Eric Aspengren
@ericaspen.bsky.social
Political strategist and data analyst. Organizer at heart.
Reposted by Eric Aspengren
language note: don't say 'congress' when you mean 'congressional republicans'
January 5, 2026 at 2:47 PM
language note: don't say 'congress' when you mean 'congressional republicans'
Reposted by Eric Aspengren
yep. i can identify any number of structural issues but at the end of the day the basic problem is the republican party. this has been apparent for at least 20 years. it is also an incredibly unpopular observation to make among “serious” people.
Right.
If you want a good explanation of why the American system of government worked well enough for 200 years and then suddenly stopped, it's because Republicans in Congress suddenly started letting their partisan interests COMPLETELY override their institutional interests
If you want a good explanation of why the American system of government worked well enough for 200 years and then suddenly stopped, it's because Republicans in Congress suddenly started letting their partisan interests COMPLETELY override their institutional interests
a lot of problems wouldn't exist if we had a congress with even an ounce of self interest
January 4, 2026 at 11:52 PM
yep. i can identify any number of structural issues but at the end of the day the basic problem is the republican party. this has been apparent for at least 20 years. it is also an incredibly unpopular observation to make among “serious” people.
Feel like summoning the old ones.
January 4, 2026 at 10:20 PM
Feel like summoning the old ones.
Reposted by Eric Aspengren
I’ve long maintained that it was a mistake for Congress to have abolished itself.
January 3, 2026 at 10:57 AM
I’ve long maintained that it was a mistake for Congress to have abolished itself.
Donald Trump has said and done some very stupid, horrific, and damaging things. But just threatening to intervene in Iran is easily one of the worst things he could say. Doing it would bring indescribable consequences.
January 2, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Donald Trump has said and done some very stupid, horrific, and damaging things. But just threatening to intervene in Iran is easily one of the worst things he could say. Doing it would bring indescribable consequences.
Reposted by Eric Aspengren
I'm going to solve the problem of induction with cryptocurrency
God bless you, Mr. Mayor. 🫡
January 1, 2026 at 11:11 PM
I'm going to solve the problem of induction with cryptocurrency
Reposted by Eric Aspengren
Salt water laced with cancer-causing chemicals, a byproduct of oil and gas drilling, keeps shooting out of the ground in Oklahoma.
Experts say it means even more wastewater is spreading underground, poisoning the state’s water supply.
Published Oct. w/ @readfrontier.bsky.social
Experts say it means even more wastewater is spreading underground, poisoning the state’s water supply.
Published Oct. w/ @readfrontier.bsky.social
Toxic Wastewater From Oil Fields Keeps Pouring Out of the Ground. Oklahoma Regulators Failed to Stop It.
Salt water laced with cancer-causing chemicals, a byproduct of oil and gas drilling, is spewing from old wells. Experts warn of a pollution crisis spreading underground and threatening Oklahoma’s drin...
www.propublica.org
December 27, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Salt water laced with cancer-causing chemicals, a byproduct of oil and gas drilling, keeps shooting out of the ground in Oklahoma.
Experts say it means even more wastewater is spreading underground, poisoning the state’s water supply.
Published Oct. w/ @readfrontier.bsky.social
Experts say it means even more wastewater is spreading underground, poisoning the state’s water supply.
Published Oct. w/ @readfrontier.bsky.social
Reposted by Eric Aspengren
on the topic of car violence, I can't help wondering if the aggy mood of the country isn't exacerbated by a) half of cars being TOO BIG and b) headlights being TOO BRIGHT so everyone on the road constantly feels threatened or hassled
Insane but true fact: making US roads as safe as Canadian, Australian, or European roads would save more lives than eliminating murder from the US.
December 23, 2025 at 6:18 PM
on the topic of car violence, I can't help wondering if the aggy mood of the country isn't exacerbated by a) half of cars being TOO BIG and b) headlights being TOO BRIGHT so everyone on the road constantly feels threatened or hassled
Reposted by Eric Aspengren
On DOGE’s watch, federal spending did not go down at all. It went up. But is still led to cuts that closed offices, canceled programs and deprived people of food, medicine and other aid.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/u...
How Did DOGE Disrupt So Much While Saving So Little?
www.nytimes.com
December 23, 2025 at 4:29 PM
On DOGE’s watch, federal spending did not go down at all. It went up. But is still led to cuts that closed offices, canceled programs and deprived people of food, medicine and other aid.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/u...
I suggest he call one of them The Yamato.
December 22, 2025 at 8:17 PM
I suggest he call one of them The Yamato.
Reposted by Eric Aspengren
I read through these (more in the comments) and hoped maybe this was some cheeky lefty publication that went looking for the most extremist nuts they could find to make the right look bad.
Nope. It’s City Journal, published by the far right Manhattan Institute.
