toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton
New England birder, hiker, photographer, lover of the ocean. 50 years of left activism; family ties to Nantucket & NH. Fisheries expert and journalist. Founder SeafoodNews.com. My anti Zionist Judaism demands justice for Palestinians and all peoples.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton40 Years ago Carl Sagan knew about Climate change and he was so aware of it's impact on Nature more than us we do right now.
- hundreds turned out for May Day rally in Lexington with @lexingtonalarm.bsky.social, @indivisiblelab.bsky.social and others to build #resistance in #lexington and everywhere else. can’t stop won’t stop until we put tyrants and dictators under our feet where they belong. #nokings #mayday #lexington
- This is the sign over 700 people in Lexington MA displayed during patriots day, April 19th,
- Same story across the world. Shin Bet chief says Netanyahu wanted him to commit to him personally rather than the Supreme Court. Laws not men is what every civic democrat needs to be fighting for. www.timesofisrael.com/bar-says-net...
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton16/ I believe those three steps, taken together, will arrest Trump's assault. But if it doesn't, then civil disobedience. And this conversation will need to happen sooner than we would like. We still have the power, but we have less time than most think.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton15/ Third, through risk taking by political leaders. No citizen will take the risk to mobilize if leaders are playing it safe. This means speaking daily truth to the regime and taking tactical risks (like voting against the CR or boycotting the SOTU would have been).
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton14/ Second, through mass mobilization. When hundreds of thousands of people rally against this kind of assault on democracy, history shows it works. There is a strange, magic power to mass activation which makes supporters of the regime start to jump ship.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton13/ How do we stop it? First, though solidarity. Each set of institutions can't let the regime pick one off from each others. The legal profession failed miserably at this this, but the universities can model a collective strategy to fight back and win.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton12/ They just have to be weakened enough so the tools of accountability don't work anymore. The press can't tell enough truth. The lawyers won't protect our rights. Campus protest disappears. Opposition funding dries up. We still have elections. But the regime always wins.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton11/ This is all happening so fast it's hard for the public to see it all as part of one plan. But it is. And the press, lawyers, colleges and opposition political groups don't have to be DESTROYED in order for this plan to work.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton10/ ELEMENT 6: Cut Off Funding for the Opposition Autocrats like Orban allow the opposition to exist, but starve it. Trump is moving to shut down non-profits and donor collectives that oppose his policies; and ActBlue, the way $$ flow to Democrats.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton9/ ELEMENT 5: Silence the Private Sector The tariffs are a means to force every business to get on Trump's good side (ie zero public dissent) in exchange for relief. The withholding of federal funds from non-profits forces these orgs to stay quiet too.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton8/ ELEMENT 4: Silence the Universities Two things happen on university campuses: youth protest and the guarding of objective truth. Neither are allowed in an autocracy. Thus, Trump's illegal campaign to force campuses to crush dissent.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton7/ ELEMENT 3: Silence the Protectors of the Rule of Law. In free societies, lawyers guard our rights. Despots can more easily trample our rights if the lawyers are silenced. That's why Trump is forcing the big firms to sign effective loyalty oaths.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton6/ ELEMENT 2: Silence the Press Trump does this in two ways. First, co-opt the owners of the press (Bezos, Zuckerberg, Musk, etc.). Second, through harassment (eg AP and "Gulf of America" or FCC investigations).
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton5/ ELEMENT 1: The Legitimization of Political Violence Every good authoritarian uses the threat of violence to keep critics silent. That's what the Jan. 6 pardons are about. Lisa Murkowski's public worries this week about "retaliation" are chilling.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton4/ The modern, time-tested way to destroy a democracy is NOT a coup or burning down the Parliament or a public confrontation with the judiciary. It's a slow methodical campaign to weaken the structures of accountability necessary for the political opposition to win elections.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton3/ MAGA doesn't want democracy because they want power forever. But also to get away with the thievery and corruption. A true democracy would hold Trump accountable for the mass scale corruption - the crypto coin, the insider trading, the Musk self dealing etc.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton2/ First, just know that MAGA has given up on democracy. Wish it weren't true but it is. They would rather MAGA rule forever than run a fair election where a Democrat might win. This isn't some vengeance campaign. It's a brazen effort to end democracy.
