This week's net.wars, "Apocalypse now", reviews Gil Duran's new book, The Nerd Reich, which travels through the trajectory that has led formerly fringe ideas into the White House: https://netwars.pelicancrossing.net/2026/09/11/apocalypse-now/ #NetWars #books #democracy
democracy
Be a part of something really crucial!
By any means we must stand against these Acts and Bills.
They are huge alarming, and outright freedom-crushing bills, laid in front of our plain sight. These bills will do more harm than good while evading your privacy and fundamental rights.
Fight for the cause, it will take only 5 minutes:
https://www.acteff.org/campaign/167270/
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/08/senate-vote-tomorrow-four-internet-bills-one-wrong-direction
#privacymatters #privacyfirst #democracy #freedomofthenet #News #resist #journalism #righttoprivacy
Edited 97d ago
PAULINE HANSON’S TALENT:
TURNING FEAR INTO VOTES 💎
I watched a YouTube video today called: Why Did America Choose a White Supremacist for President?
What struck me was not simply what it said about America. It was what it might be saying about us.
America did not suddenly wake up one morning and become Trumpist. The ground was prepared. People were genuinely struggling. Housing was difficult. Wages were inadequate. Communities were changing. People were frightened, angry and increasingly distrustful of institutions.
Then along came a political movement with a wonderfully simple explanation: YOUR LIFE IS HARD BECAUSE OF THOSE PEOPLE.
Immigrants. Black people. Muslims. Women. Queer people. “Woke” people. Elites. Foreigners. Anyone except the economic and political systems that are actually producing much of the insecurity.
That is the bit Australians should be watching.
Because our problems are real too. Housing really is unaffordable. People are really struggling with food, electricity, and rent. Young people really are wondering whether they will ever own a home. Regional communities really do feel neglected.
And when people are frightened and angry, there is enormous political power in giving them somebody to blame.
One Nation understands this. Pauline Hanson is now talking about a “monocultural” Australia. One Nation talks about putting “Australians first” and increasingly presents immigration and multiculturalism as explanations for problems Australians can see and feel every day.
And people are listening.
One Nation is no longer some amusing little protest party on the edge of Australian politics. Recent polling has put it at roughly a quarter or more of the national primary vote.
That should get our attention.
But there is an even greater danger. Trumpism is not really a political party. It is a political method.
Create grievance. Find an enemy. Tell people their country has been stolen from them. Promise to give it back. Attack institutions that get in the way. Keep people angry enough that they stop asking who is actually benefiting.
One Nation may currently be the most obvious Australian vehicle for that politics. But if Labor or the Coalition begin copying it because they are frightened of losing votes, the infection spreads far beyond One Nation.
Australia is not America. Our history is different. Our institutions are different. Our political culture is different.
But we are not magically immune to fear, racism, resentment or demagoguery.
America should not simply be something we stare at in disbelief. It should be a warning.
This stuff does not arrive wearing a sign saying:
FASCISM STARTS MONDAY.
It arrives saying:
I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU’RE ANGRY.
And then it quietly tells you who to hate.
@DigitalCoup
@economics_that_works
@meditation
https://youtu.be/QRvjkt9p_eI?si=59Oo8P7Pk4dUL4FT
#Australia #OneNation #Fediverse #OpenWeb #BigTech #PaulineHanson #Trumpism #Democracy #Politics #people #anger #FASCISM #Labor #YouTube #Economics #Housing #CostOfLiving #Meditation #Breathwork
Edited 88d ago
Interview: "The Nerd Reich”: Big Tech Fascism, Peter Thiel, JD Vance & the War on Democracy
JD Vance's campaign for Senate was bankrolled by the billionaire co-founder of PayPal & Palantir, Peter Thiel.
Vance, Thiel, et al. "were never libertarians. Now that they are the government, we see their true face: They’re fascists."
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/8/17/gil_duran_nerd_reich
#USPol #EUPol #TechFascism #JDVance #Thiel #Democracy #Fascism .
Restarted reading this book with essays by Cedric J. Robinson.
Pluto has a 50% off political theory books until the 26th:
https://www.plutobooks.com/product/cedric-j-robinson/
Now reading Slavery and the Platonic Origins of Anti-Democracy.
This reminds me of some organisation posting a positive quote from Plato re the political engagement of the people during Dutch election time some years ago, which was a bit of an 🤔 as Plato was a firm anti-democrat. Just like his teacher Socrates, who got the death penalty because he supported the Tyranny, the part that usually gets left out of the stories.
Restarted reading this book with essays by Cedric J. Robinson.
Pluto has a 50% off political theory books until the 26th, BTW.
Now in Slavery and the Platonic Origins of Anti-Democracy.
This reminds me of some organisation posting a positive quote from Plato re the political engagement of the people during Dutch election time some years ago, which was a bit of an 🤔 as Plato was a firm anti-democrat. Just like his teacher Socrates, who got the death penalty because he supported the Tyranny, the part that usually gets left out of the stories.
