Scott Littlehale
@slittlehale.bsky.social
Build Housing, Protect All Workers, Organize.
California construction labor union research analyst and campaigner since 2003. Research finds that union membership, collective bargaining, and quality jobs are good for people and society, actually.
California construction labor union research analyst and campaigner since 2003. Research finds that union membership, collective bargaining, and quality jobs are good for people and society, actually.
Pinned
Scott Littlehale
@slittlehale.bsky.social
· Nov 22
Recent replies question my approach to housing construction challenges, summarized as:
1) Pay workers a locally appropriate self-sufficiency wage, with retention-promoting, intra-industry-portable fringe benefits
2) Attack other socially negative sources of production costs.
Here's my argument👇
1) Pay workers a locally appropriate self-sufficiency wage, with retention-promoting, intra-industry-portable fringe benefits
2) Attack other socially negative sources of production costs.
Here's my argument👇
The Narrative persists that "labor shortages" in the construction sector are extraordinary. @upjohninstitute.bsky.social's comparison of "Labor Leverage Ratios" (Quits:Layoffs) that construction employees have LESS leverage vis-a-vis their employers relative to the all-industry avg.
November 11, 2025 at 5:15 PM
The Narrative persists that "labor shortages" in the construction sector are extraordinary. @upjohninstitute.bsky.social's comparison of "Labor Leverage Ratios" (Quits:Layoffs) that construction employees have LESS leverage vis-a-vis their employers relative to the all-industry avg.
I just saw the video. Horrifying
youtu.be/vLozt6ThXfE
youtu.be/vLozt6ThXfE
November 11, 2025 at 4:43 AM
I just saw the video. Horrifying
youtu.be/vLozt6ThXfE
youtu.be/vLozt6ThXfE
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
Since I won't be taking any new shots for a couple months I made a feed for folks to browse
November 11, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Since I won't be taking any new shots for a couple months I made a feed for folks to browse
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
That's the end of Milky Way Season 2025 for this guy.
Earlier tonight somewhere in California.
2x sky shots and a couple foregrounds merged.
Rough ending, but a glorious season. By far my best.
2026 we're planning the early season much tighter.
We're coming for your panoramas, galaxy.
Earlier tonight somewhere in California.
2x sky shots and a couple foregrounds merged.
Rough ending, but a glorious season. By far my best.
2026 we're planning the early season much tighter.
We're coming for your panoramas, galaxy.
November 10, 2025 at 6:31 AM
That's the end of Milky Way Season 2025 for this guy.
Earlier tonight somewhere in California.
2x sky shots and a couple foregrounds merged.
Rough ending, but a glorious season. By far my best.
2026 we're planning the early season much tighter.
We're coming for your panoramas, galaxy.
Earlier tonight somewhere in California.
2x sky shots and a couple foregrounds merged.
Rough ending, but a glorious season. By far my best.
2026 we're planning the early season much tighter.
We're coming for your panoramas, galaxy.
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
During Trump’s first term, we actually had a shutdown that lasted a few hours *entirely* because Rand Paul refused to give UC.
Again, if we don’t get UC, then the Senate won’t actually be able to pass this thing until Saturday at the earliest (and then the House could pass it shortly thereafter).
Again, if we don’t get UC, then the Senate won’t actually be able to pass this thing until Saturday at the earliest (and then the House could pass it shortly thereafter).
November 10, 2025 at 1:50 AM
During Trump’s first term, we actually had a shutdown that lasted a few hours *entirely* because Rand Paul refused to give UC.
Again, if we don’t get UC, then the Senate won’t actually be able to pass this thing until Saturday at the earliest (and then the House could pass it shortly thereafter).
Again, if we don’t get UC, then the Senate won’t actually be able to pass this thing until Saturday at the earliest (and then the House could pass it shortly thereafter).
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
Still upset about no power of the purse language. You truly do hate to see it. The Trump admin undertook the most expansive set of illegal budgetary actions of any president in history, and broadcast as loudly as possible they’d keep doing it, and nothing. Budgetary lawlessness.
November 10, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Still upset about no power of the purse language. You truly do hate to see it. The Trump admin undertook the most expansive set of illegal budgetary actions of any president in history, and broadcast as loudly as possible they’d keep doing it, and nothing. Budgetary lawlessness.
important. there will be a second 60-vote cloture vote Thursday unless the Senate grants unanimous consent.
(Kogan is an essential follow for procedure and budget details)
(Kogan is an essential follow for procedure and budget details)
Assume it passes, because it’s only 50 votes. File cloture on final passage. That requires a session day intervening, so final cloture vote on final passage would be Thursday. 60 votes for this.
