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Dr. Samantha Montano

@samlmontano.bsky.social

Working on disaster justice & the climate crisis. Emergency Management PhD. Author of 📚DISASTEROLOGY 📚 she/her

3633 Posts30331 Follower1900 Folgt
Dr. Samantha Montano@samlmontano.bsky.social · 1h ago

Older woman swims by me in the pool, "What have you got there? Fifty Shades of Grey?". "Nothing so exciting", I say taken off guard by the dated reference. "So, what are you reading?" "Capitalist Realism", I say anticipating the disappointment. "Oh. My. That really isn't exciting". 🫡🫡

Dr. Samantha Montano@samlmontano.bsky.social · 2d ago

“The bottom line is that Governor Abbott owes Texas families and flood survivors an explanation and a plan here,” Brim-Estelle said. “Do you believe FEMA should provide individual assistance to survivors in Texas or … is the state going to pick up the tab?" www.ksat.com/news/texas/2...

FEMA won’t help Texans after July 2026 floods as agency tells states to lead disaster response

Disaster recovery experts say FEMA individual assistance funds are critical for residents to cover short-term costs. Gov. Greg Abbott is considering an appeal.

ksat.com

Adam Bonica@adambonica.bsky.social · 3d ago

Once mass spam texts were made legal, younger donors vanished, leaving a grassroots fundraising machine that subsists on squeezing vulnerable seniors, some of whom give hundreds of times a day. It’s a horrific model. Consultants get generationally wealthy, and the party hollows out its future.

"Democrats traded their younger donors for squeezed seniors," showing the share of the party’s small-dollar donations (under $200) from 2012 to 2026. The subtitle reads: "In 2026, about 175,000 squeezed seniors — donors 65 and older charged 50 or more times in a cycle — supplied 51% of those donations. Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z, roughly 63% of registered Democrats, supplied 15%." Two lines track donation shares from 2012 to 2026: "Squeezed seniors" (orange line) starts around 9% in 2012, rises to 30% in 2018 and 2020, then jumps sharply to 45% in 2022, 47% in 2024, and 51% in 2026. "Gen X, Millennials & Gen Z" (green line) starts around 17% in 2012, peaks around 33% in 2020, and then drops sharply to 18% in 2022, 19% in 2024, and 15% in 2026. A vertical dashed line at April 2021 is labeled: "The Supreme Court (Facebook v. Duguid) clears the way for mass fundraising texts, piled on top of the email spam already flooding inboxes." Footnote: "Shares are by number of donations. By dollars, squeezed seniors gave 39% of small-dollar money in 2026 and Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z gave 18%. Squeezed seniors are donors 65 and older charged 50 or more times in an election cycle. 2026 is mid-cycle.
Jake Grumbach@jakemgrumbach.bsky.social · 3d ago

We found that as of right now 73% of your campaign donation goes back to the consultants and vendors (!!!), four times more than just 20 years ago. Only 13% to ads. Even I was shocked.

Where your $100 donation actually goes Of every $100 raised by a Democratic fundraising text, $73 goes to consultants and vendors. Only $13 reaches voters as advertising — the most expensive dollar to raise in American politics. Consultants & vendors • Advertising, staff & admin | Your donation $100 Fundraising fees -$65 $35 left Strategic consultants -$2 $33 left Media placement commission -$6 $73 of every $100 goes to consultants & vendors $27 left Advertising -$13 $14 left Staff, travel & admin -$14 $0 left Note: Shares are for a dollar raised by a Democratic fundraising text or email. Source: Authors' analysis of FEC disbursement records.
Dr. Samantha Montano@samlmontano.bsky.social · 3d ago

"I'm going to fly to you on a private jet to tell you that we won't give you any money to rebuild your town" is *chefs kiss* edition.cnn.com/2026/10/20/p...

Exclusive: FEMA scrapped plans for high-tech jets to transport senior officials | CNN Politics

The Federal Emergency Management Agency sought to acquire two executive jets upgraded with military technology for agency leaders even as the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, has ...

edition.cnn.com

Dr. Samantha Montano@samlmontano.bsky.social · 6d ago

I simply cannot understand anyone who does not interpret Cameron Hamilton's tenure as a hostile take-over of FEMA. I don't know if he's going to be successful or not but it is just so clear that is what is happening.

Dr. Samantha Montano@samlmontano.bsky.social · last wk.

Spending a lot of time these days thinking about the Red Cross report from the 1927 Mississippi Flood in the context of the Trump administration wanting to "return the responsibility of disaster recovery to ~the states~". 🧐

Screenshot that explains the reconstruction was personally directed by secretary hoover.
Dr. Samantha Montano@samlmontano.bsky.social · last wk.

I am out of the country so I cannot go see the Elizabeth Holmes documentary and the way I am having to dodge spoilers!!!! I've heard people say to go into it knowing as little as possible. I'm going to have to get off the internet for weeks!!!

Jennifer Graham@jennrgraham.bsky.social · 2w ago

I will never stop shouting about this. We got a cease and desist letter when I lived in the dorm requiring us to delete Napster. Immediately. Scared the ever living hell out of a bunch of 19 year olds. Anthropic steals every art that has ever been made? *crickets*