chbarts
@chbarts.bsky.social
Pronouns he/him
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This profile is funded by grants from the National Endowment for the Inanities.
Style for use with Stylus to get Bsky to use a serif font (at least on desktop), so you can tell Weird Al from Weird AI:
https://userstyles.world/style/18544
Pinned
Reposted by chbarts
Between this and the British dude saying "you should try having a monarchy, they're dictator-proof" in @figgityfigs.bsky.social's mentions yesterday, I'm good.
January 19, 2026 at 1:22 AM
Between this and the British dude saying "you should try having a monarchy, they're dictator-proof" in @figgityfigs.bsky.social's mentions yesterday, I'm good.
Reposted by chbarts
You know, I think I've actually had my fill of Europeans whose understanding of US politics is largely drawn from pop culture entertainment products sounding off on what the minority party in our current government should do, thanks.
January 19, 2026 at 1:19 AM
You know, I think I've actually had my fill of Europeans whose understanding of US politics is largely drawn from pop culture entertainment products sounding off on what the minority party in our current government should do, thanks.
Reposted by chbarts
also a shadow cabinet only works because the actual cabinet agrees that it is real and that shadow minster has the right to face and question the real minster, just declaring yourself the shadow Secretary of Labor is silly play acting
Shadow cabinets do not exist in the presidential system. That is not a thing.
Democrats could act like a real opposition party, refusing to validate Trump malfeasance with votes, and setting up a shadow cabinet that regularly communicates how Democrats would be different. But nah.
It’s not only a majority of Democratic voters that hate this approach. US allies see it too.
It’s not only a majority of Democratic voters that hate this approach. US allies see it too.
January 19, 2026 at 1:38 AM
also a shadow cabinet only works because the actual cabinet agrees that it is real and that shadow minster has the right to face and question the real minster, just declaring yourself the shadow Secretary of Labor is silly play acting
Reposted by chbarts
Shadow cabinets do not exist in the presidential system. That is not a thing.
Democrats could act like a real opposition party, refusing to validate Trump malfeasance with votes, and setting up a shadow cabinet that regularly communicates how Democrats would be different. But nah.
It’s not only a majority of Democratic voters that hate this approach. US allies see it too.
It’s not only a majority of Democratic voters that hate this approach. US allies see it too.
The incredibly lukewarm Democratic response on Greenland is being noticed in Europe, incidentally.
Chuck Schumer not finding a stronger word than “quixotic” for Trump’s plan to seize Greenland has been name checked to me more than once.
Chuck Schumer not finding a stronger word than “quixotic” for Trump’s plan to seize Greenland has been name checked to me more than once.
January 19, 2026 at 1:10 AM
Shadow cabinets do not exist in the presidential system. That is not a thing.
Reposted by chbarts
On this date in 1994 (which was 12 years ago, obviously) the first episode of The Day Today was broadcast on BBC2.
January 19, 2026 at 7:24 AM
On this date in 1994 (which was 12 years ago, obviously) the first episode of The Day Today was broadcast on BBC2.
Reposted by chbarts
And lets not forget Schumer actually being so stymieing in the Senate that GOP Sens ran whining to the WSJ about how unfair it was and Thune had to upend Senate rules to take away Schumer and Dems' ability to grind the Senate to a halt.
January 19, 2026 at 7:00 AM
And lets not forget Schumer actually being so stymieing in the Senate that GOP Sens ran whining to the WSJ about how unfair it was and Thune had to upend Senate rules to take away Schumer and Dems' ability to grind the Senate to a halt.
Reposted by chbarts
Johnson has basically been forced to shut the House down to prevent his caucus from having to take votes that will harm them in the midterms and Jeffries has also forced multiple discharge petitions through on key matters fought hard by the White House.
January 19, 2026 at 6:42 AM
Johnson has basically been forced to shut the House down to prevent his caucus from having to take votes that will harm them in the midterms and Jeffries has also forced multiple discharge petitions through on key matters fought hard by the White House.
Reposted by chbarts
My (gender of your preference) in Christ Jeffries has spent the past couple of months repeatedly humiliating Mike Johnson. Just because he doesn't push the dopamine button nonstop doesn't mean that he isn't aggressively working in opposition.
January 19, 2026 at 6:41 AM
My (gender of your preference) in Christ Jeffries has spent the past couple of months repeatedly humiliating Mike Johnson. Just because he doesn't push the dopamine button nonstop doesn't mean that he isn't aggressively working in opposition.
