Balloon Juice - Open Threads Archives

Every Single One of Us Should Call

by WaterGirl| October 6, 20259:16 am| 18 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Political Action, Politics

I am on my way out the door, so I am going to cheat and just paste in Jeffro’s comment:

Republicans, Democrats, Independents…you KNOW this is vile and wrong to abuse our nation’s military like this:

trump to our nation’s generals and admirals, Oct 3: “…the cities that are run by the radical left Democrats…we’re going to straighten them out one by one. And this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room. That’s a war too. It’s a war from within”.

trump to our nation’s naval cadets, Oct 5: “we have to take care of this little gnat that’s on our shoulder called the Democrats”.

And every one of us knows full well where this is going, too – unless YOU do something about it, today.

#CallCongress (202) 224-3121

Tell your Congressman (R or D or I) that this is completely unacceptable from a commander-in-chief.

No more partisan speeches to our nation’s soldiers and sailors.

No more abusing their service by putting them in the middle of politics.

NO MORE

No matter who represents you, you should call. We should also call our senators, red or blue.

OUR VOICES NEED TO BE HEARD.

Every Single One of Us Should CallPost + Comments (18)

Monday Morning Open Thread: TrumpCo Take Yr Healthcare

by Anne Laurie| October 6, 20256:31 am| 140 Comments

This post is in: GOP Death Cult, Open Threads, Proud to Be A Democrat, World's Best Healthcare (If You Can Afford It)

Sen. Booker: "The president himself has said it's the president's responsibility to bring the parties together and get a budget passed…And the president hasn't done that."

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— The Bulwark (@thebulwark.com) October 5, 2025 at 4:10 PM

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Sen. Ruben Gallego: "We know that Senate Republicans want to make a deal. They understand that 24 million of Americans are going to have their premiums doubled starting November 1…Four million Americans are going to lose their healthcare altogether."

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— The Bulwark (@thebulwark.com) October 5, 2025 at 1:21 PM

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Doocy: "So the Democratic position is that illegal immigrants should not have any access to taxpayer-funded health insurance?"
Sen. Mark Kelly: "Federal law is that undocumented individuals do not have access to medicare, medicaid, food stamps, or the ACA. That's the law."

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— The Bulwark (@thebulwark.com) October 5, 2025 at 3:40 PM

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Very hard not to conclude that the Dem messaging strategy of focusing on healthcare has been highly successful at shaping public impressions of the shutdown fight so far despite being hated on here to the point that major accounts were actively adopting GOP framing to attack it

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— Nute (@nutedawn.bsky.social) October 4, 2025 at 9:29 AM

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Oh my god they are going to absolutely annihilate rural america

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— Schnorkles O'Bork (@schnorkles.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 2:04 PM

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Gift link:

… The Social Security Administration evaluates disability claims by considering age, work experience and education to determine if a person can adjust to other types of work. Older applicants, typically over 50, have a better chance of qualifying because age is treated as a limitation in adapting to many jobs.

But now officials are considering eliminating age as a factor entirely or raising the threshold to age 60, according to three people familiar with the plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share private discussions…

Jack Smalligan, a senior policy fellow at the Urban Institute and a former Office of Management and Budget official through five administrations, wrote in a recent paper that if the proposed rule reduced eligibility for the disability program by 10 percent, 750,000 fewer people would receive benefits for all or part of the next decade. In addition, 80,000 fewer widows and children would receive benefits because of the loss in eligibility of a spouse or parent. That would lead to $82 billion less paid out in benefits over 10 years, Smalligan estimated.

Smalligan said research has shown that a majority of older Americans who apply for disability benefits don’t get another job. If the rule didn’t consider age as a factor, more older disabled workers would probably start taking early retirement benefits, significantly reducing their monthly benefit amount.

Older workers who claim retirement benefits at age 62 rather than receive Social Security’s disability insurance would receive 30 percent less in benefits for the rest of their lives.

“The criteria already is really tight enough that we’re actually restricting some people we probably should allow,” Smalligan said in an interview…

People familiar with the proposed changes said they are a priority of Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, who sought during Trump’s first term to update the disability rolls through executive action. At the start of Trump’s second term, the White House budget office urged Leland Dudek, the acting commissioner at the time, to pursue rule changes shortly after he took office.

Conservatives have long argued that since Americans are living longer and fewer have jobs that require manual labor, many physically disabled workers could adapt to desk work, broadening their work options and resulting in fewer people being granted disability benefits. Social Security officials prepared to issue a similar rule at the end of the first Trump administration but ran out of time…

Sen. Ron Wyden (Oregon), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, argued that the rule change is just the first step in broader Republican plans to cut Social Security.

