A new study has found that Chattanooga, Tennessee's decision to build their own affordable community-owned fiber broadband network has driven $5.3 billion in economic benefits back to the community. From my colleague and friend @seangon.bsky.social:

Primaries are good. It’s democracy. Democrats need to embrace the process of arguing competing ideas, that’s what this is all about. The idea isn’t to anoint a candidate. That’s why Democrats don’t have any power, federally.

Dems who voted against www.newsweek.com/full-list-of...

The degree to which the Democratic Party is failing to meet this moment is staggering. And INFURIATING, when contrasted with the courage on display from ordinary people with far, far less power & protection.

House members in the Opportunity Caucus face allegations they violated the state’s gift ban by attending a Vail retreat.

Dark money corrupts everything it touches

This Vail “retreat” wasn’t a harmless getaway -- it was a reminder of how corporate interests sidestep our laws and our values -- in Colorado and in Washington D.C. coloradosun.com/2025/11/18/c...

Today, the Independent Ethics Commission unanimously voted to begin investigations into ethics complaints filed against state lawmakers in the "Colorado Opportunity Caucus". Our State Director, Wynn Howell, on the Democratic Party's response to that decision:

“Don't just acknowledge it. Tell me what you're going to do about it. It's stolen.” www.cpr.org/2025/10/13/c... vis @zialcita.bsky.social

Bluesky has finally, quietly posted a position for a one-year remote contract Policy Lead, Trust & Safety position. Trans people who qualify, apply here: jobs.gem.com/bluesky/am9i... We need someone competent in this role if this place is going to survive.

“All I really want to say to you, as your council representative, is that when companies put profit over people, that’s when we need unions,” said Henjum. pikespeakbulletin.org/news/new-ten...

New tenant union just dropped! First for a privately-owned complex:

a big runoff last night, in New Orleans: Calvin Duncan was exonerated after spending *28 years* in prison; he tried to get his own case records from the New Orleans city clerk—but the office dragged its feet. So Duncan ran to become city clerk himself, and yesterday ousted the incumbent.

NEED

Colorado's establishment Dem blog of record making a fairly overt threat re: a rumored primary challenge to Hickenlooper. www.coloradopols.com/diary/218469...

Brownstein is the worst of the worst corporate hack lawyers. I’m talking lobbying for the Saudi Govt’s bombing campaign in Yemen bad. They’re also the only game in town for the Colorado Dem executive class — Hick, Bennet, Polis, Johnston — all wrapped up with these guys.

9/🧵 What does this mean for Democratic strategy? All those debates about choosing between identity politics and economic populism? False premise. Young working-class voters with low racial resentment aren't choosing. They're ready for Medicare for All AND Black Lives Matter. Lean into the tide.

so re: what i just reposted: My first job, I was making 36,000/year. With inflation, that's now $53,000 but I still see entry level jobs being posted at that rate, in non-profits in the Twin Cities. Program associates posted for barely above 40,000/year.

Check out this opportunity for ANYONE to get FREE coaching on writing. Anyone 13 years old, so students, adults, teens - check out this program in the Boulder Public Library District

Really wish Denver media was paying attention to the library labor issues and expertise flying out of DPL. It's a steady drip rather than a mass layoff, but same consequences 📚

And what I saw tonight was a party already exploding. Minneapolis turns out votes for the statewide. We're a stronghold. And if people aren't excited and ready to knock doors because they can't trust Democrats? We're fucked. We need to real talk and we got corporate jargon.

almost 20 mins in and so far the only listening is us to richard carlbom’s presentation

The DFL is a shitshow and I'm dedicated to doing my part in fixing it over the next year because if they don't get their shit together, we are going to lose and my life and home in Minnesota will be at risk. If you're mad about this shit like me, help me out with this organizing effort.

We asked Richard to show up and listen and what we got was a corporate presentation about branding followed by evasive answers that absolutely did not meet the moment. When I met Richard for the first time two months ago, I told him this party was a ticking bomb and it's already starting to blow.

Today's update: Drew Morris leads Jason Anaya-Ledeboer by 9 votes after ballot curing (4424 to 4415).

It’s kind of crazy how much of our family’s life was planned and organized around civic promises which are now already destroyed or threatened on a consistent basis. The underlying stress of having a plan and working hard to make it all line up only for it to be ripped out from under us is a lot.

