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independent56.bsky.social

@independent56.bsky.social
621 followers 325 following 4.8K posts

Politically unhoused. “Not all those who wander are lost.” -J.R.R. Tolkien I ignore DM’s.

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Reposted by @independent56.bsky.social
The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 18h
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
As recently as July, he said “mail-in ballots are inherently corrupt.” (There is no evidence of widespread fraud in mail voting.) In March, he said, “Mail-in voting means mail-in cheating.”
nytimes.com
Trump Urges Republicans to Vote By Mail After Criticizing Practice
It was the latest mixed messaging from President Trump, who regularly votes by mail, but has made baseless claims that the practice is “inherently corrupt.”
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
How do satire writers make a living these days?
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
In 2015: “He sneered at the federal government, claiming “stupid” politicians had no idea how to negotiate and were wasting so much money that the national debt was close to $24 trillion, a number he called “the point of no return…. That’s when we become a country that’s unsalvageable.”
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
“Lula’s Worker’s Party has also requested that the Supreme Court investigate potential interference in the campaign by Rockbridge, a secretive political advocacy group backed by Silicon Valley investors like Peter Thiel.”
responsiblestatecraft.org
Will Trump's efforts to boost Bolsonaro blow up in his face?
US interference in this weekend's election in Brazil could help left-wing President Lula
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Removing all doubt about whose interests Kushner is representing. Follow the money.
substack.com
Jay Kuo (@jaykuo)
Straight talk from a straight shooter.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
The time and resources DOJ is wasting on this is disgraceful. 26 straight losses.
democracydocket.com
DOJ now 0-26 after judge rejects demand for Georgia voter rolls
The judge said the Civil Rights Act does not authorize DOJ's demands for the Peach State’s unredacted voter roll.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
nytimes.com
As Prospects Dim, G.O.P. Pulls Money Out of North Carolina Senate Race
The Senate Leadership Fund is diverting money to Kansas, which has become a growing concern for the party as it seeks to hold its majority.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
It’s not an administration, it’s a crime wave.
nytimes.com
Trump Brought Venezuelan Gold to the U.S., but Refiners Won’t Touch It
The administration is brokering deals in a notoriously corrupt industry, including one with a company that the United States deems a security threat.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Around 90 % of the gold produced in Venezuela is criminally produced,” said Julia Yansura, program director at a Washington-based anticorruption organization. “If international co’s want to go in and try to find the 10 percent that’s supposedly OK, that’s like searching for a needle in a haystack.”
nytimes.com
Trump Sparked a Gold Rush, and Venezuelan Gangs Take a Cut of Profit
The administration is brokering deals in a notoriously corrupt industry, including one with a company that the United States deems a security threat.
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Reposted by @independent56.bsky.social
The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
ICYMI — Fetterman: “I’m a lifelong Republican” 😬
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Reposted by @independent56.bsky.social
Hoodlum 🇺🇸 @nothoodlum.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
While waiting for Trump to enter the signing of the US-Denmark-Greenland agreement at the UN, they chose “Send in the Clowns” as the background music. Yes, it’s real.
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Reposted by @independent56.bsky.social
Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
The amount of Amazon workers relying on SNAP and Medicaid has nearly tripled since 2020 — while Amazon’s annual profits soared by over 550%. It’s the same story everywhere: corporate profits are at record highs, while workers’ share of the economy is at a record low. We must unrig the system.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
“According to the government’s own analysis of the proposed rule, the move could lead to drivers paying hundreds more for gas each year and worsen the country’s ability to weather shocks to oil prices.” Make it make sense. Does he just want to hurt everyone?
apple.news
Trump Says He Has Reversed Biden-Era Fuel Efficiency Standards — The Washington Sun
The government’s own analysis of the proposed rule said the move could worsen the country’s ability to weather shocks to oil prices.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Sam Altman said in a social media post on Friday that the company had “not been as fast as we would have liked” in disclosing A.I. incidents. “We are prioritizing as best as we can based on severity,” he said. So, I can crash into a house but if nobody was killed, I can just drive away?
nytimes.com
OpenAI’s A.I. Went Rogue and Meddled With U.S. Government Websites (Gift Article)
The company did not learn until recently that its technology had meddled with websites for the Education and Commerce Departments and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
“I want to tell you something, rich people, as a whole, suck." Deters confirmed that he has no plans to revive the festival, which debuted in 2022, saying, "I am never ever, ever, ever, ever doing this event again. Ever."
apple.news
Conservative Freedom Fest with Kid Rock canceled after only 6 VIP tickets sell — USA TODAY
Patriots Day Freedom Fest was canceled days before it was set to take place in northern Kentucky due to low VIP ticket sales.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
A gift for those who complain MSM doesn’t fact check Trump. You’re welcome.
nytimes.com
Fact-Checking Trump’s Speech at the United Nations (Gift Article)
President Trump’s remarks about oil reserves, the drug trade and his peace efforts contained falsehoods and exaggerations.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
How the swamp operates. On your tax dollar.
propublica.org
The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the Way
After the FBI caught a defense contractor’s CEO making illegal campaign contributions, it sought to launch a sweeping political bribery probe involving Collins and others. Then the second Trump admini...
