Brian Beutler
@brianbeutler.bsky.social
Off Message, Politix.fm;
Formerly: Crooked Media, TNR, TPM; www.offmessage.net/subscribe
Formerly: Crooked Media, TNR, TPM; www.offmessage.net/subscribe
Reposted by Brian Beutler
Yep, good take. America never voted for Trumpism www.gelliottmorris.com/p/americans-...
February 10, 2026 at 10:02 PM
Yep, good take. America never voted for Trumpism www.gelliottmorris.com/p/americans-...
Reposted by Brian Beutler
“While the FBI field office in Boise initially said in a statement that claims of children being zip-tied were ‘completely false,’ officials there later amended that assertion, telling reporters that no ‘young’ children were zip-tied.”
www.cbsnews.com/news/feds-zi...
www.cbsnews.com/news/feds-zi...
A 14-year-old girl described being zip-tied during Idaho raid, sparking fresh questions about ICE tactics
A 14-year-old girl said she was "crying" and "struggling to breathe" when law enforcement officers herded her onto a racetrack with other detainees and zip-tied her hands.
www.cbsnews.com
February 10, 2026 at 10:52 PM
“While the FBI field office in Boise initially said in a statement that claims of children being zip-tied were ‘completely false,’ officials there later amended that assertion, telling reporters that no ‘young’ children were zip-tied.”
www.cbsnews.com/news/feds-zi...
www.cbsnews.com/news/feds-zi...
Reposted by Brian Beutler
They're calling it the most embarrassing op-ed of all time: The Louisiana SG, who has multiple cases pending before the Supreme Court right now, writing an essay about how his old boss, Justice Samuel Alito, is the nicest, smartest, bestest justice who ever lived www.foxnews.com/opinion/i-wo...
February 10, 2026 at 8:30 PM
They're calling it the most embarrassing op-ed of all time: The Louisiana SG, who has multiple cases pending before the Supreme Court right now, writing an essay about how his old boss, Justice Samuel Alito, is the nicest, smartest, bestest justice who ever lived www.foxnews.com/opinion/i-wo...
Reposted by Brian Beutler
The number of people and organizations who read a 1.5% popular vote margin as a permanent realignment and acted on it as though it was permanent will never stop stunning me.
The political dynamics of 2025 were shaped by Democrats and Republicans over-reading Trump's victory in the same way. That turns out to be a problem for a LOT of rich and powerful people who made a very large bet on the theory that MAGA had won the culture war. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Trump Has Lost The Culture
And his greediest collaborators are awakening to the fact that they made a terrible bet.
www.offmessage.net
February 10, 2026 at 8:33 PM
The number of people and organizations who read a 1.5% popular vote margin as a permanent realignment and acted on it as though it was permanent will never stop stunning me.
Reposted by Brian Beutler
However big a problem it is for them let’s commit to making it an even bigger problem for them. Business schools in fifty years should teach this is how you lose your company and your wealth.
The political dynamics of 2025 were shaped by Democrats and Republicans over-reading Trump's victory in the same way. That turns out to be a problem for a LOT of rich and powerful people who made a very large bet on the theory that MAGA had won the culture war. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Trump Has Lost The Culture
And his greediest collaborators are awakening to the fact that they made a terrible bet.
www.offmessage.net
February 10, 2026 at 8:11 PM
However big a problem it is for them let’s commit to making it an even bigger problem for them. Business schools in fifty years should teach this is how you lose your company and your wealth.
Reposted by Brian Beutler
"His collaborators are beginning to realize that they succumbed to irrational exuberance and made a huge bet on a lame horse."
Faced with cultural rebellion, all MAGA has left is to saber rattle at people who criticize Trump on the world stage. That was unbecoming, but not a sure loser, when Trump was at 50-50. Now that he's closer to 40-60, they're making themselves laughing stocks. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
February 10, 2026 at 7:57 PM
"His collaborators are beginning to realize that they succumbed to irrational exuberance and made a huge bet on a lame horse."
Reposted by Brian Beutler
The political dynamics of 2025 were shaped by Democrats and Republicans over-reading Trump's victory in the same way. That turns out to be a problem for a LOT of rich and powerful people who made a very large bet on the theory that MAGA had won the culture war. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Trump Has Lost The Culture
And his greediest collaborators are awakening to the fact that they made a terrible bet.
www.offmessage.net
February 10, 2026 at 5:13 PM
The political dynamics of 2025 were shaped by Democrats and Republicans over-reading Trump's victory in the same way. That turns out to be a problem for a LOT of rich and powerful people who made a very large bet on the theory that MAGA had won the culture war. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Reposted by Brian Beutler
“…after a year it’s dawned on most people that the MAGA proposition wasn’t Free Speech For All—Even If It’s Racist. It’s more like Know Your Place.”
It was always the same pitch, it was just easier to clock as despotism once they put it in motion.
Good essay.
www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
It was always the same pitch, it was just easier to clock as despotism once they put it in motion.
Good essay.
www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
February 10, 2026 at 6:47 PM
“…after a year it’s dawned on most people that the MAGA proposition wasn’t Free Speech For All—Even If It’s Racist. It’s more like Know Your Place.”
