Dan Flashes
@dan-j-flashes.bsky.social
Work in HE ed tech, love ice hockey, dogs, playing drums, and drinking good bourbon. I have a Simpsons quote in the chamber for every possible scenario.
All joking aside, this is why it's so SO dumb that Schumer et al are doubling down on "we're only talking about affordability!" because you know that means Trump and Co can just do a bunch of dumb shiny-keys shit like this and voters will fall for it.
"Affordability!" is Schumer's "Jerk Store".
"Affordability!" is Schumer's "Jerk Store".
January 16, 2026 at 8:02 PM
All joking aside, this is why it's so SO dumb that Schumer et al are doubling down on "we're only talking about affordability!" because you know that means Trump and Co can just do a bunch of dumb shiny-keys shit like this and voters will fall for it.
"Affordability!" is Schumer's "Jerk Store".
"Affordability!" is Schumer's "Jerk Store".
The point is that the states themselves--not Trump--run the elections, on the dates that are stipulated in federal law by the parameters set in the Constitution.
Trump can yell "THE ELECTION'S CANCELLED" but that doesn't mean anything. What he CAN do is try to rat-f**k them in a bunch of ways.
Trump can yell "THE ELECTION'S CANCELLED" but that doesn't mean anything. What he CAN do is try to rat-f**k them in a bunch of ways.
January 16, 2026 at 7:39 PM
The point is that the states themselves--not Trump--run the elections, on the dates that are stipulated in federal law by the parameters set in the Constitution.
Trump can yell "THE ELECTION'S CANCELLED" but that doesn't mean anything. What he CAN do is try to rat-f**k them in a bunch of ways.
Trump can yell "THE ELECTION'S CANCELLED" but that doesn't mean anything. What he CAN do is try to rat-f**k them in a bunch of ways.
He doesn't have any power to cancel elections. Yes, I know in MAGA world he just does what he wants, but there is clear Constitutional and Congressional statute that there need to be elections in November, and states run those elections.
January 16, 2026 at 4:30 PM
He doesn't have any power to cancel elections. Yes, I know in MAGA world he just does what he wants, but there is clear Constitutional and Congressional statute that there need to be elections in November, and states run those elections.
I certainly tried to stipulate the obligatory "not all" caveat, and the context I'm applying to the "urban vs. rural" divide is that of these stupid newspaper and TV news "reports" where we have to give the "both sides" treatment when one side is clearly full of it.
January 16, 2026 at 2:05 PM
I certainly tried to stipulate the obligatory "not all" caveat, and the context I'm applying to the "urban vs. rural" divide is that of these stupid newspaper and TV news "reports" where we have to give the "both sides" treatment when one side is clearly full of it.
You literally just fucking parroted ALL of the right wing COVID tropes, but do go on, you're totally killing this
January 15, 2026 at 9:24 PM
You literally just fucking parroted ALL of the right wing COVID tropes, but do go on, you're totally killing this
Does that break down 100% rural vs. urban? Of course not. But the ENTIRE point of these "we went to a rural diner" pieces is to highlight that disconnect and frame it as simple partisan "division" but never actually define WHY it's a problem. 2/2
January 15, 2026 at 7:51 PM
Does that break down 100% rural vs. urban? Of course not. But the ENTIRE point of these "we went to a rural diner" pieces is to highlight that disconnect and frame it as simple partisan "division" but never actually define WHY it's a problem. 2/2
But there ARE specific reasons. There have been countless studies dating back two decades that conclusively show that people fed a steady diet of things like Fox News are far, far less informed about factual events than even people who watch NO news. 1/2
January 15, 2026 at 7:50 PM
But there ARE specific reasons. There have been countless studies dating back two decades that conclusively show that people fed a steady diet of things like Fox News are far, far less informed about factual events than even people who watch NO news. 1/2
"I'm just trying to debate!" they say as they start off by framing the "debate" in the context of far-right-wing-influencer click baity hot takes
January 15, 2026 at 7:21 PM
"I'm just trying to debate!" they say as they start off by framing the "debate" in the context of far-right-wing-influencer click baity hot takes
"i'M jUsT hErE tO hAvE cIviL cOnVeRsAtIoNs!" their profile said as they condescendingly vomited their edgy talking points and wondered why they got blocked so quickly
January 15, 2026 at 6:06 PM
"i'M jUsT hErE tO hAvE cIviL cOnVeRsAtIoNs!" their profile said as they condescendingly vomited their edgy talking points and wondered why they got blocked so quickly
The trope has been "there are two Americas!" pitted rural vs. urban, when the true root problem is that there are two Americas b/c there are two sets of "facts" that the "two Americas" are exposed to. That reporters point & say "whadd'r ya gonna do?" instead of correcting the record is infuriating.
January 15, 2026 at 5:02 PM
The trope has been "there are two Americas!" pitted rural vs. urban, when the true root problem is that there are two Americas b/c there are two sets of "facts" that the "two Americas" are exposed to. That reporters point & say "whadd'r ya gonna do?" instead of correcting the record is infuriating.
