Patrick Fessenbecker
@pfessenbecker.bsky.social
Teaching writing and ethics to engineers, writing a book on George Eliot.
I don't think Dave is angry at the Dems for folding, particularly. I think the point here is that many people wanted things out of the shutdown that a shutdown could never yield. And while we need Democratic legislative leaders who are up to fight, a battle on this particular ground isn't decisive.
November 10, 2025 at 5:24 PM
I don't think Dave is angry at the Dems for folding, particularly. I think the point here is that many people wanted things out of the shutdown that a shutdown could never yield. And while we need Democratic legislative leaders who are up to fight, a battle on this particular ground isn't decisive.
Huh, give it another read, maybe? That's not how I would paraphrase the argument. I'd call this the key passage:
November 10, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Huh, give it another read, maybe? That's not how I would paraphrase the argument. I'd call this the key passage:
Something I’ve realized over the course of the last forty eight hours was the only concession even possibly in play was the end of the filibuster, which is worth a lot but won’t solve any problems immediately.
November 10, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Something I’ve realized over the course of the last forty eight hours was the only concession even possibly in play was the end of the filibuster, which is worth a lot but won’t solve any problems immediately.
Innocence has always been erotic, but what innocence looks like changes over time. in c21 America, it’s apparently her.
November 10, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Innocence has always been erotic, but what innocence looks like changes over time. in c21 America, it’s apparently her.
Sincerity > authenticity
November 8, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Sincerity > authenticity
Old and bused: the mayflower
New hotness: the elderflower
New hotness: the elderflower
November 8, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Old and bused: the mayflower
New hotness: the elderflower
New hotness: the elderflower
Which person in this conversation do you see as insisting on the literal definitions of the words “steal” and “loan?”
November 7, 2025 at 5:15 AM
Which person in this conversation do you see as insisting on the literal definitions of the words “steal” and “loan?”
Could not agree more, like this person was probably just making a silly joke and we need to look at how it works rather than parsing the word “steal”
bsky.app/profile/pfes...
bsky.app/profile/pfes...
English stealing the best concepts from every language
a monkey is standing next to a car wheel with a tire cover on it .
Alt: a monkey is standing next to a car wheel, stealing a hubcap from another monkey.
media.tenor.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:10 AM
Could not agree more, like this person was probably just making a silly joke and we need to look at how it works rather than parsing the word “steal”
bsky.app/profile/pfes...
bsky.app/profile/pfes...
what do you think the word “loan” implies
If not a transfer of value?
If not a transfer of value?
November 7, 2025 at 4:33 AM
what do you think the word “loan” implies
If not a transfer of value?
If not a transfer of value?
this is also wrecker shit from the NYT. ”shut it down” seems specific and intense but is actually pretty vague. “I need you here” is probably what he actually said.
November 7, 2025 at 4:26 AM
this is also wrecker shit from the NYT. ”shut it down” seems specific and intense but is actually pretty vague. “I need you here” is probably what he actually said.
So on the one hand I agree with you, on the other hand “this thing I have a word for isn’t actually a concept but just a universal fact of human experience and it’s weird you all don’t just acknowledge that” is maybe not the right way to explore the history and geography of taste.
November 7, 2025 at 4:01 AM
So on the one hand I agree with you, on the other hand “this thing I have a word for isn’t actually a concept but just a universal fact of human experience and it’s weird you all don’t just acknowledge that” is maybe not the right way to explore the history and geography of taste.
English stealing the best concepts from every language
a monkey is standing next to a car wheel with a tire cover on it .
Alt: a monkey is standing next to a car wheel, stealing a hubcap from another monkey.
media.tenor.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:13 PM
English stealing the best concepts from every language
Contemporary Americans: absolutely unable to coherently describe even to themselves literally anything they enjoy, ranging from posts to cheeses to furniture to sex.
Contemporary Americans, also: we need more vocational education.
Contemporary Americans, also: we need more vocational education.
November 6, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Contemporary Americans: absolutely unable to coherently describe even to themselves literally anything they enjoy, ranging from posts to cheeses to furniture to sex.
Contemporary Americans, also: we need more vocational education.
Contemporary Americans, also: we need more vocational education.
There is no experience that demonstrates how vital aesthetic education is and how woefully insufficient current institutions provide for it than the answer that emerges anytime one asks "so, what's that taste like?"
November 6, 2025 at 6:48 PM
There is no experience that demonstrates how vital aesthetic education is and how woefully insufficient current institutions provide for it than the answer that emerges anytime one asks "so, what's that taste like?"
Also, "firebrand gets elected to office and moderates over time" is one of the very oldest stories in democratic politics.
November 6, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Also, "firebrand gets elected to office and moderates over time" is one of the very oldest stories in democratic politics.
We had austerity with lethal consequences the moment Musk started cutting. This is just admitting it.
November 6, 2025 at 3:54 PM
We had austerity with lethal consequences the moment Musk started cutting. This is just admitting it.
Not the most important thing, but your quotation marks are in the wrong place, which is a common symptom of a temporary bout of poster‘s madness.
November 6, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Not the most important thing, but your quotation marks are in the wrong place, which is a common symptom of a temporary bout of poster‘s madness.
liking not just for the sentiment but for the opportunity to practice my weder/noch grammar.
November 5, 2025 at 10:46 AM
liking not just for the sentiment but for the opportunity to practice my weder/noch grammar.
Reposted by Patrick Fessenbecker
Brilliant point.
I was saying this on The Argument live show: Dems saw "I'd Take Some Mean Tweets and $2 Gas Right Now!" bumper stickers for four years and said: Okay, motherfuckers, we can not care about scandals too.
I was saying this on The Argument live show: Dems saw "I'd Take Some Mean Tweets and $2 Gas Right Now!" bumper stickers for four years and said: Okay, motherfuckers, we can not care about scandals too.
November 5, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Brilliant point.
I was saying this on The Argument live show: Dems saw "I'd Take Some Mean Tweets and $2 Gas Right Now!" bumper stickers for four years and said: Okay, motherfuckers, we can not care about scandals too.
I was saying this on The Argument live show: Dems saw "I'd Take Some Mean Tweets and $2 Gas Right Now!" bumper stickers for four years and said: Okay, motherfuckers, we can not care about scandals too.