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Chris Dwan (he/him)

@somershade.bsky.social

Hyper local in Somerville, MA. FOIA requests & long threads live-tweeting city meetings. Also @fdmts

2,340 Followers  |  250 Following  |  6,415 Posts  |  Joined: 05.09.2023
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Posts by Chris Dwan (he/him) (@somershade.bsky.social)

How’s that plan to wait for the midterms working out? Bad, right?

How about the idea that the market will act as a corrective? No? Didn’t happen?

General strike. Now.

03.03.2026 05:35 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I’m unironically going to start carrying a little pocket recorder with phrases like β€˜that’s so dope’ and β€˜woah man, really?’ And make a show of pulling it out and playing my pre-recorded response to the β€˜chat says’ crowd.

03.03.2026 05:03 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A street entrance, blocked off by a pair of mature trees and a raised berm.

A street entrance, blocked off by a pair of mature trees and a raised berm.

I want this for us.

02.03.2026 17:15 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

In addition, if any of these people are -within- the government or military, they risk telegraphing actions putting our troops in massive danger and jeprodizing the operations.

That's treason.

2/2

02.03.2026 15:28 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Stocks Fall as Investors Brace for Iran War’s Economic Repercussions

War profiteering, whether directly or via the market shorts and polymarket bets that we are all seeing play out in real time, should be punishable at the same level as hiring an assassin.

It's money for death, it's grievously wrong.

www.nytimes.com/2026/03/01/b...

1/?

02.03.2026 15:26 β€” πŸ‘ 13    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

It’s 21 years later. I have more experience of grief. The sculpture still moves me, here as the sun rises again before I go off to another conference room to scribble and scheme.

Good morning, everybody. Take time to grieve when you need to, then get up and go make the world a better place.

2/2

02.03.2026 14:49 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A marble sculpture of an angel, weeping over a tomb.

A marble sculpture of an angel, weeping over a tomb.

I first encountered the Angel of Grief at Stanford in 2005, walking from a hotel to some faceless IT building on campus for a consulting gig. I remember the beauty being so startling that I was almost late.

Even though it’s a sad piece, it heartens me. Even angels fail. Even angels grieve.

1/?

02.03.2026 14:46 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Birds Aren’t Just Declining. They’re Declining Faster, a New Study Finds.

Deep below the fold, past the mad king’s latest war of choice, past the ever unrolling lurid details of our abusive pedophile oligarchs and their rape parties, past even the ravings of the techno utopian greedheads …

… I see that the birds are dying.

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/c...

02.03.2026 01:19 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Overtime is a stupid way to accomplish these goals, especially in a cash crunch.

bsky.app/profile/some...

01.03.2026 23:17 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

bsky.app/profile/some...

01.03.2026 23:15 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

It's a federally funded system that we will pay for with upfront money. That creates a risk of being stiffed if we don't comply.

As with the grant for police overtime to harass cyclists, I think you are far too credulous when the police tell you what you need to hear in order to give them money.

01.03.2026 22:33 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Sounds like a hell of a gate, in addition to a pretty wild operational security problem. If it's as you describe, I'm pretty shocked that they're waiting for federal money to solve the problem.

01.03.2026 22:23 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Me, traveling in 2024: "Hmm, I'll be near an international border on this trip, maybe I should take a passport in case I want to hop across and do some tourism."

Me, traveling in 2026: "Shit, almost forgot my passport and copy of the constitution that I carry everywhere in case the feds grab me."

01.03.2026 21:23 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I'll stop. I'm ranting. But ... I really never expected to be one of those constitution carrying loonies.

Life comes at you fast.

14/14

01.03.2026 21:21 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

It is broadly known that presidential pardons are now pay for play, and that you can either pay in a campaign donation or just use his name-branded crypto.

Trump literally takes bribes.

C'mon congress! Do your job!

13/?

01.03.2026 21:20 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Trump aide Homan accepted $50,000 in bribery sting operation, sources say In the alleged scheme, Tom Homan promised immigration-related government contracts when he joined the Trump administration in exchange for the money.

So, just in the very smallest example, Tom Homan took a literal envelope filled with cash to look the other way on some stuff that a restaurant chain was doing.

C'mon congress! Do your job!

www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...

12/?

01.03.2026 21:17 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

While I'm reading, the constitution is actually very specific about bribery:

"The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."

11/?

01.03.2026 21:15 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

"No Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."

Did congress approve the jet?

DID CONGRESS APPROVE THE JET?

10/?

01.03.2026 21:14 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Then there are the powers -denied-:

"The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it."

You know how we're just snatching people and deporting them? The founders knew ALL ABOUT that shit.

9/?

01.03.2026 21:13 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

"To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;"

This whole thing about Trump having emergency powers because there is either an insurrection or an invasion. That's all on congress!

8/?

01.03.2026 21:11 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

"To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;"

All that summary shit that Trump and Hegseth did to establish our military as a testosterone poisoned, transphobic, racist, sexist abomination ... all literally congress's job to regulate.

7/?

01.03.2026 21:10 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

"To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;"

Trump's -literal- declaration of war yesterday is wildly unconstitutional.

6/?

01.03.2026 21:04 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

"To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;"

That's the question of us shooting boats off Venezuela, supporting Israel's genocide, and attacking Iran.

All congress's job to regulate.

5/?

01.03.2026 21:03 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

"To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;"

That's the idea of moving the US to some kind of cursed crypto standard or put Trump's ugly mug on a coin.

Literally not the president's job.

5/?

01.03.2026 21:02 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

"To establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;"

That's oversight on the citizenship process, and should be the final word on the question of birthright citizenship.

4/?

01.03.2026 21:01 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0

"To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;"

That's -also- tariffs, in case they were unclear above.

3/?

01.03.2026 21:01 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

"The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States"

That's authority over tariffs.

2/?

01.03.2026 21:00 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

As previously mentioned, I am become one of that class of people I formerly counted as loons - a person who carries a copy of the US constitution around with him, occasioning bringing it forth to make some point or other about the gub'mint.

Today I find myself thinking on Section 8.

1/?

01.03.2026 20:59 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Protest Surveillance Shortly after ICE agents shot Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, I went downtown to take part in protests at the State House and at…

I baked that thread about surveillance into a blog post.

medium.com/@fdmts/prote...

01.03.2026 19:09 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I did not authorize either this snow or this cold.

This is not approved by me.

01.03.2026 14:11 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0