Ben from New Mexico
@bluefiddleguy.bsky.social
Former Mathematician, Tech worker, Empty nester dad, concerned observer.
Absolutely. This gets closer to what is on my mind all the time, which are the feedback loops that promote oligarchy, racism, sexism, and general fear by the power in the edges between nodes of powerful groups, hate-or-fear-ridden populaces, social and economic isolation, etc.
February 16, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Absolutely. This gets closer to what is on my mind all the time, which are the feedback loops that promote oligarchy, racism, sexism, and general fear by the power in the edges between nodes of powerful groups, hate-or-fear-ridden populaces, social and economic isolation, etc.
2/ Here, I don't know, it's a strong feeling and I wish I could research it -- I think a significant part of it is less about widespread US white racial rage than it is about white deference. For example, how the Sweden Democrats or the AfD can't find coalition partners -- no equivalent here.
February 16, 2026 at 4:00 PM
2/ Here, I don't know, it's a strong feeling and I wish I could research it -- I think a significant part of it is less about widespread US white racial rage than it is about white deference. For example, how the Sweden Democrats or the AfD can't find coalition partners -- no equivalent here.
1/ Somebody should definitely research it (I would pay real money to help make it happen); one thing that strikes me is that the pattern IS, in fact, inherent to significant minorities of white voters in Europe and Canada; it's only in e.g. US, ZA, ISR where it is inherent to a _majority_.
February 16, 2026 at 3:52 PM
1/ Somebody should definitely research it (I would pay real money to help make it happen); one thing that strikes me is that the pattern IS, in fact, inherent to significant minorities of white voters in Europe and Canada; it's only in e.g. US, ZA, ISR where it is inherent to a _majority_.
What you say 100%! And still it's important to remember there is no ethnic electoral college, so the difference between support of 43% of white voters that openly share hopes with others (Obama 2008) and 37% of white voters that don't speak up in white spaces (Harris 2024) is huge for society.
February 16, 2026 at 3:18 PM
What you say 100%! And still it's important to remember there is no ethnic electoral college, so the difference between support of 43% of white voters that openly share hopes with others (Obama 2008) and 37% of white voters that don't speak up in white spaces (Harris 2024) is huge for society.
The cleverest, the most imaginative, the bravest, and the most ambitious women and men in the world cross deserts and oceans and jump over huge hurdles for a chance to make our country even richer in exchange for a tiny part of what they provide. How dumb are Americans that try to stop them?
February 16, 2026 at 5:01 AM
The cleverest, the most imaginative, the bravest, and the most ambitious women and men in the world cross deserts and oceans and jump over huge hurdles for a chance to make our country even richer in exchange for a tiny part of what they provide. How dumb are Americans that try to stop them?
Musk was so many layers of wrong. English, Ulster Irish, and Scots are quite outnumbered by Irish Catholics and Germans among white folks; and the non-white folks that are here either preceded their white neighbors (Native Americans, Mexicans)or are, if anything, MORE American than us German/Irish.
February 16, 2026 at 4:57 AM
Musk was so many layers of wrong. English, Ulster Irish, and Scots are quite outnumbered by Irish Catholics and Germans among white folks; and the non-white folks that are here either preceded their white neighbors (Native Americans, Mexicans)or are, if anything, MORE American than us German/Irish.
As do millions of Ukrainians, to whose sacrifices dude has shown nothing but the most dripping contempt.
February 15, 2026 at 6:17 PM
As do millions of Ukrainians, to whose sacrifices dude has shown nothing but the most dripping contempt.
"Scots Irish" is also often a dog whistle way of saying "our kind of white people" among racist folks.
My people (Catholic Irish and Germans) have long lost their instinct for solidarity with others. Maybe Elon is doing his best to help us find it?
My people (Catholic Irish and Germans) have long lost their instinct for solidarity with others. Maybe Elon is doing his best to help us find it?
February 15, 2026 at 5:58 PM
"Scots Irish" is also often a dog whistle way of saying "our kind of white people" among racist folks.
My people (Catholic Irish and Germans) have long lost their instinct for solidarity with others. Maybe Elon is doing his best to help us find it?
My people (Catholic Irish and Germans) have long lost their instinct for solidarity with others. Maybe Elon is doing his best to help us find it?
Pecos valley?
February 14, 2026 at 7:45 PM
Pecos valley?
To be fair, the resistance by corporations and institutions has been pretty dead, and will be until they are convinced that we will have a long memory.
