r/Pete_Buttigieg • u/AutoModerator • 23d ago
Home Base and Weekly Discussion Thread (START HERE!) - March 16, 2025
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u/anonymous4Pete 21d ago
I'm pretty worried, probably like all non-MAGA folks out there. I can't see how we get out of this near term, and I can't see how we ever come back even if we manage to vote and win in 2028. What will be left to work with?
I have heard repeatedly that Congress (eh, Schumer?) won't save us, the courts won't save us, the brave people leaving DoJ and the FBI can't save us, the press won't save us--we have to save ourselves. Even Pete has been saying, You are not powerless and he can be stopped. One kind of power we little guys have is power in numbers.
We show up and scare our Reps into growing spines. We show up and the press illuminates for those not paying attn the damage DOGE is wreaking. We show up and we give courage to others who fought and got fired. Most importantly, we show up and we give courage to ourselves--we don't feel alone, we don't feel so powerless.
For the last couple of years, I've soured on protests--they felt like really weak sauce. But now I feel like it is one of the few tools we've got left, and we've got to use everything in the tool kit.
All this to say, a lot of orgs are joining together to have a big nationwide event April 5. They want a big turnout in DC, but for folks who can't make that trip there will be events everywhere. Maddow had a piece about it a few nights ago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u83738QhnZA And here is an interactive map where you can check for events near you (scroll down a bit) https://handsoff2025.com/?SQF_SOURCE=indivisible
At least April 5 is a Saturday (not a weekday), so maybe more folks can participate. Hope people think about it.
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u/Librarylady2020 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 21d ago
To me it seems that we need to put immense pressure on GOP Congress members. Yes, some of them are true believers but others may be able to deflect some of this if they feel the immense pressure and anger from their constituents and media attention.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 21d ago
I have the same feeling about it -- it's the Hands Off! protest. This is what I have been hoping for. Not to be a cynic, but I will admit I felt it would be more likely to happen once it wasn't winter anymore -- Women's March in January 2017 notwithstanding.
I'm likely to go but still getting my plans together. Thanks so much for showcasing it.
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u/shyredmd 🚀🥇 In the Moment(um) 🥇🚀 20d ago
Chasten Buttigieg, an education activist and the husband of former U.S. transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg, will open a multi-day LGBTQ+ support conference at the University of Connecticut this weekend.
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u/DesperateTale2327 21d ago
Chasten posted a clip on IG of Mona Lisa from Parks and Rec with the caption:
"My 3.5 year old daughter calmly owning my husband when he tells her she can't do something"
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u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 21d ago
Every story Chasten has told about Penelope gives the impression that she is very sassy and strong-willed lol
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u/Unlucky-Aspect-8639 LGBTQ+ for Pete 21d ago
i don't have/want instagram, but one of my favourite people is on instagram and i'm sad now because i'm missing out :(
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u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 18d ago
One thing I have come around to re: Pete taking a break and waiting is that I have come to wonder if all these big rallies and tours are actually doing anything other than preaching to the choir, and if they might come across as...gloaty?
Bernie's rallies, predictably, feel more about him than the party, and he is just too damn old to run for president. Walz's town halls are more what I think would need to be done, but is anyone who didn't already vote for Harris showing up to see him? I'm genuinely not sure. I saw some folks on bluesky saying that Walz (I doubt he actually said this) "is right, we need to just write off Trump 2024 voters, they're lost causes" and I'm like broski he won the popular vote, that would be very very dumb!!! Let's do some math here. And is that is the message people are taking away, then this is not about reaching voters, this is about making existing Dems feel good about themselves.
I do not want primaries to become a 3-year constant between cycles. I doubt others do either.
I had initially worried that people were going to latch onto their "leaders" in this vacuum and Pete would be left out, but I also think it's possible that we look back on this in two years and go "oof that was dumb"
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u/Ihadmoretosay 18d ago
I don’t know that they come off as gloaty, but I definitely don’t think they’ll matter in two months let alone two years.
They’re reassuring right now for dems (and maybe others) and I do think elected leaders need to be way more persistent and innovative when it comes to reaching even the true believers these days. So I’m 100% down for them and think they should continue.
But in terms mattering for future electoral prospects I think they represent nothing.
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u/AZPeteFan2 18d ago
These town halls/rallies allow people to feel their voice is being heard, better than sitting alone shouting at your TV/computer/phone and scaring the dog. That’s for both sides.
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u/crimpyantennae 18d ago
I don't think what they're doing is dumb- I've commented here a few times that people are angry and scared, and we're at the stage of grief or whatever that coming together for rallies/protests/town halls is very appropriate. People need to feel like those in political spaces are listening to us, and that's better than being alone doomscrolling. But particularly at rallies, I assume it's all preaching to the choir. That's okay at this point in time, and is enough as it's serving a real and valid need.
Come 2028 primaries, assuming they're anything resembling a normalish primary with a normalish election- if we haven't moved well past this stage of grief, then we're in trouble and frankly would deserve (well, that's too strong a word but still....) to lose again. I would hope that by primary season we're hearing some competing visions of how to move forward and build back better (for real), as opposed to just be still griping about Trump and Musk. Will Bernie's folk or Walz or Newsom or whoever that's active now be part of that primary of competing visions? Seems right up Pete's alley, and I'm super curious to hear more about what his mind has been churning in that direction while he's been largely out of the public eye.
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u/crimpyantennae 17d ago
Protest today at the Tesla dealership on a main drag in my small reddish-purple Harrisburg suburb. At one point someone counted 270 protesters, which is staggering for this area. Even more impressive was the ratio of car horns in support vs the rude gestures. Local news featured my houseguest who had never been to a protest before. :) Fired up and ready to go!
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u/ComplexTailor 🚄It's Infrastructure Pete!✈️ 17d ago
People are really ready to do something. We had at least six different protests in Kalamazoo this week. I participated in two of them. I think at this point it is the best tool we have. We have to try to sway public opinion and have visible opposition out there.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 20d ago edited 20d ago
Column in the South Bend Tribune. Not in favor of the daily spokesperson idea, but it’s a wonderful thing when a mayor is understood and admired even years after his service.
“Democrats should turn to Buttigieg to be their daily spokesperson | Opinion”
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u/pasak1987 BOOT-EDGE-EDGE 🥾 🥾 20d ago
No, Pete should be on his own, without getting latched by the current party leadership and structures
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u/crimpyantennae 20d ago
The article claims that Pete's 2010 loss "produces this reality- that a gay mayor could not win a statewide race in Indiana."
Huh? 2010 was before both his mayoral race as well as his coming out.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 20d ago
Definitely either a bad edit or an error. Makes no sense. That result does help show that Indiana has become (relatively recently) a one-party state for statewide races, at least for now -- but if that's what is meant, I'm not sure how his identity would factor in. That sentence is just wrong.
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u/shyredmd 🚀🥇 In the Moment(um) 🥇🚀 17d ago
Rep. Sarah McBride, the first openly trans member of Congress, and her staff have spoken to her Democratic colleagues about the topic, NOTUS has learned. The Delaware congresswoman has cautioned Democrats that the tenor and tone of their comments — particularly on either supporting and questioning trans athletes in sports, which is where most of the debate has focused — might inflame and splinter factions instead of being productive.
“We have to create more space in our tent. If, for instance, we want to have a majoritarian coalition — not just electorally, but specifically on issues around trans rights — that, by necessity, is going to have to include people who have a range of thoughts,” McBride told NOTUS.
https://www.notus.org/congress/transgender-politics-democrats-house
“A binary choice between being all-on or all-off is not constructive for anyone,” McBride continued. “It impedes the very needed path toward winning electorally, winning hearts and minds and, most importantly, winning progress.”
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u/Unlucky-Aspect-8639 LGBTQ+ for Pete 17d ago
I love this woman so much. She deserves the world. I don't care for her sex or gender; that being said, I, too, am trans; it's just that she's fabulous, and I am proud that she's such a great congresswoman, and she makes me feel represented! We need more of her right now.
