Kierkegaarden Cop
@joshsteich.bsky.social
Let's try the medium place
Pinned
Kierkegaarden Cop
@joshsteich.bsky.social
· Mar 13
People having a lot of trouble understanding how Dems behave as a party don’t understand the Democratic Party.
It’s not a party united by ideology—like the GOP mostly is—it’s a bunch of constituencies in a basic (democratic) bargain: votes for government programs that benefit them.
It’s not a party united by ideology—like the GOP mostly is—it’s a bunch of constituencies in a basic (democratic) bargain: votes for government programs that benefit them.
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
And like I said before, part of it is...that's exactly how Democracy and civic engagement *should* work, and this appeal to politics as consumerism is part of how we got here. And the populations you listed literally can't afford to treat politics like that.
I reject the whole premise of this thread because what it describes is...just literally democracy? The whole point is the "republic if you can keep it". There is no point where you can go on autopilot and the conceit that we can is exactly how we got the racist reality show host as a president.
i don't like "steelmanning" but i do want to say that the discussion around "we have to vote all the time to keep out fascism" has never really addressed the core of the issue, which is that it gets tiring for every election to be "the most important election of our lifetimes."
February 16, 2026 at 8:13 PM
And like I said before, part of it is...that's exactly how Democracy and civic engagement *should* work, and this appeal to politics as consumerism is part of how we got here. And the populations you listed literally can't afford to treat politics like that.
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
Pittsburgh Steelers season in review www.nbcsports.com/fantasy/foot...
February 15, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Pittsburgh Steelers season in review www.nbcsports.com/fantasy/foot...
ICE OUT
(is better than “Abolish ICE”, but full ICE OUT implies abolish ICE)
(is better than “Abolish ICE”, but full ICE OUT implies abolish ICE)
I know people like to dunk on wearing tiny "ICE OUT" pins, but I think they represent a really important culture shift. Even people who are very conscious about their image and expected to perform in a palatable way are wearing them in very public places.
New York Fashion Week Joins the “ICE OUT” Movement: “It Changes Hearts and Minds”
From designers to front-row regulars, the industry is rallying behind a growing campaign against ICE. Organizers and participants tell ‘Marie Claire’ why this moment matters.
www.marieclaire.com
February 16, 2026 at 8:52 PM
ICE OUT
(is better than “Abolish ICE”, but full ICE OUT implies abolish ICE)
(is better than “Abolish ICE”, but full ICE OUT implies abolish ICE)
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
This is a nice move in an interview www.nytimes.com/2026/02/16/u...
February 16, 2026 at 6:54 PM
This is a nice move in an interview www.nytimes.com/2026/02/16/u...
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
Democrats should get behind a voter ID law that only goes into effect when 99.9% of the eligible population has a valid ID and automatically pauses when the number falls below that. The fact that Republicans would never accept this would make clear what the real point of voter ID laws is.
February 16, 2026 at 4:39 PM
Democrats should get behind a voter ID law that only goes into effect when 99.9% of the eligible population has a valid ID and automatically pauses when the number falls below that. The fact that Republicans would never accept this would make clear what the real point of voter ID laws is.
People have really well documented cognitive biases and blind spots, but one of the most robustly documented traits is they react with angry denial when they’re pointed out
February 16, 2026 at 6:37 PM
People have really well documented cognitive biases and blind spots, but one of the most robustly documented traits is they react with angry denial when they’re pointed out
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
Agree.
In addition (changing the subject), I really like the concept of “clarity trap.” It might be the best summary I’ve seen of what is wrong with Econ 101ism.
In addition (changing the subject), I really like the concept of “clarity trap.” It might be the best summary I’ve seen of what is wrong with Econ 101ism.
February 16, 2026 at 6:08 PM
Agree.
In addition (changing the subject), I really like the concept of “clarity trap.” It might be the best summary I’ve seen of what is wrong with Econ 101ism.
In addition (changing the subject), I really like the concept of “clarity trap.” It might be the best summary I’ve seen of what is wrong with Econ 101ism.
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
Counterpoint: if the Prince of Darkness rises from a fiery portal at the Iowa Caucus and declares his opposition to Donald Trump, I will ride to battle with the host of Hell
February 15, 2026 at 6:08 PM
Counterpoint: if the Prince of Darkness rises from a fiery portal at the Iowa Caucus and declares his opposition to Donald Trump, I will ride to battle with the host of Hell
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
(11/11) In this new normal, costs are individually adjusted to a consumer’s maximum threshold and wages to a worker’s minimum floor.
The next time you see a price, know that it may not reflect what the item is worth—but what the algorithm believes *you* are worth.
The next time you see a price, know that it may not reflect what the item is worth—but what the algorithm believes *you* are worth.
February 11, 2026 at 8:41 PM
(11/11) In this new normal, costs are individually adjusted to a consumer’s maximum threshold and wages to a worker’s minimum floor.
The next time you see a price, know that it may not reflect what the item is worth—but what the algorithm believes *you* are worth.
The next time you see a price, know that it may not reflect what the item is worth—but what the algorithm believes *you* are worth.
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
There are millions of people who completely surrendered their own judgement in favor of not even second-hand, but tenth-hand experience through "content creators", who often don't have any experience with the subject of the conversation themselves. How many "GAME X IS GOING TO BE WOKE" have we seen?
