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ericnalder.bsky.social
Writer and (ret) investigative reporter. Grateful for my wife, my daughter, creativity, dogs, animals, and nature. Product of OJT with loved ones and colleagues, plus wonder, discoveries, and rewards. See wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Nalder
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Remember the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980? An attempt to unburden our bureaucracies. Now our efficiency dictator Musk wants every federal worker to create a blizzard of paperwork writing self reports no one will read, while we are trying to keep the planes from crashing amid Trump’s random chaos.

submitted 17 minutes ago • 0 comments

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/23/u... Good look at the guy who rules by making stuff up. A smart person wouldn’t hire this huckster to run a daycare much less one of the world’s largest service organizations & democracies. But, the prez says keep your eye on that pizza parlor serving pedophiles. Not me.

submitted 45 minutes ago • 0 comments

With Pentagon purge, Trump thrusts military into uncharted territory This feels like a Pentagon groomed to turn guns away from enemies and toward an increasingly restless America. A tool for a would-be dictator with woman-abuser, slaver, union-buster, and protest-shooter inclinations.

submitted 1 hour ago • 0 comments

Geologic riches are a lure for invaders and extortionists. Musk threatens to remove a satellite umbrella, Starlink, from Ukraine's defenses if the country doesn't hand over mineral rights to the U.S. in exchange for support. And possibly a Moscow-friendly treaty. www.reuters.com/business/us-...

submitted 23 hours ago • 0 comments

Investigative Reporters and Editors is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Great organization. Three years after I joined, I received my first Pulitzer Prize and it was no coincidence. It was for me a continuing graduate school. Many thanks. And I recommend it to all writers.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Danish reporters were touring me through an ultra rich enclave when I said: “This feels like a high crime neighborhood.” They got it, of course. And that was long before Musk and company seized control of my country. I wish Trump’s people understood that concept rather than blaming the poor.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Trump administration backtracks on eliminating thousands of national parks employees www.seattletimes.com/nation-world... Donald Trump doesn’t strike me as the hiker type. More of a suit with his pants unzipped. Probably shocked him that Americans love their parks. This is a win, for now.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

If I could become Super Reporter and simultaneously interview all of Trump’s grassroots supporters my line of questioning would be this: Why do you trust billionaires to run your life. I mean, from whose pockets did they get their money? You worry about gays etc and not Silicon Valley and greed?

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

U.S., Ukraine near deal to grant mineral rights to Washington In the old days, even regular folks recoiled at military policies driven by mineral rights. We called it imperialism. Russia invaded in part for these things. Our religion has become faith in material transactions, rather than ideals.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Musk’s DOGE says it has saved $55 billion. Not so fast. One way to summarize this report: If these DOGE boasts were a quarterly earnings report, the SEC would be making moves to shut them down. A plea based on math errors would be laughable. And DOGE was hired to audit.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Judge temporarily blocks key parts of Trump’s executive orders targeting DEI A win. Translating the judge’s order, Trump’s move to force this whole diverse nation to quit seeking equity is likely unconstitutional, unlawful, a violation of free speech and too Trump-like, that is ill-conceived.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/21/u... Defense Secretaries do replace Joint Chiefs but doing so for stated racial reasons is ugly and wrong. The replacement is an under qualified man who once impressed an easily impressionable Trump. This done “amid growing tumult” in our military. Feeling safer now?

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Man of the year in Russia & China. Trump has crashed the stock market, switched sides in a war, trashed our foreign aid, spread chaos, threatened lifespans, endangered air travelers, unemployed thousands, raised prices on goods and demoralized half the country. One month on the job. What’s next?!?

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

The IRS has banned Musk rep Gavin Kliger from rifling through the personal information of taxpayers. That's good, an adult in the room. But while he's inside the IRS, someone must police his activities. With Musk's people, banning isn't enough, they need babysitting. And follow-ups afterwards.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

In an old French movie The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe, an innocent violinist is targeted by a spy agency simply because he wore mismatched shoes. Reminds me of DOGE, the U.S. agency that is now misreading govt data while it targets innocent people, misleads the public and seeds chaos.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

With multiple tariffs looming, farmers who support Trump grow nervous Americans in Trump country are just now realizing that a trans person has never menaced them, but the GOP might. Polls also show a stirring. Against billionaires who never have enough, it’ll take more than a stirring.

