David Tobocman
@davidtobocman.bsky.social
Proud liberal / Optimist at large
My parents taught me to quietly obey police officers because of the high stakes involved in arguing with someone who has a gun.
But there are no higher stakes than resisting oppression. The Framers knew this and lived it. We are following their example.
But there are no higher stakes than resisting oppression. The Framers knew this and lived it. We are following their example.
January 11, 2026 at 3:55 PM
My parents taught me to quietly obey police officers because of the high stakes involved in arguing with someone who has a gun.
But there are no higher stakes than resisting oppression. The Framers knew this and lived it. We are following their example.
But there are no higher stakes than resisting oppression. The Framers knew this and lived it. We are following their example.
They WANT you to know that they are lying and that they WILL lie about anything. This regime will cover up your murder if you try to resist and if that doesn't work, they will pardon your murderer and they will walk free. This is Statism writ large. WE ARE HERE
January 9, 2026 at 10:41 PM
They WANT you to know that they are lying and that they WILL lie about anything. This regime will cover up your murder if you try to resist and if that doesn't work, they will pardon your murderer and they will walk free. This is Statism writ large. WE ARE HERE
I'm simultaneously enraged and bored. I mean, I've seen this movie before
January 5, 2026 at 3:01 AM
I'm simultaneously enraged and bored. I mean, I've seen this movie before
This is a humanism and it should be the main thrust of the Democratic Party messaging and brand. I wish it were.
December 17, 2025 at 4:13 AM
This is a humanism and it should be the main thrust of the Democratic Party messaging and brand. I wish it were.
Let me go on record predicting that JD Vance will divorce his wife (reason: she refuses to accept Jesus Christ as her personal savior), then marry Charlie Kirk's widow, run for president, and lose.
November 1, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Let me go on record predicting that JD Vance will divorce his wife (reason: she refuses to accept Jesus Christ as her personal savior), then marry Charlie Kirk's widow, run for president, and lose.
SNAP benefits equal only $2.84 per meal. The average cost of a modest meal is $3.41 (according to Google AI). How can someone "abuse" SNAP?
November 1, 2025 at 3:32 PM
SNAP benefits equal only $2.84 per meal. The average cost of a modest meal is $3.41 (according to Google AI). How can someone "abuse" SNAP?
A Progressive Party on the left lets the Democrats come out the closet as the corporatist-centrist party that they've always been. Without the other to de-authenticate each other’s message, both can draw votes away from MAGA. It’s way to break the coalition on the right that has enabled so much evil
October 15, 2025 at 4:45 PM
A Progressive Party on the left lets the Democrats come out the closet as the corporatist-centrist party that they've always been. Without the other to de-authenticate each other’s message, both can draw votes away from MAGA. It’s way to break the coalition on the right that has enabled so much evil
America needs a strategy to break MAGA's voting coalition. I propose three parties -- a Bernie/AOC-led authentic Progressive Party, an uncloseted centrist pro-corporate Democratic Party, and a far-right White Christian Nationalist MAGA party. Let the sorting begin!
October 5, 2025 at 9:55 AM
America needs a strategy to break MAGA's voting coalition. I propose three parties -- a Bernie/AOC-led authentic Progressive Party, an uncloseted centrist pro-corporate Democratic Party, and a far-right White Christian Nationalist MAGA party. Let the sorting begin!
Legal residents are right now being kidnapped and disappeared for expressing their political opinions in public, sometimes merely in print.
I ask you. Are we there yet?
I ask you. Are we there yet?
March 27, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Legal residents are right now being kidnapped and disappeared for expressing their political opinions in public, sometimes merely in print.
I ask you. Are we there yet?
I ask you. Are we there yet?
Hey, maybe Trump does in fact have a grand vision for the economy but he's not telling the people because it would be pitchfork time if we knew
March 16, 2025 at 5:54 AM
Hey, maybe Trump does in fact have a grand vision for the economy but he's not telling the people because it would be pitchfork time if we knew
A new Progressive people's party would pull young MAGA and non-voters who are craving something real. Dems can come out of the closet as corporate centrists and all pull "rational Republicans." The country is RIPE FOR IT his voters are waking up to MAGA's bait and switch. Chaos provides opportunity.
March 15, 2025 at 1:52 AM
A new Progressive people's party would pull young MAGA and non-voters who are craving something real. Dems can come out of the closet as corporate centrists and all pull "rational Republicans." The country is RIPE FOR IT his voters are waking up to MAGA's bait and switch. Chaos provides opportunity.
