Fran U

🇺🇸 living in 🇨🇦. Joined to track of COVID info. Stayed for the fascism. Academic, politically engaged, and perpetually annoyed. Traverse City is 🏠!

[Fran U @FU1921]

I’ll be posting this daily as a reminder that he fucking needs to lose his primary because he wants Republicans to maintain control of the Senate and approve Trump’s judicial and cabinet nominees

[Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 @JasonJournoDC]

💥NEW: Dem Rep. Jake Auchincloss says Graham Platner’s Nazi tattoo should be “DISQUALIFYING”🤯

“I find that tattoo and his commentary about it to be personally disqualifying. I hope Maine voters agree with me.”

CNN’s Boris Sanchez: “Wow.”

[Fran U @FU1921]

@PollTracker2024 Awwww poor little hurt pussy

[Fran U @FU1921]

@Nedauuel @Partisan_12 Your English is atrocious

[Fran U @FU1921]

@AssalRad To be fair, they do a lot to ensure the death of all Palestinians in Gaza

[Murtaza Hussain @MazMHussain]

The Israeli practice (also promoted by Israeli assets working inside the U.S.) of assassinating diplomatic interlocutors in the midst of negotiations was not even done by belligerents in WWII.

[Danny (Dennis) Citrinowicz ,داني سيترينوفيتش @citrinowicz]

A View from Tehran: Iran's Leadership Is Entering a New Phase But Not a New Direction

A. As Iran prepares for the post-Ali Khamenei era, it is worth examining the power dynamics emerging inside Tehran. Khamenei was the architect of the Islamic Republic's strategy of resistance for more than three decades, and only weeks after what Iranian leaders view as a war of survival against Israel and the United States, the system is beginning a new phase of adaptation.

B. It is still too early to draw definitive conclusions. The Islamic Republic is only at the beginning of what could be called its "3.0" phase. History offers a useful reminder: when Ali Khamenei himself became Supreme Leader in 1989, he was chosen largely because he was perceived as a compromise candidate rather than the strongest figure in the system.

C. Still, The emerging leadership appears likely to be more collective than under Khamenei. Mojtaba Khamenei is widely seen as first among equals, but not as an undisputed decision-maker like his father. For the first time since the 1979 Revolution, senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders are likely to play a much larger role not only in security affairs but also in shaping the Islamic Republic's broader strategic direction.

D. The current leadership seems relatively pragmatic, but that should not be mistaken for moderation. There appears to be broad agreement among the political and security elite that negotiations with the United States should continue, but only within the Islamic Republic's established red lines. The fact that even Mohammad Baqer Zolghadr, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, publicly endorsed the memorandum of understanding with Washington reflects that consensus.

E. At the same time, Tehran has not become more trusting of the United States. Quite the opposite. Iranian leaders continue to assume that Washington could return to military action if diplomacy fails. As a result, Iran is determined to preserve what it considers the strategic gains achieved during the recent conflict, particularly its expanded leverage in the Strait of Hormuz. From Tehran's perspective, control over Hormuz is no longer merely a military asset, it has become an ideological symbol of sovereignty and an essential pillar of deterrence. Likewise, Iran's nuclear program remains a non-negotiable bargaining chip. Tehran is unlikely to make meaningful nuclear concessions before reaching a comprehensive agreement with Washington.

F. Lebanon remains another major obstacle. Iran is unlikely to abandon its demand for a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Combined with the practical difficulties of maintaining continuous negotiations, this makes it unlikely that the current talks will conclude quickly. If both sides continue to see value in diplomacy, an extension of the negotiating process appears more likely than a rapid breakthrough.

G. Iran's willingness to pursue diplomacy is driven largely by economic necessity. The country's economy was under severe strain even before the recent war, and the conflict only deepened those challenges. The leadership increasingly appears to believe that a favorable agreement, one that provides economic relief while preserving Iran's strategic capabilities, would strengthen, rather than weaken, the long-term survival of the Islamic Republic.

H. Meanwhile, internal political tensions remain visible. The recent interruption of Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf's televised interview highlighted underlying rivalries. Beyond personal competition, hardline factions such as Paydari continue to oppose diplomatic engagement. Supreme Leader Khamenei's reported effort to reassure critics, while backing President Masoud Pezeshkian after receiving guarantees about Iran's red lines, suggests an effort to manage these divisions rather than allow them to widen.

I. At the same time, Tehran continues preparing for the possibility of future confrontation. It is rebuilding military capabilities while deepening strategic cooperation with China, with Ghalibaf playing an increasingly prominent diplomatic role. The vacuum created by Ali Khamenei's departure has not destabilized the system, but the new leadership structure remains a work in progress.

The bottom line is that Iran's leadership wants to preserve negotiations with the United States, but not at the expense of what it considers its core strategic assets. That is likely to produce a prolonged negotiating process rather than a quick agreement. Although internal rivalries persist, there is broad consensus around a pragmatic strategy that combines diplomacy with deterrence. Mojtaba Khamenei appears to be the ultimate arbiter, but unlike his father, he is likely to govern through a more collective leadership whose contours are still taking shape.

#iran

[Gina Hinojosa @GinaHinojosaTX]

Don't let Greg Abbott fool you: he invited the data centers to Texas and now he's trying to make you forget it.

I will put money in your pocket by freezing our electricity rates and making the corporations pay their fair share.

[Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 @PollTracker2024]

NYT: A Big Gamble for the Left: Can Socialism Appeal in a Swing State?

Jeff Hanneman was infuriated to learn about a proposal this spring to build a 220-acre data center on the site of a shuttered paper mill near his house in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin

Worried that the project would pollute the tranquil waters of the nearby Wisconsin River, Mr. Hanneman, 43, planted a “No Data Center” sign in his yard.

And, although he’s a Republican who voted for President Trump, he decided to support a democratic socialist who has called for a pause in data center construction and is running for governor.

“I really don’t think or care about the label,” said Mr. Hanneman, who planted a “Francesca Hong for Governor” yard sign next to the other one. “If she was voted into office, she could do a lot of good things for our state.”

https://t.co/DfFN06qV3d

[Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 @PollTracker2024]

#WisconsinGovernor

NYT: Jeff Hanneman, a Republican who voted for President Trump, decided to cast his vote in the governor’s race for Francesca Hong in part because she wants to pause data center construction.

[Jack D 🏳️‍🌈 @JackDunc1]

I'm sorry but leaving the app when you're the government minister who can actually at least try to hold it accountable is weak and pathetic. Do better.

[Fran U @FU1921]

@lumpenbourge @PollTracker2024 I’d assume clinically dead but they won’t take him off machines…cardiac arrest at his age, especially one that leaves him unconscious, is not something you can easily recover from

[Fran U @FU1921]

@ThinkerOfStock @mb_ghalibaf Actually, the states with the highest rates of immigrants (illegal and legal) are less likely to have people on food stamps

[Fran U @FU1921]

@xoxoshirazi @TorontoPD

[Shirazi.t @xoxoshirazi]

🚨EMERGENCY! 🚨 Please alert all Iranians whether they’re in the diaspora or in Iran. Reza Pahlavi supporter is instructing monarchists on how to poison cookies and baked goods etc to kill Iranians who are against monarchy and to poison those who are mourning the murder of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Pahlavists may try to show up at Iranian events this weekend to slip poisoned food in. Please be careful of what you are consuming at any events during this weekend. Also please contact the appropriate authorities in Toronto, Canada.
His info is below:

Name: Abed Yaghoubi

Handle on IG : @abedya.1533

Location📍Toronto, Canada

Profession : physiotherapist

He’s proudly supporting MIGA movement of Reza Pahlavi.

#toronto #Iranian #canada #abedyaghoubi #calltoaction

[Fran U @FU1921]

@AbbasAminian @PanahFB Stop spreading lies. There have been investigating (both government and independent) that have proven that it was the US

[Fran U @FU1921]

@PollTracker2024 lol and the right keeps insisting the left is more violent 🤣🤣🤣

[Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 @PollTracker2024]

Marist/NPR/PBS poll | 6/8-6/11

How much do you agree or disagree with the statement: Americans may have to resort to violence in order to get the country back on track?

❌Disagree 62%
✅Agree 37%
——
By party

🟦Democrats
❌Disagree 66%
✅Agree 33%
——
🟥Republicans
❌Disagree 58%
✅Agree 40%

Link to poll: https://t.co/gD2FwRXbzb

[Maral Karimi @maralkay]

This beautiful city of ours ❤️❤️

Long live #Palestine 🇵🇸.

[Emma Vigeland @EmmaVigeland]

It’s now been 1,000 days since the genocide in Gaza began. I’ll never forget the overwhelming feeling of dread and horror, knowing the hell Israel would unleash on October 8th. Their sadism surpassed my wildest expectations. Free Palestine, always and forever 💔🇵🇸

[Ethan Levins 🇺🇸 @EthanLevins2]

The coffin of Khamenei’s 14 MONTH OLD granddaughter.

She was burned alive in an American strike on February 28th.

She died alone, in a separate room, playing with toys.

[Shirazi.t @xoxoshirazi]

The Iranian diaspora has been silenced by the same influencers who have been pretending to care about Iranian women’s rights.

They tell us that speaking up in politics will mean we can never return to Iran.

Those influencers conveniently leave out the part where they’ve been engaged in coordinated campaigns with other influencers across multiple continents that have helped regime change operations and ultimately created consent for this war.

It also keeps the field empty to where they don’t have anyone who speaks up to question them or point out issues in their rhetoric & behavior. It’s time to end that. We deserve to be involved in our own world.

It’s time for the silent majority to finally be heard.