Ruth Kostik
@ruthkostik.bsky.social
Alaska transplant, theatre kid who grew up to have a career in government finance, #akleg junky
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
And we knew this. This wasn't speculation. We studied it, we had the talking points. We trained volunteers to explain this to people. It's not a surprise. Rich people don't flee places with good quality of life when we increase the quality of life. They might try to cheat us, but they don't leave.
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Millionaire Tax That Inspired Mamdani Fuels $5.7 Billion Haul in Massachusetts
A millionaire levy in Massachusetts that New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani holds up as a model for taxing the rich has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing...
www.bloomberg.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:16 AM
And we knew this. This wasn't speculation. We studied it, we had the talking points. We trained volunteers to explain this to people. It's not a surprise. Rich people don't flee places with good quality of life when we increase the quality of life. They might try to cheat us, but they don't leave.
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
As the Senate tries to defend a million dollar payday to 8 of their own - and as the House GOP tries to explain why they refused to amend the CR to strip it out, let's review exactly what it is they want restitution for. Brief thread:
November 14, 2025 at 1:28 PM
As the Senate tries to defend a million dollar payday to 8 of their own - and as the House GOP tries to explain why they refused to amend the CR to strip it out, let's review exactly what it is they want restitution for. Brief thread:
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
Today I'm glad I'm not rich enough to feel absolutely invulnerable when I put things into an email
November 12, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Today I'm glad I'm not rich enough to feel absolutely invulnerable when I put things into an email
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
Today was a very stupid day but I have faith tomorrow will be stupider
November 12, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Today was a very stupid day but I have faith tomorrow will be stupider
Kinda like #AKGov candidates promising a “full” dividend 😜
Going to be writing some things for MSNBC/NOW.
Here’s a look at how Trump says great things are going to happen when they aren’t because he wants you not to be mad about the bad things that actually *are* happening. www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
Here’s a look at how Trump says great things are going to happen when they aren’t because he wants you not to be mad about the bad things that actually *are* happening. www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
Opinion | Trump's $2000 checks from tariff revenue? The math doesn't add up.
Here are the charts to prove it.
www.msnbc.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:40 AM
Kinda like #AKGov candidates promising a “full” dividend 😜
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
This seems like the most straightforward and also basically accurate message.
instead of saying this was good strategy, maybe senate dems should say: "the republicans were going to kill people by starving them to death, and because we aren't monsters, we decided to let this fight go. We'll keep fighting. Stop electing monsters."
November 11, 2025 at 2:50 PM
This seems like the most straightforward and also basically accurate message.
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
This isn’t law enforcement doing its job. It’s the escalation of a culture of fear that punishes anyone who dares to document it.
a new genre of photo in the last year is federal agents working for ICE pointing guns directly at photographers
November 11, 2025 at 4:01 PM
This isn’t law enforcement doing its job. It’s the escalation of a culture of fear that punishes anyone who dares to document it.
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
Hormone therapy drugs have carried box warning labels for years. The Food and Drug Administration is removing them, saying the risks were overstated. n.pr/3XlOySo
The FDA will lift warnings on hormone therapy for menopause
Hormone therapy drugs have carried box warning labels for years. The Food and Drug Administration is removing them, saying the risks were overstated.
n.pr
November 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Hormone therapy drugs have carried box warning labels for years. The Food and Drug Administration is removing them, saying the risks were overstated. n.pr/3XlOySo
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
I think this an important point. The shutdown was hurting millions of people. In a normal political world, the party in power would first, not want that, and second, care about being blamed for it, which is leverage for negotiation. Neither applies here.
It's also virtually certain that Dem's efforts to restore ACA subsidies were not going to work. They had no leverage to negotiate because the opposite side doesn't care how much or how long Americans in either group were hurting.
November 10, 2025 at 2:03 PM
I think this an important point. The shutdown was hurting millions of people. In a normal political world, the party in power would first, not want that, and second, care about being blamed for it, which is leverage for negotiation. Neither applies here.
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
The current GOP lie is that they’re going to replace Obamacare with something better.
