Reposted by David MerminGarrett M. Graff @vermontgmg.bsky.social · 1hThis is illegal and (a) it’s not even close to defensible and (b) shouldn’t be tolerated. 24853316
Reposted by David MerminNicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 3hMusk says he didn’t cut services to thwart Ukrainian self-defense, the US govt did. A senior US official says the Trump White House had nothing to do with that, implying Musk did it. A problem is they’re both serial liars, Putin sympathizers, and anti-democracy, so who knows. 351003287
Reposted by David MerminJustin Levitt @justinlevitt.bsky.social · 7hAlso, not for nothing, but no jurisdiction in the country right now wshould be inclined to plug a thumb drive from DOJ/DHS into any computer that's not airgapped. (SMDH.) 053
Reposted by David MerminTimothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 7hIt does seem like Putin is rushing fo get the most possible out of his client Trump before the electoral bloodbath of 3 November. 471252419
Reposted by David MerminJustin Levitt @justinlevitt.bsky.social · 13/10/2026A timely reminder: in three weeks, a bunch of jurisdictions are picking (among other races) the officials up will run elections in 2028. Democracy is (as always, these days) directly on the ballot …boltsmag.orgThese 35 States Are Deciding Who’ll Run Their Elections - BoltsThe midterms will usher in a new cast of characters to oversee the next presidential race. They’ll decide how to answer Trump’s orders and how to shape mail voting and registration. 001
Reposted by David MerminAnne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 12/10/2026"The amount of fuel Russia could export is too small, the impact on pricing too slight, the narrative too late to shape electoral outcomes: This looks, instead, like something very different: an abrupt, Hail Mary attempt to force Ukraine to surrender" www.theatlantic.com/idea/2026/10...theatlantic.comTrump’s Message to Ukraine Is Now Crystal ClearThe president’s actions over the past 72 hours look like an effort to force Kyiv to surrender. 1332217996
Reposted by David MerminTom the Dancing Bug, by Ruben Bolling @rubenbolling.bsky.social · 11/10/2026650,000 PEOPLE killed in the war Russia started by invading Ukraine, but Zelensky hits a Russian BOT farm, and Musk says, 22615165
Reposted by David MerminJezebel @jezebeldotcom.bsky.social · 11/10/2026“The administration is delaying this report because attacks on medication abortion will backfire with voters, but extremists will try to ban abortion as soon as the election is over” www.jezebel.com/shock-fda-wo... 04021
Reposted by David MerminRobert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 11/10/2026Before you cast your midterm ballot, look at this graph and think about what Republicans are letting Trump get away with. 23986457
Reposted by David MerminMark Jacob @markjacob.bsky.social · 10/10/2026Trump really is on Russia’s side. He wants the kind of dictatorship that Putin has. 58463123
Reposted by David MerminOliver Willis @owillis.bsky.social · 10/10/2026It’s that time again. ‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens theonion.com/no-way-to-pr...theonion.com‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly HappensUVALDE, TX—In the hours following a violent rampage in Texas in which a lone attacker killed at least 21 individuals and injured several others, citizens living in the only country where this kind of ... 510016
Reposted by David MerminKate from Kharkiv @kateinkharkiv.bsky.social · 09/10/2026So let's get this straight: Russia just murdered over 65 people in Ukraine in less than 48 hours. Crushed a building on top of sleeping families to celebrate Putin's birthday. And today, the U.S. announces that they are lifting sanctions on Russian diesel and planning to buy some, 15626861245
Reposted by David MerminMaria Popova @popovaprof.bsky.social · 09/10/2026Theatre of the absurd! Trump announces US will buy diesel from russia even though he signed a law mandating sanctions for any country buying russian energy. Meanwhile russia actually has a diesel export ban because they can’t meet domestic demand. 29526229
Reposted by David MerminJustin Levitt @justinlevitt.bsky.social · 09/10/2026To be clear, this isn't just a ruling on any individual attempt to get a voter file. (Those have gone 0-26.) This is a ruling that the entire project was illegal from the jump. 01811
Reposted by David MerminJustin Levitt @justinlevitt.bsky.social · 09/10/2026This is a big deal. DC fed judge says that DOJ's pursuit (and use) of the state voter files is unlawful, on a bunch of different grounds. And effectively confirms that for the 18 states that submitted files willingly, whoever collected the files at DOJ Civil Rights committed federal crimes.storage.courtlistener.comMemorandum & Opinion – #51 in COMMON CAUSE v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (D.D.C., 1:26-cv-01352) – CourtListener.comMEMORANDUM OPINION re the 29 Motion for Partial Summary Judgment and the 32 Motion to Dismiss, or in the Alternative, for Summary Judgment. See the attached document for details. Signed by Judge Spark... 18783300
