Aaron
@aaronznj.bsky.social
Official home of the dork who decided to use my Urban Planning Master's Degree for the primary purpose of "make an alternate-history N Scale NJ Transit layout."
All opinions are mine (and you can't have them!), and they’re all wrong or your money back!
All opinions are mine (and you can't have them!), and they’re all wrong or your money back!
I think the universe is trying to tell us to just learn to like Janet Mills and move on with our lives.
She’s a little old. Who cares. It’s the Senate, they’re all old.
She’s a little old. Who cares. It’s the Senate, they’re all old.
November 12, 2025 at 2:11 AM
I think the universe is trying to tell us to just learn to like Janet Mills and move on with our lives.
She’s a little old. Who cares. It’s the Senate, they’re all old.
She’s a little old. Who cares. It’s the Senate, they’re all old.
“Well, GOP turnout will also be high” - here’s the thing: Ciattarelli got more votes than any republican GOP candidate ever, and lost by 13%.
sure, maybe a ton of GOP voters show up next year in NJ-7. a roughly agnostic turnout environment (e.g. statewide election) has them at -1.
sure, maybe a ton of GOP voters show up next year in NJ-7. a roughly agnostic turnout environment (e.g. statewide election) has them at -1.
November 11, 2025 at 11:49 PM
“Well, GOP turnout will also be high” - here’s the thing: Ciattarelli got more votes than any republican GOP candidate ever, and lost by 13%.
sure, maybe a ton of GOP voters show up next year in NJ-7. a roughly agnostic turnout environment (e.g. statewide election) has them at -1.
sure, maybe a ton of GOP voters show up next year in NJ-7. a roughly agnostic turnout environment (e.g. statewide election) has them at -1.
The thing to think about is that nobody in NJ-7 was trying to win NJ-7. this was a statewide election in which turnout was generally high but not specifically high.
in other words without even really trying, blue turnout was enough to win NJ-7. Now imagine what happens next year…
in other words without even really trying, blue turnout was enough to win NJ-7. Now imagine what happens next year…
November 11, 2025 at 11:39 PM
The thing to think about is that nobody in NJ-7 was trying to win NJ-7. this was a statewide election in which turnout was generally high but not specifically high.
in other words without even really trying, blue turnout was enough to win NJ-7. Now imagine what happens next year…
in other words without even really trying, blue turnout was enough to win NJ-7. Now imagine what happens next year…
I was referring to the previous two quarterbacks and don't worry there's still time for Jordan Love to repeat history.
November 11, 2025 at 5:24 PM
I was referring to the previous two quarterbacks and don't worry there's still time for Jordan Love to repeat history.
Not for nothing but "build the entire team around this one scummy reactionary and somehow inexplicably win anyways" has kind of been the Packers' modus operandi for like 30 years.
Defense? Nope. Special Teams? Nope. Quarterback with insane political views and possibly doing fraud? Check.
Defense? Nope. Special Teams? Nope. Quarterback with insane political views and possibly doing fraud? Check.
November 11, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Not for nothing but "build the entire team around this one scummy reactionary and somehow inexplicably win anyways" has kind of been the Packers' modus operandi for like 30 years.
Defense? Nope. Special Teams? Nope. Quarterback with insane political views and possibly doing fraud? Check.
Defense? Nope. Special Teams? Nope. Quarterback with insane political views and possibly doing fraud? Check.
You may think "oh, are we talking about the Democratic Party here?" No, absolutely not. I'm not making that connection.
The Bears firing Flus mid-season has absolutely no lesson to tell us about whether Schumer should be forced out as Senate Minority leader or if he should just serve out this term.
The Bears firing Flus mid-season has absolutely no lesson to tell us about whether Schumer should be forced out as Senate Minority leader or if he should just serve out this term.
November 11, 2025 at 12:49 PM
You may think "oh, are we talking about the Democratic Party here?" No, absolutely not. I'm not making that connection.
The Bears firing Flus mid-season has absolutely no lesson to tell us about whether Schumer should be forced out as Senate Minority leader or if he should just serve out this term.
The Bears firing Flus mid-season has absolutely no lesson to tell us about whether Schumer should be forced out as Senate Minority leader or if he should just serve out this term.
they didn't have to go out and get the best coach available - they've done that plenty of times.
