Worth a listen. “If I was gonna stage a coup in 2028…”

President Trump claims there is a US "Wall of Steel" now? Guess we have entered the phase where the President has gone full Maj. Hochstetter from Hogan's Heroes and ("I will surround zis camp with a Ring of Steel!") @hcrichardson.bsky.social heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-17-...

August 17, 2026

From Friday through Sunday, Trump continued his now-habitual weekend flooding of social media with fantasies that he is smart, beloved, and powerful.

heathercoxrichardson.substack.com

If You Don’t Realize, That THIS Is Their Ultimate Goal, You Have Been Watching Too Much Fox.

I wrote this because most journalists facing this pressure can’t. The paper we count on to check authoritarianism spiked an investigation into the Democratic Party because the party’s lawyers threatened to sue. Holding authoritarians accountable starts with holding your own side accountable.

With Fear and Favor

Institutions don’t have courage. They have incentives.

data4democracy.substack.com

Sarah Connor was all libbed up. This is what they won’t tell you.

My latest free weekly newsletter to keep you update to date on all things political, legal, and etc. davelelacheur.substack.com/p/synthesizi...

Synthesizing Sense, Vol. 84

An attempt to cut through the fog to see what is really happening and how it matters, through the lens of wargames, sports, history, scifi, and music.

davelelacheur.substack.com

Seriously!😡 Fuck Scrotus🖕🏼 And fuck You red states! Sry not sry!

When nearly 10,000 people vote for an intergalactic trash can instead of you, maybe you're not doing very well.

David Schraub@schraubd.bsky.social · 2w ago

Normally, taking 63% while mired in a huge ethics scandal might be an impressive showing for Farage, but not when this guy is your only real opponent.

Normally, taking 63% while mired in a huge ethics scandal might be an impressive showing for Farage, but not when this guy is your only real opponent.

Britain Elects@britainelects.com · 2w ago

Clacton parliamentary by-election, result: REF: 62.8% (+16.6) BIN: 26.7% REU: 1.4% IND (Tony Francis): 1.2% Reform HOLD.

Why isn’t this a bigger story?

It was another busy week in the political world. Please read my free newsletter for the latest news. davelelacheur.substack.com/p/synthesizi...

Synthesizing Sense, Vol. 83

An attempt to cut through the fog to see what is really happening and how it matters, through the lens of wargames, sports, history, scifi, and music.

davelelacheur.substack.com

Anyone who has worked with domestic violence victims know the answer to this is too often yes.

Great game, Mr. President. 🏀 Iowa, you heard President Obama. The ball is in your court. Join our campaign and help us Push For Change: Turek4Iowa.com

Anti-corruption is how you beat authoritarians. Two lessons from Hungary: 1. Our affordability crisis is a corruption problem. Say so. 2. “a message that treats [corruption] as a Trump problem alone will fail to connect with those who believe the entire system is rigged.”

What Hungary's Anti-Corruption Election Can Teach U.S. Democracy Advocates

Hungary's anti-corruption win offers U.S. democracy advocates lessons, but success requires a credible messenger and a concrete plan.

justsecurity.org

Explaining the American Collapse in 2060: "so, basically, everyone on the right went insane after they let a Black centre-left president into office"

Ron Filipkowski@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · last mo.

Obama Derangement Syndrome. The guy has been retired for 10 years and he’s still living rent free in their tiny brains.

Kerry Wood, Behind-The-Back Eephus 😮

This is Russia’s crime — but it is partly our responsibility, in the United States. We are doing much less than we should, on the rationale that letting Russians kill Ukrainians will end the war. It won’t. That is wrong as strategy, and as ethics.

Anton Gerashchenko@antongerashchenko.bsky.social · last mo.

"Mom is gone...We don't have a mom anymore.I wish this were just a nightmare..." Last night,a Russian missile strike on Odesa killed the mom of 3 boys as they were rushing to a shelter.Her sons survived but were injured One more person was killed. Deepest condolences. Russia must be stopped

This is a jarring visual every American should see. Trump has made $2.24 BILLION as President. Trump gets richer while you pay more for everything. Corruption like we've never seen.

How Much Money Has Trump Made as President?

See how President Trump and his family’s business empire has transformed from his first term.

nytimes.com

1. In an incredible new landmark review, the Health Council of the Netherlands has declared that gender-affirming care for trans youth works, reducing wait times is "morally urgent," and regret is rare. It is the latest of many Euro countries to advance care. Subscribe to support our journalism.

Landmark Official Dutch Review Recommends Trans Youth Care, Call For Expanding Treatment

The review finds that wait times must be shortened, that few people detransition, and that trans youth care has enormous benefits.

erininthemorning.com

The Pentagon is withholding causality and hit numbers. The CDC is withholding infection rates. The FDA is withholding information about food contamination. The EPA is withholding pollution and climate data. This corrupt administration is ALL about concealing the consequences of its incompetence.

Donald Trump's departure from the political scene will come. The most important question is: then what?

Over 2,000 days after his historic loss in the 2020 election, Donald Trump is still pushing the Big Lie that more than 60 courts (including numerous Trump-appointed judges) rejected. 🧵

The only election interference happening in this country is coming straight from the White House, and no amount of pathetic late night rambling from a failing, fading president will change anyone’s mind

Just a reminder that what the president says tonight is probably going to be an impeachable offense I mean, there's no shortage of them, but add this to the list

I have no intention of watching this propaganda attempt -- and shame on all who broadcast it (ABC and NBC have said they won't, CBS, FOX, and CNN have not said) -- but anyone obliged to report on it should be playing BINGO with it.

Indivisible ❌👑@indivisible.org · last mo.

Trump is holding a primetime address so that he can try to manipulate the public into believing his tired old lies about the 2020 election that he lost. See if you get BINGO tonight with all his favorite boogeymen.

I avoid AI for similar reasons that I avoid meth: maybe I'd become more productive in the short term, or maybe I'd spend 36 hours disassembling a lawn mower and sorting the parts into neat little piles and develop a crippling addiction. Who's to say!

Four years ago, Biden gave a speech warning about the dangers to democracy and the networks refused to air it because it was "political." I wonder if Trump making a partisan case for relitigating the 2020 election and calling for his political opponents to be jailed is going to be "political" too?

Matt Negrin still host of Hardball on MSNBC@mattnegrin.bsky.social · last mo.

As has been the case for six years any news outlet taking trump live thursday night after he said he’ll lie about the 2020 election and the legitimacy of georgia’s senators is explicitly endorsing that lie as a legitimate opinion

Say hell no to Todd Blanche

Jim Acosta@jimacosta.bsky.social · last mo.

Epstein survivors released this video today urging senators to block the confirmation of Todd Blanche for Attorney General. They’re trying to get to 20,000 signatures on their petition to send a message to the Senate. ujoin.co/campaigns/45...

AOC: I said this a couple of weeks ago: I would not be surprised if, when ICE funding started up again, we would start to see more civilian deaths at the hands of ICE. And that’s exactly what has happened. We didn’t see things like this happening with the same degree when we froze ICE funding.