The idea that high status men are the best at rationality and natural at governing also comes from Plato. Some ideas have a long history. High time to give them a good rest. In the ground. 6 feet deep.
So, the suspicion that the Tangerine Tyrant might declare a state of emergency to pre-empt a Republican beating in the US midterms seems to have moved from the margins (and expressions of the idea here in a more sensible register, of course) to the mainstream.
Given how polarised between the MAGA crowd & the rest, the US has become, the next step is for the prediction of a civil war to hit mainstream commentators.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/23/trump-sowing-election-distrust
NEW: What to Know About Mail-In Voting for the 2026 Midterms
---
The Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration from imposing new rules on mail-in voting before the November midterm elections. That means nothing has changed for voters — and mail-in voting can proceed as planned.
https://www.propublica.org/article/mail-in-voting-rules-midterm-elections?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post
#News #SCOTUS #SupremeCourt #MailVoting #Election #Midterms #Vote #Voting #Democracy
#Journalists from #CNN & #MSNOW were denied access to the #WhiteHouse grounds on Saturday, a day after #Trump announced a ban on 3 #news organizations because of reporting he disliked.
Akayla Gardner, a White House correspondent for MS NOW, said that her White House-issued access badge failed to work at the security entrance where reporters typically enter near the West Wing.
#law #Constitution #FirstAmendment #democracy #FreePress #journalism #censorship
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/19/business/media/trump-white-house-press-ban.html?unlocked_article_code=1.CVE.wnXa.rYyWYJEvXbzb&smid=nytcore-ios-share
Edited 53d ago
Report: "How Zohran Mamdani Helped Germany’s Left Party, Die Linke, Win in Berlin".
“The success of a democratic socialist in NY, the heartland of capitalism, is a huge achievement," said Die Linke. The party adopted Mamdani's "massive ground game", "lashings of social media flare" & "keep it simple & keep it real" motto.
Die Linke's campaign was laser focused on Berlin’s housing crisis: "The rent is too damn high."
https://novaramedia.com/2026/09/21/how-zohran-mamdani-helped-germanys-left-party-win-in-berlin/
Introducing InteractiveBallot.com - "A Hyperlinked Ballot Should Be Normal"
https://healourculture.org/2026/10/16/introducing-interactiveballot-com/
Please check out and use this website and AI prompt to become a more informed voter. Share it too!
Also on Substack:
https://healourculture.substack.com/p/introducing-interactiveballotcom
WHO WILL DECIDE OUR
GLOBAL FUTURE NEXT? 💎
I watched the recent Four Corners documentary:
The AI takeover: Who controls our future?
What stayed with me was not whether AI will become smarter than us. It was:
WHO GETS TO DECIDE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
A handful of companies are building systems that are reshaping work, education, politics, medicine and our everyday life. The benefits could be enormous. So could the damage. And we have been here before.
WE DID THE SAME WITH SOCIAL MEDIA.
When social media was new, we were dazzled by connection and largely let the companies building it make the rules. By the time we understood the consequences, those platforms were already embedded in our friendships, childhood, our news, and our politics.
NOW WE ARE DOING IT AGAIN WITH AI.
Except this time, we cannot say we haven't been warned. The people building these systems openly acknowledge the serious risks, yet the industry resists rules that might limit its freedom to build. Australia even considered mandatory guardrails for high-risk AI. Those plans were dropped.
HAVEN'T WE LEARNED ANYTHING?
I use AI. I see enormous value in it. This is not an argument against AI. It is an argument against handing extraordinary power to a handful of companies and sorting out the consequences later.
AI may become one of the most consequential technologies we have ever created. Surely that means more democratic oversight, not less.
The real question isn't: Will AI take over?
It is:
WHO ARE WE ALLOWING TO TAKE CONTROL OF AI AND THUS OUR COLLECTIVE FUTURE?
Video: The AI takeover: Who controls our future? | Four Corners Documentary
https://youtu.be/jkPVjTl7o-Q?si=CYLWxk3Id6QgCnRQ
@3goodthings @DigitalCoup @meditation @economics_that_works @bookstodon @disability @pwd @joinin
#AI #BigTech #Technology #Democracy #Australia #FourCorners #Documentary
You may need a subscription to read this, so I'll summarize: Democratic Party apparatchiks have taken control of the Troy Jackson for Senate campaign in Maine, are maddeningly centrist, and are trying to stifle questions at town halls. I can tell you for a fact that party officials do not respond when constituents contact them with concerns. These people never, ever learn. #Politics #Democrats #Democracy #Maine #Senate #US #USpol https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/maine-senate-democratic-party-troy-jackson-graham-platner-susan-collins.html
Tony Greenstein won his case by choosing to tell the jury its context (his barrister could be punished for doing so).
