iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 23h

Even Trump's former supporters get sick at their stomach watching his sick, "strongman narcissist" ads, which have been funded by taxpayers. open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...

open.substack.com

‘I Need Some Pepto-Bismol’: Trump’s Taxpayer-Funded Ad Bombs in Focus Group

It’s not *just* the corruption that bothers them. It’s the actual content, too.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Yes, with the help of RFK Jr., Trump is causing a veritable shitshow for consumers. robertreich.substack.com/p/is-trump-t...

robertreich.substack.com

Is Trump to blame for explosive diarrhea, too?

Yes. His cuts in food safety have literally caused a shitshow.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Beware the Office of Management and Budget and its Project 2025 executor distributing the spoils of a democratic nation. Wake up! statuskuo.substack.com/p/trump-is-c...

statuskuo.substack.com

Trump Is Certifiable. The Press Shrugs It Off.

A week of alarming, unhinged statements by Trump raises the question of whether the press can still report with clarity and courage.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Finger-pointing: Is Sophie Cunningham too toxic for the Fever to win? Indiana has a lot of questions to resolve after the Caitlin Clark-led team fizzled against the WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces. www.nytimes.com/athletic/766...

nytimes.com

Fever should part with Sophie Cunningham. She’s too turbulent to be paired with Caitlin Clark (Gift Article)

If the Fever ever want to go back to being a basketball team, Cunningham — who was largely responsible for this year's circus — has to go.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Fascinating and revealing interview from The Atlantic with Kara Swisher (Burn Book) on the evolving culture of Silicon Valley, "the AI threat matrix, the broligarchs now playing in the political sandbox. ... There are no guardrails on these people, ever," she says. youtu.be/F_lINL20h3c?...

youtu.be

The Tech Economy: Is AI Reshaping America?

YouTube video by The Atlantic

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Yes, I'm talking about “affordability” and income inequality, and the importance of labor law reform to afford workers the power to bargain for better wages and working conditions. EPI and The American Prospect deliver the goods. cmichaelbyrne304858.substack.com/p/the-real-e...

cmichaelbyrne304858.substack.com

The Real Economy and US

What we owe the Economic Policy Institute and The American Prospect

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Americans are lining up in cities across America to see first-hand evidence of the Trump-Epstein pedophilia and corruption. The Epstein Memorial Bookmobile is in Pennsylvania, heading to Ohio. open.substack.com/pub/defiance...

open.substack.com

I need to tell you about something remarkable happening in America.

Donald Trump’s crowds are shrinking. But in city after city, Americans are lining up around the block to see firsthand evidence of his corruption.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

@bsky.app A profile in courage: Jack Smith will tell senators his investigation found proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump committed crimes and that the rule of law is being directly threatened by the Trump regime today. open.substack.com/pub/defiance...

open.substack.com

Jack Smith is what courage looks like. Today he walks into the lion’s den for all of us.

The former Trump prosecutor is defying threats from the president and standing up for the rule of law.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

So true, so underreported: It’s not that the prices are going up, it’s that earnings are not keeping up, diminishing the power of the dollar and the existence of a middle class. The GOP is liable for a War on Workers, not just Trump. open.substack.com/pub/thomhart...

open.substack.com

The Biggest Lie About America’s Affordability Crisis Is Hiding in Your Paycheck

Prices didn’t leave working Americans behind all by themselves. Decades of weakened unions, stagnant wages, billionaire tax cuts, and policies favoring capital changed who gets the money…

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Good advice from the Professor on steps to rebuild our democracy after Trump. But first: Go get in that Blue Wave! robertreich.substack.com/p/10-steps-t...

robertreich.substack.com

10 Steps To Fix What Trump Has Broken

And mend everything thereafter

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Trump and his FCC forced Jimmy Kimmel to take his interview with James Talarico off ABC and onto YouTube. The same thing happened to Stephen Colbert, producing his most-watched interview ever. It probably won't beat this one, now at 2.7 million views. youtu.be/WLDE9LrGpNk?...

youtu.be

Jimmy Kimmel’s Interview with James Talarico That the FCC Doesn’t Want You To See

YouTube video by Jimmy Kimmel Live

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Americans love unions, and why not? United, workers build economic progress for everyone, not just for the Epstein class. We have the power to change labor laws and practice. prospect.org/2026/09/07/l...

prospect.org

Labor Day 2026: Record-High Popularity, Record-Low Power for America’s Unions - The American Prospect