It was always the same pitch, it was just easier to clock as despotism once they put it in motion.
Good essay.
www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
It was always the same pitch, it was just easier to clock as despotism once they put it in motion.
Good essay.
www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Reposted by Brian Beutler
Faced with cultural rebellion, all MAGA has left is to saber rattle at people who criticize Trump on the world stage. That was unbecoming, but not a sure loser, when Trump was at 50-50. Now that he's closer to 40-60, they're making themselves laughing stocks. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
February 10, 2026 at 5:24 PM
Faced with cultural rebellion, all MAGA has left is to saber rattle at people who criticize Trump on the world stage. That was unbecoming, but not a sure loser, when Trump was at 50-50. Now that he's closer to 40-60, they're making themselves laughing stocks. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Reposted by Brian Beutler
I find it fascinating — in an enraging kind of way — that the right wing has this habit of getting power by lying about what they intend to do with it, then seeming to get caught by surprise when it turns out that people don’t actually like what they’re doing
I don't know what setback or humiliation prompted that bizarre White House press release addressed to "Panicans" yesterday, but Trump is right to sense a lot of panic. It's growing. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Trump Has Lost The Culture
And his greediest collaborators are awakening to the fact that they made a terrible bet.
www.offmessage.net
February 10, 2026 at 7:13 PM
I find it fascinating — in an enraging kind of way — that the right wing has this habit of getting power by lying about what they intend to do with it, then seeming to get caught by surprise when it turns out that people don’t actually like what they’re doing
Reposted by Brian Beutler
But it isn't just entertainment culture. Does Jeff Bezos think he made a good bet? Does Brad Karp? What about Tim Cook? www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
February 10, 2026 at 5:20 PM
But it isn't just entertainment culture. Does Jeff Bezos think he made a good bet? Does Brad Karp? What about Tim Cook? www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Reposted by Brian Beutler
"Republicans hoped to demonstrate that they are the ones with their fingers on the pulse of the culture. They miscalculated badly...Rs have now turned to whipping up hate mobs against US athletes who’ve had the temerity to criticize the actions of their own gov't."
www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Trump Has Lost The Culture
And his greediest collaborators are awakening to the fact that they made a terrible bet.
www.offmessage.net
February 10, 2026 at 6:30 PM
"Republicans hoped to demonstrate that they are the ones with their fingers on the pulse of the culture. They miscalculated badly...Rs have now turned to whipping up hate mobs against US athletes who’ve had the temerity to criticize the actions of their own gov't."
www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Reposted by Brian Beutler
From Tim Cook to Nicki Minaj, the people who leapt onboard the MAGA train after Trump’s “MASS DEPORTATIONS NOW” win are being forced to reckon with ICE murdering people in the street and imprisoning 3,800 children. @brianbeutler.bsky.social explains just how bad a bet they made 🎯
Trump Has Lost The Culture
And his greediest collaborators are awakening to the fact that they made a terrible bet.
www.offmessage.net
February 10, 2026 at 6:03 PM
From Tim Cook to Nicki Minaj, the people who leapt onboard the MAGA train after Trump’s “MASS DEPORTATIONS NOW” win are being forced to reckon with ICE murdering people in the street and imprisoning 3,800 children. @brianbeutler.bsky.social explains just how bad a bet they made 🎯
Reposted by Brian Beutler
The failed right-wing culture war against the Super Bowl is a good microcosm. They picked that fight back in September, when they still felt ascendant. Months of failure and bloodshed later, the idea that MAGA is cooler than football and Bad Bunny seems ludicrous. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
February 10, 2026 at 5:19 PM
The failed right-wing culture war against the Super Bowl is a good microcosm. They picked that fight back in September, when they still felt ascendant. Months of failure and bloodshed later, the idea that MAGA is cooler than football and Bad Bunny seems ludicrous. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Reposted by Brian Beutler
Trump won mostly by being the beneficiary of relentless negative economic reporting by elite Republican captured media, and a collective amnesia over who was President in 2020.
The political dynamics of 2025 were shaped by Democrats and Republicans over-reading Trump's victory in the same way. That turns out to be a problem for a LOT of rich and powerful people who made a very large bet on the theory that MAGA had won the culture war. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Trump Has Lost The Culture
And his greediest collaborators are awakening to the fact that they made a terrible bet.
www.offmessage.net
February 10, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Trump won mostly by being the beneficiary of relentless negative economic reporting by elite Republican captured media, and a collective amnesia over who was President in 2020.
Reposted by Brian Beutler
This is true, and even if we get rid of Trump, we still have to reckon with the fact that a substantial proportion of US economic and political elites were *eager* to jump on the fascism train. They will still be the same people when Trump is gone.
The political dynamics of 2025 were shaped by Democrats and Republicans over-reading Trump's victory in the same way. That turns out to be a problem for a LOT of rich and powerful people who made a very large bet on the theory that MAGA had won the culture war. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Trump Has Lost The Culture
And his greediest collaborators are awakening to the fact that they made a terrible bet.
www.offmessage.net
February 10, 2026 at 5:27 PM
This is true, and even if we get rid of Trump, we still have to reckon with the fact that a substantial proportion of US economic and political elites were *eager* to jump on the fascism train. They will still be the same people when Trump is gone.
