Riggs
@bigrigg47.bsky.social
Bad at video games, but I play too many of them anyway (I do not play league! the banner is a lie!)
occasionally work on stuff on riggsmarkham.com
occasionally work on stuff on riggsmarkham.com
Reposted by Riggs
my increasingly curmudgeonly take is that we all, in fact, have responsibilities. politics isn't an arena for self-actualization. it's an arena for public service. this is as true of voters as it is of politicians.
Ps: a common refrain that you'll hear is that "you're saying the Dems can't be at fault, it's the voters, as if the voters owe something to politicians and not the other way around!"
Yes, actually, that's how the social contract of democracy works. Voters yet the government they work for. Or don't.
Yes, actually, that's how the social contract of democracy works. Voters yet the government they work for. Or don't.
January 29, 2026 at 5:10 PM
my increasingly curmudgeonly take is that we all, in fact, have responsibilities. politics isn't an arena for self-actualization. it's an arena for public service. this is as true of voters as it is of politicians.
Thinking about Katyn nowadays
January 25, 2026 at 10:16 AM
Thinking about Katyn nowadays
“This is very American” is just as false and vacuous as “this is un-American”. Nations have no inherent ideology or character; patriotism and anti-patriotism alike require a constructed nation. Defining America by historical oppression is no more accurate than defining it by aspirational ideals.
I fear my tipping point into madness is "Thus is un-American" posts in response to ICE terrorizing immigrants. I beg you to open Wikipedia (I would say a book but let's start small) and read up on The Trail of Tears, Fugitive Slave Catchers, Japanese internment, Indian Boarding schools & Jim Crow
January 22, 2026 at 5:39 PM
“This is very American” is just as false and vacuous as “this is un-American”. Nations have no inherent ideology or character; patriotism and anti-patriotism alike require a constructed nation. Defining America by historical oppression is no more accurate than defining it by aspirational ideals.
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There is no salvation in abdication. I was born with the blood of the system on my hands. When it acts, it acts in my name. I'm one of the small percentage of this earth given the power to vote on who it kills.
I was always culpable. The only question is can I be culpable in leaving it better.
I was always culpable. The only question is can I be culpable in leaving it better.
January 22, 2026 at 3:31 PM
There is no salvation in abdication. I was born with the blood of the system on my hands. When it acts, it acts in my name. I'm one of the small percentage of this earth given the power to vote on who it kills.
I was always culpable. The only question is can I be culpable in leaving it better.
I was always culpable. The only question is can I be culpable in leaving it better.
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the key to understanding today's moment in journalism is specifically a subset of elite journos at NYT/Free Press/WaPo who basically adopt the position of the main character of NIGHTCRAWLER (2014) when it comes to their role in the news
maybe a hot take but I think that journalists like Astead (if you can even call him that) should be focused on the fact that Trump has appointed a bunch of deranged antivaxxers instead of the fact that libs got vaccinated four years ago
October 31, 2025 at 1:50 AM
the key to understanding today's moment in journalism is specifically a subset of elite journos at NYT/Free Press/WaPo who basically adopt the position of the main character of NIGHTCRAWLER (2014) when it comes to their role in the news
Making some wikipedia edits
October 28, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Making some wikipedia edits
God, this game is incredible
October 28, 2025 at 5:56 AM
God, this game is incredible
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one thing i do not like about these days is that i am filled with hate for so many people
March 15, 2025 at 11:47 PM
one thing i do not like about these days is that i am filled with hate for so many people
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Yeah DHS has got to be repealed and replaced, which would actually be a great opportunity for some wider restructuring of American domestic security infra
October 6, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Yeah DHS has got to be repealed and replaced, which would actually be a great opportunity for some wider restructuring of American domestic security infra
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A lot of our liberal thought leaders are people who have only ever lived in liberal places, known liberal, leftist, and heterodox conservative people.
But among the rank and file liberals, we know conservatives and right-wing reactionaries. They are not mysterious to us. Klein is behind the curve.
But among the rank and file liberals, we know conservatives and right-wing reactionaries. They are not mysterious to us. Klein is behind the curve.
September 28, 2025 at 2:20 PM
A lot of our liberal thought leaders are people who have only ever lived in liberal places, known liberal, leftist, and heterodox conservative people.
But among the rank and file liberals, we know conservatives and right-wing reactionaries. They are not mysterious to us. Klein is behind the curve.
But among the rank and file liberals, we know conservatives and right-wing reactionaries. They are not mysterious to us. Klein is behind the curve.
