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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 58m

It took 20 years, but it ended badly for that particular King, Charles I.

Adam Higgitt @ahiggitt.bsky.social · 1h

One of our Kings tried to pull this shit once. He refused to summon Parliament because he didn’t like what they were going to vote for, in part because he’d plunged the country into penury trying to strong-arm a crony into a top foreign job.

That was 1629.

Dana Houle @danahoule.bsky.social · 4h

I think Trump would rather Congress never vote to reopen the government than let Adelrita Grijalva trigger the Epstein Files discharge. And I bet he doesn’t have a plan other than the Insurrection Act.

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 1h

We aren't raised to believe in causes greater than ourselves. Ironically, I think that's part of the appeal of the Trump cult. It's terrible, but a lot of his rally attendees found a sense of belonging. Not sure our side has yet figured out how to offer something similar. It would help.

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 1h

I think this is right and it's the lack of community that is the greatest weakness right now. We either develop it fast or we're doomed. That individualism is deeply ingrained.

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 1h

The jury is out on whether white Americans are up to the task. I don't know. White people in this country haven't known real hardship since World War II. We are decadent and spoiled. I think the potential is there but whether we rise to the occasion is an open question. Leadership will matter.

Brosephus @brosephus.bsky.social · 8h

The end result of this is that now white America will get to experience exactly what Black America has been through for centuries.

I hope you are all mentally tough enough to withstand the abuse and strong enough to fight back under duress. The future of America depends on that.

Good luck.
4/4

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 5h

One's views on this seem to be a pretty good litmus test on whether someone has a decent moral center or not. Patrick is an old school conservative, but feels the same way I do about this. I find some hope in that.

Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 5h

Regardless of how one feels, policy-wise, about foreign aid and how it is administered, this was absolutely unnecessary and downright evil. apnews.com/article/myan...

Starving children screaming for food as US aid cuts unleash devastation and death across Myanmar

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly said “no one has died" because of his government’s decision to gut its foreign aid program.

apnews.com

Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 6h

It wasn't about Gaza or genocide. If it was, they wouldn't have done what they did. It was about sabotaging Harris in the hope that they could somehow take over the party if she lost. It was incredibly selfish.

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 7h

Those arguments had zero merit. Every humanitarian issue, from Gaza to everything else, is worse than it would have been under Harris. Trump has condemned millions to death and suffering around the world. Voters failed a pretty basic moral test.

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 8h

What was done was nothing less than a crime against humanity that has caused mass death and suffering from disease and starvation. Unimaginably cruel.

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 8h

i desperately want everyone involved in the destruction of USAID to have to, st the very least, answer to the american people for the suffering and misery they have caused apnews.com/article/myan...

Starving children screaming for food as US aid cuts unleash devastation and death across Myanmar

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly said “no one has died" because of his government’s decision to gut its foreign aid program.

apnews.com

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Reposted by Matt Seyfang

Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 9h

JUST IN: The Republican Mayor of Fairbanks, Alaska’s second biggest city, lost re-election last night to a Democrat.

Mayor David Pruhs is a conservative who fought protections for LGBTQ+ residents; he made comments this year drew condemnation this year from Alaska Natives. He lost to Mindy O'Neall.

110 1.7K 7.4K

Reposted by Matt Seyfang

Anne Caprara @annecaprara.bsky.social · 10h

Greg has correctly articulated our theory of the case - and accurately laid out the one battleground on which Governors and other electeds can successfully fight the feds, other than the courts (and there is delicate strategy there as well that I’m not sure everyone fully appreciates.)

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 11h

JB Pritzker and Gavin Newsom are doing something new and important: They understand Stephen Miller's theory of fascist power politics, and they've developed a theory on how to combat it. More Dems need to reckon with Miller's understanding of the moment.

New from me:
newrepublic.com/article/2014...

Inside Stephen Miller’s Secret Plan to Normalize Trump’s Dictator Rule

He wants to supercharge searing civil tensions to get low-information voters to embrace their inner authoritarian. Exactly two Democrats appear to fully grasp this.

newrepublic.com

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 1d

Transformative in the same way a colon turns a gourmet meal into...

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

"You are a transformative president" -- I regret to inform you that Mark Carney is kissing Trump's ass

Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 1d

The worst Chief Justice since Roger Taney...

Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 1d

Ephialtes Roberts will be remembered for centuries as the man, along with Mitch McConnell, most responsible for the authoritarian interregnum of the early 21st century. History will be far less generous & kind to him than everyone in our current political debates.

Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · Sep 8

One day, we'll (again/still) be a democracy (yes, we will eventually defeat the fascists) & no one will know Samuel Alito's or Brett Kavanaugh's names (really, how many voters can name a single pre-1965 associate justice?).

But Chief Keyser Söze? His name will live forever: bsky.app/profile/mcop...

Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 1d

This is a good example of the "cheap grace" Dietrich Bonhoeffer warned about and which poisons the evangelical mind in far too many cases.

