@psheth.bsky.social
Now living in Wellington, NZ. Previously in Richmond, VA, USA.
Toitū te Tiriti
Toitū te Tiriti
Yeah, impeachment articles should have been filed that night and voted on before the House adjourned.
January 21, 2026 at 7:41 PM
Yeah, impeachment articles should have been filed that night and voted on before the House adjourned.
No point arguing with this clown, honestly. Abolish is the right thing to do AND it's popular: polling even overall and positive with independents entirely as an organic reaction to events.
January 21, 2026 at 7:34 PM
No point arguing with this clown, honestly. Abolish is the right thing to do AND it's popular: polling even overall and positive with independents entirely as an organic reaction to events.
Even Hakeem Jeffries figured out that voting to fund ICE with some marginal legislative improvements is a loser of a political position.
Basically, only the worst Senate Democrats think this is a good idea. And of course you...
Basically, only the worst Senate Democrats think this is a good idea. And of course you...
Scoop: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries opposes bill funding DHS and ICE
Democrats are lining up against the bill.
www.axios.com
January 21, 2026 at 6:05 PM
Even Hakeem Jeffries figured out that voting to fund ICE with some marginal legislative improvements is a loser of a political position.
Basically, only the worst Senate Democrats think this is a good idea. And of course you...
Basically, only the worst Senate Democrats think this is a good idea. And of course you...
It's in my profile... NZ has problems, but hostility to immigration isn't really one here - even most of the right-wing political parties aren't trying to restrict it
January 21, 2026 at 6:02 PM
It's in my profile... NZ has problems, but hostility to immigration isn't really one here - even most of the right-wing political parties aren't trying to restrict it
Funny note about NZ though: the navy lost 1/9 of its ships last year... to an island.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/529935/nz-navy-ship-runs-aground-off-samoa
www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/529935/nz-navy-ship-runs-aground-off-samoa
NZ Navy ship runs aground off Samoa, catches fire and sinks
'He shouldn't have been that close to the reef', a Samoan witness says after NZ Navy ship sinks off south coast.
www.rnz.co.nz
January 21, 2026 at 9:09 AM
Funny note about NZ though: the navy lost 1/9 of its ships last year... to an island.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/529935/nz-navy-ship-runs-aground-off-samoa
www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/529935/nz-navy-ship-runs-aground-off-samoa
Yeah definitely more true about NZ, though the incarceration rate here (especially for Maori) is quite high. But even Australia isn't conducting imperial warmongering abroad like the US.
January 21, 2026 at 9:09 AM
Yeah definitely more true about NZ, though the incarceration rate here (especially for Maori) is quite high. But even Australia isn't conducting imperial warmongering abroad like the US.
So to the extent that you believe in the imperial boomerang effect contributing to fascism, Australia and NZ don't have that. But otherwise, yeah, there's nothing special about them
January 21, 2026 at 9:00 AM
So to the extent that you believe in the imperial boomerang effect contributing to fascism, Australia and NZ don't have that. But otherwise, yeah, there's nothing special about them
The only somewhat convincing argument I've heard about Australia and NZ being less susceptible is that they're much less militarized societies. 1930s Germany and 2010s America were both imperial powers with big military presences and a history of recent wars.
January 21, 2026 at 9:00 AM
The only somewhat convincing argument I've heard about Australia and NZ being less susceptible is that they're much less militarized societies. 1930s Germany and 2010s America were both imperial powers with big military presences and a history of recent wars.
Schumer and the Senate Ds are quislings and collaborators, and you're clearly happy with that. You probably thought Biden did a pretty good job too.
If Dems ever win a trifecta, they'll refuse to abolish ICE, and I'm sure you'll defend that as savvy...
If Dems ever win a trifecta, they'll refuse to abolish ICE, and I'm sure you'll defend that as savvy...
January 21, 2026 at 8:56 AM
Schumer and the Senate Ds are quislings and collaborators, and you're clearly happy with that. You probably thought Biden did a pretty good job too.
If Dems ever win a trifecta, they'll refuse to abolish ICE, and I'm sure you'll defend that as savvy...
If Dems ever win a trifecta, they'll refuse to abolish ICE, and I'm sure you'll defend that as savvy...
As I noted just above, they literally helped Republicans confirm a judge last week that would have failed without their votes. Have they objected to a single unanimous consent agreement to speed along a nominee this month?
But sure, they made the Senate lose 2 days of recess, so you're on board.
But sure, they made the Senate lose 2 days of recess, so you're on board.