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Kirk was a racist who thought black people shouldn’t be pilots. He thought women should be subservient to men. He hated MLK and the Civil Rights Act. He didn’t care about political violence against Paul Pelosi and Democrats. All his own words. You can deplore the shooting without honoring the man.
September 11, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Kirk was a racist who thought black people shouldn’t be pilots. He thought women should be subservient to men. He hated MLK and the Civil Rights Act. He didn’t care about political violence against Paul Pelosi and Democrats. All his own words. You can deplore the shooting without honoring the man.
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florida is the BSL-4 laboratory of democracy
September 3, 2025 at 6:53 PM
florida is the BSL-4 laboratory of democracy
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them: we dont want illegal immigrants
me: ok but they're net good
them: we want all those exact people in the country but legally
me: ok so just legalize them
them: no
me: ok but they're net good
them: we want all those exact people in the country but legally
me: ok so just legalize them
them: no
July 31, 2025 at 6:44 PM
them: we dont want illegal immigrants
me: ok but they're net good
them: we want all those exact people in the country but legally
me: ok so just legalize them
them: no
me: ok but they're net good
them: we want all those exact people in the country but legally
me: ok so just legalize them
them: no
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I do think what 2020 and 2024 and this administration has really hammered into me is there is no final victory and there is no final defeat, particularly in a democracy
I do think it's very true that American institutions are as degraded and brittle as they've been since the stresses of the Depression or worse, but I don't think they necessarily have to decline further. If anything the destruction that has been inflicted so far has cut the chains of path dependency
July 23, 2025 at 9:36 PM
I do think what 2020 and 2024 and this administration has really hammered into me is there is no final victory and there is no final defeat, particularly in a democracy
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Y-you- you’re thinking about this all wrong, as if I had the Epstein files back in a safe. The Epstein files aren’t here — the Epstein files are in Joe’s house, and Mrs. Menklin’s house, and a hundred others
July 17, 2025 at 5:18 AM
Y-you- you’re thinking about this all wrong, as if I had the Epstein files back in a safe. The Epstein files aren’t here — the Epstein files are in Joe’s house, and Mrs. Menklin’s house, and a hundred others
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The idea of the world being "disenchanted" once science and "rationality" take hold has never sat well with me. You want to tell me that people who lived in a time when demons were considered a legit cause of disease somehow felt more mystical about life? I don't buy it.
May 6, 2025 at 1:25 PM
The idea of the world being "disenchanted" once science and "rationality" take hold has never sat well with me. You want to tell me that people who lived in a time when demons were considered a legit cause of disease somehow felt more mystical about life? I don't buy it.
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He’s not playing chess, he’s eating the checkers
April 9, 2025 at 8:13 PM
He’s not playing chess, he’s eating the checkers
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a not totally inaccurate way to conceive of Trump is that he’s a pagan god of conspicuous consumption for certain types of americans. someone who you can appease with power and blood sacrifices in exchange for earthly pleasures
like they see the christian god as a wealth deity who showers mortals with material pleasures if they please him and that is so funny in light of the traditions it grew out of.
January 22, 2025 at 3:51 PM
a not totally inaccurate way to conceive of Trump is that he’s a pagan god of conspicuous consumption for certain types of americans. someone who you can appease with power and blood sacrifices in exchange for earthly pleasures
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I can’t believe this has to be said, but: You cannot tell the story of Jackie Robinson—as a ballplayer, serviceman, or human—without discussing our country’s history of racism.
From Around the Horn:
From Around the Horn:
March 19, 2025 at 9:33 PM
I can’t believe this has to be said, but: You cannot tell the story of Jackie Robinson—as a ballplayer, serviceman, or human—without discussing our country’s history of racism.
From Around the Horn:
From Around the Horn:
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to be a little more of a political scientist about this: the net winners of Biden economic policy were lower income workers, who didn't or couldn't connect their situation to politics, and the net losers were higher income workers and employers, who sure as hell did.
March 19, 2025 at 8:56 PM
to be a little more of a political scientist about this: the net winners of Biden economic policy were lower income workers, who didn't or couldn't connect their situation to politics, and the net losers were higher income workers and employers, who sure as hell did.
God, The Fugitive is fantastic.
March 19, 2025 at 5:18 AM
God, The Fugitive is fantastic.
Somebody should start a PAC to support primary challengers against every Democrat in Congress. I would donate at least $1k in a heartbeat.
March 14, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Somebody should start a PAC to support primary challengers against every Democrat in Congress. I would donate at least $1k in a heartbeat.