Jason Stonerook
@jpstonerook.bsky.social
Author of the Reason to Believe substack (reasontobelieve.substack.com)
"Trump has said he can shoot someone in the middle of a street and not lose his supporters. Now more than ever is the time for the GOP to prove him wrong on that account."
Trump's Supporters Have Run Out of Excuses
It's time for the GOP to end Trump's reign of terror. There's a way for them to do that right now.
reasontobelieve.substack.com
February 1, 2026 at 3:36 PM
"Trump has said he can shoot someone in the middle of a street and not lose his supporters. Now more than ever is the time for the GOP to prove him wrong on that account."
"We worry a transgender female will hurt her cisgender female opponents if she is allowed to play in female competitions but evince next to no concern that an unusually strong or fast cisgender athlete might do the same to his or her cisgender opponents."
The Arguments Against Transgender Athletes Apply to Cisgender Athletes, Too
PLUS: A special performance by Jesse Welles
reasontobelieve.substack.com
January 25, 2026 at 4:18 PM
"We worry a transgender female will hurt her cisgender female opponents if she is allowed to play in female competitions but evince next to no concern that an unusually strong or fast cisgender athlete might do the same to his or her cisgender opponents."
"If the Trump presidency is a backlash to the egalitarianism of the MLK Era, it is also a backlash to that era’s belief that the state ought to be grounded in moral principle."
Don Trump Does Not Like Living in Martin Luther King's America
PLUS: A review of "The Pitt" starring Noah Wyle
reasontobelieve.substack.com
January 18, 2026 at 3:49 PM
"If the Trump presidency is a backlash to the egalitarianism of the MLK Era, it is also a backlash to that era’s belief that the state ought to be grounded in moral principle."
"It’s refreshing to hear a president speak candidly about his geopolitical ambitions. When a president is that direct, I don’t have to waste my time explaining to you what his actions are really about. Instead, I can just cut to the chase and tell you how incredibly stupid they are."
Don Trump's Venezuela Scheme is So Stupid
PLUS: A review of "Pluribus" starring Rhea Seehorn
reasontobelieve.substack.com
January 11, 2026 at 3:21 PM
"It’s refreshing to hear a president speak candidly about his geopolitical ambitions. When a president is that direct, I don’t have to waste my time explaining to you what his actions are really about. Instead, I can just cut to the chase and tell you how incredibly stupid they are."
"The only way that happens is if the remaining conscientious Republicans defect from their hopeless party. Some will say the only way that happens is if the Democratic Party shifts right. That’s an unrealistic demand. Better for conscientious Republicans to join a broad-based liberal coalition."
There's Only One Way the Country is Getting Out of This Mess
PLUS: A holiday streaming guide AND reviews of a few albums I missed in 2025.
reasontobelieve.substack.com
December 21, 2025 at 4:19 PM
"The only way that happens is if the remaining conscientious Republicans defect from their hopeless party. Some will say the only way that happens is if the Democratic Party shifts right. That’s an unrealistic demand. Better for conscientious Republicans to join a broad-based liberal coalition."
"The new media could function as a panoramic window opening onto vistas of a wider world; instead, captivated by our own reflections and enamored with the new media’s ability to provide each of us with what we want to see, hear, and believe, we treat it as a mirror."
The Tragedy of the Information Age
We have easy access to more high-quality information than ever before, yet we live in an idiocracy.
reasontobelieve.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 7:25 PM
"The new media could function as a panoramic window opening onto vistas of a wider world; instead, captivated by our own reflections and enamored with the new media’s ability to provide each of us with what we want to see, hear, and believe, we treat it as a mirror."
"If Democrats hope to crack the philosophically conservative/operationally liberal paradigm, Democrats need to convince voters that it’s not that “Republicans are strong and Democrats are soft” but that “Republicans are cruel and Democrats are caring.”
I Have Some Thoughts About the End of the Government Shutdown
PLUS: Springsteen empties the vaults
reasontobelieve.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 1:13 PM
"If Democrats hope to crack the philosophically conservative/operationally liberal paradigm, Democrats need to convince voters that it’s not that “Republicans are strong and Democrats are soft” but that “Republicans are cruel and Democrats are caring.”
Here's my latest article. Thanks for reading!
Last Tuesday's Election Results Indicate Democrats' Prospects Are Rising
PLUS: A list of punk bands who belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
reasontobelieve.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Here's my latest article. Thanks for reading!