If that passes, another 30 hours of debate happens. Takes us to Friday for final passage in the Senate.
If that passes, another 30 hours of debate happens. Takes us to Friday for final passage in the Senate.
November 10, 2025 at 3:27 AM
important. there will be a second 60-vote cloture vote Thursday unless the Senate grants unanimous consent.
(Kogan is an essential follow for procedure and budget details)
(Kogan is an essential follow for procedure and budget details)
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
Assume it passes, because it’s only 50 votes. File cloture on final passage. That requires a session day intervening, so final cloture vote on final passage would be Thursday. 60 votes for this.
If that passes, another 30 hours of debate happens. Takes us to Friday for final passage in the Senate.
If that passes, another 30 hours of debate happens. Takes us to Friday for final passage in the Senate.
November 9, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Assume it passes, because it’s only 50 votes. File cloture on final passage. That requires a session day intervening, so final cloture vote on final passage would be Thursday. 60 votes for this.
If that passes, another 30 hours of debate happens. Takes us to Friday for final passage in the Senate.
If that passes, another 30 hours of debate happens. Takes us to Friday for final passage in the Senate.
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
People underestimate how much politicians don't want to take votes, and the filibuster is the perfect combination of "don't vote on anything controversial" and "doesn't count because it was a procedural vote"
November 10, 2025 at 2:46 AM
People underestimate how much politicians don't want to take votes, and the filibuster is the perfect combination of "don't vote on anything controversial" and "doesn't count because it was a procedural vote"
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
The original Dem demands were:
1) Permanent ACA subsidies
2) Medicaid funding restored
3) No more blank checks for the regime (rescission)
They dropped Medicaid immediately. Went silent on rescission. Cut back to 1 year of subsidies on Friday. And surrendered today.
The Senate Democrats!
1) Permanent ACA subsidies
2) Medicaid funding restored
3) No more blank checks for the regime (rescission)
They dropped Medicaid immediately. Went silent on rescission. Cut back to 1 year of subsidies on Friday. And surrendered today.
The Senate Democrats!
November 10, 2025 at 2:29 AM
The original Dem demands were:
1) Permanent ACA subsidies
2) Medicaid funding restored
3) No more blank checks for the regime (rescission)
They dropped Medicaid immediately. Went silent on rescission. Cut back to 1 year of subsidies on Friday. And surrendered today.
The Senate Democrats!
1) Permanent ACA subsidies
2) Medicaid funding restored
3) No more blank checks for the regime (rescission)
They dropped Medicaid immediately. Went silent on rescission. Cut back to 1 year of subsidies on Friday. And surrendered today.
The Senate Democrats!
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
Not that he didn’t already know, but now Trump knows for sure he can roll the Dems every time and there’s no need to negotiate for anything
November 10, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Not that he didn’t already know, but now Trump knows for sure he can roll the Dems every time and there’s no need to negotiate for anything
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
This shit is why people don’t trust the Democratic Party.
November 10, 2025 at 2:27 AM
This shit is why people don’t trust the Democratic Party.
How does Congressional party leadership change occur? Dem Party policies are mostly popular. Democratic Party leaders are disliked by 30 point margins. Seems like the electoral problem is not policy but lack of confidence in leadership.
If Schumer is still minority leader by tomorrow morning we’re cooked.
November 10, 2025 at 2:54 AM
How does Congressional party leadership change occur? Dem Party policies are mostly popular. Democratic Party leaders are disliked by 30 point margins. Seems like the electoral problem is not policy but lack of confidence in leadership.
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
Sanders: Let’s be clear… If this vote succeeds, over 20 million Americans are going to see at least a doubling in their premiums… if resolution is passed tonight, we are on a path way to throw 15 million Americans off of medicaid and the affordable care act, 15 million.
November 10, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Sanders: Let’s be clear… If this vote succeeds, over 20 million Americans are going to see at least a doubling in their premiums… if resolution is passed tonight, we are on a path way to throw 15 million Americans off of medicaid and the affordable care act, 15 million.
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
The Dem leadership is all going to vote no because they are trying to "keep their hands clean." We told you how ridiculous this was yesterday.
prospect.org/2025/11/08/w...
prospect.org/2025/11/08/w...
Why Does Schumer Keep Trying to Cave? - The American Prospect
Most commentators, including me, concluded that the Tuesday election victory saved Democrats from capitulating to Republican demands to pass a simple continuing resolution to re-open the government, i...
prospect.org
November 10, 2025 at 1:31 AM
The Dem leadership is all going to vote no because they are trying to "keep their hands clean." We told you how ridiculous this was yesterday.
prospect.org/2025/11/08/w...
prospect.org/2025/11/08/w...
