Democracy Dies in Dorkness
@lizamazel.bsky.social
(Banner and thumbnail are both from Remedios Varos' painting "Paraiso de los Gatos")
Therapist, writer type, armchair activist, kvetch. Raised from early adulthood by Internet wolves. Warning: squees at cats.
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
I also like cute doggos
Therapist, writer type, armchair activist, kvetch. Raised from early adulthood by Internet wolves. Warning: squees at cats.
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
I also like cute doggos
Pinned
a cartoon of a duck with a swirl in the background and the letters netflix on the bottom left
Alt: Daffy Duck losing his entire shit and tearing the room apart in "Duck Amuck"
media.tenor.com
Me, when disagreeing with someone who seems to be able to hear and respond and modify: generally do the same, sometimes end up with a great discussion and even a new follow.
Me, once I have decided someone is an obdurate fuckhead:
Me, once I have decided someone is an obdurate fuckhead:
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
Pretty much every successful act of obstruction you remember Mitch McConnell for (like blocking Garland's appointment to the Supreme Court) happened *after* the GOP regained a Senate majority and he became Majority Leader, not while they were a minority.
The idea that Mitch McConnell was a successful obstructionist is a pop-culture myth that needs to die. He largely failed; the ACA passed, Obama became a two-term POTUS. Where he DID succeed, it was because he had *bipartisan* aid from the anti-Obama centrist Blue Dog Dems — remember them?
January 6, 2026 at 4:02 AM
Pretty much every successful act of obstruction you remember Mitch McConnell for (like blocking Garland's appointment to the Supreme Court) happened *after* the GOP regained a Senate majority and he became Majority Leader, not while they were a minority.
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
NEW: Welcome to a major election year. It all starts... tomorrow?!
That's right! January is a fairly slow month for elections, but we've selected the 8 races you should still have an eye on—with the first Bolts election guide of the year, just out:
boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...
That's right! January is a fairly slow month for elections, but we've selected the 8 races you should still have an eye on—with the first Bolts election guide of the year, just out:
boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...
The 8 Elections to Watch This January - Bolts
Welcome to 2026, a busy election cycle that’ll determine control of Congress, thousands of prosecutors and sheriffs, and the governors of most states. That’s all on the horizon, though. Kicking... Re...
boltsmag.org
January 5, 2026 at 3:24 PM
NEW: Welcome to a major election year. It all starts... tomorrow?!
That's right! January is a fairly slow month for elections, but we've selected the 8 races you should still have an eye on—with the first Bolts election guide of the year, just out:
boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...
That's right! January is a fairly slow month for elections, but we've selected the 8 races you should still have an eye on—with the first Bolts election guide of the year, just out:
boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
Since I've gotten the question a few times—if Klobuchar were to run for governor and win in 2026, thereby having to resign her Senate seat, what would happen? She'd get to appoint her own successor, who'd stay in office until 2028.
(Klobuchar's term ends in 2030, but there'd be a special in 2028.)
(Klobuchar's term ends in 2030, but there'd be a special in 2028.)
January 5, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Since I've gotten the question a few times—if Klobuchar were to run for governor and win in 2026, thereby having to resign her Senate seat, what would happen? She'd get to appoint her own successor, who'd stay in office until 2028.
(Klobuchar's term ends in 2030, but there'd be a special in 2028.)
(Klobuchar's term ends in 2030, but there'd be a special in 2028.)
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
A fair number of GOP incumbents (US House, state legislatures, etc) are presumably on the fence about filing for another term or not. This is the season for deciding, and it's certainly plausible that another Dem special pick-up or not in a mildly GOP district could make the difference for some.
In 2025, Democrats flipped 21 percent of all GOP legislative seats in play. Can they start 2026 by gaining a seat at the earliest possible opportunity? Tomorrow, Democrat Sonja Ogletree Satani is hoping to flip South Carolina’s 98th House district.
