State Lake
@statelake.bsky.social
Avid reader. Late-diagnosed Autistic + ADHD. Public transit and bike commuting enthusiast. (they/them)
That may be true of Christians as a whole but not of Catholics, evangelicalism has spread like wildfire in Latin America in the last 40 years.
December 25, 2025 at 1:58 PM
That may be true of Christians as a whole but not of Catholics, evangelicalism has spread like wildfire in Latin America in the last 40 years.
His memoir about it is called “Los Alamos from Below” because he was just a random engineer.
December 25, 2025 at 5:13 AM
His memoir about it is called “Los Alamos from Below” because he was just a random engineer.
Jokes on them, I was out of the country.
December 25, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Jokes on them, I was out of the country.
He strikes me as someone falling into the engineer's fallacy a lot. I think he's been afflicted with a STEM-specific Bay Area brain worm.
December 21, 2025 at 2:20 AM
He strikes me as someone falling into the engineer's fallacy a lot. I think he's been afflicted with a STEM-specific Bay Area brain worm.
Okay. Insert an example there of something that would be popular among progressives but unpopular for everyone else, performative while achieving nothing, and that provides good visuals.
December 21, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Okay. Insert an example there of something that would be popular among progressives but unpopular for everyone else, performative while achieving nothing, and that provides good visuals.
Van Hollen showed that his commitments are authentic.
December 21, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Van Hollen showed that his commitments are authentic.
It's hard to estimate the damage the Biden admin's actions in Gaza affected the '24 election. I do think that it showed how hollow the commitment towards human rights the Democrats claim to have is though. It made them look like phonies whenever they claim to care about human rights.
December 21, 2025 at 12:26 AM
It's hard to estimate the damage the Biden admin's actions in Gaza affected the '24 election. I do think that it showed how hollow the commitment towards human rights the Democrats claim to have is though. It made them look like phonies whenever they claim to care about human rights.
I think what Van Hollen is doing is effective b/c it goes against the narrative that liberals showing compassion makes them weak. He got something done with his advocacy.
December 21, 2025 at 12:26 AM
I think what Van Hollen is doing is effective b/c it goes against the narrative that liberals showing compassion makes them weak. He got something done with his advocacy.
I think "clout chasing" implies doing an action to gain popularity alone, not b/c that action is commendable or not.
I would agree that Van Hollen was "clout chasing" for the approval of certain voters if he had started talking about the need for open borders or another progressive talking point.
I would agree that Van Hollen was "clout chasing" for the approval of certain voters if he had started talking about the need for open borders or another progressive talking point.
December 21, 2025 at 12:26 AM
I think "clout chasing" implies doing an action to gain popularity alone, not b/c that action is commendable or not.
I would agree that Van Hollen was "clout chasing" for the approval of certain voters if he had started talking about the need for open borders or another progressive talking point.
I would agree that Van Hollen was "clout chasing" for the approval of certain voters if he had started talking about the need for open borders or another progressive talking point.
People dislike Yglesias b/c he is incredibly arrogant. He's the epitome of a "coastal elitist" and yet seems to think that he somehow knows how the "median voter" thinks.
I do think that some people on Bsky refuse to accept that their views are not in concordance with most of the country.
I do think that some people on Bsky refuse to accept that their views are not in concordance with most of the country.
December 20, 2025 at 11:58 PM
People dislike Yglesias b/c he is incredibly arrogant. He's the epitome of a "coastal elitist" and yet seems to think that he somehow knows how the "median voter" thinks.
I do think that some people on Bsky refuse to accept that their views are not in concordance with most of the country.
I do think that some people on Bsky refuse to accept that their views are not in concordance with most of the country.
What messaging and policy proposals would be most beneficial for democrats for this issue is an open question which is reasonable to debate. But frankly, I find it tiring that people pretend to know that it's a simple question to answer.
December 20, 2025 at 11:54 PM
What messaging and policy proposals would be most beneficial for democrats for this issue is an open question which is reasonable to debate. But frankly, I find it tiring that people pretend to know that it's a simple question to answer.
It's not wishful thinking to think a cruel crackdown on immigration is going to change the electorate's views. It's common sense AND the data already shows it. Trump had a 50% approval at the beginning of the year and it's now at 38%.
Trump's handling of the economy is at its lowest point in AP-NORC polling
A new AP-NORC poll finds President Donald Trump’s approval on the economy has fallen substantially since he reentered the White House.
apnews.com
December 20, 2025 at 11:54 PM
It's not wishful thinking to think a cruel crackdown on immigration is going to change the electorate's views. It's common sense AND the data already shows it. Trump had a 50% approval at the beginning of the year and it's now at 38%.
Again, do you think that helping a man get out of a foreign gulag is merely "pandering" to the Bluesky crowd?
This is a man's life that you are glibly talking about. Have some decency.
This is a man's life that you are glibly talking about. Have some decency.
December 20, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Again, do you think that helping a man get out of a foreign gulag is merely "pandering" to the Bluesky crowd?
