Glonzo the Great and Powerful
@snarkranger.bsky.social
furloughed park ranger-bureaucrat in Darkest Nevada, telling stories about America's public lands. Volunteer EMT, wildfire PIO, Draymond stan, erstwhile racing flack, forever believing in the better angels of our nature. opinions are mine. 🏳️🌈
It's like fucking D+20.
November 11, 2025 at 7:38 AM
It's like fucking D+20.
ELI5: this is an Utah judge creating a safe Democratic House seat in Salt Lake City.
November 11, 2025 at 7:37 AM
ELI5: this is an Utah judge creating a safe Democratic House seat in Salt Lake City.
So SCOTUS would have to rule that it's unconstitutional for a state to ban partisan gerrymandering. Which... they could do, but it would be really fucking weird.
November 11, 2025 at 7:30 AM
So SCOTUS would have to rule that it's unconstitutional for a state to ban partisan gerrymandering. Which... they could do, but it would be really fucking weird.
My understanding is that this is based on state law. SCOTUS has no jurisdiction over state law unless it conflicts with the Constitution.
November 11, 2025 at 7:29 AM
My understanding is that this is based on state law. SCOTUS has no jurisdiction over state law unless it conflicts with the Constitution.
100% agreed. The centrists had absolutely no communications or messaging plan for this, and that is entirely on them for fucking the pooch.
November 11, 2025 at 4:25 AM
100% agreed. The centrists had absolutely no communications or messaging plan for this, and that is entirely on them for fucking the pooch.
There was a very nice, well-meaning person who was like "well what about mutual aid" and I had to explain to her that even $2,000 a month times 2 million federal employees is... $4 billion per month.
you cannot mutual aid your way out of a financial crisis for federal employees.
you cannot mutual aid your way out of a financial crisis for federal employees.
November 11, 2025 at 4:19 AM
There was a very nice, well-meaning person who was like "well what about mutual aid" and I had to explain to her that even $2,000 a month times 2 million federal employees is... $4 billion per month.
you cannot mutual aid your way out of a financial crisis for federal employees.
you cannot mutual aid your way out of a financial crisis for federal employees.
Put another way, do you expect the federal employee unions to keep supporting a shutdown all the way to Christmas? AFGE already pulled the plug, the others wouldn't be that far behind. You can't put people through three months without a paycheck. They don't have that level of a cushion.
November 11, 2025 at 4:16 AM
Put another way, do you expect the federal employee unions to keep supporting a shutdown all the way to Christmas? AFGE already pulled the plug, the others wouldn't be that far behind. You can't put people through three months without a paycheck. They don't have that level of a cushion.
Yes, but if you're breaking your own base voters as hard or harder than you're breaking the bastards, is that really a win?
November 11, 2025 at 4:15 AM
Yes, but if you're breaking your own base voters as hard or harder than you're breaking the bastards, is that really a win?
That's three months without paychecks for 2 million people, including the holidays.
November 11, 2025 at 4:08 AM
That's three months without paychecks for 2 million people, including the holidays.
We found out that the Republican Party would rather shut the government down forever than help Americans afford health care. That's a useful piece of political agitprop.
November 11, 2025 at 2:57 AM
We found out that the Republican Party would rather shut the government down forever than help Americans afford health care. That's a useful piece of political agitprop.
What does "see through" mean, though? Is this the Battle of the Somme?
If the idea is that you should never start a fight you aren't guaranteed to win, you'll never start a fight.
If the idea is that you should never start a fight you aren't guaranteed to win, you'll never start a fight.
November 11, 2025 at 2:54 AM
What does "see through" mean, though? Is this the Battle of the Somme?
If the idea is that you should never start a fight you aren't guaranteed to win, you'll never start a fight.
If the idea is that you should never start a fight you aren't guaranteed to win, you'll never start a fight.
This is the amount of net pay I have received in the last month. How long can you survive on that?
November 11, 2025 at 2:49 AM
This is the amount of net pay I have received in the last month. How long can you survive on that?
And the amount of pain starts going up exponentially as we get deeper in the shutdown. Most people can shrug off one missed paycheck; three or four or five is a different story.
November 11, 2025 at 2:44 AM
And the amount of pain starts going up exponentially as we get deeper in the shutdown. Most people can shrug off one missed paycheck; three or four or five is a different story.
The shutdown inflicts pain on Democratic voters and Democratic priorities, and there needs to be a judgment made at which point that pain outweighs any gains.
November 11, 2025 at 2:41 AM
The shutdown inflicts pain on Democratic voters and Democratic priorities, and there needs to be a judgment made at which point that pain outweighs any gains.
Sure, fine. But how much more pain do you inflict on SNAP recipients and federal employees to foster a screaming match? If we don't end it now, when?
The issue that I see is that a whole lot of people on the left treat the shutdown as basically free, and that's just not true.
The issue that I see is that a whole lot of people on the left treat the shutdown as basically free, and that's just not true.
November 11, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Sure, fine. But how much more pain do you inflict on SNAP recipients and federal employees to foster a screaming match? If we don't end it now, when?
The issue that I see is that a whole lot of people on the left treat the shutdown as basically free, and that's just not true.
The issue that I see is that a whole lot of people on the left treat the shutdown as basically free, and that's just not true.
And yet his party's senators weren't budging an inch.
November 11, 2025 at 2:34 AM
And yet his party's senators weren't budging an inch.
Yes, that's what happens when American voters put a nihilistic death cult in charge of the government.
November 11, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Yes, that's what happens when American voters put a nihilistic death cult in charge of the government.
If there was some evidence that going longer would change anything with the GOP, I'd be willing to reconsider my position. But I just don't see it.
November 11, 2025 at 2:32 AM
If there was some evidence that going longer would change anything with the GOP, I'd be willing to reconsider my position. But I just don't see it.
How do you know this is the 11th hour? That implies that Republicans were ready to give up, which is not at all in evidence. Could easily be the 5th hour, or the 1st.
November 11, 2025 at 2:30 AM
How do you know this is the 11th hour? That implies that Republicans were ready to give up, which is not at all in evidence. Could easily be the 5th hour, or the 1st.
In the long game, this made Republicans admit they'd rather shut the government down forever than provide affordable health care for Americans. We can hammer the shit out of them in the midterms with it.
But yeah, we have to wait for the midterms. That's going to require patience. Which... yeah.
But yeah, we have to wait for the midterms. That's going to require patience. Which... yeah.
November 11, 2025 at 1:21 AM
In the long game, this made Republicans admit they'd rather shut the government down forever than provide affordable health care for Americans. We can hammer the shit out of them in the midterms with it.
But yeah, we have to wait for the midterms. That's going to require patience. Which... yeah.
But yeah, we have to wait for the midterms. That's going to require patience. Which... yeah.
Their "moderate" members are willing to walk the electoral plank for it!
November 11, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Their "moderate" members are willing to walk the electoral plank for it!
I mean, yes and also, we demanded this, so it's not like we're blameless (and this includes me). We demanded that they take a stand after completely giving up back in March. I'm glad they did.
But taking a stand as the minority party doesn't mean you can actually win everything you wanted.
But taking a stand as the minority party doesn't mean you can actually win everything you wanted.
November 11, 2025 at 1:14 AM
I mean, yes and also, we demanded this, so it's not like we're blameless (and this includes me). We demanded that they take a stand after completely giving up back in March. I'm glad they did.
But taking a stand as the minority party doesn't mean you can actually win everything you wanted.
But taking a stand as the minority party doesn't mean you can actually win everything you wanted.