The 8 Elections to Watch This January - Bolts
Welcome to 2026, a busy election cycle that’ll determine control of Congress, thousands of prosecutors and sheriffs, and the governors of most states. That’s all on the horizon, though. Kicking... Read More
boltsmag.org
January 5, 2026 at 9:46 PM
A fair number of GOP incumbents (US House, state legislatures, etc) are presumably on the fence about filing for another term or not. This is the season for deciding, and it's certainly plausible that another Dem special pick-up or not in a mildly GOP district could make the difference for some.
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
Knight: ok so it turns out that nobody liked our decision to allow AI
Knight: time for decisive action
Knight: what if we just let the voters decide?
Knight: that's the kind of bold leadership you can expect here at the SFWA
Knight: time for decisive action
Knight: what if we just let the voters decide?
Knight: that's the kind of bold leadership you can expect here at the SFWA
December 29, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Knight: ok so it turns out that nobody liked our decision to allow AI
Knight: time for decisive action
Knight: what if we just let the voters decide?
Knight: that's the kind of bold leadership you can expect here at the SFWA
Knight: time for decisive action
Knight: what if we just let the voters decide?
Knight: that's the kind of bold leadership you can expect here at the SFWA
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
Knight: that's right, AI is just like real art
Poe: oh no that's bad
King: i don't like that
Koontz: gross!
Barker: booo! you suck!
Lovecraft: get off the stage!
Knight: [dodging thrown tomatoes] i can see I've stimulated debate
Poe: oh no that's bad
King: i don't like that
Koontz: gross!
Barker: booo! you suck!
Lovecraft: get off the stage!
Knight: [dodging thrown tomatoes] i can see I've stimulated debate
December 29, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Knight: that's right, AI is just like real art
Poe: oh no that's bad
King: i don't like that
Koontz: gross!
Barker: booo! you suck!
Lovecraft: get off the stage!
Knight: [dodging thrown tomatoes] i can see I've stimulated debate
Poe: oh no that's bad
King: i don't like that
Koontz: gross!
Barker: booo! you suck!
Lovecraft: get off the stage!
Knight: [dodging thrown tomatoes] i can see I've stimulated debate
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
Knight: what if… we let people nominate AI slop for the nebula award?
Knight: because i think art painstakingly crafted by human hearts and minds and art made by water-guzzling robot should be on equal footing
King: ya know, i don't know if this millionaire playboy actually understands our interests
Knight: because i think art painstakingly crafted by human hearts and minds and art made by water-guzzling robot should be on equal footing
King: ya know, i don't know if this millionaire playboy actually understands our interests
December 29, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Knight: what if… we let people nominate AI slop for the nebula award?
Knight: because i think art painstakingly crafted by human hearts and minds and art made by water-guzzling robot should be on equal footing
King: ya know, i don't know if this millionaire playboy actually understands our interests
Knight: because i think art painstakingly crafted by human hearts and minds and art made by water-guzzling robot should be on equal footing
King: ya know, i don't know if this millionaire playboy actually understands our interests
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
I mean I've seen people use AI to parse the rules in Magic: the Gathering, and the AI still gets it incredibly wrong. I can't imagine trusting AI to interpret actual law for me.
Don't get me wrong--MtG rules can be incredibly arcane (hah!) but they've got nothing on legal code.
Don't get me wrong--MtG rules can be incredibly arcane (hah!) but they've got nothing on legal code.
December 30, 2025 at 5:34 PM
I mean I've seen people use AI to parse the rules in Magic: the Gathering, and the AI still gets it incredibly wrong. I can't imagine trusting AI to interpret actual law for me.
Don't get me wrong--MtG rules can be incredibly arcane (hah!) but they've got nothing on legal code.
Don't get me wrong--MtG rules can be incredibly arcane (hah!) but they've got nothing on legal code.
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
Underwood: you can use AI to interpret contracts
King: oh, really? maybe that would be useful
Barker: i have a follow-up question
Underwood: no questions
Barker: will the AI interpret the contracts correctly?
Underwood: SYNTAX ERROR
Underwood: ABORT RETRY FAIL?
