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politics

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Ruling Is a Skill. Voting for It Is a Joke
2 months ago
- Politics selects for charisma and confidence, not governance competence.
- Ruling requires engineering under constraints, but elections reward mood and recall, not skill.
- Voters are swayed by recent events like shark attacks, football losses, or weather, not by actual governing performance.
- Other high-stakes roles (surgeon, pilot) are filled based on competence, but political leadership is not.
- The selection mechanism is flawed, akin to an astrologer practicing astronomy.
- Arguing on behalf of a coalition is unpaid theater; real impact is in local budget decisions.
- Redirect attention to local governance where showing up changes outcomes.
Pluralistic: The Big Con (19 Jun 2026)
2 months ago
- Pyramid schemes like Amway are 'big cons' where everyone—from uplines to downlines—pretends to succeed while actually failing, leaving victims believing they are the only ones not making sales.
- This con extends to modern American politics and business: figures like Trump and Musk use similar tactics, funded by pyramid scheme money (e.g., Heritage Foundation), and the myth that large investments (like AI) must be legitimate is a fallacy.
- The post also includes a curated list of links, upcoming appearances, recent book releases, and a colophon with licensing details.
Pluralistic: Post-political (09 Jul 2026)
2 months ago
- False equivalence between left and right extremism is highlighted, with right extremism involving violence and left extremism being trivial (e.g., moving zines).
- Horseshoe theory is rejected, emphasizing substantive life-and-death disagreements between left and right, not just cultural signifiers.
- Centrism's pathology is mistaking identity markers for politics, focusing on replacing ruling class demographics rather than abolishing the ruling class.
- Corey Robin's definition: conservatism believes some are born to rule, and elevating the ruled leads to disaster.
- Wilhoit's law: conservatism has in-groups protected by law but unbound, and out-groups bound but unprotected.
- Steven Brust's definition: left prioritizes human rights over property rights, viewing property as a tool for human rights.
- Leftists support property rights as a means to ends like health care, shelter, and food, not as ends themselves.
- Paradigm shift: left's paradigm sees property as tool for human rights; right's paradigm sees property rights as the only human right.
- Post-political movements misunderstand politics as cultural signifiers rather than fundamental choices about rule or freedom.
Secrets of the ancient memelords
2 months ago
- Religions succeed by offering both a brainy version for intellectuals and a folksy version for everyday people, which keeps them relevant and robust.
- Political divides often reflect a split between brainy and folksy groups, but each side needs the other to avoid becoming insufferable or superstitious.
- Two strategies from religions can bridge this divide: fractal beliefs (simple core ideas that scale) and memetic flexibility (adapting details without changing core tenets).
- Progressives must make their ideas accessible and appealing to win long-term support, rather than relying on proof-of-work or rejecting engagement with opponents.
- Effective governance requires integrating both brainy and folksy perspectives to avoid extremes of pedantry or reactionaryism.
Het ligt niet aan de Kamerleden - Bert Hubert's writings
2 months ago
- The problem is not the inexperience of MPs but the flawed system: they are tasked with overseeing a government with a turnover of over 400 billion euros, yet only 150 MPs must manage an overwhelming flow of thousands of pages of documents weekly.
- MPs who delve into policy details often become overworked and less visible, risking low placement on candidate lists, while ministers have a large staff to counter them in debates, making MPs appear uninformed.
- Many MPs choose superficiality, focusing on slogans and media presence, because going into depth rarely leads to success and can harm their political careers.
- The Tweede Kamer is aware of the issue and is expanding its Analysis and Research Department, but fundamental problems remain: the vast number of civil servants and consultants still produce far more documents than MPs can handle.
- The author advocates for substantial funding for each political party to have a large, content-focused staff that can keep MPs fully informed on all policy matters, allowing them to effectively legislate and control the government.
Journalisten: (be)grijp uw macht - Bert Hubert's writings
2 months ago
- Journalists' decisions on which stories to cover determine what issues receive political attention, as nearly all parliamentary questions reference news articles.
- Without media coverage, an issue is effectively invisible to politics, making journalists crucial gatekeepers who often don't realize the extent of their influence.
