smr260.bsky.social

It's been like a month for Platner...it cheapens the concept of redemption to frame it as instantaneous. How long did it take you to evolve from being a terrible person? Probably more than a month, right?

(PS - I am not Platner supporter. Election is months away regardless.)

LMAO they have the South Park gnome underpants slide with the arrow/question mark in there.

But there's the other option voiced by Satan:

"Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav’n."

This is what keeps those men going.

Maybe we can pay the strategists to come up with a new metaphor and we can retire the tent.

Or: pols who are willing to fight for people and those who are not.

The shutdown is a catalyzing and clarifying event. It is causing people to make truly categorical decisions that have an air of conclusiveness ("I will never vote for X again"). Haven't seen this before across such a broad group.

He backed into the right answer - that's different than being "correct". And not to defend Senate Democrats but a majority of them wanted to continue the shutdown.

1. What does "right" mean in this context? If there's a more robust shutdown showing and the Senate and House flip in 2026, does that mean Golden was "wrong"? Bomb throwing when you're out the door is easy.

2. Performative actions can have political meaning. See: last Tuesday's election.

Vile

Yes! That's what I was thinking when I read this. They try so hard to frame it as a negative and can't. It's like "children share toys when playing and have a great time - when are they going to stop sharing???"

The current Dem candidate, who is good, will be running against LePage, who got destroyed by Janet Mills. Jared stepping out is not a disaster by any means. (I'm a Mainer.)

It's more complex than that and I wish the media would catch onto this. It's a compounding of losses for the admin:

1. Tariffs at SC
2. Tuesday election results
3. Stock market, jobs, prices
4. Air traffic
5. SNAP

They need a win ANYWHERE and it doesn't look like they'll get it.

This is amazing

One of the key disagreements in a budget deal to reopen the government is whether the president can unilaterally ignore it — and what recompense there will be if he does.

The GOP position is that he should have unlimited ability to ignore the deal, with no consequence.

Wish I were exaggerating!

And also it's his chief foreign policy tool and without it he can't compel them to do anything.

The GOP is like a big dumb man: never learn, never follow advice, and above all never admit you are wrong.

In order to understand better, I'm hoping somebody makes "The Diplomat" but with MAGA characters so we can see how it works behind the scenes.

Because there's a double standard at work for the party that actually governs.

See: Carlson/Fuentes thing. Right now they are like "ok we pulled it off" but during a campaign, for example, when people are like ?!?!? they have to be like "Uh no! Wait, uh, no."

As a person in Maine who would not vote for Platner at this time, this is probably the most accurate picture of how it is right now. And I think we're going to see some more articles like this (especially from Maine-based publications) that will paint a similar picture.

I know we have short news cycles and all that but Platner has been in the news for a matter of months. It's a bit premature to talk about his "arc". He's not even an elected official yet. And having a tattoo, a private act, is not nearly as damaging as filibustering the Civil Rights Act.

The thing is, those people in red neighborhoods have been thirsting to play freedom fighter for like 25 years now. Literally - the guns, the tactical shit, the apparel, the cosplay. And now the libs get to do it for real and I'm sure it secretly burns for them.

It's a shame she became an avatar for all the problems of the Democratic party because she was a fine candidate and leader. (And I'm super critical of the party.)

And not to further muddy the waters but despite his workerist aesthetic/past, Graham Platner is speaking to this broad working class (that includes nurses, fisherman, service industry, etc.) That's why it's resonating. (I'm in Maine.)

Honest question: is there any practical reason no rep is working on submitting an impeachment resolution? I'm not talking about political considerations etc. Seems like putting together a case now would be a good start.

We're in the vibes era. Regardless of party some people will vote for him because he has tattoos, was in the military, works a job with his hands, and is now the object of pundit finger wagging because he made mistakes that they would make.

But we'll see - it's kind of a new world in some ways.

"it would also harm Dems ability to keep the ME gov, ME leg + ME-2"

Jury is still out on this one - my guess is that there is a large number of Maine Republicans who would prefer Platner over Collins.

1. Everybody I know who was sort of broadly supportive of Platner over Mills is now out on Platner. None are in on Mills tho.

2. The primary is a long ways off and media cycles are pretty short these days. Lots can happen.

The only check-and-balance that actually matters

The destruction of the East Wing is a reminder that America has violated the only check-and-balance that actually ends up mattering: www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/the-only-c...

One thing rallies/protests do is - eventually - take the initiative away from the press. Confucius says, if you aren't helping to solve the problem, then get the F out of the way.