Alan Stamm
@alanstamm.bsky.social
Recovering journalist in Michigan. Upper Manhattan roots.
"Don't check out. Don't let your anger become apathy. Don't convince yourself that things can't get better. . . .
"I have seen time and time again that we are not as divided as our politics. We will find a way forward, together."
-- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan
"I have seen time and time again that we are not as divided as our politics. We will find a way forward, together."
-- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan
The Way Forward in 2026
I know everything feels heavy right now.
substack.com
February 9, 2026 at 1:27 AM
"Don't check out. Don't let your anger become apathy. Don't convince yourself that things can't get better. . . .
"I have seen time and time again that we are not as divided as our politics. We will find a way forward, together."
-- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan
"I have seen time and time again that we are not as divided as our politics. We will find a way forward, together."
-- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan
@elliotkirschner.bsky.social reflects on "how little we hear any mention of children" by "this tyrannical regime," as he calls it.
"Presidential speeches are typically filled with invocations of 'our children' and 'our grandchildren.'" [1/2]
"Presidential speeches are typically filled with invocations of 'our children' and 'our grandchildren.'" [1/2]
What About the Children?
Why are we choosing to terrorize them?
elliotkirschner.substack.com
February 9, 2026 at 12:22 AM
@elliotkirschner.bsky.social reflects on "how little we hear any mention of children" by "this tyrannical regime," as he calls it.
"Presidential speeches are typically filled with invocations of 'our children' and 'our grandchildren.'" [1/2]
"Presidential speeches are typically filled with invocations of 'our children' and 'our grandchildren.'" [1/2]
"Trump has made no secret of his plans to thwart, question and/or subvert the 2026 midterms. Democratic secretaries of state...are strategizing in group calls and gaming out how to stop him. Anyone who really cares about the country should be paying close attention."
-- @thedanrather.bsky.social 1/2
-- @thedanrather.bsky.social 1/2
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Cheat
Trump is trying every trick in the book to subvert the midterms
steady.substack.com
February 8, 2026 at 4:21 PM
"Trump has made no secret of his plans to thwart, question and/or subvert the 2026 midterms. Democratic secretaries of state...are strategizing in group calls and gaming out how to stop him. Anyone who really cares about the country should be paying close attention."
-- @thedanrather.bsky.social 1/2
-- @thedanrather.bsky.social 1/2
Iowa writer @lyz.bsky.social on Turning Point USA's alternative halftime show today:
"Kid Rock has a song where he sings about liking underage girls. . . . Apparently it makes him relatable to their base, which is now just everyone who emailed with Jeffrey Epstein."
"Kid Rock has a song where he sings about liking underage girls. . . . Apparently it makes him relatable to their base, which is now just everyone who emailed with Jeffrey Epstein."
Dingus of the week: TPUSA’s halftime show | Men Yell at Me by Lyz Lenz
Get more from Men Yell at Me by Lyz Lenz on Patreon
www.patreon.com
February 8, 2026 at 3:40 PM
Iowa writer @lyz.bsky.social on Turning Point USA's alternative halftime show today:
"Kid Rock has a song where he sings about liking underage girls. . . . Apparently it makes him relatable to their base, which is now just everyone who emailed with Jeffrey Epstein."
"Kid Rock has a song where he sings about liking underage girls. . . . Apparently it makes him relatable to their base, which is now just everyone who emailed with Jeffrey Epstein."
"To me, this is the gravest danger: that Trump's army and the Department of Homeland Security will use some warped rationale to interfere directly with elections."
-- @charlesmblow.bsky.social
-- @charlesmblow.bsky.social
NEW COLUMN: Trump Has Raised His Army
The great fear is that Trump will used federal "law enforcement" to interfere with our elections.
substack.com
February 8, 2026 at 1:59 PM
"To me, this is the gravest danger: that Trump's army and the Department of Homeland Security will use some warped rationale to interfere directly with elections."
-- @charlesmblow.bsky.social
-- @charlesmblow.bsky.social
Will Lewis quit Saturday after overseeing deep cuts to the Washington Post newsroom.