Reposted by chbarts
This is an issue in particular with Schumer because, other than also being super old, he is an extremely effective whip who is currently obviously doing whip things to try and get to 67 potential votes on impeachment if Greenland happens, and you do not ask a whip to do comms for a reason.
January 19, 2026 at 6:39 AM
This is an issue in particular with Schumer because, other than also being super old, he is an extremely effective whip who is currently obviously doing whip things to try and get to 67 potential votes on impeachment if Greenland happens, and you do not ask a whip to do comms for a reason.
Reposted by chbarts
Which is an extension of both parties (but especially the Dems) being a coalition of what would be individual parties anywhere else, that we call a party despite it being legally barred from doing a bunch of stuff parties do elsewhere
January 19, 2026 at 6:40 AM
Which is an extension of both parties (but especially the Dems) being a coalition of what would be individual parties anywhere else, that we call a party despite it being legally barred from doing a bunch of stuff parties do elsewhere
Reposted by chbarts
The core issue is that our congressional leaders in the modern system are actually whips, despite whips also existing.
So everyone abroad looks to Jeffries as, say, the leader of the opposition, when in reality he is the opposition whip.
So everyone abroad looks to Jeffries as, say, the leader of the opposition, when in reality he is the opposition whip.
January 19, 2026 at 6:38 AM
The core issue is that our congressional leaders in the modern system are actually whips, despite whips also existing.
So everyone abroad looks to Jeffries as, say, the leader of the opposition, when in reality he is the opposition whip.
So everyone abroad looks to Jeffries as, say, the leader of the opposition, when in reality he is the opposition whip.
Reposted by chbarts
A lot of criticism Schumer gets is based on people (in the public and the media) expecting him to be a national leader, when he's only a leader of 47 people.
His caucus is his job, and for that job his failings as a national spokesman are irrelevant.
His caucus is his job, and for that job his failings as a national spokesman are irrelevant.
January 19, 2026 at 6:48 AM
A lot of criticism Schumer gets is based on people (in the public and the media) expecting him to be a national leader, when he's only a leader of 47 people.
His caucus is his job, and for that job his failings as a national spokesman are irrelevant.
His caucus is his job, and for that job his failings as a national spokesman are irrelevant.
Reposted by chbarts
It's the eternal problem of "we need the leader of the party to do a politics" and that position not being a thing that actually exists in the US system in the way the rest of the world expects it
January 19, 2026 at 6:36 AM
It's the eternal problem of "we need the leader of the party to do a politics" and that position not being a thing that actually exists in the US system in the way the rest of the world expects it
Reposted by chbarts
Dems on SFRC have (for once) been saying all the right things unequivocally; if this is something that could have realistically been changed by Dems vs inevitable spleen venting, I think it's explainable by the recurrent misunderstanding of how the US Senate functions as opposed to normal politics
The incredibly lukewarm Democratic response on Greenland is being noticed in Europe, incidentally.
Chuck Schumer not finding a stronger word than “quixotic” for Trump’s plan to seize Greenland has been name checked to me more than once.
Chuck Schumer not finding a stronger word than “quixotic” for Trump’s plan to seize Greenland has been name checked to me more than once.
But Americans who want to save the alliance with Europe must have no illusions about how bad a condition this transatlantic partnership is in.
January 19, 2026 at 6:29 AM
Dems on SFRC have (for once) been saying all the right things unequivocally; if this is something that could have realistically been changed by Dems vs inevitable spleen venting, I think it's explainable by the recurrent misunderstanding of how the US Senate functions as opposed to normal politics
Reposted by chbarts
Case in point: The glorious revolution happened because the king of the time James II wanted to be religiously tolerant. It lead to the English literally deciding to kick him out of his daughter and her DUTCH husband. They hated Catholics enough to let a Dutch man be king
January 19, 2026 at 6:18 AM
Case in point: The glorious revolution happened because the king of the time James II wanted to be religiously tolerant. It lead to the English literally deciding to kick him out of his daughter and her DUTCH husband. They hated Catholics enough to let a Dutch man be king
Reposted by chbarts
I’m gonna pistol whip the next person who says shenanigans.
January 19, 2026 at 6:22 AM
I’m gonna pistol whip the next person who says shenanigans.