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
The swap amounts to a gift of public lands to SpaceX, “clearing the way for bulldozers to tear into this wildlife refuge as soon as next week and turn a public treasure into a private payday.” Move fast, break things.
stocks.apple.com
Judge won't block Trump administration from giving SpaceX acres of wildlife refuge in land swap — The Associated Press
A federal judge has refused to block the Trump administration from giving SpaceX more than 700 acres of wildlife refuge as part of a land swap in Texas.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Like a looming AI-induced crisis, GOP-controlled Congress ignores this potential five alarm fire too.
share.google
Treasury yields are already blowing up the CBO’s long-term forecasts, and experts who previously downplayed U.S. debt fears are now starting to worry | Fortune
"If interest begets debt, and debt begets interest, eventually debt will spin out of control. A fiscal crisis, once unthinkable, is now a distinct possibility."
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
“..the nation’s offensive firepower should be distributed among many smaller ships rather than a few big ones. The idea is that losing one or two ships would not disable the country’s capability to project force in a region. Battleships just make big targets.”
nytimes.com
Opinion | Building ‘Trump Class’ Battleships Will Be a Big, Expensive Mistake (Gift Article)
The United States needs a bigger Navy. But not one that looks like this.
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Reposted by @independent56.bsky.social
Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Trump lies about everything.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
youtube.com
What if we lose?
YouTube video by Texas Paul
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
“Charles P. Rettig, Mr. Trump’s first-term pick to lead the I.R.S., speculated that the tax gap could be as much as $1 trillion a year, a figure much larger than the I.R.S. estimate at the time, as he called for a bigger budget for the agency.”
nytimes.com
Billions in Taxes Go Unpaid. Under Trump, the I.R.S. Won’t Say How Much.
The absence of the annual estimate on the tax gap could make it more difficult to assess whether more taxes are going unpaid since President Trump took office.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
“Despite pledges by foreign companies and nations to invest in the United States — in many cases to curry favor with the White House — capital is starting to seek alternative destinations.” A reckless quest to dominate allies wasn’t a winning strategy after all.
nytimes.com
The World Economy Is Becoming Wary of the U.S.
America’s position of global economic stability is starting to look shakier as the Trump administration piles on debt and doubles down on sanctions.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Top 2 stories.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
“CBS News revealed changes to FBI hiring standards, which reportedly now allow the bureau to consider applicants who have hired prostitutes fewer than three times, stole from an employer more than three years ago, or engaged in sex with animals before the age of 18.” Only the best.
theatlantic.com
Kash Patel Refuses to Take a Republican’s Lifeline
The FBI director allowed a Senate hearing to turn into a discussion of bestiality.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
If you find yourself frequently in some state of exhaustion, distraction or agitation, this one’s for you.
thedispatch.com
Distracted and Exhausted
The constant drumbeat of crises and doom is making us all tired.
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Reposted by @independent56.bsky.social
The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Reminder: voter fraud is not a thing. Voter suppression is.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
“What I really want to see is more people like Big Balls,” Scott Kupor, the director of the personnel office, said on Monday in an interview with right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson. The federal government has backfilled more than 20,000 positions left vacant because of deferred resignations.
nytimes.com
Federal Employees Were Paid $9.5 Billion Not to Work in 2025 Under DOGE Effort
As part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s program to shrink the federal work force, paid administrative leave costs rose by 435 percent.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Caused by a “computer glitch”. 🤔
nytimes.com
Data Center’s Spill of 5,000 Gallons of Diesel Forces N.J. River Cleanup
The fuel poured from a storage tank at a large data center in Secaucus, N.J., into a tributary of the Hackensack River.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The Golden Age of roller coasters.
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Reposted by @independent56.bsky.social
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 15/09/2026
Ossoff: "We are witnessing people drunk with power who are utterly reckless, utterly corrupt, and obviously believe that they live with impunity. They believe they're untouchable. They believe they're invincible. Let's prove them wrong."
