Ben Blythe
@visitingwriter.bsky.social
Jewish SciFi/Fantasy/Horror author. Developmental editor. University instructor. Chicago Manual of Style enthusiast.
Reposted by Ben Blythe
JUST IN: The Virginia Senate has approved a constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion rights.
The Virginia House already did this on Wednesday.
It's official: there'll be a referendum later this year on the issue.
The Virginia House already did this on Wednesday.
It's official: there'll be a referendum later this year on the issue.
January 16, 2026 at 5:05 PM
JUST IN: The Virginia Senate has approved a constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion rights.
The Virginia House already did this on Wednesday.
It's official: there'll be a referendum later this year on the issue.
The Virginia House already did this on Wednesday.
It's official: there'll be a referendum later this year on the issue.
Reposted by Ben Blythe
to despair and embrace cynicism was to hand powerful weapons to the enemy
January 16, 2026 at 1:55 PM
to despair and embrace cynicism was to hand powerful weapons to the enemy
Reposted by Ben Blythe
i have been reading Tom Ricks’ “Fighting the Good War” which is a military analysis of the civil rights movement, and one thing that comes abundantly across is that movement leaders and ordinary people made it a practice to refuse to fall into despair and cynicism.
January 16, 2026 at 1:55 PM
i have been reading Tom Ricks’ “Fighting the Good War” which is a military analysis of the civil rights movement, and one thing that comes abundantly across is that movement leaders and ordinary people made it a practice to refuse to fall into despair and cynicism.
Reposted by Ben Blythe
Also, paralysis. I am going to repeat myself: this is a website full of neurotics. Individually we have a far above average risk of anxiety, depression and other mental disorder. Collectively we have maladaptive response patterns. Doomerism *feels* like motivation, but it in practice is not.
Bouie keeps getting slammed for these sensible and sober minded Takes because there are people who've come to see anything short of maximal Doomerism as somehow complacency - you're saying I *shouldn't* feel maximally bad!??? Yet it is obvious on reflection that maximal doomerism breeds complacency.
There are places where Trump, as president, has broad freedom of action. And there are places where Trump, as president, has been able to act unilaterally because the main point of opposition, Congress (and SCOTUS), support his program. (1/?)
January 16, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Also, paralysis. I am going to repeat myself: this is a website full of neurotics. Individually we have a far above average risk of anxiety, depression and other mental disorder. Collectively we have maladaptive response patterns. Doomerism *feels* like motivation, but it in practice is not.
Reposted by Ben Blythe
Reposted by Ben Blythe
🚨BREAKING: Federal Court DISMISSES Dept. of Justice lawsuit seeking unreacted statewide voter registration list. A big victory for our clients -- the NAACP, NAACP-CA/HI and SIREN --and the citizens of California. www.democracydocket.com/cases/califo...
🚨 United States v. Weber
Learn more here.
www.democracydocket.com
January 15, 2026 at 9:27 PM
🚨BREAKING: Federal Court DISMISSES Dept. of Justice lawsuit seeking unreacted statewide voter registration list. A big victory for our clients -- the NAACP, NAACP-CA/HI and SIREN --and the citizens of California. www.democracydocket.com/cases/califo...
A violently unpopular wannabe dictator trying to preempt elections while surrounded by two Blue states and a federal district, all filled with absolute majorities of people who hate his rotten guts, is not a scenario that ends well for him or any of his hangers-on.
I don’t think there’s any doubt he’s capable of trying, and his team would support it, but I don’t think it’s as Thanos-snapping-finger as easy as people think.
January 15, 2026 at 10:16 PM
A violently unpopular wannabe dictator trying to preempt elections while surrounded by two Blue states and a federal district, all filled with absolute majorities of people who hate his rotten guts, is not a scenario that ends well for him or any of his hangers-on.
She has my vote.
January 15, 2026 at 9:28 PM
She has my vote.
Reposted by Ben Blythe
US higher education was a crown jewel, generating knowledge, wealth, prestige, and power unrivaled by anyone.
And the US is throwing it away, because Americans elected a govt ideologically opposed to truth, science, merit, and racial/gender equality, preferring to weaken the country to reduce that.
