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David J. Voelker

@david-j-voelker.bsky.social
184 followers 95 following 524 posts

Historian (early America/environment), in Green Bay, WI, since 2003. Author and co-editor for Oxford Univ. Press's *Debating American History* series. Views are mine. Website: davidjvoelker.com. Publications: orcid.org/0000-0002-3049-4799

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Reposted by David J. Voelker
Gillian Brockell @gillianbrockell.com · 06/10/2026
I LOVE how @propublica.org dealt with official comment here, editorially and stylistically.
The Trump administration says none of this is happening. 

"DHS is NOT arresting U.S. citizens by mistake." "There are no 'indiscriminate' stops." Allegations of "racial profiling are disgusting, reckless and categorically FALSE." "The pattern is NOT of law enforcement using force." "ICE does not zip tie or restrain children." 

But that is precisely what is happening, and at a far larger scale than previously reported.
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Michael McDonald @electproject.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Every. F*cking. Time. The. Same. Story. Make a big fraud claim that doesn't hold up on inspection. The goal is to create doubt, not provide truth www.nytimes.com/2026/09/24/u...
nytimes.com
From 15,000 to 185 to Zero: Trump’s Claims of Illegal Voting in Nevada Fizzle
It was the Trump administration’s latest stumble in its effort to find proof of widespread noncitizen voting, despite decades of evidence that it is extremely rare.
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Rebecca Meacham @ibeccanne.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Attention visual artists, writers, & digital storytellers! Submissions are open for Sheepshead Review international journal of Art & Lit. Learn more: www.sheepsheadreview.com
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Hakeem Jefferson @hakeemjefferson.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Nikole Hannah-Jones w/ a sobering follow-up on her decision yrs ago to enroll her daughter in a poor, majority-Black public school rather than a wealthier, whiter private school. You leave heartbroken for the kids being failed by this grossly unequal system. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/m...
nytimes.com
In Fighting for Every Black Child, Did I Betray My Own? (Gift Article)
A decade ago, I made a decision about my daughter’s education that I hoped would challenge New York City’s separate and unequal school system. Now 16, she thinks I made the wrong choice.
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David J. Voelker @david-j-voelker.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Regulate AI now. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/18/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Humanity Has Avoided Apocalypse Before. Let’s Do It Again.
It is up to all of us, through our government, to shape what A.I. becomes.
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David J. Voelker @david-j-voelker.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
"Well, welcome to the worst-case scenario. We now have a president who is using the post-9/11 counterterrorism powers for his own ends. ... In the name of national security, he conflates criticism with treason, protest with terrorism, dissent with sedition." www.nytimes.com/2026/09/10/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Civil Libertarians Knew This Would Happen. We Should Have Listened.
The civil libertarians’ warnings have come true.
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David J. Voelker @david-j-voelker.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
I ditched Backblaze for backing up my Mac because in late 2025, Backblaze stopped backing up Dropbox, iCloud, and other cloud-synced files--without any notification! I'm now using iDrive instead, which can back up these cloud-synced files and has a great educational discount.
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Aldo Leopold Foundation @aldoleopoldfdn.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Wendell Berry—author, agrarian, lifelong Kentuckian, and dear friend of the Foundation—has passed away at the age of 92. Deeply rooted in place, particularly rural working lands, Berry truly embraced that "most ancient… and pleasing responsibility" of caring for the earth. 📷 Guy Mendes
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Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Thank you for so many strong essays, poems, ideas, stands, principles, examples, Wendell Berry. Thank you for loving the land, the country, the language. Thank you for living your principles. Quoted you in my talk yesterday, pulled these from my quotes collections.
nytimes.com
Wendell Berry, Writer Who Extolled America’s Agrarian Past, Dies at 92
A Kentucky farmer, he railed against agribusiness and championed small family farms and the environment, winning widespread acclaim.
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Governor Tony Evers @govevers.wisconsin.gov · 31/08/2026
This week, we're celebrating Wild Rice Week. Manoomin, or wild rice, is a critical part of food security and culture for many Native Nations. That's why our Wild Rice Stewardship Council is working to preserve and protect this valuable resource for generations to come.
Graphic with wild rice that reads "Wild Rice Week"
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Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
They were spot on. This was The New York Times Sunday Opinion section on October 27, 2024.
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Climate.us @climate.us · 31/08/2026
Climate literacy isn’t about memorizing facts. It’s about understanding risks, asking better questions, preparing for change, and participating in decisions that affect your community. Climate knowledge belongs to everyone. www.climate.us
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Andrew Wender Cohen @awcohen.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
I repeat: the province was named after the lake, not the reverse. “Ontario“ means ”lake of shining waters” in Haudenosaunee. It’s been called that since before the US or Canada existed.
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Senator Tammy Baldwin @baldwin.senate.gov · 27/08/2026
Passenger rail shouldn’t just be a farfetched dream in Wisconsin. I’m happy to deliver funding to make this a reality and get more tourists to our Main Streets and families to their destinations safely.
wisconsinexaminer.com
Passenger train upgrades heading to Wisconsin, neighboring states • Wisconsin Examiner
The grant is funded by money appropriated in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, enacted during President Joe Biden's term.
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ACLU @aclu.org · 25/08/2026
Congress must put an end to these senseless murders.
aclu.org
Tell Congress: Stop President Trump's illegal boat strikes
Since September, the Trump administration has murdered nearly 90 people in international waters, ordering over 20 lethal strikes on civilian boats near Venezuela. Congress must conduct oversight and c...
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Indivisible Brown County WI @indivisiblebrownco.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
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Governor Tony Evers @govevers.wisconsin.gov · 22/08/2026
Wisconsin Republicans in Congress have rubberstamped President Trump's tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, refusing to extend the ACA tax credits. As a result? Healthcare costs are sky high 📈 while the number of folks insured is plummeting. 📉
Ripped headline from PBS News that reads “Affordable Care Act enrollment projected to plunge by 5 million as costs spike analysis shows”