It’s a constant and you will see it over and over again. There is no value for human life. It's a messianic death cult and we are all just cannon fodder and collateral damage. Today the Trump regime cut 1B from schools and food banks, food for starving American kids.
This is no cold war. It's on.
This is no cold war. It's on.
March 13, 2025 at 1:26 AM
It’s a constant and you will see it over and over again. There is no value for human life. It's a messianic death cult and we are all just cannon fodder and collateral damage. Today the Trump regime cut 1B from schools and food banks, food for starving American kids.
This is no cold war. It's on.
This is no cold war. It's on.
Frank Zappa had a term for what we would one day see empowered in American government if we weren’t vigilant. Called it the Really Big Stupid.
March 12, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Frank Zappa had a term for what we would one day see empowered in American government if we weren’t vigilant. Called it the Really Big Stupid.
It’s misguided, self-serving, and ultimately lazy to criticize Chuck Schumer and Hakim Jeffries for not staging a revolt. That’s our job.
March 12, 2025 at 4:35 PM
It’s misguided, self-serving, and ultimately lazy to criticize Chuck Schumer and Hakim Jeffries for not staging a revolt. That’s our job.
And in a twist ending, America loses the Cold War
March 5, 2025 at 1:15 AM
And in a twist ending, America loses the Cold War
Retreating from the free world and siding with oppressive autocracies like Russia, China, and North Korea -- was this meant as a facile way to soften Americans up for giving up our personal freedoms at home? What is coming next?
March 1, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Retreating from the free world and siding with oppressive autocracies like Russia, China, and North Korea -- was this meant as a facile way to soften Americans up for giving up our personal freedoms at home? What is coming next?
“Waste, fraud, and abuse” is their new version of “weapons of mass destruction”
-- anonymous
-- anonymous
February 25, 2025 at 8:08 PM
“Waste, fraud, and abuse” is their new version of “weapons of mass destruction”
-- anonymous
-- anonymous
The impulse to try to squeeze poor people in order to find enough money to fund ANYTHING is just stupid and pointless on its face
February 24, 2025 at 6:57 PM
The impulse to try to squeeze poor people in order to find enough money to fund ANYTHING is just stupid and pointless on its face
"Fascism cannot be fact-checked"
-- Some smart person (not me)
-- Some smart person (not me)
February 20, 2025 at 8:29 PM
"Fascism cannot be fact-checked"
-- Some smart person (not me)
-- Some smart person (not me)
They may not all be racists but they all tolerate evil which makes all of them... evil
MAGA Outrage Over Tom Hanks’ ‘SNL50’ Sketch Is Understandable, Says Joy Behar: They Made ‘Anyone Who Voted for Trump Look Like a Racist’
Joy Behar understands why Donald Trump supports are outraged over Tom Hanks' appearance on "SNL50" as a MAGA supporter.
variety.com
February 19, 2025 at 1:21 AM
They may not all be racists but they all tolerate evil which makes all of them... evil
Keep it up! We will prevail!
February 7, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Keep it up! We will prevail!
Why would voters who strongly favor ethnic cleansing policies here in America oppose them in Gaza? Our We the People problem is about to go international.
February 5, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Why would voters who strongly favor ethnic cleansing policies here in America oppose them in Gaza? Our We the People problem is about to go international.
Whether Elon Musk is a Nazi or just an anti-semite with a thing for Nazis is immaterial. It's Holocaust Remembrance Day. Never forget what tolerance of evil wrought in that time and understand how easily it can happen again.
January 27, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Whether Elon Musk is a Nazi or just an anti-semite with a thing for Nazis is immaterial. It's Holocaust Remembrance Day. Never forget what tolerance of evil wrought in that time and understand how easily it can happen again.
I write about music for Sound Collector these days but I got my start at the Chicago-based Emag, EstheticLens (now shuttered). I have been slowly adding these past articles (there are over 60 of them) to my Substack. Here's my latest (timely) reprint.
In Defense of: Bob Dylan, Singer
Reprint of one article from the EstheticLens series
davidtobocman.substack.com
January 8, 2025 at 6:37 PM
I write about music for Sound Collector these days but I got my start at the Chicago-based Emag, EstheticLens (now shuttered). I have been slowly adding these past articles (there are over 60 of them) to my Substack. Here's my latest (timely) reprint.