Nico B.
@sneakynics.bsky.social
Litigator in Los Angeles | Left-Liberal | Political VP for Stonewall Democratic Club 🏳️🌈
Reposted by Nico B.
The powerful executives who cozied up to Trump didn't oops accidentally forget about pendulum swings. They either:
1) Like the fascism
2) Calculated it was here to stay, so going along was savvy
3) Saw no real downside, no consequences when the pendulum swung
Crucial to show them 3 was a mistake
1) Like the fascism
2) Calculated it was here to stay, so going along was savvy
3) Saw no real downside, no consequences when the pendulum swung
Crucial to show them 3 was a mistake
That this is in THE WASHINGTON POST is almost too much irony to bear.
October 26, 2026 at 2:59 PM
The powerful executives who cozied up to Trump didn't oops accidentally forget about pendulum swings. They either:
1) Like the fascism
2) Calculated it was here to stay, so going along was savvy
3) Saw no real downside, no consequences when the pendulum swung
Crucial to show them 3 was a mistake
1) Like the fascism
2) Calculated it was here to stay, so going along was savvy
3) Saw no real downside, no consequences when the pendulum swung
Crucial to show them 3 was a mistake
Reposted by Nico B.
Reposted by Nico B.
A pro-life white woman ruling that a law officer was justified in killing a Black baby seated in his mother’s lap, shooting her as well because of suspicion of stealing diapers is as accurate of a summation of how the US has historically wielded its institutions against Blackfolk as I can think of.
JUST IN: The police shooting that killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley as he sat in his mother’s lap in a Walmart parking lot in Senatobia, Miss., in June “was justified,” Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s office said on Monday.
Her office will not charge the white officer who shot the child.
Her office will not charge the white officer who shot the child.
Kohen Wiley Shooting ‘Was Justified,’ Mississippi AG Says
The police shooting that killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley as he sat in his mother’s lap in a Walmart parking lot in Senatobia, Miss., in June “was justified,” Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s…
www.mississippifreepress.org
October 19, 2026 at 11:38 PM
A pro-life white woman ruling that a law officer was justified in killing a Black baby seated in his mother’s lap, shooting her as well because of suspicion of stealing diapers is as accurate of a summation of how the US has historically wielded its institutions against Blackfolk as I can think of.
Reposted by Nico B.
Does it make sense to deport a man who overstayed a visa but otherwise has no criminal record when his deportation means shutting down a food pantry that serves meals to 7,000-8,000 needy people a month?
Does choosing not to exercise discretion in his case make America greater?
Does choosing not to exercise discretion in his case make America greater?
October 19, 2026 at 11:39 AM
Does it make sense to deport a man who overstayed a visa but otherwise has no criminal record when his deportation means shutting down a food pantry that serves meals to 7,000-8,000 needy people a month?
Does choosing not to exercise discretion in his case make America greater?
Does choosing not to exercise discretion in his case make America greater?
Reposted by Nico B.
when critics of bari weiss say that she is not a journalist, we mean that literally. she does not respect or even appear to understand the values of the profession. everything for her is propaganda. www.semafor.com/article/10/1...
Exclusive: How CBS News’ Middle East war spread to the Upper Midwest
Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss has personally advocated for CBS News journalists to pursue numerous story angles related to Abdul El-Sayed’s supposed sympathy towards the Muslim Brotherhood.
www.semafor.com
October 19, 2026 at 11:09 AM
when critics of bari weiss say that she is not a journalist, we mean that literally. she does not respect or even appear to understand the values of the profession. everything for her is propaganda. www.semafor.com/article/10/1...
Reposted by Nico B.
"Nineteen deciding votes for Trump nominees and none against" just about sums Collins up. Whenever Republicans actually need her vote, she's there.
October 14, 2026 at 10:36 PM
"Nineteen deciding votes for Trump nominees and none against" just about sums Collins up. Whenever Republicans actually need her vote, she's there.
Reposted by Nico B.
If you understand that political antisemitism was not just the hatred of the Jew qua Jew, but an entire worldview in which the Jew stands in for border-crossing cosmopolitan ideologies that threaten the nation-state, then you understand why the Israeli right had to reinvent it from first principles.
