Sophistrionics
@sophistrionics.bsky.social
Yes: Prometheanism, Inhumanism, Total Liberation, Abolition, Extreme Music, Horror everything, Tea, Root Beer.
No: irony, distance.
He/His
No: irony, distance.
He/His
Reposted by Sophistrionics
it would indeed seem that elites are capturing much of our politics
In the past decade, billionaires have been more empowered than ever before to spend money to influence American elections.
Here are the billionaires who make up the top 20 political spenders:
Here are the billionaires who make up the top 20 political spenders:
The top 20 billionaires influencing American politics
The group has spent nearly $5 billion on elections since 2015.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:15 PM
it would indeed seem that elites are capturing much of our politics
IDK who needs to hear, but the Handbasket had Fed workers backs from day 1 & did the best/bravest reporting on a deeply fraught & unsexy subject when it mattered absolute most.
The people in this story wouldn’t have done that kind of journalism. Not this time, not next time, not ever. Plz support
The people in this story wouldn’t have done that kind of journalism. Not this time, not next time, not ever. Plz support
New — I wrote about the myriad ways journalism’s moral rot manifests, and how our crumbling institutions have created the conditions for it to fester:
Moral rot in elite journalism is killing the whole field
The Nuzzi/RFK Jr. mess and the revelation of Esptein's journo pals lay bare a profound moral absence at the heart of our free press.
www.thehandbasket.co
November 18, 2025 at 11:30 PM
IDK who needs to hear, but the Handbasket had Fed workers backs from day 1 & did the best/bravest reporting on a deeply fraught & unsexy subject when it mattered absolute most.
The people in this story wouldn’t have done that kind of journalism. Not this time, not next time, not ever. Plz support
The people in this story wouldn’t have done that kind of journalism. Not this time, not next time, not ever. Plz support
Whenever you see any version of this picture, the associated headline smells like farts.
November 18, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Whenever you see any version of this picture, the associated headline smells like farts.
Reposted by Sophistrionics
These arguments are all alike: say "quantum" or "noncomputable" or some similar word which has a meaning, but whose meaning is entirely beyond the speaker's ken, round its function off to "determiner for mystery", and then infer the mystery can do anything you want it to do
November 18, 2025 at 4:46 AM
These arguments are all alike: say "quantum" or "noncomputable" or some similar word which has a meaning, but whose meaning is entirely beyond the speaker's ken, round its function off to "determiner for mystery", and then infer the mystery can do anything you want it to do
Read this, not that (whatever that is)
NEW @crisesnotes.bsky.social: I take a look at the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, the little it accomplished- especially on the central governmental crisis we face- the constitutional crisis over impoundment.
www.crisesnotes.com/the-longest-...
www.crisesnotes.com/the-longest-...
The Longest Government Shutdown in U.S. History Ends Without Ameliorating Our Constitutional Crisis
This is a free Notes on the Crises piece. Consider tipping here.
November is my birth month so I'm doing a birthday sale all month long. I'm turning 34, so an annual subscription is now ...
www.crisesnotes.com
November 18, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Read this, not that (whatever that is)
Didn’t read, but today’s Nuzzi thing can only in itself be marginally more annoying than the discourse about it.
November 18, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Didn’t read, but today’s Nuzzi thing can only in itself be marginally more annoying than the discourse about it.
There is an annoying tendency on the left to accuse folks on the other side of some idiosyncratic line as doing “literal fascism.”
That is a few orders of magnitudes less dangerous than reactionary centrists claiming fascists aren’t doing fascism because they haven’t yet achieved its purest form.
That is a few orders of magnitudes less dangerous than reactionary centrists claiming fascists aren’t doing fascism because they haven’t yet achieved its purest form.
this is more or less the whole thing imo
The debate over whether this is 'fascism' is a silly semantic one in which a small minority mean 'completed fascist authoritarianism' and the vast majority mean 'the people in power say and do things that demonstrate completed fascist authoritarianism is what they want to achieve.'
November 17, 2025 at 11:07 AM
There is an annoying tendency on the left to accuse folks on the other side of some idiosyncratic line as doing “literal fascism.”
That is a few orders of magnitudes less dangerous than reactionary centrists claiming fascists aren’t doing fascism because they haven’t yet achieved its purest form.
That is a few orders of magnitudes less dangerous than reactionary centrists claiming fascists aren’t doing fascism because they haven’t yet achieved its purest form.
