Bethany
@betcoll.bsky.social
Bad at this whole thing. Texan social democrat who cares too much about the past.
That’s fair, it’s definitely a major “read the room, please” moment for him, though he’s had no shortage of those these past months as anyone who reads his weekly discussions with Gail Collin’s will be familiar with.
December 12, 2024 at 9:25 PM
That’s fair, it’s definitely a major “read the room, please” moment for him, though he’s had no shortage of those these past months as anyone who reads his weekly discussions with Gail Collin’s will be familiar with.
I mean, to be fair articles like this are Bret Stephens’ whole brand. Anyone who finds this a surprising take of his is not familiar with his writing (not that I blame anyone for not reading him lol).
December 12, 2024 at 9:12 PM
I mean, to be fair articles like this are Bret Stephens’ whole brand. Anyone who finds this a surprising take of his is not familiar with his writing (not that I blame anyone for not reading him lol).
This, this, and more of this please. Foundational political reforms towards greater democracy and public participation won’t be crafted by a purely left or right wing populist movement, like it or not it will require an across the aisle collaboration to create more democratic systems.
December 6, 2024 at 7:43 PM
This, this, and more of this please. Foundational political reforms towards greater democracy and public participation won’t be crafted by a purely left or right wing populist movement, like it or not it will require an across the aisle collaboration to create more democratic systems.
Reposted by Bethany
The most confusing part to them would probably be that the King of Spain didn't try and use Hawk Tuah coin to restructure his debts because he's run out of Jewry to expel.
December 6, 2024 at 6:50 PM
The most confusing part to them would probably be that the King of Spain didn't try and use Hawk Tuah coin to restructure his debts because he's run out of Jewry to expel.
I fully agree. The Democratic Party is the only currently functional national framework to protect and reinforce our institutions, but for long term success things need to change and that starts at home in local and state efforts.
November 29, 2024 at 11:55 PM
I fully agree. The Democratic Party is the only currently functional national framework to protect and reinforce our institutions, but for long term success things need to change and that starts at home in local and state efforts.
Apologies, I think I should be clear. This should 100% happen on the state and local level and I absolutely agree. The Democratic Party has a rich history of it even. But on the national level I do feel at least the image of unity is really important to an effective coalition.
November 29, 2024 at 11:51 PM
Apologies, I think I should be clear. This should 100% happen on the state and local level and I absolutely agree. The Democratic Party has a rich history of it even. But on the national level I do feel at least the image of unity is really important to an effective coalition.
I don’t disagree with any of that. To refer to my other reply though, there’s just not a route to get them an option those voters would like that doesn’t involve supporting the Democratic Party right now. I get that it can be deeply unsettling but in a two party system that’s just reality.
November 29, 2024 at 11:37 PM
I don’t disagree with any of that. To refer to my other reply though, there’s just not a route to get them an option those voters would like that doesn’t involve supporting the Democratic Party right now. I get that it can be deeply unsettling but in a two party system that’s just reality.
While I think claims of DNC corruption are typically exaggerated, I understand the concern and definitely sympathize with it. Likewise with the philosophical divergence, but again, as of right now the only realistic path to having a further “left” option is a strong and successful Democratic Party.
November 29, 2024 at 11:33 PM
While I think claims of DNC corruption are typically exaggerated, I understand the concern and definitely sympathize with it. Likewise with the philosophical divergence, but again, as of right now the only realistic path to having a further “left” option is a strong and successful Democratic Party.
…effecting positive change is a long and arduous affair, and that it requires compromise. I think that’s ultimately the biggest flaw of the online left, an unwillingness to compromise that while coming from a genuine desire for positive change instead instead stunts that change from taking form.
November 29, 2024 at 10:55 PM
…effecting positive change is a long and arduous affair, and that it requires compromise. I think that’s ultimately the biggest flaw of the online left, an unwillingness to compromise that while coming from a genuine desire for positive change instead instead stunts that change from taking form.
…on the left if you take away the toxifying, socially corrosive effects of social media, there is a genuine desire to help people and alleviate suffering. And if people are suffering, shouldn’t we try to help them as much and as quickly as possible? The problem comes when you realize that…
November 29, 2024 at 10:55 PM
…on the left if you take away the toxifying, socially corrosive effects of social media, there is a genuine desire to help people and alleviate suffering. And if people are suffering, shouldn’t we try to help them as much and as quickly as possible? The problem comes when you realize that…
I’m always hesitant to cast too wide a brush in generalizing any group of people, and especially one as diverse and (oftentimes) sectarian as the American left. In my personal experience at least, I’ve noticed not so much a distrust from the left as an impatience. I think for many people…
November 29, 2024 at 10:55 PM
I’m always hesitant to cast too wide a brush in generalizing any group of people, and especially one as diverse and (oftentimes) sectarian as the American left. In my personal experience at least, I’ve noticed not so much a distrust from the left as an impatience. I think for many people…
Biden has always been pro-union and anti-trust, I would disagree that he nominated Khan or pursued the support of unions as a concession to the life. I’ll grant some level of his climate policies, but the Democratic Party has been getting more environmentalist since Al Gore, it’s hardly new.