- Chris Murphy Explains How to Fight - and why our mobilizing around No Kings No Tyranny on Patriots Day in Lexington was important. lexingtonalarm.org
- @maddow.msnbc.com re your lead tonight. Entire town in Lexington expressing “No King! No Tyranny” and “In America the Law is King” with huge distribution of signs for April 19th. Check out lexingtonalarm.org. The spontaneous local community event came together in just 3 weeks. Worth a story.
- ICE being honest about their mission: Stopping Ideas at the Border. Next step: Stopping Ideas within the US. Pure totalitarianism. Fight Back with everything everywhere all at once. Each action begets more actions.@swingbluealliance.org @maddow.msnbc.com #teslatakedown @50501movement.bsky.social
- The wall of signs in boston was even more amazing. this is the granary burying ground containing graves of Paul Revere John Hancock and Sam Adams. the woman in the red coat and her partner made all of these using foam core grey paint and carving . they were amazing. @swingbluealliance.org
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sacktonWith Yoon removed from office today, by my count that makes 34 democratic leaders convicted since 2010. Only one—Trump—faced no real consequences. Trump's actions weren't uncommon. What was exceptional was how our institutions failed to hold him accountable.
- One of my favorite signs from Boston today.. fantastic energy, friendly crowd from 25.000 to 100,000 depending on different sources. Hands Off Penguins. Flippers Up. #handsoff, @maddow.msnbc.com
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sacktonFrance’s institutions defended its democracy, upholding the law. South Korea’s institutions defended its democracy, upholding the law. Brazil’s institutions defended its democracy, upholding the law. Only America’s decided a criminal must be allowed to break its laws and destroy its democracy.
- RFK killing thousands of Americans to feed his ego. Great end to the Kennedy Clan.
- April 5th Rally in Boston and elsewhere. Fight the Dictator. Join Me www.mobilize.us/handsoff/eve...
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sacktonWhy waste time briefing Elon Musk, when you could just share America's most sensitive military secrets with the Chinese government directly?
- Mike Lawler #ny17 is a deadman walking after only SSA office in his district shut down on his vote. I hope his constituents eat him alive. I say to all you hypocrites who praise Musk and then whine when the blood hits you in the face, get the fuck out of Dodge.
- great energy today at Watertown Tesla service. about 100 people on all 4 corners of intersection. 10-12pm #teslatakedown #stopthecoup
- “They Have Nothing”. Time for a new plan to fight. Dems no better than Columbia…Weakness breeds Weakness. I am getting off that train
- "Mr. Schumer's stated approach of waiting for Trump to 'screw up' and continue this inexplicable embrace of the slippery slope is wholly inadequate and an astonishing failure of leadership." charlotteclymer.substack.com/p/its-time-f...
- The Senate is collapsing. Dems must vote no with no tricks.. no cloture, no cr; no amendments that fail; no messaging. Use your power or lose it. it’s your only chance. @schumer.senate.gov @sanders.senate.gov @murray.senate.gov @warren.senate.gov @schiff.senate.gov @chrismurphyct.bsky.soc
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sacktonWW2 poster from the United States Sabotage, Bigotry, Foreign Propaganda, pushing over America's pillars: Justice, Equality, Unity, and Liberty
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sacktonThe big question on serious thinkers' minds is, “Are we more like Russia in 1999, 2004, or 2012?” Instead of being spurred into action by that shocking question, too many of us feel like Trump’s opponents on the debate stage—waiting for everyone else to get it together and stop him.
- Going to my local #teslatakedown peaceful protest Saturday. I love the sight of rattled billionaires lying faster and faster as they and their companies sink.!! Join us at www.teslatakedown.com
- Don’t cave to Elon Musk. Unless you vote no on the continuing resolution he will nullify every dem vote and our sovereignty. This is your only chance. Pick up your power and use it. No senate bullshit about all in this together… no you fight or go home. I’m in 02421 @markey.senate.gov
- Markey don’t fail us. Don’t vote for Elon. Are you crazy? Vote no unless you get a guarantee that Elon won’t nullify your vote and our soverignty
- Dem Senators Don't roll over and play dead. You have one job: Protect budget Authority. Your bottom line is Stop Breaking the Law. Stop Doge or no budget. Use it or lose it. @schumer.senate.gov @sanders.senate.gov @murray.senate.gov @warren.senate.gov @schiff.senate.gov @chrismurphyct.bsky.social
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sacktonNO DEMOCRACY NO DOLLARS Say NO in a language they understand! #ProudBlue #DemVoice1 #ResistanceUnited
- so true. Vance a coward from FT “But Zelenskyy is the real thing. He stayed in Kyiv, when Russian forces were closing in and the city was under bombardment. Vance, by contrast, chose to move to a secure location when confronted with a few hecklers on a skiing trip this weekend.”
