Hungry Basileus
@hungrybasileus.bsky.social
I think one of the weirdest aspects I have seen in pro-authoritarian Republicans is they seem to have absolute certainty authoritarianism would only ever be wielded against their enemies. Even the most basic reading of history shows that isn’t how it usually goes.
November 20, 2025 at 12:04 AM
I think one of the weirdest aspects I have seen in pro-authoritarian Republicans is they seem to have absolute certainty authoritarianism would only ever be wielded against their enemies. Even the most basic reading of history shows that isn’t how it usually goes.
I wish there was a universal temperature knob I could use to get the body politic to simmer down a bit.
November 17, 2025 at 9:14 PM
I wish there was a universal temperature knob I could use to get the body politic to simmer down a bit.
I only vaguely knew this story before this, sorry to hear it got so toxic for you. I’ve enjoyed your books and many of your Atlantic articles, I hope you continue to fight the good fight.
November 16, 2025 at 9:55 PM
I only vaguely knew this story before this, sorry to hear it got so toxic for you. I’ve enjoyed your books and many of your Atlantic articles, I hope you continue to fight the good fight.
Catholics actually have an obligation to attend Mass every Sunday. Pope is pretty spot on you can’t be living a Catholic life solely online. Mass is less fun for them than posting memes though.
November 2, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Catholics actually have an obligation to attend Mass every Sunday. Pope is pretty spot on you can’t be living a Catholic life solely online. Mass is less fun for them than posting memes though.
They are hurt by the primary process. In many countries the party selects candidates. If the Dems have been hurt by a move to the left, it is a bottom up move that happens in primaries the party doesn’t control. There isn’t a mystical Oz leadership that decides which candidates win Dem primaries.
November 2, 2025 at 2:59 PM
They are hurt by the primary process. In many countries the party selects candidates. If the Dems have been hurt by a move to the left, it is a bottom up move that happens in primaries the party doesn’t control. There isn’t a mystical Oz leadership that decides which candidates win Dem primaries.
Huge agreement, America has some structural educational issues (depending on State), and sure we can always improve. But Trumpism isn’t the result of people being poorly educated, presented with a very obvious flimflam man they supported him _because_ of his vulgarity. This is a character issue.
October 21, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Huge agreement, America has some structural educational issues (depending on State), and sure we can always improve. But Trumpism isn’t the result of people being poorly educated, presented with a very obvious flimflam man they supported him _because_ of his vulgarity. This is a character issue.
I would agree with her comment that labeling one’s self an expert doesn’t mean particularly much, on the internet everyone is an expert.
Actually having expertise does lend the expert opinion greater weight in their expert domain.
Actually having expertise does lend the expert opinion greater weight in their expert domain.
October 20, 2025 at 9:03 PM
I would agree with her comment that labeling one’s self an expert doesn’t mean particularly much, on the internet everyone is an expert.
Actually having expertise does lend the expert opinion greater weight in their expert domain.
Actually having expertise does lend the expert opinion greater weight in their expert domain.
I actually started reading The Atlantic in the 1990s as a High Schooler, now admittedly not a ton of teens were interested in that kind of journalism then or now, but still good to have it out there. The more curious may read it.
October 4, 2025 at 10:26 PM
I actually started reading The Atlantic in the 1990s as a High Schooler, now admittedly not a ton of teens were interested in that kind of journalism then or now, but still good to have it out there. The more curious may read it.
Yes, in real life the mayor isn’t in the chain of command of the NYPD. He is the Commissioner’s boss, but individual officers have to uphold the constitution and departmental guidelines for deciding when to arrest. There’s no legal mechanism for them to arrest a foreign diplomat on mayor’s command
October 2, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Yes, in real life the mayor isn’t in the chain of command of the NYPD. He is the Commissioner’s boss, but individual officers have to uphold the constitution and departmental guidelines for deciding when to arrest. There’s no legal mechanism for them to arrest a foreign diplomat on mayor’s command
It is quixotic to try and tightly bound the word fascism, in the era of its introduction to the American vocabulary it was used to describe multiple divergent enemy countries. There has never been definitional rigidity with use of this word. Common usage governs over poli sci academic language.
September 28, 2025 at 3:41 PM
It is quixotic to try and tightly bound the word fascism, in the era of its introduction to the American vocabulary it was used to describe multiple divergent enemy countries. There has never been definitional rigidity with use of this word. Common usage governs over poli sci academic language.
My new cat killed her first mouse yesterday. Incidentally I had never seen a mouse in my house in the prior 5 years…
September 26, 2025 at 12:05 PM
My new cat killed her first mouse yesterday. Incidentally I had never seen a mouse in my house in the prior 5 years…
I'm not a pundit sadly but I am an attorney out in the real world--there is a reason before MAGA it was extremely rare for government attorneys and law enforcement to speak in such a reckless manner about active cases. While rare (because of the rarity of the behavior), you can imperil the case.
