Rob Prather
@robprather.bsky.social
🖖🏻🌐 Leveling seats. Ranked-choice voting. No gerrymandering. Pluto used to be a planet, etc. #PfullyPfizered
Pinned
Rob Prather
@robprather.bsky.social
· Nov 10
Thomas Jefferson got this right, as I’ve pointed out before: “our judges are as honest as other men, and not more so. they have, with others, the same passions for party, for power, and the privileges of their corps.”
founders.archives.gov/documents/Je...
founders.archives.gov/documents/Je...
Reposted by Rob Prather
I have a novel new theory for Republicans on how not to get targeted by the FBI:
February 21, 2025 at 12:32 AM
I have a novel new theory for Republicans on how not to get targeted by the FBI:
Reposted by Rob Prather
Since this is going around again for whatever reason, I sort of thought it would go without saying I’m not talking about actual Nazis and fellow-travelers, who aren’t going to experience any buyers’ remorse, because they’re getting what they wanted. I’m talking about gullible idiots.
February 17, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Since this is going around again for whatever reason, I sort of thought it would go without saying I’m not talking about actual Nazis and fellow-travelers, who aren’t going to experience any buyers’ remorse, because they’re getting what they wanted. I’m talking about gullible idiots.
Reposted by Rob Prather
Seeing a lot of “But they don’t deserve…” And no, of course they don’t. What the fuck does that have to do with anything? The house is on fire. Pass a bucket to whoever wants to put it out. You can remind them what an ass they’ve been later.
February 6, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Seeing a lot of “But they don’t deserve…” And no, of course they don’t. What the fuck does that have to do with anything? The house is on fire. Pass a bucket to whoever wants to put it out. You can remind them what an ass they’ve been later.
Reposted by Rob Prather
In the coming weeks, a lot of slow-on-the uptake folks are going to begin belatedly realizing Trump is both an inept moron and a dangerous autocrat. Our great civic challenge in these trying times will be calmly welcoming them aboard instead of primal-screaming in their faces.
February 6, 2025 at 12:53 AM
In the coming weeks, a lot of slow-on-the uptake folks are going to begin belatedly realizing Trump is both an inept moron and a dangerous autocrat. Our great civic challenge in these trying times will be calmly welcoming them aboard instead of primal-screaming in their faces.
Reposted by Rob Prather
The relevant political cleavage is not policy, it is constitutional order. We can fight bitterly over every policy once we agree that the rules must endure in order to protect the republic
February 17, 2025 at 8:52 PM
The relevant political cleavage is not policy, it is constitutional order. We can fight bitterly over every policy once we agree that the rules must endure in order to protect the republic
Reposted by Rob Prather
If the wheels come off constitutionally, the U.S. is likely to stop being the world's preferred investment destination. That might (or might not!) deter even a would-be autocrat.
'The U.S. economy enjoys a “safe harbor premium.” The longstanding stability and certainty of our independent judicial system guarantee reliable protection of contract and property rights, which in turn ... attracts immense foreign investment in the economy.'
Opinion | This Is What the Courts Can Do if Trump Defies Them
How the escalating measures available to courts would work.
www.nytimes.com
February 17, 2025 at 10:43 PM
If the wheels come off constitutionally, the U.S. is likely to stop being the world's preferred investment destination. That might (or might not!) deter even a would-be autocrat.
Reposted by Rob Prather
Within four years, Singapore Michigan went from vibrant logging town to completely engulfed by sand dunes. The town was providing lumber to rebuild Chicago after the 1871 fires; as a result the area was completely deforested. Then there was nothing to hold the sand back. The town remains buried.
February 17, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Within four years, Singapore Michigan went from vibrant logging town to completely engulfed by sand dunes. The town was providing lumber to rebuild Chicago after the 1871 fires; as a result the area was completely deforested. Then there was nothing to hold the sand back. The town remains buried.
Reposted by Rob Prather
the need for “national security” led generations of lawmakers to blank check a massive unaccountable surveillance state, but now as one guy blows up safeguard after safeguard, no one even mentions the words. Guess we really just wanted to build a massive unaccountable surveillance state
February 17, 2025 at 2:49 PM
the need for “national security” led generations of lawmakers to blank check a massive unaccountable surveillance state, but now as one guy blows up safeguard after safeguard, no one even mentions the words. Guess we really just wanted to build a massive unaccountable surveillance state
Reposted by Rob Prather
Reposted by Rob Prather
Is Musk still having private, undisclosed conversations with Putin? Does anyone even care?
February 4, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Is Musk still having private, undisclosed conversations with Putin? Does anyone even care?
Reposted by Rob Prather
I would mock this as an absurd and idiotic fantasy except the maniac writing it has reportedly obtained illegal control of the Treasury Department's payments system
February 3, 2025 at 1:48 AM
I would mock this as an absurd and idiotic fantasy except the maniac writing it has reportedly obtained illegal control of the Treasury Department's payments system
Reposted by Rob Prather
A pretty common pattern in these parts is shitting on Dems at every opportunity (fair), reveling at their defeats for not sufficiently supporting <preferred policy> (less fair), then complain that they're not doing enough with their drastically lessened power (goofy as balls).
