It's done... Blanche is formally AG while completely subordinate to Trump and NOT what the Framers had in mind. Thomas Jefferson once wrote, "The most sacred of the duties of government [is] to do equal and impartial justice to all its citizens." Shame of the GOP. www.justice.gov/doj/organiza...

Organization, Mission and Functions Manual

justice.gov

💯✊😠 A worthwhile read (which is why I'm reposting it again...). Not all questions are answered (or even asked), but the overall presentation of options is compelling. Thank you, @brianbeutler.bsky.social

Brian Beutler@brianbeutler.bsky.social · 20h ago

Third Way's gonna Third Way, I guess, but Democrats should want no part of it. And as for insurgent progressives: Are they sure they can displace the Dem establishment, just like the conservative movement did to the GOP? Are they sure they *want* to? My stab at a better way forward.

It would seem that this is NOT what Trump et al. had in mind when facilitating the survival of TikTok... 💯✊😠

Boricuabc2@boricuabc2.bsky.social · 22h ago

For your viewing pleasure

~💯✊😠 It is disputable which of these two - RFK Jr. and Todd Blanche - has done more harm in his own name. Cassidy still has not voted, nor have all the other GOP senators who *could* do otherwise, but it is unrealistic to think any of them might have a change of heart... ... et tu, Mitch?

Philip Bump@pbump.com · 23h ago

Bill Cassidy finally figured out a way to bump his RFK Jr. confirmation vote out of the first sentence of his obit.

😤if the Senate GOP confirms Blanche... 💯✊😠 So Cassidy is waving a white flag of surrender to Trump again? He probably just wants to cash in lobbying with his fellow cowards once out of office. Thank you, @anntelnaes.bsky.social

paulpro@mariopro.bsky.social · 23h ago

BREAKING: Cassidy CONFIMS Blanche @anntelnaes.bsky.social

💯✊😠 This is probably wishful thinking like so much else... ... but *every* GOP member of Congress and Governor should be asked if this would be acceptable for their states the next time a Democrat is in the WH. They will say, of course, that they don't know the details... h/t @helenkennedy.com

Don Moynihan@donmoyn.bsky.social · 2d ago

Is this just business as usual in politics? No. Approval rates of federal disaster aid requests were about the same regardless of the state and did not vary much with the party of the President. This graph powerfully conveys the scale of the partisan discrimination now.

💯🧐👍 pluralistic.net/2026/08/06/s... Personal experience: I have never been a heavy or regular FB user and have an account to follow some family members since our first born was in college in the 00's... ... but I recently got "hooked" on FB Marketplace and didn't realize it for months. Got out.

Class act by Stephens. Important that she got it out so quickly right after such a close raise. (Close race always leaves the #2 in "What if???" territory, but for "healing the party" purposes far preferable to a blowout that would leavee one side more embittered and embarrassed.)

MeidasTouch@meidastouch.com · 3d ago

A gracious concession: “I want to congratulate Abdul El-Sayed on winning the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. He is a doctor, a community health official, a Rhodes Scholar, and a dedicated Michigander. I am proud to offer my support as he takes on Mike Rogers in the general election…

Very interesting graf near bottom of latest NYT story on MAGA efforts to bend universities to its will, as if they were GOP Senators or the SCOTUS Six. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/u... Reminder number five zillion: Except for GOP Senators thinking of a lobbying future, appeasement never pays off.

Last weekend drove across Memorial Bridge for first time in months. Numbers suggest what a gargantuan waste this is. But until you see it in person, hard to grasp how completely amateurish, cheesy, lower-tier-casino it looks. Sort of like that notorious redo of 'Ecce Homo' in Spain in 2012.

BrooklynDad_Defiant!@mmpadellan.bsky.social · 4d ago

If this obscenely gaudy gold shit doesn't piss you off, you're not even paying attention.

💯✊😠 Unfortunately, the same seems true for universities based on Bloomberg's reporting about a letter sent by SecEd McMahon www.bloomberg.com/news/article... The difference, perhaps, is that Cornyn and Tillis are already "The Past" while the universities are cultivating future ideas and leaders.

