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Starmersim

True courage is telling your "followers" to eat shit.

When your followers treat Israel as the world's only human rights violator and AIPAC as the only evil dark money group, that should be a red flag. So should crazy stuff like abolishing police, seizing property, and opposing Ukraine (none of which is an "affordability agenda"). 4/

— Tom Malinowski (@Malinowski) June 25, 2026

Taking on the establishment is easy. Beating shit out out of people with no power - that's courage.

Former Congressman Tom just lost his primary with this inspiring message of hope.

Weird he doesn't have many followers.

Better Make A Decoy

He's gonna take it.

No matter who is in the final World Cup match, there could be some awkwardness in New Jersey on July 19 when US President Donald Trump presents the trophy.

Climate Change

Over the years, the reasons for not doing anything about climate change evolved, predictably (and predicted):

• It's not real
• It's real but humans aren't causing it
• It's real and humans are causing it but we can't do anything about it because all the other countries won't do anything
• It's real and humans are causing it but it's too expensive to do anything
• Please, people, think of the oil company executives
• It's real and humans are causing it but, whoopsie, too late, now it's REALLY too expensive to do anything about it
• Whoopsie, just too late now. Off to Mars, with its welcoming climate.

The "other countries won't do anything" prominently featured industrializing China.

Now renewables are, with exceptions, cheaper, certainly for new installations, China is taking the lead both on production and installation, and we are in 70s gas-guzzling is the American way, "kick their ass and steal their gas" (or try to) mode.

It isn't just Trump. All the prominent Sensible Centrists have been pushing against talking about or doing anything about climate change, which I am sure has nothing to do with their various direct and indirect funding.

To the Sensible Centrists, Biden's popularity declined and Harris lost because of anything good Biden did or tried to do.

One thing that is different than 20 years ago is that basically everyone in The Discourse is on the take, at least everyone not on The Left. You don't get $50,000 speaking fees for saying things rich people don't want to hear!

And There's Always The Bezos Post

Okay I'm listening:

Thirteen Democratic House members and candidates announced their support Thursday for a centrist initiative aimed at pushing back against the party’s tilt toward democratic socialism.

And what is this initiative:

Killin is one of the 13 who signed on to the “Promise to America” initiative that commits candidates to a set of centrist principles, including capitalism, fiscal discipline, strong borders and pride in the United States.

Lol. "Principles."

Full list of assholes, proud of themselves.

Reps. Kristen McDonald Rivet (Michigan), Susie Lee (Nevada), Maggie Goodlander (New Hampshire), Josh Gottheimer (New Jersey), Laura Gillen (New York), Don Davis (North Carolina), Janelle Bynum (Oregon) and Vicente Gonzalez (Texas) are all supporters. Candidates Marlene Galán-Woods in Arizona, Jamie Ager and Paul Barringer in North Carolina and Bobby Pulido in Texas also signed on.

 

Centrist Emotional Support Journalists

They run to Axios with all their complaints. Makes a handy list of people to primary.

Moderate House Democrats are warning they're prepared for "war" if incoming progressives and democratic socialists try to hijack the House floor to secure ideological concessions.

There is nothing wrong with some intra-caucus conflicts, but these people are acting as if The Big Tent can't accommodate lefty people from lefty districts. 3 of them!

There is a difference between "we disagree" and "we do not accept your legitimacy."

And none of this about ideology, as that term is commonly understood, as much as people want to claim. It's about who is in power and whose friends and families get the goodies.

Some ideologies get more goodies, of course.

At Least The War Is Over

 Ah, well, nevertheless.

The Israeli military has dropped leaflets over a town in southern Lebanon, ordering residents to leave, Lebanese state media reported, in a first such order issued since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect.

Morning

 Fetid Friday

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Sure Ted

I suppose if Republicans believe he's the candidate who best "owns the libs" he'd have some chance.

Ted Cruz’s not-so-secret White House dreams have gotten JD Vance’s attention and annoyed Trump allies

Happy Hour Lunch

Get happy. Eat

It's Gonna Be Great

I have no idea about the State Fair specifically, but generally the lack of any sense that the 250th is a Big Deal is quite surprising, even with Trump in charge.

The Trump administration’s 16-day-long Great American State Fair has begun, offering visitors to the National Mall in Washington, DC, the chance to visit pavilions showcasing every US state and territory.

President Donald Trump first teased the project, a modern World’s Fair, on the campaign trail in 2023. Three years later, the project has come to life, with military flyovers, movie screenings and a giant 110-foot Ferris wheel on the packed schedule. Trump’s stamp will be evident, including a scaled-down replica of Trump’s proposed 250-foot “triumphal arch.”

