Steve McGookin
@stevemcgstates.bsky.social
Former journalist for news orgs in London and NYC, now happily torn between Maryland and Ireland. statesofplayproject.com
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Reposted by Steve McGookin
If you've ever been to a naturalization ceremony, you know they're filled with people whose palpable love of this country is twenty times stronger than the pinched "patriotism" of any native-born MAGA chud.
Just unspeakable assholery.
Just unspeakable assholery.
December 7, 2025 at 12:45 AM
If you've ever been to a naturalization ceremony, you know they're filled with people whose palpable love of this country is twenty times stronger than the pinched "patriotism" of any native-born MAGA chud.
Just unspeakable assholery.
Just unspeakable assholery.
Reposted by Steve McGookin
in the movies this is the screensaver on the computers at the world’s most evil company
December 5, 2025 at 7:03 PM
in the movies this is the screensaver on the computers at the world’s most evil company
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Stephen Moore to be announced as the inaugural winner of the FIFA economics prize.
December 5, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Stephen Moore to be announced as the inaugural winner of the FIFA economics prize.
So Spain and Argentina are in different "pathways" because Fifa don't want them to meet until at least the semis? That seems a bit iffy, no?
December 5, 2025 at 6:35 PM
So Spain and Argentina are in different "pathways" because Fifa don't want them to meet until at least the semis? That seems a bit iffy, no?
Reposted by Steve McGookin
I didn't think a US World Cup would be able to top Diana Ross's "penalty" for embarrassment, but here we are.
December 5, 2025 at 6:00 PM
I didn't think a US World Cup would be able to top Diana Ross's "penalty" for embarrassment, but here we are.
Reposted by Steve McGookin
This has strong Make-A-Wish kid gets to pretend to be Batman vibes except without anything feel-good about it.
December 5, 2025 at 6:13 PM
This has strong Make-A-Wish kid gets to pretend to be Batman vibes except without anything feel-good about it.
At least when FIFA finally jumped the shark they did it on live TV.
December 5, 2025 at 6:11 PM
At least when FIFA finally jumped the shark they did it on live TV.
Thread...
A few thoughts on the new US national security strategy that was released today.
🧵
www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...
🧵
www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...
December 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Thread...
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Trump's national security strategy puts great emphasis on "competence and merit" and "civilizational advantage". This administration personifies the opposites.
December 5, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Trump's national security strategy puts great emphasis on "competence and merit" and "civilizational advantage". This administration personifies the opposites.
"I don't know you, but..."
Cuellar is a Democrat who was indicted under a Democratic administration for bribery and money laundering. Those crimes are apparently legal now.
Trump announces a pardon of Henry Cuellar: "I am hereby announcing my full and unconditional PARDON of beloved Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar, and Imelda. Henry, I don’t know you, but you can sleep well tonight — Your nightmare is finally over!"
December 3, 2025 at 3:41 PM
"I don't know you, but..."
@jonlemire.bsky.social good try at getting Marshall to say anything remotely coherent on boat strikes. The GOP Sens who voted to confirm aren't shifting until Tr*mp cuts him loose; then they'll all be "deeply disappointed that he didn't turn out to be who we thought..." Underbussing works both ways.
December 3, 2025 at 2:42 PM
@jonlemire.bsky.social good try at getting Marshall to say anything remotely coherent on boat strikes. The GOP Sens who voted to confirm aren't shifting until Tr*mp cuts him loose; then they'll all be "deeply disappointed that he didn't turn out to be who we thought..." Underbussing works both ways.
Reposted by Steve McGookin
I’m going to follow HCR’s example and use the word “underbussing” as often as I can. It means exactly what it sounds like it means.
December 3, 2025 at 2:14 AM
I’m going to follow HCR’s example and use the word “underbussing” as often as I can. It means exactly what it sounds like it means.
Reposted by Steve McGookin
A radio station here in Minneapolis is stuck -
cities971.iheart.com
cities971.iheart.com
December 3, 2025 at 2:18 AM
A radio station here in Minneapolis is stuck -
cities971.iheart.com
cities971.iheart.com
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Good for George Will.
George Will: "Pete Hegseth seems to be a war criminal. Without a war. An interesting achievement. ... The killing of the survivors by this moral slum of an administration should nauseate Americans. A nation incapable of shame is dangerous, not least to itself" www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Opinion | A sickening moral slum of an administration
Regarding Venezuela, Ukraine and much more, Trump and his acolytes are worse than simply incompetent.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Good for George Will.
