US Rep, IL-06. Engineer. Former CEO. Dad. Husband. Born at 326 ppm. Official tweets @RepCasten. Also: SeanCasten at Mastodon & Bluesky.
Downers Grove, IL
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"The best friend of a nation is he who most faithfully rebukes her for her sins—and he her worst enemy who, under the specious… garb of patriotism seeks to excuse, palliate or defend them." - Frederick Douglass
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Brave of you to stand up to a pair of shoes. Maybe one day you’ll stand up to the man who insulted your wife, your father and our country.
I love America. I stand for the anthem, respect the flag & honor the men & women who fought to defend our Nation. I respect Free Speech & I’m exerting mine: until @Nike ends its contempt for those values, I WILL NO LONGER PURCHASE NIKE PRODUCTS. #WalkAwayFromNike RT if you agree.
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Every elected @GOP official owns this moment. They elected him. They coddled him. They cowered before him. They refused to have witnesses at his trial. Given the opportunity to stand up, they sat down. How much must he break before they will put our country first?
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Facts:
Tylenol is safe.
Climate change is real.
Donald Trump is an embarrassment to the United States.
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Coffee prices are about to go up because Trump's feelings got hurt by a country he doesn't know how to spell.
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I want to quickly highlight a completely bonkers part of Trump's Project 2025 agenda relating to your salary and faith. You have to see this stuff in text to understand the degree to which these extreme MAGA types want to control your life.
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Waking up this morning to find out that an obese 78 year old adjudicated rapist and convicted felon simulated a sexual act on stage in the course of trying to be President. Zero respect for every one of my colleagues who continues to endorse him.
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You cannot repeal the first amendment by tweet. I know this because I watched Schoolhouse Rock.
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This is not about the merits of Iran’s nuclear program. No president has the authority to bomb another country that does not pose an imminent threat to the US without the approval of Congress. This is an unambiguous impeachable offense.
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Respect to the welcome my friends in the Mad River Valley gave to the Russian asset who came there to ski today. 1/3
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My overwhelming conclusion after the last few weeks' hearings is that the @GOP - in its current incarnation - is a fundamental threat to our democracy. Thread:
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My wife and I pay for life insurance even though we have never died. I pay for fire insurance even though my house has never burned down. That's not because we want to throw money at insurance companies. It's because THAT'S HOW INSURANCE WORKS.
Up to 40% of Obamacare enrollees never file a claim. That’s billions in taxpayer dollars flowing to insurance companies for people who don’t even use the system.
Republicans are committed to ending the fraud and making healthcare truly affordable.
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You have no idea how many ethics presentations we members sit through. This is not only TOTALLY illegal, but he knows it. This is brazen.
Sen. Graham: “I think people in South Carolina are excited about Judge Barrett. I don’t know how much it affected fundraising today, but if you want to help me close the gap…I think the contest in South Carolina has taken on sort of a national profile.”
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Imagine a world where Fox News praises the President for negotiating a deal that raised the price of oil by 24%. That of course, was what happened 2 years ago today, and we need to talk about it to understand the @GOP hypocrisy about today's gasoline prices. Thread:
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I don’t feel like we talk enough about the fact that Kavanaugh lied under oath to the United States Senate and the majority of United States Senators didn’t care.
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To all those saying "shouldn't we root out government inefficiency? What's wrong with DOGE?" a quick background on Constitutional law and why the WAY it is being violated exposes the true motives of the criminals:
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I’d be happy to take that bet. Try me.
Sarah Sanders claims members of Congress are too dumb to review Trump's tax returns
"Frankly, I don't think Congress, particularly not this group of congressmen & women, are smart enough to look through the thousands of pages... my guess is most of them don't do their own taxes"
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Brief thread on how we got here: Since the GOP won control of the House 2 years ago they have not passed a single appropriations package into law. Government has operated at funding levels set by Dems 2 years ago via continuing resolutions every few months. This is not normal.
