Bill Brantley

Thought I would have gotten used to it by now, but I’m still grappling with the realization of just how stupid the men running this country are.

The ICE Expansion Won’t Happen in the Dark People have a right to know who their neighbors are, especially when it’s ICE.

"WIRED published details of ICE’s planned expansion into more than 150 office spaces across the United States, including 54 specific addresses. If you haven’t read that yet, you should, not least because there’s probably one not far from you."

www.wired.com/story/ice-ex...

ICE Is Expanding Across the US at Breakneck Speed. Here’s Where It’s Going Next ICE plans to lease offices throughout the US as part of a secret, monthslong expansion campaign. WIRED is publishing dozens of these locations.

"In many cases, these facilities, which are to be used by street-level agents and ICE attorneys, are located near elementary schools, medical offices, places of worship, and other sensitive locations."

www.wired.com/story/ice-ex...

Trump admin green lights rule making it easier to fire thousands of federal employees The rule would impact an estimated 50,000 workers.

The Orange Jerk really gets off on firing people.

www.axios.com/2026/02/05/t...

Upscrolled post by K.U.L.E @KuleKemet Western powers do not fear African poverty. They fear African unity, industrialisation, and population growth. A poor Africa is manageable. A powerful Africa is not.

share.upscrolled.com/en/post/5ad3...

Live updates: Bovino set to leave Minneapolis as Trump reshuffles immigration operation Follow live updates as Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino is expected to leave Minneapolis today as President Donald Trump plans to reshuffle his immigration operation

One down. Many more to go.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...

Fury as elementary school warns ICE trying to lure parents by using food flyers as bait A Minnesota school's chilling warning to parents sparked outrage on Thursday from observers who accused the Trump administration's immigration agents of stopping at nothing to "inflict cruelty and suf...

www.rawstory.com/ice-minnesota/

The Trump-Class Battleship: Worst Idea Ever Donald Trump’s proposed 'Trump-class' battleship would drain billions, weaken the U.S. Navy, and hand China a strategic advantage.

"It is virtually impossible to name a single initiative of Donald Trump’s that isn’t either supremely stupid or downright satanic. . . Trump and his toadies seem hell-bent on destroying the country."
washingtonmonthly.com/2026/01/21/t...

What to Do if ICE Invades Your Neighborhood With federal agents storming the streets of American communities, there’s no single right way to approach this dangerous moment. But there are steps you can take to stay safe—and have an impact.

"[S]imply contributing to digital ICE watch trackers as you go about your regular activities can give others valuable information."

www.wired.com/story/what-t...

Why ICE Can Kill With Impunity Over the past decade, US immigration agents have shot and killed more than two dozen people. Not a single agent appears to have faced criminal charges.

"During a White House press briefing on January 8, Vice President JD Vance said agents have 'absolute immunity,' a new term with no legal background."
www.wired.com/story/why-ic...

Everything Is Content for the ‘Clicktatorship’ In the second Trump administration, online conspiracy theories are shaping real-world policies like never before.

And I used to laugh at conspiracy theorists. Still do but not so freely.

www.wired.com/story/everyt...

Rep. Cawthorn's sordid tales of life in Congress frustrate GOP leadership The GOP freshman accused his colleagues of drug use and hosting orgies, without offering any evidence or specific details. It triggered a swifter response from party leaders than past controversies.

Remember (in 2022) Madison Cawthorne, the Republican rep who shared that he was invited to orgies attended by political figures indulging in cocaine and sexual perversion?

Lands a little differently now, doesn’t it?

Release the Epstein files.

www.npr.org/2022/04/01/1...

I Tried to Be the Government. It Did Not Go Well. My five-month quest to monitor the weather, track inflation, and inspect milk for harmful microorganisms

"If there were a big button that said, 'Hey, push this button and somebody else will handle all the hard, technical stuff, and in exchange you will pay a percentage of your annual income, but don’t worry . . . I would absolutely push that button.'"

www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...

Trump’s return-to-office mandate exempted feds with disabilities. Many are being ordered to work in-person anyway Some agencies have put new conditions on granting telework as a reasonable accommodation for federal employees with disabilities.

www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

I’m still not distracted.
Are you?

Release all the Epstein files.

Trump Wants Venezuela’s Oil. Getting It Might Not Be So Simple The administration has made it clear that Nicolás Maduro's capture was tied to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. Much less certain is how US companies will actually access them—or if they even want to.

Imagine that! www.wired.com/story/trump-...

The Enshittification of American Power First Google and Facebook, then the world. Under Trump 2.0, US statecraft is starting to mimic the worst tendencies of Big Tech.

"In time, US citizens may find themselves trapped in a diminished, nightmare America—like a post-Musk Twitter at scale—where everything works badly, everything can be turned against you, and everyone else has fled."

www.wired.com/story/enshit...

Upskill, Don’t Outsource: Building Federal Tech Talent from Within [1,738 words. Settle in with a nice beverage.] | Dr. William Brantley "The federal government’s greatest asset is its people. Investing in their development, rather than relying on external experts, is the most reliable way to improve public services long-term. Focusing...

"The federal government’s greatest asset is its people. Investing in their development, rather than relying on external experts, is the most reliable way to improve public services long-term. Focusing on upskilling public servants will help build a better future."

www.linkedin.com/posts/billbr...

Susie Wiles and the Myth of “Not Being an Enabler” A reality check from someone who lived it.

"When you normalize extremism in service of order, you don’t contain it, you professionalize it. When you excuse cruelty as 'process,' you don’t reduce harm, you routinize it."

Susie Wiles and the Myth of “Not Being an Enabler”
open.substack.com/pub/welivedi...

Trump admin launches US Tech Force to recruit temporary workers after shedding thousands this year Some of the recruits to government service will be on leaves of absence from private sector companies while working for government — a setup that raises ethical questions about conflicts of interest.

We don't need no stinkin' ethics! (sarcastic comment)
www.nextgov.com/people/2025/...

Please include me. And I love the picture.

Musk regrets DOGE? Not as much as the rest of us!

www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...

AMERICAN TERROR The Destruction of USAID Was Not a Scandal. It Was a Blueprint for a Nation Learning to Abandon the Vulnerable to Their Deaths.

AMERICAN TERROR
open.substack.com/pub/thelastm...

The Strange Death of Trump's Signature Policy On DOGE's demise and government-by-chaos.

The Strange Death of Trump's Signature Policy
open.substack.com/pub/persuasi...

The boats the regime is claiming are going from Venezuela to the US would need to refuel over 20 times to get to Miami.

They are lying to us.

while making some tea i remembered a substitute Physics teacher we had at school for a bit who'd end every lesson with a general "do you have any questions?" segment and one person asked why when you forget to boil a kettle you can tell by the sound because hot and cold water sound different

a cup of coffee with smoke coming out of it and the words happy thursday my friend good morning ALT: a cup of coffee with smoke coming out of it and the words happy thursday my friend good morning

Good morning and Happy Thursday 👋

It’s always a great day to meet #NeverTrump friends. I have many packs and if you want to be included please comment or leave a meme.

Have a great day! ❤️☮️

Repost

PRO TIP: If you're going to lash out at reporters for questioning your stamina, don't fall asleep mid-rant.

I would like to be included.