This is why this surrender isn't just about this narrow issue but is rather the whole constitutional ballgame: Democrats are affirmatively signaling they do not want political power at the same time Trump is transitioning the political system into an autocratic one wherein they're denied it forever

This, from Tim Kaine is HILARIOUS:

Caving on a deal that doesn’t fix health care is, and always has been, a giant betrayal of the American people. Hold the line. Save health care. I’m a NO on anything that doesn’t extend ACA subsidies.

So, listen, call Schumer’s office no matter where you live, no matter if you’re registered to vote. Leave a voicemail that says if Senate Dems cave without an ACA premiums fix, you will never vote for or donate to another Senate Democrat as long as he is Leader

Politico says the cavers have won. CR in exchange for fake vote on ACA subsidies in December. Politico at least says other Dems will give them cover. We’ll see. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

It seems like this idea would simultaneously destroy the ACA while also giving people huge checks from the Trump administration?

Dems backed Trump into a corner where he’s advocating for starving Americans and hemorrhaging support. If they vote to let him off the hook in exchange for nothing it’s a cataclysmic failure. I know people are in pain but insulating Republicans from political consequences is not the answer.

What an amazing essay from the former chair of Africana Studies at Bowdoin. I'll share a few sections in the reply but seriously, read the whole thing. It's all insightful and beautifully written. lithub.com/maybe-dont-t...

Federal immigration agents pepper-sprayed an infant today. Story by @ckubzansky.bsky.social and @lauranrodriguez.bsky.social

congress is a russian nesting doll of counter-majoritarian structures. seems to me that there's no need for a supermajority rule on top of that!

To put this in scale, Elon Musk's salary from Tesla alone could fund the SNAP program for the entire country into 2034.

Getting new details on this now: As the arrest unfolded, teachers pleaded with the agents telling them the teacher had a work permit. The agents went into multiple rooms looking for teachers while children were present. One teacher hid with a child in her care while the agents stormed the facility.

Defense says that the officer's testimony was "very questionable" because he said the sandwich both exploded in spray of mustard and onions and also landed in its wrapper on the ground.

To new Bluesky peeps: I'm currently working on another book, on the organisms nearest my heart. It's fundamentally about fish as engineers—both of ecosystems & human affairs—and how we revitalize their roles in our waterscapes & lives. If this aligns with your interests & expertise, cast me a line!

Our military is trained to defeat enemies, not to police American citizens. Experts will discuss the legality of Trump's domestic military deployments. Join us for a virtual event on Mon., Nov. 10, at 3pm EST. RSVP: bit.ly/4hJjSnB

The use of anyway here. Wow.

The scent of Benne’s tail activates Jimmi Pickles’ Berzerker Mode

Wrote about the election (at length). An excerpt: www.pbump.net/o/democracy-...

"the best explanation for 2025 is that voters didn’t know what they were getting with Trump 2.0 last November, but now they do — and they don’t like it." www.gelliottmorris.com/p/seven-data...

I continue to believe that the Trump *campaign* successfully convinced quite a lot of people that mass deportations did not mean mass deportations; that it meant targeted enforcement against “the bad guys.” The problem for the Trump *administration* is that no one believes that anymore.

AOC: "This is about, do you understand the assignment of fighting fascism right now? And they assignment is to come together across difference no matter what."

The factional grifters will hate this, but the Mamdani-Spanberger-Sherrill axis actually suggests the outlines of a broad, emerging Dem coalition organized around both anti-Trump *and* affordability politics, not a party bitterly divided against itself.

Zohran at the rally for trans youth on february 8 ❣️ he was polling single digits.

Virginia Democrats have flipped back the governorship. And this likely means they'll control the state government for the next two years, as things look to be going their way in the state House. That's the gain of a trifecta.

I will never understand the pundit obsession with getting Democrats to solve "political division." Not only is this what they're already doing, but Klein admits that Republicans will never do the same. So elections will remain constant GOP smears and simping Democratic promises of bipartisanship.