- We can solve every problem in this country by taxing the wealth of the 1/10 of 1 %. There is no deficit except that billionaires won’t pay taxes. Elon doesn’t think people using SNAP are human. He is a psychopathic racist South African. Send him to Mars.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sacktonthe richest man in the world has decided that you don't deserve to feel safe when you fly bsky.app/profile/rick...
- the most evil thing here along with the fascist repression is the racist neighbor calling the police. That’s how Jews got murdered…. many neighbors turned them in. i hope the gates of hell open for the snitch who did this
- 🚨 Update: we were able to track down Yesenia, the mother picked up with her 2 kids in Tucson. After a night of interrogation at Border Patrol station, the Venezuelan mother of 4 was deported to Mexico. Her husband and two of her kids remain in US. azluminaria.org/2025/02/16/v...
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton🇪🇺 I feel that the issue of Ukraine in NATO is losing a little bit of sense. The situation is turning out differently. Either NATO will join Ukraine or there will be no NATO. I mean, NATO needs reliable allies. #UkrainianView
- AOC doing what every dem should do. get on social media and explain the oligarchs. www.instagram.com/aoc/live/182...
- They had another 12,000 on YouTube for the live stream, and upwards of 50,000 registered.. not all could get on.
- @schumer.senate.gov No. This is so weak. Channel Churchill " we will fight on the beaches, we will fight on the landing grounds, we will never surrender to this monstrous tyranny, and with courage strength and conviction, we will win. Don't worry about Pizza. Worry about fighting for gods sake.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sacktonIt’s worth noting that the president of the United States today made more racist comments than we’ve seen any president make publicly in, what, a century? More publicly racist comments than many presidents who were, with history’s eye, virulently racist humans, but ones who at least knew their role.
- Trump fired Aviation safety officials at behest of Musk. So there are fewer experienced people to investigate the crash. Also - media stop saying DEI. Just say Trump blames black people because he is racist to the core. Here is link on staffing www.rawstory.com/donald-trump...
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sacktonif you look at a bad thing that happened and assume, evidence-free, that it's because a Black person got a job they shouldn't have, you're not a "DEI skeptic," you're a dumb gutter racist
- for monday i want to discuss this new repression and SAWA’s work on the group called towards inclusive massachusetts — about 60 organizations including JVP fighting the mass legislature attempt to weaponize antisemitism and how that might help us expand in lexington mondoweiss.net/2025/01/repo...
- Victory! "Trump scraps plan to freeze federal loans and grants after backlash" financial times. We Fight We Win!!! on.ft.com/42ALgPe
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sacktonOnce they normalize breaking the rules to go after people who are not citizens of this country, their next phase will be to go after people who are "not the right kind of citizens". By then it will be too late to stop them. Don't let them normalize any of it.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sacktonEvery Democrat who doesn't have a press conference in front of a bridge or road project that just got "paused" by tomorrow morning is derelict in their duty.
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sacktonlike clockwork, NYT doesn’t credit my scoop
- Musk - a racist psychopath open to genocide; Zuck-pathetic weakling who can’t find himself and blows in the wind- Bezos- self serving guy who collapsed after his first wife dumped him, and now scrambling to play bro. How the hell did we end up with these dudes in our lives. Put them on an island.
- This from David Dayen at American Prospect. Musk tanked the bi-partisan agreement because it threatened to make it harder to transfer his tesla technology to China. He was protecting his wealth by killing childrens’ cancer research. This is what oligarchy looks like !! prospect.org/politics/202...
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton
- Reposted by toby 'imprison the oligarchs' sackton"I can no longer ethically or morally consent to use my labor in any way that supports an institution that is explicitly manufacturing consent for the unrestrained, illegal, 'apocalyptic' ongoing series of 'calculated' genocides to destroy Palestine." mondoweiss.net/2024/12/do-you-valu…
- Fight or Die, Yes. Adam Kinzinger (Republican member of the Jan 6th Ctte) when threatened with jail by a tinpot dictator said "BRING IT ON". Dems must do the same. Fetterman is becoming a disgrace to the party cozying up to Trump. Did he never believe in us? For real Dems its fight or die. #dems