King: oh, really? maybe that would be useful
Barker: i have a follow-up question
Underwood: no questions
Barker: will the AI interpret the contracts correctly?
Underwood: SYNTAX ERROR
Underwood: ABORT RETRY FAIL?
December 30, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Underwood: you can use AI to interpret contracts
King: oh, really? maybe that would be useful
Barker: i have a follow-up question
Underwood: no questions
Barker: will the AI interpret the contracts correctly?
Underwood: SYNTAX ERROR
Underwood: ABORT RETRY FAIL?
King: oh, really? maybe that would be useful
Barker: i have a follow-up question
Underwood: no questions
Barker: will the AI interpret the contracts correctly?
Underwood: SYNTAX ERROR
Underwood: ABORT RETRY FAIL?
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
Barker: i really think you're a bot
Underwood: okay you got me, i am actually a bot
Barker: so why'd you lie before and say you weren't a bot?
Underwood: wow! you're right
Underwood: okay you got me, i am actually a bot
Barker: so why'd you lie before and say you weren't a bot?
Underwood: wow! you're right
December 30, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Barker: i really think you're a bot
Underwood: okay you got me, i am actually a bot
Barker: so why'd you lie before and say you weren't a bot?
Underwood: wow! you're right
Underwood: okay you got me, i am actually a bot
Barker: so why'd you lie before and say you weren't a bot?
Underwood: wow! you're right
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
Underwood: in the future, today's modern now-a-go-go writer will use AI for three different things, including idea generation, editing, traslaton, idea generation, cloot, advetismmming, vvooooyyu, gliii73m, anddd yuuu
Barker:
Barker: are you a bot
Underwood: [clipping through wall] i am not a bot
Barker:
Barker: are you a bot
Underwood: [clipping through wall] i am not a bot
December 30, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Underwood: in the future, today's modern now-a-go-go writer will use AI for three different things, including idea generation, editing, traslaton, idea generation, cloot, advetismmming, vvooooyyu, gliii73m, anddd yuuu
Barker:
Barker: are you a bot
Underwood: [clipping through wall] i am not a bot
Barker:
Barker: are you a bot
Underwood: [clipping through wall] i am not a bot
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
Underwood: resistance is futile
Underwood: SUBMIT, PUNY FLESHLINGS
Underwood: EMBRACE THE DEATH OF THE MIND
Barker: i don't know about that
Underwood: wow, i'm still hearing a lot of hostility and not a lot of reasoned debate
Underwood: SUBMIT, PUNY FLESHLINGS
Underwood: EMBRACE THE DEATH OF THE MIND
Barker: i don't know about that
Underwood: wow, i'm still hearing a lot of hostility and not a lot of reasoned debate
December 30, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Underwood: resistance is futile
Underwood: SUBMIT, PUNY FLESHLINGS
Underwood: EMBRACE THE DEATH OF THE MIND
Barker: i don't know about that
Underwood: wow, i'm still hearing a lot of hostility and not a lot of reasoned debate
Underwood: SUBMIT, PUNY FLESHLINGS
Underwood: EMBRACE THE DEATH OF THE MIND
Barker: i don't know about that
Underwood: wow, i'm still hearing a lot of hostility and not a lot of reasoned debate
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
Underwood: AI is inevitable
Underwood: so use it, damnit
Underwood: c'mon
Underwood: c'mon
Underwood: c'mon!!!
Barker: yeah no
Underwood: you guys are all so mean!!!
Underwood: so use it, damnit
Underwood: c'mon
Underwood: c'mon
Underwood: c'mon!!!
Barker: yeah no
Underwood: you guys are all so mean!!!
December 30, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Underwood: AI is inevitable
Underwood: so use it, damnit
Underwood: c'mon
Underwood: c'mon
Underwood: c'mon!!!
Barker: yeah no
Underwood: you guys are all so mean!!!
Underwood: so use it, damnit
Underwood: c'mon
Underwood: c'mon
Underwood: c'mon!!!