"Lewis' short resignation note and the lack of a permanent succession plan suggests his departure wasn't on schedule."
-- @maxtani.bsky.social, @semafor.com media editor [1/2]
"Lewis' short resignation note and the lack of a permanent succession plan suggests his departure wasn't on schedule."
-- @maxtani.bsky.social, @semafor.com media editor [1/2]
🟡🟡🟡 FLASH: Washington Post CEO Resigns After Two Squandered Years | Semafor
Will Lewis and Jeff Bezos have been unable to stop a downward spiral.
www.semafor.com
February 8, 2026 at 1:17 PM
Will Lewis quit Saturday after overseeing deep cuts to the Washington Post newsroom.
"Lewis' short resignation note and the lack of a permanent succession plan suggests his departure wasn't on schedule."
-- @maxtani.bsky.social, @semafor.com media editor [1/2]
"Lewis' short resignation note and the lack of a permanent succession plan suggests his departure wasn't on schedule."
-- @maxtani.bsky.social, @semafor.com media editor [1/2]
"The patriots at Turning Point USA have organized their own halftime show, which will somehow involve Kid Rock.
"Kid Rock is like if you turned Coors Light into music: You can convince yourself it's fine, if you add in a shot of whiskey, but mostly it's carbonated piss water."
-- @lyz.bsky.social
"Kid Rock is like if you turned Coors Light into music: You can convince yourself it's fine, if you add in a shot of whiskey, but mostly it's carbonated piss water."
-- @lyz.bsky.social
Dingus of the week: TPUSA’s halftime show | Men Yell at Me by Lyz Lenz
Get more from Men Yell at Me by Lyz Lenz on Patreon
www.patreon.com
February 7, 2026 at 11:14 PM
"The patriots at Turning Point USA have organized their own halftime show, which will somehow involve Kid Rock.
"Kid Rock is like if you turned Coors Light into music: You can convince yourself it's fine, if you add in a shot of whiskey, but mostly it's carbonated piss water."
-- @lyz.bsky.social
"Kid Rock is like if you turned Coors Light into music: You can convince yourself it's fine, if you add in a shot of whiskey, but mostly it's carbonated piss water."
-- @lyz.bsky.social
Straight talk from @paulkrugman.skystack.xyz:
February 7, 2026 at 10:11 PM
Straight talk from @paulkrugman.skystack.xyz:
"Trump has made no secret of his plans to thwart, question and/or subvert the 2026 midterms. Democratic secretaries of state . . . are currently strategizing in group calls and gaming out how to stop him."
-- @thedanrather.bsky.social [1/2]
-- @thedanrather.bsky.social [1/2]
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Cheat
Trump is trying every trick in the book to subvert the midterms
steady.substack.com
February 7, 2026 at 8:08 PM
"Trump has made no secret of his plans to thwart, question and/or subvert the 2026 midterms. Democratic secretaries of state . . . are currently strategizing in group calls and gaming out how to stop him."
-- @thedanrather.bsky.social [1/2]
-- @thedanrather.bsky.social [1/2]
"The outrages of this regime are no longer defying the laws of political gravity. . . .
"Voices of dissent are becoming bolder and more courageous. Poll numbers are plummeting. Election surprises are surging."
— @elliotkirschner.bsky.social
"Voices of dissent are becoming bolder and more courageous. Poll numbers are plummeting. Election surprises are surging."
— @elliotkirschner.bsky.social
Venality and Vanity
Painting the full picture of a despotic regime
substack.com
February 7, 2026 at 7:31 PM
"The outrages of this regime are no longer defying the laws of political gravity. . . .
"Voices of dissent are becoming bolder and more courageous. Poll numbers are plummeting. Election surprises are surging."
— @elliotkirschner.bsky.social
"Voices of dissent are becoming bolder and more courageous. Poll numbers are plummeting. Election surprises are surging."
