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Joseph Britt

@zathras5.bsky.social
2.5K followers 959 following 12K posts

Wisconsin and the world. Opinions my own. Once a Republican.

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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 2h
Four things wrong with a “profoundly ugly” rocket docket Supreme Court ruling in the D.V.D. (third country deportation) case, by @stevevladeck.bsky.social. On one hand was the certainty of profound harm to thousands of deportees; on the other, what Trump wanted. The Court’s Republicans chose Trump
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 12h
Thread. This is part of that stupid border wall project, in a National Park that is coincidentally remote from population centers on either side of the US border with Mexico. Migrants have never crossed there in large numbers, but Trump wants his vanity project. From @biologicaldiversity.org
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 13h
Cardinal McElroy is Archbishop of Washington. Not to belabor the obvious, but most migrants from Latin America are Catholics. Their abuse by Trump’s White America immigration program — which is widespread & really shocking — is naturally of concern to church leaders. Via @froomkin.bsky.social
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 14h
More to come about this incident, I am sure. The heroism of the pilot, an Indian national, evidently made it possible for passengers to access the cockpit and subdue his attacker. Via @fox6now.bsky.social
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Bob Berwyn @bberwyn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
There were about 16,000 heat-related deaths in Germany last summer, about double the mortality during the first Covid wave in early 2020. Extreme heat needs to be treated as an ongoing public health emergency.
insideclimatenews.org
Mass Heat Wave Deaths in Europe Show Climate Extremes Are Outpacing Adaptation Efforts - Inside Climate News
As preparedness lags, many regions around the world could be overwhelmed by rising temperatures, climate experts warn.
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Alaska Public Media @alaskapublic.org · 30/09/2026
Meet Backpack, your 2026 Fat Bear Week champion. Backpack is 20 years old, weighs about 1,000 pounds and got his nickname because, as a cub, he loved riding on his mom's back across the Brooks River.
akpub.io
Meet Backpack, Fat Bear Week’s chunky champ
Backpack went from hitching a ride on his mom’s back to cross the Brooks River to winning the hearts of fat bear fans around the world.
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
An unusually cowardly action, even for the Republicans on this Supreme Court. Thousands of lives will be ruined, and some ended, while the Court waits three months to decide whether third country deportations are legal. Deportations must continue in the meantime. Via @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Thread. Reposting this for its comedy value. Also, though….we have inflation, a war, several trade wars, an assault on immigrants, and a President responsible for all of these & unpopular as a result. Yet Republican politicians’ first job is to attack the President’s critics. Via @atrupar.com
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
An unusually cowardly action, even for the Republicans on this Supreme Court. Thousands of lives will be ruined, and some ended, while the Court waits three months to decide whether third country deportations are legal. Deportations must continue in the meantime. Via @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Thread. Reposting this for its comedy value. Also, though….we have inflation, a war, several trade wars, an assault on immigrants, and a President responsible for all of these & unpopular as a result. Yet Republican politicians’ first job is to attack the President’s critics. Via @atrupar.com
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Thread. Russia’s war against civilians in Ukraine transitions to a new phase as Russia continues to falter on the battlefield. Escalating bombardment will increase pressure on Kiev to strike more targets around the largest Russian cities. By @antongerashchenko.bsky.social
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Nice to see Republican Senators addressing the war, tariffs, gas prices, and general inflation in time to impress voters in the midterm elections. Via @chrisvannini.com
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Nice to see Republican Senators addressing the war, tariffs, gas prices, and general inflation in time to impress voters in the midterm elections. Via @chrisvannini.com
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
A dispatch from Springfield, Ohio: @thebulwark.com staff have been helping out the Haitian immigrants under siege there by Trump’s DHS goons. This is an important essay by @jvl.bsky.social about their persecution — & about its supporters. Springfield native @johnlegend.bsky.social speaks as well.
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
A dispatch from Springfield, Ohio: @thebulwark.com staff have been helping out the Haitian immigrants under siege there by Trump’s DHS goons. This is an important essay by @jvl.bsky.social about their persecution — & about its supporters. Springfield native @johnlegend.bsky.social speaks as well.
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Important warning about this year’s super El Niño and the violent weather changes it will cause over the next 18 months, all around the world. Governments have some time to prepare, but not much. The Trump administration has its collective mind on other things. Link via @davidho.bsky.social
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I’ve withheld comment on the state propaganda @portlandken.bsky.social discusses here, because I try to avoid restating the obvious. But Trump has shown by now he will keep pushing until he’s stopped. Using public funds to promote apocalyptic visions and the great leader merits impeachment.
