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Marc C. Johnson

@thejohnsonpost.bsky.social

Political historian, columnist, former journalist and top aide to Idaho's longest serving governor Cecil D. Andrus. Latest book (University of Oklahoma Press) is "Mansfield and Dirksen: Bipartisan Giants of the Senate." Story of when the Senate worked.

325 Followers  |  400 Following  |  260 Posts  |  Joined: 16.11.2024
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Posts by Marc C. Johnson (@thejohnsonpost.bsky.social)

When the Senate was a real place, not one Senator would've left his seat for anything less than Secretary of State.

06.03.2026 00:07 β€” πŸ‘ 45    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 0

Cecil Andrus, Carter’s Interior Secretary, had only one year of college. Never a degree.

And the smartest guy I’ve ever known.

No Markwayne Mullin to be sure.

05.03.2026 22:55 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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The Trump Administration is considering asking Congress for new emergency spending for the Iran War.

Hell no. This is our chance to draw a line in the sand and use our power to stop this war before it kills more Americans and sends the Middle East into more chaos.

05.03.2026 15:52 β€” πŸ‘ 2285    πŸ” 640    πŸ’¬ 150    πŸ“Œ 52

Frank Church, rolling in his grave

05.03.2026 16:56 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Much attention on Texas. But Montana may be the political story of the day.

Wow. Half the delegation quit in the last 24 hours.

05.03.2026 02:48 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Pete Hegseth Treats Fallen American Soldiers as a PR Problem His use of the Iran war dead to attack the media was disgraceful.

@radiofreetom.bsky.social on Hegseth whining about news coverage while not getting that "When a drone slips through US defenses and kills 6 members of America’s armed forces, [they] *are* the story. The people of the US deserve to know what happened and why." πŸ˜¬πŸ™„πŸ˜ πŸŽ www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...

05.03.2026 02:40 β€” πŸ‘ 94    πŸ” 27    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 1
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The Corruption of Lindsey Graham A case study in the rise of authoritarianism. Sen. Lindsey Graham is a central player in the Republican party’s capitulation to Donald Trump. We can watch the GOP's turn to authoritarianism by reviewing Graham's many public statements.

It's always a good time to revisit this meticulous account of Lindsey Graham in the age of Trump, from @saletan.bsky.social:

05.03.2026 01:30 β€” πŸ‘ 343    πŸ” 103    πŸ’¬ 26    πŸ“Œ 4

The State of the Union reset certainly worked as planned. Right?

04.03.2026 12:50 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I just can't tell what's a throwaway line, what's a joke, and what's a policy announcement these days.

Is the President serious about an embargo on Spain?

03.03.2026 18:30 β€” πŸ‘ 1395    πŸ” 243    πŸ’¬ 120    πŸ“Œ 17
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So much winning.

03.03.2026 15:07 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Seems pretty clear that the decision to go to war with Iran was also a decision to abandon Ukraine to the Russians.

03.03.2026 13:47 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

What a clownish idiot.

03.03.2026 02:57 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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After failing to win the peace prize, Trump turns his focus to Nobel prize for war | John Crace As for Keir Starmer, even when he tries to make a reasonably sound judgment he somehow ends up losing both sides of the argument

After failing to win the peace prize, Trump turns his focus to Nobel prize for war | John Crace

02.03.2026 19:49 β€” πŸ‘ 227    πŸ” 48    πŸ’¬ 19    πŸ“Œ 5
Sen. Ossoff Statement on Iran
Atlanta, Ga. - U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff today released the following statement.
"Eight months ago, Donald Trump lied to the country when he claimed U.S. air strikes had 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear program.
"Now Trump says he's taken America to war for regime change in Iran.
"Trump has launched this regime change war and put American forces at risk without presenting evidence of an imminent threat, without clear objectives, without having exhausted diplomacy, without a plan for the aftermath, and without the consent of Congress.
"I oppose yet another regime change war-of-choice in the Middle East. Congress must convene immediately and pass a War Powers Resolution to assert our Constitutional authority over war and peace.
"The President has presented no evidence that Iran or its nuclear program β€” which he falsely claimed to have 'obliterated' β€” pose an imminent threat to the United States, or that diplomacy was exhausted. Iran's support for terrorism and uranium enrichment have long destabilized the region. But sending American forces into harm's way should only ever be a last resort.
"I pray for the safety of U.S. forces who have been ordered into battle and commend their extraordinary professionalism."

