Chris Bennett
@cwbennett.bsky.social
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Counterpurges to de-politicize and re-professionalize the State Department look like they'll be necessary. Maybe every federal agency. What a mess.
literally illegal
October 22, 2026 at 2:06 PM
Counterpurges to de-politicize and re-professionalize the State Department look like they'll be necessary. Maybe every federal agency. What a mess.
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Among the more notable documents is a redacted version of a report produced by Cornell’s disciplinary hearing panel.
It sheds additional light on the university’s investigation and summarizes the panel’s findings.
Here’s a link to the doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...
It sheds additional light on the university’s investigation and summarizes the panel’s findings.
Here’s a link to the doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...
October 5, 2026 at 3:15 AM
Among the more notable documents is a redacted version of a report produced by Cornell’s disciplinary hearing panel.
It sheds additional light on the university’s investigation and summarizes the panel’s findings.
Here’s a link to the doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...
It sheds additional light on the university’s investigation and summarizes the panel’s findings.
Here’s a link to the doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/28...
Reposted by Chris Bennett
“If the administration was serious about assisting state and local election officials, they shouldn’t have dismantled all of the federal government’s election cybersecurity capacity and fired all their experts in early 2025.”
Hegseth says national security, military cyber forces will guard US election systems during midterms
The U.S. National Security Agency and military intelligence forces are set to guard election systems during the November midterms.
apnews.com
September 29, 2026 at 11:50 AM
“If the administration was serious about assisting state and local election officials, they shouldn’t have dismantled all of the federal government’s election cybersecurity capacity and fired all their experts in early 2025.”
Reposted by Chris Bennett
The executive branch is trying to achieve escape velocity from the constitution's architecture, and a Supreme Court under the domination of the chief executive's co-partisans keeps saying 'hol' up, let him cook.'
I gave a talk about US demo backsliding to a visiting group of Brazilian academics yesterday &, in response to a question, found myself explaining that—w/ Congress sidelined—the US is being driven to the right by an intricate dance btwn a POTUS & SCOTUS who are reactionary in subtly different ways.
Supreme Court Allows Expansive Voter Screening Tool Ahead of Midterms (Gift Article)
Critics of the Trump administration system to monitor the citizenship status of voters had raised alarms about privacy and improper voter purges.
www.nytimes.com
September 25, 2026 at 4:52 PM
The executive branch is trying to achieve escape velocity from the constitution's architecture, and a Supreme Court under the domination of the chief executive's co-partisans keeps saying 'hol' up, let him cook.'
Reposted by Chris Bennett
I mean this sincerely: If you are using a thingy to set your fantasy lineup for you, *what is the point* of fantasy sports? Especially if everybody in your league starts doing it? You are telling all your computers to play with each other! I do not understand what about this appeals to anyone.
NYT tech reporter sings the praises of Meta Muse. It can do everything for you! Even set your fantasy football lineups!
My dude... you know that's called "cognitive surrender," right?
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/22/t...
My dude... you know that's called "cognitive surrender," right?
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/22/t...
September 23, 2026 at 11:13 AM
I mean this sincerely: If you are using a thingy to set your fantasy lineup for you, *what is the point* of fantasy sports? Especially if everybody in your league starts doing it? You are telling all your computers to play with each other! I do not understand what about this appeals to anyone.
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Trump stole taxpayer $$ to destroy the White House and replace it with a firetrap and too few ladies stalls.
www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...
www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...
September 23, 2026 at 11:23 AM
Trump stole taxpayer $$ to destroy the White House and replace it with a firetrap and too few ladies stalls.
www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...
www.washingtonpost.com/investigatio...
Reposted by Chris Bennett
The GOP has collapsed so far into far right authoritarianism that it has lost <checks notes> Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, Liz Cheney, George Will, & Bill Kristol, & yet somehow our National Conversation™️ remains focused disproportionately on whether Democrats are veering too far left into socialism 🤷♂️🤦♂️
Karl Rove comes off the sidelines www.wsj.com/opinion/why-...
September 17, 2026 at 5:50 AM
The GOP has collapsed so far into far right authoritarianism that it has lost <checks notes> Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, Liz Cheney, George Will, & Bill Kristol, & yet somehow our National Conversation™️ remains focused disproportionately on whether Democrats are veering too far left into socialism 🤷♂️🤦♂️
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Goes without saying but the president directing the fcc to “punish” nbc because a poll made him mad would have consumed basically any other White House in endless scandal
August 31, 2026 at 2:27 PM
Goes without saying but the president directing the fcc to “punish” nbc because a poll made him mad would have consumed basically any other White House in endless scandal
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Death by intentional neglect is the characteristic method of murder in concentration camps
A 76-year-old green card holder with stage 4 cancer was arrested at his citizenship application interview and has been held by ICE for two months.