And for those living in districts with legislators backed by dark money, such as HD-31's Jacque Phillips, sign the petition and contact your legislator to request a town hall. actionnetwork.org/petitions/en... coloradosun.com/2025/10/13/c... #COpolitics

"move at the speed of trust. focus on critical connections more than critical mass. build the resilience by building the relationships. we cannot build highly effective mass movements without trust at the core. trust is slow until it is fast"

adrienne marie brown's principle of resilience/transformative justice: 'make room for the inevitable presence of socialized oppression. keep a systemic view on it, even if it appears as individual behavior. recover from oppression together by addressing it at the root"

Some CO news: George Sparks is retiring from the role of CEO and President of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (via museum email). "I know the time is right to pass the torch.... The Board of Trustees will conduct a national search early next year."

On a call with reporters just now, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet ducked a question about whether Sen. Schumer should stay on as minority leader: “That’s not where I’m focused today.”

THREAD. One of the most damning flaws in the worldviews of essentially every pundit on MSNBC, columnist in the New York Times, peddler of "Abundance," and consultant for Democrats is that they downplay or ignore the repressive power of the punishment bureaucracy and associated industries.

Alderman Sigcho-Lopez was right to call out Pritzker today about the state police arresting protesters. Pritzker responded that the state police are protecting protesters, and that just isn't true. State cops have arrested and brutalized protesters to facilitate ICE operations. That's reality.

The Tenants United movement in Bozeman, Montana has pushed policy to restrict second-home vacation rentals, do less policing of homelessness, and set up publicly funded eviction legal defense. Last summer, the movement scored a significant win.

And for those living in districts with legislators backed by dark money, such as HD-31's Jacque Phillips, sign the petition and contact your legislator to request a town hall. actionnetwork.org/petitions/en... coloradosun.com/2025/10/13/c... #COpolitics

No corporate sponsors. No luxury retreats. Just real leaders doing the work with our communities. Come out tomorrow to support two of the legislators fighting corporate corruption and building a government that works for working people!

And by participating in the caucus and county assembly process, you also have a chance to be part of a vacancy committee who will get to replace state legislators who leave their office mid-term (which happens more than it should in CO). www.cpr.org/2025/01/17/v...

This year's caucus will be March 3-7. Check with your local county party for specific date. Caucus resources: www.westword.com/news/caucuse... www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/electio... State party caucus rules (start p. 38): static1.squarespace.com/static/6786c... #COpolitics

"Nobody is better at turning victory into defeat than Chuck Schumer," said the NIH staffer. "After Tuesday I started to have hope again for... the first time since Schumer caved the first time. So much for that, I got nearly a week of not being hideously depressed."

What's the status on the legal case(s?) restoring congressional oversight access to ICE facilities, @bennet.senate.gov @hickenlooper.bsky.social @neguse.house.gov @crow.house.gov @pettersen.house.gov?

Petition from @workingfamiliesco.bsky.social to members of the Opportunity Caucus. "We believe in accountability and in the possibility of repair. Lawmakers who take responsibility and choose transparency can begin to rebuild trust." #COpolitics actionnetwork.org/petitions/en...

@epcodems.bsky.social caucus starts in March 2026. Contact the JAX4EPCO campaign if you need help getting involved. We need you there!!! ✊🏽 #copolitics #coloradosprings

Petition from @workingfamiliesco.bsky.social to members of the Opportunity Caucus. "We believe in accountability and in the possibility of repair. Lawmakers who take responsibility and choose transparency can begin to rebuild trust." #COpolitics actionnetwork.org/petitions/en...

ICYMI if you're in Boulder County but the Independent Monitor and City Attorney are doing their damndest to undermine the even very limited authority of the Police Oversight Panel. Those of you who follow Boulder politics, are you surprised? 🙃

Coalition is shifting from ritual pledge to daily practice—who can speak for whom, in which rooms, without pretending to be the same.

liberals and conservatives alike talk about defunding the police and decarceration as if these are extreme, radical, unthinkable ideas— but truly what is more extreme, radical, and unthinkable than what's happening *right now* in our police state.

"As state after state weighs partisan redistricting, the people who drew Colorado’s map hope it stays out of the fray" www.cpr.org/2025/11/06/c...

Democrats with no leverage: Give in to GOP Democrats with all the leverage, social mandate, moral authority, clear achievable win in sight: Give in to GOP