Once given a chance to hear all the facts, the jury accepted his arguments, incl that the UK judiciary were readily conniving in the state's growing authoritarianism.
Tellingly, Greenstein’s victory was almost entirely ignored by the msm.
The speech
https://greghadfield.medium.com/tony-greenstein-the-most-important-half-hour-of-my-life-d03f7877a492
https://www.jonathan-cook.net/blog/2026-08-30/britain-rigs-trials-genocide-opponents/
#UKPol #EUPol #GreensteinCase #GazaGenocide #palestine #news #Democracy .
International revolution means international responsibility
'To win this political and diplomatic struggle, the strength of all international forces is required. Rather than merely observing critically and questioning, we must see ourselves as a vital part of this revolutionary process, and must thus find our own role in defending this revolution. The more pressure is exerted, the more society here is strengthened.'
1/3
https://internationalistcommune.com/14-years-of-rojava-revolution-a-self-critical-essay/
A new audit by the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General found a lack of training for post office staff, deficiencies in how ballots were tracked and errors leading to delays.
Experts say it raises questions ahead of the midterms.
https://www.propublica.org/article/postal-service-audit-primary-election-ballots?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post
#News #USPS #Vote #Voting #Election #Midterms #Democracy #USPolitics
POLITIKER PÅ RØMMEN: Carmen Lau (31) var en av de yngste folkevalgte i Hongkong da de innførte sikkerhetsloven for seks år siden
https://www.tv2.no/nyheter/svertet-som-sexarbeider-frykter-for-egen-sikkerhet/19241057/
"This is the greatest heist in the history of the world, stealing America....It's the crown jewels, it's freedom, it's democracy."
Interview with the Edge and Bono. https://youtu.be/Wu920WiZyjo?si=4IlIXs0UFZEVpI1e
#democracy #vote #evil #CarnavalDeLuz #DefiantJoy #U2 #Music #musicNews
Edited 22d ago
Edited 15d ago
Do not provide your ID or facial scan to access social media.
I repeat, do NOT provide your ID or facial scan to access social media when requested.
This is not a drill.
If everyone refuse to comply, and let their accounts dormant instead, I promise you the platforms themselves, with their immense budget and network of lobbyists, are going to fight these absurd laws to recover their users.
They need you more than you need them.
Make them fight for your rights.
Do not comply.
Spread the word and boycott ID checks ✊
#StopIDSurveillance #AgeVerification #Privacy #HumanRights #Democracy #Safety #MassSurveillance #Authoritarianism
Check out my new article for #ResistAndHeal:
Election Protection Wisdom - YouTube Shorts to Watch and Share
https://resistandheal.substack.com/p/election-protection-wisdom
There’s really not much to say about this other than, “f⁕⚠︎ that b⁕tch.”
And apparently that’s what her entire staff said too.
Democratic #Senate Primary #Loser Endorses #Republican in #Michigan
The rift between Dr. #AbdulElSayed, the #Democratic nominee for Senate, & Rep #HaleyStevens widened to a gulf 2 days before the #midterms.
#Vote #VoteBlue #election #democracy
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/11/01/us/midterms-elections-trump?unlocked_article_code=1.NVE.qr-g.wBSWZOUBKnbl&smid=nytcore-ios-share
Edited 9d ago
Tomorrow morning I’ll sign in for my 16 hr shift as a NYS election inspector.
I’ll boot up the machines.
I’ll provide voters w the correct ballot for their precinct.
I’ll make sure every ballot is cast and counted.
I’ll do this for every registered Democrat, Republican, Third Party voter, and Independent.
Because voting is an inviolable right of citizenship.
Because #democracy depends on free and fair elections.
Because we are the caretakers of this Republic.
NEW: The Trump administration has initiated a string of unprecedented actions to assert more federal control over elections.
While courts have thwarted most of the plans, voting experts remain concerned about potential problems at the polls.
https://www.propublica.org/article/five-voting-disruptions-midterm-election?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mastodon-post
#Election #Midterms #Elections #Vote #Voting #Trump #USPolitics #Democracy
"Scenario 3, a catastrophe: Flávio Bolsonaro wins and secures a majority in Congress
If this happens, we will experience something similar to the Jair Bolsonaro administration (2019-2022) but in a much worse context domestically, given the Supreme Court’s internal fragility, and, at a global level, heavily influenced by the administration of Donald Trump, who seeks to turn Latin America into his playground.
Flávio Bolsonaro has already demonstrated that if elected, he will accept Trump’s tutelage. Bolsonaro junior would consequently be in a much more favorable position than his father to finish destroying democracy.
There is only one way for Brazil to remain a democracy, however imperfect: by reelecting Lula and voting in a more progressive Congress."
https://sumauma.com/en/newsletters/mensal/newsletter-25-09-2026/
#Brazil #elections #Lula #democracy #FlavioBolsonaro #farright #Trump #politics
Edited 46d ago