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

We are in a curve of history where billionaires are extremely dangerous. Read Thomas Piketty for perspective. We are just hanging on now, but polls show a growing consensus. Tax reform and a constitutional overthrow of Citizens United are two possibilities. Don’t let them control the messengers.

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

Now the postman. Flying is increasingly unsafe, our personal govt records are at risk, disaster relief is impacted, health, IRS returns, foreign aid...you name it. Now the postman. Rural communities will be hit very hard by this. Heartland, prepare for it. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

Kash Patel takes over the FBI with alleged enemies list. Checkered past. I interacted with FBI agents; generally smart, often with law degrees. There are safe methods for contacting reporters. Consult with someone you trust, or a seasoned member of Investigative Reporters & Editors.

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

Judge Rules Against Labor Unions Seeking to Block Mass Firings www.nytimes.com/2025/02/20/u... Another procedural dodge. Judge sends union case back to Federal Labor Relations Authority (1 D, 1 R, 1 vacancy.) Trump wanted to kill unions last term. The judge says, loose there, come back to court.

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/20/o... Great conversation with Friedman. Trump the chump offers Putin the idiot who invaded Ukraine twice what he wanted for ending his war. The poseur who has flubbed many deals shakes things up, okay good, but the landing is questionable. Read it if you can. We need help.

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/20/w... When I was a schoolboy in Beirut, Saudi Arabia was emerging, its oil camps employing my chum’s parents. Now it’s a pile of cash cleansing a bad reputation by sponsoring sports, glitter and diplomacy. Also profitable for Trump & family.

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/20/w... NYT’s Kim Barker, a former colleague, gives us a taste of the shaming our nation faces if we bear hug Putin in seeking peace. Peace yes, but not as a coward bowing to and lying for a murderous bully. Trump fancies Putin like a groupie at the world’s expense, and ours

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/u... NYT reporter compares GOP senators’ previous comments regarding Putin and Ukraine to statements today. Tepid posturing is what I see. They’ve got a loose cannon in Trump, turning his muzzle on our allies for buddy Putin. Would they ratify a bended knee treaty?

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/u... We want peace in Ukraine, but Trump has fanned worldwide mistrust with his stupendous lies, and in service of Putin. His former vp Pence is disgusted as are a few GOP Senators. He has disgraced this country. The terms for peace must recognize Russia’s role.

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/u... All of us have had that happen. I mean, waiting forever for the delivery of our luxury plane. What with inflation and all.

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

Kristof pleads with us to pay better attention as Trump hands over a chunk of our foreign policy to Putin. I have, but Kristof is way better informed. Smart guy. We both picked up Pulitzer Prizes on the same day at Columbia. He describes a complex web of trouble. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/o...

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

I.R.S. to Begin Laying Off Roughly 6,000 Employees on Thursday www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/u... It will be more difficult for us to get our money back. Plan for it.

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

Zelensky and Trump Trade Blows as Feud Escalates Over Peace Talks www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/w... Trump is all in for Putin.

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

We are in a cold war with a worldwide loose-affiliation of billionaires. Not all of them, just enough. Great wealth breeds megalomaniacs. Musk is a slightly whacky leader, but others are less noisy. Man-child Trump is a tool. We can be more powerful than their money, but we need to be smarter.

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

Putin raised the anti-woke banner long before it flew over Washington Important warning. Putin recognized an opportunity to weaken the U.S. through the G0P’s divisive racism & sexism. Not to join the Republicans, but to use them to undermine U.S. existence. With Trump/Vance he is winning now.

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/u... A radical pivot in American foreign policy, siding with a country that recently threatened us with nuclear weapons, and against our allies. Mueller Report on fentanyl, dizzying. We know Trump’s inclinations. He is jilting this country for Putin. GOP playing violins.

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

A lot of "accidents" happening with this Republican administration, it seems. www.nbcnews.com/politics/dog...

