srbiddle.bsky.social

Today, Robert E. Hall was awarded the 2026 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. This is from a statement he released after the announcement:

After Trump gutted the IRS workforce — including the unit tasked with auditing billionaires — the agency's annual audit revenue plunged by 35%. Trump's attacks on the IRS were never about "efficiency." They were about making it easier for the wealthy and powerful to skirt what they owe.

NEW: ICE privatized health care for detainees, but the private company they hired hasn't paid the bills in almost a year - causing most private providers to cancel life-saving appointments. The VA used to cover this program, but Trump sold the $68M contract. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANds...

I like that this design appears to show the birth date of liberty as 1776, and its death as 2026

“It’s like the wild west out there,” Scott Slingerland, the executive director of the Coalition for Appropriate Transportation, told state legislators in the Lehigh Valley on Tuesday. From @wdownard.bsky.social

Republican primary voters are so racist that a guy named Tom Smith who DROPPED OUT OF THE RACE is going to defeat Trump’s endorsed candidate because his name is Amir Hassan.

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

For the first time ever, Ukraine is joining the 🇪🇺 Civil Protection Mechanism as a provider of assistance. A 70-member Ukrainian firefighting team is on its way to France to help battle the wildfires.

Happy Independence Day, y'all. "...He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

There are currently more bills attacking trans youth’s right to play sports across the U.S. than there are trans youth in school sports.

Just in case you were wondering, our Bicentennial Celebration in 1976 was held in multiple venues, and the artists included: The Eagles Fleetwood Mac Loggins & Messina (Their final performance before splitting up) Dan Fogelberg Elton John The Beach Boys America Elvis Presley Bruce Springsteen 1/2

“Memorial Day is not for grifters, narcissists, wannabe despots, or moral pickpockets cosplaying devotion between rounds of self-worship. It belongs to the ones who earned remembrance. The men and women who gave everything.” open.substack.com/pub/jojofrom...

Wow... 2026 World Cup Travel Advisory www.amnestyusa.org/blog/2026-wo...

Union soldiers died to end slavery. Marchers died to secure the vote. The Roberts Court decided their sacrifice didn’t matter.

Trump: "We're in a war because we cannot let lunatics have a nuclear weapon"

Trump says anyone running for president should take a cognitive exam because you could end being stuck with a moron for years. “I mean, you get a guy who gets in there, he's got a good line of crap. He gets in and all of a sudden you're stuck with a man who's a moron”

For 80 years, the U.S. operated the most productive scientific and technological enterprise in human history. But China has now passed the US in spending on scientific research and development, and the U.S. government is cutting funding and discouraging scientist immigrants.

For all those still feeling the moon joy—Artemis II was brought to you by public schools and publicly funded science. Copy that! 👩‍🚀🚀💕 *All four astronauts went to public schools!

To any Hungarians annoyed that Americans are placing the credit for your momentous victory on the shoulders of our stunningly repellent little weasel of a VP: you are correct to feel that way, I'm sorry, we just want to seize any available oppurtunity to humiliate him specificially

"ICE agents will be stationed outside graduation events for the nation’s newest Marines to identify whether any of their family members are undocumented, according to the Marine Corps."

Harrisburg, PA is showing up. #nokings

This whole thread is worth reading, but this sums up the problem. I don't see any way out now, especially considering the personalities involved.

This is excellent. open.substack.com/pub/no01/p/m...

The Economist: “Although President Donald Trump says he has ‘destroyed 100% of Iran’s military capability,’ the 0% that remains is playing havoc with the global economy.”

I keep seeing people ask about the 25th Amendment. Guys. His entire Cabinet is walking around in shoes that don’t fit because they’re scared to take them off. The 25th is never happening.

Fetterman doesn’t even give a shit about the kids in Iran. Let that in for a second.

Pam Bondi refused to apologize to the Epstein survivors and essentially said, “I’m not going to get in the gutter with you.” How is an apology to survivors getting in the gutter? I’ll continue fighting for the courageous survivors who deserve much better than this DOJ.

New version of GOP suppression bill would impose nationwide proof of citizenship, photo ID requirements. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...

🚨NEW: Republicans are moving quickly to pass a massive voter suppression bill requiring voters to present a passport or original birth certificate both to register and vote at the polls. Experts warn it could keep millions of already-registered Americans from casting ballots in the 2026 midterms.

www.resistandunsubscribe.com

You’re going to want to read this. It’s the order of release for Liam and his father:

@hcrichardson.bsky.social Emergency mass call, No Kings (Eyes on 🧊) tonight 8 PM Eastern, 5PM Pacific! Sign up to protect your neighbors, your community, your family & Democracy! www.mobilize.us/nokings/even...

What Fox is not telling its followers, but Semafor has reported: Trump put this money in a private bank account in Qatar. Perfectly normal, right?

“organized gangs of wine moms”

“You are not entitled to a response from us, or anyone, ever." - Dept. of Education to ProPublica's @megomatz.bsky.social "Our journalists reach out to people they’re writing about to ensure fairness. But ... their efforts to do so are more likely to be vilified than appreciated."

“You are not entitled to a response from us, or anyone, ever,” is what a US Education Department spokesperson wrote to one of our reporters, @megomatz.bsky.social, after she repeatedly tried to get comment from the department and its officials. My column on the condemnation of good journalism.

Christ on a bike, this is brilliant. And disgustingly historically accurate. 10/10

Freedom of speech is the foundation of our strong and vibrant European democracy. We are proud of it. We will protect it. Because the @ec.europa.eu is the guardian of our values.

“.. 55% of employed Americans say they’re concerned about losing their jobs, and 62% of respondents said the cost of their everyday items had climbed over the last month.” @bloomberg.com www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

FIFA has announced the creation of a peace prize, which it plans to award at the draw for the World Cup on Dec. 5 in Washington. https://to.pbs.org/47LyluB

If you haven’t voted yet, and you are angry about what’s happening right now, you have all the power in the world to change it. Every single race, every single seat every single proposition and ballot measure get us one step closer to saving democracy. 1/2

If you are at all angry about what’s happening right now, you must vote tomorrow, no matter how small your election is no matter how many questions are on your ballot 2/2

On the left, the refurbished Lincoln bathroom. On the right, picture I took in Saddam Hussein's palace in Basra in 2005.

Billionaires are trying to influence Pennsylvania’s judicial retention elections. Voters can protect our courts — and safeguard voting rights, women’s rights, fair maps, and more — by voting YES to retain our justices. #PACourtsMatter

Pennsylvania has an important Supreme Court race coming up on Tuesday, November 4. If you live in the Keystone State, or know someone who does, vote YES to retain three justices who will protect your fundamental rights and freedoms.

Do you use Spotify Premium? Cancel your subscription until Spotify stops running ICE ads. There are other streaming options that don’t profit from exploiting artists while recruiting for ICE: indivisible.org/cancel-spoti... #CancelSpotify

Mike Johnson: "If the president was a king, then the government would be open." (Trump yesterday said he no longer has a need for Congress.)

Millions of dollars are pouring into state Supreme Court races, and Pennsylvania is no exception. The fast-approaching PA Supreme Court election has been the GOP’s latest investment, because the outcome could decide the future of the state's elections. https://bit.ly/3JeB3Ax