James Hassett
@rotdialectic.bsky.social
Making sense of the world one dialectic at a time. Writing about climate politics, social democracy, and political economy. https://jdhassett.substack.com/
The complexity of the modern world undermines the ability to uncover the causal effects of actions taken in the political and economic sphere
September 14, 2025 at 7:06 PM
The complexity of the modern world undermines the ability to uncover the causal effects of actions taken in the political and economic sphere
How the failure to address economic and social problems can easily give way to dictatorship under the desire for “law and order”
September 14, 2025 at 7:06 PM
How the failure to address economic and social problems can easily give way to dictatorship under the desire for “law and order”
The impotency and unresponsiveness of political parties to adequately address the problems wrought by industrial and economic development
September 14, 2025 at 7:06 PM
The impotency and unresponsiveness of political parties to adequately address the problems wrought by industrial and economic development
Reading John Dewey’s Freedom and Culture. Written in 1939, he grapples with the rise of antidemocratic and fascist forces the world over, and the similarities to today are frightening - we’re still struggling with the same problems
September 14, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Reading John Dewey’s Freedom and Culture. Written in 1939, he grapples with the rise of antidemocratic and fascist forces the world over, and the similarities to today are frightening - we’re still struggling with the same problems
Decoupling from the American economy may be the only way to achieve decarbonization heatmap.news/ideas/ira-gl...
August 12, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Decoupling from the American economy may be the only way to achieve decarbonization heatmap.news/ideas/ira-gl...
Repealing EV credits, slapping on eye popping tariffs with no industrial strategy, and adding unworkable content restrictions will kill demand and jack up costs
July 23, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Repealing EV credits, slapping on eye popping tariffs with no industrial strategy, and adding unworkable content restrictions will kill demand and jack up costs
The clean energy transition is accelerating as fossil fuels stagnate. By the end of the decade, many will come to mark Trump’s term as the historical turning point for the US - the signal of its irreversible imperial decline www.netzeropolicylab.com/brics-going-...
July 6, 2025 at 9:04 PM
The clean energy transition is accelerating as fossil fuels stagnate. By the end of the decade, many will come to mark Trump’s term as the historical turning point for the US - the signal of its irreversible imperial decline www.netzeropolicylab.com/brics-going-...
How MAGA is grounded in Social Darwinism, an ideology of might makes right - justifiable through innate, “natural” differences and sanctioning the erection/maintenance of hierarchies. From @erikmbaker ‘s wonderful essay in Harper’s
July 6, 2025 at 7:25 PM
How MAGA is grounded in Social Darwinism, an ideology of might makes right - justifiable through innate, “natural” differences and sanctioning the erection/maintenance of hierarchies. From @erikmbaker ‘s wonderful essay in Harper’s
Words of warning from Sagan
June 23, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Words of warning from Sagan
As energy bills are rising, Trump has halted all wind energy projects, hamstrung the expansion of solar, and fast-tracked permitting for natural gas projects. But the only future in which we're 'energy dominant' is one where clean energy is dominant.
June 16, 2025 at 5:47 PM
As energy bills are rising, Trump has halted all wind energy projects, hamstrung the expansion of solar, and fast-tracked permitting for natural gas projects. But the only future in which we're 'energy dominant' is one where clean energy is dominant.
Ramos’ opposition to cross-endorsing fellow progressives was part of what led to WFP not endorsing her in the first place. Turns out her limit was voting for people with principles
June 6, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Ramos’ opposition to cross-endorsing fellow progressives was part of what led to WFP not endorsing her in the first place. Turns out her limit was voting for people with principles
Utterly evil people
May 30, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Utterly evil people
An honest to God brilliant plan to shutdown the Senate and stop Trump's big, brutal bill prospect.org/politics/202...
May 30, 2025 at 4:32 PM
An honest to God brilliant plan to shutdown the Senate and stop Trump's big, brutal bill prospect.org/politics/202...
We are living in the world wrought by capitalists’ forced amnesia www.nybooks.com/articles/202...
May 25, 2025 at 7:04 PM
We are living in the world wrought by capitalists’ forced amnesia www.nybooks.com/articles/202...
The breakdown of the existing order comes partly from the rich deluding themselves into believing their own propaganda. They stand on the shoulders of giants but when they look down they only see clouds www.nybooks.com/articles/202...
May 25, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The breakdown of the existing order comes partly from the rich deluding themselves into believing their own propaganda. They stand on the shoulders of giants but when they look down they only see clouds www.nybooks.com/articles/202...
O’Toole’s excellent analysis also hints at Democrats’ failure to name names and target the specific enemies of the general welfare. Politics needs the saliency of the particular. Correct but abstract critiques of society fail to politically motivate people. Trump’s personal approach is more engaging
May 25, 2025 at 6:51 PM
O’Toole’s excellent analysis also hints at Democrats’ failure to name names and target the specific enemies of the general welfare. Politics needs the saliency of the particular. Correct but abstract critiques of society fail to politically motivate people. Trump’s personal approach is more engaging
Dem Sen. Slotkin, who pitched herself as a centrist offering "responsible, smart change" in contrast to Trump's recklessness and called Dems too "weak and woke," just joined Republicans in the nuclear option—illegally using the CRA to kill California’s vehicle emissions exemption
May 23, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Dem Sen. Slotkin, who pitched herself as a centrist offering "responsible, smart change" in contrast to Trump's recklessness and called Dems too "weak and woke," just joined Republicans in the nuclear option—illegally using the CRA to kill California’s vehicle emissions exemption
May 23, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Donald Trump confirmed proponent of greedflation
May 17, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Donald Trump confirmed proponent of greedflation
Blue MAGA remains a good descriptor of the Democratic Party's devotion to loyalty
May 15, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Blue MAGA remains a good descriptor of the Democratic Party's devotion to loyalty
Interesting result of Australia’s compulsory voting system boltsmag.org/compulsory-v...
May 15, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Interesting result of Australia’s compulsory voting system boltsmag.org/compulsory-v...
It needs to be drilled into every Democrats' head that politics is about advancing a positive vision as it is representing people's interests where they are at - another great article by @ryanlcooper.com prospect.org/politics/202...
April 18, 2025 at 6:34 PM
It needs to be drilled into every Democrats' head that politics is about advancing a positive vision as it is representing people's interests where they are at - another great article by @ryanlcooper.com prospect.org/politics/202...
Couldn’t help but laugh when I got to this part. ‘The climate crisis will destroy America, therefore we must balance the budget at all costs’
April 7, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Couldn’t help but laugh when I got to this part. ‘The climate crisis will destroy America, therefore we must balance the budget at all costs’