October 12, 2026 at 1:22 AM
If you understand that political antisemitism was not just the hatred of the Jew qua Jew, but an entire worldview in which the Jew stands in for border-crossing cosmopolitan ideologies that threaten the nation-state, then you understand why the Israeli right had to reinvent it from first principles.
Reposted by Nico B.
I’ve got a piece in the @nytimes.com this morning about why Supreme Court reform has to be at the top of any agenda for democratic repair
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/13/o...
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/13/o...
Opinion | Democrats Need a Plan for Supreme Court Reform. Here’s a Start. (Gift Article)
Why Democrats must prioritize court reform.
www.nytimes.com
October 13, 2026 at 11:24 AM
I’ve got a piece in the @nytimes.com this morning about why Supreme Court reform has to be at the top of any agenda for democratic repair
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/13/o...
www.nytimes.com/2026/10/13/o...
Reposted by Nico B.
The "first-daughter effect" found in many Western countries also appears in Japan.
Using survey data from 2000 to 2018, Chiba & Ono demonstrate that raising daughters can reshape core political attitudes among Japanese fathers.
Read now: doi.org/10.1093/poq/...
Using survey data from 2000 to 2018, Chiba & Ono demonstrate that raising daughters can reshape core political attitudes among Japanese fathers.
Read now: doi.org/10.1093/poq/...
October 12, 2026 at 5:46 PM
The "first-daughter effect" found in many Western countries also appears in Japan.
Using survey data from 2000 to 2018, Chiba & Ono demonstrate that raising daughters can reshape core political attitudes among Japanese fathers.
Read now: doi.org/10.1093/poq/...
Using survey data from 2000 to 2018, Chiba & Ono demonstrate that raising daughters can reshape core political attitudes among Japanese fathers.
Read now: doi.org/10.1093/poq/...
Reposted by Nico B.
In my mind the defining feature of Trump II is that is ✨actually✨ a kakistocracy.
RFK Jr and Russ Vought have very little in common politically, but they do share one essential quality: they are absolutely the worst person alive for the jobs they have.
RFK Jr and Russ Vought have very little in common politically, but they do share one essential quality: they are absolutely the worst person alive for the jobs they have.
This is right. Trump II is the worst administration in our history because Trump has no ideology beyond "evil" and is too lazy to govern, so he hands his power to whoever wants it.
Every flavor of evil shows up, and each one gets the job where it can do the most damage.
Every flavor of evil shows up, and each one gets the job where it can do the most damage.
it’s a good distinction and an excellent summary you’ve got there. it’s not that he expressly follows any codified ideology, it’s that he only has his baser instincts and he’s drawn an audience of people that consider hemming to that baser instinct foundational out of the woodwork.
October 11, 2026 at 8:59 PM
In my mind the defining feature of Trump II is that is ✨actually✨ a kakistocracy.
RFK Jr and Russ Vought have very little in common politically, but they do share one essential quality: they are absolutely the worst person alive for the jobs they have.
RFK Jr and Russ Vought have very little in common politically, but they do share one essential quality: they are absolutely the worst person alive for the jobs they have.
Reposted by Nico B.
This is a ‘good strategy’ in game theory terms if you assume Trump will punish you for not rolling over and showing deference and democrats won’t. Democrats should think about altering those incentives.
October 9, 2026 at 9:32 PM
This is a ‘good strategy’ in game theory terms if you assume Trump will punish you for not rolling over and showing deference and democrats won’t. Democrats should think about altering those incentives.
Reposted by Nico B.
like, this isn’t even an “AI could create that much value” versus “no it can’t” argument - let’s grant the premise, let’s say it does
in that world, with these people in charge, unemployment and poverty explode and no safety net is built to handle it
in that world, with these people in charge, unemployment and poverty explode and no safety net is built to handle it
October 8, 2026 at 6:17 PM
like, this isn’t even an “AI could create that much value” versus “no it can’t” argument - let’s grant the premise, let’s say it does
in that world, with these people in charge, unemployment and poverty explode and no safety net is built to handle it
in that world, with these people in charge, unemployment and poverty explode and no safety net is built to handle it
Reposted by Nico B.
the funny thing about this of course is that "athenian democracy" was a cautionary tale to the framers, who saw it as unstable and prone to demagogues and tyrants like the one rubio works for
October 8, 2026 at 11:35 AM
the funny thing about this of course is that "athenian democracy" was a cautionary tale to the framers, who saw it as unstable and prone to demagogues and tyrants like the one rubio works for
Reposted by Nico B.