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THE WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL IS NOT THE PRESIDENT'S LAWYER AND HE CANNOT CLAIM PRIVILEGE
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Because there seem to be some indignant folks suggesting that it is standard practice for a CEO to demand daily performance updates or else fire you, a few observations from a guy who spent 20 years in the private sector 16 as CEO and the last 6 in government…
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There is nothing good that comes from having a President of the United States who is gobsmackingly stupid, surrounded by obsequious courtiers and fellow morons. But the sooner we collectively acknowledge that truth, the sooner we can fix it.
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Portrait of a weak, sanctimonious political hack. rollingstone.com/politics/po…
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Measles kills. There were waves of polio epidemics from 1948 - 1955 when Trump was growing up. And the last time he was in office there were body bags in Central Park prior to the deployment of the COVID vaccine.
This is, quite literally a promise to kill kids.
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Trump's former spiritual advisor just admitted to molesting girls. He pardoned J6ers. His former lawyer was disbarred. And he's a 34 time convicted felon. But you go on, Marsha.
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It's hard to explain how dysfunctional the @HouseGOP is, and the degree to which their own internal divisions are superseding every normal function of government. But I'm going to try with a short story about this week in the house. Thread:
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If we have a close Presidential election in November, do you trust Mike Johnson to fairly certify the electoral college results next January 6?
Cause if you don't, this would be a good time to support Democratic House members & ensure Hakeem is holding the speaker's gavel.
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RFK Jr. is going to kill Americans. And every Senator who voted to confirm him is complicit. newrepublic.com/post/192059/…
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Just so we're clear: the Senator from Florida's first picks for Team Defend American Greatness included an Exxon CEO, a Goldman CEO, McConnell's wife, Bannon, Miller, Flynn, Gorka and some random Trump kids.
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I walk home every night after votes. Other than Jan 6, I've never felt unsafe in DC. Then again, I don't hang out with Gaetz, Jordan, nor the convicted felon at 1600 Pennsylvania. But if that's your statistical sample I can see how you might erroneously extrapolate this way.
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If McCarthy wins tonight, it will be because - on January 6, of all days - he put members who were implicated in J6 in positions of great power. Will the so-called "moderate" Rs object, or will they simply repeat the "silence of our friends" mistake they made 2 years ago?
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It seems a discussion is in order of the Laken Riley Act that I happily voted against on the House floor today. It is a bill that served no purpose than to stir up anger. But let’s quickly review why:
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Let’s talk a bit about Project 2025, the really unpopular guidebook to destroy American democracy that the Koch brothers, Leonard Leo, the Heritage Foundation and lots of Trumpified wing nuts are pushing - but Trump claims to know nothing about.
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1. First, they would eliminate overtime pay. You want to work the night shift to make more money? Too bad. Do you think your boss should pay you more if they make you work longer? Too bad.
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I would direct your attention to rule 26(a) of the House Republican Conference rules for the 118th Congress.
Hannity: Sources are telling me that some Republicans have been in contact with and has started an effort to draft former Trump to be the next speaker and I have been told that Trump might be open to helping the Republican party at least in the short term if necessary.
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Trump spent his first Thanksgiving after getting elected President with Jeffrey Epstein. 2017.
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Today, the @HouseGOP is bringing a bill to the floor to "denounce socialism in all it's forms". Let's unpack that: a bunch of people who have a taxpayer-funded job, many of whom have never worked a day in the private sector are denouncing socialism. Riiiiight. Brief thread:
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So the Supreme Court ruled against @GOPLeader and his 125 co-conspirators. That's good. But that does not exonerate them. Attempting to destroy our democracy is not excusable just because they failed.
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So it's gonna be forever
Or it's gonna go down in flames
You can tell me when it's over, mm
If the high was worth the pain
Got a long list of ex-lovers
They'll tell you I'm insane
'Cause you know I love the players
And you love the game
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If you are a Senator right now confirming ANY Trump nominee who will not unambiguously defend their oath to the Constitution even if that means standing up to Trump you are completely misunderstanding the risk of this moment.
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I cannot stress this enough - so many of the people in the Trump WH, including Trump himself would NEVER pass even the most rudimentary background checks. They have access to intel only because the Senate Republicans confirmed their incompetencies
Wow. So @JeffreyGoldberg says he got an inside look into a sensitive policy discussion regarding the Houthis between Mike Waltz, Pete Hegseth, JD Vance, and other senior officials because he was accidentally invited to a Signal group chat they used to discuss operational planning.
