Patrick Bigger
@pmbigger.bsky.social
Interim ED @cplusc.bsky.social // co-director @transitionsec.bsky.social Political economy in the climate+ecological crisis. Terrible taste in music. climateandcommunity.org // transitionsecurity.org // https://bit.ly/pb_pubs
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
It’s so hard to have a reasonable conversation about AI, because people refuse to see the massive upsides of job elimination, higher electrical bills, hard drive shortages, poisoning black people in Memphis, and an economy where a handful of pedos with bad hair control your life
February 17, 2026 at 5:48 PM
It’s so hard to have a reasonable conversation about AI, because people refuse to see the massive upsides of job elimination, higher electrical bills, hard drive shortages, poisoning black people in Memphis, and an economy where a handful of pedos with bad hair control your life
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
and i wrote this a decade ago about jackson as the model response to trump-style politics www.slate.com/articles/new...
Demoralized Democrats Have a Road Map for Success in Trump’s America. It Was Written by Jesse Jackson.
Jesse Jackson first ran for president during the national farm bust of the early 1980s. Debt for farmers had exploded from $85 billion in 1976 to $216 ...
www.slate.com
February 17, 2026 at 1:36 PM
and i wrote this a decade ago about jackson as the model response to trump-style politics www.slate.com/articles/new...
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
"The fact that Jackson had ... boosting African American turnout and raising policy expectations among Black constituents, suggested to more conservative whites in the party that they were losing because of the party’s focus on the interests of minorities at the expense of rural whites.”
Jesse Jackson and the specter of electability
The reverend was everything mainstream Democrats hoped for and feared
smotus.substack.com
February 17, 2026 at 4:06 PM
"The fact that Jackson had ... boosting African American turnout and raising policy expectations among Black constituents, suggested to more conservative whites in the party that they were losing because of the party’s focus on the interests of minorities at the expense of rural whites.”
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
Tomorrow, I am talking with researcher @gruberte.bsky.social about her work on the energy "mid-transition," that messy period when fossil fuel systems are declining as clean energy systems grow. Her latest paper contemplates the "minimum viable scale" for such systems before they collapse.
Got Qs?
Got Qs?
February 15, 2026 at 8:18 PM
Tomorrow, I am talking with researcher @gruberte.bsky.social about her work on the energy "mid-transition," that messy period when fossil fuel systems are declining as clean energy systems grow. Her latest paper contemplates the "minimum viable scale" for such systems before they collapse.
Got Qs?
Got Qs?
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
NEW: Alarmingly low snow levels across a wide swath of the West augur nothing good for the coming wildfire season; @mollytaft.com reports
Record Low Snow in the West Will Mean Less Water, More Fire, and Political Chaos
Snowpack levels across a wide swath of Western US states are among the lowest seen in decades, even as regulators struggle to negotiate water rights in the region.
www.wired.com
February 13, 2026 at 6:29 PM
NEW: Alarmingly low snow levels across a wide swath of the West augur nothing good for the coming wildfire season; @mollytaft.com reports
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
Holy moly: Seattle’s millionaire tax, passed last year, is expected to bring in $115 million in its 1st year, way more than the $50 million anticipated.
The funds will go to the city’s new social housing developer publicola.com/2026/02/11/t...
(Is NY Gov Hochul paying attention?)
The funds will go to the city’s new social housing developer publicola.com/2026/02/11/t...
(Is NY Gov Hochul paying attention?)
Seattle’s millionaire tax is a huge success. Here is how grassroots groups beat big money and are now raising tons of money for mixed income, rent stabilized housing. (We call it “social housing.”)
www.tiktok.com/t/ZP89WjsvH/
www.tiktok.com/t/ZP89WjsvH/
Seattle’s millionaire tax is a wild success. #taxtherich @House Our Neighbors: Yes on 1A @Tech 4 Housing
TikTok video by Ron Davis
www.tiktok.com
February 13, 2026 at 4:01 AM
Holy moly: Seattle’s millionaire tax, passed last year, is expected to bring in $115 million in its 1st year, way more than the $50 million anticipated.
