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From @stephensemler.bsky.social newsletter. That's why I was never a fan of the ‘vibecession' theory - things got worse for many when many programs like the child tax credit got cut.

Turns out passing the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 was good policy. Letting the ARPA of 2021 expire was bad policy. Poverty is a policy choice.

This is much more abrupt and severe than I understood before. Explains a great deal 😮‍💨

New Census Bureau data: Poverty and child poverty both increased under Biden. 2020–24: Poverty: +40.2% (+13.7 million) Child poverty: +38.1% (+2.5 million)

What about the pre-pandemic standard Biden promised to improve? “It is not enough to restore where we were prior to the pandemic…we need to build back better.” Didn’t happen. 2019–24: Poverty: +9.3% (+5.4 million) Child poverty: +6.3% (+491,000) www.stephensemler.com/p/new-census...

But the Dems still don't understand why we the people felt pressed for money and kept complaining about inflation under Biden... I guess it's hard to know that feeling when you've got insider buddies and money in the stock market and that's doing fine.

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By @stephensemler.bsky.social As billionaires become more filthy rich year on year ... they do so on the backs of hungry children. And yes, both @democrats.org & the #GOP are billionaire boot-lickers 👢 👅 #BillionairesShouldNotExist #NoWarButClassWar open.substack.com/pub/stephens...

New Census Bureau data: Poverty and child poverty both increased under Biden. 2020–24: Poverty: +40.2% (+13.7 million) Child poverty: +38.1% (+2.5 million)

Harris writes that Biden's unpopularity hurt her in 2024, and that one of the reasons was because of Biden's "perceived blank check to [Israeli leader] Benjamin Netanyahu in Gaza."

Consistent with what I heard from others in the Biden White House. He couldn’t recognize Palestinians as human beings on par with Israelis.

When Americans say their finances are “getting worse,” the data points to more than anxiety; it reflects widespread economic insecurity. @stephensemler.bsky.social analysis in @jacobinmag.bsky.social examines the data on Americans’ financial outlook. jacobin.com/2025/09/econ...

The reason so many people think they’re worse off compared to before the pandemic is because they are. There’s more subjective economic anxiety because there’s more objective economic insecurity www.stephensemler.com/p/americans-...

A record number say their financial situation is getting worse, well above the 49% who said so during the financial crisis. Results have come within 5 percentage points of 2008’s mark just 5 times, all this decade. Crisis-level economic anxiety is the new normal www.stephensemler.com/p/americans-...

@stephensemler.bsky.social #CapitalismIsTheProblem open.substack.com/pub/stephens...

It's always a busy news day, but the military attack on an alleged drug smuggling vessel is a very big deal. @bcfinucane.bsky.social breaks down domestic and international law questions here: www.justsecurity.org/119982/legal...

The reason so many people think they’re worse off compared to before the pandemic is because they are. There’s more subjective economic anxiety because there’s more objective economic insecurity www.stephensemler.com/p/americans-...

A record number say their financial situation is getting worse, well above the 49% who said so during the financial crisis. Results have come within 5 percentage points of 2008’s mark just 5 times, all this decade. Crisis-level economic anxiety is the new normal www.stephensemler.com/p/americans-...

It's a little thing, but I will never forget when Blinken smirked while lying about war crimes, was accurately called out by journalists for smirking, and then decided that was an inappropriate question.

CAP just named Antony Blinken, who lied about Israel blocking food to Gaza, to its board of directors.

An excellent article from @davidrussellmoore.bsky.social at @sludge.bsky.social readsludge.com/2025/08/12/b...

@americanprogress.bsky.social just gave Antony Blinken a seat on its board of directors

cc: @americanprogressaction.org @americanprogress.bsky.social

CAP literally just named Antony Blinken to your board of directors

This is incredibly messed up. @americanprogressaction.org rewarding a man who buried State Department reports on Israel’s war crimes is reprehensible.

Oh.

Center for American Genocide Denial

CAP just named Antony Blinken, who lied about Israel blocking food to Gaza, to its board of directors.

cc: @americanprogressaction.org @americanprogress.bsky.social

@americanprogress.bsky.social just gave Antony Blinken a seat on its board of directors

3/ also from @cipolicy.bsky.social "Military Spending Monitor: The Pentagon as an Engine for Privatizing Public Funds" contact @stephensemler.bsky.social internationalpolicy.org/publications...

As I wrote last year in @justsecurity.org, Israel’s pager attack in Lebanon violated the law of war. www.justsecurity.org/103184/amend...

Read more/subscribe: www.stephensemler.com/p/which-part...

Only 8% of Democratic voters approve of Israel’s actions in Gaza, yet 43% of Senate Democrats just further enabled them by approving another bomb shipment. www.stephensemler.com/p/which-part...

Democratic Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer to Bret Stephens (March 18, 2025): "My job is the keep the left pro-Israel"

Democracy doesn't exist on Turtle Island

The cost of food has risen faster than overall inflation in the last year.

Yep. Even those of us on SNAP are running out of money early into the month.

Only 8% of Democratic voters approve of Israel’s actions in Gaza, yet 43% of Senate Democrats just further enabled them by approving another bomb shipment. www.stephensemler.com/p/which-part...

Link: internationalpolicy.org/publications...

Military Spending Monitor: The Pentagon as an Engine for Privatizing Public Funds A study coauthored by @cipolicy.bsky.social fellow @stephensemler.bsky.social quantifies how the Pentagon’s growing reliance on a small number of corporate contractors redistributes taxpayer dollars to wealthy elites.

@stephensemler.bsky.social #DropTheDuopoly open.substack.com/pub/stephens...

The pro-genocide faction of the Democratic Party.

Bernie Sanders introduced two resolutions to block arms sales to Israel this week and three in November. 16 Democratic senators voted against all five. Here are their names, along with how much each accepted from pro-Israel donors last election: www.stephensemler.com/p/senate-vot...

The 16 Democratic senators above took four times more money from pro-Israel groups than the 17 Democratic senators who voted for all five of Sanders’ resolutions. www.stephensemler.com/p/senate-vot...