January 21, 2026 at 8:51 AM
As I noted just above, they literally helped Republicans confirm a judge last week that would have failed without their votes. Have they objected to a single unanimous consent agreement to speed along a nominee this month?
But sure, they made the Senate lose 2 days of recess, so you're on board.
But sure, they made the Senate lose 2 days of recess, so you're on board.
Yeah and how did that savvy plan work out? They gave Marco Rubio the unanimous bipartisan stamp of approval and got literally nothing in return. And yet here you are, still defending these guys.
January 21, 2026 at 8:50 AM
Yeah and how did that savvy plan work out? They gave Marco Rubio the unanimous bipartisan stamp of approval and got literally nothing in return. And yet here you are, still defending these guys.
Delusional and arrogant is a bad way to go through life. But keep shilling for Senate Dems, man. If they're back in the majority, you'll be saying "oh we didn't have 60 votes, too bad."
January 21, 2026 at 8:48 AM
Delusional and arrogant is a bad way to go through life. But keep shilling for Senate Dems, man. If they're back in the majority, you'll be saying "oh we didn't have 60 votes, too bad."
This is simply false. Trump's cabinet was confirmed in record time; D's repeatedly provided unanimous consent and refused any delay tactics.
Literally last week, 7 Senate Ds voted with Rs to confirm a judge 53-40; they'd have sunk it if they'd all voted against.
Literally last week, 7 Senate Ds voted with Rs to confirm a judge 53-40; they'd have sunk it if they'd all voted against.
Following key wins, Trump poised for cabinet completion in record time
After successfully confirming his most controversial picks for top Cabinet roles, the Senate is on track to push them all past the finish line—and in record time.
www.foxnews.com
January 21, 2026 at 8:43 AM
This is simply false. Trump's cabinet was confirmed in record time; D's repeatedly provided unanimous consent and refused any delay tactics.
Literally last week, 7 Senate Ds voted with Rs to confirm a judge 53-40; they'd have sunk it if they'd all voted against.
Literally last week, 7 Senate Ds voted with Rs to confirm a judge 53-40; they'd have sunk it if they'd all voted against.
But I'd like to be able to return someday, and I'd like my family that's still there to be safe, and so I want a competent opposition party that will actually oppose Trump and reverse his changes if/when they take power again. And the current Dem party is simply not that.
January 21, 2026 at 8:39 AM
But I'd like to be able to return someday, and I'd like my family that's still there to be safe, and so I want a competent opposition party that will actually oppose Trump and reverse his changes if/when they take power again. And the current Dem party is simply not that.
But spare me the saavy "Dems are actually doing pretty well" condescension. I obviously know there's no silver bullet.
I left the US in 2023 because I saw this possibility coming and I didn't want my minority immigrant family to be at risk during Trump 2.0. The stakes are pretty fucking personal.
I left the US in 2023 because I saw this possibility coming and I didn't want my minority immigrant family to be at risk during Trump 2.0. The stakes are pretty fucking personal.
January 21, 2026 at 8:39 AM
But spare me the saavy "Dems are actually doing pretty well" condescension. I obviously know there's no silver bullet.
I left the US in 2023 because I saw this possibility coming and I didn't want my minority immigrant family to be at risk during Trump 2.0. The stakes are pretty fucking personal.
I left the US in 2023 because I saw this possibility coming and I didn't want my minority immigrant family to be at risk during Trump 2.0. The stakes are pretty fucking personal.
Politics IS performative, especially when you are in the minority. Performance is literally the most important thing Democrats can do right now. It's vastly more important than crowing about only giving ICE a $400 million boost to detention funding
January 21, 2026 at 8:39 AM
Politics IS performative, especially when you are in the minority. Performance is literally the most important thing Democrats can do right now. It's vastly more important than crowing about only giving ICE a $400 million boost to detention funding
Don't vote for Trump's nominees or Trump's budget is the lowest possible bar, and they're STILL not meeting it. In a week, 30 or so Dem senators are going to vote to fund ICE, against the wishes of the vast majority of their voters -- some marginal legislative tweaks don't make that okay.
January 21, 2026 at 8:28 AM
Don't vote for Trump's nominees or Trump's budget is the lowest possible bar, and they're STILL not meeting it. In a week, 30 or so Dem senators are going to vote to fund ICE, against the wishes of the vast majority of their voters -- some marginal legislative tweaks don't make that okay.
Yes I understand that. But let's assume Dems win 240 house seats and 52 senate seats in an amazing midterm romp. Do you think these guys will even try to repeal that funding?
Because I certainly don't. They've spent the entire year signaling that they want to collaborate with Trump, not oppose him.
