Curt Gebers

@curtgebers

“It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.” ― James Baldwin

2.515 Folgt2.808 Follower2.973 Posts

Bluesky

Ist das dein Profil?Übernimm es — dann gehört dir curtgebers.dirty.social.Profil übernehmen

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· 22d

Metaphor alert: www.newsweek.com/contractors-...

Pictures of the broken German-American Friendship Garden fountain

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· 23d

Also, it may interest you to know that what you are describing is known as direct democracy. There are a few historical examples (Athens, for one). The founding fathers who wrote up the U.S Constitution were very much against it for reasons adequately summed up by Agent K.

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· 29d

Sue the U.S. Senate? Good luck with that. www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R401...

A few years after the Powell decision, the Supreme Court clearly affirmed the right of the Senate to make the final and conclusive determination concerning the election process and the seating of its own Members. In the case of contests or challenges properly raised concerning the election or selection of a Senator, the Court affirmed the constitutional authority for “an independent evaluation by the Senate” of the selection of those presenting themselves for membership. Roudebush v. Hartke, 405 U.S. 15, 25-26 (1972).

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· 29d

Imagine being Bret Baier and thinking that FOX News viewers can be persuaded by facts.

A Xitter exchange between Bret Baier and someone who goes by "X Factor"

X Factor says, "I was watching Fox LIVE on that night and Fox most definitely DID NOT wait until 73% of the vote was in. It was called WAY early and EVERYONE was questioning it. It set the tone for the rest of the steal that happened that night.

Baier posts a screen shot fron FOX News showing the race "Just called" in Arizona with Biden at 53.6% of the vote, Trump at 45.1% of the vote, and 73% of the vote in at 9:21 MT.

Baier says, "This is the on screen graphic from that night. And the exact time. Thanks."

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Jul 13

The views of the new InfoWars are tendentious, sententious, and pretentious.

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Jul 8

Neil Postman dealt with this in 1985 in "Amusing Ourselves To Death." He was talking about television leading the way to a post-literate society, and things have only gotten worse.

Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression. But in Huxley’s vision, no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their autonomy, maturity and history. As he saw it, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.

Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism.

Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance.

Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy.

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Jun 26

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Jun 21

It's real, all right.

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Jun 18

That's what he promised, isn't it? You all just *assumed* he meant Iran would do the surrendering.

There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER! After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before. IRAN WILL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE. “MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!).” Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Jun 16

To be fair, the actual guy kinda looked like that, too.

A picture of the actual Harlan Sanders holding a bucket of chicken and a blue ribbon that says "Original Recipe."

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Jun 15

Remember what he said about North Korea 8 years ago?

Tweet from Donald Trump that reads:
Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd of Fake News NBC just stated that we have given up so much in our negotiations with North Korea, and they have given up nothing. Wow, we haven’t given up anything & they have agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing!
5:50 AM · Apr 22, 2018

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Jun 5

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Jun 4

He does the Mannix roll.

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Jun 3

For comparison, the 1994 Defense Appropriation Act had language in it (the Byrd Amendment, section 8151) that forced President Clinton to withdraw troops from Somalia by March 31, 1994. www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/...

(B) United States combat forces in a security role and
as an interim force protection supplement to United
Nations units: Provided, That funds appropriated, or other-
wise made available, in this or any other Act to the Depart-
ment of Defense may be obligated for expenses incurred
only through March 31, 1994, for the operations of United
States Armed Forces in Somalia:

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Jun 3

Here's the text. It's short. www.congress.gov/bill/119th-c...

H. CON. RES. 86

Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 20, 2026
Mr. Meeks (for himself, Mr. Himes, and Mr. Smith of Washington) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1544(c)), Congress directs the President to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran, other than those elements of the Armed Forces that may be necessary to defend the United States or an ally or partner of the United States from imminent attack provided that the President complies fully with the requirements of section 5(b) the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1544(b)) with respect to any such use of the Armed Forces, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific congressional authorization for use of military force against Iran.

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· May 26

IIUC, there is also no general standing to challenge spending decisions or unlawful spending by the executive branch. www.law.cornell.edu/constitution...

In general, a litigant may not rely solely upon his status as a federal taxpayer to maintain Article III standing to challenge government policy or spending decisions.1 Such taxpayer lawsuits, which are distinguishable from cases in which a litigant challenges the assessment of a tax as unconstitutional,2 often ask a court to decide abstract legal questions regarding the authority of the political branches of government—a task that potentially raises concerns regarding the proper role of the Judiciary.3 And as a practical matter, litigants arguing that their taxes have been spent unlawfully may simply fail to satisfy the elements of Article III standing, as their complaints may amount to generalized grievances about government spending or policy decisions shared with millions of other taxpayers.4 Moreover, it may be difficult for a taxpayer-litigant to demonstrate that his or her increased tax liability is traceable to the government spending or policy decision challenged and that judicial relief would effectively reduce the litigant’s tax liability.5 These concerns have led the Supreme Court to permit taxpayer lawsuits only in narrow circumstances.

