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John Sisino

@smarmyeod.bsky.social
1.2K followers 143 following 9.1K posts

Former glorified trash man, current glorified forklift operator. Happily crosscut. Don’t be ninjerin’ nobody who don’t need no ninjerin.’ Istud dolebitis.

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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 11h
That demolition was well underway before anyone had a chance to file a suit—the damage was going to be done no matter what. The solution here is that Congress should have done it's job & impeached, convicted, & removed him. Even the most expansive version of standing, etc would still require this.
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 11h
Several challenges to Biden's (by his own admission) totally illegal student loan forgiveness were rejected on standing grounds! You have partisan brain. Right now MAGA is howling about how SCOTUS only rules against Trump (which is why their approval rating is dropping in polls).
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"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 15h
This probably should have but different occur to me - the current midterm wave we're seeing is the political wave we're getting *before* most of the big cuts in Medicaid go into effect. If anything, people may well be angrier in 2028, which is wild to contemplate.
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 14h
The immunity decision was atextual & wrong. Full stop. But it wasn’t going to be an impediment to the prosecutions nor would ruling the other way have stopped him from getting elected & taking office. The main beneficiary of that decision seems to be Joe Biden.
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 14h
Donald Trump not getting the things he *really* wants doesn’t matter is a plainly ridiculous position to take. & just because something is plainly illegal doesn’t mean that we should pretend that standing doesn’t need to be a thing. Or that the correct solution isn’t Congress doing its job.
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 16h
Where he’s been getting some wins is on procedural issues that judicial conservatives have been arguing for a long time—but DoJ has hundreds of cases where they can choose to appeal the case that presents their best chance of success.
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 16h
On the merits, in front of *this* SCOTUS, Donald Trump has the lowest success rate of any President in the entire history of us keeping track & it’s not even close.
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Rob Tracinski @tracinski.bsky.social · 22h
Given what a Democratic trifecta can actually do with the legitimate constitutional powers it has, blowing up the Supreme Court is just not remotely worth all of the downsides. It's a fantasy for those who are used to seeing themselves as helpless and want the courts to rescue them.
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Rob Tracinski @tracinski.bsky.social · 22h
People say, "but the conservative Supreme Court majority will stop us." They might try, but people are overestimating what they can do. There is a kind of learned helplessness in which Dems have gotten so used to trying to eke out victories in the courts, they have forgotten how to legislate.
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Rob Tracinski @tracinski.bsky.social · 22h
Much more likely is a Dem trifecta in 2029. But at that point, Congress can just, you know, pass a bunch of legislation. The president can rescind ALL the executive orders and issue new ones. We can reverse virtually all of what Trump has done in the past few years.
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Rob Tracinski @tracinski.bsky.social · 22h
The problem I have with court-packing (court "expansion" is a euphemism that isn't fooling anyone) is that the politics of it are so dumb. The only conditions under which this proposal makes sense are those under which it is not necessary. Let's walk through this.
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Jessica Riedl @jessicabriedl.bsky.social · 17h
The math is unforgiving. "Don't touch SocSec & Medicare benefits" is easy politics. But its already squeezing social programs & threatens to bury working families & kids. Deficit reduction means putting ALL on the table - including senior benefits. (/F) www.brookings.edu/articles/the...
brookings.edu
The progressive case for Social Security and Medicare reform | Brookings
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Michael Derby @michaelsderby.bsky.social · 18h
The latest on the man Trump tried to make the nation's top law enforcement officer: "Two women have filed a federal civil lawsuit accusing former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz and two others of participating in an alleged sex trafficking scheme..." Via Miami Herald
miamiherald.com
Ex-Florida congressman Matt Gaetz accused in suit of sex trafficking young women
The lawsuit alleges the two women were supplied with drugs, traveled across state lines and were paid to have sex with men, including Gaetz.
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Aman Batheja @amanbatheja.bsky.social · 21h
Remarkable outcome in Fox News' latest poll: 88% of U.S. voters say they are extremely or very concerned about corruption in government, beating every other issue including inflation www.foxnews.com/politics/fox...
Fox News Poll chart with title: "HOW CONCERNED ARE VOTERS ABOUT KEY ISSUES." Corruption in government leads with 88% extremely/very concerned.
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Paul Bernal @paulbernal.bsky.social · 20h
Whatever the truth of the Musk/Trump theatricals over Starlink, we should pause to think about the fact that key defence systems are controlled by a psychopathic megalomaniac and a white-supremacist egomaniac.
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Matthew Gertz @mattgertz.bsky.social · 19h
An attempted attack on a Hindu temple came amid a weeks-long right-wing frenzy over "The Indian Question"; police found a manifesto from the alleged shooter "containing statements expressing white supremacist and extremist ideologies."
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Joe Sonka 😐 @joesonka.lpm.org · 13/10/2026
Louisville Public Media 2026 voter guide is ready! Plug in your address and read about the candidates you'll see on your ballot. #kyga26 #kysen #ky06
lpm.org
Kentucky's 2026 General Election Voter Guide
The 2026 Kentucky general election guide from Kentucky Public Radio.
