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Don Moynihan

@donmoyn.bsky.social

Policy Professor, Ford School, University of Michigan. Irish immigrant. Administrative burdens guy. Free newsletter, Can We Still Govern?: https://donmoynihan.substack.com

168,476 Followers  |  2,517 Following  |  17,464 Posts  |  Joined: 04.05.2023
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Posts by Don Moynihan (@donmoyn.bsky.social)

Noem's such a sycophant that she probably figured saying "it's what the president wanted" would be enough to cow Republican Senators. Which tbf, has not necessarily been a bad assumption in recent years. But at least some of them are still smarter than her.

05.03.2026 15:21 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

If human rights are limited to certain groups, they are not really human rights, are they?

05.03.2026 15:05 β€” πŸ‘ 565    πŸ” 107    πŸ’¬ 36    πŸ“Œ 3
Chart showing lifetime average GDP growth for Brits by year of birth. 20-year-old Brits have experienced an average of 1.4% growth, compared with 2.4% for 75-year-olds

Chart showing lifetime average GDP growth for Brits by year of birth. 20-year-old Brits have experienced an average of 1.4% growth, compared with 2.4% for 75-year-olds

Part of the issue is a lack of growth. A recent study showed that cohorts who experience more GDP growth in their lifetimes are more likely to trust the government and have positive perceptions of their living standards. academic.oup.com/qje/advance-... In Britain, such voters are dying out

05.03.2026 14:58 β€” πŸ‘ 33    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

weak, low-energy. This is why other Trump Cabinet officials (Bondi, Patel) come to these hearings with online zingers already printed out.

05.03.2026 14:55 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Possibly unpopular opinion: We'd be better off if Trump nominated Stephen Miller as Secretary of DHS. Right now he has all of the power but little of the public responsibility. Part of public accountability is answerability, and it suits Miller to avoid it.

05.03.2026 14:53 β€” πŸ‘ 124    πŸ” 13    πŸ’¬ 9    πŸ“Œ 0
The $220 million contract for the ad campaign was awarded to an LLC which subcontracted with a company run by the husband of former DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin. The ads were filmed in October at Mount Rushmore. Ben Yoho, McLaughlin’s husband, said he made $226,137.17 for his work.

Under questioning from Kennedy, Noem said repeatedly that Trump personally approved the controversial ad blitz featuring her in the lead role. This has so angered Trump that Noem’s future at DHS may be at risk, we’re told.

Kennedy: β€œThe president approved ahead of time you spending $220 million running TV ads across the country in which you are featured prominently?”

Noem: β€œYes sir, we went through the legal processes …”

Kennedy: β€œDid the president know you were gonna do this?”

Noem: β€œYes.”

Kennedy: β€œHe did?”

Noem: β€œUh huh, yes.”

More from Kennedy: β€œThey were effective in your name recognition. To me it puts the president in a terribly awkward spot.”

The $220 million contract for the ad campaign was awarded to an LLC which subcontracted with a company run by the husband of former DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin. The ads were filmed in October at Mount Rushmore. Ben Yoho, McLaughlin’s husband, said he made $226,137.17 for his work. Under questioning from Kennedy, Noem said repeatedly that Trump personally approved the controversial ad blitz featuring her in the lead role. This has so angered Trump that Noem’s future at DHS may be at risk, we’re told. Kennedy: β€œThe president approved ahead of time you spending $220 million running TV ads across the country in which you are featured prominently?” Noem: β€œYes sir, we went through the legal processes …” Kennedy: β€œDid the president know you were gonna do this?” Noem: β€œYes.” Kennedy: β€œHe did?” Noem: β€œUh huh, yes.” More from Kennedy: β€œThey were effective in your name recognition. To me it puts the president in a terribly awkward spot.”

Senator Kennedy put Noem in a spot where she either shifted blame to Trump or took it herself. She chose...poorly. punchbowl.news/article/bord...

05.03.2026 14:50 β€” πŸ‘ 115    πŸ” 26    πŸ’¬ 6    πŸ“Œ 3
Preview
a man in a yellow suit is carrying a black box ALT: a man in a yellow suit is carrying a black box

When Noem is finally fired and they gotta clean those planes

05.03.2026 14:46 β€” πŸ‘ 144    πŸ” 8    πŸ’¬ 9    πŸ“Œ 0

She should never have been appointed, and has been the worst ever Secretary of DHS.

But if anything will move Trump to fire her, its the visuals of her being pummeled in Congress, including by Republicans.

05.03.2026 14:44 β€” πŸ‘ 355    πŸ” 49    πŸ’¬ 18    πŸ“Œ 3

Looking forward to tuning into CBSNN (or See BSing)

05.03.2026 14:39 β€” πŸ‘ 46    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 0
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The Minneapolis council member on the front lines of the resistance to ICE β€’ Minnesota Reformer When heavily-armed federal agents and Minneapolis police officers surrounded a Lake Street taco shop in June, Minneapolis City Council Member Jason Chavez was incensed.Β  β€œThis is completely wrong,” Ch...

I profiled Jason Chavez, the Minneapolis city council member who has been embedded in community efforts to combat ICE.

β€œTo leave your constituents to face off with a racist fascist regime on their own, without having someone that has some power…I could not let my constituents be out there alone.”