November 29, 2024 at 10:22 PM
Biden has always been pro-union and anti-trust, I would disagree that he nominated Khan or pursued the support of unions as a concession to the life. I’ll grant some level of his climate policies, but the Democratic Party has been getting more environmentalist since Al Gore, it’s hardly new.
I meant organically held, not originally, whatever the latter means. I’m not disagreeing that, at the very least, the idea that Biden was some socialist did immense political damage to him and the Democratic campaign, but I’m just not seeing what concessions the admin actually made in that vein.
November 29, 2024 at 9:20 PM
I meant organically held, not originally, whatever the latter means. I’m not disagreeing that, at the very least, the idea that Biden was some socialist did immense political damage to him and the Democratic campaign, but I’m just not seeing what concessions the admin actually made in that vein.
Will I’ve been with you on most of this, but what concessions did “the left” take from the Biden admin? The only position the admin took which I see as primarily left-driven and not originally held was student loan forgiveness, which while certainly politically controversial I don’t think was fatal.
November 29, 2024 at 9:17 PM
Will I’ve been with you on most of this, but what concessions did “the left” take from the Biden admin? The only position the admin took which I see as primarily left-driven and not originally held was student loan forgiveness, which while certainly politically controversial I don’t think was fatal.
…their primary contact point for politics isn’t the President or even their Governor, it’s their coworkers, neighbors, and friends, and if we want lasting change and progress of any sort we have to win and shore up those local battles if we ever want to be able fight the national ones.
November 29, 2024 at 7:20 PM
…their primary contact point for politics isn’t the President or even their Governor, it’s their coworkers, neighbors, and friends, and if we want lasting change and progress of any sort we have to win and shore up those local battles if we ever want to be able fight the national ones.
Absolutely love all of these! Eberron has always been my favorite setting, and these perfectly capture the pseudo-late nineteenth, early twentieth century vibe of I’ve always gotten of Khorvaire. Certainly going to have to get some of these to put up at some point.
November 29, 2024 at 6:57 PM
Absolutely love all of these! Eberron has always been my favorite setting, and these perfectly capture the pseudo-late nineteenth, early twentieth century vibe of I’ve always gotten of Khorvaire. Certainly going to have to get some of these to put up at some point.
…as a political strategy. Not to mention, while there are absolutely national and state level changes that can and should be made in that interest, the most effective and long-lasting support for it will need to take place locally on the ground, not in a presidential race.
November 29, 2024 at 6:38 PM
…as a political strategy. Not to mention, while there are absolutely national and state level changes that can and should be made in that interest, the most effective and long-lasting support for it will need to take place locally on the ground, not in a presidential race.
Yup. A big political shift for me - and I think should’ve been for the left but I haven’t personally seen happen as much - is that while we absolutely should support unions and their formation, because it’s the right thing to do, it alone isn’t winning votes and it shouldn’t be seen…
November 29, 2024 at 6:38 PM
Yup. A big political shift for me - and I think should’ve been for the left but I haven’t personally seen happen as much - is that while we absolutely should support unions and their formation, because it’s the right thing to do, it alone isn’t winning votes and it shouldn’t be seen…
Absolutely. I’m still closer to the online left than the real moderate in my preferred economic policies, but only one of them is attaining any level of electoral competency/success and I’d rather a less comprehensive policy that gets enacted than a more comprehensive one that never gets to a vote.
November 29, 2024 at 6:35 PM
Absolutely. I’m still closer to the online left than the real moderate in my preferred economic policies, but only one of them is attaining any level of electoral competency/success and I’d rather a less comprehensive policy that gets enacted than a more comprehensive one that never gets to a vote.
…and if people are experiencing real suffering in the meantime while they wait for it, oh well. There’s a difference between wishing somebody went a bit further in their policies and acting like they’re the reincarnation of Reagan because they didn’t punch Liz Cheney.
November 29, 2024 at 6:12 PM
…and if people are experiencing real suffering in the meantime while they wait for it, oh well. There’s a difference between wishing somebody went a bit further in their policies and acting like they’re the reincarnation of Reagan because they didn’t punch Liz Cheney.
I’ll admit I was there with them during the heart of the first Trump term when I was an undergrad, but the refusal of some parts of the left to recognize even a modicum of the success of the Biden administration really has made clear they’re not interested in anything but ideological purity…
November 29, 2024 at 6:12 PM
I’ll admit I was there with them during the heart of the first Trump term when I was an undergrad, but the refusal of some parts of the left to recognize even a modicum of the success of the Biden administration really has made clear they’re not interested in anything but ideological purity…