John Chekal
@jchexmix.bsky.social
Former Organizer for the Harris Walz Campaign in Pgh | Focused on Urbanism, Climate, Labor, and Immigration
Really interesting piece. W. David Marx is I think one of our most brilliant cultural critics
Whom we designate as a "genius" in 2025 reveals a lot about shifts in the collective cultural values
culture.ghost.io/our-geniuses...
culture.ghost.io/our-geniuses...
Our Geniuses Define Our Times
The superlative adulation for Taylor Swift as an artistic and business genius suggests a shift in the fundamental expectations for cultural excellence in the 21st century
📣My new book Blank Space: A ...
culture.ghost.io
October 29, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Really interesting piece. W. David Marx is I think one of our most brilliant cultural critics
Reposted by John Chekal
PA should build a lot more housing so PA doesn’t lose out in reapportionment again in 2030. The number we need to hit: 130,000 more homes above-baseline. That’s the same number Gov Shapiro says we need to hit to dig out of the statewide housing shortage thephiladelphiacitizen.org/the-key-to-p...
The Key To PA’s Power in D.C.?
Reapportionment will cost PA another Congressional seat in 2030 if we don’t stanch our population drain. Could the solution be … more housing?
thephiladelphiacitizen.org
October 9, 2025 at 11:55 AM
PA should build a lot more housing so PA doesn’t lose out in reapportionment again in 2030. The number we need to hit: 130,000 more homes above-baseline. That’s the same number Gov Shapiro says we need to hit to dig out of the statewide housing shortage thephiladelphiacitizen.org/the-key-to-p...
Reposted by John Chekal
Michigan homeowners are racing to install rooftop solar before a 30% federal tax credit disappears—all because our federal government is actively dismantling climate progress.
All this will do is increase costs and we need state leaders to step up and increase funding for clean energy access.
All this will do is increase costs and we need state leaders to step up and increase funding for clean energy access.
Michigan residents race for rooftop solar after Trump administration axes tax credit
Michigan contractors are scrambling to meet this year’s renewable energy tax-credit deadline.
www.mlive.com
September 2, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Michigan homeowners are racing to install rooftop solar before a 30% federal tax credit disappears—all because our federal government is actively dismantling climate progress.
All this will do is increase costs and we need state leaders to step up and increase funding for clean energy access.
All this will do is increase costs and we need state leaders to step up and increase funding for clean energy access.
Reposted by John Chekal
In this morning's newsletter, I wrote about an under-appreciated problem for liberalism — its total failure to cultivate young talent www.vox.com/on-the-right...
How conservatives help their young thinkers — and why liberals don’t
Liberalism has a serious pipeline problem.
www.vox.com
August 20, 2025 at 1:24 PM
In this morning's newsletter, I wrote about an under-appreciated problem for liberalism — its total failure to cultivate young talent www.vox.com/on-the-right...
Reposted by John Chekal
According to this Supreme Court, President Biden's Department of Education was exceeding its power by trying to forgive peoples' student loans.
President Trump, on the other hand, has the power to just completely dismantle the entire Education Department.
President Trump, on the other hand, has the power to just completely dismantle the entire Education Department.
BREAKING: The Supreme Court allows the Trump administration to move forward with the abolition of the Department of Education. It gives no explanation for its order. All three liberals dissent. www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
From Sotomayor's dissent:
From Sotomayor's dissent:
July 14, 2025 at 7:35 PM
According to this Supreme Court, President Biden's Department of Education was exceeding its power by trying to forgive peoples' student loans.
President Trump, on the other hand, has the power to just completely dismantle the entire Education Department.
President Trump, on the other hand, has the power to just completely dismantle the entire Education Department.
Reposted by John Chekal
there is also a lesson here for the youth vote, which is that if you show up in primaries - really, truly show up - you can kick the establishment in the teeth
June 29, 2025 at 4:39 PM
there is also a lesson here for the youth vote, which is that if you show up in primaries - really, truly show up - you can kick the establishment in the teeth
Reposted by John Chekal
This is the most expressly partisan thing I’ve ever seen the Catholic Church say in the US
INBOX: Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, is urging lawmakers to change the GOP-led “Big, Beautiful Bill” budget proposal, citing Pope Leo to argue that the bill “takes from the poor to give to the wealthy.”
It’s the strongest language USCCB has used yet
It’s the strongest language USCCB has used yet
June 27, 2025 at 12:23 AM
This is the most expressly partisan thing I’ve ever seen the Catholic Church say in the US
Reposted by John Chekal
INBOX: Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, is urging lawmakers to change the GOP-led “Big, Beautiful Bill” budget proposal, citing Pope Leo to argue that the bill “takes from the poor to give to the wealthy.”
