LimnerMarsh
@limnermarsh.bsky.social
Photographer and admirer of peculiar plants, animals, and fungi.
“[T]he fact that we cannot save everything does not mean we cannot save anything and everything we can save is worth saving.”--Rebecca Solnit
“[T]he fact that we cannot save everything does not mean we cannot save anything and everything we can save is worth saving.”--Rebecca Solnit
I was distinguishing the two: let's consider term limits. Let's not consider mandatory retirement ages alone.
December 2, 2025 at 11:26 PM
I was distinguishing the two: let's consider term limits. Let's not consider mandatory retirement ages alone.
If we do that, we need to insist on justices with significant appellate court experience. Appellate court judges often take a few years to reach their full potential, and that's assuming they've been trial court judges.
December 2, 2025 at 11:19 PM
If we do that, we need to insist on justices with significant appellate court experience. Appellate court judges often take a few years to reach their full potential, and that's assuming they've been trial court judges.
Term limits are worth considering, but a mandatory retirement age alone isn't a good idea. It will encourage the nomination of justices too young to have appropriate experience.
December 2, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Term limits are worth considering, but a mandatory retirement age alone isn't a good idea. It will encourage the nomination of justices too young to have appropriate experience.
"Better at parroting high-flown language than Trump is"≠"understanding American patriotism." To be sure, Reagan at least wanted to sound like a good guy and had competent speech writers; Trump just wants to sound "tough" and "authentic."
December 2, 2025 at 10:56 PM
"Better at parroting high-flown language than Trump is"≠"understanding American patriotism." To be sure, Reagan at least wanted to sound like a good guy and had competent speech writers; Trump just wants to sound "tough" and "authentic."
Agree. They wouldn't know western civilization... Dante, Bach, Rembrandt, even Wagner (they ought to like *him*)... if it slapped them across the face.
November 30, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Agree. They wouldn't know western civilization... Dante, Bach, Rembrandt, even Wagner (they ought to like *him*)... if it slapped them across the face.
They're mercifully rare here, but other comment sections are rife with people who call anyone with plans a "sweet summer child" or the like.
Maybe what they're really getting at is that they think we should all go out and buy sniper rifles, but it sure sounds as though they're urging us to quit.
Maybe what they're really getting at is that they think we should all go out and buy sniper rifles, but it sure sounds as though they're urging us to quit.
November 29, 2025 at 11:58 PM
They're mercifully rare here, but other comment sections are rife with people who call anyone with plans a "sweet summer child" or the like.
Maybe what they're really getting at is that they think we should all go out and buy sniper rifles, but it sure sounds as though they're urging us to quit.
Maybe what they're really getting at is that they think we should all go out and buy sniper rifles, but it sure sounds as though they're urging us to quit.
The people I call "doomers" appear in spaces where people are trying to figure out how to fight back effectively and mock those people for thinking that they can improve the situation. My "doomers" are clearly trying to make themselves feel better for doing nothing.
November 29, 2025 at 11:44 PM
The people I call "doomers" appear in spaces where people are trying to figure out how to fight back effectively and mock those people for thinking that they can improve the situation. My "doomers" are clearly trying to make themselves feel better for doing nothing.
We need to avoid both complacency and despair. One feels better than the other, but they both have the same lulling effect. But hope is nothing like complacency. Hope is the impetus behind all "external pressure."
November 29, 2025 at 11:38 PM
We need to avoid both complacency and despair. One feels better than the other, but they both have the same lulling effect. But hope is nothing like complacency. Hope is the impetus behind all "external pressure."
Without a House majority, draft articles would be essentially a sternly worded letter. Until there's the investigative power of a House majority behind the impeachment process, I'm not sure what the point would be.
November 29, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Without a House majority, draft articles would be essentially a sternly worded letter. Until there's the investigative power of a House majority behind the impeachment process, I'm not sure what the point would be.
