Straw Hat Barto

“you should have a choice” means “we get to choose for you”

Sunday thought Awakening the sleeping giant

America is like a sleeping giant whose passion for democracy and social justice is fearless, once awakened.

The giant doesn’t awaken easily, but a nightmare can do it.

Some thoughts... robertreich.substack.com/p/sunday-tho...

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/16/o...

People really will get freaked out by the ingredients list on a jug of oat milk and then think they're only eating one chemical when they grill a steak.

Enjoy your heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons!! Worse than anything in oat milk, but still not that bad.

A Hundred Classics to Get Me Through a Hundred Days of Trump Each morning, before the day’s decree, I turned to a slim book, hoping for sense, or solace.

In his first 100 days, President Trump “debased the very idea of America,” Jill Lepore writes. “He created chaos, emergency after emergency.” When she needed refuge, she turned to the Penguin Little Black Classics.

And this is why we say NEVER META

treating myself for my birthday today by staying up late and watching the new 4k of AMADEUS

The stock portfolios of more than two dozen members of Congress outperformed the market in 2024.

This isn't due to luck or skill.

Lawmakers can use privileged information to trade stocks while they’re supposed to be working for you.

Make no mistake, it’s legalized corruption.

If you're in congress and you aren't publicly in favor of banning the trading of individual stocks by people in congress, get your head out of your fucking ass.

Bon ivers new album has me floating in the lightness-heaviness feeling of hope

Bluesky’s Quest to Build Nontoxic Social Media X and Facebook are governed by the policies of mercurial billionaires. Bluesky’s C.E.O., Jay Graber, says that she wants to give power back to the user.

Bluesky aims to build a new kind of digital town square, redistributing the power that typically lies with corporations to the users themselves.

It’s actually so masculine to drink poison. Oh you don’t drink poison? I’m poison maxxing broh

Regardless of anything else about the Wisconsin race, it's just a relief to learn that money can't always buy elections

I think progressives have had a problem with "purity tests" (the need for all leaders to have tightly aligned perspectives or else stay quiet about it)

And I think the Democratic Party has had a problem with being...undemocratic - with too much power in the institution and not in the people.

A legend.

Also? Really classy and thoughtful to thank the pages, door openers, and other staff.

Cory Booker just gave the longest speech in the history of Congress and concluded by apologizing to everyone who had to stay up all night keeping the chamber open and operating.

what booker is doing right now is an example of what i mean when i say things like “we need more ambition right now.” there is room in american politics right now for people with ambition to take big stands and reap the rewards. he’s doing it!

An advance look at Barry Blitt’s “Left to Their Own Devices,” the cover for next week’s issue. #NewYorkerCovers

The White House has already confirmed that the story is true.

Would love for someone to ask people in this administration to point to Yemen on a map

Opinion | Musk Said No One Has Died Since Aid Was Cut. That Isn’t True. A journey through the front lines of global poverty shows that when the world’s richest men slash aid for the world’s poorest children, the result is sickness, starvation and death.

The world's richest man stole food from the world's poorest children. Now they are beginning to die
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Among the material devastation to everyday people, Senate Dems have now blown a hole in their ability to work with the House.

We had an agreed upon plan, House took immense risk, then Senate turned around midway and destroyed it w/ a fear-based, inexplicable abdication.

They own what happens next.

What The Chuck?! | tallgirl6234 Get more from tallgirl6234 on Patreon

When even Nancy Pelosi—queen of strategic compromise—calls your move a "devastating assault" on working families, you know you’ve lost the plot. Chuck Schumer really said, “What if I just hand the GOP everything they want?” And for what, Chuck? A pat on the head? 🙄.

KEEP CALLING. PEEL OFF ALL DEM SENATORS YOU CAN.

☎️: (202) 224-3121

Tell them to vote NO on Cloture and NO on CR. Vote is pushed to after 1:15ish for now. Situation is fluid.

The only public YES votes are Schumer and Fetterman. They need 7-8 total. KEEP CALLING.

Call retiring Senators too!

If you are upset about what's going on but aren't sure what to do: start by calling your reps. This app 👇 makes it easy.

Standing up to authority is a muscle. If you haven't had to exercise it before, this is a great first step. I promise DOING one thing will make you feel better & more capable.

i think shutting the government down is preferably to nullifying article i of the constitution

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/o...