Nancy French @nancyfrench.bsky.social · 1d

Pastor Robert Morris pleaded guilty to repeatedly sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl.

If you ever wonder why victims don't speak up sooner... or ever, check out these responses to the 700 Club announcing this news.

See the original post here: tinyurl.com/4fhscebd

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 1d

The Essential Air Service program is a lifeline connecting rural America to the commercial airline network. They are methodically dismantling programs that primarily help their ostensible base.

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 1d

Also:

Russ Vought
Elon Musk
Curtis Yarvin
Big Balls

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 1d

As am I...

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 1d

No problem. Just run BUR on a CTAF basis. That'll work.

Governor Gavin Newsom @governor.ca.gov · 2d

Thanks, Donald Trump!

Burbank Airport has ZERO air traffic controllers from 4:15pm to 10pm today because of YOUR government shutdown.

Burbank Airport will have no air traffic controllers Monday evening, FAA warns

Burbank Airport is bracing for impacted operations as air traffic controllers begin to call out in greater numbers due to the government shutdown.

abc7.com

Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 1d

This is not getting nearly the coverage it deserves.

Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 3d

Trey Reed, a student at Delta State University in Mississippi, was found hanging from a noose. Mississippi police ruled the death a suicide. Now an autopsy reportedly concludes that he suffered extensive blunt force trauma across his body before he died, meaning he was beaten before he was lynched.

Kaepernick-Funded Autopsy Reportedly Finds Trey Reed Didn’t Die by Suicide — Family Attorney Ben Crump Hasn’t Confirmed

According to a source who isn't authorized to comment publicly, the autopsy of Trey Reed reveals that his death was not caused by a suicide.

www.blackenterprise.com

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 2d

I think he's letting the voters off easy. The media sucked, yes, but despite that, Black, gay and Jewish voters voted overwhelmingly for Harris. White voters, particularly those with no college, did not. Too many of them actually wanted this. I think it's important to face up to it.

Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 2d

I mean, it was all there, right in the open, & the entire set of front page stories & Narratives™️, from July to Nov 2024, ignored all of it. Yes, voters have agency & more should have seen through it, but the total failure of those in control of the National Conversation™️ had the predicted effect.

Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · Aug 11

This is one of the many obvious reasons why it was impossible to take the Fierce Urgency of "Kamala Harris Must Do Interviews & Answer More Detailed Policy Questions with the Right Journalists" seriously.

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 2d

Perhaps he's unfamiliar with the lengths to which the Israelis tracked down Eichmann. We're going to need similar energy.

jeff computers @helldude.bsky.social · 3d

mencius moldbug is thinking of fleeing the country because he thinks the trump administration's chaotic half-assing of dismantling liberal democracy is going to bite them all in the ass

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 2d

White voters can end this tomorrow if we wanted to. A hard year of work ahead for those of us who see and believe there's a better way.

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 2d

Election will be on hard mode as it is under competitive authoritarianism. Think Orban, etc. But there's no other way. We are just going to have to get it done.

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 2d

So many lazy people looking for an easy solution rather than hunkering down and doing the hard work of winning elections. There is no easy fix for any of this. Coups and revolutions usually end badly. The only way out is through voting.

Side-Eye Pinkie Pie Read Project 2025 - Did You? @nypoliticalmom.bsky.social · 2d

So may people are trying to act big and tough and saying our military should just turn right around and forcibly remove the Orange Demon. What part of coup don’t you understand? If that happens, democracy as we know it IS dead. Use your fucking heads, people.

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 2d

We're crossing that particular threshold several times a week, which is how bad things are. But I suspect what's in those files is so bad that it puts the scandals to date to shame.

Jason Kander @jasonkander.bsky.social · 2d

I was a skeptic about the import of the Epstein files.

But 3 invasions of cities, one military buildup outside Venezuela, a government shutdown, and so many other things meant to distract have me convinced whatever’s in there is the biggest presidential scandal in U.S. history.

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Matt Seyfang @mseyfang.bsky.social · 2d

I survived Stage 4 cancer, full chemo and all. So even when things seem grim and hopeless, you don't give up. I didn't survive that to wind up in Trump and Miller's fascist dystopia, so I plan continuing to fight it until the last dog dies, as Bill Clinton used to say.

Tom Nichols @radiofreetom.bsky.social · 2d

Doctor: You have cancer, it's early and we can treat it.

You: It's obviously Stage 4 and in my liver, what's the point.

Doctor: It's not that and it's treatable.

You: Why are you so obtuse about what "cancer" means, you heartless quack

Jon Bershad @jonbershad.bsky.social · 2d

DOCTOR: I’m afraid you have cancer.

PEOPLE LIKE THIS: Um, if I really had cancer, then I’d be getting chemo right now. Since I’m not currently getting chemo, I can’t have cancer. Duh. You have no idea what ‘cancer’ really is.

DOCTOR: …what?

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