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NPR @npr.org · 28/09/2026
President Trump announced plans to cancel $810 million in Congressionally approved spending, a move that some in his own party are calling illegal. n.pr/4iMlJdT
n.pr
What to know about the $810 million in spending canceled by President Trump
President Trump announced plans to cancel $810 million in Congressionally approved spending, a move that some in his own party are calling illegal.
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Christopher Hale @christopherjhale.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Federal agents killed Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis in January. On Pope Leo’s World Day of Migrants, Cardinal McElroy named the city from the pulpit and called the crackdown “a war on every undocumented immigrant in our land.”
thelettersfromleo.com
On Pope Leo’s World Day of Migrants, Cardinal McElroy Indicts Trump’s War on Immigrants
Preaching on the Good Samaritan for World Day of Migrants, Washington’s archbishop named Minneapolis, a five-year-old used as bait, and a nation that “passed on by.” He told Catholics to fight every…
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 28/09/2026
Even Navatek’s executives were surprised at how far their money went in D.C. “It was eye-opening for me, frankly. ‘Oh my God, all of it is for sale. It’s all for sale,’” said one.
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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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I’ve withheld comment on the state propaganda @portlandken.bsky.social discusses here, because I try to avoid restating the obvious. But Trump has shown by now he will keep pushing until he’s stopped. Using public funds to promote apocalyptic visions and the great leader merits impeachment.
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Important warning about this year’s super El Niño and the violent weather changes it will cause over the next 18 months, all around the world. Governments have some time to prepare, but not much. The Trump administration has its collective mind on other things. Link via @davidho.bsky.social
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Avoiding debates & town halls entirely is a tactic now being employed by Republicans nationwide. A variant, seen here in the Wisconsin Governor’s race, is for the Republican candidate to agree to just one debate, so late in the campaign that many people have already voted. By @scolom.bsky.social
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Steve Herman @newsguy.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Five men have been arrested on suspicion of committing offenses under the Explosives Act after "three suspicious vehicles" were spotted traveling toward RAF Fairfield, which is the only European airfield for USAF heavy bombers. www.bbc.com/news/live/c65y7nl...
bbc.com
RAF Fairford: Counter-terror police lead investigation into major incident near air base, officials say
Assistant chief constable Richard Ocone says the force received a call early Sunday morning relating to "three suspicious vehicles" travelling toward the RAF base.
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
This report from @timesofisrael.com is a bombshell. To me, what stands out is the glaring contrast between how Israel responded after being surprised in October 1973 & how it responded 50 years later. Then, it responded as a Western democracy. It is something else now. Via @joshtpm.bsky.social
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Wisconsin story, in western Pennsylvania. Way to go Badgers. Holy cow.
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
This report from @timesofisrael.com is a bombshell. To me, what stands out is the glaring contrast between how Israel responded after being surprised in October 1973 & how it responded 50 years later. Then, it responded as a Western democracy. It is something else now. Via @joshtpm.bsky.social
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Austin Kocher, PhD @austinkocher.com · 26/09/2026
Eight numbers from this week in immigration, running from 0 to $46B. One is the number of refugees fleeing religious persecution the United States resettled this year. Click through for what the other seven count. austinkocher.substack.com/p/this-week-...
austinkocher.substack.com
This Week by the {Immigration} Numbers (September 26, 2026)
Welcome to the weekly segment called This Week by the {Immigration} Numbers.
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Wisconsin story. Nice write-up in @newrepublic.com about Republican candidate for Governor Tom Tiffany mimicking Trump: barring reporters from campaign events for writing negative stories. They’re supposed to ignore 3 billionaires financing most of his campaign? newrepublic.com/post/215837/...
newrepublic.com
MAGA Congressman Takes Page Out of Trump’s Book on Media Ban
Gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany blocked a reporter from one of his events.
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Follow Friday: who else but @davidcrowley4wi.bsky.social? David Crowley is the Milwaukee County Executive and the Democratic candidate for Governor of Wisconsin. Crowley is the candidate running to succeed Tony Evers, against an opponent running to be Donald Trump’s representative in Madison.
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Steve Vladeck @stevevladeck.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Here's a graphic that does a better job of conveying the point than my original post: even by the (insane) standards of the first Trump administration, #SCOTUS is receiving—and granting—a truly unprecedented number of applications for emergency relief from the federal government:
A chart that shows the number of emergency applications filed and granted by the Supreme Court during each presidency dating back to George W. Bush, with the data annualized to show the far-higher frequencies since 2017, but especially during the Trump I and Trump II administrations.
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Follow Friday: who else but @davidcrowley4wi.bsky.social? David Crowley is the Milwaukee County Executive and the Democratic candidate for Governor of Wisconsin. Crowley is the candidate running to succeed Tony Evers, against an opponent running to be Donald Trump’s representative in Madison.