Not to say that the Dems couldn’t be doing more but the plan to stop all this was to campaign on Project 2025 and explain that all of this was going to happen if we lost. The voters didn’t care (with help from the media for not reporting on it)
February 3, 2025 at 1:29 AM
A pretty common pattern in these parts is shitting on Dems at every opportunity (fair), reveling at their defeats for not sufficiently supporting <preferred policy> (less fair), then complain that they're not doing enough with their drastically lessened power (goofy as balls).
Reposted by Rob Prather
Grim determination in the face of a lot of pain is what's gonna get us through this, not some Movie Magic finish that undoes the stupidity of multiple elections. You're not powerless, but you're significantly less powerful than you were on Nov 5th, and it's going to get worse before it gets better.
February 3, 2025 at 1:38 AM
Grim determination in the face of a lot of pain is what's gonna get us through this, not some Movie Magic finish that undoes the stupidity of multiple elections. You're not powerless, but you're significantly less powerful than you were on Nov 5th, and it's going to get worse before it gets better.
Reposted by Rob Prather
"Moreover, all Times opinion writers were banned from engaging in any kind of media criticism."
Man, this account of why Krugman left the NYT is even worse than I anticipated. Everything at that paper is moving in the wrong direction.
Man, this account of why Krugman left the NYT is even worse than I anticipated. Everything at that paper is moving in the wrong direction.
Departing the New York Times
I left to stay true to my byline
contrarian.substack.com
February 1, 2025 at 8:48 PM
"Moreover, all Times opinion writers were banned from engaging in any kind of media criticism."
Man, this account of why Krugman left the NYT is even worse than I anticipated. Everything at that paper is moving in the wrong direction.
Man, this account of why Krugman left the NYT is even worse than I anticipated. Everything at that paper is moving in the wrong direction.
Reposted by Rob Prather
Worried about a fascist takeover? This sheet-pan paella will make you feel like you’re in 1930s Spain.
February 1, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Worried about a fascist takeover? This sheet-pan paella will make you feel like you’re in 1930s Spain.
Reposted by Rob Prather
The New Republic has kindly published what the LA Times and its RFK Jr-supporting billionaire owner Pat Soon-Shiong tried to suppress: newrepublic.com/article/1910...
February 1, 2025 at 2:09 PM
The New Republic has kindly published what the LA Times and its RFK Jr-supporting billionaire owner Pat Soon-Shiong tried to suppress: newrepublic.com/article/1910...
Reposted by Rob Prather
This is basically sanewashing, but for criminality. It feels “biased” to bluntly but accurately say “The Trump administration has demonstrated it will break the law whenever it pleases.” So they look for ways to soften it. Just a little light illegality between friends.
January 31, 2025 at 5:55 PM
This is basically sanewashing, but for criminality. It feels “biased” to bluntly but accurately say “The Trump administration has demonstrated it will break the law whenever it pleases.” So they look for ways to soften it. Just a little light illegality between friends.
Reposted by Rob Prather
These are important wording choices. When you describe lawbreaking this way, you’re communicating to the reader that sure, maybe it’s TECHNICALLY illegal, but it can’t REALLY be that important. Nobody describes street criminals as “unbound by legal niceties.”
Not "legal niceties." What they are doing is illegal! www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/u...
January 31, 2025 at 5:44 PM
These are important wording choices. When you describe lawbreaking this way, you’re communicating to the reader that sure, maybe it’s TECHNICALLY illegal, but it can’t REALLY be that important. Nobody describes street criminals as “unbound by legal niceties.”
Reposted by Rob Prather
Reposted by Rob Prather
One thing I didn't fully appreciate about Fascism is the infuriating and unrelenting insults to one's intelligence.
January 28, 2025 at 1:56 AM
One thing I didn't fully appreciate about Fascism is the infuriating and unrelenting insults to one's intelligence.
Reposted by Rob Prather
Important to note trump *was* the government at the time of the bans yet he sued the three private companies claiming *they* violated *his* 1st amendment rights by banning him, even though the 1A restricts him, not them.
Facebook pays Trump $25M in trollsuit it functionally won when the identical suit against Twitter got tossed.
The argument here was that FB/YT/X were acting *as the government* and thus violated Trump's 1stAmend rights when they deplatformed him after J6.
It's a bribe.
www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...
The argument here was that FB/YT/X were acting *as the government* and thus violated Trump's 1stAmend rights when they deplatformed him after J6.
It's a bribe.
www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...
Exclusive | Meta to Pay $25 Million to Settle 2021 Trump Lawsuit
The president had sued the social-media company after his accounts were suspended following the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
www.wsj.com
January 30, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Important to note trump *was* the government at the time of the bans yet he sued the three private companies claiming *they* violated *his* 1st amendment rights by banning him, even though the 1A restricts him, not them.
Reposted by Rob Prather
headlines from a week ago as an incident near DCA appears to be the deadliest aviation disaster in the US since 9/11 www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
January 30, 2025 at 2:58 AM
headlines from a week ago as an incident near DCA appears to be the deadliest aviation disaster in the US since 9/11 www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
Reposted by Rob Prather
he also froze the hiring of more air traffic controllers: democrats-transportation.house.gov/news/press-r...
headlines from a week ago as an incident near DCA appears to be the deadliest aviation disaster in the US since 9/11 www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
January 30, 2025 at 3:20 AM
he also froze the hiring of more air traffic controllers: democrats-transportation.house.gov/news/press-r...