Bethany Erickson
@shoomer5.bsky.social
Happily married mom of 5. Catholic convert, still love the Anglicans. Neurodivergent. Probably reading Goodnight Moon.
Reposted by Bethany Erickson
It seemed as if Democrats were pushing the GOP to a breaking point where they would kill the filibuster and end the shutdown without Dem votes. Both would have been positives for the Democrats!
This is what's so aggravating — yes, it was not working in extracting a policy concession but it was working in *driving down trump's numbers and provoking GOP infighting* which is what's important if you take Dem rhetoric about the perils of MAGA remotely seriously.
weirdly honest messaging from the breakaway mod/institutionalist leaders who blew up the party strategy
they're explicitly giving up. "It wasn't working so we quit" that's the message
they're explicitly giving up. "It wasn't working so we quit" that's the message
November 10, 2025 at 6:27 PM
It seemed as if Democrats were pushing the GOP to a breaking point where they would kill the filibuster and end the shutdown without Dem votes. Both would have been positives for the Democrats!
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Either Chuck Schumer is an ineffective leader of Senate Democrats who had 7 Democrats (and an Independent who caucuses with them) walk away from him and vote with Republicans to destroy a key piece of health legislation which benefited millions of Americans...
...or he arranged it.
Schumer must go.
...or he arranged it.
Schumer must go.
November 10, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Either Chuck Schumer is an ineffective leader of Senate Democrats who had 7 Democrats (and an Independent who caucuses with them) walk away from him and vote with Republicans to destroy a key piece of health legislation which benefited millions of Americans...
...or he arranged it.
Schumer must go.
...or he arranged it.
Schumer must go.
Reposted by Bethany Erickson
Because Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries get to keep their hands clean while Democrats who are retiring and have no skin in the game negotiate surrender.
November 10, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Because Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries get to keep their hands clean while Democrats who are retiring and have no skin in the game negotiate surrender.
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“We’ll see.”
We’re supposed to accept that Democratic leadership allowed this caliber of strategist to negotiate a deal with the most diabolical, mendacious group of politicians in American government.
We’re supposed to accept that Democratic leadership allowed this caliber of strategist to negotiate a deal with the most diabolical, mendacious group of politicians in American government.
Shaheen: "We've heard from a number of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle that they're willing to come to the table, they're willing to work with us once the govt is open to get this done. We've heard the same thing from the White House. So now we'll see if they're really gonna work w/us"
November 10, 2025 at 4:23 PM
“We’ll see.”
We’re supposed to accept that Democratic leadership allowed this caliber of strategist to negotiate a deal with the most diabolical, mendacious group of politicians in American government.
We’re supposed to accept that Democratic leadership allowed this caliber of strategist to negotiate a deal with the most diabolical, mendacious group of politicians in American government.
Reposted by Bethany Erickson
You didn't get a vote. You got a "promise" of a vote. From a party who is disappearing nannies & gardeners and zip-tying children. A party who has flushed Due Process in America down the toilet. Who has subjugated its Congressional duties to an autocrat. That's what everybody sees, Tim.
November 10, 2025 at 4:39 PM
You didn't get a vote. You got a "promise" of a vote. From a party who is disappearing nannies & gardeners and zip-tying children. A party who has flushed Due Process in America down the toilet. Who has subjugated its Congressional duties to an autocrat. That's what everybody sees, Tim.
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Not a political consultant but I’m not sure “standing up to trump doesn’t work” is the best midterm message, even if if accurately represents senate dems position. Not much point in putting you in power then bsky.app/profile/atru...
November 10, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Not a political consultant but I’m not sure “standing up to trump doesn’t work” is the best midterm message, even if if accurately represents senate dems position. Not much point in putting you in power then bsky.app/profile/atru...
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Pretty much all affordability discourse could benefit from just posting this chart.
If you're in the better off America, all the luxury goods you want in excess are for the most part much cheaper. If you're in the poorer America, most of the shit you need to live/grow is more expensive.
If you're in the better off America, all the luxury goods you want in excess are for the most part much cheaper. If you're in the poorer America, most of the shit you need to live/grow is more expensive.
