@traysmith.bsky.social
Sometimes it feels like an island, but I’m proud I can assess the world and judge better from worse, and choose better happily and without qualification.
July 27, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Sometimes it feels like an island, but I’m proud I can assess the world and judge better from worse, and choose better happily and without qualification.
They mock Democrats relentlessly, which gives their supporters a license to feel superior and also projects confidence to swing voters. Then someone in the media calls Democrats “condescending” so we refuse to return fire.
July 3, 2025 at 1:43 PM
They mock Democrats relentlessly, which gives their supporters a license to feel superior and also projects confidence to swing voters. Then someone in the media calls Democrats “condescending” so we refuse to return fire.
There are quality of life issues (crime, education, housing) where at the very least left-leaning politicians have let the right win the messaging war. But the main dynamic here is that reactionaries insist on defunding public services and then blame Democrats (and the media feeds this).
July 1, 2025 at 8:24 PM
There are quality of life issues (crime, education, housing) where at the very least left-leaning politicians have let the right win the messaging war. But the main dynamic here is that reactionaries insist on defunding public services and then blame Democrats (and the media feeds this).
The unfortunate reality for these desperate hacks though is that Biden with cancer and in a wheelchair would quite obviously be far superior to what we have now. (2/2)
May 18, 2025 at 10:31 PM
The unfortunate reality for these desperate hacks though is that Biden with cancer and in a wheelchair would quite obviously be far superior to what we have now. (2/2)
This narrative - “Biden was incapable of doing the job!”, “There was a coverup!” - serves a deep need in the establishment press/center-right pundit universe to justify their own complicity in elevating an obvious mad man and criminal back to the White House. (1/2)
May 18, 2025 at 10:28 PM
This narrative - “Biden was incapable of doing the job!”, “There was a coverup!” - serves a deep need in the establishment press/center-right pundit universe to justify their own complicity in elevating an obvious mad man and criminal back to the White House. (1/2)
Indeed, the flagellation doesn’t grapple with WHY Biden initially got away with his (admittedly bad) decision to run - exceptional economic recovery, solid NATO leadership after Russia/Ukraine, impressive legislative record. Still no evidence any decision making or circumstance impaired bc of age.
May 18, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Indeed, the flagellation doesn’t grapple with WHY Biden initially got away with his (admittedly bad) decision to run - exceptional economic recovery, solid NATO leadership after Russia/Ukraine, impressive legislative record. Still no evidence any decision making or circumstance impaired bc of age.
And they did it by being the most obnoxious, loud windbags possible. Dems should take note.
May 15, 2025 at 1:20 PM
And they did it by being the most obnoxious, loud windbags possible. Dems should take note.
Former Heritage intern, McCain-Romney-Clinton-Biden-Harris voter. Two things can be true. MAGA breaks from prior generations of US conservatism b/c it’s built on reactionary impulses that the GOP coalition long contained. But the impulses were there, and the coalition was weaker than assumed.
May 14, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Former Heritage intern, McCain-Romney-Clinton-Biden-Harris voter. Two things can be true. MAGA breaks from prior generations of US conservatism b/c it’s built on reactionary impulses that the GOP coalition long contained. But the impulses were there, and the coalition was weaker than assumed.
Seems like GOP wants to pocket savings in CBO score but secretly hope Dems restore the credits after sweeping midterms.
May 12, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Seems like GOP wants to pocket savings in CBO score but secretly hope Dems restore the credits after sweeping midterms.
In treating alleged excesses of wokeness with much greater urgency than they ever afforded the underlying circumstances the rest of us tried to wake up to, the antiwokes revealed themselves as, best case, grifters or, more likely, void of empathy and worthless in the fight against authoritarianism.
April 21, 2025 at 4:58 PM
In treating alleged excesses of wokeness with much greater urgency than they ever afforded the underlying circumstances the rest of us tried to wake up to, the antiwokes revealed themselves as, best case, grifters or, more likely, void of empathy and worthless in the fight against authoritarianism.
In fairness, growing up in Manhattan, graduating from Harvard, and spending adult life in DC with policy journalist / think-tank types isn’t the best background for understanding that popular opinion may form in response to circumstances not easily explained by a rational weighing-the-issues model.
April 19, 2025 at 3:45 PM
In fairness, growing up in Manhattan, graduating from Harvard, and spending adult life in DC with policy journalist / think-tank types isn’t the best background for understanding that popular opinion may form in response to circumstances not easily explained by a rational weighing-the-issues model.
The peril of Dems chasing the elusive “marginal voter” via strategic triangulation on trans messaging, immigration, etc. while ignoring the mass delusion of the population via right wing propaganda . . .
April 7, 2025 at 2:10 PM
The peril of Dems chasing the elusive “marginal voter” via strategic triangulation on trans messaging, immigration, etc. while ignoring the mass delusion of the population via right wing propaganda . . .
@brianbeutler.bsky.social @whstancil.bsky.social this is the type of story that will get attention and Dems should be pounding non-stop
March 14, 2025 at 5:58 PM
@brianbeutler.bsky.social @whstancil.bsky.social this is the type of story that will get attention and Dems should be pounding non-stop
Seems clear the best move now is to just make clear that if Democrats win the House in 2026, he will not be invited again.
March 5, 2025 at 6:04 AM
Seems clear the best move now is to just make clear that if Democrats win the House in 2026, he will not be invited again.
Very short leap from “we must sell out Ukraine to avoid endless war w/ Russia & prepare to confront China” to “we must empower Trump so we can deal with Russia & China.” Common thread is exaggerating Russian & Chinese capacity while underestimating US democracy. The argument is self-fulfilling.
March 3, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Very short leap from “we must sell out Ukraine to avoid endless war w/ Russia & prepare to confront China” to “we must empower Trump so we can deal with Russia & China.” Common thread is exaggerating Russian & Chinese capacity while underestimating US democracy. The argument is self-fulfilling.
Uhm…yes, I will
February 8, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Uhm…yes, I will
This point is valid (and I get how the content of the article raises the issue), but worth saying the Atlantic, specifically, did a great job making the stakes of the election clear.
January 31, 2025 at 2:23 AM
This point is valid (and I get how the content of the article raises the issue), but worth saying the Atlantic, specifically, did a great job making the stakes of the election clear.
This is exactly the problem with the political advice offered by coastal enclave pundits like Yglesias, Klein, et. al. (Who are otherwise great writing on public policy.)
January 28, 2025 at 3:51 PM
This is exactly the problem with the political advice offered by coastal enclave pundits like Yglesias, Klein, et. al. (Who are otherwise great writing on public policy.)
this is a great and very worthwhile conversation
January 22, 2025 at 5:52 AM
this is a great and very worthwhile conversation