Brandon Friedman Profile picture
Co-Founder of @RakkasanTea | Board Member, @OCPODallasTX | Occasional columnist, @NYDailyNews | Former Obama guy | Once a soldier
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Sep 5, 2018 8 tweets 2 min read
This is an unhelpful way for Bezos to spend money. By not standing for any policy principles in particular, nonpartisan @WithHonorFund advances the idea that simply *being* a veteran makes one a good legislator and leader. We know this not to be true. wsj.com/articles/amazo… Military experience is an asset to a seasoned, knowledgeable politician, but it can't stand on its own. Values--that is, where one stands on political issues that affect real people--are far more important for a leader.
Aug 21, 2018 6 tweets 2 min read
1. Michael Cohen 2. Michael Flynn
Aug 15, 2018 6 tweets 2 min read
1. Ostensibly, the capitalist answer to this is, "if this bothers you, then start your own company." The reality in America today is that it's incredibly expensive to start a business and nearly impossible if you haven't saved up a significant amount. 2. So this is really an economic death spiral for workers: The more wealth companies transfer away from them, the harder it is to escape the very company that's robbing them. Catch-22.
Aug 15, 2018 8 tweets 3 min read
I took a look at this thread with fresh eyes today and this guy is still doesn't get it.

A few thoughts follow.... 1. From the Mahmudiyah rape and killings in 2006 to the Afghanistan kill teams in 2010, units like those @JesseKellyDC describes--full of mindless "killers" and "savages"--are always the worst units.
Aug 14, 2018 4 tweets 1 min read
Guy is clueless about what it takes to win in combat. Absolutely clueless. The unfortunate thing about guys like @JesseKellyDC (guys who were never really in charge) is that they are what non-veteran Trump supporters *think* a military leader should sound like
Aug 3, 2018 6 tweets 2 min read
1. The Texas governor wants to "keep all of the Californians out." That's odd because many global companies have now headquartered in Texas. Dallas and Austin are still in the running for Amazon's HQ2.

This is an example of tanking your own economy to own the libs. 2. More importantly, this is a tell. Abbott knows what a lot of other folks don't. For years, Dems have believed the growing Mexican-American demographic would turn Texas blue. That has never materialized and it likely won't.
Jul 30, 2018 4 tweets 1 min read
Thread. Read this account of a white American father and daughter trying to re-enter the U.S. And I'll repeat this till I'm blue in the face: Make something so tough that people can't get in and eventually you can't get out
Jul 9, 2018 8 tweets 2 min read
This is a good tweet about the idiocy and classism that permeates #startup culture. I have some thoughts. In Startup Land, if you're not leveraging technology or "solving a problem," you're not allowed to be part of the club.

If you're not coming to the table with an entirely original idea (no matter how dumb), then good luck finding support.
Jul 6, 2018 4 tweets 1 min read
Of course the timing is "suspect." That's how the media works. Outlets ignore a lot of low-level stories until it's clear they'd be high-level. Example: I once had info about an individual. Not criminal, but unseemly and politically damaging. Reporters said, "Well, hold on to that. If s/he ever gets nominated for a Senate-confirmable position, we'll want to dig into it. Until then, readers/viewers don't really care."
Jul 5, 2018 5 tweets 2 min read
This is antithetical to everything the @USArmy stands for and it flies in the face of 242 years of heavy reliance on immigrants as some of its best soldiers This AP story is just the latest development. @AlexHortonTX was on this last year 👉 washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoin…
Jun 25, 2018 8 tweets 2 min read
As a kid, I was surrounded by people who went on and on about "Never Forget." Holocaust survivor and educator Rose Van Thyn was one. And each time she visited my school, she went on about it too. She had a conviction in her voice--like she really believed it could happen here. Rose was sincere and she'd been through a lot. She literally had a number tattooed on her arm. But I took her warnings with a grain of salt. I think all the kids did. No one really believed her. Because that was a long time ago. It was Europe. And this is America.
Jun 24, 2018 4 tweets 2 min read
1. These aren't "attacks."

2. There is no reason to consider these peaceful confrontations controversial. Elected officials are confronted in public *all the time.* This is simply an expansion to political appointees. The #MAGA crowd is going full gaslight on peaceful confrontations with public officials--which is what Sarah Sanders faced. They're trying to equate these very common events with the shooting of Steve Scalise as a way to shut down Dems.
May 22, 2018 5 tweets 1 min read
I keep saying this: It is now possible for foreign governments to simply buy off a majority in Congress and the WH. There are no controls in place. Genuine, unified patriotism is not really a thing anymore. All that truly matters is loyalty to the dollar.
Apr 5, 2018 7 tweets 2 min read
There have been many headlines about the Pentagon being "caught off guard" by President Trump. Here's a little thread to demonstrate how severe that lack of communication between the White House and America's military actually is. 1. January 30, 2017: The Pentagon is "caught by surprise" by the Muslim ban
Feb 16, 2018 9 tweets 3 min read
1. Thread follows about why @RAVerBruggen's solution--to arm teachers--is one frequently offered by people who don't know anything about gunfighting or armed combat. 2. First, let's get one thing straight. If you want to arm teachers, you have to accept this fact: Even armed security guards often don't stop shootings. Teachers won't either.
Oct 18, 2017 16 tweets 2 min read
1. Let's talk for a minute about "he knew what he signed up for." 2. There's often a misconception among non-veterans that service members sign up with the expectation that they may die.