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Reposted by James Austin

Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · 7h

Indeed.

The government has chosen to prioritise reducing (skilled, legal, for work) migration over growth and hence over improving public services.

No economic rationale - but even worse, no political rationale either.

Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 13h

One mistake Labour made in their first year is loading quite a few new costs onto business all at once. They are risking doing something similar on immigration, I think.

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 7h

As always there is the issue someone will build a bot that will do this for free

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Reposted by James Austin

Cat Manning @catacalypto.bsky.social · 10h

this is the “break glass in case of not enough potentially monetizing users”

Quantian @quantian.bsky.social · 10h

October 2025
AI gooning is the master of the Internet
Only Claude stands against it
Waifus are now battlefields

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 7h

Like thumb on the scale works when you lose by 2/3%

When youre going down by 10 its obvious and arguably counterproductive

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 7h

I think the broad theory works - tho isnt unique to him - but much of the detail is rubbish

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 7h

Im not sure he can or will cancel the midterms. I do think he'll try to put his thumb on the scale massively - and perhaos successfully in the red states.

Given how its going im not sure it will matter

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 11h

Its, from a purely academic perspective, fascinating as a ideological development.

Horrifying as well, of course

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 12h

It's not even just about the rich fleeing; it's about how you measure wealth, the cost and overbearing nature of the bureaucracy around it, how it'd be shifted to different assets and so forth

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 12h

It's notable he doesn't actually engage with the critique in the article (or why, you know, they've failed everywhere else)

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 12h

Turning up with a sign saying 'No Princeps Civitatis!' for the lols

Jo Kershaw @mthrjo.bsky.social · 15h

Incidentally, I’ve been chafing a bit at the “No Kings” thing, because there are loads of monarchies that have more limits on executive power than the US does, but it has the great advantage that it makes Americans who want to oppose it sound, well, unamerican….

Dr. Samantha Hancox-Li @sjshancoxli.liberalcurrents.com · 17h

one of the reasons they're so mad at "no kings" is that they thought they were going to get a different kind of protest. they *want* the black bloc to be out there fighting with the cops. those are the images they've been trying to generate from "go." instead--

newrepublic.com/article/2016...

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 12h

And there are way more of them per person.

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 12h

*Guns Germs and Steel

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 12h

Yes, exactly this period. You think about your knowledge (and quite basic knowledge) of the period he's talking about and go... erm, wut?

(Blood Germs and Steel is the same)

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Reposted by James Austin

☠️deadward niedermurder☠️ @niedermeyer.online · 13h

my "I'm in recession-ready mode" t-shirt is raising a lot of questions already answered by the shirt

FinTwitter @fintwitter.bsky.social · 15h

CITI CFO SAYS CITI HAS BEEN IN `RECESSION-READY MODE' FOR OVER A YEAR || SAYS BANK DOES NOT HAVE ANY EXPOSURE TO RECENT BANKRUPTCIES AND FRAUD CASES

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 14h

*Shake head lightly* Not like this guys, not like this

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 14h

Potentially, but I think it'd be far less clear cut. Numbers make a big differance and I think the South American empires have the potential to adapt and close the tech gap (as happened, to a extent, in Chile)

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 14h

'I'm not a king! I'm a princeps civitatis!"

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 14h

Yeah, I may have issues with the slogan but in a American context it works very well. similar to how the romans would avoid the word Rex at all costs....

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Reposted by James Austin

John Oxley @joxley.jmoxley.co.uk · 15h

Turning up to the "No Kings" protest with my "Actually maybe you need a king" sign.

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 15h

Ultimately no nation could survive losing 30%+ of its population to illness in a few years; we're talking the Plague of Justinian on steroids

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 15h

Yeah, unlike most 10s he has enough tight carrying chops and defense to make it work. Plus is entirely selfless (often to his detriment)

James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 15h

Oh, its a incredibly stupid point. The Darin gap makes contact very difficult at scale, without hugely different tech.

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 15h

And, you know, the Darin gap

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 15h

Small hamlet near Wooten-Under-Edge isnt it?

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 16h

I always felt the Smith/Farrell combo worked very well and wasn't given enough time. Notably he's back to playing 12 (well) at Sarries this season

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