Missouri Republicans threatened to defund a library over two children’s books—one about a rainbow dinosaur, one about a fabulous wig. The official leading the charge admitted he hadn’t read them. The manufactured outrage is the whole point. www.friendlyatheist.com/p/missouri-r...

Missouri Republicans threaten to defund library over books about a rainbow dinosaur and a wig

Republicans targeted Columbia Public Library’s wholesome “Rainbow Story Time” despite finding nothing inappropriate inside the beloved books

friendlyatheist.com

Oh yes- I remember reading the history of Marx’s time in power.

Right Wing Watch @rightwingwatch.bsky.social · yesterday

Christian nationalist pastor Jack Hibbs freaks out over the wave of Democratic Socialist candidates winning elections: "Marx, Stalin, Lenin, Mao, Pol Pot, Zohran Mamdani, that's exactly how they came to power; a little step at a time." www.peoplefor.org/rightwingwat...

this is so fucking disgusting.

Kyle Griffin@kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 19h ago

Mike Johnson tells Politico that he's standing behind Republican Max Miller — despite the "serious" domestic abuse allegations against him.

“The first full day Alec was alive, the day he was born” interesting………

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 8h ago

JD Vance: "The president called me the first full day Alec was alive, the day he was born, and he says, 'You should take some time off.' And I said, 'Mr President, I've got a meeting with you tomorrow. And he said, 'Yeah. Take some time off. Like today.' Hahahahah!"

This survey by JGWentworth is both interesting and depressing. 85.1% of respondents report having medical debt, with 81.3% owing $1,000 - $10,000. 92% of respondents said they have delayed medical care due to cost even with 96.6% being insured. #EconSky www.jgwentworth.com/resources/me...

The true cost of medical emergencies

Medical emergencies can push Americans into debt quickly. Our survey reveals the average financial breaking point, medical debt levels, and how insurance gaps affect healthcare decisions.

jgwentworth.com

#EconSky

Matt Darling@besttrousers.bsky.social · 11h ago

I hadn't caught this, but the percent of the population who says "higher prices" are the reason their household finances declined in the last year hit the *all time* high in the UMichigan Sentiment data.

The Republican Party has a new enemy in Michigan, and they really want you to know his name: Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed. Story: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

The Seattle library levy is on track to pass with 80% voting yes. The Seattle Times came out against it and was resoundingly ignored. Seattle voters want nice things and are willing to pay for them.

So far, voters overwhelmingly approve Seattle library levy

A property tax levy to fund the city's public library system over the next seven years is solidly ahead after the first release of vote totals Tuesday evening.

seattletimes.com

Folks from the Women's March have been arrested at the Capitol for protesting ICE. Shout out to the women who are putting their lives and livelihoods on the line to get their message out: ABOLISH ICE.

In a country with a president who is such a destructive sore loser, politicians who are both helpful and gracious in defeat is a greatly appreciated novelty.

We proved it in Wisconsin. We proved it in New York City. We proved it in dozens of special elections over the past year. People power over money!

Robert Reich@rbreich.bsky.social · 15h ago

Abdul El-Sayed was outspent 9-to-1 by AIPAC and corporate Super PACs in the most expensive Senate Democratic primary of all time. Last night, he proved that organized people can beat organized money.

A wide ranging discussion between @hcrichardson.bsky.social & @macfarlanenews.bsky.social including Epstein, Todd Blanche, and the “three dimensional trousers” on the Kennedy Center (I actually thought the trousers were removed…guess not) and more‼️ open.substack.com/pub/macfarla...

Democracy Can be Saved - Heather Cox Richardson and Scott MacFarlane | American Conversations

The self-dealing, the vanity projects and the sinking approval ratings all come with political consequences

open.substack.com

7/ bsky.app/profile/jenn...

Jenny Cohn@jennycohn.bsky.social · 4w ago

Discussing the Pax Silica project led by Trump official Jacob Helberg (a Palantir alum), Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale says a “free economic zone” “makes sense for PHILIPPINES,” he hopes for one in EUROPE, & he “hear[s] maybe something w/ ISRAEL.” Helberg: “WE WANT…ONE IN EVERY HEMISPHERE…” 1/

Thiel wants a country— Argentina needs billions. A match made in hell!

