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Victor Caston

@vcaston.eurosky.social
1.6K followers 760 following 3K posts

Philosophy & Classical Studies, University of Michigan. In case anyone was in doubt, my opinions are my own.

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Reposted by Victor Caston
Just Security @justsecurity.org · 3h
President Donald Trump's promise to give out $5,000 "dividend" payments if Republicans retain control of Congress in the midterms could violate multiple federal criminal statutes that criminalize buying or coercing votes, write Bruce Swartz, Harry Seavey and Cara Barazia.
justsecurity.org
Auctioning Democracy: Trump’s Promise of a $5,000 “Dividend”
Trump's pledge to pay $5,000 to every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans retain control of Congress could violate federal criminal law.
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Gil Durán @gilduran.com · 05/10/2026
The NYT is ok with extremist ideology as an anecdote in a profile—but highly allergic to any deeper examination of the ideology itself. No one gets to write an op-ed explaining any of this. That’s not allowed. But a billionaire can drop it in a quote as a passing comment.
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Gil Durán @gilduran.com · 05/10/2026
“Democracy has been hailed as, like, the holy grail for the last couple hundred years, but democracies are inefficient,” said the crypto billionaire. “If you get a benevolent dictator, it’s actually extremely efficient." Hmm, where have I heard this before? www.nytimes.com/2026/10/01/b...
nytimes.com
Inside a Billionaire’s Paradise With Crypto’s Most Powerful Ex-Convict (Gift Article)
Changpeng Zhao, jailed in the United States for a financial crime and pardoned by President Trump, is now living a gilded life in the United Arab Emirates.
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Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 15h
Three elected Alabama public officials, all Republicans, were running a human trafficking ring. They were arrested and booked this weekend. weartv.com/news/local/a...
weartv.com
Three Alabama officials among 17 arrested in Atmore undercover prostitution sting
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Ala. -- Three public officials in Alabama were among the 17 people arrested Friday in a multi-day undercover prostitution sting in Escambia Cou
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 5h
The government *still* isn’t tracking how often immigration agents detain U.S. citizens. We are. 500+ Americans have been handcuffed, held at gunpoint or held against their will in Trump’s second term. Our tally is almost certainly an undercount. THREAD (content warning: violence) ⬇️
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Victor Caston @vcaston.eurosky.social · 11h
Hastert and Jim Bakker, both on the same day. But shouldn't this come in threes?
nytimes.com
Jim Bakker, Television Preacher Felled by Sex and Financial Scandals, Dies at 86
With his wife, Tammy Faye, Mr. Bakker built a broadcasting juggernaut around the gospel of prosperity.
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Andrew Deck @andrewdeck.bsky.social · 19h
ChatGPT is adding the signatures of real New Yorker cartoonists to its AI-generated images. So far, I've found the signatures of more than 15 contributors. "It’s slop, and unlike the other slop that I’ve encountered, this is slop that’s pretending to be me." www.niemanlab.org/2026/10/chat...
Left: A cartoon generated by ChatGPT and signed with Emily Flake’s signature that was posted to a Reddit forum in June. Right: A real Emily Flake cartoon published in The New Yorker on August 20, 2026 and licensed via The Cartoon Bank.
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Victor Caston @vcaston.eurosky.social · 16h
A truly evil woman
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Victor Caston @vcaston.eurosky.social · 16h
'Obliged' is a polite word for the real relation here
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Victor Caston @vcaston.eurosky.social · 16h
It's a wonder he ever tells the truth. Wouldn't put a liar sentence beyond him though
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Victor Caston @vcaston.eurosky.social · 17h
The NAACP has already filed suit.
democracydocket.com
DOJ sued for records on ‘unprecedented’ plan to deploy 1,000 election monitors in midterms
DOJ's planned effort represents an extraordinary expansion of federal election monitoring. It has already sparked confrontations with state officials and concerns about voter intimidation.
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Reposted by Victor Caston
Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · 18h
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a statewide disaster emergency due to the measles outbreak. This was avoidable.
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Senator Elissa Slotkin @slotkin.senate.gov · 05/10/2026
 Hearing firsthand about how the Hungarians have reclaimed their government gave me some real sparks of hope. Just five months ago, a pro-democracy movement in Hungary achieved what many thought was impossible. They beat their authoritarian leader.
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The Fake History Hunter @fakehistoryhunter.net · 04/10/2026
That new film about Spinoza looks promising. youtu.be/JrwiJXpVbzQ?...