“This is Phase One of the Republican campaign to force Americans to work into old age to access their earned Social Security benefits, and represents the largest cut to disability insurance in American history,” Wyden said in a statement to The Post. “Americans with disabilities have worked and paid into Social Security just like everybody else, and they do not deserve the indignity of more bureaucratic water torture to get what they paid for.”…

No ACA plans because premiums are too high, no disability, no food stamps. Oh also we closed all the hospitals.
RIP rurals.

— Schnorkles O'Bork (@schnorkles.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 2:05 PM

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Guess where Comer, a wealthy man, gets his healthcare? From the government.

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— davidrlurie (@davidrlurie.bsky.social) October 3, 2025 at 10:19 PM

Monday Morning Open Thread: TrumpCo Take Yr HealthcarePost + Comments (140)

GOP Death Cult Open Thread: Mike Johnson, Chief Liar

by Anne Laurie| October 5, 202510:50 pm| 58 Comments

This post is in: C.R.E.A.M., GOP Death Cult, Open Threads, World's Best Healthcare (If You Can Afford It)

Welker: They say the house is not in session because you don't want to swear in the newly elected democratic congresswoman who would be a critical vote to releasing the Epstein files.
Johnson: It's totally absurd. This has nothing to do with that. It's another red herring.

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— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 2:24 PM

If the God Johnson claims to worship exists, Pastor Mike is *not* going to enjoy his afterlife.

Fact Check: Mike Johnson's Biggest Lies About Health Care and Undocumented Immigrants
flip.it/IMO_oe

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— Lee Heffner (@leeheffer.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 3:59 PM

Per Rolling Stone, “The Republican speaker continues to push the false narrative that Democrats are responsible for shutting down the government because they want to fund health care for undocumented people”:

House Speaker Mike Johnson continued to blame Democrats for the government shutdown, using misleading Republican talking points that insist that Democratic leadership is pushing to fund health care for undocumented immigrants.

Johnson said Sunday on CBS’s Face the Nation that Democrats “want to spend $1.5 trillion, and they want to return hard-working taxpayer dollars to fund health care for illegal aliens. It is in their bill. Go to speaker.gov and see it for yourself. Page 57, Section 2141. They’re using this for political games, and it is shameful, and real people are getting hurt.”

“I have looked at that text,” host Margaret Brennan replied. “It doesn’t explicitly say what you are indicating.”…

We went to the Speaker’s site, which links to the Democratic proposal. The specific section Johnson mentioned — section 2141 on page 57 — repeals the changes to Medicaid made by Trump and the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Brennan’s pushback got Johnson to admit that he’s not just talking about “illegal aliens” but also non-citizens, as in people here legally. It’s an important distinction.

It’s important to note that undocumented immigrants broadly do not qualify for Medicaid, Affordable Care Act subsidies, or other federally-funded health care coverage…

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Further, under the OBBBA, many lawfully present immigrants who are eligible for Medicaid — such as asylum seekers, refugees, and survivors of human trafficking — will be rendered ineligible for the program in 2026 thanks to a section of the law titled “Alien Medicaid eligibility.” If that provision stays in place, then next year, approximately 1.4 million immigrants lawfully in the U.S. will lose health coverage because Republicans severely restricted access to lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian immigrants, and citizens of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau. Democrats are pressing to reverse that.

Johnson also claimed on NBC’s Meet the Press: “What the Democrats are demanding is that illegal aliens that care for them in an emergency room should be reimbursed at a higher rate.”

Welker: Are you suggesting that ER doctors check people's immigration status before they render emergency care?

Johnson No. Again, it's another red herring. What the Democrats are demanding is that illegal aliens that care for them in an emergency room should be reimbursed at a… pic.twitter.com/TxX4Zeb7ga

— Acyn (@Acyn) October 5, 2025

Hospitals may be reimbursed for emergency room care given to undocumented immigrants due to a Reagan-era law (the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act) that requires emergency rooms provide screening exams and stabilization care to everyone who comes through their doors seeking care, regardless of immigration status. Under the OBBBA, those reimbursements will decrease. Hospitals would still be obligated to deliver care to everyone, but they will not receive the same amount as they would have before OBBBA, also known as H.R. 1.

