Hector Arbuckle
@hectorarbuckle.bsky.social
Iowan in DC. Born this side of the millennium. Italianate architecture stan. I love a good corn maize!
The way I thought I understood the words and then did a double-take...
November 14, 2025 at 11:59 PM
The way I thought I understood the words and then did a double-take...
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
Most local parties are run by people who've done the job for years because no one stepped up. So step up.
Be authentically you. Speak to your community.
There is a MASSIVE leadership vacuum at the local level almost everywhere outside major cities. Fill it.
Be authentically you. Speak to your community.
There is a MASSIVE leadership vacuum at the local level almost everywhere outside major cities. Fill it.
November 10, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Most local parties are run by people who've done the job for years because no one stepped up. So step up.
Be authentically you. Speak to your community.
There is a MASSIVE leadership vacuum at the local level almost everywhere outside major cities. Fill it.
Be authentically you. Speak to your community.
There is a MASSIVE leadership vacuum at the local level almost everywhere outside major cities. Fill it.
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
In my old town the GOP had run basically without serious challenge for decades. A bunch of us "millennials" joined the local Dem party and basically asked to help.
We were running it in a year. Within 4 years we had a majority of town seats flipped Dem. A FAR more progressive Dem than old party
We were running it in a year. Within 4 years we had a majority of town seats flipped Dem. A FAR more progressive Dem than old party
“Rather than taking over the Democratic Party the same way the right took over the Republican Party, we should take the easier route and just start up a new party ourselves!”
I’m about to fill my pockets with stones and walk into the sea.
I’m about to fill my pockets with stones and walk into the sea.
November 10, 2025 at 8:44 PM
In my old town the GOP had run basically without serious challenge for decades. A bunch of us "millennials" joined the local Dem party and basically asked to help.
We were running it in a year. Within 4 years we had a majority of town seats flipped Dem. A FAR more progressive Dem than old party
We were running it in a year. Within 4 years we had a majority of town seats flipped Dem. A FAR more progressive Dem than old party
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
Lots of folks captioning aurora photos like "for a few minutes we didn't think about politics"
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
November 13, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Lots of folks captioning aurora photos like "for a few minutes we didn't think about politics"
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
guess I'm built different, every time I'm out trying to see night sky stuff I frequently think about how much light pollution is entirely preventable with just a tiny bit of regulation
Why are presidents able to pardon people? That seems like a strange power to have, right?
If anyone should be able to pardon people, it should be the legislature, right?
If anyone should be able to pardon people, it should be the legislature, right?
November 13, 2025 at 1:30 AM
Why are presidents able to pardon people? That seems like a strange power to have, right?
If anyone should be able to pardon people, it should be the legislature, right?
If anyone should be able to pardon people, it should be the legislature, right?
While we're at it, can we get rid of nickels and dimes as well? The quarter is the only coin big enough to be worth carrying around, and that one only just barely.
November 13, 2025 at 1:24 AM
While we're at it, can we get rid of nickels and dimes as well? The quarter is the only coin big enough to be worth carrying around, and that one only just barely.
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
my hot take is if a building getting landmark status it should be owned by the public and open to the public
Schedule a building census every 25 years or something.
The whole idea of landmarking private buildings is deeply goofy regardless tho
The whole idea of landmarking private buildings is deeply goofy regardless tho
November 11, 2025 at 11:05 PM
my hot take is if a building getting landmark status it should be owned by the public and open to the public
Single-Stair Sickos who enjoyed this might also enjoy this collection of floorplans from NYC in 1908:
archive.org/details/apar...
archive.org/details/apar...
November 11, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Single-Stair Sickos who enjoyed this might also enjoy this collection of floorplans from NYC in 1908:
archive.org/details/apar...
archive.org/details/apar...
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
I think the correct dimension to categorize Democrats isn't liberal to moderate, but those who think elected office is for the exercise of power and those who think elected office is your just reward after climbing the career ladder and waiting your turn.
Shaheen: "We've heard from a number of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle that they're willing to come to the table, they're willing to work with us once the govt is open to get this done. We've heard the same thing from the White House. So now we'll see if they're really gonna work w/us"
November 10, 2025 at 7:55 PM
I think the correct dimension to categorize Democrats isn't liberal to moderate, but those who think elected office is for the exercise of power and those who think elected office is your just reward after climbing the career ladder and waiting your turn.