The funds will go to the city’s new social housing developer publicola.com/2026/02/11/t...
(Is NY Gov Hochul paying attention?)
The funds will go to the city’s new social housing developer publicola.com/2026/02/11/t...
(Is NY Gov Hochul paying attention?)
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
New piece for @phenomenalworld.bsky.social, written with @jacktaggart.bsky.social and @tomchodor.bsky.social! It's an attempt at grasping the dismantling of multilateral global governance, in light of intensifying geopolitical rivalries, resurgent state capitalism, and hegemonic crisis. Link below:
February 12, 2026 at 11:46 AM
New piece for @phenomenalworld.bsky.social, written with @jacktaggart.bsky.social and @tomchodor.bsky.social! It's an attempt at grasping the dismantling of multilateral global governance, in light of intensifying geopolitical rivalries, resurgent state capitalism, and hegemonic crisis. Link below:
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
Astounding. Georgia is expected to lose $2.5 BILLION in tax revenue due to tax exemptions for *DATA CENTERS* in FY 2026. This corporate subsidy alone is about *7 TIMES* the cumulative FY26 tax expenditures for the state's principal affordable housing program (really the only significant one). 1/2
Georgia is expected to lose $2.5 billion this year because of data center tax exemptions, according to @goodjobsfirst.org.
goodjobsfirst.org/georgia-data...
goodjobsfirst.org/georgia-data...
February 11, 2026 at 8:24 PM
Astounding. Georgia is expected to lose $2.5 BILLION in tax revenue due to tax exemptions for *DATA CENTERS* in FY 2026. This corporate subsidy alone is about *7 TIMES* the cumulative FY26 tax expenditures for the state's principal affordable housing program (really the only significant one). 1/2
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
In case anyone's wondering how Jeff Bezos feels about climate policy these days, the Washington Post editorial board just heartily endorsed Trump ripping up the EPA's "endangerment finding," which allows the federal government to regulate greenhouse gases as pollutants.
February 11, 2026 at 6:01 PM
In case anyone's wondering how Jeff Bezos feels about climate policy these days, the Washington Post editorial board just heartily endorsed Trump ripping up the EPA's "endangerment finding," which allows the federal government to regulate greenhouse gases as pollutants.
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
1. it's not?
2. what's "true" in a very obvious sense is that they're going to try their best to MAKE it true and still replace every job they can with it despite it, again, not being true
3. it then follows that the way to "think seriously" about it is to be as skeptical & hostile to it as possible
2. what's "true" in a very obvious sense is that they're going to try their best to MAKE it true and still replace every job they can with it despite it, again, not being true
3. it then follows that the way to "think seriously" about it is to be as skeptical & hostile to it as possible
I understand why people are exhausted by AI hype, and why those of us squarely in the corner of "human dignity uber alles" see AI doomerism as self-serving hype, but I *really* think people on the left broadly need to start thinking seriously about the possibiltiy of the hype being...true.
February 11, 2026 at 5:40 PM
1. it's not?
2. what's "true" in a very obvious sense is that they're going to try their best to MAKE it true and still replace every job they can with it despite it, again, not being true
3. it then follows that the way to "think seriously" about it is to be as skeptical & hostile to it as possible
2. what's "true" in a very obvious sense is that they're going to try their best to MAKE it true and still replace every job they can with it despite it, again, not being true
3. it then follows that the way to "think seriously" about it is to be as skeptical & hostile to it as possible
Kakistocracy in action
MS NOW: "A congressional official with knowledge of the matter is telling MS NOW the cause of the shutdown of El Paso airspace is a lack of communication between the Pentagon and FAA. The official told us the FAA and DOD are 'not in clear communications with each other.'"
February 11, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Kakistocracy in action
I feel personally attacked by this idiotic policy www.reuters.com/business/ene...
Trump to direct Pentagon to buy coal to revive industry, Bloomberg News says
U.S. President Donald Trump is set to direct the Pentagon to use government funding and Pentagon contracts to sustain U.S. coal-fired power plants, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing a White H...
www.reuters.com
February 11, 2026 at 3:38 PM
I feel personally attacked by this idiotic policy www.reuters.com/business/ene...