“H.R. 1 reduces the federal matching funds for states for some of this emergency care,” explained Leonardo Cuello, research professor at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy’s Center for Children and Families. “This provision does not actually change coverage for immigrants, and indeed the CBO scored it as having no impact on coverage, because hospitals must still provide the health care, and states must still pay them for the health care, it’s just that the federal government will pay a smaller share of the cost. In other words, it’s just a cut to federal funding for states to reimburse providers furnishing emergency services (which is still required).” …

Johnson on NBC accused Democrats of wanting to “to claw back $50 billion that we put in for rural hospitals to prop them up,” but that funding only offsets approximately one-third of the federal Medicaid funding that rural hospitals lost due to the OBBBA. Fully restoring Medicaid funding to rural hospitals would do more for them than the GOP’s five-year temporary rural health fund.

Democrats are also insisting on extending federal subsidies for people who purchase coverage through the ACA marketplace. If Republicans get their way, and those subsidies are lost, then ACA premiums could more than double. An estimated 10 million Americans, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, could lose their health insurance between the GOP’s Medicaid cuts and the loss of subsidies…

TL; DR — if you want something easier to share on social media:

FACT FOCUS: Democrats did not shut down the government to give health care to illegal immigrants.

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— The Associated Press (@apnews.com) October 4, 2025 at 5:00 PM

GOP Death Cult Open Thread: Mike Johnson, Chief LiarPost + Comments (58)

War for Ukraine Day 1,319: The Cost

by Adam L Silverman| October 5, 20258:46 pm| 12 Comments

This post is in: Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Military, Open Threads, Russia, Silverman on Security, War, War in Ukraine

(Image by NEIVANMADE)

The cost:

Lviv Oblast. A home lies in ruins, destroyed to the ground. Inside, a family of four lost their lives — among them, a 15-year-old girl. This is what russia brings to Ukraine.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 5:00 AM

Russian strike in the Lviv region murdered a 15-year-old girl and her family. All four of them.

Anastasia Hrytsiv was a 10th-grade student at Lapaivka Lyceum.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 10:14 AM

Russia launched a massive overnight attack on Ukraine with hundreds of drones and missiles targeting energy infrastructure. Lviv sustained heavy strikes with damaged homes and a fire at Sparrow industrial park. Over 73,000 lost power in Zaporizhzhia where at least one person was killed.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 4:04 AM

Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.

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Russia Is Openly Trying to Destroy Our Civilian Infrastructure Right Now, Ahead of Winter – Address by the President

5 October 2025 – 16:06

Fellow Ukrainians!

Recovery efforts are ongoing following the Russian strike on Ukraine – a massive attack in which the Russians are not even trying to conceal their true intentions. The overwhelming majority of targets were civilian objects and ordinary infrastructure: the energy sector, civilian enterprises, warehouses – specifically those storing civilian goods – as well as our railway logistics that sustains normal life in our communities and our economy. Dozens of ordinary residential buildings were also damaged.

Unfortunately, there were casualties from this attack. In the Lviv region, four people were killed, including a child. In the Zaporizhzhia region, one person was killed. My condolences to the families and loved ones. As of now, 18 people are reported injured, all of whom are receiving medical assistance.

In total, there were 53 missiles, including air-launched ballistic missiles, and several waves of attack drones – nearly 500 in total, around 250 of them “shaheds.” A significant number were shot down, but unfortunately, not all. Nearly 40 missiles of various types and almost 450 drones were shot down.

And unfortunately, there has been no worthy and strong response from the world to everything that is happening – to the constantly growing scale and audacity of strikes. That is exactly why Putin does this – he simply mocks the West, its silence and the lack of strong actions in response. Russia has spurned every proposal to stop the war or to halt the strikes at least. Russia is openly trying to destroy our civilian infrastructure right now, ahead of winter – our gas infrastructure, our power generation and transmission. Zero real reaction from the world. We will fight so that the world does not remain silent and so that Russia feels the response.

Every Russian missile and every Russian attack drone also contains parts that are still being supplied to Russia from Western countries and various countries close to Russia. Now, in the fourth year of the full-scale war, it is simply strange to hear anyone claim they don’t know how to stop the flow of critical components. A single Russian Kinzhal missile contains 96 foreign-made components, many of them truly critical ones that Russia does not produce itself. The nearly 500 drones the Russians used overnight contain over 100,000 foreign-made parts. Among the manufacturers are companies from the United States, China, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the Netherlands. There are schemes spanning multiple countries. All of this must be stopped.