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· May 26

I think they were hoping that lust for power in the legislature would offset lust for power in the executive branch. Ben kinda called it, though.

“Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.”
― Benjamin Franklin

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· May 26

It was in court for a while, but when the judge ordered both sides to file a brief explaining how there could possibly be a genuine adversarial dispute, that's when the acting AG settled out of court. finance.yahoo.com/economy/poli...

The judge had previously ordered Trump and the government to file briefs by May 20 explaining how the case could proceed with Trump effectively in control of both sides of the litigation. Williams on Monday canceled the deadline and said she no longer has any authority over the case.

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· May 26

Just to be clear on Miller's impossible math, all of federal welfare spending (including Medicaid, TANF, SNAP, WIC, etc.) totaled $1.15 trillion in FY2025. The deficit for FY2025 was $1.78 trillion.

Table showing federal spending on Defense, Social Security and Medicare, Welfare including Medicaid, Interest, and All other for Fiscal years 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Line graph showing the federal deficit each month of the fiscal years 2021 through 2026 (so far).

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· May 25

A photo with two power lines running horizontally across a blue sky. The lower line has a short section of a tree branch attached to it. The upper line has a loop of cable attached with the moon showing inside the loop.v

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· May 21

As I understand it, her problem is that federal law preempts state law, and that makes HB 650 unworkable. www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/new...

I appreciate the goal and intended purpose of this bill, but in practice, this legislation would not achieve the intended goals. It would effectively require security guards and, in some cases, local law enforcement be placed in the untenable position of choosing between violating state law or federal law, rendering this proposal unworkable.

Despite these legal issues, I understand that some people feel signing this bill would send an important signal that in Virginia, we want immigrant families to be able to attend to their personal business at courthouses or schools without fear of immigration action. I appreciate that intention. However, communicating that immigrant families are protected from immigration action in places they are not by virtue of federal law would put families at risk.

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· May 19

"Too busy getting it done?" Getting what done? The situation has been in stasis for 2 months.

“Everyone tells me [the war] is unpopular, but I think it’s very popular. When they hear that it’s having to do with nuclear weapons, weapons that could take out Los Angeles, could take out major cities, very quick, when they hear that—I tell you what, when we explain it to people, I don’t really have enough time to explain to people. I’m too busy getting it done,” Trump said. “I think it’s frankly very popular, but whether it’s popular or not popular, I have to do it, because I’m not going to let the world be blown up on my watch. Not gonna happen.”

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· May 12

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· May 9

One little wrinkle there—I think that would retire *all* the judges in the state, not just the Supreme Court.

Article VI. Judiciary
Section 9. Commission; compensation; retirement
All justices of the Supreme Court and all judges of other courts of record shall be commissioned by the Governor. They shall receive such salaries and allowances as shall be prescribed by the General Assembly, which shall be apportioned between the Commonwealth and its cities and counties in the manner provided by law. Unless expressly prohibited or limited by the General Assembly, cities and counties shall be permitted to supplement from local funds the salaries of any judges serving within their geographical boundaries. The salary of any justice or judge shall not be diminished during his term of office.

The General Assembly may enact such laws as it deems necessary for the retirement of justices and judges, with such conditions, compensation, and duties as it may prescribe. The General Assembly may also provide for the mandatory retirement of justices and judges after they reach a prescribed age, beyond which they shall not serve, regardless of the term to which elected or appointed.

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· May 7

When you can see the whole thing, it says "NO MORE BULLSHIT" but I like the fact that the way it's draped makes it look like "RUMP 2024 - MORE BULLSHIT"

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Apr 30

“In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it. It was inevitable that they should make that claim sooner or later: the logic of their position demanded it. Not merely the validity of experience, but the very existence of external reality, was tacitly denied by their philosophy. The heresy of heresies was common sense. And what was terrifying was not that they would kill you for thinking otherwise, but that they might be right. For, after all, how do we know that two and two make four? Or that the force of gravity works? Or that the past is unchangeable? If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is controllable—what then?”
― George Orwell, 1984

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Apr 30

I cannot wrap my head around the fact that our country keeps pretending this is normal.

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Apr 28

Remember when Trump levelled the East Wing without so much as a nod from Congress, and we were all wrong to complain about that because he was gonna build a beautiful ballroom in its place without a dime of taxpayer money? Well, ha ha, suckers. It's bait-and-switch time once again.

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Apr 23

Huh.

Poll results image showing the response to the question "Do you think 'has the mental soundness to serve effectively as president' describes Trump, or not?" Most recent results from April 2026 show 45% Yes and 55% No. There is one higher "no" result from May, 2023 when it was 43% Yes and 56% No.

AI Overview of a Google search for "Trump May 2023" that reads:
In May 2023, Donald Trump was primarily in the news for the civil lawsuit brought against him by writer E. Jean Carroll, in which a jury found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation.
E. Jean Carroll Verdict (May 2023)
Verdict: On May 9, 2023, a federal jury in Manhattan found Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming E. Jean Carroll.

Curt Gebers@curtgebers· Apr 23

So, WTF have they been doing up to now?