M. E. Merrill
@memerrill73.bsky.social
Retired teacher, dog lover, quilter, nature lover, pickleball player, hiker, pro democracy, please no DMs.
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
Five corporations control 90% of the US media market.
Airlines merged from 12 major carriers in 1980 to 4 today.
Four giants control 80% of meat processing.
The evidence of corporate consolidation is everywhere.
It means more power for them and less freedom for you.
Airlines merged from 12 major carriers in 1980 to 4 today.
Four giants control 80% of meat processing.
The evidence of corporate consolidation is everywhere.
It means more power for them and less freedom for you.
June 21, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Five corporations control 90% of the US media market.
Airlines merged from 12 major carriers in 1980 to 4 today.
Four giants control 80% of meat processing.
The evidence of corporate consolidation is everywhere.
It means more power for them and less freedom for you.
Airlines merged from 12 major carriers in 1980 to 4 today.
Four giants control 80% of meat processing.
The evidence of corporate consolidation is everywhere.
It means more power for them and less freedom for you.
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
June 21, 2026
June 21, 2026
I spent so much time in my friend Mike’s house growing up that I knew his parents as Mama and Papa.
heathercoxrichardson.substack.com
June 22, 2026 at 2:50 AM
June 21, 2026
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
"russ_and_stacie_sullivan: Good morning, friends!
Last night at WaterFire in #Providence, 🔥a bunch of friends from different groups got together for a Signs of Fascism awareness event
Signs of #Fascism is an event that highlights historical warning signs of #authoritarianism..."
Threads 2-3 👇
Last night at WaterFire in #Providence, 🔥a bunch of friends from different groups got together for a Signs of Fascism awareness event
Signs of #Fascism is an event that highlights historical warning signs of #authoritarianism..."
Threads 2-3 👇
June 16, 2026 at 11:19 PM
"russ_and_stacie_sullivan: Good morning, friends!
Last night at WaterFire in #Providence, 🔥a bunch of friends from different groups got together for a Signs of Fascism awareness event
Signs of #Fascism is an event that highlights historical warning signs of #authoritarianism..."
Threads 2-3 👇
Last night at WaterFire in #Providence, 🔥a bunch of friends from different groups got together for a Signs of Fascism awareness event
Signs of #Fascism is an event that highlights historical warning signs of #authoritarianism..."
Threads 2-3 👇
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
In the world of private equity, it’s relatively common to have a group of seemingly unrelated businesses under one roof, because they all are run with the same general strategy: Maximize returns for investors away from the glare of public markets.
Pizza Hut’s strange new private equity bedfellows: 24 Hour Fitness and a ‘deathcare’ firm
P.E. firms have bought up restaurant chains in recent years, but they have a mixed track record when it comes to turning them around.
nbcnews.to
June 17, 2026 at 4:00 AM
In the world of private equity, it’s relatively common to have a group of seemingly unrelated businesses under one roof, because they all are run with the same general strategy: Maximize returns for investors away from the glare of public markets.
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
June 16, 2026
June 16, 2026
A Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that even before a fighter launched a slur at former First Lady Michelle Obama, and even before the sight of the corporate branding at the event, only 16% of Americans thou...
heathercoxrichardson.substack.com
June 17, 2026 at 5:38 AM
June 16, 2026
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
Trump believes he has the power to weaponize the U.S. Postal Service to restrict voting. Marc Elias and his law firm are already challenging that notion in court.
“[The Trump administration has] come up with a scheme that is so unbelievably unconstitutional and authoritarian.”
“[The Trump administration has] come up with a scheme that is so unbelievably unconstitutional and authoritarian.”
June 16, 2026 at 2:34 AM
Trump believes he has the power to weaponize the U.S. Postal Service to restrict voting. Marc Elias and his law firm are already challenging that notion in court.
“[The Trump administration has] come up with a scheme that is so unbelievably unconstitutional and authoritarian.”
“[The Trump administration has] come up with a scheme that is so unbelievably unconstitutional and authoritarian.”
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
"Maine veterans showed up outside Senator Susan Collins' Portland office this weekend with 168 lunchboxes, one for each schoolgirl killed in the Minab school bombing, and 13 portraits memorializing the 13 American service members killed in the war in Iran." (From Common Defense)
June 15, 2026 at 11:22 AM
"Maine veterans showed up outside Senator Susan Collins' Portland office this weekend with 168 lunchboxes, one for each schoolgirl killed in the Minab school bombing, and 13 portraits memorializing the 13 American service members killed in the war in Iran." (From Common Defense)
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
June 15, 2026
June 15, 2026
President Donald J.
heathercoxrichardson.substack.com
June 16, 2026 at 5:21 AM
June 15, 2026
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
BREAKING: Award-winning journalist Scott MacFarlane is joining MeidasTouch as our Chief Washington Correspondent.
This is a major expansion of our enterprise and investigative reporting in D.C.
This is a major expansion of our enterprise and investigative reporting in D.C.
March 23, 2026 at 3:04 PM
BREAKING: Award-winning journalist Scott MacFarlane is joining MeidasTouch as our Chief Washington Correspondent.
This is a major expansion of our enterprise and investigative reporting in D.C.
This is a major expansion of our enterprise and investigative reporting in D.C.
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
ALERT: Professional news. Nine days after leaving CBS, I have found a new professional home:
Chief Washington Correspondent and Anchor for
@meidastouch.com
Chief Washington Correspondent and Anchor for
@meidastouch.com
March 23, 2026 at 3:01 PM
ALERT: Professional news. Nine days after leaving CBS, I have found a new professional home:
Chief Washington Correspondent and Anchor for
@meidastouch.com
Chief Washington Correspondent and Anchor for
@meidastouch.com
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
Just a random reminder that over 50 members of Congress collectively own millions of dollars in defense contractor stocks.
