@AnaKasparian Unfortunately, your framing and several elements of your segment are very privilege-defending and harmful. I hope you will reconsider debating this issue with someone like @equalityAlec. Here are some of the issues I personally would highlight: @AnaKasparian @equalityAlec 1) Your use of the terms “criminals” and “violent criminals” oversimplifies human behavior and dehumanizes people. Most people have both caused harm and been harmed in their lives, and there are many people who have never been arrested who have perpetrated significant violence.

Not only is the bill not at all “fabulous,” it’s something that was entirely predictable many more than three months ago. News stories continue to paint a much rosier picture of the Inflation Reduction Act than is warranted. First, on climate, the 40% number is super misleading even if you trust the models. The more accurate range would be -4% to 20%. But you shouldn’t trust the models! @TonyRomm

Important to remember that filibustering is hard to do indefinitely, especially if there is sustained public pressure, and a rule change in the Senate is not required for Democrats to force Republicans to actually filibuster legislation. Credit to @rollcall for noting what the media rarely does: “there is an argument to be made that no change in rules or precedents is needed to get to a simple majority vote.” It’s obviously easier with a rule change, but those in power always have options. rollcall.com/2022/01/18/dem…

The extremely important missing context for this claim is that it is based on a redefinition of “wealthy” from “has a lot of money” to “does not have a lot of money but went to college.” I kid you not. The numbers here are made up in a way that’s so ridiculous it’s almost funny.

https://twitter.com/JustinWolfers/status/1482379248962785281

Here is the paper’s author making the crazy argument that, while you may think debt is more of a burden on poor people than on rich people, poor people with debt are actually wealthier than rich people with debt because poor people cannot pay off their loans and rich people can.

I’ll be a little more blunt than this article: both COBRA and the Obamacare exchanges - even if recent improvements to them become permanent - are objectively terrible options for health coverage. They’re designed to enrich insurance executives, not to help people who need care.

https://twitter.com/bopinion/status/1479929206503100423

Two years into a pandemic, the Democratic Party continues to eschew the obvious health care policy in place in so much of the rest of the world in favor of “strengthening” or “building on” Obamacare. Our coverage remains far worse and our costs far greater than other countries’.

Not @TheOnion but seems like it in places: the Official Voter Information Guide for the California Gubernatorial Recall Election vig.cdn.sos.ca.gov/2021/pdf/compl… This candidate is an experienced politician who loves bubble baths.

Missed in both this tweet and the responses is what lawmakers could have mandated last year instead of distance learning: a total shutdown of the regular approach to school & the repurposing of education employees into disaster-service/assistance work to support families in need.

https://twitter.com/EpiEllie/status/1429156161614405634

Well-off families would have hated this approach, but distance learning is inherently inequitable and everyone knew that going in. Coupling this approach with much more substantial economic aid would have led to smaller opportunity gaps.

https://twitter.com/BenSpielberg/status/1429237483565318147

This piece assigns three pinocchios to a demonstrably true point because people who weren’t wealthy got small tax cuts, too. It’s not a “fact check.” It’s an opinion piece designed to obscure reality and defend policy that overwhelmingly benefits the wealthy.

https://twitter.com/glennkesslerwp/status/1356961695407738881

The TCJA was clearly constructed to benefit the wealthy and large corporations. The bottom 20% of families got an average of $70. The top 0.1% got an an average of $252,300. cbpp.org/federal-tax/fu…

I don't have a problem with @JoeBiden meeting with GOP senators. I have a problem with Biden likely adopting some of their demonstrably terrible ideas, which his record shows he very well may. I think it's good to meet with pretty much anyone. You just have to be willing to tell people who are wrong that they're wrong and people who are dishonest that you're on to them.

Much to agree with here from @BenBurgis. I think he undersells the potential upside of a floor vote & agree more with @briebriejoy's case about why it would have value. But this is a strategic disagreement among people with the same goals. Dore calling AOC a sellout is a problem.

https://twitter.com/jacobinmag/status/1340405293746937861

Here's @briebriejoy's piece on the floor vote. My personal view is that the best push right now would be for a standalone cash relief bill.

