David Nieporent
@dnieporent.bsky.social
Orioles fan, lawyer, libertarian. Lover of good stuff; hater of bad stuff.
"It has gotten so bad out there that I haven't seen one worth decapitating in months, I tell you."
RFK Jr claims that windmills are "wiping out the whale population" in the Atlantic
August 26, 2025 at 8:55 PM
"It has gotten so bad out there that I haven't seen one worth decapitating in months, I tell you."
There's an important lesson here, which is that any time you see data which causes you to say, "OMG, that sounds crazy!" your first thought should not be, "Wow, everything we know is wrong," but "Is this data actually correct?"
(The same should apply to any news report, w/ or w/o data.)
(The same should apply to any news report, w/ or w/o data.)
The New York Times has posted a correction on this chart, which shows that the 18 -24 cohort was NOT the largest voting segment. This makes much more sense. Youth turnout was still way up, but not in a paradigm shifting manner.
bsky.app/profile/coli...
bsky.app/profile/coli...
Holy shit this graph that went viral was wrong!
Corrected graph from the NYT:
Corrected graph from the NYT:
June 30, 2025 at 11:38 PM
There's an important lesson here, which is that any time you see data which causes you to say, "OMG, that sounds crazy!" your first thought should not be, "Wow, everything we know is wrong," but "Is this data actually correct?"
(The same should apply to any news report, w/ or w/o data.)
(The same should apply to any news report, w/ or w/o data.)
I guess she accidentally came into contact with integrity and human decency.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem was taken to a hospital on Tuesday after suffering an allergic reaction, a department spokesperson told The Washington Post.
DHS Secretary Noem taken to hospital after allergic reaction
“Secretary Noem had an allergic reaction today. She was transported to the hospital out of an abundance of caution. She is alert and recovering,” said Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary.
wapo.st
June 18, 2025 at 12:50 AM
I guess she accidentally came into contact with integrity and human decency.
I cannot stress enough how much "this plays well on social media" has no connection whatsoever to actual political reality.
I know as much as any pundit—which is to say, zilch—about how the politics will shake out, but I am confident that "Instagram influencers" won't affect a single election.
I know as much as any pundit—which is to say, zilch—about how the politics will shake out, but I am confident that "Instagram influencers" won't affect a single election.
I cannot stress enough how much the anti-ICE protests are an overwhelming win for Democrats on social media. I’m seeing Instagram influencers who stayed silent on politics for the past year loudly sharing support for immigrants. I’m seeing podcasters who interviewed Trump talk about how wrong ICE is
June 11, 2025 at 10:19 PM
I cannot stress enough how much "this plays well on social media" has no connection whatsoever to actual political reality.
I know as much as any pundit—which is to say, zilch—about how the politics will shake out, but I am confident that "Instagram influencers" won't affect a single election.
I know as much as any pundit—which is to say, zilch—about how the politics will shake out, but I am confident that "Instagram influencers" won't affect a single election.
Reposted by David Nieporent
Even in news articles debunking the claim that Trump's tariffs are "reciprocal," I'm seeing some writers reflexively use his language about "the tariff rates that other countries charge us." Other countries do not "charge us" tariffs. They tax their own citizens, and we tax ours.
April 4, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Even in news articles debunking the claim that Trump's tariffs are "reciprocal," I'm seeing some writers reflexively use his language about "the tariff rates that other countries charge us." Other countries do not "charge us" tariffs. They tax their own citizens, and we tax ours.
Reposted by David Nieporent
At least now I understand how he bankrupted a casino
April 3, 2025 at 2:07 AM
At least now I understand how he bankrupted a casino
But at least we won't have our feelings hurt by being forced at gunpoint to read objectionable op/eds published by foreign students in college newspapers anymore.
April 3, 2025 at 7:34 AM
But at least we won't have our feelings hurt by being forced at gunpoint to read objectionable op/eds published by foreign students in college newspapers anymore.
Reposted by David Nieporent
In a way, inventing numbers to pretend other countries are charging us imaginary tariffs is of a piece with the tried-and-tested MAGA strategy: Pick someone you want to hurt, and make up some way they are attacking you to rationalize the harm you inflict on them.
April 2, 2025 at 11:18 PM
In a way, inventing numbers to pretend other countries are charging us imaginary tariffs is of a piece with the tried-and-tested MAGA strategy: Pick someone you want to hurt, and make up some way they are attacking you to rationalize the harm you inflict on them.
Reposted by David Nieporent
🔥 @ninajankowicz.com: "Mr Taibbi said when he was first searching through the so-called Twitter files he didn't know what he was looking at. Well, he still doesn't. Everything looks like a conspiracy when you don't know how anything works."
April 1, 2025 at 3:08 PM
🔥 @ninajankowicz.com: "Mr Taibbi said when he was first searching through the so-called Twitter files he didn't know what he was looking at. Well, he still doesn't. Everything looks like a conspiracy when you don't know how anything works."
Setting aside the subtle nuances of the distinction Schumer is drawing: _why_ is he drawing it? In what way does it benefit either the country or the Democratic Party for him to run interference for Donald Trump?
Ah yes, who could forget the obvious distinction between being an antisemite and "creating the feeling of safe harbor for far-right elements who unabashedly or in coded language express antisemitic sentiments"
March 22, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Setting aside the subtle nuances of the distinction Schumer is drawing: _why_ is he drawing it? In what way does it benefit either the country or the Democratic Party for him to run interference for Donald Trump?
