on the right. Large text reads: “The algorithm is a teacher. Today it rewards outrage. A Public Square should reward evidence. What we reward, we become.”
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Thanks. We need a protected public square for honest debate about our republic—and another place for cows. We have the place for cows. We just need the other, with an algorithm that rewards truth over outrage—a place where citizenship comes before party.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Sorry, I’m almost 80 and still trying to figure this out. I wanted the governor to see this, saw his name, and—bam. I’m from Texas, and I have no clue what you’re talking about.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Truth Social is a bad example of a good idea. We the People need a nonpartisan online Public Square—owned by each state for its registered voters—where evidence travels with claims and transparent algorithms reward responsible citizenship over outrage. It should belong to us.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Truth Social is a bad example of a good idea. We the People need a nonpartisan online Public Square—owned by each state for its registered voters—where evidence travels with claims and transparent algorithms reward responsible citizenship over outrage. It should belong to us.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Social media gave ordinary people something we never had before—the ability to talk directly to our government and to each other. That's a good idea. I just don't think we've built the right place to do it yet. What if social media really belonged to the people?
Illustration of a public square. On the left, people look at phones beneath Facebook, X, and Instagram logos and a sign reading, “Owned by a few, not for the people.” On the right, citizens talk face-to-face beneath symbols of community, discussion, justice, and government. Text reads: “Social media allows a President the ability to communicate directly with the American people. That is a good idea. Truth Social is a bad example of that good idea. Using a partisan social-media platform to do it is a bad example. Elon Musk buying Twitter in the name of protecting free speech is another bad example of a good idea. The public square shouldn’t depend upon which billionaire owns it or which political party controls it. It should belong to the people, operated as a public institution and protected by the same constitutional principles of free speech that were intended to allow citizens to question their government and one another.”
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Federal contractors are bulldozing inside Big Bend National Park for a $1.7 billion border project, even though no unauthorized vehicle crossings have been documented in the region and the entire 517-mile Big Bend Sector accounted for only 1.3% of border apprehensions in 2025.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
If we want the truth and the Epstein files exposed, vote Democrat. Give them Congress for two years and let oversight work. Republicans called FDR a socialist, too. Voters elected him four times, and his policies helped build the middle class. Two years—then judge the results.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
I’m not voting straight Democrat because I agree with every Democrat. I’m doing it because every Republican who supports, excuses, or remains silent about Trump helps keep Trumpism alive. If we want it gone, we must vote out the people enabling it—all of them. @democracynow.org
A red, white, and blue political poster featuring Donald Trump pointing toward the viewer. Text reads: “Why am I voting straight Democrat? Not because I’m a Democrat. Not because I’m a liberal. But because every Republican on my ballot—and your ballot—is a Trump enabler. Trump can’t exist without these guys. They make Trump who he is. They have to go. All of them. Clean sweep. Vote them all out!”
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Trump’s EPA is counting the cost of pollution controls to industry while discounting the health benefits to the people breathing the air. Clean air should matter more than a polluter’s profits.
A split image contrasts a dark industrial landscape filled with smokestacks and polluted air against a bright blue sky, green hills, and a clean river. Large text reads: “If you want to breathe, vote Democrat.”
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
We built the last century offshore. Why not build the next one there too—reusing old oil platforms for AI powered by wind and waves and cooled by the sea? The future ought to be innovative, practical, and responsible.
A futuristic offshore data center built on a converted oil platform, surrounded by wind turbines and wave-energy devices at sunset. Text reads: “Old oil platforms built the past. Let them host the future. Offshore AI • Powered by wind & waves • Cooled by the sea.”
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
The Founders did not agree on everything—and neither will we. The Republic was built through debate, compromise, and the courage to question power. Honest disagreement is not a threat to America; it is how free citizens protect its future.
A diverse group of six adults sits outdoors having a friendly discussion in front of Independence Hall. Text reads: “America was argued into existence. Let’s argue honestly about its future.”
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
The real measure of an advanced society is not what it can build, but whether its people are mature enough to think, question, listen, and put the common good ahead of the tribe.
Technology can make a society powerful, but only character makes it advanced. When we value truth over tribe, ideas over propaganda, and dialogue over domination, we protect the common good. That is how free citizens keep power accountable—and keep a republic.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
"We the People” means all of us, and keeping the Republic remains our shared responsibility.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
No more excuses, delays, or selective releases. The American people deserve the complete record—and accountability for everyone involved, regardless of party, wealth, or power. If you want the files, change who holds the gavel.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
The attorney general is supposed to serve the Constitution and the rule of law—not one man. When loyalty becomes the qualification, our republic is in danger. You want to keep the Republic? Vote Democrat.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Disagreement is not the threat to democracy; dishonesty is. Citizens do not have to think alike, but we must care enough about one another—and this Republic—to seek the truth together.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Not because Democrats are perfect, but because facts still matter, evidence still matters, and no leader should ever be above the law. If you want accountability instead of loyalty to one man, vote Democrat.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Presidents come and go. Parties rise and fall. The Republic survives only when citizens understand its principles, defend them, and teach them to the next generation. The Constitution is our inheritance; keeping it is our responsibility.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
The election lie is Trump’s alibi. Admit that he lost, and January 6 can no longer be disguised as patriotism. It becomes what it always was: an attempt to overturn the choice of the American people.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
They called it socialism. Working Americans called it progress—and elected FDR four times. Social Security, jobs, labor rights, rural electricity, and bank-deposit protection didn’t destroy America. They helped build the modern middle class.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
Governor Abbott’s cleanup orders cleared encampments but left no plan for where people would go — only a five-acre lot for a few hundred and shelters already full. Three to six thousand Texans are still here, just harder to see. Homelessness doesn’t disappear — it only grows quieter and crueler.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
The Pentagon works for the people — not the other way around. When the Secretary of Defense tries to limit what reporters can ask or print, that’s not “security.” It’s censorship. The First Amendment doesn’t bend for power. #PressFreedom #NoKings #FirstAmendment
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
No.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
Talk is cheap...I'd rather hear about it, after the fact.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 26/09/2025
When primal urges meet unchecked wealth, exploitation follows. Tax it. Regulate it. And demand better from those with power.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
Just be done. If a company caves to political pressure and silences voices, the unions and guilds, should just stop doing business with them. No statements, no negotiations, no demands — just goodbye.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
We knew who Trump was in 2020 — that’s why we voted for Biden and Harris. But you gave him every break, never held him accountable, and now here we are. Biden should explain why his administration went so easy on Trump. It might help make sense of this.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
Today, division feels normal. But it isn’t. It’s what happens when a nation forgets how to work together — when we stop teaching the very skills that made us capable of solving problems in the first place. We still have the capability, we just lack the skill.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
When hate calls itself holy, silence is mistaken for surrender. Those who know what love means must speak.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
Division isn’t who we are — it’s what happens when we stop teaching the skills that once held us together.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
The strength of a republic is not written in its laws but in the people who choose to uphold them. Constitutions cannot enforce themselves. Courts, elections, legislatures, and agencies are only paper and process — unless human beings breathe integrity into them.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
Free speech means protecting voices we dislike — not silencing them.
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
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Ronald Roberts @civicswithron.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
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