They stand to personally profit from wars that enrich these contractors.
Make no mistake, this is legalized corruption.
Watch how they vote this week.
They stand to personally profit from wars that enrich these contractors.
Make no mistake, this is legalized corruption.
Watch how they vote this week.
March 3, 2026 at 5:45 PM
Just a random reminder that over 50 members of Congress collectively own millions of dollars in defense contractor stocks.
They stand to personally profit from wars that enrich these contractors.
Make no mistake, this is legalized corruption.
Watch how they vote this week.
They stand to personally profit from wars that enrich these contractors.
Make no mistake, this is legalized corruption.
Watch how they vote this week.
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
January 18, 2026
January 18, 2026
You hear sometimes, now that we know the sordid details of the lives of some of our leading figures, that America has no heroes left.
heathercoxrichardson.substack.com
January 19, 2026 at 4:54 AM
January 18, 2026
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
I spent part of today sorting out what is going on with the Epstein Files. Why the delay? Why have the rolling productions stopped. And, what might a recent filing by Ghislaine Maxwell have to do with it.👀
On Monday, Democracy Docket will publish my analysis. Subscribe to receive. hubs.ly/Q03M8rql0
On Monday, Democracy Docket will publish my analysis. Subscribe to receive. hubs.ly/Q03M8rql0
January 19, 2026 at 3:52 AM
I spent part of today sorting out what is going on with the Epstein Files. Why the delay? Why have the rolling productions stopped. And, what might a recent filing by Ghislaine Maxwell have to do with it.👀
On Monday, Democracy Docket will publish my analysis. Subscribe to receive. hubs.ly/Q03M8rql0
On Monday, Democracy Docket will publish my analysis. Subscribe to receive. hubs.ly/Q03M8rql0
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
"The Pentagon used a secret aircraft painted to look like a civilian plane in its first attack on a 'drug boat,' killing 11 ... the laws of armed conflict prohibit combatants from feigning civilian status to fool adversaries into dropping their guard, then killing them. That is a war crime."
U.S. Attacked Boat With Aircraft That Looked Like a Civilian Plane
www.nytimes.com
January 13, 2026 at 2:54 AM
"The Pentagon used a secret aircraft painted to look like a civilian plane in its first attack on a 'drug boat,' killing 11 ... the laws of armed conflict prohibit combatants from feigning civilian status to fool adversaries into dropping their guard, then killing them. That is a war crime."
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
The president of the United States is extorting the Federal Reserve Board Chairman by threatening criminal prosecution if he doesn't lower interest rates.
DOJ is compromised, legacy media is cowed and Big Law is AWOL. As I wrote last year: "We are on our own."
DOJ is compromised, legacy media is cowed and Big Law is AWOL. As I wrote last year: "We are on our own."
We Are on Our Own
From Marc | Our institutions are not going to save us. Only we can do that.
www.democracydocket.com
January 12, 2026 at 1:01 AM
The president of the United States is extorting the Federal Reserve Board Chairman by threatening criminal prosecution if he doesn't lower interest rates.
DOJ is compromised, legacy media is cowed and Big Law is AWOL. As I wrote last year: "We are on our own."
DOJ is compromised, legacy media is cowed and Big Law is AWOL. As I wrote last year: "We are on our own."
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
January 11, 2026
January 11, 2026
The news has seemed to move more and more quickly in the last week.
heathercoxrichardson.substack.com
January 12, 2026 at 6:52 AM
January 11, 2026
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
Things are not going so well over at CBS News... Catch up on all the latest updates in our first "Today in Politics" bulletin of 2026: www.meidasplus.com/p/today-in-p...
January 2, 2026 at 11:47 PM
Things are not going so well over at CBS News... Catch up on all the latest updates in our first "Today in Politics" bulletin of 2026: www.meidasplus.com/p/today-in-p...
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
Unlike CBS, I believe that the media should take into account the perspectives of those advocating for free and fair elections. I started Democracy Docket to do just that -- provide you news, information and analysis of what is happening to democracy in court. Sign up now. hubs.ly/Q03M8rql0
January 3, 2026 at 12:09 AM
Unlike CBS, I believe that the media should take into account the perspectives of those advocating for free and fair elections. I started Democracy Docket to do just that -- provide you news, information and analysis of what is happening to democracy in court. Sign up now. hubs.ly/Q03M8rql0
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
January 2, 2026
January 2, 2026
Just after midnight on January 1, in a private ceremony in the long-closed former City Hall subway station in Manhattan, New York Attorney General Letitia James swore Zohran Mamdani into office as may...
heathercoxrichardson.substack.com
January 3, 2026 at 6:41 AM
January 2, 2026
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
BREAKING: The United States appears to have begun bombing Venezuela. Massive airstrikes are underway. War is here.
January 3, 2026 at 7:22 AM
BREAKING: The United States appears to have begun bombing Venezuela. Massive airstrikes are underway. War is here.
Reposted by M. E. Merrill
Goldman: This guy is so clearly trying to follow the Putin model—using the government to make money, making sure his allies control the most important companies in the country, including our media companies, doling out money by deregulating their industries, and taking money from them in return…
December 21, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Goldman: This guy is so clearly trying to follow the Putin model—using the government to make money, making sure his allies control the most important companies in the country, including our media companies, doling out money by deregulating their industries, and taking money from them in return…