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
“Mr. Bessent (abandoned) the steady hand that’s essential for being Treasury Secretary for hedge-fund swagger. “I am the house now,” referring to the Treasury’s recent purchase of Japanese yen to support the dollar — daring currency & bond markets to bet against him. They did…and bond yields rose.”
nytimes.com
Opinion | The National Debt Never Scared Me. It Scares Me.
It’s too big to ignore. And it could all end badly.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
nytimes.com
In Hegseth’s Pentagon, Top Leaders Battle Turmoil
Persistent distractions are feeding a climate of mistrust as the U.S. military faces a series of wartime issues, including shortfalls of missile interceptors.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
“Kremlev, an imposing man with a shaved head who speaks limited English. The oligarch was part of a large group whose presence puzzled other attendees. They sometimes stood off by themselves, speaking Russian.” Nothing to see here.
propublica.org
Donald Trump Jr.’s Wedding Bankrolled by Putin-Linked Russian Oligarch
The oligarch, Umar Kremlev, spent hundreds of thousands on expenses like renting out a private island. He appears to have met Trump Jr. only recently, but he attended the intimate wedding with a large...
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
“The draft resolution shared with trustees say the center is at risk of bankruptcy and of missing payroll — but that Mr. Trump has “offered to step in and raise the necessary funds” to save the center.” Like he raised funds for the wall and for the ballroom? He’s looting the Treasury. Enough!
nytimes.com
Kennedy Center Warns of Bankruptcy Unless Trump’s Name Is Added (Gift Article)
The caution, contained in a draft resolution to the center’s board, comes as a federal judge decides whether President Trump’s name should remain off the building.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
“J.D. Vance sold his soul to Trumpism hoping to establish himself as a “serious” postliberal populist and instead finds himself saddled with Bushian Middle Eastern misadventures on the one hand and grotesquely unserious MAGA slopulism on the other. “
thedispatch.com
Vance Makes His Case to the Anti-War Right
J.D. Vance makes his pitch to the anti-war right.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
“In the piece, Luttig outlined how Republicans could refuse to seat elected Democrats in January after a Democratic victory in the 2026 midterm elections of November. “The coming crisis,” the piece says, would be “The Final Battle for America’s Democracy.”
heathercoxrichardson.substack.com
September 12, 2026
On Thursday, in The New Republic, conservative judge J.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
“Dario Amodei wrote that while he believed the technology could bring many benefits, it was advancing at too quick a pace for researchers to continue safely.” Tech founder begging for regulatory oversight is the most alarming red flag ever thrown.
nytimes.com
Anthropic C.E.O. Dario Amodei Calls for A.I. Slowdown (Gift Article)
In a 3,800-word essay, Dario Amodei laid out the rapidly advancing capabilities of artificial intelligence and said there needed to be greater safety controls across the industry.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
This is a bigger fiasco than earlier reported. Trump’s lies erode all credibility. If a catastrophic national security disaster occurred, who could we believe? Please vote.
nytimes.com
Reflecting Pool Contractor Blames Its Own Repairs, Not Vandals, for Damage (Gift Article)
The contractor said the pool’s new blue liner peeled and tore because of “human oversight” and a flawed plan that involved layering two incompatible chemicals, documents show.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
The pure joy of following Niall’s journey is the highest return on investment I’ve received in my life. Check out his feed.
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Reposted by @independent56.bsky.social
Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Burns.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Once a conman, always a conman.
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
ohioimmigrant.org
Mullin’s Many Lies and One Truth — His Name — Ohio Immigrant Alliance
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin held a press conference filled with performative outrage and multiple mistakes about immigration law. “It was like a backwards version of two truths and a lie,” said Ly...
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
“Silicon Valley’s leaders have treated their fellow citizens like caged guinea pigs, bombarding us with inappropriate and culturally corrosive content,..flooding schools with technology that hooked young users..and then sheltering their own children from the products that they marketed to ours.”
nytimes.com
Opinion | Big Tech Fooled America Once. The Second Time’s Not Going So Well.
We won’t get fooled again.
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Reposted by @independent56.bsky.social
Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
“.. The Atlanta Fed calculates that as of May, a household would need income of $124,674 a year to afford a median-priced home … that is 45% more than the median household makes.” - Schwab
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independent56.bsky.social @independent56.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
“A military aide accidentally deployed an inflatable emergency slide on the new Air Force One on Wednesday, delaying President Trump’s departure to Dallas, according to a person familiar with the episode.”
nytimes.com
Trump Is Delayed After Emergency Slide Deploys on New Air Force One
The mishap occurred while the Qatari-donated jet was parked on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews. It delayed President Trump’s departure to a Republican convention in Dallas.
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