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Victor Caston @vcaston.eurosky.social · 05/10/2026
Excellent video exposing the false equivalence behind the "polarization" diagnosis. Framing till 6:30, when deeper argument begins. Radicalization of the GOP & rejection of American pluralism is the problem, not polarization. They're trying to hide & keep their destructive gains. Don't let them.
youtu.be
Forget about "polarization"; the real problem with American politics is the radicalized right-wing
YouTube video by Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie
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Daniel Drezner @dandrezner.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
To be fair it does seem as though there’s some prep going on. politicalwire.com/2026/10/04/d...
politicalwire.com
Democrats Are Making Plans to Clean Up Government
"Democratic House members are writing bills to rein in a president’s emergency powers. Lawyers are strategizing about how to insulate the Justice Department from presidential influence. A House…
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Victor Caston @vcaston.eurosky.social · 04/10/2026
Please consider signing! We need to prevent this vicious man from ever having a position in this and future administrations.
impeachvought.com
Impeach Vought
We are current and former federal workers from across the government. We have witnessed first-hand the harm Russell Vought has inflicted on American communities. We are urging Congress to act now to p...
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The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 04/10/2026
The Trump administration has moved to cripple Title IX protections against sexual assault and harassment on the same day New York prosecutors reopened the investigation into heinous allegations of a fraternity gang rape at Cornell University. trib.al/KbxIxZV
trib.al
Trump Weakens Title IX Rules Amid Cornell Gang Rape Investigation
The Education Department has just weakened protections for sexual assault victims in schools.
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KittyKatGirl😻🙏💞🐞 @mary1kathy.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
SENATOR SLOTKIN: If you hear in the next 34 days that there is a new security threat that you’ve never heard of, that somehow requires federal law enforcement or the military and not local police, an alarm bell should go off in your brain. Do not let him get away with that
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Mar Hicks @histoftech.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
This is awful. More outlets are doing things like this—not limiting reporters’ recordings to their intended purpose. I was contacted by one publication, years after an interview, telling me—not asking—that that recording was going to be used in a new, unrelated podcast the publication was doing.
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Senator Ron Wyden @wyden.senate.gov · 03/10/2026
My investigators have confirmed the Trump administration is hiding interview documents it conducted with some of Epstein’s banks, and there could be more. There’s no limit to how far Scott Bessent, Kash Patel and Todd Blanche will go to continue this cover up.
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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
PSA. Important.
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Hoodlum 🇺🇸 @nothoodlum.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Community Notes for the win here, Megyn Kelly. 👌
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Hoodlum 🇺🇸 @nothoodlum.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
I don’t remember anyone giving Jerome Powell a check for $100 million. Who gave it to Kevin Warsh, days before he was confirmed and why?
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wishda @wishda.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
When I checked this week, my registration was gone. Durham County, NC voter in good standing for many years, and I was no longer a registered voter.
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The Editorial Board @editorialboard.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
He is not defying the Democrats. He is defying the US Congress, aka the people. A president cannot legally or constitutionally spend money however he wishes to. Congress appropriated the funding. Previous presidents signed those appropriations into law. Trump is lawless. That's the story here.
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Jordan Wood @jordanwood.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
A donor told the man running Susan Collins' super PAC he'd illegally route his money through a shell company. The reply: "Very smart." The donor is in federal prison. The man who wrote that runs her super PAC today.
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Victor Caston @vcaston.eurosky.social · 02/10/2026
What he honors tells you all you need to know Impeach Blanche, release the Epstein files
independent.co.uk
Trump calls Cornell ‘a fine school’ as he breaks silence on alleged gang rape case
The president was asked whether the Ivy League school had ‘done enough to investigate’ the alleged sexual abuse
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Victor Caston @vcaston.eurosky.social · 02/10/2026
Maybe if we let them leave now. The perfect ostracism.
theguardian.com
The end times fascists are plotting their escape from our world. Our mission is clear – podcast
An unholy alliance is working toward an apocalyptic future from which only a chosen few will emerge unscathed. It’s becoming clear how we stop themBy Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor
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progressivebeat.bsky.social @progressivebeat.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Two things have spiked gas prices in the last 4 years. Trump's buddy Putin invading Ukraine and Trump going to war with Iran. They are the problem. Them.
Graph showing gas prices spiking after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, then consistently going down until Trump's war on Iran made them spike again.
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Sam Bagenstos @sbagen.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
More confirmation that the Trump Administration is staying underground with its anti-abortion plans until after the midterms. www.washingtonsun.com/campaigns/ab...
washingtonsun.com
White House Officials Told the DOJ to Delay Action on Abortion Ahead of the Midterms
Attorney General Todd Blanche has moved slowly in abortion pill litigation and department officials have told advocates to wait until after the election.
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Gwen C. Katz @gwenckatz.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Things Gavin Newsom has vetoed this week: -A ban on secretly recording people with smart glasses -A ban on ICE agents working for the state government -A ban on websites selling your data -A bill giving native tribes more say over water rights -A bill protecting transgender healthcare providers
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Philip Bump @pbump.com · 02/10/2026
When Trump made campaign stops in 2018, one paper estimated that it sank 15 GOP candidates. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
washingtonpost.com
Analysis | Trump brags about getting Republicans elected. Research suggests his endorsements cost 15 seats.
Trump spurred turnout with his endorsements — including for the Democratic candidate.