Bullshit. In all of the majorities they’ve had since Obamacare passed, they’ve never once tried to replace it.
They’ve tried to repeal it a whole bunch, but never actually make it better.
Bullshit. In all of the majorities they’ve had since Obamacare passed, they’ve never once tried to replace it.
They’ve tried to repeal it a whole bunch, but never actually make it better.
November 9, 2025 at 1:04 AM
The current GOP lie is that they’re going to replace Obamacare with something better.
Bullshit. In all of the majorities they’ve had since Obamacare passed, they’ve never once tried to replace it.
They’ve tried to repeal it a whole bunch, but never actually make it better.
Bullshit. In all of the majorities they’ve had since Obamacare passed, they’ve never once tried to replace it.
They’ve tried to repeal it a whole bunch, but never actually make it better.
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
JUST IN: The Trump administration late Saturday directed states that they must "immediately undo" any actions they have made to provide benefits to low-income families via SNAP.
Trump tells states to 'immediately undo' steps to fund November SNAP benefits
The Trump administration late Saturday directed states that they must "immediately undo" any actions they have made to provide benefits to low-income families via SNAP.
n.pr
November 9, 2025 at 5:34 PM
JUST IN: The Trump administration late Saturday directed states that they must "immediately undo" any actions they have made to provide benefits to low-income families via SNAP.
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
"I didn't want to say immediately it was me," fifteen-year-old Pedro Elias Garzon Delvaux said. "With this photo there is a mystery, so you have to make it last." n.pr/3WOLsWT
Fedora man unmasked: Meet the teen behind the Louvre mystery photo
"I didn't want to say immediately it was me," fifteen-year-old Pedro Elias Garzon Delvaux said. "With this photo there is a mystery, so you have to make it last."
n.pr
November 9, 2025 at 5:36 PM
"I didn't want to say immediately it was me," fifteen-year-old Pedro Elias Garzon Delvaux said. "With this photo there is a mystery, so you have to make it last." n.pr/3WOLsWT
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
So here's where we are, Sunday morning:
Trump is trying to starve hungry kids in order to bully Democrats into abandoning our fight against health care premium increases.
So Trump is starving kids in order to deny families health care.
Dystopian.
Trump is trying to starve hungry kids in order to bully Democrats into abandoning our fight against health care premium increases.
So Trump is starving kids in order to deny families health care.
Dystopian.
November 9, 2025 at 5:30 PM
So here's where we are, Sunday morning:
Trump is trying to starve hungry kids in order to bully Democrats into abandoning our fight against health care premium increases.
So Trump is starving kids in order to deny families health care.
Dystopian.
Trump is trying to starve hungry kids in order to bully Democrats into abandoning our fight against health care premium increases.
So Trump is starving kids in order to deny families health care.
Dystopian.
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
Hey!
Calling all Wonder Women!
We all are sisters…pulling together with one spirit.
50 years ago today the first episode of the series Wonder Woman aired.
Calling all Wonder Women!
We all are sisters…pulling together with one spirit.
50 years ago today the first episode of the series Wonder Woman aired.
November 8, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Hey!
Calling all Wonder Women!
We all are sisters…pulling together with one spirit.
50 years ago today the first episode of the series Wonder Woman aired.
Calling all Wonder Women!
We all are sisters…pulling together with one spirit.
50 years ago today the first episode of the series Wonder Woman aired.
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
I would really love to think that the exactly five years between Four Seasons Total Landscaping and Sandwich Guy Getting Acquitted mark some sort of bookending.
November 7, 2025 at 9:11 PM
I would really love to think that the exactly five years between Four Seasons Total Landscaping and Sandwich Guy Getting Acquitted mark some sort of bookending.
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
I have to imagine far-right Catholics are really struggling with the fact that they can now hear this stuff in English directly from the pope.
“How did you receive the foreigner? And did you receive him and welcome him or not?”
Pope Leo XIV challenges us to reflect on the moral cost of policies that target deeply-root immigrants and families.
Pope Leo XIV challenges us to reflect on the moral cost of policies that target deeply-root immigrants and families.