Sen. Ossoff Statement on Iran Atlanta, Ga. - U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff today released the following statement. "Eight months ago, Donald Trump lied to the country when he claimed U.S. air strikes had 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear program. "Now Trump says he's taken America to war for regime change in Iran. "Trump has launched this regime change war and put American forces at risk without presenting evidence of an imminent threat, without clear objectives, without having exhausted diplomacy, without a plan for the aftermath, and without the consent of Congress. "I oppose yet another regime change war-of-choice in the Middle East. Congress must convene immediately and pass a War Powers Resolution to assert our Constitutional authority over war and peace. "The President has presented no evidence that Iran or its nuclear program β€” which he falsely claimed to have 'obliterated' β€” pose an imminent threat to the United States, or that diplomacy was exhausted. Iran's support for terrorism and uranium enrichment have long destabilized the region. But sending American forces into harm's way should only ever be a last resort. "I pray for the safety of U.S. forces who have been ordered into battle and commend their extraordinary professionalism."

Ossoff’s statement is 1000x stronger than Schumer-Jeffries. This is a moderate Jewish Senator from a Trump state. The split isn’t moderate vs progressive, but leading vs poll-reacting

01.03.2026 21:53 β€” πŸ‘ 3234    πŸ” 790    πŸ’¬ 52    πŸ“Œ 35

He hasn't a clue what he is doing ...

01.03.2026 21:41 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

While operations are coordinated at a members-only, private beach club β€” in between fundraisers and parties.

01.03.2026 15:05 β€” πŸ‘ 3264    πŸ” 1166    πŸ’¬ 143    πŸ“Œ 43
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This is some next-level swiftboating

01.03.2026 00:56 β€” πŸ‘ 5382    πŸ” 988    πŸ’¬ 422    πŸ“Œ 271

A United States senator from the president's own party, one who serves on the Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, has no idea what's going on as America goes to war with Iran.

28.02.2026 20:22 β€” πŸ‘ 6373    πŸ” 2000    πŸ’¬ 219    πŸ“Œ 73

War is peace ...

28.02.2026 18:42 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

The American people now see Trump for who he is β€” a would-be dictator who does not care what Americans think or want, cares nothing about our Constitution or our laws, and sees himself as a kind of eighteenth-century king, with unlimited power to drag us into wars without the consent of the people.

28.02.2026 15:49 β€” πŸ‘ 2922    πŸ” 833    πŸ’¬ 182    πŸ“Œ 33

Tell me you don’t understand…anything

27.02.2026 21:18 β€” πŸ‘ 507    πŸ” 43    πŸ’¬ 28    πŸ“Œ 2

Imagine if a criminal gang invaded the White House and began stuffing their pockets with cash and terrorizing people.
Never mind – no need to use your imagination. Just read the news.

27.02.2026 17:18 β€” πŸ‘ 195    πŸ” 65    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 1
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JD Vance would never lie to us, right? Just ask the cats and dogs of Springfield, Ohio.

27.02.2026 01:26 β€” πŸ‘ 224    πŸ” 81    πŸ’¬ 22    πŸ“Œ 3

More proof that DJT has assembled the worst group of people to ever staff the federal government. Clowns, grifters and just plan evil people.

26.02.2026 20:46 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Actually, it’s hurting children.

26.02.2026 02:02 β€” πŸ‘ 2776    πŸ” 524    πŸ’¬ 148    πŸ“Œ 15

From fame and glory to infamy and shame in a blip.

24.02.2026 23:26 β€” πŸ‘ 148    πŸ” 23    πŸ’¬ 29    πŸ“Œ 1

Donald Trump's America. Beyond unbelievable.

24.02.2026 18:54 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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The Republican Party Has a Nazi Problem How did the GOP become a haven for slogans and ideas straight out of the Third Reich?

If wannabe Nazis now confidently roam the halls of powerβ€”and the streets of American citiesβ€”it is because Republican leaders have made them feel at home.

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...

23.02.2026 17:12 β€” πŸ‘ 1382    πŸ” 516    πŸ’¬ 90    πŸ“Œ 79
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Pretty sure all is well in tariff and Iran war world.

24.02.2026 03:35 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

So it must be true

24.02.2026 03:28 β€” πŸ‘ 13    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0