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Aaron Black @aaronblack.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
The most dangerous part of Trump's corruption isn't the money he's pocketed. It's the precedent he's setting: that a president can be openly transactional and face zero consequences. #PayToPlayPresident
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Victor Caston @vcaston.eurosky.social · 01/10/2026
theguardian.com
Trump officials abandon effort to investigate election threats, experts warn
Credible threats appear to have been overlooked as administration focuses on unverified claims of voter fraud
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Louis @louisevans.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Skipped the Nazis, huh.
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The Downballot @the-downballot.com · 30/09/2026
Groups from across the political spectrum are urging a "no" vote on Michigan's "con-con" question, but one notable Republican isn't so sure. State Rep. Jay DeBoyer, running for lieutenant governor, this month suggested conservatives could vote "yes" as a way to remove abortion rights amendment.
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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
this 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
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Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Something remarkable is happening: James Talarico is running an expansively pro-immigrant campaign in Texas, a state Trump won by 14 points, speaking in Biblical terms about our duty to "the stranger." And it's resonating. That's seismic. 1/ (new piece) newrepublic.com/article/2160...
newrepublic.com
In Texas, Something Seismic Is Happening—and It’s All Trump’s Fault
Thanks to the economy and ICE, Trump has lost Texas Latinos. And James Talarico is developing a humane pro-immigrant message that’s resonating—even in this ultra-Trumpy state.
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Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
The jackals are out, as they usually are for a woman who speaks up in a way that challenges patriarchy. (And a lot of why victims don't come forward or withdraw--as a Weinstein victim did--is because the misogynist public and legal system launch their own punitive assaults.)
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McSweeney's @mcsweeneys.net · 29/09/2026
"Can a rapist’s prose elicit remorse for sexual assault? What word count best equates to appropriate jail time? In this class, we will dissect what empathy and accountability might look like so undergrads may successfully mimic them on paper in pursuit of avoiding just punishment." buff.ly/5na4oMY
buff.ly
Announcing Cornell University’s Newest Writing Course: Rape Essays 101
“Can a rapist’s prose effectively elicit remorse for sexual assault? What word count best equates to appropriate jail time? In this class, we will dissect wh...
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Polling USA @usapolling.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Jesus Christ dude
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The Onion @theonion.com · 29/09/2026
Cornell Vows That Rapists Will Be Forced To Write Much Longer Essays In The Future theonion.com/cornell-vows...
Cornell Vows That Rapists Will Be Forced To Write Much Longer Essays In The Future
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Victor Caston @vcaston.eurosky.social · 29/09/2026
Thanks, Karl
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Dr Katie Twomey @k2mey.eurosky.social · 28/09/2026
This is quite cool. My university is the first organisation in the world to force Microsoft to allow us to turn off copilot summaries in Word 365, after a backlash against it from staff (including, very vocally, me). That cannot have been easy for our heroic IT people so hats very much off to them!
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Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I'm quoted at @reason.com: "Walter Olson, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, says the ads are a 'gross violation of democratic norms, campaign norms, and expectations that government will treat citizens impartially.'...
reason.com
Trump's new ads look like campaign spots. Taxpayers are paying for them.
With midterm voting underway, the distinction between public service announcements and campaign ads blurs.
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George Conway ⚖️🇺🇸 @gtconway.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
💯
Joe Scarborough: It’s important we now have documentation that the Republican Party has corrupted itself to this degree. Republicans now support the Centralized State stealing taxpayers’ money to run ads for their political party.
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Carl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · 27/09/2026
Four days ago, a scientist was surprised by the news that Anthropic discovered new virus genes for making DNA. He says he’s been studying them for years—and feeding his data to Anthropic’s AI as part of his own research. Coincidence? Here’s my story. nyti.ms/3VSWayc
nyti.ms
Did Anthropic’s A.I. Really Make a Scientific Discovery on Its Own? (Gift Article)
An expert at the University of Copenhagen said his team had been sharing its research with the company’s A.I. model, Claude, and that its new finding matched their work.
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Victor Caston @vcaston.eurosky.social · 28/09/2026
“There’s a feeling today that Britain really only found out about the Holocaust at the end of the war. But in 1942, the year in which most victims of the Holocaust were murdered, you couldn’t really escape this information in Britain. It was in every newspaper. It was on the BBC."
theguardian.com
Britain knew about the Holocaust as it happened. A new exhibition reckons with that truth
Research draws upon reporting and witness testimony, while a permanent memorial is planned for London
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kvconner.bsky.social @kvconner.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
🎁Opinion We need to find the words for Trump’s madness before things blow up The media and politicians haven’t pinned down anything resembling a suitable description for a president’s downward spiral or the looming battle for U.S. democracy by Will Bunch Sept. 27, 2026 share.inquirer.com/pSmETQ
share.inquirer.com
We need to find the words for Trump’s madness before things blow up | Will Bunch
The media and politicians haven’t pinned down anything resembling a suitable description for a president’s downward spiral or the looming battle for U.S. democracy.
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