November 10, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Pretty much all affordability discourse could benefit from just posting this chart.
If you're in the better off America, all the luxury goods you want in excess are for the most part much cheaper. If you're in the poorer America, most of the shit you need to live/grow is more expensive.
If you're in the better off America, all the luxury goods you want in excess are for the most part much cheaper. If you're in the poorer America, most of the shit you need to live/grow is more expensive.
Reposted by Bethany Erickson
Pre ACA, I saw a man get fired from a small company due to a child with cancer. The insurance company told them owner that he had to fire this man or force him to reduce hours so he would not be on the company plan. The man reduced his hours, going back to full time when his daughter died.
November 10, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Pre ACA, I saw a man get fired from a small company due to a child with cancer. The insurance company told them owner that he had to fire this man or force him to reduce hours so he would not be on the company plan. The man reduced his hours, going back to full time when his daughter died.
Reposted by Bethany Erickson
like this is basically it, the melts melted under pressure
November 10, 2025 at 4:27 PM
like this is basically it, the melts melted under pressure
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Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can just give up and go home.
November 10, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can just give up and go home.
Reposted by Bethany Erickson
Tell me you don’t understand risk pools without telling me you don’t understand risk pools
November 10, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Tell me you don’t understand risk pools without telling me you don’t understand risk pools
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This is insane. This is *literally* doing the same mechanics of the housing crisis and 2008 recession but to create debt to finance construction of AI data centers
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/b...
November 10, 2025 at 4:19 PM
This is insane. This is *literally* doing the same mechanics of the housing crisis and 2008 recession but to create debt to finance construction of AI data centers
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/b...
Reposted by Bethany Erickson
This right here.
Chris Murphy: "There will be pretty substantial damage to a Dem brand that has been rehabilitated if on the heels of an election in which the people told us to keep fighting, we immediately stop... if we surrender without having gotten anything, I worry it'll be hard to get them back up off the mat"
November 10, 2025 at 1:23 AM
This right here.
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Bernie Sanders: "What this Senate is about to do is make a horrific situation even worse. So let's be clear what this vote is about. If this vote succeeds, over 20 million Americans are gonna see at least a doubling in their premiums in the ACA."
November 10, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Bernie Sanders: "What this Senate is about to do is make a horrific situation even worse. So let's be clear what this vote is about. If this vote succeeds, over 20 million Americans are gonna see at least a doubling in their premiums in the ACA."
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NEWS: U.S. Senate advances bill to reopen the federal government in a 60-40 vote.
Dems who votes yes:
🔵 Catherine Cortez Masto
🔵 Dick Durbin
🔵 John Fetterman
🔵 Maggie Hassan
🔵 Tim Kaine
🔵 Angus King
🔵 Jackie Rosen
🔵 Jeanne Shaheen
Republicans who voted no:
🔴 Rand Paul
Dems who votes yes:
🔵 Catherine Cortez Masto
🔵 Dick Durbin
🔵 John Fetterman
🔵 Maggie Hassan
🔵 Tim Kaine
🔵 Angus King
🔵 Jackie Rosen
🔵 Jeanne Shaheen
Republicans who voted no:
🔴 Rand Paul
November 10, 2025 at 4:13 AM
NEWS: U.S. Senate advances bill to reopen the federal government in a 60-40 vote.
Dems who votes yes:
🔵 Catherine Cortez Masto
🔵 Dick Durbin
🔵 John Fetterman
🔵 Maggie Hassan
🔵 Tim Kaine
🔵 Angus King
🔵 Jackie Rosen
🔵 Jeanne Shaheen
Republicans who voted no:
🔴 Rand Paul
Dems who votes yes:
🔵 Catherine Cortez Masto
🔵 Dick Durbin
🔵 John Fetterman
🔵 Maggie Hassan
🔵 Tim Kaine
🔵 Angus King
🔵 Jackie Rosen
🔵 Jeanne Shaheen
Republicans who voted no:
🔴 Rand Paul
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These politicians aren't in disarray. They fucking hate you. They don't work for you.
November 10, 2025 at 3:10 AM
These politicians aren't in disarray. They fucking hate you. They don't work for you.