Pardon my French, but how incredibly fucking stupid is Chuck Schumer? If Trump would love a shutdown, THEN THERE WOULD BE A SHUTDOWN. Instead, Trump demanded that the congressional GOP give him a CR to avoid a shutdown.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/o...
Opinion | Chuck Schumer: Trump and Musk Would Love a Shutdown. We Must Not Give Them One.
A government shutdown would lead to real pain for the American people.
www.nytimes.com
March 14, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Pardon my French, but how incredibly fucking stupid is Chuck Schumer? If Trump would love a shutdown, THEN THERE WOULD BE A SHUTDOWN. Instead, Trump demanded that the congressional GOP give him a CR to avoid a shutdown.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/o...
Sigh. Stop saying "misleadingly claimed" when you mean "lied," @nytimes.com . Have some guts.
Breaking News: The Trump administration fired FEMA officials after Elon Musk misleadingly claimed the agency used disaster relief funds for migrant shelters.
Top FEMA Official Is Fired Over Payments for N.Y.C. Migrant Shelters
The Trump administration fired the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s chief financial officer and three others after Elon Musk misleadingly claimed the agency had used disaster relief funds for mig...
www.nytimes.com
February 11, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Sigh. Stop saying "misleadingly claimed" when you mean "lied," @nytimes.com . Have some guts.
Some people are addicted to catastrophizing. This “them” is a one-term state representative in Michigan. He has as much say over Obergefell as he does over territorial claims to the moon.
LGBTQ activists: They're definitely going after Obergefell.
Many pundits and reporters: Stop being melodramatic with these exaggerated claims.
Them: We're definitely going after Obergefell.
Many pundits and reporters: Stop being melodramatic with these exaggerated claims.
Them: We're definitely going after Obergefell.
December 3, 2024 at 12:59 AM
Some people are addicted to catastrophizing. This “them” is a one-term state representative in Michigan. He has as much say over Obergefell as he does over territorial claims to the moon.
Reposted by David Nieporent
The way presidents past talked about immigration (as shown in our video) offers a powerful reminder of how badly this nation of nations has gone off course. Even as we thank it for what it's been, let's dedicate ourselves to righting this great ship. www.theunpopulist.net/p/this-thank...
This Thanksgiving, Thank America: The Land of Immigrants
American presidents have historically understood that this country's commitment to openness was the source of its greatness
www.theunpopulist.net
November 28, 2024 at 2:43 PM
The way presidents past talked about immigration (as shown in our video) offers a powerful reminder of how badly this nation of nations has gone off course. Even as we thank it for what it's been, let's dedicate ourselves to righting this great ship. www.theunpopulist.net/p/this-thank...
I don't actually think this cliché is generally true of conservatism, but it's definitely true of MAGA:
November 27, 2024 at 1:36 AM
I don't actually think this cliché is generally true of conservatism, but it's definitely true of MAGA:
Reposted by David Nieporent
Oh so now cancel culture came for the sun. Is everyone happy now??
April 8, 2024 at 7:39 PM
Oh so now cancel culture came for the sun. Is everyone happy now??
March 26, 2024 at 8:55 PM
Reposted by David Nieporent
I'm a single-issue voter this year, and you should be too.
January 8, 2024 at 3:49 AM
I'm a single-issue voter this year, and you should be too.
I think this place replicates most of the good of the Bird Place without most of the bad, and I'm glad it seems to be catching on, but can I just say that "skeet" is a really stupid sounding kludge that I will not in fact be adopting.
That's it. That's the TWeet.
That's it. That's the TWeet.
December 20, 2023 at 9:21 PM
I think this place replicates most of the good of the Bird Place without most of the bad, and I'm glad it seems to be catching on, but can I just say that "skeet" is a really stupid sounding kludge that I will not in fact be adopting.
That's it. That's the TWeet.
That's it. That's the TWeet.
If a tree falls in a forest and nobody ever knew the tree was there in the first place, does it make a sound?
Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota, the wealthy former software executive who entered the presidential campaign in June, dropped out of the race for the Republican nomination.
Doug Burgum, Wealthy North Dakota Governor, Ends White House Run
The little-known former software executive had hoped his business acumen and relentless focus on the economy, energy and foreign policy would lift his campaign. It didn’t.
nyti.ms
December 4, 2023 at 5:00 PM
If a tree falls in a forest and nobody ever knew the tree was there in the first place, does it make a sound?
So, shorter Twitter lawsuit: "Media Matters is lying; advertisements only _sometimes_ appear next to Nazi content."
Which is about the equivalent of "The media is misleading people about our airline's safety; they focus on a handful of crashes even though our planes land safely most of the time."
Which is about the equivalent of "The media is misleading people about our airline's safety; they focus on a handful of crashes even though our planes land safely most of the time."
NEW: X/Twitter's lawsuit against Media Matters storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
November 21, 2023 at 1:12 AM
So, shorter Twitter lawsuit: "Media Matters is lying; advertisements only _sometimes_ appear next to Nazi content."
Which is about the equivalent of "The media is misleading people about our airline's safety; they focus on a handful of crashes even though our planes land safely most of the time."
Which is about the equivalent of "The media is misleading people about our airline's safety; they focus on a handful of crashes even though our planes land safely most of the time."