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
This is the 38th time that the U.S. military has unlawfully killed civilians on the orders of Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump. At least 130 people — never charged with crimes, their identities unknown to their executioners — are now dead.
We are murdering people and it is basically just background noise at this point. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/u...
U.S. Boat Strike Kills 2 in Pacific, With One Survivor
www.nytimes.com
February 10, 2026 at 11:29 AM
This is the 38th time that the U.S. military has unlawfully killed civilians on the orders of Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump. At least 130 people — never charged with crimes, their identities unknown to their executioners — are now dead.
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
Capitalism became more exploitative in the wake of sellers' inflation and Trump made sure it stayed that way.
www.wsj.com/economy/jobs...
www.wsj.com/economy/jobs...
February 10, 2026 at 12:01 PM
Capitalism became more exploitative in the wake of sellers' inflation and Trump made sure it stayed that way.
www.wsj.com/economy/jobs...
www.wsj.com/economy/jobs...
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
Commenting on energy injustice is now the floor for any halftime act.
February 9, 2026 at 1:33 AM
Commenting on energy injustice is now the floor for any halftime act.
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
“We have been asked to call the centrist response to this presidency “moderation.” Recent events make it clear we should recognize it as appeasement.”
Excellent piece by @rauchway.bsky.social about the importance of building an enduring coalition capable of recovery and reform.
Excellent piece by @rauchway.bsky.social about the importance of building an enduring coalition capable of recovery and reform.
We need reconstruction, not restoration—as FDR knew.
Eric Rauchway responds in a forum on “How Not to Defeat Authoritarianism.”
www.bostonreview.net
February 3, 2026 at 9:31 PM
“We have been asked to call the centrist response to this presidency “moderation.” Recent events make it clear we should recognize it as appeasement.”
Excellent piece by @rauchway.bsky.social about the importance of building an enduring coalition capable of recovery and reform.
Excellent piece by @rauchway.bsky.social about the importance of building an enduring coalition capable of recovery and reform.
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
Riffing off Brendan's method of juxtaposition in this awesome report, I'd like to offer another comparison:
Food assistance cuts versus new funding for DHS in the "Big Beautiful Bill"
Republicans cut food assistance by $187 billion while providing $191 billion in funding for DHS
Food assistance cuts versus new funding for DHS in the "Big Beautiful Bill"
Republicans cut food assistance by $187 billion while providing $191 billion in funding for DHS
February 3, 2026 at 4:20 PM
Riffing off Brendan's method of juxtaposition in this awesome report, I'd like to offer another comparison:
Food assistance cuts versus new funding for DHS in the "Big Beautiful Bill"
Republicans cut food assistance by $187 billion while providing $191 billion in funding for DHS
Food assistance cuts versus new funding for DHS in the "Big Beautiful Bill"
Republicans cut food assistance by $187 billion while providing $191 billion in funding for DHS
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
🚨 LAUNCHING 🚨 State of Power 2026 🚨
Fascism and the far right are on the rise. Beyond headlines, we examine the reasons for their rise, the economic interests that support them, how they weaponise today’s social and ecological crises, and proposals for how to fight back.
www.tni.org/en/publicati...
Fascism and the far right are on the rise. Beyond headlines, we examine the reasons for their rise, the economic interests that support them, how they weaponise today’s social and ecological crises, and proposals for how to fight back.
www.tni.org/en/publicati...
February 3, 2026 at 12:16 PM
🚨 LAUNCHING 🚨 State of Power 2026 🚨
Fascism and the far right are on the rise. Beyond headlines, we examine the reasons for their rise, the economic interests that support them, how they weaponise today’s social and ecological crises, and proposals for how to fight back.
www.tni.org/en/publicati...
Fascism and the far right are on the rise. Beyond headlines, we examine the reasons for their rise, the economic interests that support them, how they weaponise today’s social and ecological crises, and proposals for how to fight back.
www.tni.org/en/publicati...
