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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 42m

Large airlines provide concrete benefits to consumers like extensive networks of connecting routes that link small cities to the whole world.

Many such cases!

www.slowboring.com/p/bigger-is-...

Bigger is often better

Competition is good, smallness isn’t

www.slowboring.com

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Reposted by Matthew Yglesias

Stephen Jacob Smith @stephenjacobsmith.com · 19h

The California fire marshal has created an email address for comments from the public on the legislatively mandated single-exit work group: [email protected]

If you have any comments (any at all, whether particularly novel or not), please send them.

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 18h

The aspects of Trumpism where he has the upper hand over his own side's policy-demanders and is able to blow them off when he doesn't want to run political risks on their behalf tend to be under-discussed in progressive circles.

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 19h

Caldwell dates this to 1993 rather than 1948 but is of course making the exact argument that was made against the Truman administration's desegregation order.

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 19h

There was that whole sleepy joe business

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 19h

“Trust in media” keeps falling because the media environment offers more choice and more competition than ever before and each outlet’s marketing pitch is that it is the only trustworthy source.

Only Slow Boring will tell you that mainstream news is pretty good!

www.slowboring.com/p/why-you-ca...

Why you can't trust the media

More competition means it’s better than ever, but you hear more about the flaws

www.slowboring.com

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 20h

I think aligning CBS News' editorial line with what Trump wants was part of a quid pro quo for FCC approval of the Paramount/Skydance merger — there's no "mistake"!

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 20h

Do CBS News executives understand that MAGA will not be in power forever? I genuinely think this is lost on a lot of people. They've gotten scammed by bad actors into believing Trump's 2024 win represented something seismic and even permanent. I predict they'll look back on this as a serious error.

max tani @maxtani.bsky.social · 21h

CBS News current president Tom Cibroski praised Weiss on the call, saying "Bari's energy and passion is infectious and you will feel it, big time." He also added that the Free Press and CBS News "are going to learn a lot from each other...that's what this is all about."

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Reposted by Matthew Yglesias

Welcoming Neighbors Network @welcomingneighbors.us · 20h

Even in cities and towns with pro-housing leaders, outdated zoning rules can stop homes from getting built.

We need strong leaders AND good process.

How strict zoning can delay development even in housing-friendly towns - THE JOSIAH BARTLETT CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY

For a great example of the delays local land use regulations can cause for housing construction in New Hampshire, you don’t have to look to the towns where building is made the most difficult. Even…

jbartlett.org

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Reposted by Matthew Yglesias

Jonathan Ladd @jonmladd.bsky.social · 21h

In 2012, I published a book about the collapse in trust in the mainstream media. I argued that a widely trusted media establishment was probably incompatible with a polarized party system that is heavily sorted by ideology. /1 www.jonathanmladd.com/why-american...

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 22h

Fair! But that one also shows a big GOP edge on crime and immigration.

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 22h

Sure, but that just goes to show that the question of "what do Democrats actually say on this" is pretty important to the ultimate outcome.

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 22h

It's great that Trump's approval on stuff like immigration and crime is now underwater, but I also see a lot of over-optimism about this stuff that doesn't take the comparative polling into account.

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 1d

“Authenticity” in politics is a confused and confusing subject — what we’re talking about is skilled public performances, which sort of by definition aren’t genuinely authentic or real.

www.slowboring.com/p/great-poli...

Great politicians aren’t “authentic”

It’s a performance!

www.slowboring.com

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 1d

It’s a better joke with a longer lead-in

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Reposted by Matthew Yglesias

G Elliott Morris @gelliottmorris.com · 1d

I think this is one of the more important articles I've written in my career. Draws on lots of research and data. I hope it can be a reference for people and that it will make a positive impact. Goes out to all Strength In Numbers readers tomorrow morning: www.gelliottmorris.com/p/most-polls...

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 1d

No, I'm trying to appeal over their heads to funders.

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 1d

Probably varies from person to person.

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 1d

It's inspiring that a person can start a Substack and with nothing more than strong ideas, hard work, and the support of a few billionaires plus a corrupt FCC merger review process achieve a lucrative exit plus power over a television network.

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 1d

Safe seat members face strong incentives to endorse interest group laundry lists regardless of the politics, which then defines the national party brand in a way that is hard for frontline members to overcome in an era of nationalized politics.

www.slowboring.com/p/the-groups...

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Reposted by Matthew Yglesias

G Elliott Morris @gelliottmorris.com · 1d

So far, polls unanimously find voters are blaming Republicans more than Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown www.gelliottmorris.com/p/all-the-po...

All the polls on the government shutdown so far | Weekly roundup for October 5, 2025

Also this week: Dems lead in Virginia election polling; economic sentiment is down; people are turning against sports betting; + more!

www.gelliottmorris.com

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 1d

The fact that wind and solar work well is a good reason for environmentalists to stop demanding that people ban other forms of energy.

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 1d

Always worth considering what’s the ratio of energy going to identifying some Clinton/Biden/Harris voter as unacceptably reactionary to identifying some Trump voter who could be persuaded to vote differently in the midterms or in 2028.

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 1d

Extremely real. My understanding is that average global temperatures are about 1.2℃ above the pre-industrial baseline and that the IPCC thinks we are on track for 0.9-2.2°C more warming over the next 75 years.

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 1d

There's a very particular form of coalition logic working in Democratic climate policy, where you CAN everything bagel renewables to death to court union support but you CANNOT defer to union preferences on nuclear, carbon capture, or car regulation.

www.slowboring.com/p/the-groups...

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Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 1d

You guys remember Jade Helm?

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