Reposted by David MerminChris Murphy @chrismurphyct.bsky.social · 08/10/2026This level of naked, open corruption is unprecedented in our history. 811003430
Reposted by David MerminMatt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 05/10/2026We murdered four more people in a boat today 12524931066
Reposted by David MerminThomas Zimmer @thomaszimmer.bsky.social · 04/10/2026What Do Authoritarians Do When They Are About to Lose an Election? Trump’s schemes to subvert the midterms have so far failed. What happens next? A reflection on the threat as well as the limits of authoritarian escalation. My new piece:steady.pageWhat Do Authoritarians Do When They Are About to Lose an Election?Trump’s schemes to subvert the midterms have so far failed. What happens next? A reflection on the threat as well as the limits of authoritarian escalation 621288
Reposted by David MerminDave Levitan @davelevitan.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Plenty going on of course but the admin deciding to accept essentially NO refugees except for thousands of white South Africans is among the most batshit racist things the US government has done in a century 519041
Reposted by David MerminMarc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 01/10/2026🚨BREAKING: The Trump administration illegally changed a form used by overseas voters to register and request mail ballots just weeks before the midterms, Democrats argue in a new lawsuit filed Thursday. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...democracydocket.comTrump admin quietly changed overseas voter form at 11th hour to disenfranchise Democrats, lawsuit saysThe change is part of a Republican plan to make it more difficult to vote or outright disenfranchise a bloc of voters viewed as more inclined to vote Democratic, the DNC lawsuit argues. 9435562012
Reposted by David MerminBrendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 01/10/2026What competitive authoritarianism looks like - officials in government trying to tilt the playing field against the opposition party or failing to restrain those in power from doing so. (We're not there yet, but this is what it looks like.) 710032
Reposted by David MerminEric Michael Garcia @ericmgarcia.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Still kind of inconceivable how many people died or will die because of the death of USAID. And the world’s richest man did it almost as a joke 641975390
Reposted by David MerminDon Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026this really is impeachable for any president, but really grotesque coming from a regime that cut life-saving development aid because they said it was not efficient 192036614
Reposted by David MerminOliver Willis @owillis.bsky.social · 28/09/2026in 2024 trump said once he was elected that inflation would go down the day he was sworn in 79218
Reposted by David MerminRobert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Please remember this when Trump or anyone else from his regime talks about "waste, fraud, and abuse." 531561831
Reposted by David MerminRyan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 21/09/2026He is not wrong. "There are reasonable grounds to believe that the reported 68 attacks that killed 223 people constituted crimes against humanity of murder under customary international law" - United Nations Special Rapporteur on U.S. Killing “Narco-Terrorists” at Sea www.ohchr.org/sites/defaul... 341127544651
Reposted by David MerminAaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 18/09/2026The First Circuit upholds a lower court order requiring ICE to actually TELL people before it sticks them on a plane in shackles to a random country they've never been to before, and allow them to raise very real fears of torture and persecution in those third countries. 2345125
Reposted by David MerminRick Hasen @rickhasen.bsky.social · 15/09/2026My new one @slate.com Let’s Celebrate the Supreme Court Not Outright Rigging the 2026 Election slate.com/news-and-pol...slate.comLet’s Celebrate the Supreme Court Not Outright Rigging the 2026 Election (Gift Article)For the time being, let’s celebrate that the center of the court did hold, even as dangers remain ahead in both 2026 and 2028. 21483106
Reposted by David MerminSenator Chris Van Hollen @vanhollen.senate.gov · 12/09/2026Judge Berner's decision is a sobering read. Trump's mass detention agenda "harkens back to some of the darkest moments in our country’s history," including the internment of Japanese people during WWII. 9 Appellate Courts have now shot down this lawless policy. SCOTUS should too.politico.comAppeals court rejects ICE detention policy, setting stage for SCOTUSThe 4th Circuit Court of Appeals compared ICE’s policy to Japanese internment. 9322130
Reposted by David MerminDavid Corn @davidcorn.bsky.social · 12/09/2026This is stochastic terrorism. Ted Cruz is an extremist encouraging violence. 26940511187
Reposted by David MerminSpooky Back From The Dead Lazarus @jlazarus.bsky.social · 11/09/2026If you're counting that's now 4 GOP members with Nazi connections in the 119th Congress - Dave Taylor, Eric Pratt, Mike Collins, and now Jon Husted. 613761
