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Art Vandelay
@artsvandelay.bsky.social
· Nov 25
People think that the tariffs are paid for by China. But they're actually paid for by me, Art Vandelay.
Reposted by Art Vandelay
I’m sure that the developer clamoring for access to Yosemite is promising Trump a kickback of some kind, but to me that’s incidental to the larger point that Trump loves to ruin good things. His orientation is anti-human and anti-civilization and he does whatever he can to hurt people.
August 28, 2026 at 6:45 PM
I’m sure that the developer clamoring for access to Yosemite is promising Trump a kickback of some kind, but to me that’s incidental to the larger point that Trump loves to ruin good things. His orientation is anti-human and anti-civilization and he does whatever he can to hurt people.
One step past "anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism" - "Judaism is Zionism".
And the moment the GOP becomes anti-Israel they'll turn this exact chain of reasoning against back against them: "you said it yourself, your 'religion' is just loyalty to another country".
(to be clear this is false)
And the moment the GOP becomes anti-Israel they'll turn this exact chain of reasoning against back against them: "you said it yourself, your 'religion' is just loyalty to another country".
(to be clear this is false)
The position of the ADL and people in their lane seems to be that not only is all opposition to Israel antisemitic, but it is also the *only* form of antisemitism
September 16, 2026 at 4:58 PM
One step past "anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism" - "Judaism is Zionism".
And the moment the GOP becomes anti-Israel they'll turn this exact chain of reasoning against back against them: "you said it yourself, your 'religion' is just loyalty to another country".
(to be clear this is false)
And the moment the GOP becomes anti-Israel they'll turn this exact chain of reasoning against back against them: "you said it yourself, your 'religion' is just loyalty to another country".
(to be clear this is false)
We're in early-2012-gay-marriage territory. The shift in public opinion has already happened, the shift in politician opinion is inevitable.
A lot of people are unaware how much their side is losing, and their heads will be spinning within the next 12 months.
A lot of people are unaware how much their side is losing, and their heads will be spinning within the next 12 months.
it is remarkable that this has happened despite a near-unanimous effort from mainstream politicians and news media to prevent it from happening. there's some hope there
During the First and Second Intifadas the gap was, like, 40-50 points. Now that's not only gone but it's gone negative. Incredible work really.
September 16, 2026 at 2:35 PM
We're in early-2012-gay-marriage territory. The shift in public opinion has already happened, the shift in politician opinion is inevitable.
A lot of people are unaware how much their side is losing, and their heads will be spinning within the next 12 months.
A lot of people are unaware how much their side is losing, and their heads will be spinning within the next 12 months.
It occurs to me that - same way a generic speech about patriotism and selflessness now codes as anti-Trump and partisan - in 2029, the media will discourage discussions about rebuilding our military capacity as being too Trump-focused.
A tornado inside a hurricane inside a firestorm. Agenda-setters would allow virtually nothing else to be discussed on the natl level
If Biden or Obama had started a war that led to attacks like these on American bases—and then covered it up for months—the political backlash would eclipse Benghazi.
One service member: "We're not defending these bases. We're just watching them get destroyed." www.cbsnews.com/news/new-pho...
One service member: "We're not defending these bases. We're just watching them get destroyed." www.cbsnews.com/news/new-pho...
September 16, 2026 at 1:17 PM
It occurs to me that - same way a generic speech about patriotism and selflessness now codes as anti-Trump and partisan - in 2029, the media will discourage discussions about rebuilding our military capacity as being too Trump-focused.
If Republicans aren't going to do anything to regulate AI then it's not up to me whether it becomes a bipartisan issue, and the way to maximize the chances of regulation is to maximize Democratic gains in November.
September 15, 2026 at 10:54 PM
If Republicans aren't going to do anything to regulate AI then it's not up to me whether it becomes a bipartisan issue, and the way to maximize the chances of regulation is to maximize Democratic gains in November.
Reposted by Art Vandelay
Usual thing with Ben Gvir is he says out loud the policy Netanyahu tacitly pursues.
Best example, when he posted video of prisoners being abused (with himself present). Netanyahu condemned him, but there's no way he didn't know about it already. He's just mad Ben Gvir admitted it publicly.
Best example, when he posted video of prisoners being abused (with himself present). Netanyahu condemned him, but there's no way he didn't know about it already. He's just mad Ben Gvir admitted it publicly.
August 18, 2026 at 4:18 AM
Usual thing with Ben Gvir is he says out loud the policy Netanyahu tacitly pursues.