Next week, a meeting of the G7 sanctions coordinators is scheduled, and our partners already have all our proposals on sanctions and on curbing supply schemes. The materials have been provided – now decisions are needed. We are also preparing our new sanctions – both against those who are working for Russia now, for its war, and against those who are trying to weaken Ukraine at such a time.

In the regions – wherever necessary – repair crews, our energy workers and utility services are engaged in recovery. I want to thank all the first responders of the State Emergency Service and the National Police who are involved. It is important that businesses are also helping. And this is essential – for communities and the entire state to be supported by our entrepreneurs.

I have already held meetings today with the Prime Minister of Ukraine, the head of Naftogaz, and everyone needed to help people and accelerate recovery efforts. I instructed them to visit the regions – to check what communities truly need and to verify the accuracy of every report from the regions. I expect reports on each region, on each community.

I want to thank everyone who is defending Ukraine, who is protecting our people. Thank you to everyone in the world who stands with Ukraine and who truly defends life, not just in their intentions.

And today, Ukraine also marks Education Workers’ Day. Traditionally, on the eve of the holiday, on Friday, we all greet our teachers, and of course, we thank them. And today as well, because one can never express too much gratitude to all Ukrainian teachers, all lecturers, everyone in our country who works to keep schools and universities running, ensuring that our children, despite everything, despite all the attacks and all the Russian cruelty, still have a chance at a normal life and a bright future. I thank all teachers, lecturers, and education workers. This is truly one of the most important things in our country – Ukrainian education continues to function, overcoming every difficulty, and giving children a good level of knowledge. Thank you all, our educators.

Glory to Ukraine!

He also met with, congratulated, and presented awards to Soldiers from the Territorial Defense Forces on their national day of recognition.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy Congratulated the Warriors of the Territorial Defense Forces on Their Professional Holiday and Presented State Awards

5 October 2025 – 15:44

On Territorial Defense Day, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the warriors serving in the ranks of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and presented them with state awards.

The Head of State thanked the soldiers, sergeants, and officers of Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces for their service and dedication to Ukraine – all those who have truly proved themselves in defending the Ukrainian state and the Ukrainian people.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, the Territorial Defense Forces helped unite the nation, as more than 100,000 Ukrainians joined the ranks of the Territorial Defense within the first month of the full-scale war.

“Today, 25 brigades of the Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine operate alongside all other components of our Defense and Security Forces. Territorial Defense brigades and battalions fight on the front line, play an important role in battles along the border, and are involved in covering key sectors. Forty-six warriors of the Territorial Defense Forces have been awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine, and thousands more have received other state honors,” the Head of State emphasized.

The President stressed that the life and success of Ukraine depend on the performance of every defender and that it is essential to remember the price of defense in wartime. The memory of fallen heroes was honored with a moment of silence.

The President presented the Cross of Military Merit to Sergeant Yevhenii Tsurskyi. Since the first days of the full-scale war, he has defended the Kirovohrad and Mykolaiv regions and took part in the liberation and stabilization operations in the Kherson region. Since June this year, he has been performing combat missions in the Zaporizhzhia sector, where on July 23 one of the enemy’s largest assaults in this direction took place – nearly 50 occupiers supported by heavy equipment. The position held by Yevhenii Tsurskyi was attacked by over ten Russians on motorcycles and vehicles, supported by an armored fighting vehicle. Thanks to his leadership and actions, the assault was repelled and all the occupiers were eliminated. That same month, despite being wounded, he carried a wounded brother-in-arms who could not walk on his own for two kilometers to the medical evacuation point.

The Head of State also presented the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, III class, and the Orders “For Courage,” II and III class, to other defenders.

First Lady Zelenska participated in the Annual Global Teacher prize and announced the winner today.

Olena Zelenska Took Part in the Annual Global Teacher Prize Ukraine Ceremony and Announced the Winner of the “Ukrainians’ Choice” Category

5 October 2025 – 13:53

First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska took part in the 2025 Global Teacher Prize Ukraine award ceremony, held annually by the NGO Osvitoria to mark Education Workers’ Day.

According to the Global Teacher Prize Ukraine, this year’s Best Teacher is Ruslan Shalamov from Kharkiv, who received UAH 1 million to bring his educational dream to life.