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Thread. @ruthdeyermond.bsky.social has useful insights on the 1990s in Russia. Seeds planted then and nurtured since — primarily by Russians — produced today’s bumper crop of ugliness and futility.
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Jim Manley @jamespmanley.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Great thread- much to absorb.
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Adam Keiper @adamkeiper.com · 25/09/2026
I've been thinking about this photo all day. Considering how the Trump administration is constantly ranting about Communists, and how Pete Hegseth is always nattering on about our WARFIGHTERS, it's genuinely crazy to me that this image exists. www.thebulwark.com/p/trump-kowt...
Screenshot of a Getty photograph captioned: "U.S. military personnel unroll the red carpet at the bottom of the stairs of an Air China plane carrying Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on September 23, 2026. (Kent Nishimura / AFP via Getty Images)" Above it, also in the screenshot, is a paragraph of text from a Bulwark article that included that picture. The text reads: "That was certainly the sense conveyed by the ceremony as a whole. There was the televised spectacle of American service members on their hands and knees, smoothing wrinkles and picking specks of dirt off the 100-foot long red carpet that had been unrolled for Xi, as Chinese officials looked on approvingly from the door of their airplane before their leader descended the stairs."
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Wisconsin story. At about 8:45 of this show is @620wtmj.bsky.social’s discussion of Tom Tiffany’s campaign barring Milwaukee reporter @maryspicuzza.bsky.social from a campaign event today. I’ve read Spicuzza’s work for years. She’s a pro. Mimicking Trump, Tiffany calls her a “liberal activist.”
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Much to think about here from @froomkin.bsky.social. Assuming Democrats are successful in winning House and Senate majorities this November, what do they do with them? The amount of damage Trump and his pet Republicans in Congress have done in the last two years makes this a difficult question. 🧵
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Thread. By this time, Ukraine’s struggle to defend itself against Russian aggression has become background noise to most Americans. @antongerashchenko.bsky.social paints a vivid picture of what it is like for Ukrainian civilians, now that Putin has settled on round-the-click bombardment of cities.
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Start the vanity project before the courts can stop you. Trump and his crowd did this with the Reflecting Pool, that stupid ballroom, and border wall construction in Big Bend National Park and Organ Pipe National Monument. Per @reporterjacobg.bsky.social, it looks like they’re trying again.
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Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
BREAKING: Some CNN staff have been unable to gain access to the White House. CNN reporter Betsy Klein and a photojournalist were denied access to the White House grounds in the 6:00 a.m. hour. There was no reason provided for the refusal. www.cnn.com/2026/09/24/p...
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Thread. Third country removal is one of the more barbarous aspects of Trump’s White America immigration program. It has suffered a setback before the US First Circuit, per @gillianbrockell.com
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Thread. Third country removal is one of the more barbarous aspects of Trump’s White America immigration program. It has suffered a setback before the US First Circuit, per @gillianbrockell.com
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Thread. A horror story from @sarahjeong.bsky.social, a journalist based in the Pacific Northwest. She flew British Airways from London back home. Offbeat shenanigans ensued. This story will not be showing up in British Airways advertising.
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Joe Sudbay @joesudbay.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Usually when Collins gets upset by media - and that is her standard procedure - media, especially Maine media back down Not ProPublica as you can see below - and they have the receipts to back it up So this has got to be a especially jarring for her and her team
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
“You can’t fence off a globally traded commodity by executive order and expect the global price to stop applying to it.” There are several reasons a diesel export ban won’t work to lower diesel fuel prices in the United States, says @gasbuddyguy.bsky.social, who would know. This is one of them.
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Dan Shafer @danshafer.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Tiffany is relying on the support of these three billionaires to just a staggering degree. Who do you think he’d serve as governor? www.jsonline.com/story/news/p...
jsonline.com
3 billionaires put Tom Tiffany in a big cash lead over David Crowley
Three billionaires are responsible for the about two-thirds of the campaign cash raised so far by Republican candidate for governor Tom Tiffany.
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
New York Times quickly backs up @propublica.org’s reporting on the Navatek scandal. This is putting Susan Collins in Graham Platner territory, scandal-wise. But I think we’d be making a mistake to think of this as just about her. Via @robertscotthorton.bsky.social bsky.app/profile/robe...
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Thread. This is a major corruption story by @williamturton.bsky.social at @propublica.org. It’s obviously a bad look for Maine Senator Susan Collins, but a number of other legislators seem to have lucked out as well when Trump shut down government anti-corruption investigations last year.
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Joseph Britt @zathras5.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I had wondered about this. Building design is not my field, but I know enough to doubt major construction projects like this ballroom project can be rushed from design to completion as quickly as Trump wants without cutting corners. Building codes are not there to make the buildings pretty.
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