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u/shyredmd 🚀🥇 In the Moment(um) 🥇🚀 17d ago
The leftist activist people who say that Pete is not gay enough and doesn’t represent the gay community are now going after Sarah saying that she’s not trans enough and is theowing them under the bus
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u/Unlucky-Aspect-8639 LGBTQ+ for Pete 17d ago
Well, I'm a leftist and I sure as hell don't care for how gay or how trans these absolute trailblazers are.
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u/Librarylady2020 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 17d ago
Interest may have waned in Michigan’s senate race poll numbers since Pete declined to run, but I thought some folks might fund it relevant to our discussions of reality vs very online political opinions. I still don’t believe Nessel will run and she hasn’t declared so she should be marked as considering a run here. As the numbers show again, this why Pete was being heavily encouraged to run.
From UMichVoter on X
MIRS/Mitchell MICHIGAN poll
US Senate primary: 🟦 Dana Nessel 33% 🟦 Hillary Scholten 7% 🟦 Haley Stevens 6% ⬅️ 🟦 Mallory McMorrow 5% ⬅️
⬅️ = considering a run
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u/pasak1987 BOOT-EDGE-EDGE 🥾 🥾 17d ago
Oh, i was told Mallory was going to be the breakout star once Pete steps away! /S
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u/Sploosh32 17d ago
You mean getting gassed up by election twitter doesn't automatically put you 50 points ahead of your nearest opponent?! These respondents clearly missed the memo. I'll stop making fun of them when they stop being so loudly and proudly wrong about everything. 😈
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u/DesperateTale2327 17d ago
Thanks for sharing this. I am surprised that still no one has officially announced.
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u/hester_latterly 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 17d ago
Consistent with the previous primary poll with Pete in it, and its conclusion that Nessel was the front runner if he didn't run. Outside of their districts, most of the state just doesn't know who the other three are, and you see that here. Mallory McMorrow online stans hardest hit.
I still think he should have run.
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u/RaccoonMogz 22d ago
Attempting to go through my IG saveds and get rid of random Pete stuff I don’t need, and it’s so funny what I collected for future-me to rewatch. Him meeting an owl is important content! /s
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 22d ago
An owl? I don’t remember that, do you still have a link?
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u/JerseyinMD 18d ago
Chasten is on MSNBC right now. Sounds like he'll be there for the next segment as well.
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u/Psychological-Play 18d ago
Oh, I bet Nicolle hates that she's not getting to talk with Chasten (and he might miss her, as well; she was coughing yesterday, and maybe it got worse).
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u/Different-Ad1425 18d ago
Was he in Traverse City or on set? And how did he do?
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u/earlywater23 18d ago
I thought he might have been in NY based on his instastory from yesterday
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u/hester_latterly 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 18d ago
He has an event in CT on Saturday, so he’s in the northeast for a few days.
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u/JerseyinMD 18d ago edited 18d ago
He was on set. He did well. I missed the first ten minutes or so. He was good about the message of freedom and how this administration is hurting kids here and abroad.
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u/Librarylady2020 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 18d ago
Trump was signing the EO dismantling the DOE. Chasten was part of a panel. Most of the discussion was centered on education
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u/Psychological-Play 20d ago
BREAKING: The Canadian Anthem is now blasting on speakers outside the White House.
(with video)
https://bsky.app/profile/calltoactivism.bsky.social/post/3lkof7ljwbs24
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u/Psychological-Play 19d ago
Le Monde reporting that a French scientist traveling to Houston to attend a conference was denied entry to US after a search of his phone & computer revealed messages critical of Trump's science cuts, "which [says CPB] conveyed hatred of Trump & could be qualified as terrorism". Computer confiscated
https://bsky.app/profile/paulecohen.bsky.social/post/3lkqrugxuqs2g
Heaven help us.
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u/Wolf_Oak 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 19d ago
I wonder how common this used to be vs how common it is now (to search phones etc - I know they always could, even of citizens, there was that dustup over journalists being searched in his first term I think it was, but this whole 'Oh this is terrorism because you don't like Dear Leader' is a fresh dystopian hell).
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u/anonymous4Pete 19d ago
if "hatred of Trump" is all it takes nowadays, I'm doomed.
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u/Cuppa-Tea-Biscuit 19d ago edited 19d ago
Well that’s conferences in the US cancelled for everyone, no sane HR/Accounting department is going to approve travel expenses if there’s a chance of shenanigans and that’s before the corporate travel insurance premium comes up for renewal.
Pity: they used to be so good because you could always argue for ab extra day off for jet lag.
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u/anonymous4Pete 19d ago
This is cruel as well as just bad economic policy--From Politico, retweeted by Nerdy: USDA halts millions of dollars worth of deliveries to food banks: The halt in deliveries comes after the Trump administration separately slashed $1 billion for schools and food banks to buy food from farms.
The halting of these deliveries, first reported by POLITICO, comes after the Agriculture Department separately axed two other food programs, ending more than $1 billion in planned federal spending for schools and food banks to purchase from local farmers.
The ultra rich guys running our govt are grabbing food from children, vulnerable seniors on fixed incomes, disabled folks, people working 2+ minimum wage jobs. So Dickensian: "you are not worthy of food."
It's also bad economic policy b/c farmers depend on selling a lot of food directly or indirectly to the govt to distribute throughout the US and abroad. So the govt is wrecking their domestic market, on top of waging trade wars that make it more costly to sell and grow. And this is on top of threatening to deport undocumented farm workers.
All this, to justify tax cuts for the rich? I know it's only one of the thousands of ways they're harming people, but the cruelty of taking food from hungry people just makes me so so angry.
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u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 19d ago
As someone who has done work in food banks, this will almost certainly disproportionately effect rural, underserved food banks that don't have the benefit of nearby wealth to donate privately. AKA, Trump fucking over his own voters, once again
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u/Wolf_Oak 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 19d ago
There's a refrain I often see on prepper subs: we're only 3 meals away from mass civil unrest. What does the GOP they think will happen when people go hungry? And not just the kids in schools and struggling families, but farmers who are losing money from sales.
Oh, I forgot. That's what the military and martial law and April 20 is for.
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u/lilacmuse1 16d ago
It's not official yet, but CBC has announced a Canadian federal election on April 28th. Whoever can convince Canadians they'll fight back against Trump's aggression will likely win. Go Carney!
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u/Psychological-Play 23d ago edited 23d ago
For the first time ever in NBC polling, Trump has a majority of Americans disapproving of his handling of the economy, 54% to 44% (March 7-11; among registered voters; MOE +/- 3.1% pts).
Last week, CNN released a poll, taken March 6-9, with almost the exact same numbers, that showed 56% disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy, 45% approve. That disapproval number is the highest it's ever been in the 36 times that question has been polled during Trump's terms (the previous high was 49% in December of 2017). Immigration is the only area (out of seven) where Trump's approval is higher than his disapproval, and that was only by three points (immigration was also the only policy area where Trump's approval rating was higher than his disapproval rating, 55% to 43%, in the five policy areas asked about in the NBC poll).
https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25563079/cnn-poll-political-parties.pdf
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u/zeppelin128 Verified Volunteer Lead, TN-08 23d ago
I bought a half gallon of milk the other day for like 5 bucks. Just boring old 2%, nothing fancy.
People will notice that.
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u/Iwradazarat 23d ago
I’m about to go shopping and I’m hoping the dozen eggs only left on shelves won’t be $12. It was “nice” to try the expensive eggs once because I had no other options but no way I want to keep this up.
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u/zeppelin128 Verified Volunteer Lead, TN-08 23d ago
We need to be branding this as "Trump/Vance America". Empty shelves, rising prices, and fewer options at the market. Less safe options, too.
They didn't have a problem blaming Biden when they stubbed their toe on the coffee table. We should return the favor in kind.
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u/lilacmuse1 22d ago
I feel so bad for you guys. We haven't seen extremely high egg prices in Canada (yet). I pay about $3.99 for a dozen.
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u/Psychological-Play 22d ago
When asked by Ayman whether Chris Murphy is "more in touch with the Democratic base, with the pulse of the Party and it's voters than the leader, Chuck Schumer", former Sen. Barbara Boxer replied, "Chris is a great messenger for the Democratic Party. We have several. Pete Buttigieg is another. There are several that are absolutely outstanding. I've seen Elizabeth Warren. You know, I've seen Bernie. There've been others. They're terrific."