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Matt Gaetz, James O’Keefe, and Laura Loomer have replaced the Pentagon press corps.
I am not kidding. Look at the thread below.
One of the military’s most critical lines of accountability is now a closed-circuit conspiracy carousel.
I am not kidding. Look at the thread below.
One of the military’s most critical lines of accountability is now a closed-circuit conspiracy carousel.
moments after Matt Gaetz asks a question at the Pentagon press briefing, Laura Loomer gets her turn
December 2, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Matt Gaetz, James O’Keefe, and Laura Loomer have replaced the Pentagon press corps.
I am not kidding. Look at the thread below.
One of the military’s most critical lines of accountability is now a closed-circuit conspiracy carousel.
I am not kidding. Look at the thread below.
One of the military’s most critical lines of accountability is now a closed-circuit conspiracy carousel.
Let's Go Vols!
TODAY IS THE DAY!
GET OUT AND VOTE. Polls are open 7 AM - 7 PM
WE GOT THIS!!!!!!
GET OUT AND VOTE. Polls are open 7 AM - 7 PM
WE GOT THIS!!!!!!
December 2, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Let's Go Vols!
Reposted by Steve McGookin
It was seventy years ago today that Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on an Alabama bus, triggering one of the world's great experiments in nonviolent action
December 1, 2025 at 4:42 PM
It was seventy years ago today that Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on an Alabama bus, triggering one of the world's great experiments in nonviolent action
Reposted by Steve McGookin
A basic and intuitive understanding of the law is that punishments should not be retroactive upon a policy change.
This is even worse. There is no formal policy change, they are simply penalizing couples for following common practice - explicitly allowed by Congress - for decades.
This is even worse. There is no formal policy change, they are simply penalizing couples for following common practice - explicitly allowed by Congress - for decades.
"We followed everything we were supposed to do"
Legitimate green card applicants with US spouses are being
arrested by armed, masked men at scheduled immigration interviews, taken away from their children, sent to prison
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Legitimate green card applicants with US spouses are being
arrested by armed, masked men at scheduled immigration interviews, taken away from their children, sent to prison
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
Green Card Interviews End in Handcuffs for Spouses of U.S. Citizens
www.nytimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:33 PM
A basic and intuitive understanding of the law is that punishments should not be retroactive upon a policy change.
This is even worse. There is no formal policy change, they are simply penalizing couples for following common practice - explicitly allowed by Congress - for decades.
This is even worse. There is no formal policy change, they are simply penalizing couples for following common practice - explicitly allowed by Congress - for decades.
Reposted by Steve McGookin
This is the most alarming story I’ve read today. Giving up the fight before it’s started
November 30, 2025 at 9:57 AM
This is the most alarming story I’ve read today. Giving up the fight before it’s started
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Imagine if they just subsidized newspapers and magazines the way they’re subsidizing this slop
"All of this falls apart if humans don't adopt the tech. This is why you've seen Meta cram its lame chatbots into WhatsApp and Instagram. This is why Notepad and Paint now have useless Copilot buttons on Windows. This is why Google Gemini wants to "help you" read and reply to your emails."
Analysis: OpenAI is a loss-making machine, how can it survive?
Don't call it a bubble! Loss-making monster OpenAI is on the hook for $1.4 trillion (with a T) in compute commitments. How can this go on?
www.windowscentral.com
November 30, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Imagine if they just subsidized newspapers and magazines the way they’re subsidizing this slop
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Finally getting some theological clarity on the ethics of reclining in one’s plane seat
November 29, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Finally getting some theological clarity on the ethics of reclining in one’s plane seat
Reposted by Steve McGookin
The markets are staying afloat right now on the hope that AI will destroy American workers. What a bleak thing.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/b...
November 28, 2025 at 5:15 PM
The markets are staying afloat right now on the hope that AI will destroy American workers. What a bleak thing.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/b...
Reposted by Steve McGookin
Someone's been left unsupervised...
We’ve got Donnie from Queens on the line. Donnie, how would you fix Murica?
November 28, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Someone's been left unsupervised...
have watched a few hours worth of the Thanksgiving Parade and feel deeply fortunate for how it has distilled the timeless message of our time...
November 27, 2025 at 4:52 PM
have watched a few hours worth of the Thanksgiving Parade and feel deeply fortunate for how it has distilled the timeless message of our time...