Horrifying.
Nope. It’s City Journal, published by the far right Manhattan Institute.
Horrifying.
December 19, 2025 at 6:35 PM
I read through these (more in the comments) and hoped maybe this was some cheeky lefty publication that went looking for the most extremist nuts they could find to make the right look bad.
Nope. It’s City Journal, published by the far right Manhattan Institute.
Horrifying.
Nope. It’s City Journal, published by the far right Manhattan Institute.
Horrifying.
David Brooks? Whoda think?
December 18, 2025 at 6:28 PM
David Brooks? Whoda think?
Clyde Stubblefield's right foot...
December 18, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Clyde Stubblefield's right foot...
Reposted by Eric Aspengren
Before the 1990s, plane crashes caused by microbursts used to kill planeloads of people fairly regularly.
Dr. Ted Fujita and NCAR scientists figured out how to detect microbursts and warn pilots about them.
Since then? Zero airliner crashes from microbursts.
Dr. Ted Fujita and NCAR scientists figured out how to detect microbursts and warn pilots about them.
Since then? Zero airliner crashes from microbursts.
Exclusive: The Trump administration is moving to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, according to a senior White House official, taking aim at one of the world's leading climate research labs.
Trump moves to dismantle major US climate research center in Colorado
The Trump administration is breaking up the National Center for Atmospheric Research, taking aim at one of the world's leading climate research labs.
bit.ly
December 17, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Before the 1990s, plane crashes caused by microbursts used to kill planeloads of people fairly regularly.
Dr. Ted Fujita and NCAR scientists figured out how to detect microbursts and warn pilots about them.
Since then? Zero airliner crashes from microbursts.
Dr. Ted Fujita and NCAR scientists figured out how to detect microbursts and warn pilots about them.
Since then? Zero airliner crashes from microbursts.
Reposted by Eric Aspengren
Donald Trump interrupted national tv today to promise a million people (with guns!) two billion dollars he doesn’t have on a timeline he cannot meet to buy Christmas gifts he has personally fought to make less affordable
he doesn’t and the most likely outcome of this is that it doesn’t happen
How does the president have independent authority to mail out Christmas bonuses?
December 18, 2025 at 5:36 AM
Donald Trump interrupted national tv today to promise a million people (with guns!) two billion dollars he doesn’t have on a timeline he cannot meet to buy Christmas gifts he has personally fought to make less affordable
Bro country is going to kill us all.
December 17, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Bro country is going to kill us all.
Reposted by Eric Aspengren
The little orange bars on the right are what Trump is calling “the greatest economy in history.”
December 16, 2025 at 11:03 PM
The little orange bars on the right are what Trump is calling “the greatest economy in history.”
Reposted by Eric Aspengren
Still no community note on this at X, where it’s been viewed many millions of times. Someone’s point about the need for AI regulations seems to have been made.
This image, presumably doctored, purporting to be from today, is going around X this evening; hundreds of thousands of views, no community note yet
December 12, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Still no community note on this at X, where it’s been viewed many millions of times. Someone’s point about the need for AI regulations seems to have been made.
Nerve conduction tests are a joy.
December 11, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Nerve conduction tests are a joy.
Reposted by Eric Aspengren
Y'think?
Fed Chair Jerome Powell said that Fed staffers believe federal data could be overstating job creation by up to 60,000 jobs a month—which suggests the jobs market might be shrinking www.wsj.com/economy/jobs...
Fed Chair Jerome Powell said that Fed staffers believe federal data could be overstating job creation by up to 60,000 jobs a month—which suggests the jobs market might be shrinking www.wsj.com/economy/jobs...
Fed Chair Jerome Powell Says U.S. May Be Drastically Overstating Jobs Numbers
Powell said that Fed staffers believe federal data could be overstating job creation by up to 60,000 jobs a month—which suggests the jobs market might be shrinking.
www.wsj.com
December 11, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Y'think?
Fed Chair Jerome Powell said that Fed staffers believe federal data could be overstating job creation by up to 60,000 jobs a month—which suggests the jobs market might be shrinking www.wsj.com/economy/jobs...
Fed Chair Jerome Powell said that Fed staffers believe federal data could be overstating job creation by up to 60,000 jobs a month—which suggests the jobs market might be shrinking www.wsj.com/economy/jobs...
Reposted by Eric Aspengren
This is what I've always hated about the term identity politics. The implication is whiteness (especially combined with maleness and heterosexuality) is not an identity, but literally everything else is.
December 11, 2025 at 11:05 AM
This is what I've always hated about the term identity politics. The implication is whiteness (especially combined with maleness and heterosexuality) is not an identity, but literally everything else is.
Jingle bell time is a swell time.
December 10, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Jingle bell time is a swell time.