"What I will say, in order to illustrate the shocking recklessness of this Signal conversation, is that the Hegseth post contained operational details of forthcoming strikes on Yemen, including information about targets, weapons the U.S. would be deploying, and attack sequencing." theatlantic.com/politics/arc…
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So House Republicans voted on a budget tonight that would cut ~$800B+ from Medicaid. Among other things, but it’s important to understand how much that will hurt every single one of us. (Spoiler: they know all of this - but they hate you.)
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This is the kind of nonsense that happens when you replace a political party with a clown show. Let’s unpack this a bit:
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Dude. You are in the majority. Either you have the votes or you’ll have to work with us instead of trying to jam your hateful policy priorities on us. But don’t blame us for your failure to (a) manage your caucus, (b) stand up to Trump and (c) work across the aisle.
Washington Democrats are now officially threatening a government shutdown unless they get:
➡️ Reinstatement of FREE health insurance for ILLEGAL ALIENS
➡️ $500 million for LIBERAL news outlets and other partisan priorities
➡️ Totaling a massive $1.5 TRILLION spending HIKE tacked onto a simple CR
The American people see through this obvious stunt.
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16. PLEASE @HouseGOP. Grow up. Stop fighting with your brother and sister in the backseat. Either act like the adults you claim to be or at least have the dignity to go to your room so the adults can babysit your sorry selves. Too much is at stake. /fin
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My favorite part all all this Noem silliness is that SHE NARRATED THE AUDIOBOOK VERSION. “As soon as this was brought my attention” was after she read the whole damned thing out loud.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Did you meet Kim Jong Un?
KRISTI NOEM: As soon as this was brought to my attention, I made some changes and looked at this passage
BRENNAN: So you did not meet with Kim Jong Un?
NOEM: I've met with many world leaders. I'm not going to talk about specifics.
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McConnell abused the filibuster to make America worse. Schumer is refusing to use the filibuster to... accomplish what, exactly?
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I was just evacuated from the @dccc office after the building was surrounded by protestors who had blocked all modes of ingress and egress. Grateful to Capitol Police for getting all members and staff out safely. To the protestors: PLEASE don’t do something irresponsible /1
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4. This however raises a separate problem. Because you may recall that the Old testament predates the New testament. And the word "sabbath" comes from the Hebrew word "shabbat" which means "Saturday". Which is not the Christian sabbath day.
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2. BUT... this runs afoul of their commitment to there being only one true religion (e.g., Christianity) which they want to impose on all Americans. You know the whole on-the-seventh-day-God-rested bit.
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Stephen Miller is trying to provoke people into responding to the government's unlawful use of force because he wants his own Reichstag Fire. This is an old, and very dangerous playbook. Take video. Resist peacefully. But don't give these fascists what they want.
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This is mass murder on a scale we haven't seen in generations. Trump did this. Musk did this. The SCOTUS that allowed these cuts to congressionally mandated programs and an acquiescent @GOP did this. It's sickening. newyorker.com/culture/the-ne…
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3. So they add-back time-and-a-half pay IF you are compelled to work on the Christian sabbath.
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8. As for me, I still think freedom of religion is a pretty good thing. As is an honest salary for an honest day's work. If you feel the same way, be sure not to vote to folks who are committed to taking it away. /fin
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1. First, if you think that government employees aren’t already setting goals, doing performance reviews and being held accountable.. they are. And if you’ve ever lamented that the gov’t has too much bureaucracy - HR is a part of that bureaucracy!
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The gentlelady from NY seems to have forgotten about body bags in Central Park, a collapsing economy, loss of faith in US democracy around the world and a tax-dodging, COVID-denying rapist President who was preparing his final act of sedition.
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These images from Brazil, almost 2 years to the day after January 6 are really hard to watch. Democracy is not "normal" - it requires vigilance and a commitment to equality for all, even when the oppressors have the arms...
