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Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 1d

We’ve been making the connection on First Branch Forecast that this is transparently why Vought is trying to destroy Congress’ constitutional position. It’s where that pluralism lives and tries to self-govern. Unfortunately, Johnson shares many of the same societal antipathies, is fine being a Duma

Thomas Zimmer @thomaszimmer.bsky.social · 1d

Vought is at war with large swaths of the population, with the very idea of a society defined by democratic pluralism. If you have correctly identified that this guy is now in a really powerful position, that people like him are in control of the government, how is that not the main story?

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Reposted by Chris Nehls

Thomas Zimmer @thomaszimmer.bsky.social · 1d

Vought’s ideology of “radical constitutionalism” captures the defining sensibility on the Trumpist Right: “The Left,” he believes, has command of America, there is nothing left to conserve, nothing short of a radical “counter-revolution” can now save the nation.

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Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 1d

Trying to figure out the women charting pitches behind the plate

Reposted by Chris Nehls

Schooley @schooley.bsky.social · 1d

It’s no wonder that Trump has such a twisted view of war and sacrifice. And the utility of bribes.

Donald was seven years old, and his father was brought before a U.S. Senate committee investigating abuses in a housing program for war veterans and middle class families. President Eisenhower had been outraged to learn of the bribes that developers paid to bureaucrats and of the alleged profiteering practiced by Trump and others. Ike called them "sons of bitches."
As federal investigators had discovered, the elder Trump had collected an extra $1.7 million in rent-equivalent to $15 million today-before beginning to pay back his low-cost government loan. He was able to do this because a bureaucrat named Clyde Powell approved the paperwork.
Powell, who had never been paid more than a modest government salary, had mysteriously amassed a small fortune. (While it was clear Powell accepted bribes, the sources were never officially identified.) In addition to collecting the extra rent, Trump paid himself a substantial architect's fee. And he charged inflated rents based on an estimate of construction costs that was far greater than what he actually spent. All of this was legal, even if it did victimize taxpayers, veterans, and other renters.

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Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 2d

Fell asleep on the couch in the 8th inning what’s up?

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Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 2d

Alexander Hauge

The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 2d

His slip of the tongue reveals who’s really in charge. trib.al/mIvP0yE

“Illinois governor says we’re provoking actions that are unlawful,” Miller said on CNN. “If I put federal law enforcement and National Guard into a nice sleepy Southern town, is anyone gonna riot?”

Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 2d

Fox broadcasting sports in 720p for like 30 years

Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 2d

There are lounges in Japan where one pays someone just to hug you and chat

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Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 3d

He can play first base for the Mets

CJ Fogler @cjzero.bsky.social · 3d

Absolutely brutal way for the Phillies to lose, Dodgers win the series

Reposted by Chris Nehls

Chris 🎃 DevPods.gg gamedev community @chrisdeleon.bsky.social · 4d

Portland protestor frog costume: What are you trying to tell me? That I can dodge pepper balls?

Morpheus from Matrix movie: No, Frog. I'm trying to tell you that when you're ready, you won't have to.

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Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 4d

He’s written about these views publicly. They take 2 seconds to find. C’mon, folks.

Maybe it’s a historian thing, but it would be nice for journalists to take what people write down literally and seriously

Thomas Zimmer @thomaszimmer.bsky.social · 4d

Vought is at war with large swaths of the population, with the very idea of a society defined by democratic pluralism.

If you have correctly identified that this guy is now in a really powerful position, that people like him are in control of the government, how is that not the main story?

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Reposted by Chris Nehls

Thomas Zimmer @thomaszimmer.bsky.social · 4d

Russell Vought embodies the radicalization of the conservative movement; his example captures how far removed from democratic politics the Trumpist Right is. Vought is convinced to be fighting a noble war against a vast leftist conspiracy that has supposedly taken over the country.

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Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 5d

That ball is foul in every park where the pole isn’t 318’ away

Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 5d

You cannot be serious

Brian Floyd @brianmfloyd.bsky.social · 5d

the guy who caught cal raleigh’s homer was wearing a shirt that said dump 61 here and he immediately took it off and had a shirt that said dump 62 here

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Reposted by Chris Nehls

Brian Floyd @brianmfloyd.bsky.social · 5d

the guy who caught cal raleigh’s homer was wearing a shirt that said dump 61 here and he immediately took it off and had a shirt that said dump 62 here

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Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 6d

Photo looks like it was taken in the hotel over Shin Yokohama

Colin McGowan @csmcgowan.bsky.social · 6d

Splashed this on my pulse points. Feeling powerful.

Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 6d

I was gonna pull together a Pavement mix of “go” at some point

Sophia_Nyx 🏳️‍⚧️ @sophianyx.bsky.social · 7d

Name a Song with Stop, Start, or Go in the lyrics.

Reposted by Chris Nehls

Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 6d

Actually, umpires are good

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Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 6d

Actually, umpires are good

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Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 7d

We think this is an under-appreciated part of the shutdown story

The Quiet Shutdown Becomes Loud

Appropriations rupture exposes the constitutional stakes

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Chris Nehls

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 7d

When the Orwellian named Dept of Homeland Security was created … MANY of us predicted that it would eventually be doing all the things that it is doing right now

Pinning it uniquely on Trump really misses the point in a bunch of ways

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Reposted by Chris Nehls

Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 7d

John Roberts’ Constitution: The federal government protecting people’s right to vote or giving them health care violates the sacred principle of state sovereignty but if the deranged POTUS and his bloodthirsty advisers want to use the military to invade other states for being too liberal that’s fine

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Chris Nehls @nehls.bsky.social · 8d

Belichick’s UNC has scored three fewer points this season than Kennesaw State has. You love to see it

Reposted by Chris Nehls

Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 9d

Russ Vought has threatened to illegally withhold federal funds, seemingly from states with D-voting majorities. Congressional budgeting expert, Cerin Lindgrensavage explains how we *all* lose when admins try to usurp Congress’s power of the purse. Full discussion here: https://protdem.org/4gYkvcy

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Reposted by Chris Nehls

Adam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · 17d

I’m starting to notice a trend in the polling data…

—Top Public Worry: Corruption

—Biggest problem in Fed Gov: Corruption

—Top fear: Corruption

—What one word would you use to describe American government?: “Corrupt”

It’s almost like voters are trying to tell us something.

Top 10 American Fears of 2024 (Chapman Survey)
Horizontal bar chart ranking the top fears of Americans (percentage “afraid” or “very afraid”):
1. Corrupt government officials (65.2%, top fear for years).
2. Loved ones becoming seriously ill (58.4%).
3. Cyberterrorism (58.3%).
4. Loved ones dying (57.8%).
5. Russia using nuclear weapons (55.8%).
6. Not having enough money for the future (55.7%).
7. U.S. becoming involved in another world war (55.0%).
8. North Korea using nuclear weapons (55.0%).
9. Terrorist attack (52.7%).
10. Biological warfare (52.5%).
Red bars display percentages; small arrows indicate change from 2023 rankings.

Top Public Worries in the U.S. (Yale & GMU poll, May 2025)
Stacked bar chart of worries among U.S. adults. Categories ranked by share “very worried”:
• Government corruption (54% very worried, top issue).
• Other leading concerns: cost of living (48%), the economy (47%), state of democracy (44%), disruption of federal services (44%), cultural/social divisions (36%), treatment of immigrants (35%), global warming (29%), crime (26%).
• Lower worries include job security (17%), health (16%), and being targeted because of identity/beliefs (15%).
Green shades show “very/somewhat worried,” yellow/orange shades show “not very/not at all worried.

Perceptions of Federal Government Problems (AP-NORC poll)
Bar chart showing the percentage of U.S. adults who consider various issues in the federal government to be a major problem, minor problem, or not a problem.
• Corruption: Overall 70% major, 22% minor, 7% not a problem. Higher among Republicans (78%) than Democrats (63%).
• Inefficiency: 65% major overall, with Republicans (81%) much higher than Democrats (55%).
• Red tape (bureaucracy): 59% major overall, with Republicans (73%) higher than Democrats (47%).
• Civil servants unwilling to implement president’s agenda: More partisan split—Republicans 56% major problem, Democrats 20% major problem; overall 34% major, 36% minor, 28% not a problem.
Title: “Majority of the public believe corruption, inefficiency, and red tape are major problems in the federal government.

Word Cloud of How People Describe American Government (Berkeley Democracy Policy Lab)
Large central word: “Corrupt.” Other prominent words: Broken, Chaotic, Dysfunctional, Shit, Clueless, Divided, Inefficient, Crooked, Hijacked, Justice, Woke, Bloated, Untrustworthy, Hopeless, Frustrated, Disastrous, Messy, Sneaky, Turmoil, Delusional. Smaller scattered words include both negative and neutral terms such as Crap, Important, Poder, Resilient, Unfocused, Needs Help. Visual emphasizes “Corrupt” as the dominant public perception.

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