"[Trump] is treating the White House as property he’s entitled to landscape. Maybe he can do that. But he shouldn’t. I’m getting tired of a president who engages in morally dubious behavior and keeps falling back on “can” and “can’t” rather than “should” and “shouldn’t” to justify his behavior."
Don Trump Turns the White House Into a Gigantic Metaphor for His Presidency
PLUS: A review of "Getting Killed" by Geese
reasontobelieve.substack.com
October 26, 2025 at 12:36 PM
"[Trump] is treating the White House as property he’s entitled to landscape. Maybe he can do that. But he shouldn’t. I’m getting tired of a president who engages in morally dubious behavior and keeps falling back on “can” and “can’t” rather than “should” and “shouldn’t” to justify his behavior."
"We do know a system like this can work, and I think the more we weigh it against our current system, the clearer its benefits become. The Founders created a remarkable yet imperfect system of government. It’s up to us now to improve upon that foundation."
Reform Proposal #3: End Gerrymandering by Bringing Mixed-Member Proportional Representation to the House of Representatives
PLUS: A 2025-26 NBA preview
reasontobelieve.substack.com
October 19, 2025 at 2:29 PM
"We do know a system like this can work, and I think the more we weigh it against our current system, the clearer its benefits become. The Founders created a remarkable yet imperfect system of government. It’s up to us now to improve upon that foundation."
"The nation deserves better than a judiciary that either naively or deliberately facilitates democratic backsliding. What we need instead is a Court with enough courage, wisdom, and resolve to defend the integrity of our political system."
The Supreme Court Has a Choice This Term: Either Ensconce Trump in Power, or Defend the Integrity of Our Democracy
I wish I could say it's looking good for democracy.
reasontobelieve.substack.com
October 5, 2025 at 1:24 PM
"The nation deserves better than a judiciary that either naively or deliberately facilitates democratic backsliding. What we need instead is a Court with enough courage, wisdom, and resolve to defend the integrity of our political system."
"The Court’s conservative majority may surprise us, but right now it appears they’re ready to shred our constitutional system of separated powers and do away with a century-long pursuit of good governance to supercharge the powers of a Republican president with clear autocratic aspirations."
The Supreme Court Looks Ready to Pave the Way for Trump's Power Grab
PLUS: A 2025 MLB postseason preview
reasontobelieve.substack.com
September 28, 2025 at 12:51 PM
"The Court’s conservative majority may surprise us, but right now it appears they’re ready to shred our constitutional system of separated powers and do away with a century-long pursuit of good governance to supercharge the powers of a Republican president with clear autocratic aspirations."
"If the maximalist free speech position, the left-wing “cancel culture” position, and the conservative MAGA position are fixed points in the free speech universe, it’s clear the ideal position is somewhere on the axis between the maximalist position and the left-wing position."
What the Trump Administration's Attack on Jimmy Kimmel Reveals About the National Debate Over Free Speech
PLUS: Revisiting an overlooked classic by Robert Redford
reasontobelieve.substack.com
September 21, 2025 at 2:53 PM
"If the maximalist free speech position, the left-wing “cancel culture” position, and the conservative MAGA position are fixed points in the free speech universe, it’s clear the ideal position is somewhere on the axis between the maximalist position and the left-wing position."
"I think the choice all of us can make right now is to stand up for politics. Politics in the United States is often a dirty word. In Hannah Arendt’s view, however, it is our best hope."
In the Wake of Violence, the United States Needs to Rediscover the Spirit of Politics
What Hannah Arendt can teach us in this fraught political moment.
reasontobelieve.substack.com
September 14, 2025 at 1:00 PM
"I think the choice all of us can make right now is to stand up for politics. Politics in the United States is often a dirty word. In Hannah Arendt’s view, however, it is our best hope."
"Trump is presiding over a fragile and unpopular political coalition. His own poll numbers are in the toilet. He’s politically overextended, overexposed, and running out of political capital. We need people to stand up to him, take the hit, and make him pay a political price for his behavior."
Don Trump is Politically More Fragile Than He Seems
PLUS: A review of "Baby" by Dijon
reasontobelieve.substack.com
September 7, 2025 at 12:35 PM
"Trump is presiding over a fragile and unpopular political coalition. His own poll numbers are in the toilet. He’s politically overextended, overexposed, and running out of political capital. We need people to stand up to him, take the hit, and make him pay a political price for his behavior."
"It’s said history doesn’t repeat itself but often rhymes. Russell might argue many Americans wouldn’t even know if it did, as we’ve worked hard to banish our worst memories from our memory banks."