05.03.2026 13:20 β€” πŸ‘ 397    πŸ” 129    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 20

Grok mastering the tax code in ways that humans can't, like finding the little-known CSAM deduction

05.03.2026 14:10 β€” πŸ‘ 105    πŸ” 12    πŸ’¬ 9    πŸ“Œ 0

PEPFAR, the program to stop hundreds of thousands of children and adults from dying of HIV/AIDS, was $6.5 billion a year.

05.03.2026 02:45 β€” πŸ‘ 1940    πŸ” 756    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 12
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Trump never meant a word he said The Iran war is a chance for Democrats to dismantle what’s left of public trust in the president and demoralize maga.

1. Donald Trump’s rationale for war with Iran keeps shifting because he does not believe his own rationales.
www.editorialboard.com/trump-never-...

05.03.2026 13:22 β€” πŸ‘ 259    πŸ” 107    πŸ’¬ 19    πŸ“Œ 8
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NIH Says It Will No Longer Recognize the Research Fellows’ Union NIH leadership said the union β€œshould never have been certified,” in an email to the union’s leadership.

NIH leadership wants to strip worker's rights from the majority of scientists on its campuses.

But, the NIH does not get to say whether we are a union or not. We do, and we are no strangers to having to fight for our union. Time for a short history lesson. 1/n

Disclaimer: all views are my own.

05.03.2026 13:22 β€” πŸ‘ 160    πŸ” 64    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 3

Pleased to speak with @qjurecic.bsky.social for @theatlanticpr.bsky.social.

β€œThe president has unilaterally kicked off a regional war. That is a real departure from prior unilateral uses of military force in recent decades.”

05.03.2026 13:37 β€” πŸ‘ 40    πŸ” 16    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

Damn, she went there

05.03.2026 04:05 β€” πŸ‘ 318    πŸ” 34    πŸ’¬ 18    πŸ“Œ 2

β€œI’ve asked God to forgive me…which He has”

05.03.2026 03:44 β€” πŸ‘ 1026    πŸ” 120    πŸ’¬ 50    πŸ“Œ 4
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Iraq plunged into nationwide blackout as US tells citizens to leave immediately - TΓΌrkiye Today Iraq's entire national power grid has collapsed in a total blackout as the country reels from the widening US-Israeli military campaign against Iran

Iraq plunged into nationwide blackout as US tells citizens to leave immediately
www.turkiyetoday.com/region/iraq-...

05.03.2026 02:04 β€” πŸ‘ 949    πŸ” 459    πŸ’¬ 50    πŸ“Œ 40
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Trump's Reasons for Attacking Iran Don't Add Up You've probably heard Trump officials claim Iran was about to get nukes (again). But have you heard the rationale that Tehran actually started a war against the U.S. 50 years ago?

Why is American attacking Iran? It helps to have a reason, to justify to the costs in money and blood, to allies about the potential long-term risks, and to Iranians about the future of their country.

Subscribe to read the latest @donmoyn.bsky.social for LS
www.lincolnsquare.media/p/trumps-rea...

05.03.2026 00:13 β€” πŸ‘ 58    πŸ” 12    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 0

It seems that the Trump admin defines "war" as "a country doesn't like us" -- in which case we are at "war" with pretty much the whole world.

04.03.2026 23:24 β€” πŸ‘ 112    πŸ” 14    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 1

Welcome to the Clicktatorship, where everything is content

04.03.2026 22:26 β€” πŸ‘ 424    πŸ” 74    πŸ’¬ 15    πŸ“Œ 7

Why is there no moral panic about pickleball

04.03.2026 21:36 β€” πŸ‘ 204    πŸ” 13    πŸ’¬ 13    πŸ“Œ 18

oh wow. Thats a bonus. Just downloaded the book.

04.03.2026 21:25 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Whoops!
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-reason...

04.03.2026 21:20 β€” πŸ‘ 204    πŸ” 36    πŸ’¬ 13    πŸ“Œ 0

the guy is posting pro-war content on Bluesky, so maybe his judgement in this domain is not great

04.03.2026 19:49 β€” πŸ‘ 18    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

Quite literally β€œwe have always been at war with Iran.”

04.03.2026 19:14 β€” πŸ‘ 2802    πŸ” 535    πŸ’¬ 172    πŸ“Œ 9

Trumpism is the uncontrolled id of people who are still pissed off we lost Vietnam so they believe every foreign policy humiliation in our history is because we didn't kill enough people, and would succeed if we did the exact same thing but with more corpses

04.03.2026 19:04 β€” πŸ‘ 156    πŸ” 24    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 2

again, if we've been at war for 50 years then bill barr needs to go to prison for treason. I don't make the rules! bsky.app/profile/donm...

04.03.2026 18:52 β€” πŸ‘ 577    πŸ” 79    πŸ’¬ 15    πŸ“Œ 1

Iran-Contra happened 40 years ago! It *literally* involved the US selling weapons to... Iran.

So, the argument is we were funding the armed forces of a country we were at war with?

04.03.2026 18:36 β€” πŸ‘ 1563    πŸ” 450    πŸ’¬ 40    πŸ“Œ 12

We Have Always Been At War With Eastasia

04.03.2026 18:28 β€” πŸ‘ 349    πŸ” 83    πŸ’¬ 15    πŸ“Œ 2