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
Epstein’s economic power among academics was made possible by a capitalist system that makes higher education dependent on the charity economy rather than a public good supported by taxing the rich
February 1, 2026 at 2:33 PM
Epstein’s economic power among academics was made possible by a capitalist system that makes higher education dependent on the charity economy rather than a public good supported by taxing the rich
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
Nonsense, this. The idea that kicking Blackstone et al out of SFH rentals may "backfire" by choking investment in new construction presupposes they have any interest in increasing supply. They don't! Like, none. The opposite, in fact.
Why Trump’s crackdown on big investors in housing may backfire
Curbing institutional ownership of single-family homes does not tackle the affordability crisis and could make things worse
www.ft.com
January 31, 2026 at 11:40 AM
Nonsense, this. The idea that kicking Blackstone et al out of SFH rentals may "backfire" by choking investment in new construction presupposes they have any interest in increasing supply. They don't! Like, none. The opposite, in fact.
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
1) Fuck ICE, and
2) in our ongoing pursuit of a more just, more dignified, more joyful, and better future, @jlappen1.bsky.social and I are really proud of our new piece in Science on managing fossil fuel phase-out
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
2) in our ongoing pursuit of a more just, more dignified, more joyful, and better future, @jlappen1.bsky.social and I are really proud of our new piece in Science on managing fossil fuel phase-out
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Fossil energy minimum viable scale
Unseen infrastructural threats to safety and decarbonization may arise as fossil energy systems are phased out
www.science.org
January 29, 2026 at 7:13 PM
1) Fuck ICE, and
2) in our ongoing pursuit of a more just, more dignified, more joyful, and better future, @jlappen1.bsky.social and I are really proud of our new piece in Science on managing fossil fuel phase-out
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
2) in our ongoing pursuit of a more just, more dignified, more joyful, and better future, @jlappen1.bsky.social and I are really proud of our new piece in Science on managing fossil fuel phase-out
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
There's no way all 100GW of that happens, but it's very important for decarbonization goals that as little as possible does.
Just trying to make it happen makes it uneconomical (turbine crunch, fuel crunch).
Just trying to make it happen makes it uneconomical (turbine crunch, fuel crunch).
i was actually shocked to see the numbers on new research from Global Energy Monitor on new gas projects in the US: nearly 100 gigawatts of power—enough to power tens of millions of homes—are currently in development explicitly to power data centers. At the end of 2023 that number was 4 gigawatts
Data Centers Are Driving a US Gas Boom
Gas projects in the US pipeline explicitly linked to data centers increased by almost 25 times over the past two years, according to new research from Global Energy Monitor.
www.wired.com
January 29, 2026 at 4:00 PM
There's no way all 100GW of that happens, but it's very important for decarbonization goals that as little as possible does.
Just trying to make it happen makes it uneconomical (turbine crunch, fuel crunch).
Just trying to make it happen makes it uneconomical (turbine crunch, fuel crunch).
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
Right now, Democrats have the power to defund and abolish ICE. We should do it. This is about right and wrong—and the murder we are seeing on the streets is just plain wrong. Anyone who supports funding DHS and ICE is supporting the murder of Americans. We can stop this.
January 28, 2026 at 11:48 PM
Right now, Democrats have the power to defund and abolish ICE. We should do it. This is about right and wrong—and the murder we are seeing on the streets is just plain wrong. Anyone who supports funding DHS and ICE is supporting the murder of Americans. We can stop this.
Reposted by Patrick Bigger
China, for the past couple of years, has deployed as many wind farms and solar panels as the rest of the world combined. It's also exporting its solar tech on a massive scale, bringing down the price of electricity across the globe. 🔋
How China Is Driving Down Electricity Costs With Renewables
China is reshaping its energy economy with renewables like wind and solar—and flooding the world with affordable solar technology.
buff.ly
January 28, 2026 at 6:26 PM
China, for the past couple of years, has deployed as many wind farms and solar panels as the rest of the world combined. It's also exporting its solar tech on a massive scale, bringing down the price of electricity across the globe. 🔋