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
Same goes for bureaucrats in senior roles. CEO of the MTA (which moves more people every day than every domestic airline combined) makes only $365K
meanwhile, the united airlines CEO made $33 MILLION last year. makes it extremely difficult for the govt to get top talent other than noblesse oblige
meanwhile, the united airlines CEO made $33 MILLION last year. makes it extremely difficult for the govt to get top talent other than noblesse oblige
people hate hearing this but it's 100% true, creating a huge pay gap between political leaders, their staffs, and other elites is a recipe for corruption. of course the flip side of that is taxes on the rich should be jacked way the hell up
The Mayor of New York only makes $260k. I bet there are police that make more than that in NY with overtime.
We need to pay elected leaders more money and stop pretending it's some sort of calling. They're managing hundreds of billions of dollars in investments and millions of people's lives.
We need to pay elected leaders more money and stop pretending it's some sort of calling. They're managing hundreds of billions of dollars in investments and millions of people's lives.
November 7, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Same goes for bureaucrats in senior roles. CEO of the MTA (which moves more people every day than every domestic airline combined) makes only $365K
meanwhile, the united airlines CEO made $33 MILLION last year. makes it extremely difficult for the govt to get top talent other than noblesse oblige
meanwhile, the united airlines CEO made $33 MILLION last year. makes it extremely difficult for the govt to get top talent other than noblesse oblige
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
people hate hearing this but it's 100% true, creating a huge pay gap between political leaders, their staffs, and other elites is a recipe for corruption. of course the flip side of that is taxes on the rich should be jacked way the hell up
The Mayor of New York only makes $260k. I bet there are police that make more than that in NY with overtime.
We need to pay elected leaders more money and stop pretending it's some sort of calling. They're managing hundreds of billions of dollars in investments and millions of people's lives.
We need to pay elected leaders more money and stop pretending it's some sort of calling. They're managing hundreds of billions of dollars in investments and millions of people's lives.
November 7, 2025 at 3:24 PM
people hate hearing this but it's 100% true, creating a huge pay gap between political leaders, their staffs, and other elites is a recipe for corruption. of course the flip side of that is taxes on the rich should be jacked way the hell up
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
When you look at election returns, nimbyism is almost always a right-wing or elite centrist phenomenon.
Left nimbyism functions basically as political cover for right nimbys. When left nimbys win elections, it's by uniting right nimbys with people voting left on other issues.
Left nimbyism functions basically as political cover for right nimbys. When left nimbys win elections, it's by uniting right nimbys with people voting left on other issues.
November 5, 2025 at 5:34 PM
When you look at election returns, nimbyism is almost always a right-wing or elite centrist phenomenon.
Left nimbyism functions basically as political cover for right nimbys. When left nimbys win elections, it's by uniting right nimbys with people voting left on other issues.
Left nimbyism functions basically as political cover for right nimbys. When left nimbys win elections, it's by uniting right nimbys with people voting left on other issues.
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
How does Maryland not have one of these state-supported intercity bus networks?!
Major service expansion planned for GoBus in Ohio
The Ohio Department of Transportation and the Hocking-Athens-Perry Community Action Program announced a major expansion of Ohio’s GoBus intercity transit network, increasing mobility options for rural...
www.cleveland19.com
October 27, 2025 at 12:16 AM
How does Maryland not have one of these state-supported intercity bus networks?!
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
I think the biggest lesson from the Mamdani campaign is that a candidate that is good at social media is better positioned to win than a candidate who has the support of legacy media.
There is no bigger disconnect in politics right now than the difference between what Zohran says he's going to do and what his opponents say he's going to do
Another abominable editorial from the Wash Post
November 3, 2025 at 5:38 PM
I think the biggest lesson from the Mamdani campaign is that a candidate that is good at social media is better positioned to win than a candidate who has the support of legacy media.
I think it's possible that the Northeast Corridor is the *only* fully integrated megaregion in the US. People notice it and try to group the rest of the metro areas into megaregions, but it's contrived. The Northeast is sui generis.