Firing Flus mid-season was sending a message that things were dire and the culture was rancid. Necessary to fixing the problems. And again, obviously this is about football and absolutely nothing else.
Firing Flus mid-season was sending a message that things were dire and the culture was rancid. Necessary to fixing the problems. And again, obviously this is about football and absolutely nothing else.
November 11, 2025 at 12:49 PM
they didn't have to go out and get the best coach available - they've done that plenty of times.
Firing Flus mid-season was sending a message that things were dire and the culture was rancid. Necessary to fixing the problems. And again, obviously this is about football and absolutely nothing else.
Firing Flus mid-season was sending a message that things were dire and the culture was rancid. Necessary to fixing the problems. And again, obviously this is about football and absolutely nothing else.
Califon of course has their cute little Holy Apostolic Church of Mail. Complete with a little steeple.
November 11, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Califon of course has their cute little Holy Apostolic Church of Mail. Complete with a little steeple.
There's a very similar one about 20 minutes from my house.
November 11, 2025 at 12:57 AM
There's a very similar one about 20 minutes from my house.
As a New Jerseyan who met some of those people, yes it was. Emphatically.
Federal government chaos - not just the shutdown, but definitely that was part - was on voters’ voters’ minds.
Federal government chaos - not just the shutdown, but definitely that was part - was on voters’ voters’ minds.
November 10, 2025 at 5:29 PM
As a New Jerseyan who met some of those people, yes it was. Emphatically.
Federal government chaos - not just the shutdown, but definitely that was part - was on voters’ voters’ minds.
Federal government chaos - not just the shutdown, but definitely that was part - was on voters’ voters’ minds.
As much or as little as every previous person who has occupied that office and yet has been able to enforce better party discipline than his sorry ass.
November 10, 2025 at 5:18 PM
As much or as little as every previous person who has occupied that office and yet has been able to enforce better party discipline than his sorry ass.
tapping the Herm Edwards sign (it's one of those new video signs ok). You play to win the game. You don't play to throw ideas out there or have fun. You play to win the game.
If he wanted to be the governor and be in a position to have your help fixing those things, he had to win the primary first.
If he wanted to be the governor and be in a position to have your help fixing those things, he had to win the primary first.
November 10, 2025 at 3:37 PM
tapping the Herm Edwards sign (it's one of those new video signs ok). You play to win the game. You don't play to throw ideas out there or have fun. You play to win the game.
If he wanted to be the governor and be in a position to have your help fixing those things, he had to win the primary first.
If he wanted to be the governor and be in a position to have your help fixing those things, he had to win the primary first.
I mean, we won't know because ultimately Fulop didn't take care of business in the primary. And part of why is precisely that he didn't want to work with other people in the party and was willing to check out when he didn't get what he wanted.
November 10, 2025 at 3:16 PM
I mean, we won't know because ultimately Fulop didn't take care of business in the primary. And part of why is precisely that he didn't want to work with other people in the party and was willing to check out when he didn't get what he wanted.
I'm not so sure. The fact that Fulop checked out when he didn't get the outcome he was hoping for out of the primary does not bode well for how he'd deal with any policy setbacks. It certainly is a red flag for if he'd build the necessary coalitions to push policy ideas.
November 10, 2025 at 3:02 PM
I'm not so sure. The fact that Fulop checked out when he didn't get the outcome he was hoping for out of the primary does not bode well for how he'd deal with any policy setbacks. It certainly is a red flag for if he'd build the necessary coalitions to push policy ideas.
idk. Part of being Governor is working with people to get policy done. Fulop wasn't going to have allies in the State Senate/Assembly so what was he going to actually get done?
Yeah, it's boring, slow, and frustrating and we don't get the whole checklist of policies we like.
Yeah, it's boring, slow, and frustrating and we don't get the whole checklist of policies we like.
November 10, 2025 at 2:59 PM
idk. Part of being Governor is working with people to get policy done. Fulop wasn't going to have allies in the State Senate/Assembly so what was he going to actually get done?
Yeah, it's boring, slow, and frustrating and we don't get the whole checklist of policies we like.
Yeah, it's boring, slow, and frustrating and we don't get the whole checklist of policies we like.
