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Paul Constant

@paulconstant.com

4.2K followers 2K following 3K posts

Seattle-based writer of journalism, criticism, progressive economics and politics pieces, and comic books. Snelson, my comic with Fred Harper was a New York Public Library Best Adult Comic selection for 2022. Email: thisispaulconstant at gmail dot com.

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Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · Oct 11

Lots more folks on here these days, so it's re-introduction time. Hi! My name is Paul Constant. I write about books, politics, economics, technology, and Seattle. I'm a fellow at Civic Ventures, I write comic books, and I have a free monthly newsletter. You can find links to all that on my website:

About/Contact

I’m Paul Constant. I write journalism, criticism, essays, and comic books. I’m a fellow at Civic Ventures, a public policy incubator, and a cofounder of the award-winning Seattle Review…

paulconstant.com

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Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 1h

Everybody knows Republicans only acknowledge the existence of three musicians: Lee Greenwood, Kid Rock, and whichever country singer is currently the most racist.

Mediaite @mediaite.com · 1h

Mike Johnson Calls Bad Bunny Halftime Show a ‘Terrible Decision’ for NFL — Says Children Should Listen to 82-Year-Old Lee Greenwood Instead

Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday the NFL choosing Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl halftime performer was a "terrible decision" and suggested Lee Greenwood instead. The post Mike Johnson Calls Bad Bunny Halftime Show a ‘Terrible Decision’ for NFL — Says Children Should Listen to 82-Year-Old Lee Greenwood Instead first appeared on Mediaite.

dlvr.it

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Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 2h

The people demand to know Speaker Johnson’s gooning habits!

Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 3h

At this point it would be easier to ask Mike Johnson to just list the things that he DOES know. It would probably take about four minutes.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 3h

Mike Johnson: "Federal workers, it's my understanding that the law is that they would be paid. There is some other legal analysis floating around. I haven't yet had time to dig in and read that."

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Reposted by Paul Constant

Karl Bode @karlbode.com · 3h

twice a year the entire U.S. press becomes a marketing extension of a single billionaire-owned retailer, and nobody in any position of editorial power thinks it's weird or gross

photo of Google News search results for Amazon Prime Day (the second this year)

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Reposted by Paul Constant

Frances "Are You Scared Yet" Meh @francesmeh.reviews · 19h

ok so like here's a fun little thing i did

it's a feed of people playing music on bluesky

it's moderated - at least until i find an automated way to keep the signal to noise ratio high

to submit posts for consideration just use the hashtag #blueskyjam in the post or video alt-text

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Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 18h

I'll bring those kids SALTINES and KETCHUP and they'll LIKE IT.

Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 19h

Respectfully, text scammers, you really need to try a little harder.

A screenshot of a text message that reads "Can you donate to get college students pizza on October 18, No Kings Day?"

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Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 19h

Setting aside the horrors of using AI for therapy for a moment, let me just say that editors positively drool when young writers open their personal lives up for readers. But milking your loved ones in the name of Content for the Feed almost never works out in the long haul.

Monster-Theory Medium Dave @azzageddi.myatproto.social · 20h

There are dome really horrifying passages in this, like how many people the author knows who, like her, rely on ChatGPT for relationship advice.

And yeah, if I was the guy in this, I’d be so outta there.

www.npr.org/2025/08/05/n...

He said, she said, it said: I used ChatGPT as a couple's counselor. How did we fare?

Looking for backup, I turned to an AI chatbot for relationship wisdom. It took my side. It was only when I challenged the bot's biases — and my own — that we had a communication breakthrough.

www.npr.org

Reposted by Paul Constant

Owen @owenpick.bsky.social · 21h

Every time a driver has almost killed me they've also been furious at me. Sure, they're not thinking clearly because of adrenaline. But this also clarifies how many people should not be driving.

Responding to stress with aggression should disqualify people from holding a license.

Robson Fletcher @robsonfletcher.com · 23h

Police in Airdrie, Alberta (just north of Calgary) say this driver hit a 17-year-old girl in a marked crosswalk, got out of the vehicle, and appeared to get upset at the teenager before driving away.

They released this video and are now trying to identify the driver.