Wages now constitute the lowest share of the nation’s income since the government began measuring them in 1947.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

The hits just keep on coming. Time to put down the remote and get to work. Open the door and tell the world, "I'm made as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore!" We've got two months until Election Day. open.substack.com/pub/thomhart...

open.substack.com

Saturday Report 8/29/26 — Your Family Is Out $3,800, the Navy Is Out of Money, and Yosemite Is Apparently for Sale

The Best of the Rest of the News

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Fascinating conversation between two of my favorite professors, Robert Reich and Heather Cox Richardson about our political circumstance. History may not repeat, but it does recycle. robertreich.substack.com/p/in-convers...

robertreich.substack.com

In Conversation with Heather Cox Richardson

On the Origins of Trumpism

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Do you trust this man? Todd Blanche is the consigliere of the Trump crime family, and heads the team trying to keep Trump in power. His job has been to undermine the justice system, to save his client's assets. He doesn't work for us. We are the patsies. statuskuo.substack.com/p/the-trust-...

statuskuo.substack.com

The “Trust Me, Bro” DOJ

Attorney General Todd Blanche isn’t even trying to claim independence from the White House. He just wants us to take his word that he won’t act illegally or unethically.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Trump doesn't believe in laws he can't break. He believe he is above the law, but he is not. statuskuo.substack.com/p/no-means-n...

statuskuo.substack.com

No Means No, Donald

In case after case, Trump has refused to accept the judgment of the legal system.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

The news media is largely ignoring the fact that Elon Musk, who is spending billions to influence U.S. politics, is the world’s most vocal white supremacist and advocate of ethnic cleansing. He uses his own social media channel, X, to amplify his message of hate. open.substack.com/pub/critical...

open.substack.com

The world’s most vocal racist will be the Republican Party’s biggest donor again. But don’t mention it.

Our top news organizations are covering up Elon Musk’s white supremacist propaganda

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Got inflammation? Good. Your body is fighting off an infection. And new discoveries point to how you can help it along, easing discomfort and fighting off sickness. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

nytimes.com

Inflammation Keeps Us Alive. It's Also Making Us Sick. (Gift Article)

The discovery that chronic inflammation is a cause of myriad illnesses could be this century's biggest medical breakthrough.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

I'm with Dr. Fauci, and science. Sen. Rand Paul's political motives are obvious, and President Trump's campaigns against both Fauci and science are dangerous. It's a shame that Fauci is persecuted after a career dedicated to fighting disease. www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/...

theatlantic.com

The Unmaking of Anthony Fauci

He built an empire. It did not last.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Once again the media can't explain what's going on with Trump and his tariffs. Yes, it's a distraction. open.substack.com/pub/critical...

open.substack.com

What you need to know (and didn’t read) about Trump’s new tariffs

Starting with how they’re based on a bald-faced lie

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

The critical thing we should all know about those Canadian forest fires: the Earth is on fire. open.substack.com/pub/billmcki...

open.substack.com

Smoke Gets In Your...Hole Where Your Soul Should Be

MAGA may have a set a new mark for belligerent stupidity

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

The fascists are trying to make anti-fascism a crime. It's not. It's an American ideal. The Trump administration wants to impose dictatorial power, forcibly oppress the opposition and suppress individual rights. That's fascism. We should all be "Antifa." open.substack.com/pub/defiance...

open.substack.com

Trump plots a "workaround" to use terror powers against his foes. His foes have a shield.

The White House can't legally designate its domestic opposition as "terrorists." So here's the Trump administration's backdoor plan to do it anyway.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Excellent summary of Trump's speech last night, with explanations and pointed commentary. What a Loser! open.substack.com/pub/simonwdc...

open.substack.com

Trump Is Unwell and Dangerously Desperate, Strong Dem Q2 Fundraising, Great New Poll In Georgia

Morning all.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Pro-Trump billionaires own Fox News, CBS News, CNN, the Wall Street Journal, Roku, Washington Post, and a huge swath of local TV and radio. MAGA billionaires control the platforms that distribute news, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter, and TikTok. open.substack.com/pub/messageb...

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

On Thursday America will see an old man and a sore loser who still cannot accept that he lost, fair and square. And it will see a man who is willing to burn down public faith in democracy itself rather than admit it. open.substack.com/pub/defiance...

open.substack.com

I helped oversee election security for Trump. He's about to swap the "Big Lie" for a Bigger Lie.

