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Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism

@mateosfo.bsky.social

2.3K followers 650 following 2.5K posts

I make things, including bike rides, state housing laws, bread, and trouble. Quality varies with rainfall, political winds, and tire pressure. Run comms at @cayimby for the love of cities.

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Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · Mar 8

This was a lot of fun, both because we covered a lot of topics and because David and I have known each other so long and so the conversation flowed.

But the whole tl;dr of the thing is:

Housing policy is (still) climate policy. And the climate movement should do more to acknowledge this, IMO.

David Roberts @volts.wtf · Mar 7

Today on Volts: you may have noticed that some climate/energy types (like me) have become obsessed with housing & urban land use lately. Why? Why are they climate issues? What's the connection? The great @mateosfo.bsky.social and I attempt to answer those questions.

Why housing is a pass/fail question for climate

Housing is a climate issue we can't afford to ignore — Matthew Lewis explains why.

www.volts.wtf

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Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 4h

yeah see the refusal to even acknowledge, let alone investigate, superior forms of goal- and outcomes-oriented management, and how they should apply to effective governance, is one of many reasons the entire left is doomed.

nobody cates about vibes

Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism

derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 9h

seems like a non-insignificant percentage of rage against the machine's fanbase are young republican men driving SUVs bopping their head to anti-oil, pro-immigrant songs thinking the lyrics are about how they wish their suburban parents would get off their back

Tom Morello tweets: "Fascinating that all those “don’t tread on me” posers and their AR-15’s are nowhere to be seen and government tyranny is instead being opposed by a guy in an inflatable frog suit."

Someone named Manny replies: "@grok
why do some people say Tom Morello and band mates are RAGE FOR THE MACHINE and not against ?"

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Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 8h

there's a built-in dryer. You really don't realize that you've never participated in civilization until you've used a Japanese toilet.

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Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 10h

Like, even if we manage to win the war -- a big if!! -- Fox News will still be broadcasting to tens of millions of traitors that they should rally to the homes of American judges -- and light them on fire.

Shit man, that's already been happening, for years.

What the fuck are we doing here.

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Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 10h

In the end, nobody wants to get shot. But only one side of this war wants it bad enough to be sufficiently armed with a viable deterrent.

We're already talking about prosecutions/war crimes etc., as if U.S. prosecutors won't be cowed out of it by Confederate traitors threatening assassinations.

Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 10h

Want to know why you never hear about major police actions going into lawless Confederate Republican areas with weapons drawn and pulling traitors out of their pickup trucks to beat the shit out of them?

Because *they're armed.*

We learned nothing from Malheur.

Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 10h

As a second amendment liberal I'm still mystified by the fact that we're literally watching tyranny unfold, but virtually no liberals are making the connection between our visceral, irrational hatred of guns and the steady erosion of our free state.

Our enemies get it.

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Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 10h

“The big advantage of bikes is that they go directly from where you start to where you finish, when you need to go. The advantage over cars is that they need perhaps 1/10th of the amount of space. Roads that jam up quickly with cars can carry effectively unlimited numbers of people by bicycle.”

Why e-bikes are more important the EVs

Bikes can actually transform cities in the way driverless cars promise

danielknowles.substack.com

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Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism

Matthew Claxton @matthewclaxton.bsky.social · 10h

As a recreational cyclist, I got pretty excited when I realized that ebikes basically eliminate the "Ugh, I can't ride up hills!" barrier for casual/starting commuter cyclists. In many areas, it's one of the biggest barriers to adoption.

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 10h

Why e-bikes are more important the EVs

Bikes can actually transform cities in the way driverless cars promise

danielknowles.substack.com

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Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 11h

No, they run politics like a business and focus on outcomes. Our side runs politics like a TV advertising firm that works for commissions.

Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism

Alex Winter @alexwinter.com · 1d

✊

M. Nolan Gray 🥑 @mnolangray.bsky.social · 1d

Ladies and gentlemen, we did it. SB 79 has been signed.

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Welcoming Neighbors Network @welcomingneighbors.us · 1d

SB 79 is now law. This is a HUGE victory and a monumental step toward a California that is abundant and affordable.

Congrats to @cayimby.bsky.social, @scottwiener.bsky.social, and @gavinnewsom.bsky.social for getting this done. 👏 🏆

California YIMBY @cayimby.bsky.social · 1d

[VICTORY ALERT] Governor Newsom has signed SB 79, which will make it legal to build multi-family housing near high quality transit!

Our statement:
cayimby.org/news-events/...

cayimby.org

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Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 1d

The problem of Democratic consultant grift has been so bad, for so long, that @kos.dailykos.com wrote a *whole book about it* ...

... in 2006. Nothing has changed.

Matthew Sheffield @matthew.flux.community · 1d

You may not realize this, but Democrats have *more money* available to them than Republicans do.

But Republicans are fucking masters at efficiency and network marketing. They maximize every dollar.

Democratic organizations keep hiring the same failed consultants. They need new blood.

Kamala Harris raised $488 million more than Donald Trump | World News - The Times of India

US News: Explore the dramatic fundraising figures between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in the 2024 Presidential race. Harris raises $633 million, while Trump secures $145 million. Discover key donor...