February 16, 2026 at 8:48 AM
There are millions of people who completely surrendered their own judgement in favor of not even second-hand, but tenth-hand experience through "content creators", who often don't have any experience with the subject of the conversation themselves. How many "GAME X IS GOING TO BE WOKE" have we seen?
What people think mattered: The Fairness Doctrine
What actually mattered: The 1996 telecom act removing restrictions on cross-ownership
What actually mattered: The 1996 telecom act removing restrictions on cross-ownership
Agreed. The Regan admin & his ilk wouldn’t have fought so hard to end the FD if the FD didn’t support democracy. Excerpts from an
article on point. Regan’s FCC guy said TV was an appliance equivalent to a toaster. Quite a tell. sisyphuslitmag.org/2018/07/the-...
article on point. Regan’s FCC guy said TV was an appliance equivalent to a toaster. Quite a tell. sisyphuslitmag.org/2018/07/the-...
February 16, 2026 at 2:34 AM
What people think mattered: The Fairness Doctrine
What actually mattered: The 1996 telecom act removing restrictions on cross-ownership
What actually mattered: The 1996 telecom act removing restrictions on cross-ownership
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
my take is that vibecession was a product of two really nasty global supply shocks (COVID and Ukraine), the general disruption of life from COVID and its aftershocks, ZIRP dying and cheap credit disappearing, and the pop-up COVID welfare state poofing out of existence
"People were doing materially better in significant ways but economic sentiment was in the toilet during COVID" really feels like maybe the issue is COVID and not other stuff.
February 16, 2026 at 12:11 AM
my take is that vibecession was a product of two really nasty global supply shocks (COVID and Ukraine), the general disruption of life from COVID and its aftershocks, ZIRP dying and cheap credit disappearing, and the pop-up COVID welfare state poofing out of existence
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
Will it be national news? Will it cause performative outrage? Will he be censured?
Nope. Forgotten by tomorrow.
Nope. Forgotten by tomorrow.
February 16, 2026 at 1:19 AM
Will it be national news? Will it cause performative outrage? Will he be censured?
Nope. Forgotten by tomorrow.
Nope. Forgotten by tomorrow.
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
this does not apply to Egg Georg, who eats one hundred eggs a day and is therefore a statistical outlier
February 15, 2026 at 5:14 PM
this does not apply to Egg Georg, who eats one hundred eggs a day and is therefore a statistical outlier
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
This theory is not different than explaining the public's consistent belief that crime is rising and out of control despite a persistent trend of a measured significant drop-off in crime on the place crime focus holds in contemporary media.
February 15, 2026 at 10:47 PM
This theory is not different than explaining the public's consistent belief that crime is rising and out of control despite a persistent trend of a measured significant drop-off in crime on the place crime focus holds in contemporary media.
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
That a lot of the story of 2024 is the American *consumer* class going Kalecki is really important and something we need to deal with; instead of pretending something more convenient happened.
February 15, 2026 at 8:43 PM
That a lot of the story of 2024 is the American *consumer* class going Kalecki is really important and something we need to deal with; instead of pretending something more convenient happened.
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
imo people really conflate "the economy" with "the information environment surrounding the economy" as an explanation for the 2024 election.
February 15, 2026 at 8:45 PM
imo people really conflate "the economy" with "the information environment surrounding the economy" as an explanation for the 2024 election.
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
What’s so weird about men in power is how when they face scandal and should step down the world acts like no one else can do their jobs. Bottstein, Wasserman, these aren’t irreplaceable men! Stop with this delusion.
February 15, 2026 at 7:33 PM
What’s so weird about men in power is how when they face scandal and should step down the world acts like no one else can do their jobs. Bottstein, Wasserman, these aren’t irreplaceable men! Stop with this delusion.
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
Leon Botstein, president of @bardcollege.bsky.social, has repeatedly made public statements about his relationship with the pedophile sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein that have turned out to be misleading, incomplete, or untrue. I'm going to make a thread to compile them all here.
February 15, 2026 at 6:27 PM
Leon Botstein, president of @bardcollege.bsky.social, has repeatedly made public statements about his relationship with the pedophile sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein that have turned out to be misleading, incomplete, or untrue. I'm going to make a thread to compile them all here.
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
Yeah sure, Texas arrests trans women for using the bathroom and California has FFS covered on state medicaid, but you need to pretend that telling Americans not to vote isn't corncobbing
February 15, 2026 at 2:55 AM
Yeah sure, Texas arrests trans women for using the bathroom and California has FFS covered on state medicaid, but you need to pretend that telling Americans not to vote isn't corncobbing
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
Ofelia Torres, the teenage Chicago Public Schools student whose fight against cancer while her father was detained by ICE came to represent the federal government's overreach during Operation Midway Blitz, has died. Brave young woman. I will never forget her. RIP.
February 15, 2026 at 1:54 AM
Ofelia Torres, the teenage Chicago Public Schools student whose fight against cancer while her father was detained by ICE came to represent the federal government's overreach during Operation Midway Blitz, has died. Brave young woman. I will never forget her. RIP.
Reposted by Kierkegaarden Cop
