We always find our way back around to puritans versus cavaliers.

Jack Jenkins@jackjenkins.me · 7h ago

As of last night, there are now *7* pastors, former pastors and seminarians who've become Democratic nominees running for Congress. Some have already won safe Dem seats, and several are in hotly contested races. In multiple cases, the GOP has attacked their faith. religionnews.com/2026/08/04/p...

It's AI slop of course but neither of those dudes look anything like Patton and MacArthur.

MeidasTouch@meidastouch.com · 22h ago

Stolen valor from Mr. Bone Spurs. An insult to every man and woman who has worn the uniform.

This isn't to knock the reporting because I'm sure it's all true some people are trying to make it happen. But it's not going to happen.

David Gilbert@davidgilbert.bsky.social · 5h ago

NEW A group of anti-Trump MAGA figures are prepping to run a third-party candidate for president in 2028. The name at the top of their list: Tucker Carlson www.wired.com/story/maga-i...

make it a Cold War period piece you cowards

The Independent@the-independent.com · 11h ago

James Bond producer shares update on 007 casting: ‘It’s got to be really different’

the most nominative determinism race that was ever determined nominatively

The Downballot@the-downballot.com · 17h ago

Seems like an upset might be brewing in the GOP primary in #MI08 to take on Dem Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet. Trump endorsed Amir Hassan, but he currently trails an absolute nobody who suspended his campaign a month ago by a wide margin.

In MI-08, an R+1 district with a Dem incumbent, the GOP candidate Trump endorsed is losing by double digits to a guy who'd dropped out last month.

Abolish primaries.

i know votes are still being counted but the more i look at this michigan senate map the more it becomes clear that it kind of looks like a mitten

This is delusional narcissism.

Alani Bankhead for U.S. Senate (D-MT)@alanib.bsky.social · 21h ago

Alani leads Bodnar in 4/5 polls taken since the primary. Public Opinion Strategies: Bankhead 25, Bodnar 20. GrayHouse: Bankhead 25, Bodnar 17. Tavern Research: Bankhead 26, Bodnar 24. The NRSC's own survey: Bankhead 30, Bodnar 15. Only one poll reverses that order - the GQR survey from late July.

I'd still rather be El-Sayed right now, but not by much. This is going to be a lot closer than expected.

"The country has decided that two parties are not enough -- one finding where popular opinion remarkably tracks expert consensus." @andycraig.bsky.social @theunpopulist.net www.theunpopulist.net/p/americans-...

Americans Hate the Two-Party System But Don’t Know What Should Replace It, ISMA Populism Survey Finds

Voters overwhelmingly want something different, but don’t know or understand the reform options on the table

theunpopulist.net

Good list of things to consider, adding to our ongoing debate about court reform. I'd go for most of them. I'm most skeptical on supermajority to strike down federal statutes. I'm not sure that would work as intended. (NB this is suggesting ideas other than expansion, not necessarily rejecting it.)

Ben Raderstorf@raders.bsky.social · 2d ago

*Beyond expansion & term limits. Really persuasive piece by @protectdemocracy.org's Justin Florence & Erica Newland, originally published in @theunpopulist.net www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/the-two-br...

“We changed the name of our country to better match local language & spelling”

Simpsons style

ALT: Simpsons style

static.klipy.com

NPR@npr.org · 2d ago

The Pacific Island country of Nauru has changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, its president said, matching the spelling and pronunciation in the national language. n.pr/4wDrhLF

Mr. Potter was right. The Savings & Loan was so irresponsible it was teetering on the edge of insolvency from a single missed deposit even as the postwar boom was taking off. Bailey is a subprime loan shark and Potter would have prevented the global financial crisis.

Sophia_Nyx 🏳️‍⚧️@sophianyx.bsky.social · 5d ago

Name a villain who was actually right.

The NY Times piece is generally accurate (and what's described is known, if obscure) but the green highlighted part is wrong – making the situation actually worse than described. "An appointed Clerk […] exercises all of the authorities of that office until a new Clerk is elected." #HRules 1/

Bits and Bobs@carmelseaotter.bsky.social · last wk.

