This is insane
21.03.2025 01:18 โ ๐ 31204 ๐ 8999 ๐ฌ 3794 ๐ 1256@tominpoland.bsky.social
American living in Poland. Superannuated U.S. Navy ship driver and diplomat (direct experience with ๐ต๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ธ๐ฎ๐ง๐ฌ๐บ๐ฆ issues), lawyer. Mostly retired. Following transatlantic politics and intโl security. Plenty of opinions; some of them probably valid.
This is insane
21.03.2025 01:18 โ ๐ 31204 ๐ 8999 ๐ฌ 3794 ๐ 1256The administration is removing phone support for Soc Security recipients. Making it more difficult for seniors to get their checks. Itโs a back door way to cut SS benefits. Horrific.
If you know anyone who is impacted, please help them get online to get their benefits approved
Extract from story which reads: According to a diplomatic source to AFP, the incident occurred on March 9. The space researcher was reportedly subjected to a random check upon arrival, during which his work computer and personal phone were searched. The same source also reported that messages discussing the Trump administration's treatment of scientists were found. He was reportedly accused of messages "that reflect hatred toward Trump and can be described as terrorism." His professional and personal equipment was reportedly confiscated, and the researcher was sent back to Europe the next day. Reminder of freedom of opinion According to another source briefed on the case to AFP, the French researcher was accused by the American authorities of "hateful and conspiratorial messages." He was reportedly informed of an FBI investigation, for which "charges were dropped," the source continued.
๐จNEW: A French scientist had his laptop searched at the US border & was sent back to Europe after private messages were found criticising Trump.
He was accused of messages which โcan be described as terrorismโ.
This is what a slide into FASCISM looks like.
1/
WE WON! PI granted in substantial part in our @sddaction.bsky.social appointments clause case re USAID
18.03.2025 18:30 โ ๐ 17724 ๐ 3375 ๐ฌ 563 ๐ 150They do have federal security. I used to work across from them at the State Department. And if they were non-government, of course, the DOGE bros shouldnโt have been able to access the building.
19.03.2025 20:45 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Pretty much any federal office in D.C. has armed security and, therefore, a gun safe.
19.03.2025 15:17 โ ๐ 5 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0You donโt. Thatโs why theyโre not subโd to you & reading your critiques. But you are, per your profile, a lawyer. In Michigan! That gives you a lot more power than most. So what, concretely, have you done? Are you a pro bono advocate for any of Trumpโs victims? And have you written your rep?
19.03.2025 15:14 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Yeah, somehow I havenโt seen your name in the media as the guy whoโs going to make Trump back down. Rather than ad hominem attacks to discourage him from posting again (not that heโs reading your replies), maybe add your own take & encourage others to act in concert. Have you written your Rep, btw?
19.03.2025 14:56 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0Yep, youโre right. And attacking Whitehouse for highlighting it but not saying itโs naked racism is exactly what encourages Trump & MAGA b/c it shows Democrats in disarray. Whitehouse is not gonna be the guy who leads Dems anywhere. But creating divisions among Dems about whoโs braver wonโt help.
19.03.2025 14:52 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0The persistence of Putin's demands for Ukraine's capitulation demonstrates that Putin is not interested in good-faith negotiations to pursue Trump's stated goal of achieving a lasting peace in Ukraine. isw.pub/UkrWar031825
19.03.2025 03:56 โ ๐ 479 ๐ 144 ๐ฌ 7 ๐ 8So your response, instead of taking the post and amplifying it, or adding info about the other outrages DoD has committed in this vein, is to attack the Democratic Senator who called attention to it. Somehow, I donโt think this kind of circular firing squad is going to scare Trump and his disciples.
19.03.2025 07:30 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 2 ๐ 1There needs to be a long, deep dive into what happened here, with participation of U.S. intelligence services. Unfortunately, current U.S. foreign policy and its swing toward Russia makes me doubt that will happen.
12.03.2025 16:46 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Turtlenecks safeguarded the reputations of more than one young lady at my high school in the 1960s.
20.01.2025 09:02 โ ๐ 3 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0You earned my first BlueSky block. Congrats. Anyone who says theyโre โgenerallyโ anti-murder is saying some people ARE more sacred than others and making themselves the judge. Iโm sure youโll say, โbut sarcasm.โ Not buying it. Yes, I read your whole thread.
13.12.2024 13:44 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Harry, do you know if any activities are planned next month to commemorate your and your colleagues bravery and dedication to democracy? I think it would be appropriate.
07.12.2024 09:06 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Two years ago today we were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for protecting The US Capitol on January 6th 2021. Almost 4 years later the efforts to downplay, whitewash and minimize what happened appear to be succeeding. I won't ever stop standing up to them.
07.12.2024 02:48 โ ๐ 52367 ๐ 10367 ๐ฌ 1680 ๐ 402Additional protocols for coordinating defense missions with the EU and individual statesโ militaries would be helpful as well. One member state, no matter how powerful, should not be in a position to render the Alliance toothless. 2/2
06.12.2024 09:51 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Dear #NATO, I hope youโre seriously considering some HQ changes of command between now and January to protect member states territorial integrity and be in a position to fulfill NATOโs mission as a mutual defense alliance going forward. 1/2
06.12.2024 09:50 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0I certainly donโt think sheโs blameless, but Iโm strongly inclined to think sheโs clueless. I donโt think she turned into a crypto scammer so much as she _was turned_ into a crypto scammer by those who wanted to ride her fame into a quick payout. Now, unfortunately for her, sheโs in FAFO territory.
06.12.2024 09:22 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Judging from a lot of your responses, Blue Sky is becoming the left wing-nut version of Xitter. I was hoping it would be better here. Looks like my happiness with what was starting to develop was premature.
05.12.2024 22:41 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0An admirable fama personalis to aspire to!
05.12.2024 14:38 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Whatโs his poison, sir? He seems to write well enough. Maybe Iโll have the have the bar master at our holiday reception make a few for my โcreativeโ staff.
05.12.2024 14:22 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0And youโre wrong. Period. If something is unprincipled, itโs unprincipled. โVirtue signalingโ is your obfuscatory way of saying right & wrong donโt matter if the facts arenโt on my side. Donโt forget to look in the mirror and forgive yourself on the way to the moral gutter.
03.12.2024 13:58 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0My position is itโs wrong. Period. As for the rest, youโre absolutely right.
03.12.2024 13:48 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Well, trying to shoot anything with your shotgun while firing from the hip like John Wayne with a .50 cal in a WWII morale booster is definitely a bad idea. The shotgun is at least better than nothing.
03.12.2024 13:37 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Iโm sort of waiting until after the holidays to get back into regular posting (itโll be here, not there). But I wanted to wish everyone, especially other Americans, a very Happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful time together with whoever is close to you now. Care about each other - weโre all weโve got.
28.11.2024 10:35 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0Smithโs motion was as good as he could do, granted, but no federal case will go forward now. Trump will pardon his codefs in the docs case (and 1/6 insurrectionists, btw). Then heโll pardon himself and this SCOTUS will affirm that power does exist. End of case/controversy, game/set/match to Trump.
27.11.2024 16:42 โ ๐ 3 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0Anyone still have the plans for the DeSoto-class LSTs? Anyone? ๐
17.11.2024 15:38 โ ๐ 1 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0Nice article. Iโm esp. surprised by the lack of allied naval activity against the evacuation routes. Was Cunningham in operational command of U.S. naval forces as well, or were we simply still in learning mode/poor command decisions, etc? USN risk tolerance in PAC vs MED seems worlds apart.
17.11.2024 15:22 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0