Norm Ornstein@normornstein.bsky.social · 5d ago

It is very hard not to have contempt for John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, who have sold their souls to find some fig leaf to support the worst nominee for Attorney General ever. The signed agreement is worthless without the signatures of the parties, namely Trump. The IRS break stands. Moral cowards. 

💯✊😠...😓...❤️ I decided to repost this beautiful clip rather than any or all of the three edgy posts by @nytpitchbot.bsky.social that preceded this in my feed...

Luca@lucagalletti.bsky.social · 6d ago

Common loon coming in for a landing TT: @harrycollinsphotography

This excerpt from Ronny Chieng's graduation speech at Harvard is worth your time: www.youtube.com/watch?v=q83K... 💯😂👍

Well done by Dana Bash. -RFK Jr: You don't understand this. You're not a scientist. -Bash: Neither are you. Reminder of why it's a race among this guy, Hegseth, S Miller, R Vought, Lutnick, Bondi->Blanche, Noem->Markwain, Tulsi->Pulte, etc for WORST and most destructive mini-Trump.

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 6d ago

😳 RFK Jr's epic CNN crashout 😳 Dana Bash pressed RFK Jr on Trump's culpability for mishandling covid and the misinformation he pushes about vaccines, and the segment wound down with him getting mad and barking at her like a rabid dog Here's the full thing:

Finally, a journalist says it to their face. I would thank Dana Bash except that her final observation is the exception in her own behavior. Thank you, @atrupar.com

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 6d ago

BASH: How do you prepare for next pandemic? RFK Jr: We did almost everything wrong B: But what about now? K: We need to protect our rights B: ? K: During covid we dismantled our rights B: But I'm asking what *to* do K: You were part of the problem B: You want to sit here and attack me?

💯✊😠 ... but we know the answer* Thank you, @thetnholler.bsky.social * unless the question was rhetorical...

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 6d ago

Why is @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social taking Palantir cash and refusing to give it back? www.instagram.com/reel/Dbbh1QR...

💯✊😠... 🤔 "Given the parameters of debate, this is a fair question." per @cherylrofer.bsky.social w/ h/t Thank you, @ivodaalder.bsky.social ... but controls on nukes after 2 were used with devastating effect and 30+ years of M.A.D.ness.. A.I. is a new type of risk (... or is it? see AGW)

Ivo Daalder@ivodaalder.bsky.social · 6d ago

Nuclear weapons got strict global controls. But when it comes to AI — a technology its own builders call equally dangerous — there are none. open.substack.com/pub/ivodaald...

Too many folks asking "Who?" or "What?" or "Which?" and not enough folks asking "Why?" or "How?"

This Johnston bigot writes for “The Federalist,” named after a 1788 publication John Jay contributed to. In 1785 Jay said he looked forward to the time “when all our inhabitants of every color and denomination shall be free and equal partakers of our political liberty.”

Alexander Clarkson@aphclarkson.bsky.social · last wk.

Another datapoint for the fascist radicalisation of institutional pillars of much of the American Right

💯✊😠 The same can be said for many GOP candidates who run in safe districts and are elected. Thx, @nahaltoosi.bsky.social h/t @jfallows.bsky.social

Nahal Toosi@nahaltoosi.bsky.social · last wk.

Yeesh. Amazing quote in this story by Kathy Gilsinan: www.politico.com/news/magazin...

💯✊😠 This is the entire M.O. in Project 2025: Undermine institutions responsible for public safety: - CDC, FDA, NIH, etc. - FEMA, NOAA, FCC, FAA, etc. - IRS, SEC, etc. - DOD, CIA, FBI, DOJ, State, etc., etc... Trump did not do all this alone. Thank you, @kdbyproxy.bsky.social

Ira 'Bluebeard Homer' Goldman@kdbyproxy.bsky.social · last wk.