The Big Tent

You can argue James Carville doesn't matter, not entirely incorrectly, but he does represent the views of Professional Democrats much more than  I do.  More than that, he can get a NYT piece out tomorrow if he wants to in order to further push whatever point he is trying to make.

A Big Tent that can't handle three lefty House backbenchers, including a Jewish guy who isn't Israel-supportive enough entirely because he isn't Israel-supportive enough, isn't a very big tent.  

“But I’m done,” he continued. “I’m not in that f*cking political party. I am totally comfortable in a political party that spends time questioning the policies of the government of Israel. In fact, I’m enthusiastic about that. I don’t want to be in a political party that denies the right of the state of Israel to exist. That’s just not– I just can’t do that.”

The "denies the right of the state of Israel to exist" deflection is silly no matter who it is invoked for, applying some strange Israel-specific framework and exception while asserting it is other people who have embraced double standards, but I don't think any of these people have done that. And even if they have, it isn't the "party," it's a couple (likely) backbenchers.

People get annoyed to me for criticizing the Democrats, but on one side is assholes on the internet like me and some small donor/activists movements, and on other side is, you know, EVERYBODY ELSE WITH POWER. Those people are tugging one way constantly.  They have newspaper columns and TV slots. Their views are often little more than "I SHOULD GET WHAT I WANT" even though what they want has little more substance than "my network and faction should be in control."

It isn't only about Israel, but as for Israel, the Dem leadership and their media outriders are extremely out of touch with their own voters, and I don't know how they imagine that can persist.

Vote Blue No Matter Who Update

Will his fundraising text messages stop?

I’m Done, I’m Not in That F*cking Political Party’: James Carville Freaks Out After Progressives Win Big in Democratic Primaries

Clarifying what the "big tent" has always meant:

“Lady, I ain’t in the same party as you,” Carville said. “I’m sorry. I’m just not. And I actually do think it’s time for Democrats to talk the ‘s’ word: schism. I really do. Everybody’s always said, ‘No, no. We’re a coalition. We’re a big tent. And there’s just some sh*t I can’t be in the same tent with.”

Carville then insisted that despite winning their Democratic primaries, “these people are not Democrats.” He then suggested that establishment Democrats “negotiate the terms of a schism” with democratic socialists in the party. 

Don't be 3rd party spoilers, work within the party, run in primaries, be a part of our big tent.

[3 incumbents get ousted]

FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU GO BACK TO RUSSIA, COMMIE SCUM

Morning

Time to make the donuts!

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Sure, Whatever, Man

I know House Dems won't get involved in primaries against incumbents, but they do get involved in primaries against incumbents in the Senate!  There is no adhered to principle here! The mayor of New York does not work for you! He does not have to agree with your primary picks!

Asked if Mamdani’s endorsements were making him “enemies” with Democrats in Washington, D.C., Jeffries told CNN that he and Mamdani “strongly” disagreed over his primary picks ahead of Election Day.

Now, according to Jeffries, the mayor has serious “work to do in terms of the conversations that he’s going to have with members of Congress moving forward.”

Jeffries had one skill: kissing up to Pelosi. That's it! He went far on that! 

"Our Volunteers"

People not on the payroll are not, in any sense, yours.

An amusing thing about Harrison is he has run for precisely one public office lost.

Whose Dream

I know the answer is "because he's a Kennedy, duh" but can we have some journalist reflection about why this guy got so much coverage.

Schlossberg’s Defeat Dampens Dream of a Renewed Camelot

Lol:

And in an age in which Democrats have often played catch-up with Republicans online, Mr. Schlossberg had a vibrant social media presence, presenting an oddball and decidedly opinionated persona that drew attention whenever he posted.

He came in 3rd with 11%!

Having the name "Kennedy" should not guarantee you national media coverage if you run for office!

 

A Really Expensive Way To Do Very LIttle

A lot of "AI" use is like this.

Consulting giant Accenture is trying to figure out how to stop non-technical workers from blowing through companies’ AI token budget on trivial tasks like converting PDFs to presentation slides, according to leaked audio obtained by 404 Media. Across the industry Accenture is seeing “soaring token spend,” according to the audio.

I don't know about Accenture, but I'm sure there are lots of companies that are incredibly stingy with things like "office supplies" and "printer paper" that are currently letting their workers spend 500 bucks to maybe simplify mundane and unimportant tasks slightly.