Reposted by chbarts
everyone is 12
January 19, 2026 at 6:13 AM
everyone is 12
Reposted by chbarts
AND THEY ARE DOING IT. Lots of Democrats are decrying it but this site is ignoring it. They're screaming about an interview Schumer did. interview means it wasn't right away. This is all just screaming into the void that they want things to be better and I get it but this is just doomspiraling
January 19, 2026 at 5:58 AM
AND THEY ARE DOING IT. Lots of Democrats are decrying it but this site is ignoring it. They're screaming about an interview Schumer did. interview means it wasn't right away. This is all just screaming into the void that they want things to be better and I get it but this is just doomspiraling
Reposted by chbarts
A whole bunch of y'all need to log the fuck off tonight, reading the latest dribbles from Trump's melted brain is causing some of y'all to spin the everliving fuck out.
January 19, 2026 at 5:37 AM
A whole bunch of y'all need to log the fuck off tonight, reading the latest dribbles from Trump's melted brain is causing some of y'all to spin the everliving fuck out.
Reposted by chbarts
This this fucking *this*, what in the actual fuck is wrong with people tonight?
Literally no government on earth will save a civil society if it's dead set on suicide!
Literally no government on earth will save a civil society if it's dead set on suicide!
The thing is, there is no form of government that can function if enough people want to break it. Systems are put into operation by humans, and as long as they are, humans will be able to break them.
People need a plan that does not depend on Democrats winning elections forever.
Your plan for American democracy needs to work even if different parties win the presidency and Congress over time.
Democracy is a system in which people have freedom, participate equally, and power alternates.
Your plan for American democracy needs to work even if different parties win the presidency and Congress over time.
Democracy is a system in which people have freedom, participate equally, and power alternates.
January 19, 2026 at 5:34 AM
This this fucking *this*, what in the actual fuck is wrong with people tonight?
Literally no government on earth will save a civil society if it's dead set on suicide!
Literally no government on earth will save a civil society if it's dead set on suicide!
Reposted by chbarts
it's just desperation. They want the end of the story. They want all the bad things to go away without any worry. I get that feeling but that's not happening unless we throw away Democracy or we do some digusting population manipulation
January 19, 2026 at 6:06 AM
it's just desperation. They want the end of the story. They want all the bad things to go away without any worry. I get that feeling but that's not happening unless we throw away Democracy or we do some digusting population manipulation
Reposted by chbarts
"we need a form of government that doesn't depend on good people winning elections consistently"
Are you out of your goddamn mind?
We can have other parties! That's entirely fine! We just cannot have MAGA/Republicans!
Are you out of your goddamn mind?
We can have other parties! That's entirely fine! We just cannot have MAGA/Republicans!
People need a plan that does not depend on Democrats winning elections forever.
Your plan for American democracy needs to work even if different parties win the presidency and Congress over time.
Democracy is a system in which people have freedom, participate equally, and power alternates.
Your plan for American democracy needs to work even if different parties win the presidency and Congress over time.
Democracy is a system in which people have freedom, participate equally, and power alternates.
January 19, 2026 at 5:33 AM
"we need a form of government that doesn't depend on good people winning elections consistently"
Are you out of your goddamn mind?
We can have other parties! That's entirely fine! We just cannot have MAGA/Republicans!
Are you out of your goddamn mind?
We can have other parties! That's entirely fine! We just cannot have MAGA/Republicans!
Reposted by chbarts
It’s one of those “I feel like I’m taking crazy pills” things: the fact that anything in a Democracy can be undone is a feature, not a bug! It’s specifically to avoid the calcified generational rule of a monarchy, or any approximation of that!
January 19, 2026 at 6:03 AM
It’s one of those “I feel like I’m taking crazy pills” things: the fact that anything in a Democracy can be undone is a feature, not a bug! It’s specifically to avoid the calcified generational rule of a monarchy, or any approximation of that!
Reposted by chbarts
For the record he was more or less completely right. Inflation was transitory and due to a supply shock rather than Biden's policies, we clearly held up better than any peer economies, and the people getting the most out of Biden were mostly the bottom two income quintiles
January 18, 2026 at 10:02 PM
For the record he was more or less completely right. Inflation was transitory and due to a supply shock rather than Biden's policies, we clearly held up better than any peer economies, and the people getting the most out of Biden were mostly the bottom two income quintiles
Reposted by chbarts
Stancil: Liberal YIMBY who was roundly hated when he was arguing with literally everyone on the internet as he was trying to defend Biden on cost-of-living issues. Ran for office once. Now doing hardcore praxis on the road in Minneapolis against ICE.
January 18, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Stancil: Liberal YIMBY who was roundly hated when he was arguing with literally everyone on the internet as he was trying to defend Biden on cost-of-living issues. Ran for office once. Now doing hardcore praxis on the road in Minneapolis against ICE.