Tom
@tom-browne.bsky.social
Fundamentally, it all started with Gingrich. He and his ilk ushered in a whole new era of politics and most of our institutions never really recalibrated. Only Gen X and Millennial politicians understand that things changed.
January 4, 2026 at 11:57 PM
Fundamentally, it all started with Gingrich. He and his ilk ushered in a whole new era of politics and most of our institutions never really recalibrated. Only Gen X and Millennial politicians understand that things changed.
Yes. This is a basic truth that everyone needs to get into their heads, no matter how silly and foolish this all seems. If a country kidnapped the US president and took him to their country, would that country now “run” the US? Of course not!
January 4, 2026 at 3:58 PM
Yes. This is a basic truth that everyone needs to get into their heads, no matter how silly and foolish this all seems. If a country kidnapped the US president and took him to their country, would that country now “run” the US? Of course not!
I am not defending Clinton. More than enough evidence has been released for folks to be angry & disappointed with Clinton. My point is that if people are worried that pushing for disclosures might implicate Clinton, they shouldn’t, because if there was a smoking gun for him, it WOULD be out by now.
December 21, 2025 at 2:05 PM
I am not defending Clinton. More than enough evidence has been released for folks to be angry & disappointed with Clinton. My point is that if people are worried that pushing for disclosures might implicate Clinton, they shouldn’t, because if there was a smoking gun for him, it WOULD be out by now.
Clearly there is nothing truly incriminating on Clinton, because don’t you think they would have released it at this point … ?
December 20, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Clearly there is nothing truly incriminating on Clinton, because don’t you think they would have released it at this point … ?
People want stuff to be affordable but generally lack the vocabulary to describe the dynamics of buying power, income inequality, and inflation vs deflation.
December 17, 2025 at 10:42 PM
People want stuff to be affordable but generally lack the vocabulary to describe the dynamics of buying power, income inequality, and inflation vs deflation.
Live like a serf!! I’ll pass, thanks.
November 9, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Live like a serf!! I’ll pass, thanks.
And college eduction, and healthcare, and all the things that we need to pay for now that didn’t exist 50 years ago, and child care expenses because two people need to work to make the equivalent of a middle class income today. You are just sweeping a lot of things under the rug to make this simple.
November 9, 2025 at 5:48 PM
And college eduction, and healthcare, and all the things that we need to pay for now that didn’t exist 50 years ago, and child care expenses because two people need to work to make the equivalent of a middle class income today. You are just sweeping a lot of things under the rug to make this simple.
Yes, the US has become more wealthy, but those gains have disproportionately gone to the millionaires and corporations. The middle class should have also benefited. But they have benefited less.
November 9, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Yes, the US has become more wealthy, but those gains have disproportionately gone to the millionaires and corporations. The middle class should have also benefited. But they have benefited less.
Why do you want to twist the stats to make it seem that a middle class income today provides a higher standard of living than it did 50 years ago? You’re just doing the work of the millionaire class. Yeah things are great, that’s why everyone in the US is so happy and optimistic. Right.
November 9, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Why do you want to twist the stats to make it seem that a middle class income today provides a higher standard of living than it did 50 years ago? You’re just doing the work of the millionaire class. Yeah things are great, that’s why everyone in the US is so happy and optimistic. Right.
Since the Reagan era we have focused inordinate energy on reducing the tax burden on the rich and corporations. And we have stopped investing in public works/services. Pretending that things are fine for the working class while things are amazing for the capitalist class is not accurate.
November 9, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Since the Reagan era we have focused inordinate energy on reducing the tax burden on the rich and corporations. And we have stopped investing in public works/services. Pretending that things are fine for the working class while things are amazing for the capitalist class is not accurate.
College costs are up for lots of reasons. But the main cause is steep decline in state and federal funding. It largely dried up in the late 1980s. And your analysis ignores that in 2025 we have new expenses, like cell phones and internet subscriptions. It’s harder out here for the working class.
November 9, 2025 at 5:05 PM
College costs are up for lots of reasons. But the main cause is steep decline in state and federal funding. It largely dried up in the late 1980s. And your analysis ignores that in 2025 we have new expenses, like cell phones and internet subscriptions. It’s harder out here for the working class.
That’s fair. Food and transportation are flat or better (food costs are down about 4%). But housing is now nearly 40% of disposable income (up from 25%) and college eduction is up from 5% to 30%!!). And if food and transportation are the same or only a bit better then it does not balance out.
November 9, 2025 at 4:31 PM
That’s fair. Food and transportation are flat or better (food costs are down about 4%). But housing is now nearly 40% of disposable income (up from 25%) and college eduction is up from 5% to 30%!!). And if food and transportation are the same or only a bit better then it does not balance out.
“Even if” is doing enormous work in that sentence. Housing, college eduction, transportation, and food to a lesser extent are all significantly less affordable today compared to 50 years ago. The solution is not to make things cheaper but to distribute wealth more fairly.
November 8, 2025 at 12:24 AM
“Even if” is doing enormous work in that sentence. Housing, college eduction, transportation, and food to a lesser extent are all significantly less affordable today compared to 50 years ago. The solution is not to make things cheaper but to distribute wealth more fairly.
Think of redistricting as spreading your R votes as widely as possible to maximize 51% R to 49% D districts. But then when the national mood turns, all those districts flip to D.
November 5, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Think of redistricting as spreading your R votes as widely as possible to maximize 51% R to 49% D districts. But then when the national mood turns, all those districts flip to D.
One thing happened and one thing hasn’t, so that kinda undercuts the point.
November 4, 2025 at 10:22 PM
One thing happened and one thing hasn’t, so that kinda undercuts the point.
Ummm. No, there was very little real debate about whether or not to invade Iraq. That was Obama’s main advantage!! In 2007 there were very few who could claim to have been against it from the beginning.
November 4, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Ummm. No, there was very little real debate about whether or not to invade Iraq. That was Obama’s main advantage!! In 2007 there were very few who could claim to have been against it from the beginning.
It’s really upsetting. Destroying even part of the WH is deeply unsettling!
October 20, 2025 at 7:33 PM
It’s really upsetting. Destroying even part of the WH is deeply unsettling!
Reporters have to ask Mills about how Johnson feels about it?! The press really needs to focus on asking follow-up questions that shine a light on how stupid GOP evasions are.
October 15, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Reporters have to ask Mills about how Johnson feels about it?! The press really needs to focus on asking follow-up questions that shine a light on how stupid GOP evasions are.
It’s a sad commentary on our media that they allow people to repeatedly lie to their customers over and over and over again.
October 10, 2025 at 5:19 PM
It’s a sad commentary on our media that they allow people to repeatedly lie to their customers over and over and over again.
I would be delighted to wake up every day in country where Andy Beshear was president. He’s more progressive than he gets credit for, too.
October 3, 2025 at 4:57 PM
I would be delighted to wake up every day in country where Andy Beshear was president. He’s more progressive than he gets credit for, too.
It’s really a mistake to keep calling these tariffs. They are taxes. They are announcing taxes on businesses and consumers.
September 26, 2025 at 12:39 AM
It’s really a mistake to keep calling these tariffs. They are taxes. They are announcing taxes on businesses and consumers.