Reposted by Bethany Erickson
"PROMISE OF A VOTE ON HEALTHCARE"
November 9, 2025 at 11:46 PM
"PROMISE OF A VOTE ON HEALTHCARE"
Reposted by Bethany Erickson
The coordinated nature of this—none are facing voters in 2026—means that either Schumer approved it or failed in his job as Senate Majority Leader to stop it.
Dems voting "no" get zero credit until they demand a change in leadership. Schumer out as Leader, Durbin out as Whip.
Dems voting "no" get zero credit until they demand a change in leadership. Schumer out as Leader, Durbin out as Whip.
so currently defectors are:
Kaine (2030)
Shaheen (Retiring)
Hasan (2028)
Fetterman (2028)
Durbin (Retiring)
CCM (2028)
Rosen (2030)
King (2030)
Kaine (2030)
Shaheen (Retiring)
Hasan (2028)
Fetterman (2028)
Durbin (Retiring)
CCM (2028)
Rosen (2030)
King (2030)
November 10, 2025 at 2:43 AM
The coordinated nature of this—none are facing voters in 2026—means that either Schumer approved it or failed in his job as Senate Majority Leader to stop it.
Dems voting "no" get zero credit until they demand a change in leadership. Schumer out as Leader, Durbin out as Whip.
Dems voting "no" get zero credit until they demand a change in leadership. Schumer out as Leader, Durbin out as Whip.
Reposted by Bethany Erickson
I genuinely can't get over them taking this course after watching Tuesday's results. They hate winning
November 10, 2025 at 4:11 AM
I genuinely can't get over them taking this course after watching Tuesday's results. They hate winning
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It is genuinely hard for most people to grasp how poor the past was.
November 9, 2025 at 6:23 PM
It is genuinely hard for most people to grasp how poor the past was.
Reposted by Bethany Erickson
15 percent of American homes lacked indoor plumbing in 1960.
The idea that everyone in 1955 America lived in a split-level suburban home with two cars and three kids and one income is, quite simply, a fantasy borne of media consumption.
The idea that everyone in 1955 America lived in a split-level suburban home with two cars and three kids and one income is, quite simply, a fantasy borne of media consumption.
November 9, 2025 at 5:04 AM
15 percent of American homes lacked indoor plumbing in 1960.
The idea that everyone in 1955 America lived in a split-level suburban home with two cars and three kids and one income is, quite simply, a fantasy borne of media consumption.
The idea that everyone in 1955 America lived in a split-level suburban home with two cars and three kids and one income is, quite simply, a fantasy borne of media consumption.
Reposted by Bethany Erickson
Lots of hard, shitty lessons being learned from this presidency. And one of the many I hope you're learning is, white supremacy is incompatible with reality, and cannot exist without historical revisionism.
1/ The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission. ⬇️
November 9, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Lots of hard, shitty lessons being learned from this presidency. And one of the many I hope you're learning is, white supremacy is incompatible with reality, and cannot exist without historical revisionism.
Reposted by Bethany Erickson
It's indeed so *much* worse.
Adolf Hitler got his inspiration *directly* & predominantly from the USA, in particular by vile racist, anti-semite, eugentics-favoring, 'The International Jew'-authoring, Elders from Zion promulgating, Henry Ford.
Best thread I found thusfar:
#1/4
Adolf Hitler got his inspiration *directly* & predominantly from the USA, in particular by vile racist, anti-semite, eugentics-favoring, 'The International Jew'-authoring, Elders from Zion promulgating, Henry Ford.
Best thread I found thusfar:
#1/4
Unspoken criteria. Not white.
November 9, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Reposted by Bethany Erickson
Republicans seem to think that the norms created by the social contract are just sort of a immutable laws of nature and that therefore, tearing up the social contract will have no negative consequences for them, and I am, very much not looking forward to that thesis being tested
I think we're genuinely flirting with a societal rupture and I'm not sure I want to experience that
AHAHA SUPREME COURT SAYS TOUCH THE STOVE
November 9, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Republicans seem to think that the norms created by the social contract are just sort of a immutable laws of nature and that therefore, tearing up the social contract will have no negative consequences for them, and I am, very much not looking forward to that thesis being tested