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Since 1989, there have been 6 Presidents: 3 R and 3 D. We've created over 50 million jobs during that period. 49 million of them were created under Democratic Presidents. That's not a coincidence. cnbc.com/2024/02/02/us-econo…
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Please, everyone. Check your politics at the door. Firing people who are responsible for guarding our nuclear arsenal is a massive and irreversible catastrophe waiting to happen. Call your GOP rep, tell them to grow a f-ing spine. Scream from the rooftops while you still can.
DEVELOPING: As part of sweeping cuts, the Trump administration has terminated around 300 employees at the agency responsible for maintaining America's nuclear weapons arsenal and combating nuclear terrorism.
More on today's mass firings here:
npr.org/2025/02/13/nx-s1-529…
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This is a payday to 8 specific Senators: Blackburn, Tuberville, Graham, Hagerty, Hawley, Sullivan. Johnson and Lummis, for no reason other than that they did enough suspicious stuff on Jan 6 to have their phone records subpoenaed. That’s what Republicans are fighting for tonight.
Neguse: I think it is outrageous for these Republican senators to effectively guarantee themselves million-dollar paydays, a provision in this bill that very clearly applies to them. The removal of all relevant immunity defenses on the part of the United States government. This is insanity to allow this provision to go forward
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This was in the Inflation Reduction Act. Passed under Biden. Every Republican, including Senator Vance voted against it. How many of his other life choices is he ashamed of?
Vance: Donald Trump’s record on healthcare was so good that the main thing Kamala Harris talks about was actually an achievement of Donald Trump which is getting insulin down to $35. Thank Donald Trump for that. Don’t let Kamala Harris lie and take credit for it
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I’ve no doubt that this self-sanctified Speaker tried to take advantage of a medical situation rather than allow democracy to play out. But it’s also true that a guy who thinks the universe is 6000 years old might not be very good at basic math.
Speaker Mike Johnson says he was counting on a Democrat to be in surgery during his failed impeachment efforts
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5. They then used the first 20 days of that 45 day period to fight over a new speaker. Should we pick someone who hates gay people, fought to overturn the election or creeps on his son's porn? It took a while, but the @HouseGOP finally said YES to all three.
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OPEC's slash in oil production this week should be called out for what it is: an attempt to enhance Russia's ability to wage an illegal war against Ukraine, and an attempt to meddle in US politics. It is time for us to reconsider our military support for the region. Thread:
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These are the words of a mad king. They are not the words of someone who cherishes and defends the separation of powers innate to our Constitution. You’re smart enough to know better, JD. You’re just too cowardly to stand up to Trump & Musk.
If a judge tried to tell a general how to conduct a military operation, that would be illegal.
If a judge tried to command the attorney general in how to use her discretion as a prosecutor, that's also illegal.
Judges aren't allowed to control the executive's legitimate power.
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Two true things.
1. Marjorie is crazy and has no greater ambition than self-promotion.
2. She has a keen understanding of where the Republican base is, and moves there before her other colleagues do.
(1) is why I don’t trust her. (2) is why Trump is scared of her.
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Trump’s Project 2025 has some VERY creepy surveillance ideas about women’s pregnancies. Read this passage carefully (from page 455 of their plan).
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5. So, if you can PROVE a "sincere religious observance" (Pastafarians may have to rally to define that legal term in court) then you can shift to a different day.
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If you care about the planet. If you care about US leadership. If you care about our children. If you care about affordable energy. If you care about our democracy. Then it's time to mobilize. So, so much is at stake. Thread: nytimes.com/2021/10/15/clima…
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It is HIGHLY unlikely that Scott Perry would pass the background check required if he were to apply for a junior job at the FBI. And yet the @HouseGOP just assigned him to the Intel Committee. This is not good. politico.com/live-updates/20…
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Nancy Mace filmed that video. And she then chose to share it. Whatever else you take of it, that is really weird and insecure behavior from a sitting member of Congress.
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Thanks @tedlieu. It turns out that when you cap the SALT deduction people’s taxes go up. Voters in #IL06 were smart enough to figure that out back in November. I bet they could help @presssec understand her boss’ taxes too.
