the elevation of “separation of powers” as the paramount value of the constitution is just rhetorical justification for presidential dictatorship, since that is what you have when the legislative branch cannot constrain the exercise of executive power through law.

I heard an interview with Bernie Taupin, it must have been with Marc Maron and it was when Taupin's bio came out in 2023 and that song came up and I think he laughed about it and said something like "hey it sold a lot of copies"

Only US Pres not to be a native English speaker, 1st Pres to be born a US Citizen (and not a British subject) and to be from an ethnic group (Dutch) outside the British Empire's footprint.

Pipe bomb suspect told FBI he believed 2020 election conspiracy theories The suspect has been cooperating with the FBI, according to sources, and is expected to make his first court appearance on Friday.

And there's the motive.

The US adopts a pure fascist anti-ally, anti-European democracy National Security Strategy policy.

good reminder that ezra notwithstanding, charlie kirk was and turning point usa is a vicious proto-fascist organization devoted to harassing and silencing political enemies and glorifying violence.

. . . an operational government. They play liberal/a friend of Dem voters, but push comes to shove they are going to vote with the conservatives.

People just don't get this. They think Manchin & Sinema were keeping the Dems from doing so much, like, say, the filibuster, but I guaranty you that if every Dem senator had to vote like their vote was pivotal, say, 15 would vote to keep the filibuster even though it is being used to destroy . . .

The default posture of the Democrats to the GOP is the “fever will break.” That’s been their stance for over 40 years, meanwhile the fucking patient (America) is almost dead.

Roberts is a stone cold racist who has spent every step in his entire professional career attempting to strip blacks of citizenship rights. He is Bull Connor but with an expensive suit, fancy degree and pleasant manner.

. . . and was in Planet of the Apes.

"During 2019 and 2020, COLE purchased multiple items consistent with the components that were used to manufacture the pipe bombs . . .

" COLE purchased 14-gauge electrical wire in red and black on or about May 23 and October 22, 2019 . . ."

"The FBI obtained records for the checking account and three credit cards for the time period January 2018 to January 2021. Three additional credit cards were obtained for the time period of January 2018 to November 2025. The FBI reviewed the transaction history for all of these Accounts."

That isn't what it says (I am looking at the actual affidavit in support). It says it PULLED financial records back to Jan 2018, but as to actual purchases the first date they identify an actual purchase is 5/23/19. That is 1 year, 7 months, 14 before, and all other purchasers were later.

The earliest date they give for a purchase of anything is about 20 months in advance, but some of them were made much closer in time.

Cleveland attorney accused of killing Aliza Sherman released from jail on bond The former lawyer accused of killing Aliza Sherman, Gregory Moore, posted a $2 million bond Wednesday, according to court filings.

BTW here in Cleveland we have a case I think is similar in that they have a hell of string of coincidences tying a woman's attorney to her murder, but similarly they just don't have a witness to it, and they waited years to charge it.

www.cleveland19.com/2025/07/03/c...

But does someone decide it is airtight enough to convict him 🤷‍♂️

Personally I have thought for a long time they has a pretty good idea who it was but thought they just really were on the edge of having enough evidence to bring it and were hoping to develop some more, but I guess no luck on that.

Did the galvanized pipes you bought match what was used in a bombing and did you drive in from your home 20 miles or so away and be pinging cell towers in the neighborhood where the bomb was placed at the time the bombs were being placed? They have a hell of a lot of coincidences that line up.

Which the NYT, if I recall correctly, ran interference for Cotton on.

Not only that but it's BS. Engines are way more efficient and better performing now as a result of small but continuous improvements and you can run a car like that much more efficiently (I think car design improvements have also made them better users of space).

Mount Rushmore (seriously)

U.S. Military’s Boat Strikes Planning Takes On New Significance

The USG has a new explanation on why they (now admittedly) intentionally killed 2 shipwrecked men. It does not pass the laws-of-war smell test

Worse for Hegseth, NYT: "Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved contingency plans for what to do if an initial strike left survivors."

1/🧵

I was 15. Funny thing is I don't particularly remember something so memorable that day I think it needs to be repeated, but there was much build up to the day, and for me personally that summer in general had a lot of memorable events for me.

Steve Cropper, Guitarist, Songwriter and Shaper of Memphis Soul Music, Dies at 84

New York Times gifted version of his obit (I saw someone had posted this elsewhere as a gift).

www.nytimes.com/2025/12/03/a...

If they did their attorneys would have ended up in Boston Bay

For the last 50 years, since my mid teens, I have been hearing conservatives speak like this. He represents them.

FBI Seeks ‘Seditious Conspiracy’ Probe of Democratic Lawmakers The FBI is pressuring domestic terrorism agents to open a seditious conspiracy investigation into six Democratic lawmakers who advised military service members to defy unlawful orders, according to th...

Scoop: FBI aims to escalate its inquiry into 6 Democrats who made video for troops by pressing domestic terrorism squad to launch a formal seditious conspiracy investigation. Washington Field Office leaders are pushing back b/c they don't see a crime. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...

It’s true. We shouldn’t pretend that. Trumpist culture is not the same as American culture and not equal. Trumpist culture is proudly ignorant, defiantly against America’s founding values and subsequently developed values, venomously bigoted, and generally despicable.

the Allies stripping a huge eastern part of their country away, and then herding every ethnic German in other countries into the smoldering ruin they all had left.

Hitler and his plans basically derailed solving the big housing crisis and worst train system in Europe (including massive maintenance under investment) the German's had when he took office, and that is before both those were made so much worse with their cities getting leveled,