Raoul Meyer
mistermeyer.bsky.social
Raoul Meyer
@mistermeyer.bsky.social
Writing about civics and government; making things; dad & husband. Working with my brother on a documentary about American teachers. Yes, I did write all those Crashcourse history videos for John Green.
Just a reminder that 4 of the top 5 states with the highest sales tax rates are in the deep south.

5. Alabama
4. Washington
3. Arkansas
2. Tennessee
1. Louisiana

taxfoundation.org/data/all/sta...
2025 State and Local Sales Tax Rates
Retail sales taxes are an essential part of most states’ revenue toolkits, responsible for 24 percent of combined state and local tax collections.
taxfoundation.org
November 21, 2025 at 1:51 PM
With Paramount/Skydance set to buy Warner Brothers it's a good time to point out that Skydance movies of late have been ... not good, and what they have slated for release is not promising.
November 21, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Reposted by Raoul Meyer
Make Article I great again. Congress is complicit in the ongoing attack on the Constitutional authorities granted to it.
An important piece of reporting. Even congressional Republicans wanted to include appropriations-bill language to protect Congress's power of the purse. But Russ Vought has pressured them to cut the language, and the House Republicans rolled over. www.notus.org/congress/mar...
A Top Republican Wanted to Reclaim Congress’ Spending Authority. The White House Stopped Him.
Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a top appropriator, tried to add guardrails from ‘pocket rescissions’ in an appropriations bill. But then Office of Management Budget Director Russ Vought talked to him.
www.notus.org
November 19, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Reposted by Raoul Meyer
Sewell delivered over $3.2 million in investments, expanding health care access, supporting first responders, increasing public safety and improving infrastructure.
Rep. Sewell secures $3.2M for four local projects in Alabama’s Black Belt
Sewell delivered over $3.2 million in investments, expanding health care access, supporting first responders, increasing public safety and improving infrastructure.
www.alreporter.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Please urge your friends and acquaintances who live in GOP congressional districts to call their Representatives and tell them to vote for the release of the Epstein files. If there is a 2/3 (or more) vote in the House, it may pressure some Senators to go along. And will make DJT shit his pants.
November 17, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Supporting Trump = supporting child rape.
November 12, 2025 at 4:46 PM
There’s a transitive property at work here:

If you support Trump, you support a pedophile and because pedophiles are abhorrent, you are also abhorrent and I cannot support you or be around you at all.
November 12, 2025 at 4:40 PM
So it turns out the Q-Anon weirdos were right about the sex-trafficking conspiracy, just wrong about the perpetrators.
November 12, 2025 at 3:24 PM
If you are going to read one book before the next election cycle, I am begging you to make it this one:

press.uchicago.edu/dam/ucp/book...
November 11, 2025 at 11:53 PM
If men are so aimless and alienated from work, perhaps they should get involved in unionizing their workplaces. Channel that aggressive energy towards bosses where it belongs.
November 11, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Moving forward, it would be a good idea to establish what sorts of online behavior should be disqualifying to run for office. Not knowing how much your past will come back to hurt you is likely to prevent some good people from throwing their hats in the ring.
November 11, 2025 at 1:15 PM
You know what, I'm sick of hearing about health insurance and premium tax credits. Fuck insurance companies. I want to pay some taxes and be able to go to the damned doctor. I don't care who pays the doctor as long as it's a reasonable amount and I don't see the bill. Let the government bargain.
November 11, 2025 at 12:27 AM
a dad joke for the day:

What to spelunkers and Democratic leaders have in common?

Caving.

Can't wait to tell the kids this one tonight!
November 10, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Reposted by Raoul Meyer
A reminder that this anti-trans panic is 100% bullshit and exactly none of our country’s problems are related to someone expressing their gender identity and everyone who isn’t a hate-filled weirdo knows it.
November 10, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Yes, the Dems lost, but let’s think about what the GOP won.

1. Skyrocketing healthcare costs for everyone

2. Air travel that is still shit

3. Thanksgiving and Christmas plagued by higher prices.

4. GestapICE raids

5. Confirmation that they are Dozy Don’s lackeys

6. The Epstein Files?
November 10, 2025 at 1:09 PM
I know people are upset at the Dems’ capitulation, but here’s something we can try to do: When the Thanksgiving conversation inevitably turns to the Dems fecklessness, flip the script. Point out how much things still suck AFTER the GOP got what it wanted, because they ARE going to suck.
November 10, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Don’t forget, we’re only a couple of weeks away from the “Trump’s Tariffs Stole Christmas” stories after retailers report the worst “Black Friday” since the term was coined.
November 10, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Yeah, the Dems folding sucks and makes them look like a bunch of losers, but let’s wait a couple of weeks and see if the story shifts to: The GOP got what they wanted but air travel is still fucked and Thanksgiving is still too expensive and SNAP benefits are still held up, and ICE agents are
November 10, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Here's an idea, maybe if we were kind and generous with immigrants, non-immigrant-Americans would have less of a reason to imagine that immigrants hate them.
November 9, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Here's my humble suggestion to @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social on how to pay for some of his agenda:

Progressive sales tax with higher rates on luxury items. If you buy a Rolex in the city, you should pay more than 8.75% tax. If you don't want to pay it, don't buy a Rolex.
November 6, 2025 at 3:04 PM
A more affordable New York City should also mean more opportunities for young people to start careers working for city government.
November 5, 2025 at 2:21 PM
So who should head up affordable housing in NYC now? Please make it someone that young people are excited to work for/with and has some competence.
November 5, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Reposted by Raoul Meyer
Please, PLEASE, I am begging you as both a parent and someone who is sick of all this THIS, go vote for your school boards. Even if you don't have kids, that's how these reactionary dipshits got their feet in, that's where the book bans and library cuts start.
November 4, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Reposted by Raoul Meyer
Who is wise? One who learns from all people.

Who is a fool? One who is content with their own limited understanding of the world.

(Pirkei Avot, Ethics of our Fathers)
November 4, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Reposted by Raoul Meyer
How well do Americans remember who was president during major recent events?
(@taylororth.bsky.social @today.yougov.com)
today.yougov.com/politics/art...
November 1, 2025 at 9:57 PM