November 5, 2025 at 5:52 PM
I have to imagine far-right Catholics are really struggling with the fact that they can now hear this stuff in English directly from the pope.
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
Trump's approval rating has fallen the most among the voters who are newest to his coalition: people of color and young people. Good article from Mary Radcliffe (who is a must-read): marywitha4.substack.com/p/trumps-app...
November 5, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Trump's approval rating has fallen the most among the voters who are newest to his coalition: people of color and young people. Good article from Mary Radcliffe (who is a must-read): marywitha4.substack.com/p/trumps-app...
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
“I did not kill the president. The doctors did that. I merely shot him.”
—Charles J. Guiteau, charged with the death of President James A. Garfield, 1882
Let’s get into it. 🧵⬇️
—Charles J. Guiteau, charged with the death of President James A. Garfield, 1882
Let’s get into it. 🧵⬇️
November 5, 2025 at 8:13 PM
“I did not kill the president. The doctors did that. I merely shot him.”
—Charles J. Guiteau, charged with the death of President James A. Garfield, 1882
Let’s get into it. 🧵⬇️
—Charles J. Guiteau, charged with the death of President James A. Garfield, 1882
Let’s get into it. 🧵⬇️
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
There are more of us than there are of them.
November 5, 2025 at 2:31 AM
There are more of us than there are of them.
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
Trump tries to build a fake wall of inevitability around everything he does.
Today, voters - literally from sea to shining sea - broke through all that, and this is just the beginning.
Today, voters - literally from sea to shining sea - broke through all that, and this is just the beginning.
November 5, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Trump tries to build a fake wall of inevitability around everything he does.
Today, voters - literally from sea to shining sea - broke through all that, and this is just the beginning.
Today, voters - literally from sea to shining sea - broke through all that, and this is just the beginning.
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
Like many Americans, Scott Adams had insurance problems. But unlike most people he has powerful friends on social media, and when he asked President Trump for help, he got the cancer drug he needed.
Dilbert creator taps Trump to get cancer drug. Others wish they could, too
Like many Americans, Scott Adams had insurance problems. But unlike most people he has powerful friends on social media, and when he asked President Trump for help, he got the cancer drug he needed.
n.pr
November 4, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Like many Americans, Scott Adams had insurance problems. But unlike most people he has powerful friends on social media, and when he asked President Trump for help, he got the cancer drug he needed.
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
Running gag goes meta as Johnson says he knows nothing about Trump knowing nothing
RAJU: Last week you were very critical of Biden's use of the autopen. But Trump admitted on 60 Minutes to not knowing he pardoned a crypto billionaire who pleaded guilty to money laundering. Does that also concern you?
MIKE JOHNSON: I don't know anything about that. I didn't see it. I'm not sure.
MIKE JOHNSON: I don't know anything about that. I didn't see it. I'm not sure.
November 3, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Running gag goes meta as Johnson says he knows nothing about Trump knowing nothing
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
All I know about political science I learned from the movies, but as I remember, in "The Ten Commandments," the Pharaoh's main job was to distribute grain to the people.
Indiana's Christian nationalist Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith says "it's not the government's job to feed people" and so tens of millions of people losing SNAP benefits because of the government shutdown represents "a great opportunity for the local church to step up."
November 3, 2025 at 5:16 PM
All I know about political science I learned from the movies, but as I remember, in "The Ten Commandments," the Pharaoh's main job was to distribute grain to the people.
Reposted by Ruth Kostik
Every $1 donation provides 4 or 5 meals from food banks. Even a donation of $5 right now can feed up to two dozen people. No, we shouldn’t have to do this. But we can.
Remember that while food banks welcome donations of food, they prefer $$$$$$$. They have deals with grocery stores and suppliers. You can only buy one dollar's worth of food for one dollar, but they can buy several dollars' worth. So don't, like, buy food to donate it, just give 'em the dough.
November 2, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Every $1 donation provides 4 or 5 meals from food banks. Even a donation of $5 right now can feed up to two dozen people. No, we shouldn’t have to do this. But we can.