Yes. Let the mantra be “fuck you we’ll still win anyways.”
maybe i’m naive but i think it’s kinda doomerism to always be saying this is gonna take decades to undo or you’ll be old or dead when it ends. first it doesn’t matter, plant trees you won’t live to sit in the shade of. second great change is capable of happening very quickly
November 16, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Yes. Let the mantra be “fuck you we’ll still win anyways.”
Abolish all private education.
"my least woke opinion is---"
That's enough. We've had enough people indulging in the "thrill of a little conservatism", as a treat. Of considering reactionary thought to be a salacious and taboo in a world descending into reactionary mania.
Give me your MOST woke opinions. We're bringing it back.
That's enough. We've had enough people indulging in the "thrill of a little conservatism", as a treat. Of considering reactionary thought to be a salacious and taboo in a world descending into reactionary mania.
Give me your MOST woke opinions. We're bringing it back.
November 15, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Abolish all private education.
Reposted by Sophistrionics
the only thing democrats should be saying today is “the entire republican party is engaged in a coverup of the most notorious child sex trafficking ring in world history”
November 12, 2025 at 2:08 PM
the only thing democrats should be saying today is “the entire republican party is engaged in a coverup of the most notorious child sex trafficking ring in world history”
Lot of unkind words about Schumer when he is clearly the greatest Republican since Reagan.
November 11, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Lot of unkind words about Schumer when he is clearly the greatest Republican since Reagan.
Reposted by Sophistrionics
Now that Dems have capitulated, at the very least they should now make every future extension of funding contingent on Trump following the law. Any lawbreaking must be met with: No more votes from us, period.
My exchange with @brianbeutler.bsky.social on that point:
newrepublic.com/article/2029...
My exchange with @brianbeutler.bsky.social on that point:
newrepublic.com/article/2029...
November 11, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Now that Dems have capitulated, at the very least they should now make every future extension of funding contingent on Trump following the law. Any lawbreaking must be met with: No more votes from us, period.
My exchange with @brianbeutler.bsky.social on that point:
newrepublic.com/article/2029...
My exchange with @brianbeutler.bsky.social on that point:
newrepublic.com/article/2029...
All #virginiademocrats #democrats #dsa - there either needs to be a serious primary challenge to @markwarner.bsky.social or organized write-in campaign to send a message that using @kaine.senate.gov , not up until 2030, to vote “yes” will not stand. We will not forgive or forget this.
November 10, 2025 at 1:53 PM
All #virginiademocrats #democrats #dsa - there either needs to be a serious primary challenge to @markwarner.bsky.social or organized write-in campaign to send a message that using @kaine.senate.gov , not up until 2030, to vote “yes” will not stand. We will not forgive or forget this.
Reposted by Sophistrionics
The arrogance of a Senator who is not even running again to take the lead in undermining the Caucus and the voters.
Shaheen: So let me be clear. No one in the senate chamber wants to extend the ACA tax credits more than I do.
November 10, 2025 at 2:43 AM
The arrogance of a Senator who is not even running again to take the lead in undermining the Caucus and the voters.
@repsuhas.bsky.social - do you agree that, at a minimum, @schumer.senate.gov and @durbin.senate.gov should step down from leadership and @kaine.senate.gov should step down from all ranking member assignments?
November 10, 2025 at 12:39 PM
@repsuhas.bsky.social - do you agree that, at a minimum, @schumer.senate.gov and @durbin.senate.gov should step down from leadership and @kaine.senate.gov should step down from all ranking member assignments?
Infinite shame on the Capitulation Caucus.
November 10, 2025 at 3:08 AM
Infinite shame on the Capitulation Caucus.
Reposted by Sophistrionics
The average SNAP benefit per month is $177 a person.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
November 10, 2025 at 1:49 AM
The average SNAP benefit per month is $177 a person.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
The average ACA benefit per month is up to $550 a person.
People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.
And working people want leaders whose word means something to them.
@markwarner.bsky.social - please issue a statement regarding your opinion of @kaine.senate.gov supporting the betrayal of so many Virginians affected by the shutdown who sacrificed their pay/jobs/benefits/food in solidarity with the 24M+ ACA participants who will now be kicked off/priced out.
Every day this shutdown drags on, Virginians feel it, from federal workers struggling to pay their bills to families unsure how they will put food on the table because this administration is cruelly and deliberately withholding the assistance they need.
November 10, 2025 at 2:00 AM
@markwarner.bsky.social - please issue a statement regarding your opinion of @kaine.senate.gov supporting the betrayal of so many Virginians affected by the shutdown who sacrificed their pay/jobs/benefits/food in solidarity with the 24M+ ACA participants who will now be kicked off/priced out.