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Amaad Rivera-Wagner @air152.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Wisconsin’s messy governor’s primary showed why I helped introduce ranked-choice voting. Nearly 68,000 votes went to candidates who had withdrawn. With ranked choice, voters can name a backup so their voice still counts. Every vote should matter. fairvote.org/68000-zombie...
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Dr. Todd Arrington @btarrington.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
106 years ago today-Aug. 18, 1920-the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, granting women the right to vote. While this was a major accomplishment, the Amendment did not remove voting barriers for women of color. That was not fully achieved until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Image: Public domain.
This black and white photo shows two women holding a large sign reading "Votes for Women."
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David J. Voelker @david-j-voelker.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Same.
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RIO LINDA MEX 🇺🇸🇲🇽🇨🇦🦍aka Gus Gallegos @riolindamex.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
If You Don’t Realize, That THIS Is Their Ultimate Goal, You Have Been Watching Too Much Fox.
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Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 15/08/2026
After Alex Pretti was killed, Trump’s DHS didn’t investigate the man who shot him—but spent months spying on Minnesota unions, churches, and bike shops instead.
motherjones.com
Documents reveal the federal government’s vast Minnesota surveillance dragnet
After Alex Pretti was murdered, Trump's DHS didn't investigate his killer—but spent months spying on Minnesota unions, churches, and bike shops instead.
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Michael Kapp @michaelkapp.com · 15/08/2026
BREAKING: the Democratic National Committee just unanimously approved a resolution calling for the abolition of ICE! After terrorizing our friends, families, and neighbors, ICE has no place in our nation. I'm grateful @democrats.org agreed. Now we're onto the hard work to make that happen!
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Christopher Webb @cwebbonline.com · 15/08/2026
George Washington rejected the idea of a massive presidential palace. The White House was deliberately scaled back because the president of the United States should not live like a king. 234 years later, Trump is posting Versailles fan fiction starring himself.
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Senator Tammy Baldwin @baldwin.senate.gov · 07/08/2026
Ada Deer was a true trailblazer for Wisconsin women and Native Americans. Her legacy of public service, courage, and advancing tribal rights will be felt for generations. Happy Ada Deer Day, everyone!
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King Algamemnon @adamrothman.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
This headline reads like Trump is trying to sneak into a nightclub.
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King Algamemnon @adamrothman.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
In case you think you know how things will turn out
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Dr. Genevieve Guenther (she/they) @doctorvive.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
This is misleading. If you say the Rhine’ s “water levels drop to lowest level since 1880,” that implies that the river was this dry in 1880. But 1880 is just when we started keeping records! So what you need to say is: the river is at its lowest level since records began.
THE TOP FIVE
1. Rhine River's water levels drop to lowest level since 1880
A vessel sails past the partially dried-up river bed of the Rhine in Duisburg, western Germany. Photo: Ina
FASSBENDER / AFP via Getty Images
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Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
"It’s as if we launched a war against nature, and that has turned place after place into something that resembles a war zone. The climate movement is a peace movement, a movement to end this war and its casualties. ...summer was an immaterial treasure and joy that belonged to all of us."
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Senator Mark Warner @markwarner.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
NEW: I just introduced a bill that would crack down on Trump’s new $100,000/month fast feed of his market-moving Truth Social posts. We must stand up against his rampant corruption.
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Rep. Mike Levin @levin.house.gov · 02/08/2026
Donald Trump’s war with Iran is costing Americans every time they fill up their tank.   Meanwhile:   Exxon’s quarterly profits doubled to $14.5 billion.   Chevron’s nearly quadrupled to $12.1 billion.
apnews.com
Major oil companies reap massive profits as US and Iran fighting drives energy prices higher
Major oil companies reported massive profits while fighting between Iran and the U.S. impeded petroleum shipments.
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Stephen West @stephenwest.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
A reminder of what Abraham Lincoln thought of the Know Nothings, the party that championed "heritage Americans" and attacked immigrants in his day. quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln/li...
Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that ``all men are created equal.'' We now practically read it ``all men are created equal, except negroes.'' When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read ``all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and catholics.'' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretence of loving liberty---to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocracy
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King Algamemnon @adamrothman.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
The success of the mass deportation program depends on silencing the victims and making them visible only within the frame of the government's propaganda machine.
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The Ecological Citizen @ecologicalcitizen.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
NEW POST FROM EARTH TONGUES! 🔥 Endless wars blog.ecologicalcitizen.net/2026/07/29/e... Developing her thoughts on #nihilism, Eileen Crist argues that by stripping the world of #sacredness, nihilism enables violence and the militaristic systems that drive the exploitation of people and #nature.
blog.ecologicalcitizen.net
Endless wars
Nihilism is coeval with violence. Among many forms of violence, war has been nonstop since civilization’s ascent, when nihilism began its slow-motion advent toward consensus reality. In a profanate…
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King Algamemnon @adamrothman.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
This is not a lot of money compared to say, the Iran war, but it is more than the annual budget of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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David J. Voelker @david-j-voelker.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
"If you insist on believing climate change isn’t real, or that its effects must be trivial, then whenever you find yourself overwhelmed by those effects, you have to place the blame somewhere." www.nytimes.com/2026/07/22/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Nothing Can Prevent the New Wildfires. We Have to Adapt.
Suppression is not enough.
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Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · 25/07/2026
Admirable clarity @science.org
The Trump administration hates academic science funding, full stop. They hate where that money goes, and they hate who it goes to. They want to keep all that money for themselves, to hand out to favored cronies who can help them get elected and to steer yet more money and more power back into their hands.