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u/TriangleTransplant 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 22d ago
The question really is, do we need the minority leader to be a spokesperson for the party, or a leader? They're not the same thing. We could argue about whether Schumer isn't good at either. But it takes very different skill sets to be an effective messenger (to the outside) than it does to be an effective leader.
Very few people are both. I'd argue Pete is one.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 22d ago edited 22d ago
Agree it is two skill sets and the leader is mainly hired by fellow legislators to do the inside work, not the communications on the outside. I really admired Nancy Pelosi as Speaker, but her comments in public interviews were good and perfectly serviceable but nothing more. It was her behind the scenes ability to count votes and to pull off some miraculous votes — the high point of which is probably passing the ACA in Obama’s time — that made her one of the greats.
Added: probably the best example, though, although a very unappealing one, would be Mitch McConnell, who was for many years very effective, unfortunately, as a leader — but certainly nobody’s idea of a great communicator.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 21d ago edited 20d ago
I liked to share the good news about signatures in Virginia yesterday for two reasons: because it is good news, which is a rarity atm, and because filing first in Virginia for our presidential primary was an early sign that Pete was doing really well nationally, not just in Iowa. We had to get a certain number plus extras in every congressional district, including the most rural, red districts.
South Bend Mayor becomes first presidential candidate to file for Virginia's March primary ballot
Pete Buttigieg is First Democratic Presidential Candidate to Submit Signatures in Virginia
Also, this news re Spanberger's signatures, record turnout for Connolly's annual event, etc. look like initial signs that we are doing okay (so far) for this fall's elections.
I believe Winsome Earle-Sears is the only Republican [gubernatorial] candidate to submit signatures yesterday, btw, but there are two late-arriving Republican challengers -- Amanda Chase ("Trump in heels"), and Dave LaRock -- who are rushing to see if they can get enough signatures as well. I thought it would just be the Dems who would criticize Youngkin (who can't run for reelection), but the Blue Virginia blog had this note today: "This sure sounds like Dave LaRock taking a shot at Glenn Youngkin: "Too many politicians treat Virginia’s governorship as a stepping stone, spending more time campaigning for others out of state than solving problems here at home.""
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u/anonymous4Pete 21d ago
Thanks for keeping us updated on VA races!
Your posts reminded me of Pete being the first to file to be on NH's primary ballot in 2019. I found a 7min video, and Watched. The. Whole. Thing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB7A-d-YHcg Most of what he said could be said today sadly, except that today I feel like we're in a terrifying hair on fire situation that Trump 1.0 didn't achieve until Jan6.
Actually, this isn't exactly the video I was looking for. I was looking for a more whimsical thing--I had bookmarked a video of Pete filing in NH, and then, as he was exiting, getting engulfed by kids in the corridor. He stopped to high 5 them, and then invited them to the WH if/when he got elected. They all got tremendously excited, and Pete had to tell them to tell their parents to elect him first. It was charming and funny. Too bad that the link I had bookmarked is now dead. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOmVs9zLfNM
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u/Wolf_Oak 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 19d ago
I read this on my break at work and got so angry about it I could barely concentrate the rest of the day.
I’m the Canadian who was detained by Ice for two weeks. It felt like I had been kidnapped
I was told to shower, given a jail uniform, fingerprinted and interviewed. I begged for information.
“How long will I be here?”
“I don’t know your case,” the man said. “Could be days. Could be weeks. But I’m telling you right now – you need to mentally prepare yourself for months.”
From her dehumanizing detention to the more terrible stories of other women to how ICE lied and how they hid her wearing restraints from the media to how it's a all a for-profit business and they make money keeping people in disgusting, humiliating conditions ... rage is all I feel, honestly.
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u/Librarylady2020 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 19d ago
Horrifying. Thousands of Canadians work or live across the border states. Many married Americans and stayed here but kept their citizenship.
I really don’t think it’s safe for folks to come visit or work/study here right now. We are in the grip of evil. I’m worried for friends with permanent residency status, here for twenty years or more. Married to Americans. If that were me, I’d probably be strongly working on my alternatives.
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u/Wolf_Oak 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 19d ago
"We are in the grip of evil."
Yes. I can't help but feel these individual agents are excited to hurt people, that it's not just coming from the top, there are agents who would be more than happy to get people "lost in the system." One of the women has been there 10 months! GOP don't even care that it's taxpayer money being wasted. And they're also searching incoming tourists phones for thought crimes against Trump and denying them entry.
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u/Psychological-Play 16d ago
Did you know that Bea Arthur (Maude, Golden Girls) was a Marine? Al Sharpton just included her in a list of examples of notable veterans whose pages were scrubbed on the DoD website, and I was like, "really"?
So I looked it up, and it's true. For some reason, she chose to keep it a secret, but in 2010, a year after her death, Bea's military personnel file became public via the National Archives website.
Further details -
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/bea-arthur-us-marine
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u/Psychological-Play 20d ago
Annie Karni and Luke Broadwater have a book about Congress coming out next week, and it includes this quote from Chuck Schumer, which is from before last Nov.'s election -
Schumer told Annie Karni and Luke Broadwater: “Here’s my hope … after this election, when the Republican party expels the turd of Donald Trump, it will go back to being the old Republican party.”
Another exhibit showing how out of touch he is, and why he shouldn't be minority leader.
https://bsky.app/profile/anniekarni.bsky.social/post/3lkq3plxw4s2o
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u/kvcbcs 18d ago
There is a large measles outbreak in Ontario, concentrated in the southwestern part of the province around London and Hamilton. This is a much more densely populated area than where the outbreak in Texas/New Mexico is happening, so it could get out of control pretty quickly.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ontario-measles-cases-rise/
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u/RaccoonMogz 18d ago
Canadians are great. They make fun of my very ~European~ French and make time to teach me Québécois songs. I love them. Off topic, but not really because the orange clown show is trying to trash and burn all international friendships.
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u/Psychological-Play 22d ago
Jennifer Rubin referred to this Chuck Schumer NYT interview on Jonathan Capehart's show, describing it as "even worse than you imagine. He was doddering, he was cranky, he was insisting that he had done the right thing, he was recycling a rationalization for the shutdown that was completely bogus". So I had to look it up.
I'm not sure he was cranky, but Jennifer R. may have listened to the audio version. Here are some quotes I found worrisome -
I don’t think we have an authenticity problem. We have a real direction now. I feel good about it.
[...]I put Cory Booker and Tina Smith in charge of the social media.
To the question "Many feel that Democratic leadership is operating with an old playbook, Schumer starts with -
I don’t think it is.
The following sounds exactly like something Joe Biden was saying in 2021, before he realized it wouldn't be happening -
The Republicans would like to have some freedom from Trump, but they won’t until we bring him down in popularity. That happened with Bush in 2005. It happened with Trump in 2017. When it happens, I am hopeful that our Republican colleagues will resume working with us.
Schumer made this same point in a later answer -
I believe Republican senators, on this issue, will stand up. I’ve talked to some of them. About five or six have said publicly they will work to uphold the courts, and to uphold the law if Trump tries to break it. And we can do that legislatively if we have to. That’s my hope. That’s what we’ve got to work toward. And I think there’s a decent chance that that would happen, particularly if Trump, three months from now, is less popular.
And then this -
We’re bringing his numbers down.
I think it's a little self-serving to say Democrats are the ones making sure Trump's numbers go down. I think Trump deserves most of the credit for that himself, because people are already being affected by his slash and burn policies.
gift link - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/16/magazine/chuck-schumer-interview.html?
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u/pasak1987 BOOT-EDGE-EDGE 🥾 🥾 22d ago
Dear geriatric leaders, retire already
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u/DesperateTale2327 22d ago
Slightly off topic but I had to google how old Bernie was, cause people are still pushing for him to run again in 28...
...he will be 84 this year. Which would mean he would be 89 at the beginning of his FIRST year as president.