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

Trump Administration Live Updates: Judge Declines to Block Musk Team’s Foray Into Federal Agencies www.nytimes.com/live/2025/02... Temporary defeat. Judge Tanya Chutkan's ruling "appeared to suggest that the lawsuit had a strong chance of succeeding with the benefit of additional evidence..."

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

Europe’s Leaders, Dazed by an Ally Acting Like an Adversary, Recalculate www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/w... In the old days, reporters had to hunt all over Idaho to interview Neo-Nazis. Now they seem to be influencing our foreign policy. Okay, not Nazis, but something that feels like it. Europe reels.

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

Elon Musk Is Leading a ‘Hostile Takeover of the Federal Government’ www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/o... Laurence Tribe knows as much about our constitution as anyone alive. He is cited here describing Musk's takeover as "an unprecedented violation". And: "This is brute dictatorship of the worst kind.

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

‘America’s tree’ is missing. Will we do what it takes to bring it back? A century long effort to bring back the old chestnut tree grows promising results with modern science. Questions of course. Genetic modifications. But wouldn’t be nice to save something in these hard times? Democracy, too.

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Trump administration fires thousands for ‘performance’ without evidence, in messy rush Wapo has gotten leaked docs showing that Trump’s people are ordering managers to make up stuff about employees to fire them. Illegal, but quick. This heartless new regime is gonna be a leak rich environment folks

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

www.nytimes.com/live/2025/02... So you think they are just looking for dead people on SS? And scared immigrants who cleverly vote in your elections? Meanwhile the grift is in plain sight in the Oval Office. BTW, SS recipients occasionally die without notice. Part of the daily SS job is culling them

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/u... In the old days, when we reported that a politician was grifting, heartland folks were outraged. Frankly, those cases were mostly pennies on the dollar. It’s the whole dollar now with Republicans, your tax dollars are their business assets. What’s up, Farmer Joe?

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/u... Trump said “I know better” last time. A Democratic administration halted the pandemic. It shouldn’t take a college education for voters to see this will happen again. Science is real. Reality TV shows aren’t. Read the warning here: Republicans can make you sick.

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Vince Gilligan wants Hollywood writers to create aspirational "good guys". Not the norm, but the muse behind Breaking Bad says it's time since movies affect behavior. He's right, and it'll take more sharpness than the hatchets hacking out today's violence. www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/v...

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

We will run out of lawyer for this. USA Today says a federal worker a month on the job was fired for a fictional performance review. One example of many. Yet in a cafe in a small Republican town, you'd find a crowd to applaud it, having abandoned honesty and decency for a dream of cheaper eggs.

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Elon Musk attacked a blind man. Readers were appalled (+2,600 comments). Yet it stuns me that so many followers would echo this, by pummeling the guy. Reporters should interview some of them, using the honest method that encourages the subject's ego to spew. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Diversity is our nation, and our greatest strength. Nature dictates that it will endure, but we should do more with it.

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

Trump begins firings of FAA air traffic control staff just weeks after fatal DC plane crash www.seattletimes.com/nation-world... Amid rising concerns about air space safety, Republicans are firing traffic controllers, including one who criticized DOGE. With system already understaffed.

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

WA scientists plan to publish report on nature that Trump canceled www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news... GOP quashes support for scientific assessment on current status of nature. Scientists will push ahead anyway. What to call this resolve? Uh, brains keep thinking to defy the brainless.

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/17/b... NYT story on IRS incursion adds to discussion of big GOP inconsistencies. Fix agency while laying off staff and cutting funds? Missed one point. GOP opposes Democrat’s wishes to expand audits of wealthy cheaters. I would assign a deep dive into current examples.

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

Here is the Business Insider article on Gavin Kliger, young right winger who might access your IRS data. Also involved in USAID raid. Says he postponed lucrative career to crusade against liberalism. Correction: In earlier post I wrongly cited Business Week. www.businessinsider.com/silicon-vall...

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

Musk’s DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS Innocuous move to fix data systems at IRS? White House said Gavin Kliger of DOGE is after fraud. Business Week depicts Kliger as young right winger on self-sacrificing crusade against liberalism. Trust him w/ your tax return?

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments