I am going to Printers Row Lit Fest today to meet the writer and I hope to thank her for including this anecdote which I think about constantly
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I am going to Printers Row Lit Fest today to meet the writer and I hope to thank her for including this anecdote which I think about constantly
A bunch of cool liberals made some of the most impactful movies in the 70s - a clear cut obvious dissection of imperialism & pointing out how disastrous/destructive the Vietnam war is. And the worst, dumbest fucking people took the absolute wrong lessons from it.
To piggyback off this simple truth: have your own website. It doesn’t have to be a dot com or a dot net or whatever. Just have your own spot.
every site and service youre using should always be treated like you're just squatting in a billionaires house and be ready to leave with your shit at a moments notice. carve a home there like a pest and when it's time to go you do the same in the next place. this is life
the thing that many are thinking and few are saying.
Oldest trick in the book
Plague*
I'm less stoned then last night. What is the time frame for those papers that show political parties can't change minds. Do the papers factor in they just may suck at it? Or *don't* want to change minds?
Amazing how many articles there were about “Kamala Harris, what does she do? What policy debates does she participate in? How is she “messing up the border?” And the current VP is just a full on shitposter and the political press goes, “ah well, nevertheless”
If you're conversant in the lingua franca of the online right, you know the helicopter emojis the official White House account is using here are a reference to the Pinochet dictatorship's practice of flying people above the ocean and dropping them to disappear them. That's what they're threatening.
It should be noted a lot of blood was spilled in England over this, and continues to plagu some of England's colonial holdings
The Royal Family are the heads of a branch of Protestantism known as Anglican This would be like if one of the Pope's friends, and a cardinal, asked for a Luthran funeral
Normal people will struggle to understand why this is to me the most exciting news story of 2025 so far www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Not dunking, expanding but: this is generally true any time you see media reports about "Congress $verb $object," it is much less true in questions about the rise of the imperial presidency and the decline of the ability of Americans to make laws to govern ourselves effectively.
Normally I think it's a little extra when every single person at the protest has their own personal protest sign per person, but this DC march is making me like how fun it looks.
the msm at this point is complicit in hiding what’s happening in dc from the country. such a startlingly few number of people on our tour so far even know what’s happening. i’m having to educate concertgoers about the checkpoints from the stage
The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal. Donald Trump isn't a strongman, he's a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.
This is real, somehow
Important to remember that everyone involved in renaming the DoD to the Department of War is afraid to take the subway.
Paradoxically, part of the reason "warfighter" become lexicon was a way to reinforce that logistics, comms, and maintenance are all needed to fight wars. Or to put in Marine Corps terms: I spent my career on the bloody tip of the spear, but without a staff to support it, it's just a little prick.
we fired all the GIS specialists and replaced them with AI and it’s FINE
one way to look at this is "things have changed" but actually i think there's deep continuity in the way the media (both conservative and mainstream) will generate scandals from totally inoccuous things dems do and ignore them for republicans
had a conversation with a prominent pundit recently who did not seem to realize that the departments of the executive branch are congressional creations, so not surprised at this
Being willing to trash some homeless person's belongings should actually be disqualifying for leading a nation of people, some of whom are homeless.
Oliver, here’s the reason why the press isn’t aggressively going after this story…
if a thousand pensioners are arrested as "terrorists" in one day, we're gonna have to just start citing the arrest stats and saying "fuck, terrorism must be *rampant* in this country, it's a Year of Terror that Starmer's ruling over, this is a Reign of Terror under Starmer"
Numbers at Parliament Square have been swelled by demonstrators from the National March of Gaza. Police are now just being followed around by people cursing and booing them
It's rare in politics that you can see your attempted political strategy being tested in real time by an analogous party in another developed country that shares your language, and yet these idiots can't even bother with addressing why this isn't working for Labour.
I have identified eight articles to which my co-authors retain copyright, and where that is specified on the articles. If you're an academic, you should check, too.
“I wasn’t sure what number you wanted me to go with.” — Zuck, 100% pathetically bitch-made by a man who said he should be thrown in jail for life, appeasing an administration who says his wife’s family isn’t American, loving how RFK is dismantling every public health advancement that CZI ever made.
I actually respect hating Andrew Cuomo so much that you call a press conference to explain how much you hate him
I am again reminded that the Marines during the war identified the ideal Marine recruit as a late twenty-something liberal arts graduate, previous exposure to firearms and the wilderness bonus at best. And they correctly expected almost all to demobilize post-war.
Spending tons of money on a name change that isn't even real
I don't think the research is contradicting what I'm saying. I'm saying I think you're telling the wrong story with it. I said before my problem with this whole mindset is that it confuses the map with the terrain.
"Mass Deportation" is the policy. When America sees it they don't like it. Numbers go down. "Stop mass deportation" is maybe a "policy," I guess. But nonstop look as this anti-american jackbooted thugs, is not policy. It is reminding America of their prior beliefs. Like Mamdani.
Yeah but this is where you get it twisted on immigration, because you frame it as "party policy focus" Mass deportation is a "party policy focus" When people see it, and are reminded of it, the number goes down. Because we already know it's anti-Constitution. You don't have to message policy
But minds can be changed by *campaigns* writ large. And I don't mean in just *one* campaign but in how the campaigns interact with each other. Because the very real national race does change the day to day experiences of "friends/family/colleagues"
So, your claim is that minds *cannot* be changed?
Again, not what I'm saying. Then you only buy ads in markets you need to shore up. You take some of your resources and spend it on the form of communication that whatever study shows *does* change minds. Why do you think I was talking about ads specifically and how does that change what I'm saying
No? How? I am also not "claiming" the approach the GOP is taking is successful. Are you refuting Trump is in the white house and the GOP is successfully blitzing the constitution? Do I need to prove that to you? It is successful.
A blanket "one or the other" is a strategy not tactics decision. You are in fact setting your doctrine in what tactics to use.
Again, you can run both. You can cut two ads and split the buy. You can target different ads in different markets. Where the data tells you you are safe on healthcare, you try and change the narrative on immigration. Where you are slipping on healthcare, you shore yourself up.
I forgot, collapse on the retreating army. hobble them as hard as you can
But on the tactics level most of the time: send a concerning amount of force at the strongest center, force redeployment to shore up the center, take advantage of the new weakness on the wings, collapse on the center, profit. ofc more complex then that, but still a neat summery
And attacking Persia in itself is going after the strongest thing around
You are confusing strategy for tactics right now. I am telling you how he marshaled his troops on the battlefield. But he was also smart enough to see that on the strategy level, this was also the correct way for him to take Egypt
You allocate the resources you have effectively. You are advocating for an "all block" or "all jab" fight. Again, you can simply just see the GOP doing this and beating us by doing it. And they are doing it with nonsenses fascist bullshit! stop straw manning me
A whole lot of you think that just because he said he’s not dropping out and is going to stay in to get 10 percent of the vote and be humiliated, that’s what’ll happen. But me? An entrepreneur with supreme grindset? I look at that press conference and know the price of Eric dropping out went up.
Do you just consume data on the media, or do you consume the media? While you are over here spending money highlighting your strengths, the GOP are talking about how immigrants are eating cats and nobody pays any attention
The best strengths to target (shore up your weakness) are the ones where your opp is dropping a *lot* of resources. Why? Bc they wouldn't be dropping resources on a "strength" they weren't concerned couldn't cost them if they lost it This idea won Alexander his empire
No. I think you have to chew bubble gum and walk at the same time. I think you have to figure out what strengths you have (your opponents weakness) *and* what strengths your opponent's strengths (your weaknesses) and apply pressure to both. 1/2
NEW 🧵The White House has now issued its first formal legal justification for the lethal attack on a vessel in the Caribbean. This War Powers report to Congress is long on bluster and short on substance. This letter does not adequately justify the premeditated killing of apparent civilians. 1/n
Whenever he brings up "warriors" I'm just remined that this is a losers mindset. Soldiers beat the shit out of warriors. If they *hadn't* we would still have warriors they can only identify themselves with the losers. it's wild
How many people gonna die because some women laughed at these guys‘ dicks
For those outside OR, know that the Oregon Republican Party is so extreme, inflexible, and unable to compete electorally that they have not won a gubernatorial election since 1982. Thus, essentially every sitting judge in Oregon has been appointed by a Democrat. We also enjoy legislative control.
In a meritocracy, one would find it impossible to sell their opinions for a headline this wrong
This is why I never get mad at Bret Stephens columns, they're just gonna get proven wrong within a year or two
A big problem in liberal circles is that liberals don't think they represent any real voters regardless of how many people vote for them
When President Obama worked in the Oval Office without wearing a suit jacket, the news networks went crazy because he was, in the words of this UPI caption, "breaking a tradition of former U.S. President George W. Bush"
Axsis*
You're not understanding. We shouldnt attack where the other side is strong. So the GOP *shouldn't* attack on the acis of Healthcare and the economy. If they dont, and our numbers are up, why should we spend money there? Thats a waste of resources
I would read Machiavelli here. Bernies story *wasn't* good enough, because by defition if it had been, he would have won. Or winning would have proved. Is narrative was better. We can disagree on what narrative it was, but I agree that the electorate thought the other story was more convincing
I'm 38. What does a fact have to do with the way America feels? Has Healthcare access made the *experience* of Healthcare better. Do queer people *feel* like their rights are being protected. Data is beautiful, but if you belive "facts dont care about your feelings" is a true statment....
