Thor Benson

Thor Benson

@thorbenson.bsky.social

Writer. Featured in Rolling Stone, WIRED, The Guardian and elsewhere. I write about politics, tech and society. 🐆⚡️

111.5K followers959 following19.9K posts

Thor Benson
@thorbenson.bsky.social

People are busy. They don't have time to understand the language they speak

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com

Q: Why shouldn't Alaskans find it insulting that the administration is suggesting they can't read the word 'incumbent' on their ballot and know to vote for Sen. Sullivan? JD VANCE: People are busy. People have lives. People have jobs.

Thor Benson reposted

e.w. niedermeyer
@niedermeyer.online

UPDATE: one week from Friday you'll be able to rent "MUSK" and watch it in the comfort of your own home!

Sleepin Dogo@sleepindogo.bsky.social

Yes, You Can Still See Alex Gibney's ‘Musk’ — Here’s What’s Happening With the Film’s Release Plan "Originally scheduled for a Nov. 24 debut on paid platforms, Alex Gibney’s documentary about Elon Musk will now come to paid VOD on Nov. 6." $TSLA $SPCX www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie...

hollywoodreporter.comYes, You Can Still See ‘Musk’ — Here’s What’s Happening With the Film’s Release PlanThe VOD date is being moved up by several weeks even as it continues to play in theaters.
Thor Benson
@thorbenson.bsky.social

Well how's he supposed to fill a venue in a Democratic stronghold like.... [checks notes]... Mississippi

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com

Empty seats are seen as Trump speaks in Mississippi tonight (Chip Somodevilla/Getty)

Thor Benson reposted

Steven T. Dennis
@steventdennis.bsky.social

For the fabulously wealthy, paying taxes is pretty much optional. They can borrow against their vast wealth, which is mostly an untaxed capital gain, without paying taxes. When they die, the capital gain goes to zero. And loopholes exist to bypass the estate tax too.

Jen Taub@jentaub.bsky.social

“Billionaires who popularized stock-based lending include Larry Ellison and Elon Musk. Both borrow to avoid having to sell shares—which could trigger a taxes and dilute their voting rights—in companies they founded.” www.wsj.com/finance/the-...

wsj.comThe ‘Buy, Borrow and Die’ Wealth Strategy Has Become a $5 Trillion MarketA Deloitte study found a booming market in stock-based loans to billionaires—and the lesser rich.

Thor Benson reposted

Chris Hayes
@chrislhayes.bsky.social

It’s just so appalling and enraging how casual and commonplace this has become. I’m out of words.

The Bulwark@thebulwark.com

RFK: "There's five hundred million Arabs in the world. And yet they don't produce science. They don't win the Nobel Prize. They don't win the Fields Prize. They don't win the Wolf Prize. They don't produce literature."

Thor Benson
@thorbenson.bsky.social

I can't make fun of his high-pitched laugh because I also laugh like that

Acyn@acyn.bsky.social

Mayor Mamdani and Councilmember Kayla Santosuosso visited the New York Aquarium to meet some seals and celebrate the impact of the administration’s $2 million investment in the aquarium.

Thor Benson
@thorbenson.bsky.social

Bolsayonara

Kyle Griffin@kylegriffin1.bsky.social

BREAKING WaPo: Brazil's right-wing Flávio Bolsonaro just effectively conceded defeat to the incumbent left-wing president — minutes after Trump indicated he would not intervene on his behalf.

washingtonpost.comBolsonaro effectively concedes in Brazil after Trump suggests he won’t helpTrump says the presidential election looked “rigged” but did not say he planned to intervene on behalf of the right-wing politician.
Thor Benson
@thorbenson.bsky.social

The Democrats are not selling Donald Trump??

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com

JD Vance's speech in Kansas is interrupted by a protester. Vance responds by saying "all the Democrats are selling is a fat load of bullshit"

Thor Benson reposted

Asawin Suebsaeng
@swin24.bsky.social

If they actually want to get thru the next two years, there’s not really another choice

Greg Sargent@gregsargent.bsky.social

NEWS --> Dems are planning novel ways to wield power of the purse against Trump's corrupt prosecutions of critics like Ilhan Omar if they win House. Reps Pramila Jayapal and Jamie Raskin tell me a range of aggressive tactics will be deployed. Details in my new piece: newrepublic.com/article/2171...

newrepublic.comTrump’s Vile Prosecution of Ilhan Omar Is About to Run Into a WallIf they retake the House, Democrats will have plenty of ways to act against Trump’s corrupt prosecutions. Pramila Jayapal and Jamie Raskin say they’re going to use them.

Thor Benson reposted

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
@lastweektonight.com

This week’s main story is about how more and more white nationalists, antisemites, and Nazi sympathizers seem to be integrating into the Republican Party, how some of them are currently running for office, and how old you can be for JD Vance to consider you “a very young boy.”

Thor Benson reposted

jamelle
@jamellebouie.net

the DOJ is basically acting as if the president’s delusions are true

Steve Vladeck@stevevladeck.bsky.social

“The Department of Justice is putting its formidable thumb on next week’s elections in a way that seems clearly intended to call into question the legitimacy of any result that is especially unfavorable to Republicans—before those results have even come in.” Me on DOJ’s California and Alaska suits:

stevevladeck.com259. DOJ’s Preemptive Election InterferenceThe Trump administration's California and Alaska suits are losers. But it’ll be hard to remedy the distrust in election results they seem intended to sow.