Matthew Sachs
@mattsachs.bsky.social
Infrequent music maker, occasional dreamer of dreams
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
Remember when Loper Bright was supposed to restore congressional primacy?
An important piece of reporting. Even congressional Republicans wanted to include appropriations-bill language to protect Congress's power of the purse. But Russ Vought has pressured them to cut the language, and the House Republicans rolled over. www.notus.org/congress/mar...
A Top Republican Wanted to Reclaim Congress’ Spending Authority. The White House Stopped Him.
Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, a top appropriator, tried to add guardrails from ‘pocket rescissions’ in an appropriations bill. But then Office of Management Budget Director Russ Vought talked to him.
www.notus.org
November 19, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Remember when Loper Bright was supposed to restore congressional primacy?
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
"In any other administration, at any other time in American history, this level of corruption would be a political disaster — a scandal that could bring down the administration. For the Trump administration, it is a Tuesday."
wrote about the president’s flagrant and destructive corruption in a column that references street fighter, the simpsons, machiavelli, and a host of revolutionary-era americans (gift link)
Opinion | The White House Gold Rush Is On
www.nytimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:27 PM
"In any other administration, at any other time in American history, this level of corruption would be a political disaster — a scandal that could bring down the administration. For the Trump administration, it is a Tuesday."
Solidarity is magic.
unicorns are cool, but they'd be cooler if they were unioncorns (unicorns who formed a union)
November 18, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Solidarity is magic.
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
Throwback to the time that The Urbanist sent Katie Wilson to cover the grand opening of a Belltown highrise, which featured the hoisting of a $1.6 million supercar to the building's roof. But how people cover child care costs is a scandal, am I right?
www.theurbanist.org/2024/05/19/h...
www.theurbanist.org/2024/05/19/h...
Op-Ed: Hoisting ‘Supercar’ 47 Stories Inaugurates Condo Opening, New Gilded Age » The Urbanist
# A million-dollar McLaren Elva briefly graced the 47th floor rooftop next to the jacuzzi to promote the
www.theurbanist.org
November 18, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Throwback to the time that The Urbanist sent Katie Wilson to cover the grand opening of a Belltown highrise, which featured the hoisting of a $1.6 million supercar to the building's roof. But how people cover child care costs is a scandal, am I right?
www.theurbanist.org/2024/05/19/h...
www.theurbanist.org/2024/05/19/h...
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
And how much Transportation is hidden in the other categories? What portion of Housing costs is the garage under your apartment building? What portion of Food is the sea of parking surrounding the supermarket? What portion of Healthcare is car-related injury and respiratory disease?
Transportation costs are the second largest burden on American family budgets (17%), after housing (33%)!
To address the affordability crisis, we must create cities with abundant housing of all types (subsidized, social, coop, market rate) and make walking, biking, and taking transit convenient.
To address the affordability crisis, we must create cities with abundant housing of all types (subsidized, social, coop, market rate) and make walking, biking, and taking transit convenient.
November 14, 2025 at 6:35 PM
And how much Transportation is hidden in the other categories? What portion of Housing costs is the garage under your apartment building? What portion of Food is the sea of parking surrounding the supermarket? What portion of Healthcare is car-related injury and respiratory disease?
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
Washington’s top-two election system can misfire and elect a less-popular candidate, against the will of most voters. #RankedChoiceVoting is an easy fix.
Will an Electoral Glitch Send a Republican to Patty Murray’s Seat in 2028? | Sightline Institute
Washington’s top-two primary elections can misfire—but there’s an easy fix.
www.sightline.org
November 11, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Washington’s top-two election system can misfire and elect a less-popular candidate, against the will of most voters. #RankedChoiceVoting is an easy fix.
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
My statement slamming the Senate’s failure to pass my bipartisan legislation to stop unauthorized war against Venezuela:
November 7, 2025 at 2:42 AM
My statement slamming the Senate’s failure to pass my bipartisan legislation to stop unauthorized war against Venezuela:
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
He gets remembered as a safe boring pick for VP, but one thing where Kaine is an outlier is he is genuinely good on congressional war powers and has had a keen interest in it for a long time, including finding bipartisan support when he can.