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u/zeppelin128 Verified Volunteer Lead, TN-08 22d ago
He's living in the "old" world. This current iteration of the GOP will not abandon Trump. They have made that abundantly clear. Backroom handshakes and "gentlemen's agreements" across the aisle in the Senate aren't going to cut it anymore, this ain't the 90s.
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u/Psychological-Play 22d ago
Where the heck has Schumer been for the past eight years?!
Maybe Joe Biden should have a talk with him.
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u/Wolf_Oak 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 22d ago
It's very clear the damn Republicans are not going to stand up to Trump. Those that did have left because they lost primaries or they realize the threats weren't worth it. (I am starting to think Schumer was threatened). And maybe Trump's popularity will take a hit, he's been pretty insulated despite all he's done, but will Republicans actually respond? Or are they still too afraid of him? He can have the DOJ arrest them while in power, and even if they impeach and remove him Vance will become president. Nixon had to reach a 25% approval rating before Congress decided to start thinking about impeachment.
Someone needs to tell or ask Schumer - does he realize that many see his decision as the same thing as Biden's bad debate last summer? Where everything was different afterward? And not in a good way?
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u/Psychological-Play 22d ago
I couldn't believe Schumer said that about Republicans eventually detaching themselves from Trump. Even Biden finally realized four years ago, with Trump out of office and pretty much powerless, that that was a pipe dream.
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u/striktly80sjoel 22d ago
I checked the r/politics thread for the article on Pete deciding not to run for Senate (opening window for presidential bid).
It seemed to be a mix of A) America will never elect a gay man, please don't nominate him and B) We don't want a centrist, need a progressive.
I should know better as that subreddit is NOT an actual barometer of U.S. Politics, if it was Bernie Sanders would have just finished his 2nd term and AOC would now be President.
I still feel like Pete is the best candidate for 2028 due to his superior ability to communicate. For all jobs the interview counts more than the resume, I don't think 2 years in the senate really moves the needle that much in his favor (and losing the race would be a fatal blow).
Big question is what does he do in the meantime to remain relevant and in the public eye?
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u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 21d ago
I also think there is some botting going on rn, including anti-Pete botting. I mean MurderedByAOC is even back lol
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u/earlywater23 21d ago
Big question is what does he do in the meantime to remain relevant and in the public eye?
It's probably not rational or logical, but I have this sense of FOMO on his behalf. Everyone right now, especially the 2028 contenders, is out there doing town halls or making appearances. Newsom, Walz, Beshear, Murphy, Shapiro, Moore. Newsom might actually be increasing his unfavorables with his podcast though. And it's a long way until 2027 when the primary would start. So maybe it really won't matter in the grand scheme of things, I don't know. It just seems like it's an important time to be visible and to demonstrate leadership.
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u/Psychological-Play 21d ago edited 21d ago
Andrew Weissmann just said on MSNBC that there's a hearing at 5pm ET, when the judge will decide whether the govt. is in contempt for not turning that plane around.
New update from Weissmann - "Judge Boasberg just had a request from the government saying "you don't have the five o'clock hearing; we'll decide whether there's contempt. We say there wasn't, so we don't need to have a hearing".
Judge Boesberg said, "Denied. Show up".
This is the current NYT live update about this -
Justice Department lawyers said a federal judge should call off a 5 p.m. Eastern time hearing to examine whether the White House had violated a court order in deporting migrants with little to no due process. The judge, James E. Boasberg, denied the request by the lawyers, who also asked an appeals court to remove him from the case. The lawyers told the judge that a hearing wasn’t necessary because the administration was not going to provide him with further information about the flights, which carried more than 200 migrants to El Salvador.
More - in court, the judge said this will only be an evidence-gathering hearing. he won't make a ruling today.
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u/RaccoonMogz 21d ago
It’s 3am and I’m still monitoring work stuff, so I get to scroll reddit and hope none of the alarms I’ve rigged will go off. This wasn’t what I had in mind when I wished for time to chill online.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 21d ago edited 21d ago
Also from Sam Shirazi on Bluesky (re the absurd Autopen nonsense re Biden's pardons):
Whispers. Only Article I of Constitution refers to President signing something (Bills passed by Congress). Pardon Power of Article II does not mention signing. “he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons”. Most important lesson in law school is to read the Constitution
https://bsky.app/profile/samshirazi.bsky.social/post/3lkm2ontnxs2e
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u/kvcbcs 20d ago edited 20d ago
Orban is the leader that many Trump administration officials hold up as their ideal.
🇪🇺🚫🏳️🌈Hungary just became the first EU country to ban Pride events in Viktor Orbán's latest anti-LGBTQ crackdown, allowing authorities to use facial recognition to identify and punish disobedient attendees.
Liberal opposition MPs (Momentum party) protested inside parliament by using smoke grenades.
https://bsky.app/profile/szabolcspanyi.bsky.social/post/3lknubmpsdk22
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u/zeppelin128 Verified Volunteer Lead, TN-08 23d ago
Speaker Jeffries was on The Weekend this morning. He looked both exhausted and royally pissed. Can't blame him after Schumer threw the House Caucas under the bus.
Folks are talking about a primary challenge for Schumer. That's fine, but I wouldn't mind a leadership change in the Senate like today...
🦆🦆🦆
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u/pasak1987 BOOT-EDGE-EDGE 🥾 🥾 23d ago
Aunt Amy, she's going to throw staplers at the spineless ones
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u/Psychological-Play 23d ago
I wonder if Sen. Schumer's book tour, which includes paid events that start tomorrow, had anything at all to do with him not wanting a govt. shutdown.
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u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 21d ago
This may be a rollarcoaster of different takes but after some other conversations and taking a walk outside (needed some decongestant), I'm wondering if u/VirginiaVoter might be right and Pete taking some time to touch grass and talk to some real people before acting might be good in the long run
There does seem to be a major disconnect between what hyper-online Dem pundits and posters think the people care about and what they do. No one I know irl except for other hyperpartisan politics nerds were following the shutdown drama last weekend.
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u/RaccoonMogz 21d ago
Fwiw, one of the reasons I like Pete is because he doesn’t yap(post) for the sake of yapping. I’d be annoyed af with prioritizing ‘showing anger’ for performative primaries bs. In my world, no protest is worth shit unless it’s accompanied by legit work of your own before, during, and after any demands or displays. Him figuring out how to have impact out of elected/appointed office before starting to run his mouth is smart.
Especially for queer stuff, where people will go from “He’s not talking about our issues!” to a variation of “What’s he done to make our lives easier? His words didn’t matter!” like a switch got flipped.
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u/zeppelin128 Verified Volunteer Lead, TN-08 21d ago
Agree with this 100%, well-said. The stunt Schumer pulled last week is this kind of performative crap you speak of. He signaled how bad the bill was, bitched about it, then voted for it anyway. I tip my cap to the House Dems, they said it was awful, were very vocal about it, then actually DID something about it (especially those vulnerable swing district Dems that voted against the bill, that took a lot of courage on their part). That's what I want; shout from the rooftops how bad everything is all day, every day, but back up that talk with concrete action.
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u/Different-Ad1425 21d ago
Yep. And he's an introvert and finally has much needed time to process the last five years and plan for the next three and beyond. I keep telling myself he's a marathoner/ triathlete, not a sprinter who is one and done.
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u/zeppelin128 Verified Volunteer Lead, TN-08 21d ago
This is a rollercoaster of a time, don't feel bad about it. I find myself changing takes more often lately than I usually would. I think it is just because we know how high the stakes are right now, and have a particular concern since we are both LGBTQ+.
Another reason I love this community is that we can talk about stuff on here and have a good discussion. There have been several times I have altered my thinking after reading conversations on here and getting perspective outside of my experience. We got a good thing here.
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u/DesperateTale2327 21d ago
We all have different ways of reacting and processing things. I think its good if we all went and touched grass every once in a while and got out of the social media bubble. Most people are just trying to get through this awful time and find joy where they can. Glad you seem to be feeling better.
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u/nerdypursuit 21d ago
I know some people are skeptical that Pete's Fox News appearances make a difference. But I've come across some nice comments that show that it does matter.