To my friend Rep @SeanCasten, White House @PressSec Sarah Sanders thinks we are too stupid to understand taxes. Maybe she's right because I don't understand why the @GOP tax law increased taxes on middle class families in my district. Can you help me understand?
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7. You really should read the whole bonkers document for yourself. This is the @GOP agenda if they win in November. (The above sections on page 589). documentcloud.org/documents/…
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6. But then they add a further carve out that if your job requires you to work on the sabbath day (however defined), you still don't overtime pay. Which subgroup apparently includes (but is not limited to) all who work at houses of worship, firemen, police and hospitals.
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15. Because if they can't get their s**t together, 8 days from now soldiers, air traffic controllers, food safety inspectors, IRS agents, border patrol... all go without pay. Some will be furloughed. Food, heating, housing assistance. Every government function.
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2/ To be sure, there are many good members of the @GOP. But they are silent in this moment, and to be silent is to be complicit.
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The fact that the heads of the CIA, DNI, NSA, State, Defense and VPOTUS were all on this chat and never interjected to say "Team, WTF are you doing? This is not a secure channel and these conversations do not happen here" is a damning indictment of their fitness for service.
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I've been reluctant to say this. But I may have less respect for Mike Johnson than I ever had for Kevin McCarthy.
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2. For context, when Dems had the majority we got all our appropriations done by August 1 so the Senate could finalize and POTUS could sign. @HouseGOP still hasn't done that.
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13. These things aren't urgent. They aren't helpful. And they aren't going to become law (See: laws require Senate + POTUS approval). But they keep the idiot wing of the @HouseGOP from turning on their rookie manager. And waste 435 people's time on the House floor.
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12. And Kevin Roberts is the guy who recently suggested that the Project 2025 agenda will be "bloodless if the left allows it to be." These are neither good, nor patriotic, nor peaceful people. /fin (for real this time.) thehill.com/homenews/campaig…
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I am often critical of the @HouseGOP for their incompetence, absence of any abiding moral compass and hostility to democracy. But this week, they deserve praise for their nationwide message discipline during “anti-woke week”. Thread:
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The Constitution affords every American the right to due process and a protection from unreasonable search and seizure of your private property. The Roberts court has decided you don't have those rights if you look Spanish. This is disgusting. nytimes.com/2025/09/08/us/po…
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Postscript: in the private sector analogy you should also assume that your new CEO is a easily-manipulable, sundowning narcissist who spends all his time with a Ketamine junkie who has billions of dollars of contracts with your org.
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9. Note: ALL of these bills violate the law we passed last June. But having discovered that Ds won't vote to break the law, they are trying to pass these with all R votes. But they're big mad at each other so even that's not possible.
With 9 days to go until a government shutdown, House Republicans are bringing a bill to the floor that would defund the ability of regulators to develop consistent climate accounting rules.
Science is real. We have serious challenges. Let's stop wasting our time and get to work.
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14. And so now we are 7 days from a shutdown. Still no path to fund. Still no sign of anyone in the @HouseGOP willing to stand up to their extreme fringe. Still no discernible leadership talents from their new Speaker. Right now it's annoying. But in 8 days, its disastrous.
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7. The hubris that Musk & Trump have to do this is one thing. Their fundamental insecurity, failing to trust anyone junior to them who is more than an order-taker is something else. But it is how you create more bureaucracy, not more efficiency.
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Record-setting crowds at Four Seasons Total Landscaping today. Biggest ever at that location.
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3. Third, today’s bill would have made it deportable not to be *convicted* of a felony but simply to have been charged with a felony. That completely eliminates due process. And worse puts vulnerable people in even more tenuous circumstances.
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4. By contrast, the straight 45 day continuing resolution that cost McCarthy his job was legal (in the sense that it did not violate the June agreement and bought us time to do so). OBEYING THE LAW WAS A RED-LINE FOR THE @HOUSEGOP. So they fired McCarthy.
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4. Which brings to the first problem with Trump/Musks missive. The arrogance. If you’re working in a national lab, you set your goals with a research director whose goals are set by the lab director who reports up through undersecretaries, ultimately to Wright and then to POTUS.
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