Best example, when he posted video of prisoners being abused (with himself present). Netanyahu condemned him, but there's no way he didn't know about it already. He's just mad Ben Gvir admitted it publicly.
Best example, when he posted video of prisoners being abused (with himself present). Netanyahu condemned him, but there's no way he didn't know about it already. He's just mad Ben Gvir admitted it publicly.
I wonder if a big part of the turn in public opinion against Israel is simply that thuggish behavior like this has always been happening, and now it just gets written up in Western media more often.
Israeli settlers seize Palestinian water source in occupied West Bank to create recreational pool
Israeli settlers seize Palestinian water source in occupied West Bank to create recreational pool
Israeli settlers have taken control of a freshwater spring that Palestinian farmers in the occupied West Bank have relied on for generations, diverting its water to create a pool advertised as a tourist attraction and leaving crops to wither. It is estimated that Israeli settlers have now seized control of 95 percent of the northern Jordan Valley's springs, pushing Palestinian communities off their land.
f24.my
August 14, 2026 at 1:13 PM
I wonder if a big part of the turn in public opinion against Israel is simply that thuggish behavior like this has always been happening, and now it just gets written up in Western media more often.
It should be easy to go against Lawler. The cap on the SALT deduction was going to expire, they needed Lawler's vote to extend it, Lawler voted to extend it.
He sold out his constituents in an extremely clear-cut and high-profile way!
He sold out his constituents in an extremely clear-cut and high-profile way!
The Democratic Party simply doesn’t believe it is an ideological war so it constantly pulls its punches www.axios.com/2026/08/12/m...
Why House Dems may go easy on one of GOP's most vulnerable members
"I don't think Lawler is beatable," one senior House Democrat told Axios.
www.axios.com
August 14, 2026 at 12:37 PM
It should be easy to go against Lawler. The cap on the SALT deduction was going to expire, they needed Lawler's vote to extend it, Lawler voted to extend it.
He sold out his constituents in an extremely clear-cut and high-profile way!
He sold out his constituents in an extremely clear-cut and high-profile way!
Also the things that woke 1 was reacting *to* was also worse ... e.g. Harvey Weinstein being a free man in a position of power.
The reason for the discussion of the excesses of wokeness is that liberals are willing to acknowledge it, whereas conservatives are still all in on Trumpism.
The reason for the discussion of the excesses of wokeness is that liberals are willing to acknowledge it, whereas conservatives are still all in on Trumpism.
The excesses of the Woke 1 era mostly amount to cringe public statements, harmless vocabulary updates and loss of prestige for public figures.
The backlash to Woke 1, on the other hand, is imprisoning dissidents, dismantling public education and eroding democracy. That's what needs reckoning
The backlash to Woke 1, on the other hand, is imprisoning dissidents, dismantling public education and eroding democracy. That's what needs reckoning
August 12, 2026 at 2:59 PM
Also the things that woke 1 was reacting *to* was also worse ... e.g. Harvey Weinstein being a free man in a position of power.
The reason for the discussion of the excesses of wokeness is that liberals are willing to acknowledge it, whereas conservatives are still all in on Trumpism.
The reason for the discussion of the excesses of wokeness is that liberals are willing to acknowledge it, whereas conservatives are still all in on Trumpism.
The alleged motivation for the anti-trans position here is protecting women's sports. But the most likely (and very clearly obviously intended) effect of this stunt is to give the WNBA some legal/PR problems.
I'm sure they have the lawyers lined up already to sue the league.
I'm sure they have the lawyers lined up already to sue the league.
Royce White on Fox News: "I'm just having a blast in my feminine area. I never thought I was a woman. I've always trusted science and thought I was a man, but after further review, a strong look at my personal preferences, it would appear I am indeed sometimes identifying as a transgender woman"
August 9, 2026 at 9:20 PM
The alleged motivation for the anti-trans position here is protecting women's sports. But the most likely (and very clearly obviously intended) effect of this stunt is to give the WNBA some legal/PR problems.
I'm sure they have the lawyers lined up already to sue the league.
I'm sure they have the lawyers lined up already to sue the league.
Lay the groundwork now for a future Dem president to cut big checks to blue states as an indemnity for the actions of the Trump administration.
NEW: In a stunning admission, the Trump administration admitted in court documents that it canceled billions in energy grants to states "based solely" on politics -- and whether that state was represented by Democrats and backed Harris in 2024.
www.nytimes.com/2026/07/24/b...
www.nytimes.com/2026/07/24/b...