Seems like if you're going to make a national story out of Hasan Piker, who campaigned a few times with the Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan, saying Israel causes antisemitism, you should also make a national story out of the favorite intellectual of the US Vice President supporting Hitler.
October 5, 2026 at 10:31 PM
Seems like if you're going to make a national story out of Hasan Piker, who campaigned a few times with the Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan, saying Israel causes antisemitism, you should also make a national story out of the favorite intellectual of the US Vice President supporting Hitler.
Reposted by Nico B.
Let books be.
Today kicks off #BannedBooksWeek, an annual observation started more than 40 years ago in response to a sudden surge in attempts to censor or remove books in libraries, schools, and bookstores. Sound familiar?
Find ways to get involved and spread the word: https://bit.ly/4yvixbB.
Today kicks off #BannedBooksWeek, an annual observation started more than 40 years ago in response to a sudden surge in attempts to censor or remove books in libraries, schools, and bookstores. Sound familiar?
Find ways to get involved and spread the word: https://bit.ly/4yvixbB.
October 4, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Let books be.
Today kicks off #BannedBooksWeek, an annual observation started more than 40 years ago in response to a sudden surge in attempts to censor or remove books in libraries, schools, and bookstores. Sound familiar?
Find ways to get involved and spread the word: https://bit.ly/4yvixbB.
Today kicks off #BannedBooksWeek, an annual observation started more than 40 years ago in response to a sudden surge in attempts to censor or remove books in libraries, schools, and bookstores. Sound familiar?
Find ways to get involved and spread the word: https://bit.ly/4yvixbB.
Reposted by Nico B.
Remarkable: an industry that is dying because it can't compete in the market writes a Republican president, asking him to keep the industry alive by brute force, and he says, ok.
What would it take for the GOP to lose its reputation as the "free market" party? Seriously, what would it take?
What would it take for the GOP to lose its reputation as the "free market" party? Seriously, what would it take?
The Coal Industry Asked for a Rescue. Trump Obliged.
In a previously unreported letter, a top lobbyist floated the idea of using emergency powers to keep aging coal plants open.
www.nytimes.com
October 4, 2026 at 6:08 PM
Remarkable: an industry that is dying because it can't compete in the market writes a Republican president, asking him to keep the industry alive by brute force, and he says, ok.
What would it take for the GOP to lose its reputation as the "free market" party? Seriously, what would it take?
What would it take for the GOP to lose its reputation as the "free market" party? Seriously, what would it take?
Reposted by Nico B.
Endless corruption.
October 3, 2026 at 12:45 PM
Endless corruption.
Reposted by Nico B.
The part that struck me was their insistence that they know the kids at the UT game "aren't assimilated" because despite being at a football game and having the same shitty fashion sense and the same goofy hand gestures as white fans, they still look Indian. Gives the game away.
October 2, 2026 at 2:13 PM
The part that struck me was their insistence that they know the kids at the UT game "aren't assimilated" because despite being at a football game and having the same shitty fashion sense and the same goofy hand gestures as white fans, they still look Indian. Gives the game away.
Reposted by Nico B.
i think cox should spend less time weeping about polarization and more time working to convince his co-partisans not to abandon pluralism and liberal democracy
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has emerged as a prominent voice calling on Americans to step back from the political hostility gripping the country. The Republican governor is expanding on that message in a new book. https://to.pbs.org/3VmTJnx
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on his blueprint for depolarizing a fractured nation
In the aftermath of the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox emerged as a prominent voice calling on Americans to step back from the political hatred and violence gripping the country. Now, the Republican governor ...
to.pbs.org
October 1, 2026 at 11:34 AM
i think cox should spend less time weeping about polarization and more time working to convince his co-partisans not to abandon pluralism and liberal democracy
Reposted by Nico B.