That’s it. That’s the story
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Henry Giroux @girouxh.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
My article, "Higher Ed Can’t Be Neutral in an Age of Brutality. It Must Choose Democracy," will be published by Truthout on Sunday, July 26, 2026
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James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
The White House Correspondents Association is having a dinner for this man tonight.
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Steve Rattner @steverattner.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
I previously reported that the growth rate and composition of Trump's wealth gain in office are unprecedented in recent history. Upon request, here is the data on the relative size of Trump's presidential windfall. The extent of his self-enrichment is even more striking.
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Adam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
This is just the surface. What the FEC records show behind these texts is worse than the texts themselves. Also, 95% seems pretty low.
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Derek Powazek @fraying.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
I actually think the trillionaire saying his AI tool will remake a movie without the Black and trans actors in it should be a bigger story because it’s a perfect example of why the ruling class wants AI to succeed: so they can remake reality without those they deem undesirable - every nazi’s dream.
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Judd Legum @juddlegum.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
News outlets that covered the US-Saudi nuclear deal without mentioning that Jared Kushner, Trump’s top foreign policy advisor, is getting paid by the Saudi government: WSJ NYT AP Reuters CNN NBC ABC CBS The Guardian Semafor Washington Post Fox News New York Post BBC Newsweek MS NOW
popular.info
A nuclear deal for the Saudis. A media blackout for Kushner’s corruption.
On Wednesday, the Trump administration signed a 30-year nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia that paves the way for the kingdom to enrich its own uranium.
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Senator Tammy Baldwin @baldwin.senate.gov · 23/07/2026
Every dollar spent on this illegal war is a dollar not spent making American lives more affordable.
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Harvey J Kaye @harveyjkaye.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
fox11online.com/news/local/g...
fox11online.com
Green Bay council passes "Commitment to an Economic and Social Bill of Rights" resolution
Green Bay's city council has passed a resolution committing to an economic and social bill of rights. The vote was 9 to 3.
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Steve Rattner @steverattner.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Musk and Trump took a hatchet to the federal government, claiming they would save $2 trillion in taxpayer money. Thousands lost jobs. Even more lost essential services. But the cuts only saved 2% of their original claims. My @morningjoe-msnow.bsky.social Chart
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Philip Bump @pbump.com · 20/07/2026
This combination, two days apart, will serve for future historians as an effective shorthand for the lunacy of the moment.
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Steve Rattner @steverattner.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Trump claimed his tariffs would bring about a golden age of American manufacturing. Yet since his re-election, we've lost 75,000 manufacturing jobs. Over the same time period, Biden had created 625,000.
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Mark Jacob @markjacob.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Here's a reminder that Trump threatened 102 days ago to commit genocide against a nation of 93 million people. The story lasted a day or two and the news media moved on. The madman stayed in office to make new threats and kill more people in an illegal war.
“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform. “However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!”
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Pax Linson @paxll.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Check out this thread on Ray Madoff's book!
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