— @elliotkirschner.bsky.social
Savvy insights into how "the Epstein files mix the mundane and the horrific, the thirsty and the criminal."
"Many of the emails show a world that includes a form of status upselling."
"Many of the emails show a world that includes a form of status upselling."
February 7, 2026 at 6:46 PM
Savvy insights into how "the Epstein files mix the mundane and the horrific, the thirsty and the criminal."
"Many of the emails show a world that includes a form of status upselling."
"Many of the emails show a world that includes a form of status upselling."
"One retiring House Republican told @semafor.com that Trump's post depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes validated the choice to leave.
"Not long after that, Nevada Rep. Mark Amodei announced his retirement — the 2nd House Republican this week to do so, and the 30th of this election cycle."
"Not long after that, Nevada Rep. Mark Amodei announced his retirement — the 2nd House Republican this week to do so, and the 30th of this election cycle."
Domestic challenges mount for Trump
From social media posting to immigration to the midterms, the president is on the back foot.
www.semafor.com
February 7, 2026 at 4:44 PM
"One retiring House Republican told @semafor.com that Trump's post depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes validated the choice to leave.
"Not long after that, Nevada Rep. Mark Amodei announced his retirement — the 2nd House Republican this week to do so, and the 30th of this election cycle."
"Not long after that, Nevada Rep. Mark Amodei announced his retirement — the 2nd House Republican this week to do so, and the 30th of this election cycle."
Iowa writer @lyz.bsky.social comments on the newspaper owner she calls Jeffeneezer Scrooge:
"Democracy doesn’t die in darkness; it dies in the hands of a man whose business practices would make robber barons blush."
"Democracy doesn’t die in darkness; it dies in the hands of a man whose business practices would make robber barons blush."
February 7, 2026 at 12:53 PM
Iowa writer @lyz.bsky.social comments on the newspaper owner she calls Jeffeneezer Scrooge:
"Democracy doesn’t die in darkness; it dies in the hands of a man whose business practices would make robber barons blush."
"Democracy doesn’t die in darkness; it dies in the hands of a man whose business practices would make robber barons blush."
"Moral outrage over the Trump administration’s brutality . . . has exploded as a political force over the past two months. The public is not on the side of the thugs. . . .
"The Trump/Miller assault on Minnesota has produced a huge, rapid backlash."
-- @paulkrugman.skystack.xyz
"The Trump/Miller assault on Minnesota has produced a huge, rapid backlash."
-- @paulkrugman.skystack.xyz
American Decency Still Lives
When pushed far enough, Americans will do the right thing
paulkrugman.substack.com
February 7, 2026 at 12:11 PM
"Moral outrage over the Trump administration’s brutality . . . has exploded as a political force over the past two months. The public is not on the side of the thugs. . . .
"The Trump/Miller assault on Minnesota has produced a huge, rapid backlash."
-- @paulkrugman.skystack.xyz
"The Trump/Miller assault on Minnesota has produced a huge, rapid backlash."
-- @paulkrugman.skystack.xyz
"Boy am I glad this week is over.
"But maybe it's not. Who knows what he’ll do overnight?"
— @lktiv.bsky.social
"But maybe it's not. Who knows what he’ll do overnight?"
— @lktiv.bsky.social
Afraid for my country
I was going to use “No Words” as the title for this column and run the picture of Michelle and Barack Obama depicted as apes, but I decided not to reproduce that disgusting racist image from the loath...
luciantruscott.substack.com
February 7, 2026 at 2:48 AM
"Boy am I glad this week is over.
"But maybe it's not. Who knows what he’ll do overnight?"
— @lktiv.bsky.social
"But maybe it's not. Who knows what he’ll do overnight?"
— @lktiv.bsky.social
"Trump is some kind of malign surgeon, operating on the nation's perfectly healthy architectural and cultural treasures and removing essential limbs like the East Wing of the White House or shuttering the Kennedy Center."
— @joycewhitevance.bsky.social substack.com/home/post/p-...
— @joycewhitevance.bsky.social substack.com/home/post/p-...