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
The caucus meeting was just to orchestrate who would fall on the sword but not be up for a vote in 2026.
so currently defectors are:
Kaine (2030)
Shaheen (Retiring)
Hasan (2028)
Fetterman (2028)
Durbin (Retiring)
CCM (2028)
Rosen (2030)
King (2030)
Kaine (2030)
Shaheen (Retiring)
Hasan (2028)
Fetterman (2028)
Durbin (Retiring)
CCM (2028)
Rosen (2030)
King (2030)
November 10, 2025 at 2:05 AM
The caucus meeting was just to orchestrate who would fall on the sword but not be up for a vote in 2026.
un-inhanced cell phone shot
November 10, 2025 at 1:32 AM
un-inhanced cell phone shot
freaking main line vm box is full for Schiff
Sounds like the squishes in the senate caucus are ready to pull the plug with no ACA changes. This is real. If you want to register your opinion you shld call yr senator in the next hour. They not only want to reopen w/nothing. They want cover from their colleagues who still want to hold out.
November 9, 2025 at 10:42 PM
freaking main line vm box is full for Schiff
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
If you have an FSA you have an employer. If you have an employer that offers an FSA you probably get insurance from your employer and thus do not qualify for the subsidies in the first place. If you don't congrats on a bunch of added steps to be compensated.
"A development that appeared to break the logjam: Republicans proposed that healthcare funding be provided directly to households rather than used to pay for a 1-year extension of ACA subsidies. That involves sending federal money into FSAs instead of insurance companies" www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
Republicans Pitch Alternative to ACA Extension to End Government Shutdown
A proposal by GOP senators to send money directly to consumers’ health accounts rather than to insurance companies showed signs of breaking a stalemate on negotiations.
www.wsj.com
November 9, 2025 at 10:15 PM
If you have an FSA you have an employer. If you have an employer that offers an FSA you probably get insurance from your employer and thus do not qualify for the subsidies in the first place. If you don't congrats on a bunch of added steps to be compensated.
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
SNAP update. Insane one. So USDA is now saying on a huge lag:
- issue partial payments using a bad-math formula;
- CLAW BACK full issuances that any state sent *properly* under last week's guidance;
- if you don't CLAW BACK benefits, we won't pay the federal share of SNAP administrative costs (??)
- issue partial payments using a bad-math formula;
- CLAW BACK full issuances that any state sent *properly* under last week's guidance;
- if you don't CLAW BACK benefits, we won't pay the federal share of SNAP administrative costs (??)
November 9, 2025 at 3:37 PM
SNAP update. Insane one. So USDA is now saying on a huge lag:
- issue partial payments using a bad-math formula;
- CLAW BACK full issuances that any state sent *properly* under last week's guidance;
- if you don't CLAW BACK benefits, we won't pay the federal share of SNAP administrative costs (??)
- issue partial payments using a bad-math formula;
- CLAW BACK full issuances that any state sent *properly* under last week's guidance;
- if you don't CLAW BACK benefits, we won't pay the federal share of SNAP administrative costs (??)
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
Historically, the theory that you reach the masses by running to the center is built on a candidate who won 43 percent of the vote in a three-way race
A "modest margin" when Mamdani beat his next closest challenger by 8 points in a three-person race. Trump won by just 1.5% and it was played off as a seismic realignment of American politics and culture.
Damn, I hate it when things that happen mean nothing :-(
November 9, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Historically, the theory that you reach the masses by running to the center is built on a candidate who won 43 percent of the vote in a three-way race
at last, a NYT story about real economic policy new (not a vibes report)
November 8, 2025 at 6:08 PM
at last, a NYT story about real economic policy new (not a vibes report)
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
LA & Inland Empire outperforming even that trend - I'd guess ICE presence?
November 7, 2025 at 6:43 PM
LA & Inland Empire outperforming even that trend - I'd guess ICE presence?
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
If that's owling, this is definitely full pelican 🪶
September 16, 2025 at 6:59 PM
If that's owling, this is definitely full pelican 🪶
Reposted by Scott Littlehale
It has been the worst year for layoff announcements among a small, unrepresentative set of large employers.
Unemployment insurance claims are a more reliable measure and similar to recent years.
Unemployment insurance claims are a more reliable measure and similar to recent years.
November 6, 2025 at 3:28 PM
It has been the worst year for layoff announcements among a small, unrepresentative set of large employers.
Unemployment insurance claims are a more reliable measure and similar to recent years.
Unemployment insurance claims are a more reliable measure and similar to recent years.