February 13, 2026 at 9:20 PM
To be fair, the resistance by corporations and institutions has been pretty dead, and will be until they are convinced that we will have a long memory.
@jamellebouie.net has a great piece about how central the Mexican war (specifically, opposition to it) was to the creation of the GOP. youtu.be/iRp3GPqr_zA?...
The GOP is on its third ideology; I think the Dems are the only major party to have NEVER had an ideology.
The GOP is on its third ideology; I think the Dems are the only major party to have NEVER had an ideology.
Let’s Talk About the Mexican-American War
YouTube video by Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie
youtu.be
February 13, 2026 at 2:25 PM
@jamellebouie.net has a great piece about how central the Mexican war (specifically, opposition to it) was to the creation of the GOP. youtu.be/iRp3GPqr_zA?...
The GOP is on its third ideology; I think the Dems are the only major party to have NEVER had an ideology.
The GOP is on its third ideology; I think the Dems are the only major party to have NEVER had an ideology.
New Yorker profiles even broke proud immigrant Dads. When
@preetbharara.bsky.social was profiled in the New Yorker, his father called to congratulate him.
"Did you read the whole thing?" Preet asked
"Son, you know how proud I am! But New Yorker articles, they're SO long!"
@preetbharara.bsky.social was profiled in the New Yorker, his father called to congratulate him.
"Did you read the whole thing?" Preet asked
"Son, you know how proud I am! But New Yorker articles, they're SO long!"
February 13, 2026 at 1:55 AM
New Yorker profiles even broke proud immigrant Dads. When
@preetbharara.bsky.social was profiled in the New Yorker, his father called to congratulate him.
"Did you read the whole thing?" Preet asked
"Son, you know how proud I am! But New Yorker articles, they're SO long!"
@preetbharara.bsky.social was profiled in the New Yorker, his father called to congratulate him.
"Did you read the whole thing?" Preet asked
"Son, you know how proud I am! But New Yorker articles, they're SO long!"
The overwhelming leading reason, if not the only reason, there were so many fraudulent asylum claims and unauthorized migration into the US is that we provided practically no way to enter through genuine asylum claims and authorized migration.
February 12, 2026 at 6:05 PM
The overwhelming leading reason, if not the only reason, there were so many fraudulent asylum claims and unauthorized migration into the US is that we provided practically no way to enter through genuine asylum claims and authorized migration.
That alternative, in isolation, would probably be wildly unpopular, but it's far closer to the best alternative.
Make legal and accountable economic migration far easier.
Make honest asylum claims FAR, FAR easier.
Reject dishonest asylum claims much faster.
Make legal and accountable economic migration far easier.
Make honest asylum claims FAR, FAR easier.
Reject dishonest asylum claims much faster.
February 12, 2026 at 6:03 PM
That alternative, in isolation, would probably be wildly unpopular, but it's far closer to the best alternative.
Make legal and accountable economic migration far easier.
Make honest asylum claims FAR, FAR easier.
Reject dishonest asylum claims much faster.
Make legal and accountable economic migration far easier.
Make honest asylum claims FAR, FAR easier.
Reject dishonest asylum claims much faster.
And you could actually make something equal to both a liberalization and a crackdown on cheating. Use money saved replacing ICE with something legal and small to rebuild asylum claims so every claim gets evaluated quickly--everybody gets a fast and fair 'yes' or 'no', and let 'yes' claimants in.
February 12, 2026 at 5:59 PM
And you could actually make something equal to both a liberalization and a crackdown on cheating. Use money saved replacing ICE with something legal and small to rebuild asylum claims so every claim gets evaluated quickly--everybody gets a fast and fair 'yes' or 'no', and let 'yes' claimants in.
"You should be in jail"
"See what you can do about it!"
"See what you can do about it!"
February 12, 2026 at 3:46 PM
"You should be in jail"
"See what you can do about it!"
"See what you can do about it!"
What about the purge provisions? That's the one place where suppression can move from "low-propensity voters" to "likely Democrats". Other than that, I tend to agree.
February 10, 2026 at 12:18 AM
What about the purge provisions? That's the one place where suppression can move from "low-propensity voters" to "likely Democrats". Other than that, I tend to agree.
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February 9, 2026 at 5:32 PM
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With Lorenzo Antonio and Sparx!
February 9, 2026 at 6:01 AM
With Lorenzo Antonio and Sparx!
And were smart enough to get it out of the way all at once.
February 9, 2026 at 3:57 AM
And were smart enough to get it out of the way all at once.