I strongly agree that all of these are under threat or direct attack in the U.S., if that’s your point. But these are some of the measures by which academics evaluate whether governments are “democratic” nonetheless. The U.S. in particular was much stronger on these measures twenty years ago than it is today.

Free and fair elections, rule of law, stable governmental institutions, individual freedoms, and a free and independent press. Just to give a few academic measures.

Yeah, but his base thinks that China pays the tariffs because they don’t know how anything works. Hell, Trump might believe that China pays the tariffs because he doesn’t know how anything works.

Yes, and that’s exactly the point, isn’t it?

There are some areas of business that are still built on trust and personal relationships and people trying to right by each other so they can each support their families.

But that’s not the case in modern politics or tech. It doesn’t matter if you have a relationship dating back decades. It’s inconsequential to a billionaire who’s earning a margin on an all the goods - and increasing share of which are brazenly counterfeit - that he sells globally.

Bezos doesn’t care about you, or me, or my aged parents. It’s not only that he doesn’t care about us, but instead that the billionaire class in general doesn’t care about anything besides contingencies to maximize profits and mitigate losses, real-world consequences be damned.

He will never notice any of us. It will not meaningfully affect his paycheck. It is up to each of us, including you, to determine whether to construct meaning in a symbolic act of protest, if an effectual act of protest is no longer an option.

Just spoke to my parents. Uninterrupted subscribers since '73.

I called them right after canceling my own subscription and they’d already canceled theirs.

I hope Bezos is happy losing 51-year patrons of his paper.

Yeah, unfortunately there’s almost no chance that he sees any real consequences over this. A different justice system for him vs the rest of us.

It was a staged photo op and the restaurant was closed to customers. He didn’t decide to do actual work for the first time in his life. It was BS like everything else. Nobody ate that food.

It’s not that much of an outlier. Nate Silver is tracking Trump’s lead in Florida across numerous polls at +3%. With leaners, this poll found +2%. Off the average by one point with a 3.5% margin of error. Which is to say, well in line with other results.

The article is sensationalistic and likely wrong in portraying that as a toss-up or close to tied. Trump won Florida in 2020 by +3%. A result that suggests he has a similar lead suggests that he’ll win by about as much as he did in 2020.

Silver has seven recent polls that inform the Florida average. Not a single one shows Harris ahead. Trump has also outperformed his polling in both of the last two contests, so his actual lead in Florida may be greater than the polling average suggests, but there is nothing to suggest Harris is ahead or likely to pull ahead.

Trump is likely to win Florida. The race still hinges primarily on Pennsylvania. Harris is not gaining ground. The race is locked in essentially a dead heat, with a tiny edge for Harris if you believe the polls and a tiny edge for Trump if you believe he’ll again outperform the polls.

I detest these articles and the conspiratorial side of me thinks they’re planted by the right to encourage complacency among Democratic voters. This election is as close as they come and requires everyone to show up and vote.

The purpose of the ED is to make sure you’re not actively dying and then refer you to a specialist who books three months out.

There is a huge gap in American medicine between the ED and the doctor’s office. You might spend weeks or months in severe pain or discomfort waiting to be seen by someone who can treat you. The ED docs are just there to stabilize you and send you on your way.

I’m just barely old enough to recall when Sir Mixalot alleged that Jane Fonda does not have a motor in the back of her Honda. I agree that she is not likely to make strong inroads with Gen Z.

Alito is a rancid cyst on American democracy. Jail me, clown.

It was hard for Republicans to compete with The Onion’s devastating exposé alleging that Walz’ “aw, shucks” persona is merely a facade concealing his true “gee whiz” tendencies.

The states she needs are all on a knife’s edge. She’s polling slightly better after the debate but things could easily revert over the next seven weeks. This election will be decided by turnout. I get frustrated with these articles proclaiming she’s ahead in a single poll with a result that’s inside the margin of error. Harris needs to beat both Trump and complacency.

If you can do a good thing for women’s rights and simultaneously piss off terrible people, well, that’s just a win-win situation.

Superbly written article. The author distills the conflict very accurately.

Yeah, if you asked Trump supporters to find Haiti on a map, I’m guessing a single-digit percentage is getting it right. Their prejudice towards immigrants is not some calculated, historically-informed position. It’s a basal fear of the other.

Every last vote helps. Glad she’s using her platform to stand up for reproductive rights.

They won’t. Their goal is theocracy. They’d prefer it tomorrow, but they’ll chip away incrementally if need be. That’s what they did with the courts, which is why we’re here in the first place. They’re still voting for Trump.

Exactly. I hate these articles that encourage complacency. Pennsylvania is on a knife’s edge and everyone needs to vote. You could write an article about the signs pointing in Trump’s favor in PA just as easily if not more.

Register to vote. Check your registration to make sure it’s active. Tell your friends to do the same. Make a plan to vote. Help your friends make a plan to vote. These are the only messages that are helpful in PA.

I wish the left was as far left as it used to be. Roosevelt or even LBJ would be a welcome shift from the corporate Democratic party that Clinton thought he needed to counter Reaganism.