It’s the strongest language USCCB has used yet
It’s the strongest language USCCB has used yet
June 26, 2025 at 7:54 PM
INBOX: Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, is urging lawmakers to change the GOP-led “Big, Beautiful Bill” budget proposal, citing Pope Leo to argue that the bill “takes from the poor to give to the wealthy.”
It’s the strongest language USCCB has used yet
It’s the strongest language USCCB has used yet
Reposted by John Chekal
IMO, NY Politics are cursed because Republicans are essentially a vestigial organ, filled to the brim with cranks and jokes, the right-wingers who actually want to win run and vote as Democrats to push the state party right.
This is the reason why people were talking about a Strong Republican Party
This is the reason why people were talking about a Strong Republican Party
June 24, 2025 at 11:48 PM
IMO, NY Politics are cursed because Republicans are essentially a vestigial organ, filled to the brim with cranks and jokes, the right-wingers who actually want to win run and vote as Democrats to push the state party right.
This is the reason why people were talking about a Strong Republican Party
This is the reason why people were talking about a Strong Republican Party
Reposted by John Chekal
Pittsburgh could really boost housing construction by allowing infill at historic density by default.
Used to be a 6 unit building on this site? Now it's an empty lot? You're free and clear to rebuild one here.
Nobody displaced, no new infrastructure to maintain, no threat to historic character.
Used to be a 6 unit building on this site? Now it's an empty lot? You're free and clear to rebuild one here.
Nobody displaced, no new infrastructure to maintain, no threat to historic character.
June 22, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Pittsburgh could really boost housing construction by allowing infill at historic density by default.
Used to be a 6 unit building on this site? Now it's an empty lot? You're free and clear to rebuild one here.
Nobody displaced, no new infrastructure to maintain, no threat to historic character.
Used to be a 6 unit building on this site? Now it's an empty lot? You're free and clear to rebuild one here.
Nobody displaced, no new infrastructure to maintain, no threat to historic character.
Reposted by John Chekal
Homey little songs about how cities are amazing and you feel good when you wander around them and they're where you're from and you couldn't imaging living anywhere else are one of my favorite microgenres.
We need to build some real social stigma around being afraid of cities. You don't have to like them or live there, but a politics built this strongly around watching TV and going "ewww" is embarrassing, and people should be embarrassed by it. It's like "fear of werewolves" being your top issue.
June 10, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Homey little songs about how cities are amazing and you feel good when you wander around them and they're where you're from and you couldn't imaging living anywhere else are one of my favorite microgenres.
Reposted by John Chekal
Feel like shit just want this to be real
May 26, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Feel like shit just want this to be real
I went to the mayoral candidate housing forum today hosted by Pittsburgh United.@coreyoconnorpa.bsky.social had to leave early, but he let the organizers know (I checked with Pittsburgh United while leaving). After that,a republican candidate picked up the microphone after each question
1/3
1/3
April 28, 2025 at 11:35 PM
I went to the mayoral candidate housing forum today hosted by Pittsburgh United.@coreyoconnorpa.bsky.social had to leave early, but he let the organizers know (I checked with Pittsburgh United while leaving). After that,a republican candidate picked up the microphone after each question
1/3
1/3
Reposted by John Chekal
Back by popular demand ... Hope it's not too early to gear up for the next Peepal Conclave 🐤 🐤
April 21, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Back by popular demand ... Hope it's not too early to gear up for the next Peepal Conclave 🐤 🐤
Reposted by John Chekal
ABC News has now fully taken down the old 538 website, including all interactive projects since 2014. Aside from erasing history this prevents access to publicly released data, including raw polls, averages, model estimates & story dta. Totally unacceptable for a company (allegedly) doing journalism
March 8, 2025 at 5:00 PM
ABC News has now fully taken down the old 538 website, including all interactive projects since 2014. Aside from erasing history this prevents access to publicly released data, including raw polls, averages, model estimates & story dta. Totally unacceptable for a company (allegedly) doing journalism
Reposted by John Chekal
I, personally, don't get into public fights with the Jesuits but you do you
March 6, 2025 at 9:16 PM
I, personally, don't get into public fights with the Jesuits but you do you
Reposted by John Chekal
NYC>Chicago is legitimately a great corridor for high-speed rail, if states of NY, PA, OH, IN & IL could unite for it.
