Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Corrupt Systems
One problem with corruption (very broadly defined), is that once it becomes entrenched in any institution, corrupt people make sure to push noncorrupt people out. One can't have any pesky whistleblowing dogooders around, even in the Political Party For Doing Good, as they might get in the way of everybody getting rich. The bad people push out the good people.
I'm not always a perfect judge of character, and sadly I've found that "being more cynical" is the best defense against getting conned by people, but it is often not too hard to look at the people in politics and guess which ones are not, actually, primarily in it for the Do Gooding.
In early April, Stephanie Cutter, a former senior adviser to the 2024 Harris campaign and former Obama deputy campaign manager, was announced as a policy adviser for the prediction market firm Kalshi, where she will presumably work alongside Kalshi’s strategic adviser, Donald Trump Jr. In addition to her new gig, Kalshi has hired Precision Strategies, the communications firm Cutter co-founded, where she currently works as managing partner. Precision Strategies will help bolster the quasi-gambling firm’s presence in Washington as lawmakers become increasingly skeptical of the prediction markets industry. So far, so revolving door.
...
Cutter is not the first prominent Democratic insider to have moved from selling cryptocurrency to peddling prediction markets. Sean Patrick Maloney, the former DCCC chair, recently launched a prediction markets trade group that is backed by Kalshi. David Plouffe, Cutter’s former colleague on the Obama and Harris campaigns and at Precision Strategies, might also be interested in joining the effort. He has previously advised both Coinbase and Binance. Perhaps the most shameless sellout of the Obama presidency, former principal deputy solicitor general Neal Katyal, is also working on behalf of Kalshi.Everybody's gotta eat, but I'm pretty sure Cutter has enough cash to eat well for the rest of her life.
I'm not always a perfect judge of character, and sadly I've found that "being more cynical" is the best defense against getting conned by people, but it is often not too hard to look at the people in politics and guess which ones are not, actually, primarily in it for the Do Gooding.
I won't claim I have had numerous opportunities to sell out, or that I never had my price for doing so, either, but I am regularly stunned by how easily people transition from supposedly being one of the good guys to working for Evil Corp.
Yes I do think there's something corrupt about being a senior adviser to a Dem presidential candidate while having one eye on your next lucrative gig.
This Is Not The Way
There is not a single voter in America, especially right now, who will be persuaded to take climate change seriously because of its impact on military readiness.
Deals
Seems like a "we'll push our scumbag guy (Swalwell) out if you push your scumbag guy (Gonzales) out" trade, perhaps necessary given the very close House.
I'm glad they resigned and I'm all for pressuring people to resign, but I actually don't like the idea of opening the door to making explusion votes a normal thing.
I'm glad they resigned and I'm all for pressuring people to resign, but I actually don't like the idea of opening the door to making explusion votes a normal thing.
The Smartest Boys In The World
Running this blog all this time has had various impacts on my psyche. I wouldn't say all of the effects have been good! But early on I did learn that plenty of people who were umambiguously "smarter" than me read my blog, and that literally everyone who read my blog was "smarter" (knew more, etc.) about something!
I'm not a supergenius and there are plenty of things I don't know much about.
I don't know how idiots like this get so confident that they are supergeniuses.
I'm not a supergenius and there are plenty of things I don't know much about.
I don't know how idiots like this get so confident that they are supergeniuses.
“Some of the studies are testing new treatment regimens for drug- resistant tuberculosis,” I explained, hoping I could convey the very real danger in terms that would register with this audience. “Thousands of enrolled patients are at risk now that their lifesaving treatment is stopped. But that’s not the only danger. We only have limited options to treat drug- resistant TB. We’re using our antibiotics of last resort in these trials. Interrupting treatment midstream risks the development of new, even more drug-resistant strains that could be untreatable. For an airborne infectious disease, that is a serious national security risk.”Excerpt from Into the Wood Chipper: A Whistleblower's Account of How the Trump Administration Shredded USAID.
Adam thought for a moment and then responded, noting that the political appointees at USAID were “not health people.” It would be hard, he surmised, for nonexperts to understand this issue. And so he suggested that we draft a simple, “Barney-style” set of slides to help the political leadership grasp the dangers, referring to the purple dinosaur of children’s television. He recommended that we use the term “Super TB” instead of “drug- resistant TB” to describe the mutations that can develop when treatment is interrupted, because it might be more likely to “catch their attention.”
