Steve Blattnig

Senate Republicans would rather you didn’t find out they just voted to give the biggest banks billions in profits from overdraft fees that kick working people when they’re down. Disgraceful.

Meanwhile, every Senate Democrat voted against it.

My band Cassini Echoes will be playing Cello Madness on March 7th at Anodyne! Tix available now! facebook.com/events/s/cel...

What a $2 Million Per Dose Gene Therapy Reveals About Drug Pricing Taxpayers and charities helped develop Zolgensma. Then it debuted at a record price, ushering in a new class of wildly expensive drugs. Its story upends the widely held conception that high prices…

How did a drug rooted, like many, in seed money from the U.S. government — that is, American taxpayers — and spurred by the grassroots fundraising of desperate parents, end up with a $2 million per dose price tag?

Your weekend longread:

Why do so many feel like they've fallen behind?

It's not because of immigrants, trans people, DEI, the “deep state,” or any other bogeyman trotted out by the GOP. 

It's because big corporations and billionaires have rigged markets and siphoned off most of the economy's gains.

To Pay for Trump Tax Cuts, House GOP Floats Plan to Slash Benefits for the Poor and Working Class A menu of options being circulated by congressional Republicans also includes new tax cuts for corporations and the ultrawealthy.

One GOP proposal takes aim squarely at parents raising children on their own by eliminating the “head of household” filing status to reap some $200B more in taxes over a decade from single parents and other adults caring for dependents on their own.

The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax ProPublica has obtained a vast cache of IRS information showing how billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Warren Buffett pay little in income tax compared to their massive wealth — sometimes,…

#FYI: ProPublica obtained a vast cache of IRS information showing how billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk pay little in income tax compared to their massive wealth — sometimes, even nothing.

(Published 2021)

American capitalism just got a black eye The story behind today’s stock market tank

America is going to have to rethink our entire approach to technology.

We may also have to rethink our approach to capitalism.

Some thoughts on the DeepSeek debacle. robertreich.substack.com/p/american-c...

The Myth of Drug Expiration Dates Hospitals and pharmacies are required to toss expired drugs, no matter how expensive or vital. Meanwhile the FDA has long known that many remain safe and potent for years longer.

It’s an open secret among medical professionals: Many drugs maintain their ability to combat ailments well after their expiration date. One pharmacist says he sometimes takes home expired OTC medicine so he and his family can use it.

(Published 2017, but there's no expiration date for this story)

Live event: Reporting on extremism in Wisconsin and the nation On Jan. 29 at 4 p.m. Central time, Wisconsin Watch will host a free, live Zoom event on the topic of covering political extremism.

If you'd like to know more about extremism and the religious right, @wisconsinwatch.bsky.social reporter and ProPublica fellow Phoebe Petrovic will answer questions about their reporting in a live Zoom event on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 4 p.m. Central time.

Doing double duty this Saturday at Ope Brewing! Come checkout both of these bands I’m in and have some great beers! They are also super dog-friendly, so bring the puppers! 7pm FREE!

The Second Trump White House Could Drastically Reshape Infectious Disease Research. Here’s What’s at Stake. Donald Trump’s pick to lead the federal health agency has vowed to replace hundreds of staffers and shift research away from infectious diseases and vaccines. Such an overhaul could imperil the…

#ICYMI: After years of heightened scrutiny by GOP lawmakers, NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases could be overhauled or effectively dismantled under the incoming Trump administration.

By @annamaria.bsky.social

Trump ousts at least 12 independent inspectors general in late-night purge The dismissals appeared to violate federal law, which requires Congress to receive 30 days’ notice of any intent to fire a Senate-confirmed inspector general.

Late last night, Trump fired the independent inspectors general of at least 12 major federal agencies.

Inspectors general are tasked with rooting out fraud, abuse, and corruption.

Trump wants loyalists in these positions — a key tenant of Project 2025.

Keep paying attention. wapo.st/3Cptwvg

Republicans and Trump's nominees are pushing for Medicaid work requirements.
They think people are mooching off the system.

But 64% of people on Medicaid already have a job. Most others that don't have a valid reason.

It's a solution in search of a problem that doesn't exist.

The Senate just received another report that Pete Hegseth has a pattern of alcohol abuse.

Confirming him as Secretary of Defense puts our national security at risk.

Trump’s $50 Billion Tax Giveaway to the 100 Largest Corporations Trump’s plan to slash the corporate tax rate would give the largest corporations a tax cut exceeding federal K-12 education spending.

Amazon, Meta, and Google donated millions to Trump's inauguration. Why?

Collectively they'll gain an annual tax cut worth $7.4 billion if Trump lowers the corporate tax rate.

They're also facing major antitrust lawsuits for abusing their market power.

Always follow the money.

This Icebreaker Has Design Problems and a History of Failure. It’s America’s Latest Military Vessel. The builder of the icebreaker Aiviq has given more than $7 million to political campaigns, parties and committees since 2012. Under pressure from Congress, the Coast Guard purchased the vessel late la...

“I mean, on paper it’s an icebreaker,” Adm. Paul Zukunft, the then-commandant of the Coast Guard, told Congress in 2017. “But it hasn’t demonstrated an ability to break ice.”

How a Troubled Icebreaker Became America’s Newest Military Vessel @mckenziefunk.com

I imagine you can download pictures from facebook if you try. In any case you don’t need to delete your account. I’m keeping mine because I have a lot of people in the contacts