- There is a chicken-and-egg problem: reporting on new topics requires courage and effort, but ignoring them leaves potential problems in the dark.
- A case study involving the EU child porn scanner shows that sustained journalistic engagement can force political action, even if the final story doesn't air.
- Topic selection is often ad-hoc and risk-averse, with journalists reluctant to be the first to cover something new.
- The author argues that journalists should be supported in making conscious choices about what to cover, and should recognize that their role inherently involves activism by deciding where to shine a light.
Data, experts en politiek: een ongemakkelijke combinatie - Bert Hubert's writings
2 months ago
- Data, experts, and politics in the Netherlands form an uncomfortable combination due to a severe lack of technical and subject-matter expertise in parliament and ministries.
- Over 90% of decision-makers in The Hague are generalists with no technical background, leading to poor understanding of complex issues like energy, climate, and digital policy.
- The culture of ambiguity in politics clashes with the precision and clarity demanded by experts, causing friction and miscommunication.
- Data is often misinterpreted (e.g., website statistics inflated by bots and image requests), requiring expert analysis to extract meaningful insights.
- Politicians often seek simple, debatable soundbites rather than nuanced advice, while experts prefer to present multiple neutral options without advocating for one.
- Lobbyists and external advisors fill the knowledge gap with ready-made arguments, undermining democratic decision-making.
- The solution is not to replace all politicians with experts, but to aim for a mix where at least 40% of decision-makers have concrete expertise in relevant fields.
- The current knowledge-poor environment makes the system vulnerable to manipulation and poor policy outcomes, especially given the complexity of modern challenges.
Keep Your Identity Small
2 months ago
- Politics and religion lead to unproductive discussions because people feel no need for expertise to have opinions, unlike topics like JavaScript or baking.
- These topics become part of people's identity, making them partisan and unable to engage in fruitful arguments.
- The issue is not the topic itself but whether it engages participants' identities; any topic can become a 'religious war' depending on the people involved.
- Fruitful discussions are possible only when participants' identities are not engaged, even with topics like politics or religion.
- To have better ideas, one should minimize the number of things that become part of their identity, as identity limits clear thinking.
- Being a scientist can be an exception to identity because it commits to following evidence rather than specific beliefs.
The Two Kinds of Moderate
2 months ago
- There are two types of political moderates: intentional (trimming to a position midway between extremes) and accidental (independently forming opinions that average to the middle).
- Intentional moderates acquire opinions in bulk, like ideologues, and shift with the median opinion to remain moderate.
- Accidental moderates choose their own questions and opinions, often ignoring topics deemed important by left and right, leading to a scattered distribution.
- Accidental moderates require courage as they face attacks from both sides and lack the comfort of orthodox group membership.
- The most impressive people in intellectual work tend to be accidental moderates, as independent-mindedness is crucial for quality in ideas.
Reading List 06/27/26
2 months ago
- Trump refuses to sign the ROAD to Housing Act until the SAVE America Act passes, despite bipartisan support.
- NIST report attributes the 2021 Surfside condo collapse to design and construction errors that reduced safety margins.
- Major U.S. homebuilders like D.R. Horton and Lennar see rising construction defect costs and self-insurance reserves.
- A federal mandate for U.S.-made construction materials significantly increases costs for HUD-funded housing projects.
- Works in Progress articles highlight how opposing NIMBYism sparked modern capitalism and compare European housing issues.
- Mexican government plans to develop a locally produced, low-cost electric vehicle.
- California's AB2047, requiring 3D printers to block firearm manufacturing, faces opposition due to unreliable detection algorithms.
- U.S. EV maker Lucid lays off 18% of workforce after earlier 12% layoff.
- Chinese EV sales in Europe surge, with Leapmotor up 465% and BYD up 136.6% in May.
- Slate prices its EV truck at $25,000, but critics note it's not much cheaper than a base Ford Maverick.
How COVID Pushed a Generation of Young People to the Right
2 months ago
- Young voters in the US and Europe have shifted rightward in recent elections, with Donald Trump nearly closing the gap among under-30 voters in 2024 and far-right parties gaining youth support across Europe.
- The COVID-19 pandemic is a key driver, reducing trust in scientific and political authorities among those aged 18-25, a loss that persists and influences long-term political ideology.