Barker: yeah no
Underwood: you guys are all so mean!!!
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
Underwood: sure, AI is built on plagiarism
Underwood: but that's the past
Underwood: stop living in the past!
Underwood: it's time to forgive and forget
Underwood: don't be an AI dinosaur, when you can AI dino-SOAR!
Underwood: but that's the past
Underwood: stop living in the past!
Underwood: it's time to forgive and forget
Underwood: don't be an AI dinosaur, when you can AI dino-SOAR!
December 30, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Underwood: sure, AI is built on plagiarism
Underwood: but that's the past
Underwood: stop living in the past!
Underwood: it's time to forgive and forget
Underwood: don't be an AI dinosaur, when you can AI dino-SOAR!
Underwood: but that's the past
Underwood: stop living in the past!
Underwood: it's time to forgive and forget
Underwood: don't be an AI dinosaur, when you can AI dino-SOAR!
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
Listen, u cant say “mormons teach space whales to rape” and not expect people to be interested
January 1, 2026 at 10:10 PM
Listen, u cant say “mormons teach space whales to rape” and not expect people to be interested
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
It's now officially 2026, so in honor of the death of 2025 here's our annual list of some cool (new to me) horror (mostly) reading that we did this year. I'm always behind the curve, so most of these books didn't actually debut in 2025, but... well, you get the idea.
January 1, 2026 at 8:25 PM
It's now officially 2026, so in honor of the death of 2025 here's our annual list of some cool (new to me) horror (mostly) reading that we did this year. I'm always behind the curve, so most of these books didn't actually debut in 2025, but... well, you get the idea.
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
„Never gonna give you up“
January 5, 2026 at 9:49 PM
„Never gonna give you up“
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
“Tell them it was me.”
January 5, 2026 at 10:45 PM
“Tell them it was me.”
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
"In the 2020s I should have posted more on a niche social media app for 40 year olds..."
January 5, 2026 at 8:54 PM
"In the 2020s I should have posted more on a niche social media app for 40 year olds..."
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
Honestly, my uncle, a Republican, said "Fuck Trump"
January 5, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Honestly, my uncle, a Republican, said "Fuck Trump"
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
“I wish I’d spent more time at the office”.
January 5, 2026 at 8:44 PM
“I wish I’d spent more time at the office”.
"Either that wallpaper goes or I do."
"--You don't have any wallpaper."
"That's the j--" (expires)
"--You don't have any wallpaper."
"That's the j--" (expires)
January 6, 2026 at 8:26 AM
"Either that wallpaper goes or I do."
"--You don't have any wallpaper."
"That's the j--" (expires)
"--You don't have any wallpaper."
"That's the j--" (expires)
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
“Wait, what’s in that hypodermic?”
January 5, 2026 at 8:36 PM
“Wait, what’s in that hypodermic?”
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
“you won’t get away with this”
January 5, 2026 at 7:40 PM
“you won’t get away with this”
Reposted by Democracy Dies in Dorkness
Niven: ok but surely you need us to advise you on your next step
Niven: for example, a lot of Venezuelans were probably injured and maimed in those indiscriminate bombings
Niven: what if we spread a rumor about organ traffikers to keep them out of hospitals?
Niven: that one never goes out of style!
Niven: for example, a lot of Venezuelans were probably injured and maimed in those indiscriminate bombings
Niven: what if we spread a rumor about organ traffikers to keep them out of hospitals?
Niven: that one never goes out of style!
January 4, 2026 at 7:09 PM
Niven: ok but surely you need us to advise you on your next step
Niven: for example, a lot of Venezuelans were probably injured and maimed in those indiscriminate bombings
Niven: what if we spread a rumor about organ traffikers to keep them out of hospitals?
Niven: that one never goes out of style!
Niven: for example, a lot of Venezuelans were probably injured and maimed in those indiscriminate bombings
Niven: what if we spread a rumor about organ traffikers to keep them out of hospitals?
Niven: that one never goes out of style!