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
August 31, 2026 at 3:51 PM
Death by intentional neglect is the characteristic method of murder in concentration camps
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Note that only about 5% of ‘those with a criminal record’ have a conviction for violent crime. The remainder involve minor offenses, many of them procedural immigration charges or traffic violations; many of the 60% have only pending cases and the charges against them will end up being dismissed.
ICE has arrested more than half a million people since President Trump returned to office, and nearly 40 percent do not have a criminal record.
As of Aug. 6, ICE had detained more people without a criminal record this year than in all of 2025. https://wapo.st/4izoaAb
As of Aug. 6, ICE had detained more people without a criminal record this year than in all of 2025. https://wapo.st/4izoaAb
August 29, 2026 at 12:21 PM
Note that only about 5% of ‘those with a criminal record’ have a conviction for violent crime. The remainder involve minor offenses, many of them procedural immigration charges or traffic violations; many of the 60% have only pending cases and the charges against them will end up being dismissed.
Reposted by Chris Bennett
THE JAPANEESE HAVE DISCOVERED TEXAS ROADHOUSE BREAD
June 16, 2026 at 1:35 AM
THE JAPANEESE HAVE DISCOVERED TEXAS ROADHOUSE BREAD
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Always delighted to see "we're rolling out a large language model to do a task that is built entirely around absolute precision in the handling of data."
uhhhh so do you not know how LLMs work
uhhhh so do you not know how LLMs work
Throwing one more story into the "Is AI going to replace all jobs?" folder.
finance.yahoo.com/sectors/tech...
finance.yahoo.com/sectors/tech...
Starbucks quietly retired its AI agent just months after deployment after it miscounted coffee shop inventories and slowed down baristas
“It started off not particularly accurate and got less accurate over time,” one Starbucks employee told Fortune.
finance.yahoo.com
June 2, 2026 at 2:37 AM
Always delighted to see "we're rolling out a large language model to do a task that is built entirely around absolute precision in the handling of data."
uhhhh so do you not know how LLMs work
uhhhh so do you not know how LLMs work
Reposted by Chris Bennett
“Huck shows great disrespect for the Court’s precedent in Dred Scott when aiding the fugitive Jim, presumably due to liberal indoctrination by the Widow Douglas.”
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/exc...
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/exc...
Excerpts from Chief Justice John Roberts’ High School English Essays
“Huck shows great disrespect for the Court’s precedent in Dred Scott when aiding the fugitive Jim, presumably due to liberal indoctrination by the Widow Doug...
www.mcsweeneys.net
May 7, 2026 at 6:29 PM
“Huck shows great disrespect for the Court’s precedent in Dred Scott when aiding the fugitive Jim, presumably due to liberal indoctrination by the Widow Douglas.”
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/exc...
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/exc...
Reposted by Chris Bennett
A true mystery.
If only there had been some way to predict that pressure and economic coercion might not be the "one weird trick" for regime change in Havana.
If only there had been some way to predict that pressure and economic coercion might not be the "one weird trick" for regime change in Havana.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS SAID TO BE INCREASINGLY FRUSTRATED THAT THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT REMAINS IN POWER DESPITE MONTHS OF US PRESSURE. SOURCES SAY HE HAS BEEN ASKING ADVISERS WHY EFFORTS TO WEAKEN THE REGIME HAVE NOT SUCCEEDED. @NBCNews
May 11, 2026 at 1:34 PM
A true mystery.
If only there had been some way to predict that pressure and economic coercion might not be the "one weird trick" for regime change in Havana.
If only there had been some way to predict that pressure and economic coercion might not be the "one weird trick" for regime change in Havana.
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Democratic Leaders: We need a strong GOP. This country needs a good opposition party.
The GOP: FUCK YO LAWS AND FUCK YO VOTERS WE DO WHAT WE WANT
The GOP: FUCK YO LAWS AND FUCK YO VOTERS WE DO WHAT WE WANT
May 8, 2026 at 6:12 PM
Democratic Leaders: We need a strong GOP. This country needs a good opposition party.
The GOP: FUCK YO LAWS AND FUCK YO VOTERS WE DO WHAT WE WANT
The GOP: FUCK YO LAWS AND FUCK YO VOTERS WE DO WHAT WE WANT
Reposted by Chris Bennett
"This is at least the sixth time Trump has said 'you cross this line, you die.' The previous five times they crossed the line anyway and did not die." (My addition.) bsky.app/profile/news...
US President Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum for Iran to accept a deal to end the war or face renewed, more intense US bombing, in the latest of a series of abrupt policy shifts
'Higher level' bombing of Iran if no deal agreed - Trump
US President Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum for Iran to accept a deal to end the war or face renewed, more intense US bombing, in the latest of a series of abrupt policy shifts.
www.rte.ie
May 6, 2026 at 2:57 PM
"This is at least the sixth time Trump has said 'you cross this line, you die.' The previous five times they crossed the line anyway and did not die." (My addition.) bsky.app/profile/news...
Reposted by Chris Bennett
I was told by the media that the biggest scandal of the Biden administration was the weaponization of the DoJ to attack political opponents.
