Notice DOJ doesn't talk about its efforts to obtain state voter files anymore. They are 0-20 in those cases and today is the beginning of the quiet period -- states can no longer do systematic removals of names from the voter rolls. TLDR: We won!🥳
Juan Cole
@jricole.bsky.social
Historian, essayist: Middle East, South Asia, Islam, Social History, Foreign Policy, Environment, Culture, Progressive Politics; Signal: Juan Cole
New Fox poll finds Trump 9 points underwater *in Texas.* Half of Texas independents have a *strongly* unfavorable view of Trump. Talarico +3. Those are crazy numbers for Texas. On the pod, @sawyerhackett.bsky.social is good on the possibilities this opens for Dems: newrepublic.com/article/2139...
Trump Hit by Fox Poll Shocker That Undercuts His Latest Midterm Tirade
As Fox News polling shows serious slippage for Trump in unexpected places, a Democratic strategist ponders whether his party can pull off miracles in Texas and other red states.
newrepublic.com
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…
In his stunning victory, El-Sayed has also ignited an electoral transformation on Israel/Palestine. This has been a long time coming. In 2014, I wrote this article in Foreign Policy, looking ahead: "America Has a Plan. And, No, It Isn't One That Israel Would Like." foreignpolicy.com/2014/03/02/a...
I hope people will actually listen to the statements of El Sayed about his focus--improving the lives of the people of Michigan, getting money out of politics, unrigging the system, standing up to Trump, Rogers & MAGA--and tune out the inside-the-beltway soap opera about division peddled by pundits.
This is just rank Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism, based on the bigoted idea that there is something inherently scary about a president with the last name "El-Sayed." It is incumbent on all of us to call it out.
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 4h agoJD Vance: "We don't want the next administration, whoever -- god forbid you're gonna have President El-Sayed in three years ... "
When he was Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, Mike Rogers (the Republican candidate for Senate in Michigan) publicly took the position that "you can't have your privacy violated if you don't know your privacy is violated." Colbert had some fun with that: crooksandliars.com/cltv/2013/10...
Colbert Savages NSA And Rep. Mike Rogers In 'See No Evil' Segment
Colbert Savages NSA and Rep. Mike Rogers in 'See No Evil' Segment
crooksandliars.com
The Charity Commission for England and Wales has launched an official inquiry into UK charities funding illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine. The news comes after a Guardian report that revealed millions in UK donations to settlement projects
It’s a direct attack on rule of law from the highest levels, aimed at permanently ending US Constitutional democracy and imposing a dictatorship. Always has been. Anyone who tries treating it as something else—as if they’re dealing with mistaken impressions rather than lies—gets egg on their face.
Greg Sargent@gregsargent.bsky.social · 6h agoIt's funny that Jeanine Pirro brought a box of evidence to WH to persuade Trump. He wants her to consciously *throw out* exculpatory facts and *knowingly* prosecute innocent people. So facts can't persuade him by definition. Me and @barbmcquade.bsky.social on this: newrepublic.com/article/2139...
Graduating in #Gaza today is more than a validation of skills. It is a testament to perseverance, innovation, determination & hope for the future. UNRWA Technical & Vocational Education & Training programmes continue to equip young people with the skills and opportunities they need. #UNRWAworks
Iran and Ukraine Wars Escalate Oil Shortages, with few Signs of Relief www.juancole.com/2026/08/ukra...
Iran and Ukraine Wars Escalate Oil Shortages, with few Signs of Relief
By Amy Myers Jaffe, New York University
juancole.com
Hormuz Crisis: Electric Car Sales Double in Major Markets www.juancole.com/2026/08/horm...
Hormuz Crisis: Electric Car Sales Double in Major Markets
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) - The International Energy Agency ha...
juancole.com
Uplifting @jricole.bsky.social on Trump/Bibi brain-dead war on Iran boosting EV sales worldwide. China owns the future. www.juancole.com/2026/08/horm...
Hormuz Crisis: Electric Car Sales Double in Major Markets
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) - The International Energy Agency ha...
juancole.com
Google is bad. On purpose.
By Cory Doctorow (GPG 0xBF3D9110957E5F4C)@doctorow.pluralistic.net · 7h agoWhen Google's users searched for airlines' toll-free phone numbers, Google directed them to phones that rang in the scammers' boiler room, where they were tricked into giving up their passport info and credit card numbers to boiler-room thieves: www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-ne... 20/
Brown University has a widget that tracks the cost of the Iran war to American consumers (as contrasted to whatever the Pentagon is spending). Per-household cost now exceeds $600. iranwarcost.watson.brown.edu
He was outspent 9-1. And he won widely in UP. Good signs for his ground game for the November election.
El-Sayed projected to win MI senate nomination by NBC. Big win for progressives! #MISenate important to note that he is not a DSA-endorsed candidate despite the media and online noise.
Michiganders can't be bought for $30 mn
talia jane@taliajane.bsky.social · 13h agoNBC is calling the Michigan Senate primary for Abdul El-Sayed as the projected winner with 685,600 votes and 89.7% of expected votes in and a 2% lead over Haley Stevens’ 657,905 votes. Mallory McMorrow finishes in a distant third with 55,878 votes.
Can Esoteric Shiʿism be understood apart from the intellectual world of Late Antiquity? Andræ, Nicholson, Halm, and Amir-Moezzi argue that concepts like the Muḥammadan Light, the cosmic Imam, and emanation should be studied within the broader philosophical context of Late Antiquity.
the media will never call Trump a madman. what they would do is report on Democratic leaders calling Trump a madman, and leave open the question of whether Trump is mad -- and whenever Trump does something crazy and the Dems say "more proof he's crazy", the media will report that as well.
Apparently everything Trump has done so far, empowered his enemies and weakend the US.
NBC is calling the Michigan Senate primary for Abdul El-Sayed as the projected winner with 685,600 votes and 89.7% of expected votes in and a 2% lead over Haley Stevens’ 657,905 votes. Mallory McMorrow finishes in a distant third with 55,878 votes.
Hormuz Crisis: Electric Car Sales Double in Major Markets
Hormuz Crisis: Electric Car Sales Double in Major Markets
"EV exports from China have grown over 120%.." Nearly half (45%) of China's auto exports in H1 '26 have been EVs!
dlvr.it
Iran and Ukraine Wars Escalate Oil Shortages, with few Signs of Relief
Iran and Ukraine Wars Escalate Oil Shortages, with few Signs of Relief
The damage is increasing the threat that crucial oil shipping lanes around the world may be slowed or stopped for long periods of time
dlvr.it
If only strategic genius Donald Trump could have foreseen that Iran and its Allies could shut down the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea.
Juan Cole@jricole.bsky.social · 2d agoA new Houthi front and expanded Iranian Attacks risk sinking Gulf Nations’ Workaround and widening shipping Risks
"History involves sorting and organizing hundreds of thousands of facts" I remain astounded by how loud and wrong people are about what history actually is.
Just so everyone knows, this is a tried-and-true mainstream media tactic. For progressives/leftist candidates, every election is a “crucial test” and any loss would serve as proof to the media that the latest left-side moment is at its end. Any win, though, just means it’s time to find a new test.
Politico@politico.com · 2d agoMichigan will provide another crucial test of whether progressives can not only keep up their winning streak in safe-blue seats but also break through in battlegrounds crucial for control of Congress. The stakes for the Democratic Party are huge.