Reposted by David MerminJoe Sudbay @joesudbay.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Vance has the stage tonite in Dallas. If he opposes the war, Let's hear him say it out loud instead of whispering to NYT reported 57622
Reposted by David MerminNed Resnikoff @resnikoff.bsky.social · 10/09/2026The vast gap in opinion between American Jews and the political insider organizations that claim to speak on behalf of all American Jews is wild 513226
Reposted by David MerminVittoria Elliott @telliotter.bsky.social · 09/09/2026As always, if you’re a federal worker or someone working in tech you can find me on Signal at Vittoria89.82 14919
David Mermin @dmermin.bsky.social · 10/09/2026www.wired.com/story/a-us-c.... Very good journalism here by Wired on the ongoing effort to corrupt a truly essential government agency, the Census Bureau. An important facet of Trump’s assault on our democracy.wired.comA US Census Report on Noncitizen Voting Used Bad Data to Reach Faulty ConclusionsTrump has touted a recent Census report. WIRED found grave flaws in its analysis and the process behind it, and confirmed the identity of several of its authors—among them a one-time DOGE affiliate. 083
Reposted by David MerminMatt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 09/09/2026This article has an interactive map where you can hover over a given county and see how this summer ranked for heat.wcvb.comSummer 2026 was the hottest on record, NOAA saysSummer 2026 was the hottest on record in the contiguous U.S., with August also setting a 132-year high. 15228
Reposted by David MerminJessica Valenti @jessicavalenti.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Horrific though unsurprising report from @propublica.org: Ectopic pregnancy deaths have basically doubled since the end of Roepropublica.orgEctopic Pregnancy Deaths Have Nearly Doubled. It’s Worse in States With Abortion Bans.With prompt and appropriate medical care, experts say, people shouldn’t die from an ectopic pregnancy. Women in Texas and Oklahoma have sued over delays in care, which, coupled with our new analysis, ... 381321739
Reposted by David MerminAndy Craig @andycraig.bsky.social · 09/09/2026I try not to go overboard on media criticism but I do think "the chief executive is openly trying to rig the legislative elections in his party's favor" should merit somewhat higher prominence relative to mundane normalcy horserace coverage. 6597110
Reposted by David MerminAndy Craig @andycraig.bsky.social · 09/09/2026The president ordering USPS to illegally throw out millions of ballots is at least on par with what he tried to do for 2020, and in big ways it's worse. It's another attempted self-coup, trying to create a fake Congress. That he's even attempting it is already a deadly serious constitutional crisis. 171372335
Reposted by David Merminjamelle @jamellebouie.net · 08/09/2026just put up a video on this youtu.be/COUIZyAZtkAyoutu.beThe media double-standard that lets the GOP get away with taking millions from a white supremacistYouTube video by Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie 302236500
Reposted by David MerminCongressman Dwight Evans @repdwightevans.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Today is #988Day, a reminder that no one facing a mental health crisis has to face it alone. No matter what you’re facing, help is just 3 digits away. Call or text 988 for free, confidential help or visit 988lifeline.org. 175
Reposted by David MerminScott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 07/09/2026We couldn't have done it without you. German Neo Nazi leaders salute Elon Musk, the man who made their victory in Saxony-Anhalt possible. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...theguardian.comElon Musk thanked by German far-right leader after landmark election win praised by Russia | First ThingThe populist, far-right, anti-immigration AfD won the vote in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt 24232174
Reposted by David MerminClara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Pretty insane that NYT doesn’t have story up on man linked to GOP scandal who attacked @amyactonoh.bsky.social at campaign event yesterday. www.thedailybeast.com/twist-to-dem...thedailybeast.comDark Twist Emerges as Armed Republican Attacks Dem CandidateThe Havas family has a history with the authorities. 11570192
Reposted by David MerminThomas Zimmer @thomaszimmer.bsky.social · 06/09/2026Sunday reading - on a day that could mark a caesura in German post-war history: Warnings and Lessons from the Struggle Against Trumpism In the fight against the far-right AfD, Germany must avoid the mistakes that have sabotaged the democratic response to rightwing extremism in the United States.steady.pageWarnings and Lessons from the Struggle Against TrumpismGermany is facing the prospect of rightwing extremism in power. Time to push back hard against the narratives that have undermined the democratic response in the U.S. 614654
Reposted by David MerminIndivisible ❌👑 @indivisible.org · 06/09/2026The same poisonous ideology that built the Confederacy, sabotaged Reconstruction, and instituted Jim Crow is slithering its way through GOP states to suffocate representative democracy. 12516202