Typically, if you donate a car to a charity, it sells it and uses the proceeds for its beneficiaries. Few of any charities take donations of cars for direct distribution to beneficiaries.
In short, a car given to a charity goes into the general stream of used cars.
In short, a car given to a charity goes into the general stream of used cars.
November 29, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Typically, if you donate a car to a charity, it sells it and uses the proceeds for its beneficiaries. Few of any charities take donations of cars for direct distribution to beneficiaries.
In short, a car given to a charity goes into the general stream of used cars.
In short, a car given to a charity goes into the general stream of used cars.
Connotation matters. People use inevitability language to advocate for resignation.
You can tell us we're on a trajectory that ends in authoritarianism with no obvious correction available without using language that has the connotation we should stop looking for a way to change the trajectory.
You can tell us we're on a trajectory that ends in authoritarianism with no obvious correction available without using language that has the connotation we should stop looking for a way to change the trajectory.
November 29, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Connotation matters. People use inevitability language to advocate for resignation.
You can tell us we're on a trajectory that ends in authoritarianism with no obvious correction available without using language that has the connotation we should stop looking for a way to change the trajectory.
You can tell us we're on a trajectory that ends in authoritarianism with no obvious correction available without using language that has the connotation we should stop looking for a way to change the trajectory.
Frustratingly, I think that this will take a change in control of DoJ. I don't think a local State's Attorney/DA can do this. On the other hand, there's no statute of limitations for murder.
November 29, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Frustratingly, I think that this will take a change in control of DoJ. I don't think a local State's Attorney/DA can do this. On the other hand, there's no statute of limitations for murder.
Wild turkey is pretty good, but I have a hard time understanding the appeal of the domestic version. I don't find it inherently *bad*. I just find it unexciting... and I think it's sort of smelly when it's cooking. However, I'm outvoted, which is fine.
November 27, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Wild turkey is pretty good, but I have a hard time understanding the appeal of the domestic version. I don't find it inherently *bad*. I just find it unexciting... and I think it's sort of smelly when it's cooking. However, I'm outvoted, which is fine.
Flexible nibs. Specifically, Pilot's falcon nib. The tactical enjoyment has me thinking that I'll write a novel on legal pads, but somehow it hasn't happened yet.
November 26, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Flexible nibs. Specifically, Pilot's falcon nib. The tactical enjoyment has me thinking that I'll write a novel on legal pads, but somehow it hasn't happened yet.
This is ironic. According to The New Republic, Trump withdrew the plan after a revolt by congressional Republicans who objected to it as "Obamacare Lite."
newrepublic.com/post/203622/...
newrepublic.com/post/203622/...
Trump Delays His Health Care Plan After Revolt From Republicans
Republican members of Congress are pissed about the health care plan Donald Trump came up with.
newrepublic.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:53 PM
This is ironic. According to The New Republic, Trump withdrew the plan after a revolt by congressional Republicans who objected to it as "Obamacare Lite."
newrepublic.com/post/203622/...
newrepublic.com/post/203622/...
We collectively elected a House with slightly too few non-Trump loyalists to vote to impeach and clearly too few non-Trump loyalists to vote to convict. We *have to* do better next year, although I doubt there's any way to get enough Senators who will vote to convict.
November 21, 2025 at 5:22 PM
We collectively elected a House with slightly too few non-Trump loyalists to vote to impeach and clearly too few non-Trump loyalists to vote to convict. We *have to* do better next year, although I doubt there's any way to get enough Senators who will vote to convict.
The calls for impeachment should start when there's a House Democratic majority. Failed impeachment votes aren't very persuasive. Personally, I'd save impeachment votes for a time when there's a chance that the Senate will convict. I think that they'll lose their power otherwise.
November 21, 2025 at 12:14 PM
The calls for impeachment should start when there's a House Democratic majority. Failed impeachment votes aren't very persuasive. Personally, I'd save impeachment votes for a time when there's a chance that the Senate will convict. I think that they'll lose their power otherwise.