This is a man's life that you are glibly talking about. Have some decency.
This is a man's life that you are glibly talking about. Have some decency.
One of the complaints that people have about Democrats is that they are weak and phony. Do you think chasing polls is gonna help with that image?
December 20, 2025 at 5:25 PM
One of the complaints that people have about Democrats is that they are weak and phony. Do you think chasing polls is gonna help with that image?
Would the attention he’s gotten help him win ground in swing states if he ends up running for president?
I don’t know. I’m not a political strategist. But neither is MattY. I think his view that the electorate‘s views on issues like immigration is static is incredibly nonsensical.
I don’t know. I’m not a political strategist. But neither is MattY. I think his view that the electorate‘s views on issues like immigration is static is incredibly nonsensical.
December 20, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Would the attention he’s gotten help him win ground in swing states if he ends up running for president?
I don’t know. I’m not a political strategist. But neither is MattY. I think his view that the electorate‘s views on issues like immigration is static is incredibly nonsensical.
I don’t know. I’m not a political strategist. But neither is MattY. I think his view that the electorate‘s views on issues like immigration is static is incredibly nonsensical.
One of the takeaways from 2024 was that Democrats have fallen behind in the attention economy. How would they gain the ground back?
Van Hollen showed that you can get attention not by following some stupid social media trend but by standing up for liberal values and basic human rights.
Van Hollen showed that you can get attention not by following some stupid social media trend but by standing up for liberal values and basic human rights.
December 20, 2025 at 5:25 PM
One of the takeaways from 2024 was that Democrats have fallen behind in the attention economy. How would they gain the ground back?
Van Hollen showed that you can get attention not by following some stupid social media trend but by standing up for liberal values and basic human rights.
Van Hollen showed that you can get attention not by following some stupid social media trend but by standing up for liberal values and basic human rights.
“Clout chasing” has negative connotations; I don‘t think getting a man out of a foreign gulag should be described in negative terms.
Yes, he‘s gotten a lot more attention than would be expected from a normie lib politician by helping Obrego García. That’s a good thing!
Yes, he‘s gotten a lot more attention than would be expected from a normie lib politician by helping Obrego García. That’s a good thing!
December 20, 2025 at 5:25 PM
“Clout chasing” has negative connotations; I don‘t think getting a man out of a foreign gulag should be described in negative terms.
Yes, he‘s gotten a lot more attention than would be expected from a normie lib politician by helping Obrego García. That’s a good thing!
Yes, he‘s gotten a lot more attention than would be expected from a normie lib politician by helping Obrego García. That’s a good thing!
I mean for one thing I wouldn’t call advocating for a man’s safety “clout chasing”; It was the right thing to do.
Moreover, there are many easier ways to pander to your voters than flying to El Salvador.
Moreover, there are many easier ways to pander to your voters than flying to El Salvador.
December 20, 2025 at 1:28 AM
I mean for one thing I wouldn’t call advocating for a man’s safety “clout chasing”; It was the right thing to do.
Moreover, there are many easier ways to pander to your voters than flying to El Salvador.
Moreover, there are many easier ways to pander to your voters than flying to El Salvador.
most SF leftists that I know are NIMBY (but in a woke way ofc)
December 20, 2025 at 1:23 AM
most SF leftists that I know are NIMBY (but in a woke way ofc)
Never, that razor-thin majority included many anti-choice democrats.
December 20, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Never, that razor-thin majority included many anti-choice democrats.
I can’t imagine the rage of Mikaela Nelson’s parents against Bernie over this.
She spent her last days lobbying for this bill for it to be blocked this way??
She spent her last days lobbying for this bill for it to be blocked this way??
December 19, 2025 at 5:24 PM
I can’t imagine the rage of Mikaela Nelson’s parents against Bernie over this.
She spent her last days lobbying for this bill for it to be blocked this way??
She spent her last days lobbying for this bill for it to be blocked this way??
Weren’t you nodding along the removal of birth right citizenship a few months ago??
That wasn’t “fine”, IMO.
That wasn’t “fine”, IMO.
December 16, 2025 at 6:38 AM
Weren’t you nodding along the removal of birth right citizenship a few months ago??
That wasn’t “fine”, IMO.
That wasn’t “fine”, IMO.
I live in San Francisco and recently got an e-bike and it’s been awesome. Dunno how it took my so long to get one, I used to commute with a regular bike.
December 14, 2025 at 3:08 AM
I live in San Francisco and recently got an e-bike and it’s been awesome. Dunno how it took my so long to get one, I used to commute with a regular bike.
I think he’s not “people smart“ enough to do punditry on how to win elections. He should stick to policy wonkiness.
December 14, 2025 at 3:05 AM
I think he’s not “people smart“ enough to do punditry on how to win elections. He should stick to policy wonkiness.
Yeah, I saw your other comment in the thread after responding to you and think it’s a great response to the post.
December 14, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Yeah, I saw your other comment in the thread after responding to you and think it’s a great response to the post.