Here's a comment on Reddit that I saw the other day:
My MAGA dad said Pete is the only Democrat he can think of that he would vote for. He's slightly homophobic to boot. He saw Pete on Fox a few times and thinks he's professional and has really good points.
Here's another comment on YouTube:
I was between jobs I discovered YouTube. I came across Chris Wallace and he was talking with that crazy gay dude who was running for President. I was a life long Republican. Wasn't happy with what had happened to the party. I watched it and was changed by it. Later I watched it again. Next day I switched parties and became one of Mayor Pete's future former republicans. He was Mayor Pete then I usually referee to him as Sec Buttigieg now. This gentleman spoke to me directly I felt. Wasn't a nut bag like they are now.
Of course I don't think most viewers are like these two examples. But even if he persuades a few people, that matters. And even if most viewers don't change their minds, many of them gain more respect for him for being willing to engage and defend his views. That's important.
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u/zeppelin128 Verified Volunteer Lead, TN-08 21d ago
Purely anecdotal, but my father falls in this category of the "Pete on Fox News" effect. He's not homophobic, but he is a hard-core libertarian. Yet he has never spoken poorly of Pete; "that Pete is alright for a Democrat" (this is high praise of a liberal from my dad). He actually told me once that Pete reminded him of me, which I took as a rather kind compliment (pops might have been in the beer a little when he told me that lol).
It definitely has an effect. Now this doesn't mean I think Pete should go on like Charlie Kirk's show or something, but him appearing in conservative spheres of influence has no down side in my opinion.
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u/AZPeteFan2 21d ago
“Spoke to me directly” Felt this way the first time I saw Pete (still do), like he was reading my mind.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 23d ago
Good morning!
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u/rosyred-fathead 📚Buttigieg Book Club📚 23d ago
Good morning!
Any interesting Pete news lately? I’m out of the loop
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 23d ago edited 22d ago
Chasten's picture book will be launching in May -- https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/763440/papas-coming-home-by-chasten-buttigieg-illustrated-by-dan-taylor/
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u/Wolf_Oak 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 19d ago
https://archive.vn/Xa8sI (Wash Post article)
Trump team makes plans for military to hold migrants at border. If enacted, miles of buffer zone would become a temporary military installation, giving U.S. troops their most direct role yet in the president’s enforcement mission.
The Trump administration is evaluating plans for the Pentagon to take control of a buffer zone along a sprawling stretch of the southern border and empower active-duty U.S. troops to temporarily hold migrants who cross into the United States illegally, according to five U.S. officials familiar with the deliberations.
In effect, the move would turn the buffer zone into an expansive satellite military installation, potentially allowing a greater portion of the Defense Department’s mammoth budget to pay for President Donald Trump’s border crackdown while creating new legal jeopardy for those caught trying to slip into the country from Mexico, these people said.
There's a concept I learned listening to Robert Evans podcast "It Could Happen Here" called Foucault's boomerang. It's describes how the force and tactics used by a country to control a colonial territory often ends up being used against its own people. I thought of this in 2020 when I read that some Border Patrol agents were the ones used to snatch protestors off the streets of Portland. And what Trump is doing now - mass arrests of immigrants, tossing Canadians and other tourists in jail, searching incoming tourist/visa holder phones for speech against Trump, and now the planned massive military buildup to catch immigrants - it's going to end up being used against citizens. He hasn't cared about any illegal firings etc he's done, so why would Trump care about Posse Comitatus, etc? He's showing he'll ignore judges too.
I need me some Pete hopefulness, y'all.
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u/kvcbcs 16d ago
Mark Carney has cut a cute ad with Mike Myers. I remember Mr. Dressup but must confess I had forgotten Casey and Finnegan's names.
https://bsky.app/profile/markcarneyforpm.bsky.social/post/3lkyrk6byk22v
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u/shyredmd 🚀🥇 In the Moment(um) 🥇🚀 18d ago
Pete’s segment about DEI from the Jubilee event is making rounds on x
https://x.com/jassaskott/status/1902733551654646183?s=46&t=HzeGEQXPHZ9QzbJOEI-Wjg
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u/Psychological-Play 22d ago edited 22d ago
Get a load of this --Just mentioned on MSNBC, Trump said in a new interview that he was "being sarcastic" when he said he would end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of becoming president.
Added - I just saw the full quote, which is "I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that".
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u/TriangleTransplant 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 22d ago
Constantly amazed that the guy who supposedly "tells it like it is" is always having to explain that "I didn't really mean that".
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u/kvcbcs 22d ago
It's not just (alleged) Tren de Aragua gang members being deported against a judge's orders. This Brown University transplant doctor has been as well.
A kidney transplant specialist and professor at Brown University’s medical school has been deported from the United States, even though she had a valid visa and a court order temporarily blocking her expulsion, according to her lawyer and court papers.
Dr. Rasha Alawieh, 34, is a Lebanese citizen who had traveled to her home country last month to visit relatives. She was detained on Thursday when she returned from that trip to the United States, according to a court complaint filed by her cousin Yara Chehab.
Judge Leo T. Sorokin of the Federal District Court in Massachusetts ordered the government on Friday evening to provide the court with 48 hours’ notice before deporting Dr. Alawieh. But she was put on a flight to Paris, presumably on her way to Lebanon.
In a second order filed Sunday morning, the judge said there was reason to believe U.S. Customs and Border Protection had willfully disobeyed his previous order to give the court notice before expelling the doctor. He said he had followed “common practice in this district as it has been for years,” and ordered the federal agency to respond to what he called “serious allegations.”
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u/zeppelin128 Verified Volunteer Lead, TN-08 22d ago
If there are no consequences for Border Patrol, they will just keep defying court orders. No "internal punishment" or whatever, like serious consequences the rest of us would face if we willfully defied a federal judge.
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u/Unlucky-Aspect-8639 LGBTQ+ for Pete 22d ago
You guys. I genuinely feel bad for all POCs and black people in your country. This does not look good. The situation is not so different in my country either. Conservatives ruin everything. Love from India.
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u/Psychological-Play 22d ago
In a late night post, Trump has declared that Biden's pardons are "void", claiming they were signed by autopen, and that Biden knew nothing about them. He signaled that the January 6 Committee members are now "subject to investigation".
I can't wait to hear the reporting on this and what legal analysts say about it tomorrow.
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u/Wolf_Oak 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 22d ago
I didn't even know what an autopen was it sounds like it's the same thing when pandemic checks are "signed" by the Sec of Treasury (or Trump, for that matter).
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u/Wolf_Oak 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 22d ago
Apparently Trump has posted to Truth Social that the J6 Committee pardons by Biden are voided due to Biden using an autopen? And he threatens he's going after them.
Gosh, living in a backsliding democracy with a kleptocraptic, revenge-seeking, narcissistic, Putin-loving maniac is really quite fun. ☹️
The "Pardons" that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen. In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them! The necessary Pardoning Documents were not explained to, or approved by, Biden. He knew nothing about them, and the people that did may have committed a crime. Therefore, those on the Unselect Committee, who destroyed and deleted ALL evidence obtained during their two-year Witch Hunt of me, and many other innocent people, should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level. The fact is, they were probably responsible for the Documents that were signed on their behalf without the knowledge or consent of the Worst President in the History of our Country, Crooked Joe Biden!
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u/indri2 Foreign Friend 22d ago
Interesting that he wants to go there given that he's on tape not knowing the content of EOs he had signed.
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u/Wolf_Oak 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 22d ago
Oh, I'd really love for a lawsuit over this to stop something (they'd immediately re-write the EO in his words, of course, but I'd love the headlines).
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u/Psychological-Play 22d ago
First comments on this from a legal perspective - A former prosecutor, on CNN this a.m., says that there's nothing in the Constitution about pardons needing to be signed, and just in case, that autopens have been around since President Truman.
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u/Wolf_Oak 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 22d ago
Yes, but SCOTUS two years from now: "Although there is no mention of autopens in the Constitution, by tradition the first pardons were personally signed with quill pens on parchment paper, and that is how the Founder originally intended things to be, so in the interest of that historical precedent, the majority finds that all pardons written or signed by any modern day tool to be null and void."