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Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · 19h
Imports and trade are a sucker's game that hurts America, thinks Trump. Except when it's with pal Vlad. Then it's totally different, a win-win for which we should be grateful [@jonathanbchait.bsky.social]
theatlantic.com
Trump’s Affection for Russia Is No Mystery
The best explanation is the least complicated one.
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 19h
The entire problem of illegal immigration basically boils down to giant mismatches between our laws & the needs of the economy, citizens, & immigrants.
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Raffi Melkonian @rmfifthcircuit.bsky.social · 21h
I get this is anecdote, and of course I'm a very privileged immigrant for several reasons, but from my experience of those of my community, man are the people of this country more welcoming to immigrants than every single other country. You have no idea how welcoming.
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Raffi Melkonian @rmfifthcircuit.bsky.social · 21h
Sometimes when I make this whole point, people say "No, you're wrong, people hate immigrants, the system is what the people (who are bad) want." There are definitely people who hate immigrants. I don't think that's a majority or anything close on that.
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Raffi Melkonian @rmfifthcircuit.bsky.social · 21h
As I always say, you could, if you wanted, create a very demanding application system that would sound very stern but was actually a big liberalization of immigration. I'd just let a bunch more people in, but I get that's not where everyone else is.
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Raffi Melkonian @rmfifthcircuit.bsky.social · 21h
I know I'm a broken record on this, but one part of what is going on is that people have literally no idea what the US immigration system actually is; effectively, that there are no pathways into the country legally for someone who wants to wait in line.
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Alex Blechman @alexblechman.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
This is a trend. A lot of officials think they’re $50 million dollar grifters, and get fired when it turns out they’re just $200k grifters Their prize in this administration is not vast fortunes. It’s making the same salary as a doctor while barely being able to read
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Alex Blechman @alexblechman.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
Doing Grift 2 during Grift 1 is the hubris of aiming too high and destined to lead to your downfall. If only the Greeks had a story warning about that
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Alex Blechman @alexblechman.bsky.social · 13/10/2026
The moral is, if you’re appointed Ambassador to Greece as an unqualified nepo hire, don’t try to do bonus grifts. The grift is being Ambassador to Greece. You are being paid to hang out in Greece for 4 years. Grift accomplished
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 20h
Skill issue.
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 21h
>convict, & remove the cabinet-level officials who’re ordering this. Unfortunately, Congress is full of a bipartisan majority that WANTS impeachment to be a dead letter so we have to do our jobs as voters to select better leaders. There are no easy solutions (or this would be solved already).
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 21h
First off, what’s NOT going to uphold the rule of law is judges flushing long-established process down the toilet because DoJ randomly decided to show up to Court in clown shoes. The real answer is that we need elected representatives that will uphold their constitutional duties & impeach, >
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Dan Kaszeta FRHistS @dankaszeta.bsky.social · 21h
“There isn’t a declared war so this particular act can’t be a war crime” is not actually a legal defence nor does it have standing in LOAC or IHL. It’s the sort of cheap ploy often used by people who want atrocities to go unpunished or who deny them altogether
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 21h
The former is *way* more significant than the latter over the long term. The latter is mostly just emotionally satisfying.
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 21h
~half the states stop complying with SCOTUS rulings they dislike then the Republicans retake Congress & the Presidency & almost no states comply with SCOTUS rulings they dislike. That’s where this goes.
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 21h
Oh, there’s consequences (do you think this judge will ever take DoJ at their word again?) but they’re just not the emotionally satisfying “government lawyer/official held in jail until in compliance” sort of consequences.
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 21h
Needless to say, there’s *now* an order in place but it would probably be government lawyers or officials who’d be the target if any sanctions, not the contractor.
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 21h
Bellingcat misstated the facts. They didn’t break an order because there was no order. There was no order because DoJ led the judge to believe there was an agreement that they’d let her know before they did anything major.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 22h
To my knowledge, it is not correct that Judge Reyes issued an order requiring approval to cut down more than 10 trees. What she said is that she had secured a (now broken) verbal commitment from DOJ that nothing major would go forward without them telling the court and the plaintiffs first.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 22h
While we don’t have a smoking gun yet, there is reason to believe that earlier this year the Trump admin ordered USCIS to arbitrarily cap the number of immigrants who can become citizens each month. Backlogs in the naturalization process are now skyrocketing.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 22h
Only a single demographic group polled by the Washington Post supported live-streaming an execution: “MAGA Republican men.” A slim majority of people support a firing squad execution. But even the people who support the execution oppose live-streaming it, and do so by a 70-30 margin.
Chart showing poll results by group for "support for live-streaming the firing squad execution of the Fort Hood shooter." 