My statement slamming the Senate’s failure to pass my bipartisan legislation to stop unauthorized war against Venezuela:
November 7, 2025 at 2:44 AM
He gets remembered as a safe boring pick for VP, but one thing where Kaine is an outlier is he is genuinely good on congressional war powers and has had a keen interest in it for a long time, including finding bipartisan support when he can.
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
DO THIS! I never have had issues before, but this time there was an issue with signature match. I just sent in a form on my phone to cure my ballot:
info.kingcounty.gov/kcelections/...
info.kingcounty.gov/kcelections/...
November 5, 2025 at 8:08 PM
DO THIS! I never have had issues before, but this time there was an issue with signature match. I just sent in a form on my phone to cure my ballot:
info.kingcounty.gov/kcelections/...
info.kingcounty.gov/kcelections/...
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
Savor this moment, friends.
They couldn’t buy their way to a win. They couldn’t racist their way to a win. There are more of us than them, and we fucking beat them. And we can keep beating them.
They couldn’t buy their way to a win. They couldn’t racist their way to a win. There are more of us than them, and we fucking beat them. And we can keep beating them.
November 5, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Savor this moment, friends.
They couldn’t buy their way to a win. They couldn’t racist their way to a win. There are more of us than them, and we fucking beat them. And we can keep beating them.
They couldn’t buy their way to a win. They couldn’t racist their way to a win. There are more of us than them, and we fucking beat them. And we can keep beating them.
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
I think a thing we'll learn tonight is that people fucking hate what is going on and they will straight ticket vote against anyone involved in starving people while pillaging the country and kidnapping their neighbors. I don't think it matters at all who that person is.
November 5, 2025 at 12:44 AM
I think a thing we'll learn tonight is that people fucking hate what is going on and they will straight ticket vote against anyone involved in starving people while pillaging the country and kidnapping their neighbors. I don't think it matters at all who that person is.
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
November 2, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
November 2, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
November 2, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
In light of a race for County Executive that looks to be going down to the wire, I'm compelled to circulate THE Claudia Balducci video.
The Bellevue City Council meeting in 2010 where CB made it clear she doesn't ever shirk away from a fight.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuB5...
The Bellevue City Council meeting in 2010 where CB made it clear she doesn't ever shirk away from a fight.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuB5...
Bellevue City Council Falls Into Chaos
YouTube video by seatransitblog
www.youtube.com
November 2, 2025 at 6:57 PM
In light of a race for County Executive that looks to be going down to the wire, I'm compelled to circulate THE Claudia Balducci video.
The Bellevue City Council meeting in 2010 where CB made it clear she doesn't ever shirk away from a fight.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuB5...
The Bellevue City Council meeting in 2010 where CB made it clear she doesn't ever shirk away from a fight.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuB5...
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
New Yorkers vote today if you haven’t and you get this
October 31, 2025 at 9:56 AM
New Yorkers vote today if you haven’t and you get this
So tell me what I see when I look in your eyes
Is that you, baby, or just Steve Brill in disguise?
Is that you, baby, or just Steve Brill in disguise?
October 29, 2025 at 2:31 AM
So tell me what I see when I look in your eyes
Is that you, baby, or just Steve Brill in disguise?
Is that you, baby, or just Steve Brill in disguise?
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
The University of Michigan has turned out odious right-wing bozos like Ben Carson, Tom Price, and Jeremy Peters but I don't remember any New York Times articles wondering if the school is indoctrinating students because the NYT only pretends that's a thing when it suits their agenda.
October 29, 2025 at 1:02 AM
The University of Michigan has turned out odious right-wing bozos like Ben Carson, Tom Price, and Jeremy Peters but I don't remember any New York Times articles wondering if the school is indoctrinating students because the NYT only pretends that's a thing when it suits their agenda.
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
Rashida Tlaib in particular is regarded as anti establishment almost exclusively because of her ethnicity, religion and subsequently her views on one particular issue which is especially pertinent to her. Otherwise she is like the definitional Congresswoman you'd picture that does local outreach.