Jenny Cohn@jennycohn.bsky.social · 11h ago

Update: “President Javier Milei’s latest push to lure private [tech] investment to Argentina suffered a setback Wednesday as lawmakers watered down,” but did not eliminate, apparently Thiel-aligned “legislation to ease limits on foreign land ownership in response to fierce backlash.” 8/5/26… 1/

Keith Ellison was first elected @ag.state.mn.us in 2018 after serving six terms in Congress. Ellison traces the layered history of Minnesota's Fort Snelling, from Dred Scott and the Dakota War to its role in immigration enforcement today. #WeAreAmerica250

ICYMI, the Rockbridge Network [reportedly backed by Peter Thiel] included a “‘transition project’, with an estimated price tag of $3M” that was “intended to assemble policy experts and plans to create a ‘government-in-waiting’ to ‘staff the next Republican administration.’” (Article from 2022) 1/

Dissatisfied With Their Party, Wealthy Republican Donors Form Secret Coalitions (Published 2022)

nytimes.com

Taiwan: COVID-19 hospital visits surge 74.8% 🔸Hospitals reported 18,990 visits for COVID-19 last week, a 74.8% increase from the previous week 🔸PQ.16.1.1 variant accounted for 85.7% of local samples analysed over the past 4 weeks and may possess extra immune-escape properties.

COVID-19 hospital visits surge 74.8% - Taipei Times

Hospitals reported 18,990 visits for COVID-19 last week, a 74.8 percent increase from the previous week, while 62 severe cases were reported, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday, urgi...

taipeitimes.com

Liberty University's revenue is up more than $370M since 2023. Over that time, Jonathan Falwell's salary rose 171.7% — while former pres. Jerry Prevo's fell 53.6%. Falwell, son of Liberty's founder & brother of former pres. Jerry Falwell Jr., is a trustee & chancellor. roysreport.com/as-liberty-u...

As Liberty U. raised Jonathan Falwell’s salary 171%, Jerry Prevo’s pay fell | The Roys Report

Liberty University more than doubled Jonathan Falwell's salary over two years while cutting former president Jerry Prevo's pay by half.

roysreport.com

Hey Jeanine Pirro, do a Substack Live with me. I just wanna talk. You can drink all the wine you want. It'll be fun.

Did Jeanine Pirro go home tonight and start working on her tell-all?

People focus too much on the minutiae of ideology (left versus right) and not enough on the structure of it. Someone who has the authoritarian structure of belief, the conspiracy-theorist-like thinking, the good/bad/black/white division, etc., isn't your political ally.

AR Hanlon@arhanlon.bsky.social · 2d ago

Gotta tap the sign again

These signs should be on every hiking trail in Oregon and across the US .

Live on AC360 @cnn.com tonight at 8pm ET DOJ dropped the Reflecting Pool case bc the evidence collapsed, & now the president is attacking his own US Attorney for following it When going where the facts go counts as disloyalty, you've learned what the standard is - TN

Prosecutors move to dismiss Reflecting Pool vandalism case, saying 'botched installation' to blame

The government had accused David Hearn of ripping a piece of sealant after a $14-million renovation. Hearn has repeatedl

npr.org

We’ve been saying this for a while now many of the people being targeted are just fishermen. Evidence now supports that the United States has killed individuals who were not involved in drug trafficking during its “counternarcotics interdiction operations” in the Caribbean and Pacific.

The effective federal corporate income tax rate: 1950: 50% 1990: 25% 2020: 13% Stop asking "but how we will pay for it?" Restore the corporate tax rate. That is how we will pay for it.

If Jeannie Pirro got fired tonight it wasn’t because she was shamelessly incompetent and unethical—it was because she shamed Donald by confirming his unethical incompetence.

Just in: "CREW sues Treasury Department for concealing January 6th settlement details"

CREW sues Treasury Department for concealing January 6th settlement details  - CREW | Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

The Treasury Department is illegally concealing who is receiving settlement money from its Judgment Fund, obscuring whether January 6th insurrectionists are receiving payouts.

citizensforethics.org

hearing there's a run on franzia at doj-area liquor stores

Professor Ted Widmer is a historian, author, and the former senior Advisor to President Bill Clinton. Widmer travels the history of Route 66, the iconic "Main Street of America" that carried Depression migrants, wartime troops, and postwar dreamers across the country. #WeAreAmerica250

When people die and the media says they had “pre-existing conditions”… they’re pacifying the public. Anyone could die from Cyclosporiasis, but they want you to believe it can’t happen to you. It can only happen to the weak, the disabled, the elderly. The expendable people. Eugenics.

Two Deaths Linked to Cyclospora Outbreak in Michigan

The patients had “significant underlying health conditions” that may have contributed to their deaths, health officials said.

nytimes.com