You could hit:
—NYC—20m
—Philly—6m
—Harrisburg—600k
—Pittsburgh—2.4m
—Youngstown—400k
—Cleveland—2.2m
—Toledo—600k
—Ft Wayne—500k
—South Bend—300k
—Chicago—9m
On a ~straight route
You could hit:
—NYC—20m
—Philly—6m
—Harrisburg—600k
—Pittsburgh—2.4m
—Youngstown—400k
—Cleveland—2.2m
—Toledo—600k
—Ft Wayne—500k
—South Bend—300k
—Chicago—9m
On a ~straight route
This is the Beijing-Shanghai corridor, which takes 4 hours and 18 minutes to cover 800 miles. That’s the same distance as NYC to Chicago, which currently takes 20 hours by train.
(Tansu Yegen)
(Tansu Yegen)
February 22, 2025 at 6:12 PM
NYC>Chicago is legitimately a great corridor for high-speed rail, if states of NY, PA, OH, IN & IL could unite for it.
You could hit:
—NYC—20m
—Philly—6m
—Harrisburg—600k
—Pittsburgh—2.4m
—Youngstown—400k
—Cleveland—2.2m
—Toledo—600k
—Ft Wayne—500k
—South Bend—300k
—Chicago—9m
On a ~straight route
You could hit:
—NYC—20m
—Philly—6m
—Harrisburg—600k
—Pittsburgh—2.4m
—Youngstown—400k
—Cleveland—2.2m
—Toledo—600k
—Ft Wayne—500k
—South Bend—300k
—Chicago—9m
On a ~straight route
Reposted by John Chekal
Jesuit Priest 👇🏽
February 3, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Jesuit Priest 👇🏽
Reposted by John Chekal
Spain's boom is a story of:
- energy abundance (wind, solar, LNG)
- public investment thanks to NextGenEU & domestic fiscal choices
- labour reforms driving higher-quality employment
- immigration combined with successful integration
So some luck - but also good policy.
- energy abundance (wind, solar, LNG)
- public investment thanks to NextGenEU & domestic fiscal choices
- labour reforms driving higher-quality employment
- immigration combined with successful integration
So some luck - but also good policy.
January 30, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Spain's boom is a story of:
- energy abundance (wind, solar, LNG)
- public investment thanks to NextGenEU & domestic fiscal choices
- labour reforms driving higher-quality employment
- immigration combined with successful integration
So some luck - but also good policy.
- energy abundance (wind, solar, LNG)
- public investment thanks to NextGenEU & domestic fiscal choices
- labour reforms driving higher-quality employment
- immigration combined with successful integration
So some luck - but also good policy.
Reposted by John Chekal
My toxic trait is evaluating housing policy based on its real world effects, rather than its proponents’ stated motivations and intentions.
January 29, 2025 at 9:56 PM
My toxic trait is evaluating housing policy based on its real world effects, rather than its proponents’ stated motivations and intentions.
Reposted by John Chekal
✨ Penn Circle Conversion project is front & center as one of 2024's Best New U.S. Bikeways!
www.peopleforbikes.org/news/2024-be...
www.peopleforbikes.org/news/2024-be...
2024’s Best New U.S. Bikeways | PeopleForBikes
Last year was another banner year for the creation of great places to ride a bike across the U.S. New bike infrastructure was fueled by funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which made billi...
www.peopleforbikes.org
January 24, 2025 at 7:27 PM
✨ Penn Circle Conversion project is front & center as one of 2024's Best New U.S. Bikeways!
www.peopleforbikes.org/news/2024-be...
www.peopleforbikes.org/news/2024-be...
Reposted by John Chekal
Trust no source that won’t say what we all saw happen.
January 20, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Trust no source that won’t say what we all saw happen.
Reposted by John Chekal
2024 was a busy first year for the Innamorato administration. Over the next few days, we’ll share updates on what we’ve accomplished and what’s ahead.
January 15, 2025 at 3:28 PM
2024 was a busy first year for the Innamorato administration. Over the next few days, we’ll share updates on what we’ve accomplished and what’s ahead.
Reposted by John Chekal
And it wasn't because of the ground game: very easy to see looking at the New Jersey results - no ground game by either campaign in state but North Jersey (NY media market no Pres ads) swung much harder than South Jersey (Philly media market, covered in ads)
One thing that I think Dem-messaging-forward analyses like these need to grapple with, but never do, is that in the swing states, the places that got the biggest volume and concentration of Dem messaging, performance relative to 2020 was better than everywhere else.
This is largely an interesting article full of interesting data and anecdotes which ultimately (evident from the headline) draws exactly the wrong conclusion in service of taking sides in a consultant-on-consultant fight.
January 12, 2025 at 3:42 AM
And it wasn't because of the ground game: very easy to see looking at the New Jersey results - no ground game by either campaign in state but North Jersey (NY media market no Pres ads) swung much harder than South Jersey (Philly media market, covered in ads)