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Real Mel Valentin

@melvalentin.bsky.social

I'm here, I'm there, I'm everywhere. Writer-for-hire. SF-based film critic (Cinapse, Screen Anarchy, That Shelf). Pragmatic progressive.

10,598 Followers  |  9,702 Following  |  2,788 Posts  |  Joined: 16.07.2023
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Posts by Real Mel Valentin (@melvalentin.bsky.social)

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It’s insane this is legal. People around Trump are profiting off war and death. I’m introducing legislation ASAP to ban this.

01.03.2026 02:09 β€” πŸ‘ 13187    πŸ” 4200    πŸ’¬ 451    πŸ“Œ 327
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A good time to remind you to support independent media. bit.ly/4qmEiFz

28.02.2026 23:41 β€” πŸ‘ 3338    πŸ” 664    πŸ’¬ 70    πŸ“Œ 21

Of all the quotes I have read today, I think this one shook me the most as it rings so true to what we are seeing. The never ending emergencies. The constant crisis but yet him speaking of the β€œNew Golden Age” and the β€œamazing economy”

We live in the stupidest time since we ALL KNOW BETTER.

01.03.2026 02:30 β€” πŸ‘ 325    πŸ” 177    πŸ’¬ 7    πŸ“Œ 2
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01.03.2026 01:18 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Affirmative.

01.03.2026 01:19 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

This company needs to be put out of business.

It’s an indictment of society that it’s allowed to exist at all, but it’s all the more damning that it possesses the prominence it does.

01.03.2026 01:07 β€” πŸ‘ 1212    πŸ” 312    πŸ’¬ 15    πŸ“Œ 11

If Trumpβ€˜s attack on Iran leads to more terrorism against American targets, we won’t have to worry because Kash Patel has reassigned FBI agents from counterterrorism to Trumpβ€˜s mass deportation operation.

Oh wait.

28.02.2026 23:38 β€” πŸ‘ 854    πŸ” 221    πŸ’¬ 41    πŸ“Œ 11

Senator Mullin that guy died in 1989

28.02.2026 21:03 β€” πŸ‘ 1713    πŸ” 284    πŸ’¬ 74    πŸ“Œ 10
OCASIO-CORTEZ STATEMENT ON
TRUMP'S COMBAT OPERATIONS IN IRAN
"The American people are once again dragged into a war they did not want by a president who does not care about the long-term consequences of his actions. This war is unlawful. It is unnecessary. And it will be catastrophic.

"Just this week, Iran and the United States were negotiating key measures that could have staved off war. The President walked away from these discussions and chose war instead.President Trump flippantly acknowledged the possibility of American casualties, stating "that often happens in war.'

"Mr. President: this was not an inevitability. This is a deliberate choice of aggression when diplomacy and security were within reach. Stop lying to the American people.

"Violence begets violence. We learned this lesson in Iraq. We learned this lesson in Afghanistan. And we are about to learn it again in Iran. Bombs have yet to create enduring democracies in the region and this will be no different.

"In moments of war, our Constitution is unambiguous: Congress authorizes war. The President does not. I will do my part to uphold our Constitution by voting YES on Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie's War Powers Resolution. Every member of Congress must join us in rejecting this aimless war.

OCASIO-CORTEZ STATEMENT ON TRUMP'S COMBAT OPERATIONS IN IRAN "The American people are once again dragged into a war they did not want by a president who does not care about the long-term consequences of his actions. This war is unlawful. It is unnecessary. And it will be catastrophic. "Just this week, Iran and the United States were negotiating key measures that could have staved off war. The President walked away from these discussions and chose war instead.President Trump flippantly acknowledged the possibility of American casualties, stating "that often happens in war.' "Mr. President: this was not an inevitability. This is a deliberate choice of aggression when diplomacy and security were within reach. Stop lying to the American people. "Violence begets violence. We learned this lesson in Iraq. We learned this lesson in Afghanistan. And we are about to learn it again in Iran. Bombs have yet to create enduring democracies in the region and this will be no different. "In moments of war, our Constitution is unambiguous: Congress authorizes war. The President does not. I will do my part to uphold our Constitution by voting YES on Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie's War Powers Resolution. Every member of Congress must join us in rejecting this aimless war.

My statement on President Trump’s combat operations in Iran⬇️

28.02.2026 16:46 β€” πŸ‘ 10845    πŸ” 3247    πŸ’¬ 361    πŸ“Œ 243
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Judge orders 32 detainees released over ICE consent decree violations, but some have already been deported Two who could be released were among 37 detained during the feds' Sept. 30 raid of an apartment complex at 7500 S. South Shore Drive.

A federal judge ruled from the bench Friday that ICE arrests of 32 people during Operation Midway Blitz violated a consent decree, and that they should be released.