The President’s wife announced the winner of the “Ukrainians’ Choice” category. For the second year in a row, Ukrainians themselves selected the teacher whose story and teaching approach inspired them most. This year, more than 10,000 people participated in the vote on the Diia.Osvita platform, with 2,263 votes going to Yurii Pakhomov, a chemistry teacher from Ivano-Frankivsk. His lessons turn science into action – from AR experiments to projects that have raised hundreds of thousands of hryvnias to support Ukrainian warriors. The winner received an educational trip as a gift.

“Yurii Pakhomov believes that if a teacher can answer a child’s question during class – even if it’s not related to the subject – the lesson was not in vain. Because the teacher helped the child. And that is the teacher’s mission – to help,” the First Lady emphasized.

Winners in other categories included: Preschool Education – Khrystyna Mykuliak, preschool teacher from Ivano-Frankivsk; Mathematics Teacher – Lesia Maksymko, teacher of algebra, geometry, and computer science from the Ivano-Frankivsk region; Chemistry Teacher – Yevhenii Atamasenko, Kyiv region; Choice by Heart – Maksym Romanov, geography teacher from the Kharkiv region; Computer Science Teacher – Nataliia Perekhryst, computer science and English teacher from Ternopil; Innovative Teacher – Volodymyr Babenko, computer science teacher from the Poltava region; Inclusion – Olha Bilanova, teacher of Ukrainian Sign Language, law, and history from Kryvyi Rih.

Three educators received special distinctions under the Talents For Ukraine grant program of the KSE Foundation: Yevhenii Atamasenko (chemistry teacher, Kyiv region), Kostiantyn Kravchuk (computer science and fine arts teacher, Khmelnytskyi), and Olha Pohribniak (history teacher, Kyiv region).

“At different moments in our lives, we all say thank you to our teachers. But this event is a living expression of that gratitude – a place where a teacher finally walks their deserved red carpet, where they are celebrated like a star. Today, we all lack light. And when a child leaves school shining, coming home inspired, we, parents, understand that they were given not only knowledge, but also that light of hope, the faith in themselves and in life,” said Olena Zelenska.

The Global Teacher Prize Ukraine is an annual national award for teachers – agents of educational change – presented in Ukraine since 2017. It recognizes not only teachers’ achievements in working with students, but also their social contribution.

Georgia:

President Salome Zourabichvili attends the 312th day of continuous, nationwide #GeorgiaProtests.

More people here than usual, despite threats from the Interior Ministry.

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 12:37 PM

Protests continue in Tbilisi.

Day 312

#GeorgiaProtests

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 2:59 PM

Day 312 of nonstop protests in Georgia. Rustaveli Avenue is blocked.

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 12:41 PM

Despite threats from the illegitimate gov’t, more and more people arrive on Rustaveli Avenue on Day 312 of daily, nationwide protests. 🇬🇪

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 1:14 PM

The MIA of Georgia states that all protest gatherings “taking place today or afterward will be considered a continuation of the events that occurred on October 4”. Therefore, the government will “take appropriate measures to ensure that public order and security are not threatened.”

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 11:02 AM

⭕️Despite the MIA’s warning earlier today that any gatherings would be treated as a “continuation of attempts to overthrow the government,” the road on #Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue was blocked once again for the 312th consecutive day.

#GeorgiaProtests #Georgia

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) October 5, 2025 at 12:36 PM

⭕️The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) claims that a large quantity of firearms, ammunition, and explosives with a detonator has been discovered in connection with October 4 events.
💢Learn more details: batumelebi.netgazeti.ge/articles-in-…

#Georgia #GeorgiaProtests

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) October 5, 2025 at 11:25 AM

🟥On Oct 5, the MIA issued a statement warning that any assembly held today or in the coming days would be considered a continuation of attempted “overthrow of the govt” and that appropriate measures would be taken.
💢Learn the details: batumelebi.netgazeti.ge/articles-in-…

#GeorgiaProtests

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) October 5, 2025 at 8:09 AM

🟥 Lekso Burchuladze told TV Pirveli that he believes the plan was not to storm the Presidential Palace, but that there may have been another plan, possibly involving a peaceful entry – “they would have come over to our side”.

💢Rad more:
batumelebi.netgazeti.ge/articles-in-…

#GeorgiaProtests

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) October 5, 2025 at 9:21 AM

⭕️President Salome Zourabichvili called on citizens to defend #GeorgiaProtests and continue peaceful resistance after the MIA labeled all gatherings as an “attempt to overthrow the govt.”

She said a Russian psychological operation failed on Oct 4, and that the regime’s goal is to crush the protest

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) October 5, 2025 at 12:18 PM

Germany:

Did she fall head first?