February 7, 2026 at 1:56 AM
"Trump is some kind of malign surgeon, operating on the nation's perfectly healthy architectural and cultural treasures and removing essential limbs like the East Wing of the White House or shuttering the Kennedy Center."
— @joycewhitevance.bsky.social substack.com/home/post/p-...
— @joycewhitevance.bsky.social substack.com/home/post/p-...
"Turning Point USA is raging mad because the NFL decided to have a wildly popular pop star, Bad Bunny, perform at the halftime show. . . .
"That’s right, Bad Bunny is coming to our country! From Puerto Rico, which is also our country! To steal our country!"
-- @lyz.bsky.social [1/2]
"That’s right, Bad Bunny is coming to our country! From Puerto Rico, which is also our country! To steal our country!"
-- @lyz.bsky.social [1/2]
Dingus of the week: TPUSA’s halftime show | Men Yell at Me by Lyz Lenz
Get more from Men Yell at Me by Lyz Lenz on Patreon
www.patreon.com
February 6, 2026 at 11:03 PM
"Turning Point USA is raging mad because the NFL decided to have a wildly popular pop star, Bad Bunny, perform at the halftime show. . . .
"That’s right, Bad Bunny is coming to our country! From Puerto Rico, which is also our country! To steal our country!"
-- @lyz.bsky.social [1/2]
"That’s right, Bad Bunny is coming to our country! From Puerto Rico, which is also our country! To steal our country!"
-- @lyz.bsky.social [1/2]
@paulkrugman.substack.com.web.brid.gy wonders "how many bitterly disillusioned [crypto]bros there will be now."
"The whole 'Say what you like about Trump, but markets are up' mindset must be under severe strain.
"Are we having fun yet?"
"The whole 'Say what you like about Trump, but markets are up' mindset must be under severe strain.
"Are we having fun yet?"
Cryptocrash
Notes on an interesting day
paulkrugman.substack.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:41 PM
@paulkrugman.substack.com.web.brid.gy wonders "how many bitterly disillusioned [crypto]bros there will be now."
"The whole 'Say what you like about Trump, but markets are up' mindset must be under severe strain.
"Are we having fun yet?"
"The whole 'Say what you like about Trump, but markets are up' mindset must be under severe strain.
"Are we having fun yet?"
"It is a sign of these unprecedented times that we even have to explain who runs elections, that we need to protect this constitutional guarantee against presidential overreach."
-- @thedanrather.bsky.social
-- @thedanrather.bsky.social
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Cheat
Trump is trying every trick in the book to subvert the midterms
steady.substack.com
February 6, 2026 at 8:55 PM
"It is a sign of these unprecedented times that we even have to explain who runs elections, that we need to protect this constitutional guarantee against presidential overreach."
-- @thedanrather.bsky.social
-- @thedanrather.bsky.social
"In 2017, The Post adopted the motto 'Democracy dies in darkness.' Now [Jeff] Bezos is the one with his hand on the light switch."
-- @elliotkirschner.bsky.social
-- @elliotkirschner.bsky.social
Darkness at The Washington Post
We need great journalism
elliotkirschner.substack.com
February 6, 2026 at 7:52 PM
"In 2017, The Post adopted the motto 'Democracy dies in darkness.' Now [Jeff] Bezos is the one with his hand on the light switch."
-- @elliotkirschner.bsky.social
-- @elliotkirschner.bsky.social
Book reviewer @roncharles.bsky.social, laid off Wednesday after 20 years at The Washington Post, reacts wryly (in part):
"For book critics, getting laid off is practically a rite of passage — usually the last rite of the final passage."
"For book critics, getting laid off is practically a rite of passage — usually the last rite of the final passage."
I’ve Been Laid Off. I’m Not Done.
After 20 years at The Washington Post, I’m suddenly on my own — and still writing about books.
substack.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:47 PM
Book reviewer @roncharles.bsky.social, laid off Wednesday after 20 years at The Washington Post, reacts wryly (in part):
"For book critics, getting laid off is practically a rite of passage — usually the last rite of the final passage."
