Lotsa talk about the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, but I hear very little about what the colonists were REALLY revolting against. (Hint: it wasn't because they were "taxed enough already") Get the truth w/ @hartmannreport.com blueridgebreakdown.substack.com/p/thom-hartm...

Thom Hartmann Breaks Down the Real Story of the American Revolution & Who Killed the American Dream

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, Thom Hartmann argues that the Founders weren't rebelling against taxes—they were fighting monopoly power merged with political power.

blueridgebreakdown.substack.com

This is because double nothing is still nothing

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 5mo ago

Bezos on CNBC: "You could double the taxes I pay, and it's not gonna help that teacher in Queens. I promise you."

What he's leaving out is "because I will flood the halls of Congress and state assemblies and city halls with lobbyists to make sure no law can pass to help that teacher in Queens." Which is also coincidentally why you couldn't double the taxes he pays.

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 5mo ago

Bezos on CNBC: "You could double the taxes I pay, and it's not gonna help that teacher in Queens. I promise you."

Mamdani: I cannot help but think of the words of our 40th president, Ronald Reagan. He famously said, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are 'I'm from the govt & I'm here to help'" I think nine more terrifying words are actually, "I worked all day and can't feed my family"

Mamdani: Democratic socialism viable anywhere. “...this is a politics that can flourish anywhere, because there is only one majority in this country – that’s the working class, and it’s time we have a politics that puts them at the heart of [public policy]..." www.commondreams.org/news/mamdani...

'There Is Only One Majority in This Country, That's the Working Class,' Says Mamdani | Common Dreams

"It's time we have a politics that puts them at the heart of what it is that we're pursuing and not as part of the appendix."

commondreams.org

"“It’s just absolutely a cash register. We put the money in, it comes flying right back at us.”" The Book of Toby and Edith and particularly good

Jonathan Edward Durham@thisone0verhere.bsky.social · 6mo ago

What’s your favorite Bible verse? (Wrong answers only)

With 150GW solar, India achieved its target of having 50% of its total installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources in June 2025, reaching this milestone 5 years ahead of its original 2030 deadline set under the Paris Agreement www.pv-magazine.com/2026/04/10/i...

India hits 150 GW solar milestone

The country added around 44.6 GW of new PV capacity in fiscal year 2026, according to new figures released by JMK Research.

pv-magazine.com

France passed a law requiring solar panels on every parking lot with more than 80 spaces. Equals 10 nuclear reactors Reduces heat island, shades cars The US -- 800 million parking spaces. Most of them are uncovered asphalt sitting in direct sunlight. Why aren't we doing this?

WARREN: I want to understand how slashing healthcare for families so Meta gets a $3b tax cut is a 'really good outcome for the American public' IRS CEO BISIGNANO: I don't see the two as correlated W: Those tax cuts were paid for by pushing people off their healthcare. Did you not follow that?

They are trying so hard to stop this from happening

ALT:

media.tenor.com

More Perfect Union@moreperfectunion.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Starbucks is partnering with ChatGPT. The coffee giant has launched an app within the OpenAI chatbot that is supposed to "provide inspiration for customers’ drink orders." Consumers will still need to complete their orders on the Starbucks app or website.

Anything short of Medicare for All is just tweaking around the edges of our current system. The harsh reality is that for patients our current system is "don't get sick and if you do, die quickly" and for insurers the plan is "collect money, delay and deny care until the patients die."

a man in a suit and sunglasses is throwing money in the air and saying yeah baby .

ALT: a man in a suit and sunglasses is throwing money in the air and saying yeah baby .

media.tenor.com

derek guy@dieworkwear.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Genuinely depressing to me that your partner has to Doordash to raise money for your cancer treatment when you get old. What happens if you don't have a partner? Are we just working to pay a landlord and save up for a medical emergency when we're elderly?

Rumor has it that the @DNC Resolutions Committee yesterday adopted a call for a 21C Economic Bill of Rights, as articulated here by Alan Minsky and me… Please read this… www.commondreams.org/opinion/econ...

Everyone needs to be talking about how we will pay the price for DOGE’s data theft if they are not held accountable.

Peter Morley ♿️@petermorley.bsky.social · 7mo ago

🔥READ: Social Security has data on 500M+ Americans, living & dead. Federal law states the data is used ONLY to receive the benefits you’ve earned. NOT to deport your neighbor. NOT to enrich Elon Musk & train his AI. NOT to keep you from VOTING, YOUR constitutional right. thehill.com/opinion/whit...

This dude is the US Senator from the state that has most benefited from Nazi scientists

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 7mo ago

Rick Scott: "Europe would all be speaking German if it wasn't for the American service members and what we did to save their butts in the second world war. For them to not support what we're doing in Iran is foolish. So NATO is gonna have to change."

lmao just warmed over gobbledygook about how Millenials don't want pensions because we want to be contractors for Uber

More Perfect Union@moreperfectunion.bsky.social · 7mo ago

This is propaganda.