This is on you, Angela. You fed Russia with money and rewarded every act of aggression with shiny new pipelines. The least you could do now is have the decency to shut the hell up.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 6:44 PM

Back to Ukraine.

Ukraine Air Force spox confirmed my FT reporting and explained on national TV: Patriot air defence systems have had greater difficulties intercepting Russian ballistic missiles b/c they now fly on quasi-ballistic trajectories and approach from multiple directions.
www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/202…

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— Christopher Miller (@christopherjm.ft.com) October 5, 2025 at 3:09 PM

From Ukrainska Pravda:

Ukrainian Patriot air defence systems have been experiencing greater difficulties in intercepting Russian ballistic missiles because they now fly on quasi-ballistic trajectories and can approach targets from multiple directions.

Source: Yurii Ihnat, Head of the Public Communications Department of Ukraine’s Air Force Command, on the national joint 24/7 newscast

Details: Ihnat mentioned a recent Financial Times article which reported that Russia has managed to modify its ballistic missiles to better evade Ukrainian air defences.

He noted that this topic is not new and has been discussed in detail in the past.

Quote: “Of course it is more difficult to counter missiles flying on a quasi-ballistic trajectory – they oscillate as they approach the target. This makes the work of the Patriot system more complicated because it operates in automatic mode when engaging ballistic missiles. It becomes harder to calculate the point at which the interceptor collides with or explodes near the incoming missile.

In addition, when ballistic missiles can approach from different directions, a single system cannot detect all of them – you need several systems, multiple radars, to cover a city from various angles.”

Background:

On 2 October, the Financial Times reported that Russia has likely modified its mobile Iskander-M system, which fires missiles with a range of up to 500 km, as well as the air-launched Kinzhal ballistic missiles, which can travel up to 480 km. These missiles now follow a conventional trajectory before changing course and diving steeply or manoeuvring in ways that confuse and evade Patriot interceptors.

The FT said that Ukraine’s interception rate for ballistic missiles had improved over the summer, reaching 37% in August, but it plummeted to just 6% in September, despite fewer launches.

Several explosions in fascist Russia’s Voronezh Oblast. There is also an air raid alert in Sevastopol, in Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Crimea.

— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 6:08 PM

Ukrainian drones attacking en masse, particularly through Kursk Oblast in fascist Russia and across Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Crimea towards SW fascist Russia. Another group of drones already deep in “European” Russia. Map compiled from Russian sources by @DrnBmbr.

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— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 5:24 PM

Good. Ukrainian sanctions must continue!

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 12:19 PM

Lviv:

In Lviv region, russia struck a private home, turning it into rubble, killing 4 people inside, including a 15-year-old girl.

1 more person was killed in Zaporizhzhia.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 7:53 AM

Our Lviv endured a horrendous terrorist attack.

NATO countries could have helped us repel it w #SkyShield. Instead, they chose to stand by, allowing the russian cancer to spread — until the day when civilian aviation in Europe is gone thanks to russian drones non-stop over airports.

📸 A Sadovyi.

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— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 2:51 AM

5,5h of the wild air attack against Lviv and the region in the west with drones, cruise missiles and ballistic. Locals reported explosions of the magnitude and intensity they’ve never heard before. A civilian industrial park is on fire.

I hate russia, the world’s rotten hole.

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— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 2:10 AM

Zaporizhzhia:

❗️One person was killed and nine others injured, including a child, in russian airstrikes on Zaporizhzhia.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 3:43 AM

Sloviansk:

Aftermath of the overnight bombing in central Sloviansk.

Two bombs struck a residential high-rise. Five civilians were injured, including a 13-year-old boy. One guided aerial bomb hit the outer wall; the other pierced the roof and destroyed several apartments. 🤬

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 7:42 AM

Kherson:

As russia heads the UN Counter-Terrorism Office, its military in Kherson is using civilians to practice flying FPV drones — turning it into a horrific #HumanSafari and sharing videos of drones striking civilian vehicles.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 6:11 AM

Hroza, Kharkiv Oblast:

🕯️On this day two years ago, a russian Iskander missile strike killed 59 civilians in the village of Hroza in Kharkiv Oblast. They had gathered in a small café for a memorial service.

We will not forget.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 7:21 AM

Two years ago on this day, Russia struck the village of Hroza in Kharkiv region, murdering 59 people and injuring dozens🕯

Wiping off half a village in one strike.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 9:35 AM

At the time, the café was filled with people attending a memorial lunch for a local soldier killed in the war. Russia called the massacre a strike on “military targets.”

— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 9:35 AM

Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast:

Somewhere in Ivano Frankivsk region of Ukraine today, troops from the 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade successfully took down one of the Russian UAVs.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 11:41 AM

Kramatorsk:

❗️Today, russia struck Kramatorsk for the first time with an FPV drone on fiber optics.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 2:43 PM

Kharkiv:

This is Kharkiv right now — hit by 15 russian drones.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 5:50 PM

Russian occupied Crimea:

There are numerous reports of attacks on targets in Crimea from various locations. In the video, a drone breaks through air defense fire and strikes an oil storage facility in Feodosia.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 7:35 PM

No photos or videos, but reports on Telegram of several explosions in the area of Saky air base in Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Crimea. Ukrainian forces have been attacking radar and air defense targets on the peninsula for the last few weeks.

— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 5:53 PM

Video said to be of machine-gun fire near Saky air base, amid reports of drone attacks.

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— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 5:57 PM

Occupied Feodosiya in Crimea. Oil depot is on fire 🔥

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 7:00 PM

More from occupied Feodosiya, one of the largest oil depot in Crimea 🍄‍🟫🔥

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 7:38 PM

Kyiv:

Another air alert in Kyiv…

— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 7:15 PM

Chernihiv Oblast:

Russia struck a gas station in Chernihiv twice.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 7:05 AM

The Pokrovsk front:

Spartan National Guard brigade fighters shot down over 100 Russian Molniya kamikaze drones on the Pokrovsk direction in September alone.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 7:02 AM

Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia:

In Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region, a Lukoil oil refinery mysteriously exploded last night 🔥👀

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 10:03 AM

🔥🛢️ Kstovo Oil Refinery, also known as Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez was targeted today.

Kstovo oil refinery is the fourth largest Russian refinery with annual capacity 17mln tons. ~800km from the frontline.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 2:12 AM

Belgorod Oblast, Russia:

Belgorod, Russia. Air raid alert, explosions, electricity goes on and off 👀

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 2:55 PM

“Fuck, the whole city flashed!” As air raid sirens wail in Belgorod, the city suffers power outages, with part of the center in complete blackout. Belgorod Oblast Governor Gladkov says 40K people in the region are cut off from power due to Ukrainian attacks.

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— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 5:11 PM

Central Belgorod without power, though some shop signs and a pedestrian crossing light appear to be working in backup power.

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— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 5:34 PM

“Wow! The power went out again!” Moment of one of the power outages in Belgorod, fascist Russia.

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— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 5:39 PM

Bryansk Oblast, Russia:

Bryansk region of russia reports an attack 🔥😏

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 4:59 PM

Just now, missile strike on the second Russian thermal power plant. This one in Klintsy, Bryansk regions.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 5:04 PM

Moscow:

A building in Moscow’s Technopolis special economic zone caught fire, where companies producing drones are located.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 8:36 AM

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Patron!

There’s no new Patron skeets or videos today. Here is some adjacent material.

Firefighters rescue a kitten from the rubble following the Russian attack on the Lviv region 🐈

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 9:27 AM

During search and rescue operation in Lviv region following a Russian airstrike, a kitty was pulled alive from the rubble.

And just like that, the world is a little better.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) October 5, 2025 at 3:27 PM

Open thread!

War for Ukraine Day 1,319: The CostPost + Comments (12)

Virginia Meetup on Oct 11 – Please RSVP

by WaterGirl| October 5, 202512:10 pm| 37 Comments

This post is in: Balloon Juice, Meetups, Open Threads

Re-upping the Virginia Meetup post.

RSVP by email to WaterGirl if you haven’t already!

And let us know in the comments if you’re hoping to join.

First new comment will be at #18.

First posted on Sept 7 at noon.

Hey everybody!

The Virginia meetup is happening, and Piratedan is getting organized.

Date – Saturday, October 11th
Time – 12ish til whenevs

To recap:

piratedan had a gleam in his eye for a Balloon Juice meetup, hosted at his place, about a month from now. And now it has turned into reality!

Ms. Pirate is on board with hosting this meetup at the Pirate residence.

Piratedan and Ms. Pirate, hereafter referred to as The Pirates, are happy to provide snack/deli tray type of arrangement and a big ass cooler full of beer/soda and likely some sweet tea.

Beyond that, folks are welcome to bring any particular foods or beverages that they wish.

They are thinking of a lunch/brunch timeframe, allowing people to congregate as long as they wish yet still have daylight in order to travel.

