Thomas V. Bona
@tvbona.bsky.social
Bronx boy, NY sports fan, Electric Mennonite researching/writing about progressive politics, infrastructure, religion, music. Now with ADHD/anxiety expansion pack!
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
Anyone who says they don't follow or engage in politics is giving tacit admission to bigotry, racism and criminality
February 1, 2026 at 1:37 AM
Anyone who says they don't follow or engage in politics is giving tacit admission to bigotry, racism and criminality
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
The difference between a linguist and a normal person is that a normal person thinks that Chomsky should’ve stuck to linguistics and a linguist thinks he shouldn’t have done that either
February 1, 2026 at 5:45 PM
The difference between a linguist and a normal person is that a normal person thinks that Chomsky should’ve stuck to linguistics and a linguist thinks he shouldn’t have done that either
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
I hate how right I was about this. You have not seen a single hyperventilating news story about This Poor Family Struggles To Afford Milk in the past 13 months.
February 2, 2026 at 5:44 AM
I hate how right I was about this. You have not seen a single hyperventilating news story about This Poor Family Struggles To Afford Milk in the past 13 months.
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
Yes there are people on here claiming now that she was never part of the Leftist Cool Kids Club who they endlessly defended as a benevolent truth teller and was infact a centrist shitlibs because of course they are that's what always happens.
February 2, 2026 at 3:20 AM
Yes there are people on here claiming now that she was never part of the Leftist Cool Kids Club who they endlessly defended as a benevolent truth teller and was infact a centrist shitlibs because of course they are that's what always happens.
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
This probably says a lot about what Briahna Joy Gray actually thought about Bernie Sanders while working for him
Yes there are people on here claiming now that she was never part of the Leftist Cool Kids Club who they endlessly defended as a benevolent truth teller and was infact a centrist shitlibs because of course they are that's what always happens.
February 2, 2026 at 5:49 AM
This probably says a lot about what Briahna Joy Gray actually thought about Bernie Sanders while working for him
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
I genuinely have no idea how to convey this to the American people, but I think the biggest impediment to any kind of immigration reform is that people are convinced that "legal" and "illegal" are immutable, intrinsic categories instead of a rapidly-shifting arbitrary constellation of regulations.
February 1, 2026 at 10:24 PM
I genuinely have no idea how to convey this to the American people, but I think the biggest impediment to any kind of immigration reform is that people are convinced that "legal" and "illegal" are immutable, intrinsic categories instead of a rapidly-shifting arbitrary constellation of regulations.
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
Whenever you see a story about how liberals aren't making their conservative peers feel welcome enough, this is who they're talking about.
University of Illinois college republicans advocate for executing protesters as “traitors” with art that takes a disturbing killing and makes it even more extreme.
dailyillini.com/news-stories...
dailyillini.com/news-stories...
‘Fell the enemies:’ Illini Republicans support ICE amid killings - The Daily Illini
In a post that included a graphic of a presumed officer holding a gun to someone's head, Illini Republicans stated that they “stand with ICE."
dailyillini.com
February 2, 2026 at 5:20 AM
Whenever you see a story about how liberals aren't making their conservative peers feel welcome enough, this is who they're talking about.
People play too many video games.
A halfway decent opposition party should be able to drive a wedge between Old South, Midwestern, and Out West Republicans.
They are only loosely held together by shared spite.
They are only loosely held together by shared spite.
Didn’t see this one coming.
February 2, 2026 at 6:11 AM
People play too many video games.
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
Split Ticket’s argument is that WAR does account for local variation but that’s silly. Their measure averages over many districts— there’s no way to calculate the thing they report without averaging over local variation.
In sum, lots of reasons to not set strategy via quantbrain scientism.
In sum, lots of reasons to not set strategy via quantbrain scientism.
Casten won with 54% in a district Harris won 51% in 2024. The problem is with the Split Ticket WAR scores, not Casten.
February 1, 2026 at 4:23 PM
Split Ticket’s argument is that WAR does account for local variation but that’s silly. Their measure averages over many districts— there’s no way to calculate the thing they report without averaging over local variation.
In sum, lots of reasons to not set strategy via quantbrain scientism.
In sum, lots of reasons to not set strategy via quantbrain scientism.
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
Data is useful and can inform strategy. But the “popularism” approach, relying on a grab bag of issues that poll well to set strategy, is fundamentally flawed because people’s brains are not linear sums of issue reactions.
February 1, 2026 at 4:17 PM
Data is useful and can inform strategy. But the “popularism” approach, relying on a grab bag of issues that poll well to set strategy, is fundamentally flawed because people’s brains are not linear sums of issue reactions.
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
Data / quant note: What model or message testing predicted how public opinion would shift 32 points in one year in this Texas seat?
None. No quant data could solely determine the correct message for this, no linear model could based on ad tests or issue polls.
None. No quant data could solely determine the correct message for this, no linear model could based on ad tests or issue polls.
Blue wave watch: Democrat flips Trump +17 Texas Senate seat in 32-point swing
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/blue-wave-...
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/blue-wave-...
February 1, 2026 at 4:17 PM
Data / quant note: What model or message testing predicted how public opinion would shift 32 points in one year in this Texas seat?
None. No quant data could solely determine the correct message for this, no linear model could based on ad tests or issue polls.
None. No quant data could solely determine the correct message for this, no linear model could based on ad tests or issue polls.
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
I do this every year, but for #BlackHistoryMonth, who is a Black American from your hometown or home state that most people don't know but who should be known?
