Favorite Rejects 2022-04-29

Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias

I think this illustrates it well — the main examples of right-wing extremism are not *policy stances* that are to the right of where Mitt Romney was in 2012.

David Roberts @drvolts

What is the equivalent, on the left, of widespread belief on the right that Dems are a global pedophile ring that stole the election? If polarization is symmetric, or if the left has gone further, there must be something equally extreme, yes? I'm all ears.

Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias

When you put progressives in a different more celebratory mood they are actually quite aware that Democrats moved left on policy in several areas. Here’s @drvolts himself on climate with an excellent piece describing “enormous change.” vox.com/energy-and-env…

Sammy Roth @Sammy_Roth

BREAKING: Gov. Gavin Newsom tells @latimes he’s reconsidering the 2025 shutdown of Diablo Canyon, the state’s last nuclear power plant. He’s worried California will have trouble keeping the lights on without it. My story:

latimes.comCalifornia promised to close its last nuclear plant. Now Newsom is reconsideringDelaying the closure of Diablo Canyon would mark a shift for nuclear politics as the climate crisis worsens.

sam lessin @lessin

Part of me feels like Elon is just executing an elaborate Kabuki play to sell tesla stock at a huge valuation. first the 'poll' for 10%, now 8b to buy twitter - I don't blame him at all - but clear special challenge of cult leadership is managing selling.

Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias

The world’s tiniest violin

washingtonpost.comCracks emerge in Russian elite as tycoons start to bemoan invasionOligarchs and financial officials are alarmed over the economic toll it’s taking and feel powerless to influence Putin.

Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇦 @Noahpinion

This thread illustrates, yet again, the fundamental dilemma of American politics: Progressives hold all the cultural power, while the Right can only respond with political power. When the Right holds political power, both sides feel like they're powerless.

Tim Urban @waitbutwhy

Today, Elon tweeted this diagram by @SwipeWright, which sums up how a lot of people (including me) feel. Then a bunch of ppl responded w/ graphs showing that Republican politicians have moved farther right in that time than Dems have moved left. Here's what I think is happening: https://t.co/hWDZiRI1k6

Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇦 @Noahpinion

America's education debate, roughly, is between A) people who think talent is mostly inborn and just want to screen for it, and B) people who think talent is mostly inborn and want desperately to avoid screening for it

Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias

Like a sane, healthy person with things to do in life I have no idea what books are in my kid’s school’s library and God willing I will never find out or care.

Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇦 @Noahpinion

Great thread about what happens if Russia decides to fully mobilize its society for a long war with Ukraine. tl;dr: Russia will have poorly trained soldiers fighting with old crappy equipment.

Phillips P. OBrien @PhillipsPOBrien

This is a point worth examining. We have lots of stress on what if Russia goes for societal mobilization now (normally by the way by those who argued that Russia would conquer Ukraine quickly). However, societal mobilization is not easy under the best of conditions. https://t.co/tLh2F1qhhG

Noah Smith 🐇🇺🇦 @Noahpinion

A new challenger has entered the ring

sam @sam_d_1995

finished an exam early and bored so gonna do a thread of hot takes. 1 like = 1 hot take 1) speeding cameras are good, it takes police bias/risk out of the equation while incentivizing drivers to be safer. the cost of a ticket pales in comparison to the cost of a car crash