They can accommodate a limited number of inebriate Jackals if that occurs.

The location is rural, and private, since they live literally at the end of the road.

They can host inside or out, depending upon weather.

Dogs will be provided for petting and photos. Cats may be seen, but they will do as they damn well please.

The Pirates are very much looking forward to meeting and greeting those that can make it!

IMPORTANT – If you are planning on attending, or hope to attend

Please RSVP by email to WaterGirl – watergirl at balloon-juice.com – but it’s great if you also add a comment in this thread so everybody can see who all is interested.

Please include this information in the email to WaterGirl:

let us know how many will be in your party
include your BJ nym
let us know if you might want to stay overnight (or will plan to stay overnight)
include any other details you would like

WaterGirl will forward your email message to piratedan, who will contact you directly with address specifics, and he can answer any questions that you may have.

The Pirates are looking forward to this!

Virginia Meetup on Oct 11 – Please RSVPPost + Comments (37)

A Budget Is a Moral Document

by WaterGirl| October 5, 202511:30 am| 99 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Politics

Josie sent me this link, and I didn’t want to put it in the thread where HeleninEire shared the sad news about her sister.

Show me your budget—and I’ll tell you what you value.

~ Joe Biden

Jesus spent most of his time healing the sick.

Today, we have politicians in Congress with “Christ-follower” in their Twitter bios — but they’re trying to kick the sick off their healthcare.

And they’re willing to shut down the government to do it.

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— James Talarico (@jamestalarico.bsky.social) October 2, 2025 at 8:19 PM

Nice to see the hypocrites being called out!

What can we do to spread the word?

A Budget Is a Moral DocumentPost + Comments (99)

Something to think about?

by WaterGirl| October 5, 20259:55 am| 73 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Political Action, Politics

I found this image in a post from The Status Kuo.

I don’t see a name of who created the image below, but maybe Another Scott will chime in with the origin, as he sometimes does. :-)

I would love to see something similar for Chicago and for Memphis. Is it too much to hope that Governor Pritzker could post something like that on his BlueSky account?

I wish billboards weren’t so expensive!

Could something like these go on a sticker?

At this point, I’m all for some small collective action across our individual locations.

Ideas?

Open thread.

Something to think about?Post + Comments (73)

hotshoe on He Really Is Anti-Woke (Nov 9, 2025 @ 1:37am)

John H. McDonald on Dish Served Cold: James Watson Is Dead (Nov 9, 2025 @ 1:34am)

Splitting Image on He Really Is Anti-Woke (Nov 9, 2025 @ 1:30am)

no body no name on He Really Is Anti-Woke (Nov 9, 2025 @ 1:30am)

Baud on Dish Served Cold: James Watson Is Dead (Nov 9, 2025 @ 1:27am)

There are times when telling just part of the truth is effectively a lie.

Fucking consultants! (of the political variety)

There are no moderate republicans – only extremists and cowards.

The fight for our country is always worth it. ~Kamala Harris

No one could have predicted…

American history and black history cannot be separated.

So fucking stupid, and still doing a tremendous amount of damage.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

DeSantis transforming Florida into 1930s Germany with gators and theme parks.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Not all heroes wear capes.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

He seems like a smart guy, but JFC, what a dick!

There are some who say that there are too many strawmen arguments on this blog.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

One lie, alone, tears the fabric of reality.

People are complicated. Love is not.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

Fundamental belief of white supremacy: white people are presumed innocent, minorities are presumed guilty.

Jack be nimble, jack be quick, hurry up and indict this prick.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

Every Single One of Us Should Call

Monday Morning Open Thread: TrumpCo Take Yr Healthcare

GOP Death Cult Open Thread: Mike Johnson, Chief Liar

War for Ukraine Day 1,319: The Cost

Russia Is Openly Trying to Destroy Our Civilian Infrastructure Right Now, Ahead of Winter – Address by the President

Volodymyr Zelenskyy Congratulated the Warriors of the Territorial Defense Forces on Their Professional Holiday and Presented State Awards

Olena Zelenska Took Part in the Annual Global Teacher Prize Ukraine Ceremony and Announced the Winner of the “Ukrainians’ Choice” Category

A Budget Is a Moral Document

Show me your budget—and I’ll tell you what you value.

~ Joe Biden

Something to think about?

I wish billboards weren’t so expensive!

Could something like these go on a sticker?

At this point, I’m all for some small collective action across our individual locations.