I think a lot of people trash Warren for working within the party instead of pouting in a corner like a certain Independent from Vermont, and almost none of it is actually about policy despite their protestations. It's 100% about registering discontent with political parties as institutions.
November 10, 2025 at 2:50 PM
I think a lot of people trash Warren for working within the party instead of pouting in a corner like a certain Independent from Vermont, and almost none of it is actually about policy despite their protestations. It's 100% about registering discontent with political parties as institutions.
If I had a do-over I would have voted for Baraka. Similar policies but actually a team player in the party who won't be sour grapes that it's not all about him.
November 10, 2025 at 2:50 PM
If I had a do-over I would have voted for Baraka. Similar policies but actually a team player in the party who won't be sour grapes that it's not all about him.
I say that, btw, as someone who voted for Steve Fulop in the primary and (based on his shitty conduct since then including functionally endorsing Ciattarelli) regrets it. I was exactly the bad judge of character!
November 10, 2025 at 2:41 PM
I say that, btw, as someone who voted for Steve Fulop in the primary and (based on his shitty conduct since then including functionally endorsing Ciattarelli) regrets it. I was exactly the bad judge of character!
Also fwiw I think that the left flank of the party *really* needs to start being better judges of character and accept imperfect candidates. There is a reason the Connor Lamb apology form exists!
November 10, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Also fwiw I think that the left flank of the party *really* needs to start being better judges of character and accept imperfect candidates. There is a reason the Connor Lamb apology form exists!
Because Sherrill has the dual stink of "moderate" and "policy lightweight" and the policy pundits pretty much consider that to be unforgivable.
And I say that as someone who is frustrated with moderates and policy lightweights but for better or worse, they're the ones that know how to campaign rn.
And I say that as someone who is frustrated with moderates and policy lightweights but for better or worse, they're the ones that know how to campaign rn.
November 10, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Because Sherrill has the dual stink of "moderate" and "policy lightweight" and the policy pundits pretty much consider that to be unforgivable.
And I say that as someone who is frustrated with moderates and policy lightweights but for better or worse, they're the ones that know how to campaign rn.
And I say that as someone who is frustrated with moderates and policy lightweights but for better or worse, they're the ones that know how to campaign rn.
And against a *MUCH* weaker opponent.
Ciattarelli ran at least a semi-competent campaign. Cuomo literally was throwing AI slop out on a daily basis and touting his MAGA credentials.
I like Mamdani and he did a really good job energizing the base. He is *not* a magic "win every election" button.
Ciattarelli ran at least a semi-competent campaign. Cuomo literally was throwing AI slop out on a daily basis and touting his MAGA credentials.
I like Mamdani and he did a really good job energizing the base. He is *not* a magic "win every election" button.
November 10, 2025 at 2:05 PM
And against a *MUCH* weaker opponent.
Ciattarelli ran at least a semi-competent campaign. Cuomo literally was throwing AI slop out on a daily basis and touting his MAGA credentials.
I like Mamdani and he did a really good job energizing the base. He is *not* a magic "win every election" button.
Ciattarelli ran at least a semi-competent campaign. Cuomo literally was throwing AI slop out on a daily basis and touting his MAGA credentials.
I like Mamdani and he did a really good job energizing the base. He is *not* a magic "win every election" button.
I mean yeah, it had to get really bad for the Bears to commit to fixing that culture but the one ray of sunshine is that apparently once you hit rock bottom, the climb out from there can actually be pretty rapid.
Anyways I assume we were talking about sports and absolutely nothing else.
Anyways I assume we were talking about sports and absolutely nothing else.
November 10, 2025 at 11:30 AM
I mean yeah, it had to get really bad for the Bears to commit to fixing that culture but the one ray of sunshine is that apparently once you hit rock bottom, the climb out from there can actually be pretty rapid.
Anyways I assume we were talking about sports and absolutely nothing else.
Anyways I assume we were talking about sports and absolutely nothing else.
Sorry is this about the Bears? Because they did a thing they had never done before and fired a head coach in the middle of the season, then they went out and got the best head coach available and let him cook. The results - a team that now can win in the clutch - have been pretty immediate.
November 10, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Sorry is this about the Bears? Because they did a thing they had never done before and fired a head coach in the middle of the season, then they went out and got the best head coach available and let him cook. The results - a team that now can win in the clutch - have been pretty immediate.