But the @chicago.suntimes.com is told many have already either been released or deported: chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

28.02.2026 14:03 β€” πŸ‘ 102    πŸ” 47    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

There should be an Earth for people who don't hate all living things

28.02.2026 15:12 β€” πŸ‘ 7053    πŸ” 1329    πŸ’¬ 69    πŸ“Œ 26
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congress sounds cool i wish it was real

28.02.2026 19:41 β€” πŸ‘ 8158    πŸ” 1307    πŸ’¬ 64    πŸ“Œ 23

Fun movie stuff for my own sanity. This is a very underrated movie. The score is good too!

28.02.2026 20:21 β€” πŸ‘ 102    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 8    πŸ“Œ 0

Now with 50 movies guaranteed to ruin your day if you're having a good one but that you might find comforting on a day like today

28.02.2026 18:36 β€” πŸ‘ 28    πŸ” 11    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 0
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Deeply conflicted, Kushner represents the U.S. in high-stakes negotiations with Iran Today in Geneva, Switzerland, Jared Kushner will represent the United States in meetings with Iranian officials β€” a last

As Trump ramps up his warmongering with Iran, his own son-in-law Jared Kushner β€” who is leading negotiations with Iran β€” stands to profit from lucrative contracts with its regional rivals.

The Trump family's insatiable greed endangers us all.

26.02.2026 19:15 β€” πŸ‘ 4895    πŸ” 2110    πŸ’¬ 311    πŸ“Œ 129

Quick someone get me the β€œmarked safe from ever having my history of CharGPT/OpenAI turned over to the Pentagon because I don’t use that shit” meme.

28.02.2026 05:27 β€” πŸ‘ 78    πŸ” 25    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 1
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This is Trump's former AI adviser

28.02.2026 02:12 β€” πŸ‘ 2863    πŸ” 906    πŸ’¬ 60    πŸ“Œ 50
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Confused Trump Says the Civil War and Reconstruction Were the Same Thing: β€˜A Fancy Way of Saying the Civil War’ President Donald Trump botched 19th-century U.S. history on Friday, telling a crowd of supporters that the Civil War and Reconstruction were the same thing.

I don’t know how much less surprised I could be that Trump isn’t familiar with Reconstruction.

28.02.2026 01:35 β€” πŸ‘ 1442    πŸ” 282    πŸ’¬ 69    πŸ“Œ 24

β€œif you won’t let us use your product to spy on Americans and kill without supervision we will single-handedly destroy your business by fiat” is the single most authoritarian anti-business action I can ever remember any administration taking

28.02.2026 01:32 β€” πŸ‘ 3850    πŸ” 872    πŸ’¬ 23    πŸ“Œ 26

β€œYou do you” is not a viable public health strategy.

β€œPersonal responsibility” is not a viable public health strategy.

Those in power want you to believe the vulnerable are expendable and that you could never become β€œvulnerable”.

If you believe that lie you’re more valuable to capitalism.

27.02.2026 09:13 β€” πŸ‘ 124    πŸ” 43    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 1

In a year Trump has converted cabinet positions into little dukedoms, where you don’t do any real work but are rewarded with luxury jets and exotic vacations and VIP accommodations at major events, partying with the stars.

27.02.2026 05:30 β€” πŸ‘ 643    πŸ” 167    πŸ’¬ 10    πŸ“Œ 10
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How America Chose Not to Hold the Powerful to Account Our national project of elite impunity

After the arrests of powerful men across the world, you might be asking why the US has so much trouble holding its leaders accountable for lawbreaking. Since Nixon, all three branches of government have worked hard to ensure they can break the law with impunity www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

26.02.2026 13:28 β€” πŸ‘ 6817    πŸ” 2618    πŸ’¬ 151    πŸ“Œ 207
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Going Deeper: It’s Settled -- Trump is a Fascist But Hold On: Help is on the Way

Cult of personality.
Media intimidation.
Militarized immigration.
Religious nationalism.
Attacks on the courts.

Call it what you want. But don’t pretend it’s normal.
New column is up.
open.substack.com/pub/adamkinz...

26.02.2026 18:43 β€” πŸ‘ 1696    πŸ” 431    πŸ’¬ 73    πŸ“Œ 15
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ICE deportation flights are getting longer and crueler A private equity–owned airline profits off Trump’s migrant crackdown.

"It’s hard to know how much Stonepeak makes off this misery..."

www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

27.02.2026 03:02 β€” πŸ‘ 1568    πŸ” 864    πŸ’¬ 82    πŸ“Œ 37

Wtaf

27.02.2026 02:43 β€” πŸ‘ 18    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 1
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I can’t believe Trump would exploit me like this!!!

27.02.2026 00:24 β€” πŸ‘ 3482    πŸ” 910    πŸ’¬ 506    πŸ“Œ 130

I think we need to take a step back and acknowledge the absurdity of House Republicans targeting their Epstein investigation on HILLARY CLINTON (who says she never met him!) while ignoring DONALD TRUMP (who Epstein described as his best friend!)

These are not serious people or good faith actors.

26.02.2026 23:39 β€” πŸ‘ 11275    πŸ” 2896    πŸ’¬ 415    πŸ“Œ 123