You all work incredibly hard day in and day out. Your work is under-appreciated, often maligned, and certainly misunderstood. I am but one voice out there, but I want you to know how much I see your work and appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you for being the bedrock of our democracy.
We’re three days away from Election Day 2025 and I just want to shout out the hard working election officials who are making sure that our elections are safe, secure and transparent and ensuring that all eligible voters are able to cast a ballot and only eligible voters do so.
Federal employees want to work. We're genuinely upset that this is happening (and not (just) because of our paychecks - because we care about the country we serve) and desperately hope Congress gets its act together soon.
Today is Electoral College day! It's the day that electors meet in their state capitals to cast their official votes for the presidential ticket they are supporting. These ballots are then sent to DC for tabulation on January 6. For more info, check out the EAC's info page! #electoralcollege
Really feeling for my former boss. He deserves to take senior status. And the nominee that was put up for this seat deserved a hearing and an up or down vote. As is true with all judicial nominees. Senatorial holds are nonsense.
And I doubt Dems want the precedent that Congresses can't bind one another so clear. My median prediction is a shutdown until the new Congress is sworn in on January 3. And no one seems alarmed or really talking about this eventuality. (3/3)
Or at least some Rs view a shut down as the first step in DOGE efforts and Dems have less incentive to negotiate a deadline into next year, given there are arguments that one Congress cannot bind another, so any deal struck wouldn't be binding, SCOTUS won't touch the issue (political question) (2/3)
Anyone else noticing that there seems to be a relative dearth of conversation about the fact that the federal budget lapses on 12/20? And I don't know that realistically, there's any hope of a CR, given certain Congress people are anti-CR no matter what. (1/3)
This is so important. I represented folks asylees. Solid cases. Folks who had been threatened with death and rape by gangs in their home countries. And it was a crap shoot as to whether we did enough for them to get asylum. Never mind the majority of applicants who have no legal representation.
If you're a trans person hurting after today's SCOTUS arguments, I want you to know that 1) your cis neighbors are still going to keep fighting for you, no matter what the court does or says and 2) we believe in you and your safety and if you ever need someone to have your back, I'm here.
I mean, it is terrifying what is happening in South Korea and also unbelievably inspiring to see the lawmakers do their jobs and the citizens HELPING them to do so.
With Giving Tuesday tomorrow, I’d encourage folks to consider donating local. Your $100 can make a huge difference to a small local nonprofit, but the big guys will barely notice.
The argument around echo chambers ignores that most of us just want a place to share ideas (even with those with whom we disagree) without being beaten with antisemitism or homophobia every time we post. I’m fine with those I disagree with. I’m not good with Nazis and bigots.
It is genuinely terrifying as a federal employee. Particularly for any of us that work in agencies that could even remotely be deemed controversial.
Wait?! So you mean this site actually lets you see real news, helps real journalists, and has none of the toxicity of the other place? What is this magic!?!
Seriously convinced my husband to join Bluesky last night. Already he's making connections with academic colleagues. This place is the tops.
I bought a weighted blanket because #anxiety but it’s so heavy, I can barely lift it and so now I feel weak and anxious. At least I’m laughing at the whole situation, so that should help?
CW: this is Georgia Tech Hate Week. Consequently, I am liable to say terrible things about the North Avenue Trade School. They will be brutal. And also true.
And I'm a (recovering) lawyer, so I understand the point of a case or controversy. I get it. But when our legislature refuses to pass needed legislation to clarify things, court cases are the only answer and when they get dismissed because neither party sees the point, voters and EOs lose out.
"Although each side had already won decisions, there was no reason to keep fighting..."
Hard disagree. The lack of clarity for voters and for election officials will just create issues in next year's municipal elections and in two years during the midterm. We deserve court-driven legal answers.
Here is my attempt at an elections starter pack. If I left you off or someone you think should be added, please let me know!
"Civilian federal workers (Postal Service excluded) now make up just 1.5% of nonfarm payroll employment, down from more than 3% in the 1950s and 1960s and more than 2% through the early 1990s."
No one wants to talk about how much federal work is now done by contractors...
Becasue. There's. No. Evidence. Of. Fraud.
So much this. I used to represent migrants seeking asylum and even the most devastating cases were often no more than a crap shoot. If you don’t have a dire story (just your average worker looking for a better life?) good luck to you. Won’t happen.
The usual suspects are out there yelling "There are 23 million government workers! Fire most of them!" No awareness that most work for local governments, and most of *them* are schoolteachers. Federal employment hasn't grown since the 1950s
Since I've been here for a while… here are some useful features on Bluesky that you might not have discovered yet! 🧵
After waiting in sleet and 28 wind chill for 25 minutes for my daughter to get off the bus on her half day from school (mind you, she still has school next week...), I have vowed to not go outside again.
Many days I am not proud to be an alum, but this may be one of those rare ones... Good on the Stanford faculty! (And voting in a law school classroom to boot!)
Friendly reminder: The USG spends $290 billion on personnel. If you fired EVERYONE who worked for the federal government, you’d save 5% of the budget. You know where most of it goes? Defense and back to us in Social Security and Medicare.
I know I have almost no followers on this site, but that doesn't mean that taking a stance isn't important.
Trans people are people. They deserve to exist and have always existed. They deserve respect, to be treated with dignity, and to be allowed to move through society like anyone else. Period.