Trump Administration Admits Canceling Grants to States That Did Not Vote for Him
Federal officials said in court documents that they halted billions of dollars in funding for energy projects to states “based solely” on whether they backed President Trump in the 2024 election.
www.nytimes.com
July 24, 2026 at 11:22 PM
Lay the groundwork now for a future Dem president to cut big checks to blue states as an indemnity for the actions of the Trump administration.
Reposted by Art Vandelay
The idea that they're going to give unnecessary medication to soldiers without any doctor's opinion based on vibes is so clearly fucked up.
And people who care about soldiers' health, as opposed to proving how tough they are by proxy, should be outraged
And people who care about soldiers' health, as opposed to proving how tough they are by proxy, should be outraged
Hegseth announced they're gonna start screening for T and administering testosterone treatment for warriors found wanting
July 15, 2026 at 7:43 PM
The idea that they're going to give unnecessary medication to soldiers without any doctor's opinion based on vibes is so clearly fucked up.
And people who care about soldiers' health, as opposed to proving how tough they are by proxy, should be outraged
And people who care about soldiers' health, as opposed to proving how tough they are by proxy, should be outraged
Rubio should also realize that if Trump officials accept mass pardons for their crimes, this sort of extradition is an obvious workaround that will 100% be on the table, including for him personally.
July 14, 2026 at 12:05 PM
Rubio should also realize that if Trump officials accept mass pardons for their crimes, this sort of extradition is an obvious workaround that will 100% be on the table, including for him personally.
Agree with this e.g. for gambling, drugs, certain sex stuff.
Also, I think technology is part of the problem.
AFAICT this intermediate category historically involved some amount of hypocrisy - people publicly condemning things they did privately. Harder to do when everything's online.
Also, I think technology is part of the problem.
AFAICT this intermediate category historically involved some amount of hypocrisy - people publicly condemning things they did privately. Harder to do when everything's online.
I think one reason why we're at such a low cultural moment is we've lost the distinction between behaviors we have to tolerate because banning them is worse, and actively encouraging them. Sports betting is the equivalent of putting a cigarette in someone's mouth and offering to light it. 1/3
Terry Thompson lost $1.5 million on bets he placed with FanDuel.
The company gave him VIP treatment — including a personalized video message from the Phillies' Bryce Harper.
The company gave him VIP treatment — including a personalized video message from the Phillies' Bryce Harper.
July 10, 2026 at 1:59 PM
Agree with this e.g. for gambling, drugs, certain sex stuff.
Also, I think technology is part of the problem.
AFAICT this intermediate category historically involved some amount of hypocrisy - people publicly condemning things they did privately. Harder to do when everything's online.
Also, I think technology is part of the problem.
AFAICT this intermediate category historically involved some amount of hypocrisy - people publicly condemning things they did privately. Harder to do when everything's online.
Funny thing here is Goldman wants to go with this canned "why do they criticize Israel and not other countries" rhetoric, even though Mamdani brought up Saudi unprompted in the original clip ...
so he briefly acknowledges it but then soldiers on ahead with the original canned rhetoric.
so he briefly acknowledges it but then soldiers on ahead with the original canned rhetoric.
July 1, 2026 at 8:50 PM
Funny thing here is Goldman wants to go with this canned "why do they criticize Israel and not other countries" rhetoric, even though Mamdani brought up Saudi unprompted in the original clip ...
so he briefly acknowledges it but then soldiers on ahead with the original canned rhetoric.
so he briefly acknowledges it but then soldiers on ahead with the original canned rhetoric.
Reposted by Art Vandelay
Apparently, you're not allowed to post:
“BREAKING: The ICE agent who shot and killed Renee Good in broad daylight has been identified as Jonathan Ross by the Minnesota Star Tribune. I think today is a great day for Jonathan to be indicted!”
“BREAKING: The ICE agent who shot and killed Renee Good in broad daylight has been identified as Jonathan Ross by the Minnesota Star Tribune. I think today is a great day for Jonathan to be indicted!”
These are the exact words she posted:
“BREAKING: The ICE agent who shot and killed Renee Good in broad daylight has been identified as Jonathan Ross by the Minnesota Star Tribune. I think today is a great day for Jonathan to be indicted!”
“BREAKING: The ICE agent who shot and killed Renee Good in broad daylight has been identified as Jonathan Ross by the Minnesota Star Tribune. I think today is a great day for Jonathan to be indicted!”
Two ICE agents tracked down a woman *inside a polling place* yesterday. Why?
They demanded that she take down an Instagram post in which she named Jonathan Ross as the man who shot & killed Renee Good (after the Star Tribune identified Ross). www.syracuse.com/news/2026/06...
They demanded that she take down an Instagram post in which she named Jonathan Ross as the man who shot & killed Renee Good (after the Star Tribune identified Ross). www.syracuse.com/news/2026/06...
June 25, 2026 at 2:01 PM
Apparently, you're not allowed to post:
“BREAKING: The ICE agent who shot and killed Renee Good in broad daylight has been identified as Jonathan Ross by the Minnesota Star Tribune. I think today is a great day for Jonathan to be indicted!”
“BREAKING: The ICE agent who shot and killed Renee Good in broad daylight has been identified as Jonathan Ross by the Minnesota Star Tribune. I think today is a great day for Jonathan to be indicted!”
Reposted by Art Vandelay
I suspect that if any (male) candidate running in the Republican primary outwardly liked interacting with children as much as Obama, it would be a major liability and attack point for the other candidates and the media.
Michelle and I loved reading to this bright group of kids today!
We hope this new Chicago Public Library branch at the Obama Presidential Center will be a place where folks come to read, check out books, and connect with one another for years to come.
We hope this new Chicago Public Library branch at the Obama Presidential Center will be a place where folks come to read, check out books, and connect with one another for years to come.
June 20, 2026 at 3:10 PM
I suspect that if any (male) candidate running in the Republican primary outwardly liked interacting with children as much as Obama, it would be a major liability and attack point for the other candidates and the media.
Reposted by Art Vandelay
The way no one even bothers to try to stop Elon Musk anymore - he's allowed to take hundreds of billions of dollars in exchange for empty promises, or incite pogroms and push white nationalism, and no one pushes back or tries to constrain him at all - feels like a society that's simply given up
June 12, 2026 at 7:48 PM
The way no one even bothers to try to stop Elon Musk anymore - he's allowed to take hundreds of billions of dollars in exchange for empty promises, or incite pogroms and push white nationalism, and no one pushes back or tries to constrain him at all - feels like a society that's simply given up
Reposted by Art Vandelay
I saw Peter Beinart speak at my synagogue back in 2012, when THE CRISIS OF ZIONISM was first published, and much of his talk was about the central importance of Israel and Zionism his worldview and the the Jewish people. A lot of why he's evolved the way he has since is that this was the response.
June 10, 2026 at 4:38 PM
I saw Peter Beinart speak at my synagogue back in 2012, when THE CRISIS OF ZIONISM was first published, and much of his talk was about the central importance of Israel and Zionism his worldview and the the Jewish people. A lot of why he's evolved the way he has since is that this was the response.
Reposted by Art Vandelay
Release the Epstein Files, of course, but spare a thought for a trafficking empire of possibly equal scale, involving Trump, his admin, & foreign gov't leaders, *happening right now.* You knew Tate was a creep. But it's bigger than that. Heidi Blake reports. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Andrew Tate’s Empire of Abuse
How the defining figure of the manosphere built a fortune—and became a political force—by systematically exploiting women.
www.newyorker.com
June 11, 2026 at 6:37 PM
Release the Epstein Files, of course, but spare a thought for a trafficking empire of possibly equal scale, involving Trump, his admin, & foreign gov't leaders, *happening right now.* You knew Tate was a creep. But it's bigger than that. Heidi Blake reports. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Wow sounds like a terrible guy to support as president, but I'm glad that Cornyn blew the whistle on him as soon as he found out.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, says Trump threw him under the bus.
“If he would do that to me, he would do that to anybody,” Cornyn says. “There’s never going to be good enough for him, other than 100 percent, you know, slavish adherence to whatever he wants.“
www.nytimes.com/2026/06/11/u...
“If he would do that to me, he would do that to anybody,” Cornyn says. “There’s never going to be good enough for him, other than 100 percent, you know, slavish adherence to whatever he wants.“
www.nytimes.com/2026/06/11/u...
After Senate Loss, Cornyn Predicts ‘Miserable’ Final Two Years for Trump
www.nytimes.com
June 12, 2026 at 2:53 AM
Wow sounds like a terrible guy to support as president, but I'm glad that Cornyn blew the whistle on him as soon as he found out.