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Ben Raderstorf

@raders.bsky.social
7.3K followers 982 following 2.5K posts

defend democracy and build homes / policy advocate @protectdemocracy.org / author ifyoucankeep.it / board ‪@sacyimby.bsky.social / rash opinions my own No kings but Sac Kings 📍Sacramento

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Reposted by Ben Raderstorf
Garrett M. Graff @vermontgmg.bsky.social · 1h
This is illegal and (a) it’s not even close to defensible and (b) shouldn’t be tolerated.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 4h
Learn more about the White House's midterm strategy: protectdemocracy.org/executive-ov... Here's what you can do about it: protectdemocracy.org/how-you-can-...
protectdemocracy.org
How the Trump administration plans to interfere with the 2026 elections
2026 will be different from any election in American history. The Trump administration is wielding the full power of the government against our own elections.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 4h
You're not imagining it.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 6h
"Wild rice isn't rice!"
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 8h
Even putting aside the widespread mass availability of free ebooks, digital libraries, used books, etc. the price of new paperback books has notably declined since ~2000
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
San Francisco NIMBYs will literally take a playground away from their own children just so they can have another (far less direct) car commute option
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
That is true
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
You’re just bitter
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Sacramento is, by these metrics, the best value and some of the highest quality of life anywhere in the west. California incomes and sunshine with Portland’s prices and Denver’s access to nature is I guess a ranking-friendly combo?
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Reposted by Ben Raderstorf
stevelevitsky.bsky.social @stevelevitsky.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Raiding the home of an opposition legislator is authoritarian. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Federal agents search Ilhan Omar’s home as part of criminal investigation
Trump and key allies have accused Omar of immigration fraud, and have called to expel her from the country
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
I don't think there's a parallel in American history to a rogue executive trying to use law enforcement to strip an opposition Member of Congress of her citizenship and therefore her right to serve — and even remain in — her country. The clear racism makes it much, much worse. Ghoulish.
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Reposted by Ben Raderstorf
Andy Craig @andycraig.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
A rogue executive going after the citizenship and thus eligibility of a duly elected member of Congress, an attempt to usurp the House's fundamental constitutional power to decide who its own members are, is dangerous in a way that exceeds even the possibility of bogus trumped up criminal charges.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Every person who signed off on it must, at a minimum, eventually be fired from federal service, and it's quite possible that they're guilty of a crime for doing so.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
The raid on Rep. Omar's home is one of the most shocking abuses of power yet. Harassing an opposition legislator like this — potentially attempting to strip her citizenship based on racist innuendo — is the sort of behavior reserved for only the most extreme & unhinged authoritarian states.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
If you buy a Tesla, this is where that money is going www.nytimes.com/2026/10/12/u...
nytimes.com
Inside Elon Musk’s $276 Million Midterm Rescue Mission for Republicans
The world’s richest person has quietly become by far the biggest known midterm donor, trying to save Republicans’ Senate majority with some of the largest donations in American political history.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Forty different questions on my ballot this year. We ask voters to vote on WAY too much stuff. Terrible for democracy.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Speeding drivers kill about 1,400 people every single year in California. That’s roughly the same as all homicides combined. Do you genuinely believe that’s not a problem?
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Thanks, Jonathan!
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Reposted by Ben Raderstorf
Jonathan Diaz @jonathandiaz.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
A typically excellent resource from my friends at @protectdemocracy.org, but here’s the most important part: Triple check your registration, make a plan (and backup plan) to vote, then talk to other people about doing the same. If you have questions or see any issues, call or text: 866-OUR-VOTE.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Are you getting anxious questions about Trump, election interference, and the midterms? Yeah, me too. Here's my advice for how to talk to people about a stressful — but ultimately manageable — set of threats. @protectdemocracy.org www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/how-to-tal...
ifyoucankeepit.org
How to talk about threats to the midterms
A toolkit for conversations with stressed-out (or burned-out) people
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
I don't even live in the Bay but I'm donating to the Yes on RTM campaign because if this thing fails the resulting service cuts, traffic explosion, and climate disaster will drag the rest of NorCal down with it. Yes on RTM! www.regionaltransitmeasure.com
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Reposted by Ben Raderstorf
The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 08/10/2026
"Never forget JVL’s Law: Any person or institution not explicitly anti-Trump will become a tool for authoritarianism eventually." From the archives:
lnk.thebulwark.com
All Media Will Be Forced to Choose
Are you part of the pro-democracy movement, or will you accommodate authoritarianism?
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Donald Trump openly talking about his attempts to weaponize the pardon power for corrupt quid pro quos.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Sacramento’s 311 app has an express option for reporting cars parked in the bike lane. They even send you an automatic follow up email to let you know if they got the bastard
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Reposted by Ben Raderstorf
Berin Szóka @berinszoka.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
18 former FCC Chairs, Commissioners and senior leaders of both parties (mostly Republicans) urged the court to block Brendan Carr's flagrant abuses of power. See the led we at @techfreedom.org filed along with @protectdemocracy.org techfreedom.org/fcc-threaten...
techfreedom.org
