Jonathan Bernstein
@jonathanbernstein.bsky.social
Good Politics/Bad Politics - Subscribe! https://goodpoliticsbadpolitics.substack.com/ Also I root for the Giants. The Making of the Presidential Candidates 2024.
People really, really don't want to accept that Donald Trump is a moron but the best explanation for just about everything he does is that he's a moron.
And I say that as someone who for years has (sincerely) defended the intellect of both Dan Quayle and George W. Bush.
And I say that as someone who for years has (sincerely) defended the intellect of both Dan Quayle and George W. Bush.
January 13, 2026 at 2:53 AM
People really, really don't want to accept that Donald Trump is a moron but the best explanation for just about everything he does is that he's a moron.
And I say that as someone who for years has (sincerely) defended the intellect of both Dan Quayle and George W. Bush.
And I say that as someone who for years has (sincerely) defended the intellect of both Dan Quayle and George W. Bush.
I'm very ambivalent about that. It's not clear on balance it's been very good for either the GOP or its constituent groups.
January 12, 2026 at 10:51 PM
I'm very ambivalent about that. It's not clear on balance it's been very good for either the GOP or its constituent groups.
Oh, absolutely. The main thing keeping him afloat. But even then there are costs.
January 12, 2026 at 10:50 PM
Oh, absolutely. The main thing keeping him afloat. But even then there are costs.
We'll see. At the very least, I'd expect the next Dem administration to overturn it. I wouldn't be shocked if there's a lawsuit. Activist groups will talk about it.
Will it break through to the semi-attentive public, let alone the inattentive public? Probably not, but the plate is very full.
Will it break through to the semi-attentive public, let alone the inattentive public? Probably not, but the plate is very full.
January 12, 2026 at 10:41 PM
We'll see. At the very least, I'd expect the next Dem administration to overturn it. I wouldn't be shocked if there's a lawsuit. Activist groups will talk about it.
Will it break through to the semi-attentive public, let alone the inattentive public? Probably not, but the plate is very full.
Will it break through to the semi-attentive public, let alone the inattentive public? Probably not, but the plate is very full.
For some reason I get very little of that these days...not none, but very little. I suspect they've already blocked me.
January 12, 2026 at 9:25 PM
For some reason I get very little of that these days...not none, but very little. I suspect they've already blocked me.
Okay, four things: 4. Keeping in mind that without an overall coalition to save democracy - which means some of those allies may really disagree with you on your core policy agenda - the republic will be lost and then nothing is possible. *Coalition politics is painful*. But it beats autocracy.
January 12, 2026 at 9:21 PM
Okay, four things: 4. Keeping in mind that without an overall coalition to save democracy - which means some of those allies may really disagree with you on your core policy agenda - the republic will be lost and then nothing is possible. *Coalition politics is painful*. But it beats autocracy.
3. There are way too many outrageous things going on at the same time for anyone to be outraged at all of them. It's politics: Take the ones you especially care about, work on those, and accept that winning entails allying with those who are outraged over other things. Turn that into a strength.
January 12, 2026 at 9:18 PM
3. There are way too many outrageous things going on at the same time for anyone to be outraged at all of them. It's politics: Take the ones you especially care about, work on those, and accept that winning entails allying with those who are outraged over other things. Turn that into a strength.
2. What happened? Corporations have always been fine with such things; majorities have been against them, also probably always. What's changed is having a president and a party eager to do radically unpopular things (and who as a consequence are very unpopular).
January 12, 2026 at 9:14 PM
2. What happened? Corporations have always been fine with such things; majorities have been against them, also probably always. What's changed is having a president and a party eager to do radically unpopular things (and who as a consequence are very unpopular).
Reposted by Jonathan Bernstein
We don't need less polarization, we need more commitment to pluralistic democracy
January 12, 2026 at 7:27 PM
We don't need less polarization, we need more commitment to pluralistic democracy
(Yes I linked to that in my item yesterday!).
January 12, 2026 at 6:03 PM
(Yes I linked to that in my item yesterday!).
Especially if they suddenly have two SCOTUS vacancies to fill. and he nominates, I don't know, Ted Nugent and the pillow guy.
January 12, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Especially if they suddenly have two SCOTUS vacancies to fill. and he nominates, I don't know, Ted Nugent and the pillow guy.
Five of them voted against him on Venezuela last week. (And even more are speaking out against the Greenland insanity).
January 12, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Five of them voted against him on Venezuela last week. (And even more are speaking out against the Greenland insanity).
Reposted by Jonathan Bernstein
January 12, 2026 at 4:14 PM