Caleb is Understanding Elections
@understandingelex.bsky.social
Howdy! I write about elections from a socialist perspective. https://understandingelections.substack.com/
Like with Jeremy Corbyn in 2017, the ruling class' lackeys waited way too long to derail Zohran Mamdani and are now panicking.
June 16, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Like with Jeremy Corbyn in 2017, the ruling class' lackeys waited way too long to derail Zohran Mamdani and are now panicking.
For Dems, a solely anti-Trump platform is their only move.
In the modern era, conservative parties in the industrialized west have a much easier time running on a strong vision. Liberal/social democratic parties win not based on vision, but on the political exhaustion of the conservatives in power.
In the modern era, conservative parties in the industrialized west have a much easier time running on a strong vision. Liberal/social democratic parties win not based on vision, but on the political exhaustion of the conservatives in power.
March 13, 2025 at 11:16 PM
For Dems, a solely anti-Trump platform is their only move.
In the modern era, conservative parties in the industrialized west have a much easier time running on a strong vision. Liberal/social democratic parties win not based on vision, but on the political exhaustion of the conservatives in power.
In the modern era, conservative parties in the industrialized west have a much easier time running on a strong vision. Liberal/social democratic parties win not based on vision, but on the political exhaustion of the conservatives in power.
Me explaining the Sykes–Picot Agreement to my 9-year-old nephew:
March 13, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Me explaining the Sykes–Picot Agreement to my 9-year-old nephew:
Time to bring back a timeless sign:
March 11, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Time to bring back a timeless sign:
Truly a banner day for the Women's Equality Party
March 1, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Truly a banner day for the Women's Equality Party
Nothing ominous here!
February 24, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Nothing ominous here!
German election exit polls are largely as expected: the conservative CDU will win a plurality (100+ seats short of a majority), and the fascist AfD will be the primary opposition party. The neoliberal FDP likely won't win any seats at all, only the second time since its founding that happened.
February 23, 2025 at 7:54 PM
German election exit polls are largely as expected: the conservative CDU will win a plurality (100+ seats short of a majority), and the fascist AfD will be the primary opposition party. The neoliberal FDP likely won't win any seats at all, only the second time since its founding that happened.
The 12th amendment is also operative in these situations. But! If the 22nd amendment above is found to not bar Trump from running as VP, then as a result the 12th won't bar him either.
February 21, 2025 at 11:37 PM
The 12th amendment is also operative in these situations. But! If the 22nd amendment above is found to not bar Trump from running as VP, then as a result the 12th won't bar him either.
This would technically get around the 22nd amendment, as Trump would become president by means other than election.
February 21, 2025 at 11:36 PM
This would technically get around the 22nd amendment, as Trump would become president by means other than election.
...I'm sorry? Seven HUNDRED dollars???
February 9, 2025 at 2:34 AM
...I'm sorry? Seven HUNDRED dollars???
I mean they did, buuuuut not in the way they're bragging about
February 6, 2025 at 11:53 PM
I mean they did, buuuuut not in the way they're bragging about
That's right! In the wake of two failed Bernie campaigns, genocide, fascism and a globe on fire, it's time for socialists to learn from our mistakes, roll up our sleeves, and strike a blow for... "tentative and gradual attempts to work toward the socialist ideal."
February 6, 2025 at 3:03 AM
That's right! In the wake of two failed Bernie campaigns, genocide, fascism and a globe on fire, it's time for socialists to learn from our mistakes, roll up our sleeves, and strike a blow for... "tentative and gradual attempts to work toward the socialist ideal."
Socialist attempts to cohere a common program with liberals have historically only ended up with more liberals and fewer socialists.
February 6, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Socialist attempts to cohere a common program with liberals have historically only ended up with more liberals and fewer socialists.
Now that Trump's in office, @dailykos.com can safely return to occasionally talking about Palestinians 😌
February 5, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Now that Trump's in office, @dailykos.com can safely return to occasionally talking about Palestinians 😌
A decade ago it was "the left needs our own Tea Party"
Turns out, the right's relationship to the forces of capital explains 9/10 of why the left can't just copy their playbook! 🤷♂️
Turns out, the right's relationship to the forces of capital explains 9/10 of why the left can't just copy their playbook! 🤷♂️
February 3, 2025 at 12:16 AM
A decade ago it was "the left needs our own Tea Party"
Turns out, the right's relationship to the forces of capital explains 9/10 of why the left can't just copy their playbook! 🤷♂️
Turns out, the right's relationship to the forces of capital explains 9/10 of why the left can't just copy their playbook! 🤷♂️
When Robinson wrote in 2017, he posited it as a kind of third option instead of free market capitalism and Stalinism. He neglected to mention that libertarian socialists have always also opposed the imperialist crumbs of social democracy. Whoops! 🤷♂️
February 1, 2025 at 8:01 PM
When Robinson wrote in 2017, he posited it as a kind of third option instead of free market capitalism and Stalinism. He neglected to mention that libertarian socialists have always also opposed the imperialist crumbs of social democracy. Whoops! 🤷♂️
Desperately hoping Nathan Robinson no longer considers himself a libertarian socialist.
February 1, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Desperately hoping Nathan Robinson no longer considers himself a libertarian socialist.
The second half of this kind of sentence never goes well. It's always shallow excuse-making. In this example, the author pitches a false choice: either socialists get elected, or the neoliberals do. That's just demonstrably untrue — and not just in cities across the country, but right in Portland!
January 27, 2025 at 2:43 PM
The second half of this kind of sentence never goes well. It's always shallow excuse-making. In this example, the author pitches a false choice: either socialists get elected, or the neoliberals do. That's just demonstrably untrue — and not just in cities across the country, but right in Portland!
"The United States is also a one-party state but, with typical American extravagance, they have two of them." — Julius Nyerere
January 20, 2025 at 5:01 PM
"The United States is also a one-party state but, with typical American extravagance, they have two of them." — Julius Nyerere
I'm surprised Boeing doesn't just send one of their whistleblower assassins up there to solve the problem directly
December 19, 2024 at 4:35 PM
I'm surprised Boeing doesn't just send one of their whistleblower assassins up there to solve the problem directly
To be fair, the average Russian in 1917: "I want peace. And some land would be good, too. Ooh and bread"
December 17, 2024 at 8:46 PM
To be fair, the average Russian in 1917: "I want peace. And some land would be good, too. Ooh and bread"
I know it's shocking, *shocking* that someone who's been a publisher his entire career thinks that the proper starting point for socialist revival is... constructing rhetoric and a program.
December 17, 2024 at 6:17 PM
I know it's shocking, *shocking* that someone who's been a publisher his entire career thinks that the proper starting point for socialist revival is... constructing rhetoric and a program.