When you have to switch glasses for every task, you start to get defeated. Sometimes, it's restful just to let things blur. And many people don't tolerate glasses or contacts with more than one correction well if the difference in the prescription is too large.
November 20, 2025 at 1:23 PM
When you have to switch glasses for every task, you start to get defeated. Sometimes, it's restful just to let things blur. And many people don't tolerate glasses or contacts with more than one correction well if the difference in the prescription is too large.
It might be harder than you think to switch gears from normal to physical. Even if you have a hair-trigger temper, maybe *especially* if you have a hair-trigger temper, you've probably practiced controlling it to the point it's almost reflexive.
November 19, 2025 at 1:04 PM
It might be harder than you think to switch gears from normal to physical. Even if you have a hair-trigger temper, maybe *especially* if you have a hair-trigger temper, you've probably practiced controlling it to the point it's almost reflexive.
That's not too far from how the podcast concluded.
I think that the strongest argument is that a system that gives impunity to any group is a corrupt one.
Of course, not everyone is corrupted by belonging to a group with impunity, but that's no excuse for the group's having impunity.
I think that the strongest argument is that a system that gives impunity to any group is a corrupt one.
Of course, not everyone is corrupted by belonging to a group with impunity, but that's no excuse for the group's having impunity.
November 17, 2025 at 11:03 PM
That's not too far from how the podcast concluded.
I think that the strongest argument is that a system that gives impunity to any group is a corrupt one.
Of course, not everyone is corrupted by belonging to a group with impunity, but that's no excuse for the group's having impunity.
I think that the strongest argument is that a system that gives impunity to any group is a corrupt one.
Of course, not everyone is corrupted by belonging to a group with impunity, but that's no excuse for the group's having impunity.
The discussion was talking about the kind of people who show up in the Epstein emails as "the elites"... saying how repulsive their kind of culture is and saying how Democrats ought to run against it. The overlap between Epstein's elite and populists' "elite" is, what, Noem Chomsky?
November 17, 2025 at 10:41 PM
The discussion was talking about the kind of people who show up in the Epstein emails as "the elites"... saying how repulsive their kind of culture is and saying how Democrats ought to run against it. The overlap between Epstein's elite and populists' "elite" is, what, Noem Chomsky?
There are the "elite" disparaged by right-wing populism, who are often the kind of professors Charlie Kirk got fired, and then there are people in the power elite--people with the money or connections to avoid most consequences. I think Kristol is talking about the latter.
November 17, 2025 at 9:50 PM
There are the "elite" disparaged by right-wing populism, who are often the kind of professors Charlie Kirk got fired, and then there are people in the power elite--people with the money or connections to avoid most consequences. I think Kristol is talking about the latter.
Murphy's been talking to anyone who would listen since the election at least. Why were so few people listening to him (and a few others)?
November 17, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Murphy's been talking to anyone who would listen since the election at least. Why were so few people listening to him (and a few others)?
I listened carefully and heard him say "disinflationary," not "deflationary," which is very different. Zero immigration is a horrible idea, but we can say that and still be honest about what its advocates hope to accomplish.
November 14, 2025 at 9:40 PM
I listened carefully and heard him say "disinflationary," not "deflationary," which is very different. Zero immigration is a horrible idea, but we can say that and still be honest about what its advocates hope to accomplish.
He said "disinflation." Disinflation is not deflation. Disinflation is good; deflation is bad.
Zero immigration is a terrible idea, but let's lie about its proponents.
Zero immigration is a terrible idea, but let's lie about its proponents.
November 14, 2025 at 9:34 PM
He said "disinflation." Disinflation is not deflation. Disinflation is good; deflation is bad.
Zero immigration is a terrible idea, but let's lie about its proponents.
Zero immigration is a terrible idea, but let's lie about its proponents.