You still haven't explained why you think we need to reinforce the areas we are strong because thats where we will be attacked but the GOP doesnt have to do the same thing
And Bernies story wasnt a good enough story to beat the Clinton story about "electablity" "Electability" is narrative catnip to the center and center left. Doesnt matter that their most "electable" candidates keep losing (data), the messaging (narative) is too strong. See current bsky arguments
Telling a better story is actionable? You should go talk to a humanities department. Falsifiable? We are talking about elections. None of this is Falsifiable. We can certainly collect data on it. But we cant, run the same election back again, ever? 1/2
The fuck does the popular vote have to do with anything? Lose ground? Sure. Ok. Is Roe V. Wade still in existence. Hows the wealth gap doing over the course of my life? I am fucking older then ICE! I was born in a time when a corporation was a collection of people, not a person
No. On the topic of immigration they do not need to win it, they need to muddy it Dropping the approval down 15+ eats a huge chuck out of one of the few things he has going for him. Which, when the rubber meets the road, turns voters off as well (number going down)
I'm saying you clearly dont need to spend money, if you make a wild ass claim that you can make a strong punchy argument around. Do we need to look up how much *free* airtime Trump got. Data is good, but data is a map, not the terrain, and you keep talking like its terrain
And I would argue that ignoring data analys is why, save Obama in 08, we have done nothing but *lose* ground my whole life I mean, you brought up abortion. Since the 80s America agrees we should have access to it. Yet look whats going on. If they had on the otherhand followed your advice....
I would have to assume on the second point, you belive that Republicans could make headway there. But if they *could* make headway where we have a massive advantage, and that worries you, it makes no sense why you are arguing we *shouldn't* be doing that ourselves?
I want you to reread your first paragraph and explain to me how "being in the news" is the same as a party "messaging a strong case" I guess I would also ask, since you brought up recourses before, why spend money on where we are *already* strong? 1/2
One of the few remaining serious journalists at Fox News asks a very good question about reports that Hegseth just had 10 *stealth fighters* deployed to Puerto Rico allegedly for "counter-narcotics."
And why this idea is crazy stupid now, is that ICE (immigration topic) is being unleashed on American cities. They just gave a contract to GOP nepotism to train *snipers* You are literally just...giving up ground. Which is double plus stupid when his own actions, sans, messaging are going down
If you dont counter message you cede the narrative. For example while its true that Trumps numbers were high on immigration during the election, I would argue they remained high because there *wasn't* a counter narrative pushed. 1/2
And while I don't disagree that the data shows this correlation, what the data doesnt do, is back up the *story* you've created as to *why*. All you can accurately say is "the story the dems are presenting, isn't landing" Could *easily* be a problem in message delivery not content
No. Its not just their opinion on a topic is it? Its their opinion on a topic *in a particular moment in time* And again, what *is* an opinion? Is it agreement with the finer details of policy? Or is it "this narrative you're telling me is convincing me". 1/2
I haven't questioned this last part, actually. It would be rather weird if it didnt. But it doesnt make your case. However in 1/2, rather than tell me what is being measured you gave me the calculations for *how* you measured it. What is "approval". What is the object being measured
Why? I understand that you and him *believe* that to be true. Again, what is being actually being measured when we say "approval rating"
This is the digital stasi. Social media influencers utilizing tips from followers for content that they monetize while working with state actors to target the people they want. It's all a spectacle packaged as content. Destroying people's lives for profitable ideological bloodsport.
Thank you for answering one of my two questions. Then why are you switching topics to getting legislation through? Whole other topic. Whats that topic switching about btw?
Capatlize on approval rating.... What do you think an "approval rating" is? What do you think the people who want dems to use immigration as a messaging tool are trying to do?
I think it's a good sign for a lot of policies and proposals that I think would really improve American life that the worst grifters and charlatans are suddenly attracted to the "abundance" framing. They know it's good, winning stuff and they're clamoring to claim it for themselves.
When people say "We used to drink raw milk from our own cow and it was fine," That's... usually not the case! In families w their own cow, the mom usually boiled it before using. We just forgot bc that's a boring chore that mom did. And who pays attention to that? youtu.be/vKDPast9WFk
I think the heart of "Primary Everyone" was always "Ask yourself if you should run for office." Sometimes the answer is no. Sometimes you find out things about the process and you become a more informed voter. Sometimes you find out what it takes and the answer is yes and we get more of this.
Had I said it out loud you would have gotten it
New York. But I'll accept tri-state
Fuck. Outtahere.
Sorry person who can't read, I already said I'm not talking about the election, I am talking about right *now*. And I am talking about national moods and trends not districts. I understand that doesnt help any of your arguments so you have to misrepent me, but thats cool
Then you neither understand metaphors nor boxing. Republicans absolutely managed to get past our heavy defense to KO us on *both* topics Even if you wanna call it an upper cut instead of a cut, it's weakening, and you are advising to *not* capitalize on that Terrible advice
This frame has potential.
Also injecting "preformative male" with zero pushback makes me wonder what we were all doing back in the "performative does not equal performance" trenches of the late naughties
The sweet spot, which Trump identified, is slapping the press around while giving it lots of access. The Dem approach of being respectful to the press but not giving access was pretty lousy.
Guys Trump is going to use F-35s to kill boatloads of civilians in the carribbean so that Fox News can have new snuff films to play for Stephen Miller to sleep to at night.
I feel a sort of way about how we treat any cis straight man that publicly bucks what we imagine a cis straight man is supposed to look like from both the right *and* the left, but do not feel like getting flamed today But both sides police it *heavily*