February 2, 2026 at 5:48 AM
I do this every year, but for #BlackHistoryMonth, who is a Black American from your hometown or home state that most people don't know but who should be known?
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
So cool for 89-year-old blues legend Buddy Guy to be honored. Appearance in Sinners last year (and on the soundtrack). And just won Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album.
February 2, 2026 at 4:44 AM
So cool for 89-year-old blues legend Buddy Guy to be honored. Appearance in Sinners last year (and on the soundtrack). And just won Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album.
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
This is how direct the lineage is, Muddy Waters learned guitar in Mississippi Juke Joints watching Son House & Robert Johnson. 20 plus years later he finds Buddy Guy, fresh off the train from LA & starving in Chicago. Buys him food, & gets him a gig.
Legend isn’t even enough.
Legend isn’t even enough.
So cool for 89-year-old blues legend Buddy Guy to be honored. Appearance in Sinners last year (and on the soundtrack). And just won Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album.
February 2, 2026 at 4:56 AM
This is how direct the lineage is, Muddy Waters learned guitar in Mississippi Juke Joints watching Son House & Robert Johnson. 20 plus years later he finds Buddy Guy, fresh off the train from LA & starving in Chicago. Buys him food, & gets him a gig.
Legend isn’t even enough.
Legend isn’t even enough.
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
At a time when Black history is being erased, places like the Louis Armstrong House matter more than ever. That’s why I’m proud to partner with the Louis Armstrong House Museum to offer free admission to all visitors on Saturday, February 7th.
February 1, 2026 at 10:17 PM
At a time when Black history is being erased, places like the Louis Armstrong House matter more than ever. That’s why I’m proud to partner with the Louis Armstrong House Museum to offer free admission to all visitors on Saturday, February 7th.
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
I kicked off Black History Month in Corona at the home of Louis Armstrong, who lived in our city for more than 30 years. Walking through his house and hearing how much New York meant to him was a powerful reminder of what this city owes to Black artists and culture.
February 1, 2026 at 10:17 PM
I kicked off Black History Month in Corona at the home of Louis Armstrong, who lived in our city for more than 30 years. Walking through his house and hearing how much New York meant to him was a powerful reminder of what this city owes to Black artists and culture.
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
I love how much he loves the city's history, and making civics fun for people
I kicked off Black History Month in Corona at the home of Louis Armstrong, who lived in our city for more than 30 years. Walking through his house and hearing how much New York meant to him was a powerful reminder of what this city owes to Black artists and culture.
February 2, 2026 at 3:54 AM
I love how much he loves the city's history, and making civics fun for people
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
Billie Eilish used her acceptance speech to say: “No one is illegal on stolen land.” And CBS censored her when she said “Fuck ICE.”
February 2, 2026 at 3:13 AM
Billie Eilish used her acceptance speech to say: “No one is illegal on stolen land.” And CBS censored her when she said “Fuck ICE.”
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
Says Rick Scott who got away with hundreds of millions in Medicare fraud.
Rick Scott should be in prison. But our sick, corrupt republicans gave him a get out of jail free card. Despicable!
Rick Scott should be in prison. But our sick, corrupt republicans gave him a get out of jail free card. Despicable!
February 2, 2026 at 3:32 AM
Says Rick Scott who got away with hundreds of millions in Medicare fraud.
Rick Scott should be in prison. But our sick, corrupt republicans gave him a get out of jail free card. Despicable!
Rick Scott should be in prison. But our sick, corrupt republicans gave him a get out of jail free card. Despicable!
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
death from disease in concentration camps is so widespread and so predictable that it's pretty clearly a feature, not a bug.
ICE now confirming that there is a measles outbreak at the Texas concentration camp where young Liam was held.
February 2, 2026 at 12:35 AM
death from disease in concentration camps is so widespread and so predictable that it's pretty clearly a feature, not a bug.
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
Good excuse for a nap too!
February 2, 2026 at 2:59 AM
Good excuse for a nap too!
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
Anne Frank died of typhus at Bergen-Belsen
ICE now confirming that there is a measles outbreak at the Texas concentration camp where young Liam was held.
February 2, 2026 at 12:52 AM
Anne Frank died of typhus at Bergen-Belsen
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
many people are going to be tempted to say this proves the weakness of peaceful protest. this is incorrect because it assumes this happening is a failure of peaceful protest rather than the mechanism by which it succeeds
It's hard to overstate how ell-organized the portland march that got gassed was... organizers made the crowd promise to be peaceful, said the march would slow in front of the ICE building but not stop, that we would stick to one chant (ICE Out). They did absolutely everything right and got gassed.
February 1, 2026 at 5:46 AM
many people are going to be tempted to say this proves the weakness of peaceful protest. this is incorrect because it assumes this happening is a failure of peaceful protest rather than the mechanism by which it succeeds
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
This site has really come into its own over the past couple of years.
February 2, 2026 at 12:25 AM
This site has really come into its own over the past couple of years.
Reposted by Thomas V. Bona
It’s actually pretty easy to beat Isaac Chotiner if you know what to do (wait until he completes his third attack sequence, roll behind him, use Flame Dart until you’re out of mana, hide under the gargoyle head until his Rage Wing Spin finishes, stun him with a Sylvan Dagger, equip the Thallslayer w
February 2, 2026 at 1:33 AM
It’s actually pretty easy to beat Isaac Chotiner if you know what to do (wait until he completes his third attack sequence, roll behind him, use Flame Dart until you’re out of mana, hide under the gargoyle head until his Rage Wing Spin finishes, stun him with a Sylvan Dagger, equip the Thallslayer w