And the US is throwing it away, because Americans elected a govt ideologically opposed to truth, science, merit, and racial/gender equality, preferring to weaken the country to reduce that.
Chinese Universities Surge in Global Rankings as U.S. Schools Slip
www.nytimes.com
January 15, 2026 at 1:01 PM
US higher education was a crown jewel, generating knowledge, wealth, prestige, and power unrivaled by anyone.
And the US is throwing it away, because Americans elected a govt ideologically opposed to truth, science, merit, and racial/gender equality, preferring to weaken the country to reduce that.
And the US is throwing it away, because Americans elected a govt ideologically opposed to truth, science, merit, and racial/gender equality, preferring to weaken the country to reduce that.
Reposted by Ben Blythe
"The sweeping study... found that using AI in education can 'undermine children's foundational development' and that 'the damages it has already caused are daunting.'"
They include limiting kids' cognitive, social, and emotional developmen, and increasing inequity.
www.npr.org/2026/01/14/n...
They include limiting kids' cognitive, social, and emotional developmen, and increasing inequity.
www.npr.org/2026/01/14/n...
The risks of AI in schools outweigh the benefits, report says
A new report warns that AI poses a serious threat to children's cognitive development and emotional well-being.
www.npr.org
January 15, 2026 at 12:14 PM
"The sweeping study... found that using AI in education can 'undermine children's foundational development' and that 'the damages it has already caused are daunting.'"
They include limiting kids' cognitive, social, and emotional developmen, and increasing inequity.
www.npr.org/2026/01/14/n...
They include limiting kids' cognitive, social, and emotional developmen, and increasing inequity.
www.npr.org/2026/01/14/n...
I think my spine just shattered watching this.
January 15, 2026 at 1:37 AM
I think my spine just shattered watching this.
The comment is repugnant regardless, but the way he worded it makes me want a rigorous investigation at every level of his personal life.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez: "The United States has demonstrated to the people around the world that we can touch you anywhere at any time or our choosing"
January 14, 2026 at 10:38 PM
The comment is repugnant regardless, but the way he worded it makes me want a rigorous investigation at every level of his personal life.
Reposted by Ben Blythe
SJ1 (reproductive freedom), SJ2 (right to vote), SJ3 (same-sex marriage) all pass out of the VA Senate Privileges and Elections Committee bluevirginia.us/2026/01/2026...
January 14, 2026 at 9:54 PM
SJ1 (reproductive freedom), SJ2 (right to vote), SJ3 (same-sex marriage) all pass out of the VA Senate Privileges and Elections Committee bluevirginia.us/2026/01/2026...
Reposted by Ben Blythe
"the state of the commonwealth is everyone is tired of my sorry ass" www.vpm.org/news/2026-01...
Youngkin set to deliver final State of the Commonwealth Address
How to watch the 2026 Virginia State of the Commonwealth address
www.vpm.org
January 14, 2026 at 6:00 PM
"the state of the commonwealth is everyone is tired of my sorry ass" www.vpm.org/news/2026-01...
Reposted by Ben Blythe
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is investigating Elon Musk’s xAI over Grok's creation and posting of nonconsensual explicit images.
January 14, 2026 at 8:05 PM
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is investigating Elon Musk’s xAI over Grok's creation and posting of nonconsensual explicit images.
Reposted by Ben Blythe
Reposted by Ben Blythe
Marco Rubio, June 2012.
January 14, 2026 at 8:20 AM
Marco Rubio, June 2012.
I've been in favor Second Amendment repeal for years now. The cowardice and complicity of the gun nuts has only hardened that stance.
All the gun rights people who claimed they needed their guns in case it became “necessary to the security of a free State…” um this would be your moment.
January 13, 2026 at 7:00 PM
I've been in favor Second Amendment repeal for years now. The cowardice and complicity of the gun nuts has only hardened that stance.
Wild how this was a complete fringe position not even two years ago.
