Pinned
Why are some liberals turning Charlie Kirk into a martyr for liberal democracy?
Holding him up as a champion of dialogue paints him in a false light to millions who might only know him in death, writes Lindsay Beyerstein.
www.editorialboard.com
My latest: Charlie Kirk was a gutter bigot who built his career on censorship and bussed insurrectionists to the Capitol on J6. Why are liberals like Ezra Klein trying to paint him as a paragon of reason and dialogue?
There’s also a long tradition of conservatives seeing foreign aid as a communist plot—even though it propped up more far right regimes than far left ones.
The last four words are also important here. The USAID cuts should primarily be seen as a eugenicist project. Elon Musk and the far right, generally, believe that foreign aid is a part of the Great Replacement.
This thought has been lingering in my head for a while but this tweet prompted me to write it out.
December 29, 2025 at 8:47 PM
There’s also a long tradition of conservatives seeing foreign aid as a communist plot—even though it propped up more far right regimes than far left ones.
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
very hard to imagine trump protecting a friend, esp when it's not politically expedient. outside of his children, he's treated every relationship as disposable or transactional, in service of self-gain or self-preservation.
December 29, 2025 at 7:56 PM
very hard to imagine trump protecting a friend, esp when it's not politically expedient. outside of his children, he's treated every relationship as disposable or transactional, in service of self-gain or self-preservation.
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
honestly I think it’s heartwarming that it’s still possible to milkshake duck as an internationally known icon posthumously at age 91
Chappell Roan shares follow-up story after deleting Brigitte Bardot tribute post:
“Holy shit i did not know all that insane shit Ms. Bardot stood for obvs I do not condone this. very disappointing to learn.”
“Holy shit i did not know all that insane shit Ms. Bardot stood for obvs I do not condone this. very disappointing to learn.”
December 29, 2025 at 8:04 PM
honestly I think it’s heartwarming that it’s still possible to milkshake duck as an internationally known icon posthumously at age 91
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
never taken a dime from a billionaire, I merely *incidentally* profited by publishing a complete horseshit story a billionaire wanted published, on the condition I do it on the platform he owns, so that I could convert the attention into subscribers on a different billionaire-funded platform
a lot of dumb dumbs at the Atlantic, but man, Caitlin Flanagan is on another level
December 29, 2025 at 6:45 PM
never taken a dime from a billionaire, I merely *incidentally* profited by publishing a complete horseshit story a billionaire wanted published, on the condition I do it on the platform he owns, so that I could convert the attention into subscribers on a different billionaire-funded platform
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
If only we had this thing called the United States Intelligence Community that could advise the old man.
Trump to a reporter: "You're saying maybe the attack didn't place? That's possible too I guess. But President Putin told me this morning it did."
December 29, 2025 at 6:47 PM
If only we had this thing called the United States Intelligence Community that could advise the old man.
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
How we beat back the corporate takeover of America:
1. Break up corporate monopolies
2. Continue building union power
3. End Citizens United and get big money out of politics
Let’s keep working to unrig the system.
1. Break up corporate monopolies
2. Continue building union power
3. End Citizens United and get big money out of politics
Let’s keep working to unrig the system.
December 29, 2025 at 7:00 PM
How we beat back the corporate takeover of America:
1. Break up corporate monopolies
2. Continue building union power
3. End Citizens United and get big money out of politics
Let’s keep working to unrig the system.
1. Break up corporate monopolies
2. Continue building union power
3. End Citizens United and get big money out of politics
Let’s keep working to unrig the system.
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
I went to Texas to write about the sudden end of one of America's most successful experiments: the six decades of welcoming India's most educated and ambitious citizens. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/o...
Opinion | One of America’s Most Successful Experiments Is Coming to a Shuddering Halt
www.nytimes.com
December 29, 2025 at 7:25 PM
I went to Texas to write about the sudden end of one of America's most successful experiments: the six decades of welcoming India's most educated and ambitious citizens. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/o...