@abigailspanberger.com - Are you ok with this? Is this the kind of leadership you think Virginians deserve?
My statement on the funding deal to reopen government, protect federal employees, and vote to protect health care:
November 10, 2025 at 1:54 AM
@abigailspanberger.com - Are you ok with this? Is this the kind of leadership you think Virginians deserve?
Reposted by Sophistrionics
Caving now will teach Trump and Republicans that they can win any fight simply by threatening to cause terrible harm to regular people. no possible way that could have future adverse consequences
November 10, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Caving now will teach Trump and Republicans that they can win any fight simply by threatening to cause terrible harm to regular people. no possible way that could have future adverse consequences
BTW - It doesn’t matter if this is some 4D chess move to make the shutdown the House Rs problem/move the discharge petition. The fight was supposed to be about ensuring 24M+ didn’t get kicked off/priced out of ACA as of Jan 2026. Kaine & the other jellyfish just proved it wasn’t.
@kaine.senate.gov - from a constituent:
This is a shameful betrayal of all of us impacted by the shutdown, none more than SNAP recipients you could’ve stopped the Rs from starving if you’d wrapped your coward arc up by Halloween
I’ll support any/every primary campaign against you in perpetuity
This is a shameful betrayal of all of us impacted by the shutdown, none more than SNAP recipients you could’ve stopped the Rs from starving if you’d wrapped your coward arc up by Halloween
I’ll support any/every primary campaign against you in perpetuity
My statement on the funding deal to reopen government, protect federal employees, and vote to protect health care:
November 10, 2025 at 1:46 AM
BTW - It doesn’t matter if this is some 4D chess move to make the shutdown the House Rs problem/move the discharge petition. The fight was supposed to be about ensuring 24M+ didn’t get kicked off/priced out of ACA as of Jan 2026. Kaine & the other jellyfish just proved it wasn’t.
@kaine.senate.gov - from a constituent:
This is a shameful betrayal of all of us impacted by the shutdown, none more than SNAP recipients you could’ve stopped the Rs from starving if you’d wrapped your coward arc up by Halloween
I’ll support any/every primary campaign against you in perpetuity
This is a shameful betrayal of all of us impacted by the shutdown, none more than SNAP recipients you could’ve stopped the Rs from starving if you’d wrapped your coward arc up by Halloween
I’ll support any/every primary campaign against you in perpetuity
My statement on the funding deal to reopen government, protect federal employees, and vote to protect health care:
November 10, 2025 at 1:33 AM
@kaine.senate.gov - from a constituent:
This is a shameful betrayal of all of us impacted by the shutdown, none more than SNAP recipients you could’ve stopped the Rs from starving if you’d wrapped your coward arc up by Halloween
I’ll support any/every primary campaign against you in perpetuity
This is a shameful betrayal of all of us impacted by the shutdown, none more than SNAP recipients you could’ve stopped the Rs from starving if you’d wrapped your coward arc up by Halloween
I’ll support any/every primary campaign against you in perpetuity
Reposted by Sophistrionics
What do you call a leader with no followers? Just a guy taking a walk.
He's not just a senator. He's the *leader*. His job isn't his personal vote. His job is to unify and lead his caucus against the regime.
He's not just a senator. He's the *leader*. His job isn't his personal vote. His job is to unify and lead his caucus against the regime.
November 10, 2025 at 1:11 AM
What do you call a leader with no followers? Just a guy taking a walk.
He's not just a senator. He's the *leader*. His job isn't his personal vote. His job is to unify and lead his caucus against the regime.
He's not just a senator. He's the *leader*. His job isn't his personal vote. His job is to unify and lead his caucus against the regime.
Reposted by Sophistrionics
Chuck Schumer and friends. #DoNotCave Red alert. Call these Senators.
November 9, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Chuck Schumer and friends. #DoNotCave Red alert. Call these Senators.
If this goes forward without ACA concessions it will represent the deepest possible betrayal of all the persons most affected by the shutdown (SNAP recipients, ACA participants, & Federal Workers) by Dems. Dem leadership and any Dem who votes for reopening sans ACA concessions must be made pariahs.
thehill.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:19 PM
If this goes forward without ACA concessions it will represent the deepest possible betrayal of all the persons most affected by the shutdown (SNAP recipients, ACA participants, & Federal Workers) by Dems. Dem leadership and any Dem who votes for reopening sans ACA concessions must be made pariahs.