Exsibilation
@exsibilation.bsky.social
What's missing is a statement like "Democrats could have done X" that would even remotely plausibly lead to a significant change in behavior among Republicans, either voters or elected - i.e. people live in an information bubble where nothing Democrats say matters. So the bar for X is pretty high.
December 30, 2025 at 12:04 AM
What's missing is a statement like "Democrats could have done X" that would even remotely plausibly lead to a significant change in behavior among Republicans, either voters or elected - i.e. people live in an information bubble where nothing Democrats say matters. So the bar for X is pretty high.
I fear you are too deeply immersed in Murc's Law to even have a reasonable conversation.
December 29, 2025 at 11:20 PM
I fear you are too deeply immersed in Murc's Law to even have a reasonable conversation.
I'm going to ignore how offensive your last question was, and just focus on the reality of the situation. Base/elected Republicans have agency and have made some decisions. Pretending that Democrats could have changed those decisions if they'd only been more belligerent (or whatever) is delusional.
December 29, 2025 at 11:09 PM
I'm going to ignore how offensive your last question was, and just focus on the reality of the situation. Base/elected Republicans have agency and have made some decisions. Pretending that Democrats could have changed those decisions if they'd only been more belligerent (or whatever) is delusional.
I think we need to distinguish "things that would make me happier" from "things that would actually accomplish something". Let's say Warren refuses to cosponsor bills with insurrectionist senators. This changed Republican based/elected behavior how exactly?
December 29, 2025 at 9:55 PM
I think we need to distinguish "things that would make me happier" from "things that would actually accomplish something". Let's say Warren refuses to cosponsor bills with insurrectionist senators. This changed Republican based/elected behavior how exactly?
I thought the Jan 6th hearings were quite effective. But mass consensus in this era of ideological bubbles is quite challenging, if not impossible. It'll take Trump completely destroying the economy to generate that kind of backlash, and who know if even that will be enough.
December 29, 2025 at 9:53 PM
I thought the Jan 6th hearings were quite effective. But mass consensus in this era of ideological bubbles is quite challenging, if not impossible. It'll take Trump completely destroying the economy to generate that kind of backlash, and who know if even that will be enough.
There is unfortunately no process for this without massive public consensus leading to (at least) congressional supermajorities and (probably) constitutional amendments.
December 29, 2025 at 6:58 PM
There is unfortunately no process for this without massive public consensus leading to (at least) congressional supermajorities and (probably) constitutional amendments.
Trump reelection wasn't inevitable. Pretty much everything else was, once it became clear that Jan 6th wasn't a dealbreaker for the GOP base and in fact kind of excited them.
December 29, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Trump reelection wasn't inevitable. Pretty much everything else was, once it became clear that Jan 6th wasn't a dealbreaker for the GOP base and in fact kind of excited them.
GOP voters, especially primary voters, strongly determine the actions of the GOP. When those voters decided they'd stick with their guy, elected Rs acted accordingly, including a refusal to convict him for an obvious crime. I'm not sure why this is controversial.
December 29, 2025 at 6:56 PM
GOP voters, especially primary voters, strongly determine the actions of the GOP. When those voters decided they'd stick with their guy, elected Rs acted accordingly, including a refusal to convict him for an obvious crime. I'm not sure why this is controversial.
This is revisionist history. All it took for renewed elected R support for Trump was a round of polling making it clear that the R electorate supported Trump and were OK with Jan 6th. McConnell delayed the trial as much as he could until the tea leaves were clear. Then the outcome was inevitable.
December 29, 2025 at 5:16 PM
This is revisionist history. All it took for renewed elected R support for Trump was a round of polling making it clear that the R electorate supported Trump and were OK with Jan 6th. McConnell delayed the trial as much as he could until the tea leaves were clear. Then the outcome was inevitable.
Unfortunately, this is fiction. GOP voters supported Trump wholeheartedly after Jan 6th. This mean that elected Rs would have to support him to keep their jobs, hence the failed impeachment. Then SCOTUS reaffirmed his eligibility despite the insurrection, making his candidacy inevitable.
December 29, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Unfortunately, this is fiction. GOP voters supported Trump wholeheartedly after Jan 6th. This mean that elected Rs would have to support him to keep their jobs, hence the failed impeachment. Then SCOTUS reaffirmed his eligibility despite the insurrection, making his candidacy inevitable.
Actually, a movie about how the GBD became policy in the Biden administration would be terrific.
December 26, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Actually, a movie about how the GBD became policy in the Biden administration would be terrific.
Sally is telling us who she is. I believe her.
December 23, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Sally is telling us who she is. I believe her.
Sally, I think it's the part where you and your ilk decided to carry water for fascism by both-sidesing obviously corrupt situations like this.
December 23, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Sally, I think it's the part where you and your ilk decided to carry water for fascism by both-sidesing obviously corrupt situations like this.
Silver is expressing a timeless trope here: the collaborator hating the resister for resisting.
December 17, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Silver is expressing a timeless trope here: the collaborator hating the resister for resisting.
It's true there's less of a figleaf here. But the Iraq intelligence was flimsy cooked-up bullshit from Cheney and Feith and co.
December 17, 2025 at 1:05 AM
It's true there's less of a figleaf here. But the Iraq intelligence was flimsy cooked-up bullshit from Cheney and Feith and co.
One possibility is we end up with co-circulating strains long-term, which would be bad for vaccines/treatments. We dodged a bullet on that with Delta/BA.1 and also with JN.1.
December 13, 2025 at 3:44 PM
One possibility is we end up with co-circulating strains long-term, which would be bad for vaccines/treatments. We dodged a bullet on that with Delta/BA.1 and also with JN.1.
In fairness, that one guy had a lot of help, especially from that other one guy.
December 12, 2025 at 6:45 PM
In fairness, that one guy had a lot of help, especially from that other one guy.
I think it's more of a case of:
1. Dems do something good.
2. Press frames it through Republican talking points, turns the public against it. SCOTUS fucks it up anyway.
3. Republicans get elected because Dems don't do anything, fuck things up as always.
4. Dems get elected.
5. Goto 1.
1. Dems do something good.
2. Press frames it through Republican talking points, turns the public against it. SCOTUS fucks it up anyway.
3. Republicans get elected because Dems don't do anything, fuck things up as always.
4. Dems get elected.
5. Goto 1.
December 12, 2025 at 4:09 PM
I think it's more of a case of:
1. Dems do something good.
2. Press frames it through Republican talking points, turns the public against it. SCOTUS fucks it up anyway.
3. Republicans get elected because Dems don't do anything, fuck things up as always.
4. Dems get elected.
5. Goto 1.
1. Dems do something good.
2. Press frames it through Republican talking points, turns the public against it. SCOTUS fucks it up anyway.
3. Republicans get elected because Dems don't do anything, fuck things up as always.
4. Dems get elected.
5. Goto 1.
Wait, which views are we talking about here?
Oh, you know the ones...
Oh, you know the ones...
December 12, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Wait, which views are we talking about here?
Oh, you know the ones...
Oh, you know the ones...
Lol, I suppose you decided not to highlight the fact that an executive order regarding states is pure onanism?
December 12, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Lol, I suppose you decided not to highlight the fact that an executive order regarding states is pure onanism?