Historical Amnesia on the Great Plains
A review of Karen Russell's "The Antidote"
reasontobelieve.substack.com
August 24, 2025 at 1:36 PM
"It’s said history doesn’t repeat itself but often rhymes. Russell might argue many Americans wouldn’t even know if it did, as we’ve worked hard to banish our worst memories from our memory banks."
The Capitol Riot proved Trump is not tough on crime. It is a reminder that what he's doing in DC has nothing to do with street crime and everything to do with wielding power via brute strength. If anything, Trump’s only concern with crime is how he might bend or break the law to his own advantage.
Let's Talk About Crime in Washington DC
PLUS: A tribute to Ryne Sandberg
reasontobelieve.substack.com
August 17, 2025 at 1:15 PM
The Capitol Riot proved Trump is not tough on crime. It is a reminder that what he's doing in DC has nothing to do with street crime and everything to do with wielding power via brute strength. If anything, Trump’s only concern with crime is how he might bend or break the law to his own advantage.
"Nothing is going to come from this Epstein derangement besides more derangement. You may argue it’s good political strategy to drive a wedge between Trump and the MAGAverse, but it just feeds a beast that’s devouring our democracy."
When You Vote for a Clown, You Get a Circus
PLUS: A review of "For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women)" by Japanese Breakfast
reasontobelieve.substack.com
July 20, 2025 at 3:05 PM
"Nothing is going to come from this Epstein derangement besides more derangement. You may argue it’s good political strategy to drive a wedge between Trump and the MAGAverse, but it just feeds a beast that’s devouring our democracy."
"For them, it’s not enough to put up a fight. It’s not even enough to win. They also need to see other people lose. Without someone lying broken and bloodied on the mat, the MAGAverse can’t know that they’re really winning, and if they don’t know that they’re winning, they don’t feel free."
In Don Trump's America, You Know You Are Free When You Can Make Other People Suffer
PLUS: A review of "Dept. Q" starring Matthew Goode
reasontobelieve.substack.com
July 13, 2025 at 2:26 PM
"For them, it’s not enough to put up a fight. It’s not even enough to win. They also need to see other people lose. Without someone lying broken and bloodied on the mat, the MAGAverse can’t know that they’re really winning, and if they don’t know that they’re winning, they don’t feel free."
"It’s one thing for Republicans to trash the Democratic Party; when Democrats pile on, they solidify that impression and potentially brand the party as such....I’d rather see party leaders stepping forward to share how they would rehabilitate, rebuild, and strengthen the party."
Rather Than Point Fingers at Each Other, Democrats Need to Strengthen Their Party
PLUS: A review of "Never Enough" by Turnstile
reasontobelieve.substack.com
June 29, 2025 at 1:25 PM
"It’s one thing for Republicans to trash the Democratic Party; when Democrats pile on, they solidify that impression and potentially brand the party as such....I’d rather see party leaders stepping forward to share how they would rehabilitate, rebuild, and strengthen the party."
Latest post. Thanks for reading.
The United States Just Bombed Iran. Was That the Right Course of Action?
PLUS: Brian Wilson, Sly Stone, and the end of the 1960s
reasontobelieve.substack.com
June 22, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Latest post. Thanks for reading.
"Some argue the Senate could be fixed by swapping out its state-based representative scheme for a population-based one. That doesn’t get at the main problem with the Senate, however, which is its very existence. When it comes down to it, we should abolish the Senate because bicameralism is dumb."
Reform Proposal #2: Abolish the Senate
Or: Bicameralism is dumb.
reasontobelieve.substack.com
June 8, 2025 at 1:02 PM
"Some argue the Senate could be fixed by swapping out its state-based representative scheme for a population-based one. That doesn’t get at the main problem with the Senate, however, which is its very existence. When it comes down to it, we should abolish the Senate because bicameralism is dumb."
"There’s been a lot of talk about the Republican Party’s populist turn. The 'One Big Beautiful Bill' should shatter that notion. ... Trump may sound like a populist, but that’s just the demagoguery talking. If you want to find the people Trump really cares about, just follow the money."
Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" Exposes the GOP Not as the Party of the Average Joe but the Filthy Rich
But, as GOP Senator Joni Ernst would say, we're all going to die anyway, so why care?
reasontobelieve.substack.com
June 1, 2025 at 1:21 PM
"There’s been a lot of talk about the Republican Party’s populist turn. The 'One Big Beautiful Bill' should shatter that notion. ... Trump may sound like a populist, but that’s just the demagoguery talking. If you want to find the people Trump really cares about, just follow the money."