- Pandemic-related decreases in physical socializing and increases in social media use have created gender-segregated online spaces, fueling anti-feminist sentiment among young men and further pushing them right.
- This generation, dubbed 'Generation C,' may develop a new conservative ideology blending vaccine skepticism, anti-immigration views, and distrust of institutions.
The Political Fight of the Century
2 months ago
- Trump's policies emphasize scarcity, demanding sacrifices in areas like healthcare, economy, housing, and immigration, rather than offering an expansive vision of the future.
- The MAGA movement's destructive approach mirrors voter anger but fails to provide a solution, particularly in housing where tariffs and anti-immigrant policies worsen shortages.
- Democrats in blue states also face scarcity issues, with restrictive regulations driving up housing costs and homelessness, leading to population loss and a failure to deliver on climate goals.
- A new political movement of abundance is needed, combining progressive care for the working class, conservative celebration of national greatness, and libertarian focus on removing harmful regulations.
- Abundance requires specific goals like more housing, clean energy, revitalized science policy, and technological innovation, while overcoming special interests and bureaucratic inertia.
- Liberals must reform their own governance to demonstrate that government can build effectively, and embrace institutional renewal rather than defending a flawed status quo.
- The current political order is in decline, creating an opportunity for a new narrative of abundance that redefines freedom as the ability to build, move, and live well.
Trump administration admits clean energy grants were canceled based on politics
2 months ago
- The Trump administration canceled $7.6 billion in clean energy grants based solely on the political identity of states (those voting for Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024).
- The administration previously claimed cancellations were due to fiscal or energy-needs concerns, but court filings contradict this.
- Democrats and environmental groups accuse the administration of weaponizing federal funds against political opponents.
- Approximately 321 funding awards across 223 projects were terminated, affecting battery plants, hydrogen tech, grid upgrades, and carbon capture.
- Targeted states include 16 Democratic-leaning states; the Energy Department's internal watchdog launched an investigation.
- Government lawyers admitted screening grants using keywords like diversity and vaccine hesitancy.
- Critics argue the cancellations harm working families and benefit fossil fuel interests.
Farage left fighting a trash can as the UK populist's election gamble backfires
3 months ago
- Nigel Farage resigns as MP amid allegations of undeclared financial donations, claiming constituents should judge his actions.
- Major UK political parties boycott the Clacton by-election, dismissing it as a stunt to divert attention from Farage's funding scrutiny.
- Satirical comedian Count Binface emerges as the primary opponent, gaining media attention as a protest vote option.
CNN Lite
3 months ago
- Nigel Farage faces scrutiny over campaign funding.
- Multiple violent incidents occurred on July 4th, including a Florida shooting and Brooklyn barbecue attack.
- Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding draws significant public attention.
- Putin and Trump held a lengthy phone call, as reported by Moscow.
- Various health and safety issues are highlighted, from a New York shark attack to a diarrhea-causing parasite.
- Political and social events include the reelection of Germany's far-right party and a Supreme Court decision on transgender rights.
- Environmental and technological topics are covered, such as US wildfires, oil prices, and wearable tech metrics.
- Celebrity news includes Serena Williams' withdrawal from Wimbledon and Beyoncé's new music release.
- International developments feature a rescue mission for a NASA observatory and earthquakes in Venezuela.
- Economic updates note Tesla's sales increase and concerns over crypto market crashes.
- Human interest stories involve a record-breaking solo rower and a dog squad aiding in disaster relief.
- Controversies arise around Trump's policies, immigration, and election probes.

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politics

Ruling Is a Skill. Voting for It Is a Joke

Pluralistic: The Big Con (19 Jun 2026)

Pluralistic: Post-political (09 Jul 2026)

Secrets of the ancient memelords

Het ligt niet aan de Kamerleden - Bert Hubert's writings

Journalisten: (be)grijp uw macht - Bert Hubert's writings

Data, experts en politiek: een ongemakkelijke combinatie - Bert Hubert's writings

Keep Your Identity Small

The Two Kinds of Moderate

Reading List 06/27/26

How COVID Pushed a Generation of Young People to the Right

The Political Fight of the Century

Trump administration admits clean energy grants were canceled based on politics

Farage left fighting a trash can as the UK populist's election gamble backfires

CNN Lite