House Democrats tried to pass legislation aimed at stopping Trump’s illegal war with Iran — and the GOP wouldn’t allow a vote. Republicans know this war is indefensible. Urge your elected officials to keep fighting to reclaim Congress’ power and end Trump’s war: act.indivisible.org/sign/no-iran...

GOP blocks Democrats’ attempt to limit Trump’s Iran war powers

Democrats unsuccessfully attempted to pass a measure limiting President Trump’s ability to conduct military operations in Iran during a pro forma session of the House on Thursday. Rep. Glenn Ivey (…

thehill.com

Assess Eligibility and Enrollment Notices in Your State Prior to Implementation. With OBBBA reshaping Medicaid eligibility and enrollment, the importance of due process is front and center. Learn more with this week’s Timely Tip to Safeguard Medicaid: healthlaw.org/timely-tips-...

Shhhh guys don't tell the Republican Party. @wvdemocrats.bsky.social if there's an issue where the Republican leadership in this state is more out of step with the residents, I don't know what it is. And they're pretty out of step on MOST issues from chilccare to eldercare and all points in between

More Perfect Union@moreperfectunion.bsky.social · 7mo ago

First the city council in this Missouri city approved a $6 billion data center, despite massive pushback. Then, during yesterday’s election in Festus, MO, residents overwhelmingly voted to kick out the incumbents who voted for the project. America is fed up with data centers.

Once it’s gone, it’s gone. You don’t get farmland back from data centers. Would you trade farmland in your community for a data center?

They tell you to “do your research.” But what happens when the information is hidden on purpose?

Preemptively cutting 'optional' Medicaid programs in anticipation of cuts is going to disproportionately harm marginalized people! Democrats COULD have increased the scope of federal funding mandates to make these core programs, and they didn't.

Bracing for federal cuts, some states are already paring back Medicaid services

Paying for doulas to help birthing moms in maternity care deserts was a priority for Montana. But it halted the plan amid a budget shortfall and fears over coming federal Medicaid cuts.

npr.org

The state’s medical marijuana fund has accumulated to $38 million, after years of not being spent due to legal concerns. After the governor vetoed a bill to spend it, the state Treasurer is spending it now. buff.ly/jsqzDoZ

Treasurer says he’ll spend $38 million from medical cannabis fund West Virginia’s sat on for years

Treasurer Larry Pack said the funds would be spent in accordance with a 2021 law days after Gov. Morrisey vetoed an effort by lawmakers to spend the money.

buff.ly

Truth: @theonion.com is a more reliable source of information about the future of data centers than almost anyone else. Watch the whole convo with Maria Russo, Policy Specialist for the WV Rivers Coalition via YouTube or Substack or anywhere you get podcasts, look for "The Blue Ridge Breakdown"

*sigh* yah he could be stupid or he could be doing favors for his campaign donors who own the energy that just went up in prices and the Silicon Valley folks who want to use AI drones for minesweeping.

Eric Foltz@ericfoltz.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Let's see, Cancels wind and solar energy incentives before starting a war that drives up energy prices. Decommissioned four minesweepers before starting a war where you need minesweepers. He is the stupidest MFer on the planet.

"Running government like a business" has been a complete fiasco

Adam Kinzinger@adamkinzinger.substack.com · 7mo ago

Two pilots dead at LaGuardia. A lone controller managing two simultaneous emergencies. The FAA is 3,000 controllers short. We will blame the human. We should fix the system. open.substack.com/pub/adamkinz...

Social Security has fewer staff now than it did in 1967 — even as it serves over 50 million more people. Why? Donald Trump, DOGE, and years of underfunding from Congressional Republicans. They don't want you to get the benefits you've earned.

Kathleen Romig@kathleenromig.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Hot off the presses! The Trump Administration continues to harm Social Security customer service, and the damage it's caused will have lasting effects on seniors, people with disabilities, and bereaved families. www.cbpp.org/research/soc...

In defense of pre-"enlightenment" times Peasants lived their whole lives without a whole system that put them into debt while also shaming them about flossing How are you doing? *Insert meme here*

It's just a normal American district, to be fair

what could go wrong handing our domestic food supply production over to people who brag about never having any introspection about anything

More Perfect Union@moreperfectunion.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Tucked inside the 2026 Farm Bill is a provision to reimburse farmers for 90% of the cost of adopting AI and precision agriculture technologies. The standards governing those tech wouldn't be set by the USDA, but by the tech industry. This could give Big Tech immense power over farmers.

Solid review of GILDED RAGE in Nature: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

How wealthy tech entrepreneurs seek to shape politics, culture and the future — and why we must resist

Silicon Valley’s billionaires have become ideological provocateurs, spreading rage and reshaping the public sphere.

nature.com