Question: "Regardless of whether you support executing Hasan by firing squad, do you think the execution should be live-streamed online for the American public to watch."

U.S. adults: Should = 18%, Should Not = 80%
The 53% of respondents who support the firing squad execution: Should = 30%, Should Not = 69%
The 42% of respondents who oppose the firing squad execution: Should = 5%, Should Not = 95%
Served in military: Should = 32%, Should Not = 67%
Did not serve in military: Should = 17%, Should Not = 82%
Democrats: Should = 8%, Should Not = 91%
Independents: Should = 14%, Should Not = 83%
Republicans: Should = 34%, Should Not = 64%
Non-MAGA Republicans: Should = 20%, Should Not = 79%
MAGA Republicans: Should = 43%, Should Not = 55%
MAGA Republican Men: Should = 57%, Should Not = 42%
MAGA Republican Women: Should = 29%, Should Not = 69%
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David French @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social · 22h
"It’s horrible to have to type these words, but the president of the United States is throwing Vladimir Putin a lifeline. He is turning the American government against Ukraine, funding Russia and — perhaps worst of all — playing directly into Putin’s theory of victory."
nytimes.com
Opinion | Russia Was Losing. Enter President Trump.
The commander in chief is Putin’s ace in the hole.
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 22h
I think this is an actual good idea.
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 22h
In terms of the holdings of “controversial” cases, those are broadly popular when polling the general public. I don’t have a poll in front of me but even the unpopular holdings still have > 45% approval.
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 22h
No, the unpopularity of the court is due to partisanship—left partisans because it *is* a conservative court & they disagree on philosophical grounds & MAGA partisans because it frequently rules against Dear Leader on the merits.
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 22h
That’s very common at the state level and it’s all-around a much worse system.
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Matt Peterson @mattpeterson.bsky.social · 22h
Sometime in the next few days we're going to get official confirmation of this year's $2 trillion deficit. With the 10-year stuck above 5%, we're getting just a teeny tiny taste of what a debt crisis would look like. I ran the numbers in this new piece.
cnbc.com
Analysis: Why a $2 trillion deficit and 5% Treasury yields are becoming America's biggest economic challenge
Treasury yields above 5% are raising borrowing costs for households and the federal government, highlighting the challenge of financing $2 trillion deficits.
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The Kyiv Independent @kyivindependent.com · 23h
"The fact that the ECHR has accepted the complaint and opened proceedings indicates that there are reasonable legal grounds for the case, that it has legal merit, and that the court intends to examine it on its merits," the Ukrainian state-owned Oschadbank said.
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The Kyiv Independent @kyivindependent.com · 23h
⚡️ECHR opens proceedings againt Hungary over detention, 'torture' of Ukrainian bank staff.
kyivindependent.com
ECHR opens proceedings againt Hungary over detention, 'torture' of Ukrainian bank staff
"The fact that the ECHR has accepted the complaint and opened proceedings indicates that there are reasonable legal grounds for the case, that it has legal merit, and that the court intends to examine...
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John Sisino @smarmyeod.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
Egads, those NMC rates… It’s not AS bad as when I got my first unit (fresh off a 6 month deployment that turned into 18) & 100% of the tactical vehicles were full of dry rot & raccoons but those guys actually need that shit. An EOD company doing CONUS response doesn’t really use tactical vehicles.
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Lindsay P Cohn @lindsaypcohn.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
Hoo boy this is going to get interesting www.militarytimes.com/news/your-mi...
militarytimes.com
‘Addicted to the Guard’: Generals call for ‘traffic cop’ to control state governor’s demands
One National Guard leader proposed a new "traffic cop" to filter state and federal activation and employment requests as the Guard faces increasing demand.
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Paul Crider @paulcrider.liberalcurrents.com · 14/10/2026
It can't be over-emphasized how much <gestures> all this is a result of a set of easily avoidable own goals by Trump and his people. We should remember this when we start to feel panicky about various schemes for holding onto power. Trump isn't all-powerful. He's actually pretty inept.
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