Steve Thomas-Patel
steve.thomaspatel.com
Steve Thomas-Patel
@steve.thomaspatel.com
Parent (of human, cat, dog, and chickens), web and app developer, gardener, environmentalist, photographer, eater of foods, chicken raiser, climber, runner -- in no specific order.
Pinned
In the US, politics is a $21+ billion industry.

For us regular people to have a meaningful chance, we need movements that understand how to win without money.

Money buys noise, but everyone can make noise.
In the US, politics is a $21+ billion industry.

For us regular people to have a meaningful chance, we need movements that understand how to win without money.

Money buys noise, but everyone can make noise.
June 27, 2025 at 7:34 PM
The Democratic Party to NYC: Your choices will be an unapologetic sexual abuser or a corrupt mayor in the hands of a tyrant president.

NYC: Nope.
June 25, 2025 at 7:08 PM
A couple of months ago I wrote my state representatives and told them I did not feel they should have X on their website or should at least have bluesky.

I received no reply, but since then, one has removed her X link, the other has not.
June 22, 2025 at 9:54 PM
A new horror unlocked: These guys deciding how to deal with Israel-Iran war. This is the stuff of nightmares. What an image.
June 17, 2025 at 4:48 PM
My belief is that Trump wanted a confrontation before his parade in order to preempt the "No Kings" protesters. He's deployed national guard and marines. I also think he thought he could use this as an opportunity to rally people behind his parade.

I don't think it is going the way he'd hoped.
June 12, 2025 at 6:22 PM
www.youtube.com
June 12, 2025 at 6:18 PM
This was a beautiful win. REI is structured as if it is a co-op and likes to say it is, but for the most part just acts like any other company. This year they seriously betrayed their customers by endorsing Doug Burgum for SOI.

REI customers pushed back.

I don't think the board learned anything.
REI Annual Member Meeting 2025
YouTube video by REI
youtu.be
May 21, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Reposted by Steve Thomas-Patel
Forming a new political party is unrealistic, but Democrats need to carve out a sub-party soon. Most rank-and-file Dems have very little in common with current party leaders, particularly Senate Democrats.

Voters want ethical leaders willing to fight the Trump administration. We don't have that.
Now, this is a perfect example of vapid, shallow, unethical fundraising without any principals or substance. @adamschiff.com's campaign sent out this email targeting Trump's corruption (sent it twice) on the same day he is voting to advance a shady crypto bill that will benefit Trump by billions.
May 19, 2025 at 11:00 PM
We can expect many more of these spurious charges against democrats or any political rival that emerges, especially when we approach elections in the coming years.

I hope this brings Rep. McIver followers. May their attempts at suppression amplify their opponent's messages.
My statement on the charges filed against me:
May 20, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Reposted by Steve Thomas-Patel
My statement on the charges filed against me:
May 20, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Reposted by Steve Thomas-Patel
still maddening how many geriatric Dem senators have run or are running for re-election instead of setting up an orderly transition to a successor or permitting turnover
May 14, 2025 at 9:04 PM
In case we needed evidence Democratic leadership is out of touch.
"What a dumbs***": Democrats privately rage over "utterly selfish" impeachment vote
One senior House Democrat said of Rep. Shri Thanedar's efforts: "People are pissed."
www.axios.com
May 14, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Personally, I was all for Biden as the safe bet that "had to win" in 2020. I am not looking for anything like that in 2028.
Jasmine Crockett says Democrats want ‘the safest white boy’ for 2028 ticket
Crockett said Democrats have ‘this fear’ about voting for a woman again after Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton lost
www.independent.co.uk
May 12, 2025 at 12:10 AM
A nice little bloom for my birthday. Our first matilija poppy of the year opened up yesterday. (Maybe not so **little**)
May 11, 2025 at 3:56 PM
My favorite part about TESLA's problems, which are caused by Musk, is that they think the solution is more Musk. At least that means the rest of us get less Musk.
Tesla’s European Death Spiral Has No End In Sight
After a disastrous first quarter, Tesla’s sales figures in Europe tanked even further in April.
insideevs.com
May 5, 2025 at 8:56 PM
The free exchange of ideas is fundamental to who we are as a nation. That includes across borders. It sets us apart from places like China, Russia, Iran, North Korea.

This idea sounded all kinds of implausible to me. It's heartening to learn there is already a specific law preventing it.
Can President Trump place tariffs on films produced abroad? The law says no.
A law passed by Congress in 1988 explicitly bars the president from being able to regulate the import and export of films, books and music — something TikTok recently brought up.
www.marketwatch.com
May 5, 2025 at 6:31 PM
I'm thinking this guy knows what he's talking about.
This isn't hypothetical.

The coming days are bringing higher prices and disrupted supply chains, this time not because of a pandemic or a war, but self-inflicted by our country's government under this president.
May 2, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Reposted by Steve Thomas-Patel
Microsoft has dropped a law firm that settled with the Trump administration in favor of one that is fighting the president’s executive orders, in a sign that those firms can still attract clients.
Microsoft Drops Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Law Firm from a Case
The tech giant instead engaged a firm that is fighting the president’s executive orders, Jenner & Block, in a sign that those firms can still attract clients.
www.nytimes.com
May 1, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Forbes(!) did a critical story on this guy over a month ago. Now he's senior leadership at the Pentagon, aiming to "right the ship." Oh yes, this is going to go well.
A Top Pentagon DOGE Official’s Success Story Doesn’t Always Add Up
Justin Fulcher ran a telehealth startup that went bankrupt and appears to have overstated his credentials. He’s among those leading Elon Musk's DOGE effort at the Pentagon.
www.forbes.com
April 25, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Wtf? An ad by the State Department on reddit telling me not to travel to "Level 4 travel adv. countries?"

I assume anyone travelling to one of these countries would be fully aware without needing to be told.

Feels like, maybe an attack on Venezuela? Or just trying to make people afraid to travel?
April 25, 2025 at 8:39 PM
This is a fight that is nothing new, but the need for digital privacy in the US has never been clearer.
Defend Encryption and Privacy Online – Sign the Petition | Mozilla
Governments are pushing laws to weaken encryption and threaten our privacy. Join Mozilla’s global campaign to reject backdoors and protect end-to-end encryption. Sign now.
foundation.mozilla.org
April 24, 2025 at 5:53 PM
It's the 40th anniversary of New Coke -- here is how the story of New Coke describes what is happening in US politics.

steve.thomaspatel.com/posts/new-co...
April 23, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Under the Trump administration, reporting crime is the crime. As opposed to passing around national security willy-nilly, which is just fine.

www.usnews.com/news/politic...
www.usnews.com
April 22, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Reposted by Steve Thomas-Patel
Excited to launch a rebuild of my website, Indiaphile, this week. Note the butterfly in our social icons (and no bird, lol).

Check it out! indiaphile.info
April 16, 2025 at 10:18 PM