It may not be the nicest thing to say but I don't think it's really a coincidence that Tlaib, Mamdani and el-Sayed have something in common that the likes of Platner and Lee Carter and others don't: they have professional experience in politics before entering it.
October 29, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Rashida Tlaib in particular is regarded as anti establishment almost exclusively because of her ethnicity, religion and subsequently her views on one particular issue which is especially pertinent to her. Otherwise she is like the definitional Congresswoman you'd picture that does local outreach.
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
I’m actually pretty naive b/c I did not realize this. I think I picked up on the vibe when I saw the headlines but focused on the content, not the context and yeah, this is absolutely dead-on.
Obvious to say this, but the actual function of the smear job isn't to make us ask about his aunt, it's to show us the words "hijab" and "9/11" in a headline with his photo.
October 29, 2025 at 1:52 AM
I’m actually pretty naive b/c I did not realize this. I think I picked up on the vibe when I saw the headlines but focused on the content, not the context and yeah, this is absolutely dead-on.
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
It literally took decades of advocacy to pass these reforms, which would have prevented prison phone and teleconferencing companies from ripping off inmates and their families to the tune of hundreds of millions annually
F.C.C. Changes Course on the Price of Prisoners’ Phone Calls
www.nytimes.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:26 AM
It literally took decades of advocacy to pass these reforms, which would have prevented prison phone and teleconferencing companies from ripping off inmates and their families to the tune of hundreds of millions annually
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
I like how Zohran Mamdani scandals are like "He called his old cousin his aunt one time" and Andrew Cuomo scandals are like "He sexually assaulted 13 women."
October 28, 2025 at 6:28 PM
I like how Zohran Mamdani scandals are like "He called his old cousin his aunt one time" and Andrew Cuomo scandals are like "He sexually assaulted 13 women."
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
Once again, @mcsweeneys.net does not miss.
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"In 2004, you saw some college guy using me and thought, 'What a lazy cheater.'
Now you’d think, 'At least he’s not asking Gemini.'
In a few years, you’ll say, 'Wow, look, a human being who can read.'"
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"In 2004, you saw some college guy using me and thought, 'What a lazy cheater.'
Now you’d think, 'At least he’s not asking Gemini.'
In a few years, you’ll say, 'Wow, look, a human being who can read.'"
Hi, It’s Me, Wikipedia, and I Am Ready for Your Apology
“Wikipedia, the constantly changing knowledge base created by a global free-for-all of anonymous users, now stands as the leading force for the dum...
www.mcsweeneys.net
October 28, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Once again, @mcsweeneys.net does not miss.
------------------------------------------------
"In 2004, you saw some college guy using me and thought, 'What a lazy cheater.'
Now you’d think, 'At least he’s not asking Gemini.'
In a few years, you’ll say, 'Wow, look, a human being who can read.'"
------------------------------------------------
"In 2004, you saw some college guy using me and thought, 'What a lazy cheater.'
Now you’d think, 'At least he’s not asking Gemini.'
In a few years, you’ll say, 'Wow, look, a human being who can read.'"
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
👀
🚨 The Senate votes 52-48 to overturn President Trump's 50 percent tariffs on Brazil. 5 GOP Senators break ranks to vote against Trump: Collins ME, McConnell KY, Murkowski AK, Paul KY, and Tillis NC.
October 29, 2025 at 12:19 AM
👀
Reposted by Matthew Sachs
Justice Kavanaugh: "and those individuals may promptly go free after making clear to the immigration officers that they are U.S. citizens or otherwise legally in the United States."
"According to his running club, the man, who is a U.S. citizen, was returning from a team run when agents pulled him out of his vehicle, tackled him to the ground and kneeled on top of him, allegedly breaking six ribs and causing internal bleeding"
US citizen, 67, ‘has six ribs broken’ by Border Patrol agents, his running club says
The incident unfolded Saturday in Chicago’s Old Irving Park neighborhood, where residents say federal agents disrupted a children’s Halloween parade
www.independent.co.uk
October 28, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Justice Kavanaugh: "and those individuals may promptly go free after making clear to the immigration officers that they are U.S. citizens or otherwise legally in the United States."