being an indie bookseller in the helltimes has felt both very stable and very stabilizing, and part of me wishes everyone could be on my side of the counter for a little while, because I think it would help some of you be a little less cynical and doomy right now. so here is my VERY anecdotal data:
March 22, 2025 at 3:36 AM
being an indie bookseller in the helltimes has felt both very stable and very stabilizing, and part of me wishes everyone could be on my side of the counter for a little while, because I think it would help some of you be a little less cynical and doomy right now. so here is my VERY anecdotal data:
one thing i keep thinking about is how there is simply no way to design a constitutional system that can resist authoritarian incursion if participants in that system do not actually care that much
March 12, 2025 at 2:50 PM
one thing i keep thinking about is how there is simply no way to design a constitutional system that can resist authoritarian incursion if participants in that system do not actually care that much
i am going to put a finer point on this: executive orders are not laws. and they certainly are not royal decrees. they are interpretations of existing law for the purposes of enforcement. the fact that so many people are treating them as laws is actually driving me a bit insane.
A New York City doctor said he will continue providing gender-affirming treatments to his patients younger than 19 despite President Donald Trump’s executive order aiming to ban such care.
February 12, 2025 at 2:48 AM
i am going to put a finer point on this: executive orders are not laws. and they certainly are not royal decrees. they are interpretations of existing law for the purposes of enforcement. the fact that so many people are treating them as laws is actually driving me a bit insane.
one of the things that drive me crazy about the defense of impoundment is that it is in such obvious bad faith. like, of course congressional appropriations are directives! why would congress have oversight powers if the constitutional expectation was that appropriations were advisory?
One thing that’s difficult to get people to really grasp is that impoundment is both lawless and actively undermines the basis of democracy. It’s one of those areas where rule of law and democracy are extremely closely aligned, the only area where it’s closer would be election law itself.
February 10, 2025 at 10:35 PM
one of the things that drive me crazy about the defense of impoundment is that it is in such obvious bad faith. like, of course congressional appropriations are directives! why would congress have oversight powers if the constitutional expectation was that appropriations were advisory?
One of these days we're gonna have to reckon with the fact that "money that I spend which does not directly benefit me is a waste" is a popular sentiment.
I think we should state plainly that this is selfish on its face.
And stupid when you have awareness which extends beyond your nose.
February 7, 2025 at 6:30 PM
One of these days we're gonna have to reckon with the fact that "money that I spend which does not directly benefit me is a waste" is a popular sentiment.
I think we should state plainly that this is selfish on its face.
And stupid when you have awareness which extends beyond your nose.
one thing i’m stuck on is this idea that “masculine” energy means license to act like a chud in public, as opposed to more traditional notions of public masculinity, such as those that put a premium on the performance of integrity, honesty, honor and generosity.
January 16, 2025 at 8:21 PM
one thing i’m stuck on is this idea that “masculine” energy means license to act like a chud in public, as opposed to more traditional notions of public masculinity, such as those that put a premium on the performance of integrity, honesty, honor and generosity.