I basically think US/Canada/northern Mexico works like this:
-Northeast orients around New York
-South: Atlanta
-Lakes: Chicago (to a lesser degree Toronto)
-California: San Francisco
-Baja California: Los Angeles
-PNW: Seattle, formerly Vancouver
-Caribbean: Miami
-The Interior: Dallas (Calgary)
-Northeast orients around New York
-South: Atlanta
-Lakes: Chicago (to a lesser degree Toronto)
-California: San Francisco
-Baja California: Los Angeles
-PNW: Seattle, formerly Vancouver
-Caribbean: Miami
-The Interior: Dallas (Calgary)
the 11 Cultural Nations thing has always seemed a little silly to me in execution but the general concept that the USA is actually a bunch of different civilizations loosely held together with imperial duct tape seems plainly and observably true to me
November 2, 2025 at 12:16 AM
I think it's possible that the Northeast Corridor is the *only* fully integrated megaregion in the US. People notice it and try to group the rest of the metro areas into megaregions, but it's contrived. The Northeast is sui generis.
Lol. Lmao, even
This is Bad (source: network.fintechtakes.com/library/3d38...)
November 1, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Lol. Lmao, even
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
The “residential” building code exists in the first place for very bad reasons. Don’t ever forget that. Lawrence Veiller, addressing the NAHB in 1913:
October 29, 2025 at 9:48 PM
The “residential” building code exists in the first place for very bad reasons. Don’t ever forget that. Lawrence Veiller, addressing the NAHB in 1913:
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
People make a lot of jokes about voters thinking there's a big dial that controls gas prices in the oval office, but I think "low info voters have no idea what the government actually does" goes a lot deeper than that and they blame whoever is President for anything that annoys them.
June 5, 2024 at 5:50 PM
People make a lot of jokes about voters thinking there's a big dial that controls gas prices in the oval office, but I think "low info voters have no idea what the government actually does" goes a lot deeper than that and they blame whoever is President for anything that annoys them.
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
Feels like so many of our convos are revolving about how voters respond to what politicians are doing, or what parties’ positions on issues are, without much actual empirical sense of what they actually know about those topics.
October 29, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Feels like so many of our convos are revolving about how voters respond to what politicians are doing, or what parties’ positions on issues are, without much actual empirical sense of what they actually know about those topics.
This, precisely. D leadership spend their time flip-flopping based on polls rather than choosing policies and CAMPAIGNING for them.
This lack of clear policies gives R's the chance to define what Democrats stand for by making up a bunch of positions and forcing the D's to equivocate nervously.
This lack of clear policies gives R's the chance to define what Democrats stand for by making up a bunch of positions and forcing the D's to equivocate nervously.
This is why I want candidates with a moral compass and a clear vision who work to CONVINCE voters that their policies are good
and not spineless turds who have to poll test every statement and base their opinions off of focus groups
and not spineless turds who have to poll test every statement and base their opinions off of focus groups
More broadly: Most voters just don't have particularly stable or strongly held views on most policy questions. They'll tell a pollster something or other, which will often change if you vary the question wording slightly, which creates the illusion of hard quantifiable data about voter preferences.
October 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
This, precisely. D leadership spend their time flip-flopping based on polls rather than choosing policies and CAMPAIGNING for them.
This lack of clear policies gives R's the chance to define what Democrats stand for by making up a bunch of positions and forcing the D's to equivocate nervously.
This lack of clear policies gives R's the chance to define what Democrats stand for by making up a bunch of positions and forcing the D's to equivocate nervously.
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
One of the Democrats' major disconnects with the voting public is that they so clearly look at policy questions as matters of strategy rather than matters of principle. My suspicion is that voters care at least as much why you believe in a given position as they do what that position actually is.
October 28, 2025 at 5:41 PM
One of the Democrats' major disconnects with the voting public is that they so clearly look at policy questions as matters of strategy rather than matters of principle. My suspicion is that voters care at least as much why you believe in a given position as they do what that position actually is.
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
My main takeaway on the “moderation” debate is that Democrats would be better served by other debates besides left-right positioning, like how to develop new valence issues (corruption!) as wedge issues, and how to get attention for their policy proposals in the first place
October 28, 2025 at 1:16 AM
My main takeaway on the “moderation” debate is that Democrats would be better served by other debates besides left-right positioning, like how to develop new valence issues (corruption!) as wedge issues, and how to get attention for their policy proposals in the first place
Reposted by Hector Arbuckle
the democratic party’s basic problem is it has almost no control over how its message reaches the ears of voters, especially outside of presidential election years. but rather than devote serious time, attention and cash to that problem its consultants and pundits want to fight factional battles
October 27, 2025 at 6:29 PM
the democratic party’s basic problem is it has almost no control over how its message reaches the ears of voters, especially outside of presidential election years. but rather than devote serious time, attention and cash to that problem its consultants and pundits want to fight factional battles