Reposted by Ben RaderstorfGarrett M. Graff @vermontgmg.bsky.social · 1hThis is illegal and (a) it’s not even close to defensible and (b) shouldn’t be tolerated. 281219417
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 4hLearn 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.orgHow the Trump administration plans to interfere with the 2026 elections2026 will be different from any election in American history. The Trump administration is wielding the full power of the government against our own elections. 032
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 8hEven 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 130
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 13/10/2026San Francisco NIMBYs will literally take a playground away from their own children just so they can have another (far less direct) car commute option 130
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 12/10/2026Sacramento 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? 679716
Reposted by Ben Raderstorfstevelevitsky.bsky.social @stevelevitsky.bsky.social · 12/10/2026Raiding the home of an opposition legislator is authoritarian. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...theguardian.comFederal agents search Ilhan Omar’s home as part of criminal investigationTrump and key allies have accused Omar of immigration fraud, and have called to expel her from the country 012044
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 12/10/2026I 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. 06311
Reposted by Ben RaderstorfAndy Craig @andycraig.bsky.social · 12/10/2026A 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. 143498
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 12/10/2026Every 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. 1146
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 12/10/2026The 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. 13810
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 12/10/2026If you buy a Tesla, this is where that money is going www.nytimes.com/2026/10/12/u...nytimes.comInside Elon Musk’s $276 Million Midterm Rescue Mission for RepublicansThe 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. 65928
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 10/10/2026Forty different questions on my ballot this year. We ask voters to vote on WAY too much stuff. Terrible for democracy. 160
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 10/10/2026Speeding 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? 1180
Reposted by Ben RaderstorfJonathan Diaz @jonathandiaz.bsky.social · 10/10/2026A 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. 131
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 10/10/2026Are 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.orgHow to talk about threats to the midtermsA toolkit for conversations with stressed-out (or burned-out) people 011
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 10/10/2026I 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 3453
Reposted by Ben RaderstorfThe 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.comAll Media Will Be Forced to ChooseAre you part of the pro-democracy movement, or will you accommodate authoritarianism? 18611
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 08/10/2026Donald Trump openly talking about his attempts to weaponize the pardon power for corrupt quid pro quos. 030
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Sacramento’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 1130
Reposted by Ben RaderstorfBerin Szóka @berinszoka.bsky.social · 06/10/202618 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.orgFCC Threatens Free Speech, Bipartisan Coalition of FCC Veterans Tells D.C. District Court 1148
Reposted by Ben RaderstorfDavid Roberts @volts.wtf · 05/10/2026I 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. 505350315
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 06/10/2026Over 500 American citizens have been detained, often at gunpoint, and some even deported. Impeachment is the floor. 071
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 06/10/2026All 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. 000
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 06/10/2026From 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. 130
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 05/10/2026This is such a good and important idea from @andycraig.bsky.social. 07217
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 04/10/2026I 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 050
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 04/10/2026Spectacular 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 240
Reposted by Ben RaderstorfMr. Dan Zak @mrdanzak.com · 04/10/2026A 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.comA Reckoning in SpringfieldA truck driver out on his route confronts what the country has become. 37353511837
Reposted by Ben Raderstorfdereksagehorn.bsky.social @dereksagehorn.bsky.social · 03/10/2026No membership-based YIMBY group in California is supporting Prop 45. The campaign also has zero transit org supporters. Much to consider 412633
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Of 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. 110
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 03/10/2026In 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. 2151
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Union 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.orgA 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. 1111
Reposted by Ben RaderstorfJoey Politano🏳️🌈 @josephpolitano.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Sort 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 502949804
Reposted by Ben RaderstorfDon Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Unless 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.comNational Science Foundation Diverted $1.4 Billion in Science Funds Mandated by CongressThe 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. 8830861185
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026BREAKING: 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.orgUnpeeling the many layers of Trump’s propaganda adsThey’re even worse than you think 0135
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Most 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!" 0110
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Yikes! 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.comICE Has Been Dumping Protester Photos Into a Palantir DatabaseDHS 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. 35633
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Right 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 010
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Oh I just mean that universities would completely discriminate against minority applicants if they were required to offer them all full ride scholarships. 200
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026One 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. 1150
Ben Raderstorf @raders.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Other metaphor idea: "IZ is like requiring all grocery stores that open in food deserts to sell groceries at a loss" 100