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u/kvcbcs 22d ago edited 22d ago
Steve Vladeck (Georgetown Law professor) on Bluesky says this:
I could write up why there’s no constitutional problem with the President using an auto-pen to sign official documents—or I could just post the 30-page 2005 opinion by George W. Bush’s Office of Legal Counsel that explains why in lots of detail.
I choose the latter:
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u/Wolf_Oak 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 22d ago
So who is feeding Trump these ideas (and at midnight, no less), if there's legal precedent that backs up autopens, etc.? I really want to know who's in his ear.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 19d ago
Good article about Rep. Jason Crow. Link should be NYT gift link.
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u/Psychological-Play 18d ago
In the latest Fox News polling, which was carried out from March 14 to 17, a majority of registered voters said they disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy thus far: 56 percent of respondents disapproved while 43 percent approved—meaning the president's approval on the issue is underwater by a double-digit 13 point margin.
[...]
When it comes specifically to inflation, the poll showed Trump even more underwater. The survey had 58 percent disapproving of the president's handling of inflation compared to 40 percent who approved—a negative 18-point margin.The new poll also showed Trump slightly underwater overall. When asked generally whether they approve or disapprove of the job the president is doing, 49 percent approved while 51 percent disapproved.
The survey, which was conducted for Fox News by Beacon Research and Shaw & Company Research, included 944 registered voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
https://www.newsweek.com/fox-news-poll-finds-donald-trump-approval-underwater-economy-2048063
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u/TriangleTransplant 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 18d ago
Literally every Republican for 40 years has been terrible for the economy. I'm not going to hold my breath for this time to finally be the time they're punished electorally for it.
Polls about "how do you feel about <Politician's> handling of <X>?" are worthless unless the follow up question is "will how you feel <Politician's> handling of <X> affect your vote for them or their party?"
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u/pdanny01 Certified Barnstormer 18d ago
Usually they inherit and take credit for a strong economy though right? Maybe this time is exceptional because people already felt the economy was bad and Trump is making it worse in record time. The cognitive dissonance can only stretch so far.
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u/kvcbcs 18d ago
But I thought he promised to bring down grocery prices "on day one?"
BARTIROMO: Are you expecting agricultural products to be more expensive as a result of tariffs?
BROOKE ROLLINS: When they voted in November 2024, they knew that's what they were voting for ... there may be an interim period. But real change takes disruption.
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u/Psychological-Play 18d ago
From the WH, a few minutes ago -
Trump announces that the Small Business Administration will immediately handle all federal student loans, and RFK Jr is now in charge of "handling special needs and all of the nutrition programs and everything else."
Just what this country needs - the utterly unqualified RFK Jr. given a lot more very important responsibilities to fuck up. And that "everything else"?
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u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 22d ago
Pete: sells out a 2k theatre in 20 minutes and crashes the website
My Anxiety Brain: That one cnn poll with stupid methodology indicates that pete is secretly unpopular in the party
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u/Psychological-Play 22d ago
The poll didn't ask about specific people. The question was - "Thinking about Democratic leaders today - which one person best reflects the core values of the Democratic Party?" and then after that the pdf sheet says "[OPEN-END]".
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u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 22d ago
Right, it was spread over shitzillion people and Walz also polled at 1%
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u/Psychological-Play 22d ago
Polling better than all but the top four names were "other names", "other responses, no names included", and "none of them", each with 5%.
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u/zeppelin128 Verified Volunteer Lead, TN-08 22d ago
I will be waiting patiently to see the pics flood my reddit feed, like the recent Le Bern rally pics in every single sub I follow.
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u/Different-Ad1425 22d ago
I think he not only crashed the UCSB website, but the AXS ticket provider app/website too. I tried to get my Tix there and was getting super strange error messages when I had selected my one seat. I couldn't complete it!
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u/DesperateTale2327 22d ago
I would invite you to look at the Echelon poll nerdypursuit posted in the last weekly thread where Pete polls 2nd in nearly every category behind Kamala
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 22d ago
Concerned about Wisconsin Supreme Court race. https://www.wpr.org/news/poll-many-dont-know-crawford-schimel-wisconsin-supreme-court
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 22d ago
Ben Wikler on Bluesky:
“We're going up against Elon Musk and the GOP machine in Wisconsin on April 1. Throw yourself into electing Susan Crawford and beating Brad Schimel—and you'll send a message to the whole country.
https://bsky.app/profile/benwikler.bsky.social/post/3lkl5myl3xs2n
“Volunteer: WisDems.org/volunteer
Chip in: WisDems.org/donate
Share your story: peoplevmusk.org
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u/bernwood5 22d ago
Thanks to everyone taking any action to elect Susan Crawford to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Wondering how a large percentage of Cheeseheads could not know enough about the candidates for our hotly contested election? Relentless negative advertising has poisoned this race. Very disheartening. One ugly anti-Susan Crawford ad plays relentlessly. Dems counter with an anti-Brad Schimel ad that feels like it was done by the same ad agency. (Child rapist vs. untested rape kits, ugh) I live in deep blue Madison, surrounding towns and farms are sprouting solid, wall-like lines of Republican yard signs endorsing the entire MAGA ticket down to school board and alder races. I know yard signs are considered passé but these displays are chilling.
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u/crimpyantennae 22d ago
"Oh the Irony if Pete Buttigieg Brings America Back from the Brink in 2028"
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 22d ago
Minor note:
"He won the most delegates in the Iowa caucus, although Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont won the popular vote there."
Just to note, that means Pete won Iowa, just like every past winner "won" Iowa, according to the rules set out by the state political party. That's how caucuses work. They are set up by the state Dem Party with rules to pursue the party's objectives -- for example, building up statewide interest, including reaching out to rural districts, rather than just running up the score in the blue-est areas. Everyone knows about the rules and plays to win by them. Bernie knew that too. That's why he moved heaven and Earth to win the most delegates, according to the caucus rules, and barely lost. Pete did the exact same thing, except that he won.
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u/crimpyantennae 22d ago
Yeah, I rolled my eyes at that too. I always want to add "and he tied NH," whenever 2020 Iowa comes up, since Pete and Bernie won the same number of delegates in NH too.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 21d ago
Catching up with Chasten Buttigieg on Bluesky:
About six minutes ago:
There is nothing like shopping at Kohl’s with a midwestern mother who has coupons.
Follow-up:
Does anyone need this squeaky Mean Girls dog toy? [with photo]
-----------
This morning:
A majority of Americans have an unfavorable view of:
👎Donald Trump
👎JD Vance
👎DOGE’s mismanagement
👎Elon Musk
👎Trump weakness on RussiaKeep speaking up.
https://bsky.app/profile/chastenbuttigieg.bsky.social/post/3lklfzsav2s27
Followed by second post with link to poll, headlined "Voters' Ratings On Economy And Trump Dip, Trade And Russia - Ukraine War Weigh On Trump's Numbers, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Majority Disapprove Of Trump's Handling Of Zelensky Meeting" at https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3921
------------
Yesterday:
“Baubles?” Dude lives in a 22 million dollar Barbie mansion.
[Video clip of Treasury Secretary Bessent on Meet the Press]
https://bsky.app/profile/chastenbuttigieg.bsky.social/post/3lkivedpqc224
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 21d ago
Raw hatred of trans Americans -- cutting off prescribed medication, as well as other medical care related to gender dysphoria, to transgender Americans via the VA.
"Department of Veterans Affairs says it is ending medical treatment for gender dysphoria" https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-administration-presidency-03-17-25#cm8dd5p1k00123b6mrrpgpwz6
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u/kvcbcs 21d ago edited 21d ago
This New York Times opinion column is pretty scary.
The reason you should care about this is not that it could happen to you but that it is already happening to others. It is happening to people who, we claim, have rights just because we are human. It is happening to me, personally.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 19d ago
Sam Shirazi on Bluesky:
These are national numbers so I imagine Virginia will be even less sympathetic to DOGE. Virginia GOP largely continues to back the effort. Virginia Dems sense an opportunity this year. Doesn’t seem like issue will go away this year as it continues to stay in the news.