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Reposted by Paul Constant

Goldy @goldy.horsesass.org · 1d

"Democratic strongholds" in this militaristic context makes it sound like we're terrorists or insurrections or warlords. I cannot express how angry I am at American journalism for enabling this moment.

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 1d

Hundreds of National Guard troops were expected soon in Chicago. The deployment is the latest in a series of military incursions in U.S. cities, particularly in Democratic strongholds. President Trump said he would consider invoking emergency powers to “get around” legal obstacles. Follow updates.

National Guard Troops Expected Soon in Chicago as Trump Considers Invoking Emergency Powers: Live Updates

The mobilization includes some 200 Guard troops from Texas. President Trump said he would consider invoking emergency powers to “get around” legal obstacles.

nyti.ms

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Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 1d

Bari Weiss only ever speaks to the bosses. That’s how she fails up so spectacularly.

Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 1d

I’ve got those Obama portraits!

Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 2d

That one hand-carved Peruvian magnet does tend to drop off if you jerk the door, yes.

Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 2d

Keep an eye out. I almost bought one when I was in a rush at Lake Chelan earlier this year.

Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 2d

I realize this is an Andy Rooney rant and most people don’t care about kitchen magnets. But I think we’ll see this kind of thing everywhere soon: Accountants will interpret consumer apathy toward AI slop as apathy toward art in general, and they’ll respond by eliminating spaces for art.

Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 2d

I’ve seen this happen enough to know how it will go: Fridge magnet sales will plummet, but rather than attributing the loss in sales to AI slop and going back to paying local artists, they’ll just assume nobody wants fridge magnets anymore and stop making them.

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Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 2d

In Bellingham this weekend, 90% of the magnets were just the name of the city with generic AI slop showing a rowboat at a dock at sunset or a range of pine trees. They couldn’t be bothered to pay a local photographer or artist, and the magnets lose any value they had as a local artifact.

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Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 2d

One of my most basic traits is that whenever I travel, I always buy a refrigerator magnet as a souvenir. And I’ve noticed this year that the vast majority of souvenir magnets just use AI art now.

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Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 2d

A name that would make even James Bond blush.

Actual names @actualnames.bsky.social · 2d

Labia Handy

England, Cheshire, School Records, 1796-1950

Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 2d

I feel like it’s more Diamond Age-coded, but I can’t defend that opinion because it’s been a long time since I read either.

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Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 2d

This administration is going to result in the kind of map you’d find in the front of a dystopian sci-fi paperback. “Indigenous Nation Tariff-Free Trading Corridor” sounds like something Philip K. Dick would have with come up with in 1972.

Kevin Carson 🇵🇸 🇺🇦 🇹🇯 @kevincarson1.bsky.social · 3d

Indigenous Nations Plan Tariff-Free Trade Corridor Across US-Canada border ino.to/agDxSX2

Indigenous Nations Plan Tariff-Free Trade Corridor Across US-Canada border

“We’re not begging for crumbs anymore. We’re demanding what’s rightly ours."

ino.to

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Reposted by Paul Constant

Micah @rincewind.run · 2d

we simply do not have a union anymore if the president is using troops from one state to invade others entirely on the basis of political disagreements

Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · 2d

UPDATE: Hegseth today called up 400 members of the Texas National Guard, with Gov. Abbott's apparent permission, to be deployed "where needed, including in the cities of Portland and Chicago." www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

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Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 2d

“Here, look in this mirror.”

Reposted by Paul Constant

Robert Cruickshank @robertcruickshank.com · 2d

These folks are heroes

Cristian Farias @cristianfarias.com · 3d

This video of Chicagoans intervening to save a man from being abducted off the streets by ICE is making the rounds on Instagram.

Community action works.

Source: www.instagram.com/reel/DPZL2AL...

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Paul Constant @paulconstant.com · 3d

And this is from my longest walk of the year-my May 3rd 60.4 miler around Lake Washington. I’m sure I was down to two miles an hour by the end, but as long as I stay upright and in motion I get there eventually.

Exercise
722/30MIN
TOTAL 19H 27M

Stand
20/12HRS
4 IDLE HOURS