The president will reportedly begin releasing cherry-picked intelligence from 2020 to make it look like a foreign country helped Joe Biden win. The claims are categorically false.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

I'm one year sober, thanks largely to conversations with my daughter. Her Metta Momentum incorporates both Western psychology and Eastern philosophy, but It's most precious quality is Miki's honesty and compassion. Talk to her! Her links are here: open.substack.com/pub/mikimett...

open.substack.com

Getting On Without Knowing Where It Ends

Three Slow Breaths...

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Excellent new book that details how railroad barons, failing to sway courts to give corporations status as "persons," managed to buy a court clerk's inaccurate summary of a case - now apparently an indelible citation. We are suffering the consequences today. open.substack.com/pub/thomhart...

open.substack.com

The Lie That Changed America

From corporate personhood to Citizens United, the hidden story behind today's billionaire political power - and what we can do about it…

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

AI exploits and corrupts Wikipedia. But don't count out the nearly 250,000 unpaid strangers editing 324 times a minute under pseudonyms like “Dr. Blofeld” and “WooHooKitty.” You could even join that global newsroom. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/05/b...

nytimes.com

Wikipedia Is Battling for the Soul of the Internet

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

If we can't find a way to tell our nation's story, the history of the United States of America, perhaps we are no longer the nation our Founders set out to create. How do we bridge this divide? www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...

theatlantic.com

How America Gave Up on Its Own History

Unable to agree on how to interpret the American story, the country’s schools, universities, and political institutions have stopped trying to tell it at all.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Trump would earn $400,000 as U.S. president if he took it, if he were an honest man. Instead, he used POTUS-level inside information to play global markets, reaping $2.2 billion. "That makes me smart," he says of all his financial swindles. So, is he above the law? www.nytimes.com/2026/06/30/u...

nytimes.com

Trump Pulled in at Least $2 Billion After Returning to the White House

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

This guy should be representing all of us. He speaks the truth. Re-elect Jon Ossoff to the U.S. Senate, Georgia, and he will rise to meet even greater challenges. Listen: www.youtube.com/live/T8sJgHZ...

youtube.com

Rally with Jon Ossoff | Savannah, Georgia | 06.27.2026

YouTube video by Jon Ossoff

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Remember when the Republican Party had a big tent, good heart and smart leaders? Gone, as historian Heather Cox Richardson explains. Replaced by Tweety Birdbrains. open.substack.com/pub/heatherc...

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

In the first Gilded Age, at least the super rich sought to project a sense of respectability. No more. open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...

open.substack.com

The Theory of the Vulgar Class

Collapsing norms, cage matches, and a republic in danger

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

It wasn't pretty, but the gritty New York Knicks are NBA champs. Their only loss came when Trump cursed them with his presence. www.nytimes.com/athletic/735...

nytimes.com

Knicks win first NBA championship since 1973, topping Spurs in Game 5

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Look what they're doing to our nation! Bottom line: We can't afford a plague of super rich. Listen to the Professor: open.substack.com/pub/robertre...

open.substack.com

Inequality Isn't Just Unfair. It's Dangerous!

This week's video

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

An emotional Scott Pelley describes his final days at 60 Minutes, and how new management threatens an American institution. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/07/m...

nytimes.com

Scott Pelley on the Bari Weiss Era and His Last Days at ‘60 Minutes’

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Miles Taylor, the "Anonymous" whistleblower in the first Trump administration, warns Trump's rescission of civil service protections for top government employees is strengthening his private security force, adding administrators under his political appointees. open.substack.com/pub/defiance...

open.substack.com

Donald Trump just tripled the size of his personal army inside government. It was illegal.

The White House quietly issued an order turning 8,000 top "civil service" jobs into roles that serve at the pleasure of the president.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

We MUST question the actions and motives of people in power. It is the basis for our democracy, our freedom of speech. If we do not speak up, we will lose that freedom. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...

theatlantic.com

Use It or Lose It

Freedom of speech, and of the press, can be guaranteed only if Americans exercise their rights.

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Michael Byrne @cmichaelbyrne.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

I am conditioned to root for SGA and the Oklahoma City Thunder, but it's hard not to cheer for this superman and his San Antonio Spurs. www.nytimes.com/athletic/729...

nytimes.com

My season inside Wemby's world: An up-close look at the many dimensions of Victor Wembanyama

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