FCC Threatens Free Speech, Bipartisan Coalition of FCC Veterans Tells D.C. District Court
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Reposted by Ben Raderstorf
David Roberts @volts.wtf · 05/10/2026
I could hug @anandwrites.bsky.social for this. This is so true but you NEVER hear it in US media. Never. Truly doing god's work.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Over 500 American citizens have been detained, often at gunpoint, and some even deported. Impeachment is the floor.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
All evidence suggests that conservative parties are critical for stable, pluralist democracy. But it’s a particularly thorny problem because, by definition, it‘s not one that liberals or progressives can solve.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
From the US to Brazil to France to the UK, the near-annihilation of genuine conservative parties since 2016 is one of the most consequential shocks to global democracy ever.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
*Taps sign*
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
This is such a good and important idea from @andycraig.bsky.social.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
I feel like I felt this super tangibly moving from the Bay (very much not ok housing market, very much not ok social fabric) to Sacramento which is maybe the most normie, not-dislocated housing market (and therefore socio-political culture) anywhere in the West
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Spectacular Housing Theory of Evertything example. Many of our current social and political brain diseases stem directly from distortions we’ve put on our most influential metros
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Reposted by Ben Raderstorf
Mr. Dan Zak @mrdanzak.com · 04/10/2026
A Haitian man legally immigrated to Ohio, then was given an ankle monitor bc Trump withdrew his status. He threw himself in front of truck. The trucker, who voted for Trump, is haunted. “Pierre was doing what he was supposed to do. We did not do right by him.” www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
theatlantic.com
A Reckoning in Springfield
A truck driver out on his route confronts what the country has become.
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Reposted by Ben Raderstorf
dereksagehorn.bsky.social @dereksagehorn.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
No membership-based YIMBY group in California is supporting Prop 45. The campaign also has zero transit org supporters. Much to consider
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Of course, California also has 7.5 million homeowner households. So for every twelve renter families paying that $1,320 year tax, fifteen homeowner families get to get richer. IZ is a great deal for homeowners.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
In a good year, IZ produces maybe ~1,000 deed restricted units statewide. With 6 million renter households in California, that means about 6,000 households are paying a $1,320/yr tax for every one household that gets a new deed restricted unit. IZ is not a good deal for low-income people.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Union Pacific snarled downtown Sacramento for over an hour with a stopped train during morning commute yesterday and won’t even say why. Madness how we let these monopolies operate with total impunity. www.abridged.org/news/freight...
abridged.org
A Midtown train stalled commuters and delayed a Sacramento school. What happened?
A stopped Union Pacific freight train caused delays Thursday morning for some Sacramento drivers and McClatchy High School students.
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Reposted by Ben Raderstorf
Joey Politano🏳️‍🌈 @josephpolitano.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Sort of insane fact about how broken US urban planning is—America now spends more building *just the lights for roads and highways* than on all subways & ground mass transit combined Spending on roadway *pavement* is 18x transit spending
a graph of roadway and mass transit lights
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Reposted by Ben Raderstorf
Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Unless Congress reclaims its power, this will just become the new normal. A good first step would be to impeach Vought. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/02/u...
nytimes.com
National Science Foundation Diverted $1.4 Billion in Science Funds Mandated by Congress
The move, affecting about one-fifth of the National Science Foundation’s primary research budget, is the latest sign of how the White House is asserting more control over grants.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
BREAKING: The White House is funding its propaganda ads using funding intended for "commemorative events" like “line-of-Duty death memorials, Department or agency anniversaries, and commendation ceremonies.” www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/unpeeling-... Tova Kaplan in ifyoucankeep.it:
ifyoucankeepit.org
Unpeeling the many layers of Trump’s propaganda ads
They’re even worse than you think
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Most democracies: "Which one of these five clear options is closest to your views? Ok great that's all we needed to know." American democracy: "Ok, 14 different races, each has 7 candidates. All same party and say the same things—but they secretly represent very different interests. Good luck!"
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Yikes! New partially unsealed court filing in a @protectdemocracy.org case shows ICE has been dumping protester photos, license plate numbers, and other info into Palantir database. Via @wired.com www.wired.com/story/ice-ha...
wired.com
ICE Has Been Dumping Protester Photos Into a Palantir Database
DHS agents not only tracked and intimidated people observing ICE activity in Maine, but stored information about them in a Palantir-built database, newly unsealed court filings say.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
A very big story 👇
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Right but my point is that its a parallel example where you could have a policy that sounds inclusive that in practice is guaranteed to lead to exclusion
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
The maternity leave example is also good
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Oh I just mean that universities would completely discriminate against minority applicants if they were required to offer them all full ride scholarships.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
One of the best but least-talked-about arguments for open list proportional representation & multipartyism is that it would dramatically reduce the information barriers to meaningfully participating in our democracy.
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Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Other metaphor idea: "IZ is like requiring all grocery stores that open in food deserts to sell groceries at a loss"
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