I noticed this pointedly when Ezra Klein recently wandered into my lane to complain about broadband policy problems he couldn't be bothered to actually research

It's not in this article but the government asserts that the sandwich was thrown at "point blank range", which implies subway sandwiches have defined effective weapon ranges of varying lethality, and I would like to see the government's chart of these ranges.

Agents forcibly opened the woman's car door and pulled her out by her legs, dragging her through the street. They did not identify themselves or tell her that she was under arrest. The citizen was held for hours before being released without charge. trib.al/tYMBPec

Congrats to everyone who put Republicans in charge "for the economy," the first three quarters of 2025 already had more layoffs than any of the years in which Biden or Obama was President except 2009 (when Dems were still cleaning up the prior Republican mess). www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

The 400 richest Americans are now worth a record $6.6 trillion. The entire bottom 50% of America is worth just $4.2 trillion. Read that back. When 400 people control more wealth than half a country’s population, we have a very serious problem.

I see that CBS chose not to air this part. It probably explains much of what they did decide to air.

Sharing to read.

Can't wait to watch GOP electeds move away from DJT. It's going to be a whole grab bag of excuses, pivots, amnesias, and distinctions without a difference.

The USDA sent an email to grocery stores telling them they are prohibited from offering special discounts to customers affected by the SNAP funding lapse. I'm aware of at least 2 stores that had offered struggling customers a discount, then withdrew it after receiving this email

O'DONNELL: If President Xi moves militarily on Taiwan, would you order US forces to defend it? TRUMP: You'll find out if it happens O'DONNELL: Why not say it? TRUMP: I can't give away my secrets

How can he still be this effective. Just a generational talent as a speaker.

Obama: Oh, I love you, but hold on. I heard you, girl. Just settle down. I'm here to talk to everybody, not just you. I mean, you look cute. But I’m married. Michelle's fine too

I can't think of anything to say

More than 47 million Americans — including one in five children — don’t have reliable, affordable access to nutritious food. And as the cost of living skyrockets, more families are depending on SNAP benefits, or food stamps, to put food on the table.

No one's gonna say Dolores Huerta?

If Dems hold Virginia’s House & flip the governors office on Tuesday—as they’re favored to do—they could pass this amendment again next year, hold an April referendum, then pass a new map. Dems could target 3 GOP seats—maybe even 4 if they’re bold. Background: www.the-downballot.com/p/morning-di...

Perhaps most significantly, asked which is more important, ending the government shutdown OR preventing huge increases in health insurance premiums for more than 20 million Americans, it wasn't even close, a substantial majority chose the latter. 2/

Trump's new refugee determination appears to call for admitting as refugees people who wouldn't normally meet the definition of refugee — someone who faces persecution (not "discrimination") on the basis of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

no there is not. the law is clear, the constitution is clear, the intent of the lawmakers who passed it all is clear. the end. tired of entertaining this sophomoric nonsense

To recap: Trump is spending money Congress never appropriated to pay federal employees with guns, and cutting programs and grants even when Congress has appropriated funds. They literally have a contingency fund for SNAP that they are refusing to use. No Speaker has done more to weaken Congress.

Pritzker: "I sent a letter to Kristi Noem and to DHS leadership asking them to pause all of their federal agent operations for the entirety of the Halloween weekend. I'm asking for basic human decency. I think their response will be revealing. Give the children and families of Illinois a break."

I had to move the cat's food bowl away from the window because he would wake us up at night, walk us over to the bowl, and make us guard him while he ate in the dark. Since moving the bowl from the window he's stopped doing this, and I think it's because he knows he's no longer at risk from snipers.

Many studies attribute the success of right-wing parties to sexism. What is sexism? How is it measured? How does it influence elections? My systematic review of studies on sexism as a predictor of political behavior and attitudes is about to appear in @poqjournal.bsky.social! 1/7

CNN is reporting that @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social referred to a voter he was meeting as “my man” at a campaign event today, even though the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution has made it illegal to own human beings since 1865 and remains the law in states including New York