1) Trump starts war with Iran – well known for engaging in cyber-warfare. 2) Trump does that after cutting > 1/3 of workers at CISA – lead agency assigned to protect us from cyber-attacks, incl our water systems. 3) Iran attacks water systems across America. 4) Trump blames it on Minnesota.

💯🩷 ... and acting for the benefit of the endangered and weak among us is often compounded by risks and is not compensated by overt gratitude. This example is moving as both a reality in nature and as a metaphor. h/t @jessicawranosky.bsky.social and @unlawfulentries.bsky.social

Digital Brain@yourdigitalbrain.bsky.social · last wk.

A small act of kindness toward someone vulnerable just went viral, proof that you do not need grand gestures to make a real difference. Sharing food, helping a hurt animal, aiding a stranger, this is

~💯🧐...✊😠 Not exactly because what the article is describing is NOT "democratic socialism"... ... but it is "nationalist socialism". 🫢 PS about CHIPS per the Biden WH: AFAIK, their industrial investments did NOT involve equity stakes... h/t @bartlettb.bsky.social

Bruce Bartlett@bartlettb.bsky.social · last wk.

Republicans--socialism is bad unless we do it. thehill.com/policy/techn...

~💯🧐...😠 Online influencers attract attention to products without any mandate from potential consumers.. The relationship between elected representatives and constituents should be more reciprocal. Their roles are not the same... Thank you, @iammrbeat.bsky.social

Mr. Beat@iammrbeat.bsky.social · last wk.

I don't like how members of Congress feel compelled to become online influencers. It's not their job to influence us. We're supposed to be the ones influencing them.

💯✊😠...🧐 ... and an interesting variation on the idea that "you can lead a horse to water but cannot make it drink". h/t @dceiver.bsky.social

Jason Linkins@dceiver.bsky.social · last wk.

trying to imagine these two simpletons pitching this and I keep coming up with "Andy and Bill pitch LASERCATS to Lorne"

💯✊😠 (w/ a minor 🤯) Saw the headline without the byline and wonder if it was Jamelle B. or Tom F. or Michelle G. or even David B... so yeah... for once and while too measured in some ways, B.S. is not full of it. Thanks for sharing, @normornstein.bsky.social

Norm Ornstein@normornstein.bsky.social · last wk.

There are few people more ardent in support for Israel than Bret Stephens. Which makes this piece even more important Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/28/o...

There are plenty of bad actors in the Trump entourage, but PN has a special place given his brazenness on these matters... ... and just to be clear, hydroxychloroquine is NOT effective against COVID-19. Thank you, Dr. Fauci et al.

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · last wk.

Peter Navarro: "I had a million doses of hydroxychloroquine in warehouses as the defense policy coordinator that I was trying to distribute to hospitals. And Fauci got the FDA stop me from doing that."

💯...🧐 I saw this a few days ago, @craignewmark.bsky.social and wonder if there is any connection: www.military.com/defense-depa... The article says that rules present costs for small businesses, but are military personnel being scammed via some related bad actors? cc: @jfallows.bsky.social

Defense Department Suspends New Cybersecurity Rules After $7 Billion Cost Concerns

The department suspended a cybersecurity plan over concerns about cost and bureaucracy.

military.com

Craig Newmark@craignewmark.bsky.social · 2w ago

Scammers are increasingly targeting our military community, using new technologies to become more sophisticated every day. PauseTake9 is teaming up with BlueStarFamily and AspenDigital for a webinar on Cyber Scams. August 6 at 1pm EST. Register here: bit.ly/4vYvVTF

💯✊😠👎 No surprise because this is how Trump et al. view "civics"... ... but there are so many of these grifters that it's hard to keep track, so once again, thank you, @propublica.org . h/t @nellminow.bsky.social

NellMinow@nellminow.bsky.social · 2w ago

This MAGA Influencer Runs a Charity to Teach Kids Civics. Much of the Money Goes to Him Instead. www.propublica.org/article/trum...

A glimpse of "May his memory be a blessing" in action. Kind thoughts to you and Judy, and Matthew's other family members and friends.