The "article" here should be "why do so many people in rural areas believe things that are easily provably false?" as opposed to "why are we so divided?"
It's almost like the former might give you the answer to the latter.
It's almost like the former might give you the answer to the latter.
January 15, 2026 at 4:34 PM
The "article" here should be "why do so many people in rural areas believe things that are easily provably false?" as opposed to "why are we so divided?"
It's almost like the former might give you the answer to the latter.
It's almost like the former might give you the answer to the latter.
Those sneaky Kamchatka motherfuckers might just try to go right over the arctic circle even though there isn't a line there
January 14, 2026 at 6:26 PM
Those sneaky Kamchatka motherfuckers might just try to go right over the arctic circle even though there isn't a line there
No, but their base will.
January 14, 2026 at 6:20 PM
No, but their base will.
I know the Browns' FO was watching it and doing the Leo DiCaprio couch-meme thing
a man in a yellow shirt is sitting in a chair and pointing at something
ALT: a man in a yellow shirt is sitting in a chair and pointing at something
media.tenor.com
January 14, 2026 at 2:08 PM
I know the Browns' FO was watching it and doing the Leo DiCaprio couch-meme thing
That commercial is the dumbest shit ever. "Now project which one will have 100 tackles" as if a LLM can do anything close to that.
January 14, 2026 at 2:07 PM
That commercial is the dumbest shit ever. "Now project which one will have 100 tackles" as if a LLM can do anything close to that.
Gotta feed the outrage/engagement beast
January 13, 2026 at 2:35 PM
Gotta feed the outrage/engagement beast
It's fucking hilarious that your repeated take away is that I DON'T contribute, rather than that I do and would simply like the leadership of the party to be better.
With friends like this, who needs enemies?
With friends like this, who needs enemies?
January 12, 2026 at 10:26 PM
It's fucking hilarious that your repeated take away is that I DON'T contribute, rather than that I do and would simply like the leadership of the party to be better.
With friends like this, who needs enemies?
With friends like this, who needs enemies?
So, your position is: I should send them my $, I should continue voting for them, but I can't ask that they be better at messaging, reading the room, and working to actively obstruct as much shit as they're able to.
This sounds completely reasonable and as such I would say we're done here. Cheers.
This sounds completely reasonable and as such I would say we're done here. Cheers.
January 12, 2026 at 10:14 PM
So, your position is: I should send them my $, I should continue voting for them, but I can't ask that they be better at messaging, reading the room, and working to actively obstruct as much shit as they're able to.
This sounds completely reasonable and as such I would say we're done here. Cheers.
This sounds completely reasonable and as such I would say we're done here. Cheers.
I'm sure someone there will come up with a calculation to turn "profit earned" into a representation of "lives saved" using some weird trickle-down metric.
January 12, 2026 at 8:00 PM
I'm sure someone there will come up with a calculation to turn "profit earned" into a representation of "lives saved" using some weird trickle-down metric.
Apparently you turned off the news between 09-16 and 21-24. They can be an effective opposition, but first must recognize that we're past "well, Congressional norms" that the Dem leadership clings to. I don't expect miracles, but I expect at least a modicum of strategic opposition.
January 12, 2026 at 7:53 PM
Apparently you turned off the news between 09-16 and 21-24. They can be an effective opposition, but first must recognize that we're past "well, Congressional norms" that the Dem leadership clings to. I don't expect miracles, but I expect at least a modicum of strategic opposition.
Speaking of next-level bullshit and impressive strategies, I'm not "withholding" support. I can be frustrated by the ham-handed way in which this party is organized while ALSO continuing to vote for them. The people you should be brow-beating are the ones sitting out elections based on purity tests.
January 12, 2026 at 7:51 PM
Speaking of next-level bullshit and impressive strategies, I'm not "withholding" support. I can be frustrated by the ham-handed way in which this party is organized while ALSO continuing to vote for them. The people you should be brow-beating are the ones sitting out elections based on purity tests.
Hence, my original comment that I think they like being in the minority because they can fundraise on "we're the opposition!" without actually... working to no longer have to be the opposition.
January 12, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Hence, my original comment that I think they like being in the minority because they can fundraise on "we're the opposition!" without actually... working to no longer have to be the opposition.
I don't think we're talking about the same thing re: "strategy". I'm not talking about their logistical fundraising strategy. I'm talking about their strategy re: WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THE MONEY. It's one thing to say "give us money we're the opposition!" and quite another to BE THE OPPOSITION.
January 12, 2026 at 7:08 PM
I don't think we're talking about the same thing re: "strategy". I'm not talking about their logistical fundraising strategy. I'm talking about their strategy re: WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THE MONEY. It's one thing to say "give us money we're the opposition!" and quite another to BE THE OPPOSITION.