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
"Norman Rockwell was antifa," his granddaughter says. (Fact check: literally true.)
www.thebulwark.com/p/norman-roc...
www.thebulwark.com/p/norman-roc...
The MAGAfication of Norman Rockwell
Trump uses the artist’s work—like other cultural icons—to promote Gestapo tactics and nativist ideas.
www.thebulwark.com
December 29, 2025 at 3:54 AM
"Norman Rockwell was antifa," his granddaughter says. (Fact check: literally true.)
www.thebulwark.com/p/norman-roc...
www.thebulwark.com/p/norman-roc...
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
The Russians have tried to assassinate Zelensky many times. Never seems to have bothered Trump.
Trump on a report that Ukraine tried to strike Putin's residence: "I don't like it. It's not good. I heard about it this morning. You know who told me about it? President Putin told me about it ... I was very angry about it."
December 29, 2025 at 6:50 PM
The Russians have tried to assassinate Zelensky many times. Never seems to have bothered Trump.
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
Look, I'm not "excusing Medicare fraud", I'm simply pointing out the fact that when Republican Rick Scott was caught doing it you silly fuckers elected him to the United States Senate
December 29, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Look, I'm not "excusing Medicare fraud", I'm simply pointing out the fact that when Republican Rick Scott was caught doing it you silly fuckers elected him to the United States Senate
Remittance of sins and forgiveness of debts, lads!
The funniest part is that the whole point of funding the crusades was to send your potential sources of domestic political instability (loud, violent lunatics) off on a mission where, worst case scenario, they were out of your hair for several years or, best case scenario, they died.
Far-right groups are co-opting the aesthetics of the Crusades for their own objectives, transforming an obsession with feudal justice into a campaign for a White Christian nation.
December 29, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Remittance of sins and forgiveness of debts, lads!
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
You FUCKED UP, your LEFTY politics have ALIENATED the BILLIONAIRES who run the CHILD BONE EXTRACTION FACTORIES and now they will do a MASS EXODUS from your STATE or CITY. Don’t CRY to ME when you no longer see their CHILD CATCHING VANS in your STATE or CITY, YOU IDIOT
December 29, 2025 at 7:20 PM
You FUCKED UP, your LEFTY politics have ALIENATED the BILLIONAIRES who run the CHILD BONE EXTRACTION FACTORIES and now they will do a MASS EXODUS from your STATE or CITY. Don’t CRY to ME when you no longer see their CHILD CATCHING VANS in your STATE or CITY, YOU IDIOT
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
I simply cannot take popularism remotely seriously when nobody involved even tries to answer the question "what happened to keir starmer"
at best they point to a few policies they don't like, but "move right on social issues and immigration" is his main platform and look what fucking happened!
at best they point to a few policies they don't like, but "move right on social issues and immigration" is his main platform and look what fucking happened!
Keir Starmer was the model for centrists and popularists who insisted that moving right on issues, especially immigration, is how you win at politics.
Wonder if there will ever be any self-reflection here! Ah well nevertheless
Wonder if there will ever be any self-reflection here! Ah well nevertheless
December 29, 2025 at 5:19 PM
I simply cannot take popularism remotely seriously when nobody involved even tries to answer the question "what happened to keir starmer"
at best they point to a few policies they don't like, but "move right on social issues and immigration" is his main platform and look what fucking happened!
at best they point to a few policies they don't like, but "move right on social issues and immigration" is his main platform and look what fucking happened!
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
not too late for a flu shot btw, flu historically often peaks in february and by all accounts it is pretty bad this year
Flu deaths exceeded COVID deaths last winter and we may be on track for the same thing this year!