To me, though, the question of what specifically AOC should demand misses the more crucial point: how does AOC win? currentaffairs.org/2020/12/the-ca…

I’m sorry, but the ideas that she lost this committee spot because of a very good interview she did with The Intercept and that she only gave the good answers she gave in the interview because of pressure from the “Jimmy Dore caucus” are both completely insane.

https://twitter.com/danteatkins/status/1339976078274793475

AOC didn’t get the committee spot because corporate Democrats oppose her social justice advocacy and think they will suffer no consequences from blocking her. They don’t yet think she’s a legitimate threat to torpedo their priorities (like getting Pelosi elected as Speaker).

Ah yes, the never-seen-before “Russian model” of [checks notes]...consistent messaging. 🙄

https://twitter.com/john_sipher/status/1339918171994775553

Every specific example of “Russian disinformation” I’ve seen cited over the past 5 years has been unsophisticated, small bore, &/or actually mostly true. Russia hasn’t “hacked our minds;” Russiagate is just the manifestation of a wide swath of the media losing touch with reality.

I'm glad @chefjoseandres is supporting #OneFairWage in NY this year after opposing it in DC in 2018, but it is important to note that he seems only to be supporting it because the wage increase request is coupled with other requests, like for "tax relief." washingtoncitypaper.com/article/504447… Sadly, José Andres is still making things up about the push to abolish the subminimum wage for tipped workers in DC in 2018, though this time, the falsehood is more bizarre than anything else. What is he even talking about?

This piece is written by a former adviser to both Bush & Trump who sells "network security services to governments and private companies." Maybe we could take his evidence-free claims about the extreme Russian hacking threat with a grain of salt? nytimes.com/2020/12/16/opi… This is literally the only explanation the author provides for alleging that "the Russians" have probably infiltrated everything: a certain type of hack is "almost always" committed by a nation-state & we should just take his word for it that there's evidence implicating Russia.

If the Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice Task Force co-chaired by @SenLisaBaker, @Senatorcosta, @RepToohil, & @RepZabel wants to bring "data-driven findings and recommendations" by March 31, they should pay close attention at today's @CareNotControl town hall. eventbrite.com/e/care-not-con… The @CareNotControl campaign aims to end youth incarceration in Pennsylvania. Their town hall will feature the voices of young people and parents who have experienced the injustices of juvenile detention firsthand as well as policies that can begin to be implemented right now.

Donald Trump has a lot less power & Barack Obama had a lot more than many Democrats will admit. The presidency is an incredibly important office. It cannot both be true, though, that Trump can enact whatever awful things he wants despite a divided Congress & that Obama was hamstrung by the limitations of the presidency when Democrats controlled both the House & the Senate.

Economics instruction in the United States consists largely of empirically unsupported political theory masquerading as mathematical fact. I very much appreciate this admission from the economics profession’s defenders that introductory economics instruction - which is all the vast majority of people encounter - consists largely of lying to students about how the economy works.

The HEROES Act has some good elements, like state fiscal relief & SNAP benefits, but it also cuts taxes for the rich through state & local tax deduction cap repeal, includes corporate & lobbyist giveaways, & fails to provide appropriate health coverage. It's not acceptable as is. It's good to see progressive members of the House, led by @PramilaJayapal & @MarkPocan, upset with this bill & pushing back. The problem is that they won't accomplish much unless @SpeakerPelosi legitimately thinks she might lose their support.

https://twitter.com/kai_newkirk/status/1260346903583027200

Biden is better than Trump, but voting for Biden tells the Democratic Party that, as long as the GOP is more scary, candidates whose policies oppress millions by design are acceptable. It seriously undermines progressive power in the long run. #WhyImNotVotingForJoe In primaries, Democratic leaders push the premise that centrists are most electable. This argument is predicated on the view that they are entitled to social justice advocates’ vote but must work for centrists’ votes. That is enabled by the “vote blue no matter who” mindset.

No better way to spend your time this Saturday than making calls for @BernieSanders! I've been on for a half hour & have already had great conversations with 2 Florida voters who agree that, especially given the COVID-19 pandemic, we need Medicare for All. berniesanders.com/call Talked to one strong Bernie supporter who had moved and wasn't sure about where her polling place was. She was also trying to find time to get there when she wasn't working. We went to berniesanders.com/florida, found her polling place, & she is going this weekend!

Live in Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, or Washington (or are a Democrat abroad)? There are lots of important issues on your ballot today. Let's talk about them! #SuperTuesday2 Reproductive rights are on the ballot.

@JoeBiden has repeatedly cast votes to restrict abortion & contraception.

@BernieSanders has a 100% pro-choice voting record.

34justice.com/2020/03/08/pro…