Reposted by Brian Beutler
I don't know what setback or humiliation prompted that bizarre White House press release addressed to "Panicans" yesterday, but Trump is right to sense a lot of panic. It's growing. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Trump Has Lost The Culture
And his greediest collaborators are awakening to the fact that they made a terrible bet.
www.offmessage.net
February 10, 2026 at 5:25 PM
I don't know what setback or humiliation prompted that bizarre White House press release addressed to "Panicans" yesterday, but Trump is right to sense a lot of panic. It's growing. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
The political dynamics of 2025 were shaped by Democrats and Republicans over-reading Trump's victory in the same way. That turns out to be a problem for a LOT of rich and powerful people who made a very large bet on the theory that MAGA had won the culture war. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Trump Has Lost The Culture
And his greediest collaborators are awakening to the fact that they made a terrible bet.
www.offmessage.net
February 10, 2026 at 5:13 PM
The political dynamics of 2025 were shaped by Democrats and Republicans over-reading Trump's victory in the same way. That turns out to be a problem for a LOT of rich and powerful people who made a very large bet on the theory that MAGA had won the culture war. www.offmessage.net/p/trump-has-...
Reposted by Brian Beutler
“[T]he White House is right to sense that “Panicans” are everywhere. His collaborators are beginning to realize that they succumbed to irrational exuberance and made a huge bet on a lame horse.”
@brianbeutler.bsky.social
@brianbeutler.bsky.social
Trump Has Lost The Culture
And his greediest collaborators are awakening to the fact that they made a terrible bet.
open.substack.com
February 10, 2026 at 4:41 PM
“[T]he White House is right to sense that “Panicans” are everywhere. His collaborators are beginning to realize that they succumbed to irrational exuberance and made a huge bet on a lame horse.”
@brianbeutler.bsky.social
@brianbeutler.bsky.social
Reposted by Brian Beutler
One lesson of the Epstein emails is the total intellectual vacuousness of the international business elite
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
Jeffrey Epstein circle’s ‘big ideas’ were vacuous guff
Emails show that despite hooking up the rich, the powerful and intellectuals, the philosophising was utterly banal
www.thetimes.com
February 9, 2026 at 8:51 PM
One lesson of the Epstein emails is the total intellectual vacuousness of the international business elite
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...
My favorite part of that “Don’t Be A Panican” press release the White House issued yesterday is this sentence “These wins aren’t happening by accident—they come after President Trump lodged the most productive first year of a presidential term in modern history—and aren’t happening by accident.”
February 10, 2026 at 12:48 PM
My favorite part of that “Don’t Be A Panican” press release the White House issued yesterday is this sentence “These wins aren’t happening by accident—they come after President Trump lodged the most productive first year of a presidential term in modern history—and aren’t happening by accident.”
Reposted by Brian Beutler
Progressives say Harris lost because she was too moderate; moderates say it's because she was too far left. They're both reasoning backward and they’re both wrong. My grand unified theory is right. www.offmessage.net/p/why-kamala...
Why Kamala Harris Lost
Progressives say it's because she was too moderate; moderates say it's because she was too far left. They're both wrong. My grand unified theory is right.
www.offmessage.net
February 9, 2026 at 5:25 PM
Progressives say Harris lost because she was too moderate; moderates say it's because she was too far left. They're both reasoning backward and they’re both wrong. My grand unified theory is right. www.offmessage.net/p/why-kamala...
Reposted by Brian Beutler
In addition to a completely fucked information/media ecosystem (sorry for the technical language), this by @brianbeutler.bsky.social also rings true:
"The Democratic Party's pathological risk aversion and over-reliance on survey data...are generally paralyzing."
"The Democratic Party's pathological risk aversion and over-reliance on survey data...are generally paralyzing."
Progressives say Harris lost because she was too moderate; moderates say it's because she was too far left. They're both reasoning backward and they’re both wrong. My grand unified theory is right. www.offmessage.net/p/why-kamala...
Why Kamala Harris Lost
Progressives say it's because she was too moderate; moderates say it's because she was too far left. They're both wrong. My grand unified theory is right.
www.offmessage.net
February 9, 2026 at 6:25 PM
In addition to a completely fucked information/media ecosystem (sorry for the technical language), this by @brianbeutler.bsky.social also rings true:
"The Democratic Party's pathological risk aversion and over-reliance on survey data...are generally paralyzing."
"The Democratic Party's pathological risk aversion and over-reliance on survey data...are generally paralyzing."
Reposted by Brian Beutler
Yes, some of us did, but the libertarians at Reason were not prominent among them, except for the one who got fired for it.
February 9, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Yes, some of us did, but the libertarians at Reason were not prominent among them, except for the one who got fired for it.
Reposted by Brian Beutler
the suggestion that the libertarian movement has always been anti trump is infuriating, but also a sign that people may have a sense of which way the wind is blowing
February 9, 2026 at 4:03 PM
the suggestion that the libertarian movement has always been anti trump is infuriating, but also a sign that people may have a sense of which way the wind is blowing