Because I certainly don't. They've spent the entire year signaling that they want to collaborate with Trump, not oppose him.
January 21, 2026 at 8:28 AM
Yes I understand that. But let's assume Dems win 240 house seats and 52 senate seats in an amazing midterm romp. Do you think these guys will even try to repeal that funding?
Because I certainly don't. They've spent the entire year signaling that they want to collaborate with Trump, not oppose him.
Because I certainly don't. They've spent the entire year signaling that they want to collaborate with Trump, not oppose him.
I'm just going to fundamentally disagree with anyone who looks at the current state of the US and thinks "the Democratic party is generally doing things pretty well"
They lost to Trump twice, and all they have to offer in response to fascism is endless blabber about eggs being more expensive now
They lost to Trump twice, and all they have to offer in response to fascism is endless blabber about eggs being more expensive now
January 21, 2026 at 8:20 AM
I'm just going to fundamentally disagree with anyone who looks at the current state of the US and thinks "the Democratic party is generally doing things pretty well"
They lost to Trump twice, and all they have to offer in response to fascism is endless blabber about eggs being more expensive now
They lost to Trump twice, and all they have to offer in response to fascism is endless blabber about eggs being more expensive now
Putting aside whether it was a tricky question in 2008, it's definitely not one now.
Trump is super unpopular; his gestapo is even more so. I mean, independents support full abolishment of ICE by +12!
Just oppose everything! Don't vote for his nominees, don't vote for his bills.
Trump is super unpopular; his gestapo is even more so. I mean, independents support full abolishment of ICE by +12!
Just oppose everything! Don't vote for his nominees, don't vote for his bills.
January 21, 2026 at 8:16 AM
Putting aside whether it was a tricky question in 2008, it's definitely not one now.
Trump is super unpopular; his gestapo is even more so. I mean, independents support full abolishment of ICE by +12!
Just oppose everything! Don't vote for his nominees, don't vote for his bills.
Trump is super unpopular; his gestapo is even more so. I mean, independents support full abolishment of ICE by +12!
Just oppose everything! Don't vote for his nominees, don't vote for his bills.
Does it actually restrict the amount of money that can be spent in detention? I know Senate Ds are claiming this, but the appropriation tables seem to suggest the opposite: the detention budget INCREASES by $403 million
January 21, 2026 at 8:08 AM
Does it actually restrict the amount of money that can be spent in detention? I know Senate Ds are claiming this, but the appropriation tables seem to suggest the opposite: the detention budget INCREASES by $403 million
Not trying to cherry pick; I think it holds up pretty well whether you look back 10, 20, or 30 years. Dems have prioritized eking out small wins over standing up for values, and it's led to the present state: the party's brand is toxic and they're incapable of opposing fascism.
January 21, 2026 at 8:03 AM
Not trying to cherry pick; I think it holds up pretty well whether you look back 10, 20, or 30 years. Dems have prioritized eking out small wins over standing up for values, and it's led to the present state: the party's brand is toxic and they're incapable of opposing fascism.
I'm not talking about just winning elections, I'm talking about implementing policy. And by that measure, the Democratic performance over the past decade has been an abject disaster. Any policy wins they got were transient; meanwhile Rs overturned Roe, gutted the federal government, etc
January 21, 2026 at 7:06 AM
I'm not talking about just winning elections, I'm talking about implementing policy. And by that measure, the Democratic performance over the past decade has been an abject disaster. Any policy wins they got were transient; meanwhile Rs overturned Roe, gutted the federal government, etc
Oh I was going off the electoral commission site, which said that the early voting period starts on that day.
I assumed that meant there would be voting booths? Otherwise what's the point of having a day of voting with no opportunity to vote?
But I guess you can't assume good faith with this lot
I assumed that meant there would be voting booths? Otherwise what's the point of having a day of voting with no opportunity to vote?
But I guess you can't assume good faith with this lot
January 21, 2026 at 6:19 AM
Oh I was going off the electoral commission site, which said that the early voting period starts on that day.
I assumed that meant there would be voting booths? Otherwise what's the point of having a day of voting with no opportunity to vote?
But I guess you can't assume good faith with this lot
I assumed that meant there would be voting booths? Otherwise what's the point of having a day of voting with no opportunity to vote?
But I guess you can't assume good faith with this lot
I don't think so? Looks like voting will happen on the public holiday - might even increase turnout as people will be free
January 21, 2026 at 6:12 AM
I don't think so? Looks like voting will happen on the public holiday - might even increase turnout as people will be free