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism

Alex Ip 葉清霖 @alexip718.com · 1d

I have to zoom out my second screen to 33% in portrait mode so that I can screenshot all the pro-housing bills Gavin Newsom signed today on one image. This is absurd (laudatory)

The full list of the signed bills include:

AB 36 by Assemblymember Esmerelda Soria (D-Merced) – Housing elements: prohousing designation.
AB 87 by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner (D-Encinitas) – Housing development: density bonuses.
AB 253 by Assemblymember Christoper Ward (D-San Diego) – California Residential Private Permitting Review Act: residential building permits.
AB 301 by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Santa Clarita) – Planning and zoning: housing development projects: postentitlement phase permits: state agencies.
AB 413 by Assemblymember Mike Fong (D-Alhambra) – Department of Housing and Community Development: guidelines: translation.
AB 457 by Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria (D-Merced) – Streamlines approvals for larger farmworker housing in the Central Valley.
AB 462 by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) – Speeds approvals for coastal and disaster-area ADUs.
AB 480 by Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton) – Personal Income Tax Law: Corporation Tax Law: insurance tax law: low-income housing tax credit. A signing message can be found here.
AB 507 by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) – Adaptive reuse: streamlining: incentives.
AB 610 by Assemblymember David Alvarez (D-San Diego) – Housing element: governmental constraints: disclosure statement.
AB 678 by Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-Milpitas) – Interagency Council on Homelessness.
AB 712 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) – Housing reform laws: enforcement actions: fines and penalties.
AB 723 by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz) – Real estate: digitally altered images: disclosure.
AB 754 by Assemblymember Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael) – Floating home marinas: rent caps: County of Marin.
AB 790 by Anamarie Ávila Farías (D-Martinez) – Homelessness: single women with children.
AB 893 by Assemblymember Mike Fong (D-Alhambra) – Housing development projects: objective standards: campus development zone.
AB 920 by Assemblymember Jessica Caloza (D-Los Angeles) – Permit S…

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Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 1d

So, remember: Yes, every Republican/fascist/Confederate thug is "breaking the law" -- *of the United States.*

But as far as they're concerned -- as far as Supreme Court is concerned -- that's irrelevant. They are applying Confederate laws, as dictated by Trump: The President of the Confederacy.

Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 1d

And we're not near ready to even talk about the fact that, yes, we are in a Civil War -- let alone that we are losing the war badly, due to our refusal to acknowledge and fight in the war; and as long as we are losing, the laws of conquering Confederate traitors are, in fact, the laws of the land.

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Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 1d

Because the USA only exists to extent that we crush Confederate traitors who defeated it and have *replaced it with an entirely different form of government.*

"The law" and "the Constitution," as we are accustomed to defining/applying them, only exist *on the other side of winning the Civil War.*

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Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 1d

And then you get to the second problem: We've been attacked by an enemy force that has fully conquered our nation, and now controls it. But we are still debating if we can stop them *using the laws of the nation they have already defeated.*

Ain't gonna work. We actually have to join the battle.

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Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 1d

So, are fascist/Confederate thugs operating under the laws of an authoritarian, Confederate government "breaking the law"?

Or are they merely executing the will of the dictator, who is -- again, according to SCOTUS -- *legally entitled to decide what the law is* based on his personal desires?

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Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 1d

... this notion that fascist thugs are "breaking the law" is only true if you believe we still live in the United States, and not the Confederacy.

The trouble with this point of view is, we live in a *de jure Confederacy*; it controls entirety of government, including adjudicating in its own favor.

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Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 1d

It's clear -- or it should be, if you have one half of one brain cell paying attention -- that the U.S. Constitution is in some sort of either temporary or permanent suspense, since the Court has ruled Trump is the Constitution.

But then ... what are the laws? They are whatever Trump does.

So ...

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Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism @mateosfo.bsky.social · 1d

I think the problem is we're in this liminal space between the former United States, and a traitorous Confederate government that controls Supreme Court, White House, and Congress, and so during their reign, are subjecting Americans to Confederate law.

So, it's hard to say what "law" is, atm.

Mark Joseph Stern @mjsdc.bsky.social · 1d

This arrest appears to be in direct violation of a temporary restraining order prohibiting DHS officers from arresting journalists. The officers here may well be subject to contempt of court. protectdemocracy.org/wp-content/u...

It is hereby ORDERED that Defendants,' their officers, agents, assigns, and all
persons acting in concert with them (hereafter referred to as "Federal Agents"), are temporarily
ENJOINED in this judicial district from:
a.
Dispersing, arresting, threatening to arrest, threatening or using physical
force against any person whom they know or reasonably should know is a Journalist, unless Defendants have probable cause to believe that the individual has committed a crime.

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Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism

David Roberts @volts.wtf · 1d

Newsom signed SB79! So, so huge. Enormous props to all the people who worked so hard, for so long, to make this happen, above all @scottwiener.bsky.social. It's going to change California, and the country.

Governor Newsom Signs Senator Wiener’s Landmark Law To Build More Homes Near Public Transit

Official website of Senator Scott Wiener, representing California Senate District 11.

sd11.senate.ca.gov

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California YIMBY @cayimby.bsky.social · 1d

[VICTORY ALERT] Governor Newsom has signed SB 79, which will make it legal to build multi-family housing near high quality transit!

Our statement:
cayimby.org/news-events/...

cayimby.org

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Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism

California YIMBY @cayimby.bsky.social · 1d

“Californians already wait far too long for the housing they need. The slow pace of local building inspections just adds insult to injury. With the signing of AB 1308 into law, families will no longer have to wait to move into housing that’s safe and ready for occupancy.” - @hanlon.bsky.social

California YIMBY @cayimby.bsky.social · 1d

[VICTORY ALERT] Governor Newsom has signed AB 1308, which creates a “shot clock” for housing inspections.

Our statement: cayimby.org/news-events/...

California Gets "Shot Clock" for Housing Inspections

Law signed by Gov. Newsom Will Speed California Families Into New Homes

cayimby.org

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