"For book critics, getting laid off is practically a rite of passage — usually the last rite of the final passage."
"When [Steve] Bannon, Donald Trump or anyone from MAGA world talks about 'protecting' elections or 'guarding their integrity,' remember this is precisely the language used by the architects of Jim Crow: the purification of the ballot to produce outcomes they deemed legit"
- @charlesmblow.bsky.social
- @charlesmblow.bsky.social
Bannon Wants ICE at the Polls. We Should All Be Terrified of What That Would Mean.
We have had armed men at voting polls before in America. It was at the dawn of Jim Crow.
substack.com
February 6, 2026 at 4:55 PM
"When [Steve] Bannon, Donald Trump or anyone from MAGA world talks about 'protecting' elections or 'guarding their integrity,' remember this is precisely the language used by the architects of Jim Crow: the purification of the ballot to produce outcomes they deemed legit"
- @charlesmblow.bsky.social
- @charlesmblow.bsky.social
Voice from The Washington Post's trenches:
"The same people who were telling us to break the paradigm, to think of 'the newspaper' in a new way, were unable to look at these things in a new way. . . . Guess what? Their way didn’t work."
-- John Kelly, Postie from 1989-2023 [1/2]
"The same people who were telling us to break the paradigm, to think of 'the newspaper' in a new way, were unable to look at these things in a new way. . . . Guess what? Their way didn’t work."
-- John Kelly, Postie from 1989-2023 [1/2]
All the newsprint that's fit to blame
The Washington Post's digital eggheads failed in a lot of ways. Their conflation of 'local' with 'print' bothers me the most.
johnkellyswashington.substack.com
February 6, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Voice from The Washington Post's trenches:
"The same people who were telling us to break the paradigm, to think of 'the newspaper' in a new way, were unable to look at these things in a new way. . . . Guess what? Their way didn’t work."
-- John Kelly, Postie from 1989-2023 [1/2]
"The same people who were telling us to break the paradigm, to think of 'the newspaper' in a new way, were unable to look at these things in a new way. . . . Guess what? Their way didn’t work."
-- John Kelly, Postie from 1989-2023 [1/2]
This sharpie eviscerates Sen. Collins for watchging silently as the president denigrated Kaitlan Collins.
"Susan Collins is always deeply concerned and troubled, which in practice means she stages concern the way other people stage interpretive yoga—stretching just enough to look engaged..." [1/2]
"Susan Collins is always deeply concerned and troubled, which in practice means she stages concern the way other people stage interpretive yoga—stretching just enough to look engaged..." [1/2]
February 6, 2026 at 1:18 PM
This sharpie eviscerates Sen. Collins for watchging silently as the president denigrated Kaitlan Collins.
"Susan Collins is always deeply concerned and troubled, which in practice means she stages concern the way other people stage interpretive yoga—stretching just enough to look engaged..." [1/2]
"Susan Collins is always deeply concerned and troubled, which in practice means she stages concern the way other people stage interpretive yoga—stretching just enough to look engaged..." [1/2]
Margaret Sullivan (@sulliview.bsky.social), Washington Post media columnist from 2016-22, tells @jenrubin.bsky.social at @contrariannews.org that its losses are "not something that requires you to wreck the paper"
She's also mystified that “Bezos has uttered no words about this” week's mass layoffs
She's also mystified that “Bezos has uttered no words about this” week's mass layoffs
RIP The Washington Post
Margaret Sullivan reveals how Jeff Bezos sold out to Trump.
contrarian.substack.com
February 6, 2026 at 2:38 AM
Margaret Sullivan (@sulliview.bsky.social), Washington Post media columnist from 2016-22, tells @jenrubin.bsky.social at @contrariannews.org that its losses are "not something that requires you to wreck the paper"
She's also mystified that “Bezos has uttered no words about this” week's mass layoffs
She's also mystified that “Bezos has uttered no words about this” week's mass layoffs