September 24, 2025 at 5:11 PM
I'm not a pundit sadly but I am an attorney out in the real world--there is a reason before MAGA it was extremely rare for government attorneys and law enforcement to speak in such a reckless manner about active cases. While rare (because of the rarity of the behavior), you can imperil the case.
I have subscribed to the Atlantic since the 90s (when it arrived in the mailbox), but I am not surprised. I hate to old man talk but I find a huge % of people won’t read anything beyond paragraph length. A big % of people I know only “read” books via audio.
September 22, 2025 at 5:42 PM
I have subscribed to the Atlantic since the 90s (when it arrived in the mailbox), but I am not surprised. I hate to old man talk but I find a huge % of people won’t read anything beyond paragraph length. A big % of people I know only “read” books via audio.
The country wants Trump, hates the educated (among many other groups) and wants to roll society back 50 years. Nothing is happening his voters don’t love. We lose elections because the majority of voters want the country to be this way. There’s no magical James Carville plan to change that.
September 17, 2025 at 11:49 PM
The country wants Trump, hates the educated (among many other groups) and wants to roll society back 50 years. Nothing is happening his voters don’t love. We lose elections because the majority of voters want the country to be this way. There’s no magical James Carville plan to change that.
I think traditionally Dem bottom up politics worked through local political machines, powerful labor unions, and Dem aligned Churches. All 3 are gutted as institutions and Dems have found no replacement.
September 16, 2025 at 11:53 PM
I think traditionally Dem bottom up politics worked through local political machines, powerful labor unions, and Dem aligned Churches. All 3 are gutted as institutions and Dems have found no replacement.
Good point, I hadn’t remembered the U-2 plane flyovers.
September 10, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Good point, I hadn’t remembered the U-2 plane flyovers.
Were incursions like this w/conventional aircraft ever seen during the Cold War?
September 10, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Were incursions like this w/conventional aircraft ever seen during the Cold War?
I did not like Charlie Kirk's politics, or his rhetoric, but murder of any stripe is abhorrent, political violence threatens our very democracy regardless of who perpetrates it on whom.
As a Christian I pray for his immortal soul, hopefully he was right with God.
As a Christian I pray for his immortal soul, hopefully he was right with God.
September 10, 2025 at 8:58 PM
I did not like Charlie Kirk's politics, or his rhetoric, but murder of any stripe is abhorrent, political violence threatens our very democracy regardless of who perpetrates it on whom.
As a Christian I pray for his immortal soul, hopefully he was right with God.
As a Christian I pray for his immortal soul, hopefully he was right with God.
I’m honestly not sure it is leftist vs liberal that matters, I think Dems want someone who will fight against Trumpism first and foremost. The Dem party is great at producing lukewarm politicians that don’t get people mad and fighting.
July 27, 2025 at 2:44 PM
I’m honestly not sure it is leftist vs liberal that matters, I think Dems want someone who will fight against Trumpism first and foremost. The Dem party is great at producing lukewarm politicians that don’t get people mad and fighting.
And the next election they will flood manosphere influencer propaganda and the same people unhappy now will vote for Trump’s MAGA successor.
July 23, 2025 at 7:11 PM
And the next election they will flood manosphere influencer propaganda and the same people unhappy now will vote for Trump’s MAGA successor.
Note even if the stop was lawful, which means he did legally have to exit vehicle upon officer request, the officer's use of force still has to be "reasonable", a cop can punch someone legally in some circumstances but doing so immediately after breaking the window is excessive. PD may settle for $.
July 22, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Note even if the stop was lawful, which means he did legally have to exit vehicle upon officer request, the officer's use of force still has to be "reasonable", a cop can punch someone legally in some circumstances but doing so immediately after breaking the window is excessive. PD may settle for $.
Yeah, the stop itself has to be lawful, but headlights could give enough pretext to make legal.
Between roughly 1970-1985 a series of Supreme Court cases significantly decayed our rights during traffic stops in the name of "officer safety." Many people don't fully grasp it in situations like this.
Between roughly 1970-1985 a series of Supreme Court cases significantly decayed our rights during traffic stops in the name of "officer safety." Many people don't fully grasp it in situations like this.
July 22, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Yeah, the stop itself has to be lawful, but headlights could give enough pretext to make legal.
Between roughly 1970-1985 a series of Supreme Court cases significantly decayed our rights during traffic stops in the name of "officer safety." Many people don't fully grasp it in situations like this.
Between roughly 1970-1985 a series of Supreme Court cases significantly decayed our rights during traffic stops in the name of "officer safety." Many people don't fully grasp it in situations like this.