'In this scenario, Speaker Johnson’s designee, at Mr. Trump’s instigation, would produce a roll of new House members that included Republicans in races that Democrats believed they had won.' www.nytimes.com/2026/07/27/o...

I’m reminded of an old joke: A student is excited to finally read Shakespeare, about whom he’s heard such great things. He makes it through Hamlet, Macbeth, & Julius Caesar with increasing frustration. Finally he exclaims in disgust: “Why this is all full of clichés!”

Almost as depressing as people using AI to write: People who have apparently read so little decent writing that they believe utterly commonplace tools every minimally competent writer employs are AI tells.

Anthony Michael Kreis@anthonymkreis.bsky.social · 2d ago

I saw someone say that sentence length variation is a sign of AI. I’m just out here like, no:

ICE has killed another person.

El Salvadoran Man Held by ICE at Delaney Hall Dies, Family Says

The detainee had an extensive medical history, including epilepsy, according to a lawsuit. He had complained about his face and hand going numb just before his death, his mother said.

thecityreporter.nyc

I repeat: this IS NOT AN AGREEMENT WITH TRUMP so it doesn't even matter that it's not binding. This is the DOJ saying it's withdrawing its own order establishing the fund. But the settlement still exists, and Trump's motion on Friday makes it clear he intends to enforce it, meaning the fund remains

Adam Serwer@adamserwer.bsky.social · 2d ago

no agreement with trump is binding, it's impossible that anyone at this point fails to understand that. All that's happening here is spineless toadies folding as anticipated bsky.app/profile/matt...

Censure is an inconsequential slap on the wrist. This sort of thing would be a firing offense anywhere else, the equivalent of which would be expulsion. And even if you say it's a higher bar because he's elected and all, they could also impose hefty fines at least.

Jen Bendery@jbendery.bsky.social · 2d ago

The committee is now recommending that the House adopt its report and "with it, a censure of Representative Edwards for the conduct described therein. The Committee intends to bring a privileged resolution for consideration and vote by the full House."

In recent years we've had TV/movies covering Odyssey, Macbeth, a new Shakespeare biopic, a 14th C. Middle English poem, plus reskinned Wars of the Roses, Tokugawa shogunate, Gibbon via Asimov, and Murdoch as Lear. Meanwhile much-bemoaned reality TV is a dying genre. Pop culture isn't getting dumber!

Thank you, @donmoyn.bsky.social, for covering our new survey—part of an ongoing project that tracks populist sentiment among Americans. More below 👇

Trump's Hardcore Populist Base Has Declined By a Third, ISMA's Survey Finds

They are uneasy by his extralegal use of executive authority even as some express greater hostility toward Muslims, trans people and university/entertainment elites

theunpopulist.net

Don Moynihan@donmoyn.bsky.social · 3d ago

First, @theunpopulist.net published a poll showing that hard core Trump support has declined by about a third in the last two years. Now that Trump is governing, and governing poorly, fewer think he is on their side. (Would like to see more polling on this). www.theunpopulist.net/p/trumps-har...

Patty Murray and Chuck Schumer decide to strike a “bipartisan” deal with … checks notes … Susan Collins to fund the Trump regime through December which appears to not to any include any safeguards against Trump’s meddling with midterm elections.

It seems relevant that the thing Isaiah is being sent to do in that passage is to deliver a prophecy of doom to his own people for having fallen away from the path of righteousness. So if these guys were like, Isaiah, that would be robustly bad news for...the United States.

Matt Thiessen@mattthiessen.bsky.social · 3d ago

American Christianity in one social media post.

“It is profitless to speculate on error.” Once again I must stress that my grandmother talked like this all the fucking time, she could have been describing a salad that wasn’t as good as she was hoping it would be

These people have incredible imaginations

The only other time a second-term president had approval ratings this low at this point in the cycle, he resigned a week later.

Grandma out here yelling at dudes that testimony is evidence 💪

This is how you answer a question but basically guarantee that the side asking the question will not be able to use your testimony in the way they were hoping to be able to

I have just been sent the transcript of a deposition my grandmother gave in 1977 while she was serving as an expert witness in a series of tribal rights cases and let me tell you, if nothing else this is proof that I come by it honest for every conceivable value of “it”