It's just absolutely insane the the American public reflexively thinks Republicans are better for the economy. They're better at giving uber-wealthy people tax breaks. That's it

This was something Robert Ferri brought up often when running for Mayor, city facing fiscal cliff. But hard to point to anything but specific instances of overspending in PDFs bc of how opaque budget is. He called it, Cranston is gonna have max tax increases for years to come.

“the city’s reserves fell from 8.2% to 5.3%, far below the recommended level of 17% for municipalities. Bergantino also cited a lack of transparency in Cranston, saying the city and school department failed to submit required spending reports to the state during the last fiscal year.”

Majority of the country now wants to abolish and/or dismantle ICE and yet Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. told the caucus the message had to be to “restrain, reform and restrict ICE.” Once again it looks like Schumer is about to choke after getting a massive opportunity. So pathetic and weak.

It is wild how much aesthetically and substantively RI democratic statewide candidates worry about moderate Dems, who are tops 30-35% of dem primary voters, while offering little to nothing for left, a much bigger constituency in a year like ‘26, maybe 40-45% of electorate.

I do not know how this is not the top of mind thing for every person who reads the news. Yes your take here does matter, and people do want to hear from you if you’re running for office right now.

It strikes me as very sad that the only Democrats in RI that I see posting videos speaking about extrajudicial murders by the federal government are lefty challengers. Only written statements or retweets from all the normie statewide Democrats, codel, and candidates.

The facile pun I’ve resisted making about Trump’s Board of Peace is that it belies the greater truth of Bored of Peace. A hegemon committing suicide by dismantling the world order it created for its express benefit out of ennui, decadence, and gleeful ignorance. A historically grotesque display.

@fitzprov.bsky.social Would be great to ask him what he thinks of the federal funding freezes and cuts and if that’s helpful towards creating a more stable, mental health and addiction recovery system. (Surprise: it’s not)

When Mitt Romney is more progressive than most Democrats ... ... time to #TaxTheRich www.commondreams.org/news/mitt-ro...

Tired: Next Tuesday's NYC mayoral election. Wired: Next Tuesday's special-election Democratic primary for Providence's Ward 2 City Council seat.

Here's the new web site for public media in Rhode Island, bringing together the local NPR and PBS stations - oceanstatemedia.org

It's cool, but it's no Cranston.

🚨GOOD NEWS ALERT🚨 Now Rhode Islanders can use the temporary caregiver’s insurance program through RI DLT to take time off from work to donate an organ or bone marrow. This includes time off for tests, blood work, and recovery.

To recognize Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, the Health Department has launched a statewide campaign called “You Good, Man?” that seeks to normalize conversations about mental health and encourage men to accept help.

thepublicsradio.org/media/new-na... formal launch is this fall

Incredible

Rhode Island proposing a tariff-free trade zone using its Royal Charter from 1663 is some remarkably creative policy thinking.

I think some in the Senate have convinced themselves that the backlash to folding will be limited to “the left” and therefore ignorable. Those people are deeply and profoundly misreading the moment and the stakes. Virtually every swing district House Dem walked the plank to vote NO for a reason.

This is the language I speak and font I use

Put whoever wrote this in charge

Plus once economy bottoms out he and the billionaires will save so much $$ on interest rates if fed is forced to cut.

Consultants see a branding problem, when really it’s an infrastructure problem. The right has influencers and crowds that work together, and get algorithmic lift. The left does not have a platform that is “theirs”, nor a plan to organize across them. So it keeps trying to work top-down.

(h/t: @the.language.nerds)

Something I'm thinking about a lot is how many of the messages of American popular culture run so hard against what is happening right now.

Currently allowing my children to be indoctrinated by Spidey and his Amazing Friends, with its now verboten messages "use teamwork among a group of diverse friends to stop wrongdoing" and "do science for good" and "with great power comes great responsibility" and "women are allowed to do stuff"

hey question, is this bad?

super mario 64 being seen as the premiere weird vibes early 3d game is stolen valor from lego island

A Rhode Island family is wiped off the face of the earth in a DV gun homocide/suicide. Senseless. Tragic. Horrific. #EndGunViolence www.bostonglobe.com/2025/01/03/m...

Here’s a timely phrase: “a parasitical oligarchy devouring the happiness of the many to feed the pleasures of the few” — and now about to be using the powers of government.

realizing i never posted it here….but too long have we been limited by the 2-dimensional political alignment chart. i think by using my new tool we can truly map another person's politics. here it is: The Ideology Cube

Annual reminder to #hirelocal

This has been the Democratic party's primary strategy my whole life: lean center and lose, Republicans trash the place so badly voters have no choice, Democrats take power again, pass modest reforms while praising bipartisanship, lean center and lose again, Republicans trash the place so badly...

Reminder: this was not a "mandate" election. 2 out of 100 voters changed their minds in WI, MI, PA and GA and swung this election in a small, but material way. Trump will finish with less than 50% of the vote (less than Biden and both Obama wins).

Good news: Ben Wikler is seriously considering a run for DNC chair, a source familiar with his thinking tells me. (confirming Natasha Korecki tweet) Ben would be a great DNC chair: Fully committed to deep organizing and avoids the pitfalls of factional squabbles and finger-pointing.