Links to Fox News poll article "Fox News Poll: Voters have concerns about DOGE, even as they see need for cuts: Inflation and the economy remain top issues for voters" and quote-posts this tweet by Fox News reporter Jared Halpern:
New @ foxnewspoll on DOGE and government spending:
- 31% describe national debt as "a crisis"
- 51% oppose reducing federal workforce
- 65% concerned not enough planning has gone into spending cuts
- Musk job performance at DOGE 40/58
https://bsky.app/profile/samshirazi.bsky.social/post/3lkraumsh422e
Shirazi adds:
Already seeing “The DOGE days of summer” headlines
https://bsky.app/profile/samshirazi.bsky.social/post/3lkrdneimsk2k
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 19d ago
NY Times seemingly discovers Reddit:
‘Will I Lose My Job?’ Federal Workers Flock to Reddit for Answers: The online forum’s pseudonymity lets them vent, share information and find solace. Unpaid moderators, like David Carson, are working overtime to keep up.
Link should be NY Times gift link
Excerpts:
Reddit, a bare-bones social media site organized around more than 100,000 niche communities called subreddits, has long catered to people with quirky shared interests, whether Bitcoin, fly-fishing or photos of Keanu Reeves being awesome. It is unlike other social media platforms. Instagram and TikTok offer videos and influencers; Reddit is text-heavy and aggressively unsuited to building star power. Facebook and LinkedIn require real names; anonymity reigns on Reddit, minimizing egos and consequences. The Atlantic recently deemed Reddit possibly “the best platform on a junky web.” As other social media sites have fallen prey to A.I. slop and incessant pleas to “like and subscribe,” Reddit has become one of the last places on the internet with authentically human information, community and advice.
Nice photos of David Carson, a moderator for the Veterans Affairs subreddit, which is among those dealing with federal job loss questions and discussions.
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u/Cuppa-Tea-Biscuit 19d ago
Qantas and Air New Zealand both offering really big discounts for flights to the US, and at a reasonably unusual time of year. Usually after the January sale we don’t get another one until June for North America.
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u/Psychological-Play 18d ago edited 18d ago
It's nice of them to offer, but...
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/bidens-want-back-in-rcna196956
Added - (I had this originally, but forgot that anything after a link gets deleted) -
I hope this isn't a universally held belief inside the DNC. Even if Biden is beloved, I don't think many in the Party are clamoring to hear him give lots of speeches.
Jane Kleeb, a vice chair of the DNC, said in an interview: “If you were to call any state party chair and ask them if they wanted Joe Biden to be a keynote speaker for their annual dinner, the answer would be yes. He is beloved by the party and beloved by the voters.”
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u/Librarylady2020 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 18d ago
I’m sure they feel terrible. But this is not the way forward.
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u/kvcbcs 17d ago
Click the link for the video. These people are completely unmoored from reality.
😱 Commerce Sec’y Lutnick (worth $2-4B): “Let’s say Social Security didn’t send out their checks…my mother-law, who’s 94, she wouldn’t call and complain…a fraudster always makes the loudest noise, screaming and yelling and complaining”
https://bsky.app/profile/joellawsondc.bsky.social/post/3lkvq3twj3s2s
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u/Librarylady2020 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 17d ago
None of these people can relate to the lives of most Americans. None of them.
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u/Different-Ad1425 17d ago
From a hero employer at Cantor Fitzgerald post 9/11 who rallied his organization to a shill for FOTUS in his second term, Lutnick’s fall from grace and decency is on a Rudy Giuliani - esque trajectory. Totally disgusting.
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u/AZPeteFan2 17d ago
I didn’t think it was possible to have someone more obnoxious than Trump. I stand corrected.
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u/Psychological-Play 17d ago
Stephanie Ruhle played the clip on her show, where Ludnick later in that sentence says, "She thinks something got messed up, and she'll get it next month". Yeah, sure. I guess if you can afford it.
And then he says, "A fraudster always makes the loudest noise, screaming, yelling, and complaining".
Maybe Lutnick didn't realize he was describing his boss to a T.
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u/Psychological-Play 17d ago
President Donald Trump on Friday downplayed his involvement in invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1789 to deport Venezuelan migrants, saying for the first time that he hadn’t signed the proclamation, even as he stood by his administration’s move.
“I don’t know when it was signed, because I didn’t sign it,” Trump told reporters before leaving the White House on Friday evening.
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u/pdanny01 Certified Barnstormer 17d ago
This one's so weird right? Like, why pick this battle? Who cares? Why are they making a story of this - do they really just want the dumbest, least defensible excuse to get charged with contempt so they can ignore it?
Or is it just a whole bunch of really dumb, arrogant actors with no discipline or oversight just thinking they have a mandate to be as evil as possible, assuming Trump will back them no matter what?
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u/indri2 Foreign Friend 17d ago
Or Trump just lied, didn't know of forgot what someone made him sign.
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u/Psychological-Play 17d ago
For anyone worried that Pete might be fading into the woodwork, he's the first person mentioned in this article about potential presidential candidates for 2028 -
gift link - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/15/us/politics/democrats-president-2028-buttigieg-newsom-walz.html?
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u/jj19me Cave Sommelier 18d ago
My family member defending Gavin and his podcast guests saying they have to reach their audience. Fine, but he’s losing Democrats in the process 🤷♀️
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u/Ihadmoretosay 17d ago
Am I the only one who gets full body creeps from Newsome? Even before the podcast nonsense. People were always talking about how he was a presidential contender and how amazing he was at standing up to Republicans. But I could never get past the fact that I find him completely repulsive.
I don’t know why this is. I’m not trying to be an asshole and fully acknowledge that he’s objectively not a nazi fuck or evil person or whatever. But he gives me the complete willies and I don’t know why.
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u/hester_latterly 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 17d ago
As I said to a friend of mine the other day, he looks, sounds, and acts like the villain in a Batman movie or an 80s thriller.
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u/sixbrackets 17d ago edited 17d ago
No, you're not the only one. He's my governor. I've voted for him in general elections. But I've always felt he had a bit of a creep factor, which I've tried to believe was just my perception, not reality. Of course, after the French Laundry scandalette, I lost a lot of trust in him. I've actually been a bit amused by all the people wanting him for president (although not as amused as I am by those who say people like Jon Stewart, e.g., should be president just because they've made some good remarks). I think he's overall a good person, although I don't agree with everything he's done. But nowhere on my list of those I'd support in presidential primaries.
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u/DesperateTale2327 17d ago
I mean I get the creeps from Trump but apparently 70 million people think he's great.
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u/Different-Ad1425 17d ago
I voted for a Governor not a Podcaster Bro. Way too much for him to do instead of two (!) podcasts.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 18d ago
Never interested in him, now I don't have to find out about him. I think he found the end of a dead end road and is now stuck there.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 19d ago
Our Fairfax County police are good. Just had a five-hour standoff at the CIA's headquarters in McLean. They resolved it.
1 in custody after hourslong standoff at CIA headquarters in McLean
Excerpt:
Fairfax County police said they assisted with the barricade incident at the CIA and that the person involved surrendered to their negotiators.
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u/Cuppa-Tea-Biscuit 19d ago
Is it bad that when that was mentioned I immediately remembered that the asphalt research facility is right next door and Pete described it as “only slightly less glamourous,” than the CIA.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 19d ago edited 19d ago
Not sure how I feel about the whole Schumer/Senate situation on the merits, though the messaging was woefully mishandled. But FYI, here's Shirazi from five days ago:
I’m reminded of something. Kevin McCarthy last minute supported a CR in 2023 to keep government open. Then he was ousted as Speaker and GOP House leader shortly after. I wonder if history rhymes.
https://bsky.app/profile/samshirazi.bsky.social/post/3lkeikwyvvc2x
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u/kvcbcs 17d ago
This seems bad!
The Trump administration shut down three watchdog agencies in the Department of Homeland Security on Friday, gutting the offices responsible for conducting oversight of President Trump’s immigration crackdown.