Adam then made clear that he did not count himself among those po- litical appointees who were not health experts. Though he had no relevant training or experience, he reassured me that he understood the severity of infectious diseases, noting that he had recently read a book about smallpox. Apparently he had watched movies as well.
“One thing I thought of while you were talking,” he added, gesticulating wildly with his hands to conjure the image in his mind. “If you can make one of those maps like they have in Outbreak, where it shows the red growing over time as the disease spreads? You know, like the zombie apocalypse? That would be great, very effective.”
The thought that Adam might have the most health expertise of anyone in the agency’s leadership made me shudder.
Monday, April 13, 2026
Oh No He's Lost Peter Baker
Notable, though of course it takes criticism from conservatives to prompt the piece.
This sort of thing is a little bit overdue. Will it shape coverage going forward, or has Peter just checked the box so that he can deflect criticism later?
As the president threatens to wipe out Iran and attacks the pope, even some former allies and advisers are questioning whether he has grown increasingly unbalanced, describing him as “lunatic” and “clearly insane.”Yes, of course, Peter Baker is just reporting on what is OUT THERE and not expressing an opinion, which is forbidden - he doesn't even vote and makes sure to tell people that! - but it's a choice to do this piece.
This sort of thing is a little bit overdue. Will it shape coverage going forward, or has Peter just checked the box so that he can deflect criticism later?
You're Only Near-Jesus, Sir, Not Real Jesus
I guess Trumpsus was too much for his fans.
Q: Did you post that picture of yourself depicted as Jesus Christ? TRUMP: I did post it and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do Red Cross. Only the fake news could come up with that one.
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) April 13, 2026 at 5:44 PM
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The American Pope
I think we have a schism. Is it Pope Bob or Pope Don?
"Pope Leo is WEAK on crime." Murder rate skyrocketing in Vatican City!
JD Vance, You Are Our Only Hope
The fate of the entire galaxy is in your hands.
I suppose if there's a pretty good chance it happens, there's a lot of benefit for your career as a journalist for putting out those beat sweeteners on the Vice President.
There isn't a lot of value to your readers, of course, but they don't matter.
Journalism!!!
The involvement of Vice President JD Vance had raised hopes around the world that the weekend negotiations in Pakistan would solidify the ceasefire with Iran and put an end to the war within reach.They let you put anything in the newspaper now.
I suppose if there's a pretty good chance it happens, there's a lot of benefit for your career as a journalist for putting out those beat sweeteners on the Vice President.
There isn't a lot of value to your readers, of course, but they don't matter.
Journalism!!!
Sunday, April 12, 2026
If You Wanna Hang Out You've Got To Take Her Out
I'm glad that at this important moment, the President and the Secretary of State (Marco Rubio) and the National Security Adviser (Marco Rubio) and the Viceroy of Venezuela (Marco Rubio) had some time for some fun.
Poor Vance didn't get to have any fun!Secretary of State Marco Rubio at UFC in Miami tonight as diplomatic negotiations with Iran fail (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AFP via Getty)
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) April 12, 2026 at 3:32 AM
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COUNTDOWN TO MY 24TH BLOGIVERSARY FUNDRAISER - DAY 2!
Surveying the current state of politics, it's quite funny that I used to be criticized for incivility (saying mean things about people who mattered).
It's also quite funny that people still try to use that tactic against The Left, even now.
A bunch of big meanies!
It's also quite funny that people still try to use that tactic against The Left, even now.
A bunch of big meanies!
Thanks to all!
More Like 5K Peace Talks, Amirite???
I did not think that sending JD Vance was a sign that anyone expected success.
...
No agreement: US Vice President JD Vance says no agreement was reached with Iran after marathon talks in Pakistan. Iran would not commit to forgoing a nuclear weapon, Vance said. Iran’s foreign ministry told state media that disagreement over “two, or three” key issues prevented a deal.Though given all of the positive press Vance's people planted, I don't think he was in on the "joke."
...and now Trump says that "we" are blockading the Strait.
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