Mark Stroup

"When I was an unhappy little boy, going to the library changed my life. It may even have saved it. Amazing as it sounds, literature can do that for you. Books are your ticket to the whole world. They're a free ticket to the entire earth." Billy Connolly

On World Book Day I’d like simply say that we need more libraries and book swaps. I’d like to see them everywhere. In every community, shopping centre, school, social club. Wherever we go. And they should be stocked with lots of brand new books as well as old ones.

Democracy doesn't defend itself — people do. Six years ago I built Democracy Docket to be that force. Now 400,000+ free subscribers and 60,000 paying members are part of a vibrant pro-democracy community. But we need you in this fight. Subscribe today. bit.ly/4qmEiFz

DHS nominee Markwayne Mullin is one of the most active stock-traders in the Senate — and violated the STOCK Act against insider trading as recently as last August.

He currently holds stock in L3Harris, which has millions in contracts with ICE and FEMA.

The grift continues.

A reminder: ICE didn't leave Minnesota. The media isn't covering it, but the U.S. government is still terrorizing its own people.

On NJ Transit on the way home and the train just died.

Just another day/reminder of how “the richest and most powerful nation in the world” cannot do mass transit.

We can afford a war and build concentration camps, but not mass transit.

Fuck @fetterman.senate.gov @johnfetterman.com

He makes Manchin and Sinema look like Che Guevara.

This is honestly one of the most anti-Jewish things I’ve ever seen from the United States government.

Today's abysmal jobs report is a reminder that tax cuts for corporations and the rich don’t create jobs or grow the economy.

What's required is investment in working people — and better wages.

When workers have money to spend, the economy grows and businesses create more jobs.

Remember this.

🎯🎯

Kristi Noem has committed the ultimate sin in an autocracy: She has drawn attention away from the Supreme Leader.

Yes, all of the other cabinet leaders also are incompetents, crooks, bullies and clowns, but she's made herself the story, so into the cornfield she will go.

this book is dedicated to the forces of darkness and the rulers of evil realms

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.

The List YouTube video by Jesse Welles

Can’t get enough of Jesse Welles.

youtu.be/KYbb_e6NHWU?...

Let me guess, wealthy people who moved to Dubai to avoid paying taxes now want the countries they moved from to protect them?

“I kept always two books in my pocket: one to read, one to write in.” — Robert Louis Stevenson

Preparation isn’t panic.
It’s leverage.
And a passport is the cleanest leverage available to you.
www.jackhopkinsnow.com

David Ellison will soon control CNN. In response, I wrote to Democracy Docket subscribers today about the importance and urgency of building a strong independent media ecosystem.

Whether it is Democracy Docket or another independent news outlet, please support one today. bit.ly/4qmEiFz

Weird they dragged in Hillary Clinton when there's another First Lady right there in the White House who actually knew Jeffrey Epstein.

@natefakes.bsky.social
🤭🤭🤭

The reason we're here is that tens of millions of people will punch a hole in a wall if they hear someone used food stamps to buy soda but they're fine if the right-wing podcaster turned fbi director uses his taxpayer funded private jet to go party whenever he feels like it bsky.app/profile/thed...

The Real Cost of Voter ID Laws — And Who Pays the Highest Price Read about the fight for democracy from activists, elected officials, legal experts and others.

Every eligible citizen should be able to vote without unnecessary barriers.

Voter ID laws undermine that principle by turning a right into a privilege that can be lost.

And who’s bearing the brunt of that cost? Those who’ve been historically disenfranchised.

Uncle Jeffy Tiedrich says today in his newsletter:

"Here’s one sure way you can tell you’re living in a shithole country: when the following two headlines appear one after another."

Good morning, farmers!

The first time a baby hears Pavarotti sing - “Nessun Dorma” YouTube video by Orson W

Same here - orchestral and operatic are fine - but they just DON'T GET THINGS DONE!

youtu.be/ZX6fsvXKw7M?...

🙂

This dude @rokhanna.bsky.social is out here making sense

This. I travelled to the US 21 times up to 2024. I had two trips planned for 2025, both of which I cancelled. Being thrown in a concentration camp is just not my idea of a fun holiday experience.

Fifty percent of marriages end in divorce; the other half end in the death of one or both of the significant parties.

Major European allies decline to join first meeting of Trump’s Board of Peace Dozens of world leaders head to Washington for what White House says will largely be a fundraiser on Thursday

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

The parallels with the League of Fiume are numerous. Gabrielle D’Annunzio was a drug addled politician. The proto-fascist D’Annunzio, Italy’s first “Duce”, created a movement to counter the League of Nations. H/t Mark Painter and historyofthetwentiethcentury.com

UK bank bosses plan to set up Visa and Mastercard alternative amid Trump fears Exclusive: First meeting to be held over domestic payments system aimed at reducing reliance on US networks

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

With more cards, I can have two wallets and look like I have an ass.