Net-Support for Abolishing ICE:
All: +3%
18-29 Year Olds: +21%
30-44 Year Olds: +3%
45-64 Year Olds: -6%
65+ Year Olds: -1%
Democrats: +65%
Independents: +12%
Republicans: -63%
Black: +44%
Hispanic: +27%
White: -12%
Women: +13%
Men: -7%
YouGov / Jan 12, 2026
All: +3%
18-29 Year Olds: +21%
30-44 Year Olds: +3%
45-64 Year Olds: -6%
65+ Year Olds: -1%
Democrats: +65%
Independents: +12%
Republicans: -63%
Black: +44%
Hispanic: +27%
White: -12%
Women: +13%
Men: -7%
YouGov / Jan 12, 2026
January 13, 2026 at 6:41 PM
Wild how this was a complete fringe position not even two years ago.
Reposted by Ben Blythe
Holy shit. No lie folks, as dark as things are, the raw courage being shown by Americans across the country is humbling.
Someone inside DHS leaked the names of 4,500 ICE and CBP officers to a nonprofit that tracks ICE. About 80 percent of those name are active.
www.rawstory.com/ice-agents-d...
www.rawstory.com/ice-agents-d...
Whistleblower drops 'largest ever' ICE leak to unmask agents: 'The last straw'
A Department of Homeland Security whistleblower has released the identities of about 4,500 ICE and Border Patrol employees Tuesday in what has been called potentially the largest agency data breach fo...
www.rawstory.com
January 13, 2026 at 6:37 PM
Holy shit. No lie folks, as dark as things are, the raw courage being shown by Americans across the country is humbling.
The Republican Party of the last 50+ years, summarized in one screencap.
January 13, 2026 at 5:28 PM
The Republican Party of the last 50+ years, summarized in one screencap.
Reposted by Ben Blythe
If there's one empirical insight I'd want everyone to understand about American politics, it's this:
America's problems are solved problems. Just not here.
What would change if the US simply matched the average of 31 peer democracies? Not Denmark or Norway. Just the middle of the pack. 🧵
America's problems are solved problems. Just not here.
What would change if the US simply matched the average of 31 peer democracies? Not Denmark or Norway. Just the middle of the pack. 🧵
January 12, 2026 at 9:36 PM
If there's one empirical insight I'd want everyone to understand about American politics, it's this:
America's problems are solved problems. Just not here.
What would change if the US simply matched the average of 31 peer democracies? Not Denmark or Norway. Just the middle of the pack. 🧵
America's problems are solved problems. Just not here.
What would change if the US simply matched the average of 31 peer democracies? Not Denmark or Norway. Just the middle of the pack. 🧵
A regime full of unlabeled serial killers.
There’s really no good way to explain Hegseth doing a perfidy to attack an unarmed boat beyond “doing war crimes because you think war crimes are fucking cool.”
January 13, 2026 at 1:18 AM
A regime full of unlabeled serial killers.
Reposted by Ben Blythe
lots of political space to convert those “not sures” into somewhat supports and those “somewhat supports” into strongly supports on eliminating ICE. also, with a funding battle coming up, plenty of political space to say “no government funding unless we claw back last year’s new ICE funding”
This YouGov poll on ICE is really eye-opening. Public opinion has really swung against DHS/ICE and their terror regime.
d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/IC...
d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/IC...
January 13, 2026 at 12:24 AM
lots of political space to convert those “not sures” into somewhat supports and those “somewhat supports” into strongly supports on eliminating ICE. also, with a funding battle coming up, plenty of political space to say “no government funding unless we claw back last year’s new ICE funding”
Reposted by Ben Blythe
It would take a two-word amendment to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 to subject ICE agents and other federal law enforcement officers to the same liability for constitutional violations that local and state officers currently face.
If Congress actually cared about what it's seeing, it could pass that overnight.
If Congress actually cared about what it's seeing, it could pass that overnight.
January 12, 2026 at 10:56 PM
It would take a two-word amendment to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 to subject ICE agents and other federal law enforcement officers to the same liability for constitutional violations that local and state officers currently face.
If Congress actually cared about what it's seeing, it could pass that overnight.
If Congress actually cared about what it's seeing, it could pass that overnight.