Whenever you see a pollster or consultant give a take like this, it’s always worth following the money. In this case, Emanuel has paid Anzalone’s firm nearly $300k (maybe more but that’s what I found so far).
A consultant class is devouring the Dem Party
www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisc...
A consultant class is devouring the Dem Party
www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisc...
September 28, 2026 at 3:52 PM
Whenever you see a pollster or consultant give a take like this, it’s always worth following the money. In this case, Emanuel has paid Anzalone’s firm nearly $300k (maybe more but that’s what I found so far).
A consultant class is devouring the Dem Party
www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisc...
A consultant class is devouring the Dem Party
www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisc...
Reposted by Nico B.
Among other things abstaining *makes a national GAC ban much more likely* and Dems losing to frothing bigots is going to pressure candidates to move right, not left
Worse now, worse next time
Worse now, worse next time
September 25, 2026 at 3:36 PM
Among other things abstaining *makes a national GAC ban much more likely* and Dems losing to frothing bigots is going to pressure candidates to move right, not left
Worse now, worse next time
Worse now, worse next time
Reposted by Nico B.
This miracle is the fruit of generations of enormous and bipartisan investments of public research support for our universities.
Future versions of this miracle are what we are currently losing, due to the US Administration’s decision to shatter the public’s partnership with our universities. 
Future versions of this miracle are what we are currently losing, due to the US Administration’s decision to shatter the public’s partnership with our universities. 
A cancer vaccine succeeded in a clinical trial in preventing the recurrence of melanoma, a result experts say is a breakthrough for mRNA-based treatments.
Trials for lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and other diseases' vaccines are also underway.
Trials for lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and other diseases' vaccines are also underway.
A melanoma vaccine was hailed as a breakthrough. Which cancers are next?
Trials investigating mRNA vaccines for lung cancer, pancreatic cancer and other diseases are already underway.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 19, 2026 at 10:48 PM
This miracle is the fruit of generations of enormous and bipartisan investments of public research support for our universities.
Future versions of this miracle are what we are currently losing, due to the US Administration’s decision to shatter the public’s partnership with our universities. 
Future versions of this miracle are what we are currently losing, due to the US Administration’s decision to shatter the public’s partnership with our universities. 
Reposted by Nico B.
New: Macklemore will donate entire $1M of his earnings from Ed Sheeran's tour to six orgs helping Palestinians — and invites Robert Kraft to match him.
Says he wants to center Palestinians being killed + journalists & aid workers who keep going.
"Their risk is of a far different order than mine."
Says he wants to center Palestinians being killed + journalists & aid workers who keep going.
"Their risk is of a far different order than mine."
September 16, 2026 at 8:33 PM
New: Macklemore will donate entire $1M of his earnings from Ed Sheeran's tour to six orgs helping Palestinians — and invites Robert Kraft to match him.
Says he wants to center Palestinians being killed + journalists & aid workers who keep going.
"Their risk is of a far different order than mine."
Says he wants to center Palestinians being killed + journalists & aid workers who keep going.
"Their risk is of a far different order than mine."
Reposted by Nico B.
One side of this war has an elected legislature but it doesn't really have any power compared to the supreme leader and the council of guardian jurists, and the other is Iran.
September 16, 2026 at 4:46 AM
One side of this war has an elected legislature but it doesn't really have any power compared to the supreme leader and the council of guardian jurists, and the other is Iran.
Reposted by Nico B.
Garcia: There’s a group of Jeffrey Epstein’s survivors that are here in Dallas. And the survivors are saying that they are also disgusted that Todd Blanche is out there giving speeches while refusing criminal convictions, while refusing to release the rest of the files.
September 10, 2026 at 4:46 PM
Garcia: There’s a group of Jeffrey Epstein’s survivors that are here in Dallas. And the survivors are saying that they are also disgusted that Todd Blanche is out there giving speeches while refusing criminal convictions, while refusing to release the rest of the files.