I can speak anecdotally that at the hospital I work at we’ve had very low covid census. We test anyone experiencing respiratory symptoms, and we’ve had very few people with Covid who have needed to be hospitalized. Which is a relief because we are absolutely inundated with flu rn
December 29, 2025 at 5:20 PM
not too late for a flu shot btw, flu historically often peaks in february and by all accounts it is pretty bad this year
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
This is MTG'w bill. She personally authored. It's happening now, not in the past.
Spare me her redemption arc.
Spare me her redemption arc.
December 29, 2025 at 6:37 PM
This is MTG'w bill. She personally authored. It's happening now, not in the past.
Spare me her redemption arc.
Spare me her redemption arc.
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
“Is he dead yet?” should be the first question asked at every White House press conference.
“OK, but it’s happening soon, right?” should be the second.
And then maybe “how fucked are you all once he’s dead and can’t pardon you anymore?” if they’re still at the lectern
“OK, but it’s happening soon, right?” should be the second.
And then maybe “how fucked are you all once he’s dead and can’t pardon you anymore?” if they’re still at the lectern
December 29, 2025 at 6:41 PM
“Is he dead yet?” should be the first question asked at every White House press conference.
“OK, but it’s happening soon, right?” should be the second.
And then maybe “how fucked are you all once he’s dead and can’t pardon you anymore?” if they’re still at the lectern
“OK, but it’s happening soon, right?” should be the second.
And then maybe “how fucked are you all once he’s dead and can’t pardon you anymore?” if they’re still at the lectern
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
This, combined with "vice signaling" (taking pride in antisocial behavior) has given us the reign of the Stupid Asshole, something most people are against, but can only be remedied if we're not too polite to talk about it
An essential development over the past decade-plus is that the ignorant went from feeling chastened when their ignorance was revealed to banding together and deciding that, actually, they were right. They might disagree at times, but they agreed that ignorance itself was an indicator of trust.
December 29, 2025 at 6:46 PM
This, combined with "vice signaling" (taking pride in antisocial behavior) has given us the reign of the Stupid Asshole, something most people are against, but can only be remedied if we're not too polite to talk about it
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
2025 recapped
December 29, 2025 at 5:46 PM
2025 recapped
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
Speaking of typos, someone should direct Ms. Dhillon to U.S. v. Murphy, 406 F.3d 857, 859 n.1 (7th Cir. 2005), aka the greatest footnote in appellate court history.
scholar.google.com/scholar_case...
scholar.google.com/scholar_case...
December 29, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Speaking of typos, someone should direct Ms. Dhillon to U.S. v. Murphy, 406 F.3d 857, 859 n.1 (7th Cir. 2005), aka the greatest footnote in appellate court history.
scholar.google.com/scholar_case...
scholar.google.com/scholar_case...
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
I’m not buying MTG’s repentance shtick but I’ll happily take the dirt she’s dishing in hopes we’ll buy it.
December 29, 2025 at 5:56 PM
I’m not buying MTG’s repentance shtick but I’ll happily take the dirt she’s dishing in hopes we’ll buy it.
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
How stochastic terrorism works - Trump leverages the threats he induces against even Marjorie Taylor Greene's family www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/m... One important reason that so many Rs are scared to challenge him.
December 29, 2025 at 6:10 PM
How stochastic terrorism works - Trump leverages the threats he induces against even Marjorie Taylor Greene's family www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/m... One important reason that so many Rs are scared to challenge him.
Going to the Pearl Harbor memorial today. Hope the 24th Infantry gets a shout-out on the tour.
December 29, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Going to the Pearl Harbor memorial today. Hope the 24th Infantry gets a shout-out on the tour.
Reposted by Lindsay Beyerstein
I appreciate the forthright acknowledgement of the mistake from the author, and look forward to decisive action by @princetonupress.bsky.social to correct this error, and any others, that made it past their robust editorial process.
December 29, 2025 at 5:36 PM
I appreciate the forthright acknowledgement of the mistake from the author, and look forward to decisive action by @princetonupress.bsky.social to correct this error, and any others, that made it past their robust editorial process.