Apparently FBI is raiding the office of Louise Lucas and gave Fox a heads up and Fox News propagandist Bill Melugin thinks her calling VA's Senators "cucks" is relevant to a corruption investigation.
[Corrected]
[Corrected]
May 6, 2026 at 3:23 PM
I was told by the media that the biggest scandal of the Biden administration was the weaponization of the DoJ to attack political opponents.
Reposted by Chris Bennett
I guess it wouldn’t be an attempt to return to Jim Crow without some abuse of state authority against uppity negroes.
The FBI has raided the office of Virginia Senate President Pro Tempore L Louise Lucas.
This comes weeks after she spearheaded a redistricting effort in Virginia, netting up to four new blue seats.
This comes weeks after she spearheaded a redistricting effort in Virginia, netting up to four new blue seats.
May 6, 2026 at 3:26 PM
I guess it wouldn’t be an attempt to return to Jim Crow without some abuse of state authority against uppity negroes.
Reposted by Chris Bennett
every conservative political complaint comes back to "those people shouldn't count because they disagree with me"
April 22, 2026 at 1:40 AM
every conservative political complaint comes back to "those people shouldn't count because they disagree with me"
What happens when a flu outbreak happens on say a nuclear missile sub, or on an aircraft carrier with several thousand sailors on board, all of whom are in close proximity to each other?
Vaccination is key to readiness.
Vaccination is key to readiness.
Pete Hegseth cancels ‘absurd’ flu vaccine requirement for ‘brave warriors’ in military
Hegseth cancels ‘absurd’ flu vaccine requirement for ‘brave warriors’ in military
Hegseth described his latest directive as ‘restoring’ what he called ‘simple medical autonomy’ in response to the Biden administration’s Covid-19 policies
trib.al
April 21, 2026 at 3:37 PM
What happens when a flu outbreak happens on say a nuclear missile sub, or on an aircraft carrier with several thousand sailors on board, all of whom are in close proximity to each other?
Vaccination is key to readiness.
Vaccination is key to readiness.
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, said this to the leader of the Catholic Church after apparent differences in theological application:
“I think it’s very, very important for the pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.”
Just an incredible amount of hubris.
“I think it’s very, very important for the pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.”
Just an incredible amount of hubris.
This should be embarrassing for the Very Serious Conservative Catholics who carry water for this administration.
April 15, 2026 at 12:41 AM
Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, said this to the leader of the Catholic Church after apparent differences in theological application:
“I think it’s very, very important for the pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.”
Just an incredible amount of hubris.
“I think it’s very, very important for the pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.”
Just an incredible amount of hubris.
Reposted by Chris Bennett
For decades, birthday party clowns folded balloons and played games. John Wayne Gacy is taking a different approach.
For decades, presidents avoided even the appearance of profiting from their office. President Donald Trump is taking a different approach. https://to.pbs.org/482NOaK
How the Trump family's business deals could open the door for future presidents to profit from office
For the Trump family, business is booming. Whereas the Trump Organization didn’t do a single deal overseas in Donald Trump's first term as president, it did eight in the past year.
to.pbs.org
April 14, 2026 at 3:28 AM
For decades, birthday party clowns folded balloons and played games. John Wayne Gacy is taking a different approach.
Reposted by Chris Bennett
NEW—I got an exclusive excerpt from a USAID whistleblower's new book that made me gasp multiple times. It details Trump's dismantling of the humanitarian aid agency & his team/DOGE's shocking ignorance to public health.
'Into the Wood Chipper' by Nicholas Enrich is out tomorrow. Read excerpt here:
'Into the Wood Chipper' by Nicholas Enrich is out tomorrow. Read excerpt here:
Whistleblower says Trump officials thought USAID did 'just abortions,' asked for 'Barney-style' slides before gutting agency, per new book
Read an exclusive excerpt from Nicholas Enrich's "Into the Wood Chipper"
www.thehandbasket.co
April 14, 2026 at 12:34 AM
NEW—I got an exclusive excerpt from a USAID whistleblower's new book that made me gasp multiple times. It details Trump's dismantling of the humanitarian aid agency & his team/DOGE's shocking ignorance to public health.
'Into the Wood Chipper' by Nicholas Enrich is out tomorrow. Read excerpt here:
'Into the Wood Chipper' by Nicholas Enrich is out tomorrow. Read excerpt here:
@thegoldenratio4.bsky.social if nobody else has answered already, the answering machine tune is the Washington Post March by Sousa!
April 13, 2026 at 4:20 PM
@thegoldenratio4.bsky.social if nobody else has answered already, the answering machine tune is the Washington Post March by Sousa!
Reposted by Chris Bennett
Much to say about this, but given where we are the most important comment is a reminder that committing war crimes cannot be justified by war crimes committed by the other side
April 7, 2026 at 6:04 AM
Much to say about this, but given where we are the most important comment is a reminder that committing war crimes cannot be justified by war crimes committed by the other side