2025's oligarchical ascension has spurred a backlash from Mitt Romney, let alone those to his left. As Harold Meyerson writes, "Democrats will either go full progressive populist, or they won’t go anywhere at all." prospect.org/2025/12/22/h...
A Happy 2025 By-Product: Revul...
One of the more interesting storylines as we close this year is the rising anger with data center development. @gurleygg.bsky.social@bsky.brid.gy runs down the calls for moratoria, multiple incidents of local rejections, and the impact it's already having on data center financing:
prospect.org/2025/12/22/d...
Demands for Data Center Morato...
Santiago Montag reports from Syria, where 16 million people—70% of the population—are dependent on humanitarian aid, and are increasingly desperate after USAID cuts:
"We’ve reduced our meals to just one plate a day"
"People only get water once every ten days"
prospect.org/2025/12/19/u...
USAID Cuts Leave Syrians on th...
From me: If they wanted to tank their majority, Republicans couldn't do much worse than dragging out a debate on their worst issue (health care) into an election year, after affirmatively causing a severe rise in the cost of living for tens of millions.
prospect.org/2025/12/19/r...
Republicans Can’t Escape Their...
Important story from @bharatramamurti.bsky.social@bsky.brid.gy.
The "no taxes under $400,000" one-way ratchet has waved in so many Trump/Bush tax cuts that there's not enough revenue available to pursue much of an agenda.
bharatramamurti.substack.com/p/the-tickin...
The Ticking Time Bomb Awaiting...
To use a stylized, simplified example:
In 2025 insurance cost $100, in 2026 it's $125.
Because of subsidies you paid $50 in 2025, in 2026, $100.
The insurance company paid out $85 per capita in 2025, $106.25 in 2026.
This would read as 0% inflation, even though you're paying 100% more for insurance!
The Bondi Beach massacre would have been much worse without Australia's gun laws that forced the assailants to have to use a bolt-action rifle, writes @ryanlcooper.com@bsky.brid.gy.
prospect.org/2025/12/17/a...
Australia Proves Gun Control W...
A few months ago the theory was that Trump would rig the 2026 elections with maps that make it impossible for Democrats to win the House. Now, after Indiana rejected redistricting, they actually stand to *lose* seats. And Trump's rash pardon of Henry Cuellar probably blows one more. Amazing.
Indiana Republicans Reject Tru...
What was the movie of 2025? According to our critic A.A. Dowd, it was Sinners and it's not even close. Yet Hollywood's power brokers tried to downplay it, maybe because Black directors and stars are still considered "risky" bets in the movie biz, against all evidence.
prospect.org/2025/12/11/s...
The Hit Hollywood Didn’t Want ...