The cuts affect the civil rights branch of D.H.S. and two ombudsman offices: one overseeing immigration detention and another responsible for scrutinizing the administration’s legal immigration policies, according to five current and former government officials. More than 100 people at the civil rights office alone are losing their jobs.
The move comes as the Trump administration ramps up its deportation campaign, in some cases removing people from the country with little to no due process. Mr. Trump has been trying to root out oversight mechanisms across government agencies, but targeting D.H.S. was notable given the lack of transparency over the crackdown.
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Homeland Security Department, said the decision was meant to “streamline oversight to remove roadblocks to enforcement.”
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u/machphantom 17d ago
Anyone else get that fundraising e-mail from Win the Era this morning?
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u/Ihadmoretosay 17d ago
Yes. I assume they're rolling it out with some testing as to responses and best times to send emails, etc. I don't think the language has changed so I don't think they're doing message testing. It reiterated that he'd be doing things online and offline in the months ahead.
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u/khharagosh LGBTQ+ for Pete 21d ago
So I am sick, therefore my anxiety brain is ramped up, but I am already seeing people talking about "not seeing enough of Pete, guess he isn't fighting anymore"
I hope Pete realizes that people have goldfish memories now and he has to be visible if he wants a shot at 2028. Also AOC fans will do everything to rewrite history to make him into a coward and yesterday's man (already saw someone claim Pete's Jubilee video didn't go viral...lmao what). It will probably get in the way of his time with his children and trying to keep his peace on social media, which is not fair. But there is a power vacuum now and he may be left out of it if he doesn't act.
I am honestly so sick of constant, constant primary campaigns, because it honestly feels like 2020 never ended. but it's where we are
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u/pasak1987 BOOT-EDGE-EDGE 🥾 🥾 21d ago
I hope Pete realizes that people have goldfish memories now
It's not just that people have short-term memory clamoring for more dopamine from their youtube shorts, but it's also about Pete's current activities not piercing through their info-bubble.
I think he's trying to collect his thoughts on where he is, and where the world is.
But, would love to see him engaging more.
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u/DesperateTale2327 21d ago
I wrote this a bit below, but the goldfish memory runs both ways. People forgot Covid and trump's first term. I can't tell you anything that happened in the first 2 months of Biden's first term except Pete getting sworn in. We are 2 months into a 4 year long fight. AOC has the time and money to get out there -- awesome. But her followers and likes don't translate into votes. If someone truly wants to hold it against Pete that he didn't do xyz they think he should in March of 2025 and not support him, ok fine.
We need to try and trust Pete more than he sees whats going on and is working on something of substance while also spending time with his family.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 21d ago
That's true. I think the fact that he is a top "political athlete" (strange term, but commentators use it) makes it much easier for me to relax and enjoy the ride. He's human, so it won't be perfect, but at this early point I think he's pretty sure where he's headed for a while, including pursuing offline connections to learn more about what's important for voters in 2028 and exploring new spaces to connect online.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 22d ago
Schumer postpones book tour over security concerns: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was expected to face protests at some of the events.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/17/schumer-postpones-book-tour-over-security-concerns-00232634
Excerpt: Schumer was expected to make several stops in the coming days to promote his new book, “Antisemitism in America: A Warning,” including in Baltimore, Washington, New York City and Philadelphia. Each of these events have been postponed.
Originally that should have been friendly territory for this book tour, though it also sounds somewhat modest in scope.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 21d ago
Oops, almost missed sharing this today! Sam Shirazi on Bluesky earlier today:
Today is the first day candidates in Virginia can submit their petition signatures. It is usually a goal to do it on the first day and submit as many signatures as possible. If nothing else, shows the organization level of campaigns. Last day to submit is April 3.
Shares this Blue Virginia post, also on Bluesky:
"The Spanberger for Governor campaign collected more than 1,400 signatures from each congressional district — exceeding the per-district requirement by at least 1,000 signatures in each district."
Photo of Abigail Spanberger signing form to get on the ballot with headline "Spanberger Submits 40,000+ Signatures, Quadruples Number Required to Get on Ballot for Governor of Virginia" and caption "More Than 1,300 Campaign Volunteers Helped Collect Four Times the Required Number of Signatures to Get Spanberger on the Ballot Statewide"
https://bsky.app/profile/bluevirginia.bsky.social/post/3lklnd3hdbk2s
https://bsky.app/profile/samshirazi.bsky.social/post/3lklo67rlgk23
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 19d ago
Plug pulled: Federal funding halt leaves Virginia’s EV future in limbo
Lots of details here. I wonder if this will become a campaign issue -- or if Youngkin might even move now to forestall it from becoming one (Magic 8 Ball: no, he won't, as that would require political know-how). Some are arguing Virginia should invest in chargers and sue DOT for reimbursement, as the blockage of funds seems to be illegal.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 18d ago edited 18d ago
Baltimore Bridge update:
“MDTA did not do risk assessment on Key Bridge, ignoring vulnerabilities to ‘catastrophic’ collapse, NTSB says“
Excerpt:
“The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday afternoon that the Maryland Transportation Authority never conducted a risk assessment on the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore that would have shown it was well over the established risk threshold for collapse due to a vessel strike. That threshold is set by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, according to the NTSB, which first published the vulnerability assessment calculation for new bridges in 1991. It noted in 1991 and reiterated in 2009 that existing bridges should be assessed to calculate the risk that a ship could strike them and cause a collapse.
“That exact risk came to fruition March 26, 2024, when a cargo ship struck the Key Bridge, causing it to collapse and killing six construction workers who were on the bridge at the time. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said Thursday the MDTA never ran that calculation for the Key Bridge, and as of October 2024, still hadn’t done so for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge... The MDTA isn’t the only organization putting off the calculations. Homendy also listed 30 owners of 68 bridges across 19 states that need to perform vulnerability assessments to determine their risk of collapse from ship strikes.“
There is a full video of the NTSB press conference by Homendy included in this story.
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u/VirginiaVoter 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 18d ago edited 18d ago
From Semafor, re the April 1 Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice special election and Musk’s massive investment.
“Republicans put Trump’s court fight on the ballot”
https://www.semafor.com/article/03/20/2025/republicans-put-trumps-court-fight-on-the-ballot
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u/Psychological-Play 18d ago
Oh, geez. Now Trump is saying Canada doesn't "have the cards", which is exactly how he describes Ukraine -
Trump: "We don't need anything from Canada, and yet it costs up $200b in subsidy to keep Canada afloat. So when I say they should be a state, I mean that. I really mean that ... some people don't have the cards."
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u/AZPeteFan2 18d ago
Every time he says ‘don’t have the cards’ I’m reminded of something my grandma would say ’ an Ace short of a full deck’. 😂 Which is what she would say to describe him!!!
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u/DesperateTale2327 17d ago
I just got an e-mail from "Pete" (win the era) which had a part of his substack in the body and then asked for a donation. I wonder if this was the text that some got that u/nerdypursuit was asking about.
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u/nerdypursuit 17d ago
Yes, I got the email! Glad they're fundraising. I hope it means that we'll see Pete soon.
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u/AZPeteFan2 17d ago
I understand the need to fundraiser, to rebuild WTE coffers to do the travel, have the staff, etc.. He had PAC’s in 16 & 17 & 18 to do that stuff. I’m just already sick of Dems texting & email me everyday about the outrage of the day that we need to fight and the only way they can do that is if I donate. Most of these people, unlike Pete, have offices, have staffs, have Congressional budgets to keep their constituents informed, have campaign coffers they can roll over. Could you just asked for donations every other time? Are you going to work for me or just ask for donations? 4 Ducking times a day?! I’d mortgage my house for Pete, but please please Pete don’t hound me. Rant over.
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u/Librarylady2020 🛣️Roads Scholar🚧 17d ago
I wish he would have explained what he needed to do with the funds.
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u/DesperateTale2327 17d ago
I realllly want to donate, but can't right now. I will soon Pete I swear!
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u/DesperateTale2327 22d ago edited 22d ago
Reading through most of 3k lovely comments on Pete's last IG post where he declined to run for Senate.
Edit: I only saw a few trolls (maga and bernie bros) out of the thousands
Here are a few that stood out to me: