Psyched-Up Politics

Left-wing media shouldn't be telling us to tune back in after a little self-care. It should be doing this instead. psycheduppolitics.substack.com/p/stop-telli...

What I see when Trump says he's "looking at something really strongly"

Sometimes, I get criticized for only offering advice and constructive criticism to Democratic figures. That's fair. I do it because I want to give them their best shot at being their most effective. But in the interest of balance, here's some advice for the other side:

"No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country. By living wages I mean more than a bare subsistence level - I mean the wages of decent living." .. (Franklin. D. Roosevelt) ..(cartoon Nick Anderson)

News used to be the way you stay up-to-date with what's happening in the world. Now it's a crapshoot of whether they will cover one political disaster to avoid talking about a different one, or if they will avoid all and only talk about: - storms everywhere - a shooting somewhere - plane problems

we won't help you with the costs rising because of our choices, and we won't do more on screwworm, but shoot a wolf if it'll make you feel better. It's always a wolf that's the problem in cartoons so probably it'll help.

Well that inspires confidence... For an admin slamming vegans, this seems like a great ad for becoming one.

I don't know what the movie does with the theme, but I CAN'T watch "Coyote vs. Acme" The story in the cartoons is that a customer orders items from (and ostensibly pays his money to) a big company that sells everything and it always bites him in the ass but no fallout for Acme. Too real.

Shock gloves, Flock cameras, data centers, and these things... Tech doesn't actually have to screw us this hard unless our funding structure favors the malign.

Freudian slip...

This needs to be said: While the right is freaking out about women in power not being taken seriously by the left, are they really trying to say that a woman rising in power on the merits of her talent is exemplified by one using language like, "you're all that matters to me" to her boss?

James Talarico's ad is great. Many of Paxton's offenses are not relatable. But who doesn't think you're a jerk if you steal someone's stuff?

Hey Claude, WTAF?!?!

What's "electability"? The political answer and the psychological one aren't the same... Why our frame should change and how: psycheduppolitics.substack.com/p/what-is-el...

I'm wondering how much of this is correlation not causation. Yes, there is more remote work. But also, companies downsize and expect remaining workers to make up the difference without pay raises & to answer emails and phones 24/7. Maybe if they had $ & time off they could socialize on THEIR terms.

Some people watch Disney and want someday to meet Prince Charming. Some people want to be friends with all the animals. (that's me) And some people want a bedazzled ballroom.

We perpetually expect people to share our knowledge base and logic systems. They don't. You still have to convince people even of things you take for granted. And per the elaboration likelihood model, don't expect them to just engage out of high need for cognition. Engage them. More:

Please share. and stay to that last line 😂

Next time someone makes fun of Pete Buttigieg or implies that he wasn't good at his job, let's remind folks that they think THIS is being good at the job.

"It says here on your resume that you have over 30 years of experience?" "Yeah I beat every Star Fox that came out, so I'm pretty much ready to run a tower."

Long-term strategy got Republicans into power as they are today. One simple frame shift can change our whole strategy and get Democrats on track. Read how: psycheduppolitics.substack.com/p/the-succes...

Writers will explain that the hardest thing to write is a "genius" character because you have to be smart enough to show their depth of intelligence. It's gotta be hard to be an official pretending to have intelligent thought when you don't.

Remember when: - Gates said a workweek would be 2 days - Dimon said ~4 days - Musk said work would be OPTIONAL like a "hobby" all because of AI and automation? Well...

"I will do something I know is wrong. I'll be criticized for that. What's new?" Nothing. That's the problem. Nothing is new. Most intelligent life forms adjust behavior when the natural outcome is bad. You will not. Instead, you flaccidly shake your fist at the natural consequence of your action.

Given how much this administration loves awkward workout videos set to music, I'm wonder why there is no video of McConnell crushing his exercises at home. If he's well enough to go home, he's well enough for someone to get a 5-second video of him doing anything. At all.

That the Democratic establishment really thought Haley Stevens was a good candidate to endorse... ...are y'all okay?

I want to know how many of these guys just brought them home 🥹🩷 I feel like if someone just handed me a dog and s/he licked my face or fell asleep on me, that's it, that's my dog now, not giving back.

The world is still on fire. Pause for a moment and look at these little loves.🐾🩷

I'm trying to fathom the utter absence of self-awareness that makes these people think we definitely don't want an intelligent doctor in charge-- while we struggle with food safety, measles, and cuts to healthcare-- and that they are the right ones to message this.

Why do we work so hard to overcomplicate things? The roadmap is this: find problems and fix them. Democrats are successful when they make government work for people and people can feel the benefits. El-Sayed is great at communicating this and has good ideas about how to do it.

It bums me out that most of my posts are, in fact, VERY basic asks of Democratic messaging: Have a goal. Be intentional in working toward it. It’s as easy as that, and yet the messaging from Democrats continues to make me wonder how they have any strategy at all.

Information vacuums are opportunities to drive political narratives. Free newsletter: How we're messing up the gift McConnell left us: open.substack.com/pub/psychedu...

While we're over here quibbling over whether "democratic socialism" is the answer, or centrism, or whatever, here's the real answer: FIX PROBLEMS. MAKE LIFE BETTER. Mamdani is successful BECAUSE HE'S SUCCESSFUL.

Quick question: We pay taxes. So, why is it okay to break campaign promises to us and not to corporations? The answer to that question, by the way, should change how we think about politics and politicians.

Male roommates: terrified of mice. Squeamish about spiders and bugs. The cats: "I CALL DIBS ON THE SCURRYING THING!"

In case you thought he developed a little insight...

The fact that "you can just do stuff to make people's lives better" is novel in governing is absolutely wild.

I've been ringing this bell for much longer than I'd like. Just replace him already. If a CEO is singlehandedly tanking a company, do you think the board takes this long for a no-confidence vote? Just to see if maybe it turns around? Maybe? Give it another 6 months? Timing's not right, maybe later?

Dems please message like this so I can stop screaming into the void about how we're not messaging like this.

The people who told you to inject bleach and eat horse paste are demonizing Fauci. Doctors and nurses are praising him.* Which ones do you really believe? *The same doctors and nurses who treated you for COVID and for ingesting horse paste.

Once again, Ken Martin shows that Dems have learned nothing. A short note: substack.com/@psycheduppo...

30 seconds after we okay Roundup, Trump wonders about Scandinavians: "WhY wOn'T tHeY mOvE hERe?"

Can we step aside for a moment to wonder why people suddenly want to live out the darkest dystopias and horror scenarios? This time, I'm wondering why the AI Hugging Face is named like a pretty gruesome creature from the movie Alien. Did they want to sound like a parasite?