Ben Gaskins
@bengaskins.bsky.social
Political Scientist at Lewis and Clark College. Soccer, public opinion, religion and politics, and bad puns.
Wow, congrats @emayfarris.bsky.social!
BREAKING: Democrat Taylor Rehmet flips GOP-held Texas state Senate seat in special election for district Trump handily won in 2024.
Democrat Taylor Rehmet wins a reliably Republican Texas state Senate seat, stunning GOP
Democrat Taylor Rehmet has won a special election for the Texas state Senate and flipped a reliably Republican district that President Donald Trump won by 17 points in 2024.
bit.ly
February 1, 2026 at 6:02 AM
Wow, congrats @emayfarris.bsky.social!
This guy's name is just Goofy saying wash
Not that anyone asked me but, yes, Warsh is obviously an unqualified hack. In terms of the impact he could have on policy, however, there aren't enough Trump appointees on the current FOMC for the commitee to be pursuaded by Chairman Warsh on policy. paulkrugman.substack.com/p/a-bad-heir...
A Bad Heir Day at the Fed
No, Kevin Warsh isn’t qualified
paulkrugman.substack.com
January 30, 2026 at 9:13 PM
This guy's name is just Goofy saying wash
This just sucks.
January 30, 2026 at 7:11 PM
This just sucks.
Reposted by Ben Gaskins
If you've ever wondered about the difference between Southern Baptists & American Baptists (formerly known as Northern Baptists), the Twin Cities are showing it.
An SBC church has a pastor who's an ICE leader.
An ABC church a block from Pretti's execution is ministering to those terrorized by ICE:
An SBC church has a pastor who's an ICE leader.
An ABC church a block from Pretti's execution is ministering to those terrorized by ICE:
An American Baptist church is 1 block from where Alex Pretti was executed. They're passing out coffee & opened building to people visiting memorial. They had to hold their Sunday service elsewhere & it was powerful joint service with another American Baptist church: wordandway.org/2026/01/26/a...
An American Baptist Church Ministers in Shadow of Pretti Killing - Word&Way
An American Baptist church is just one block from where nurse Alex Pretti was executed Saturday by federal agents in the street. The church held a joint worship service the next morning elsewhere, but...
wordandway.org
January 26, 2026 at 8:49 PM
If you've ever wondered about the difference between Southern Baptists & American Baptists (formerly known as Northern Baptists), the Twin Cities are showing it.
An SBC church has a pastor who's an ICE leader.
An ABC church a block from Pretti's execution is ministering to those terrorized by ICE:
An SBC church has a pastor who's an ICE leader.
An ABC church a block from Pretti's execution is ministering to those terrorized by ICE:
Me: Yay, I get to take the whole day to write!
Also me: Writing is the bane of my existence. I would rather grade papers. Why did I do this to myself.
Also me: Writing is the bane of my existence. I would rather grade papers. Why did I do this to myself.
January 20, 2026 at 9:15 PM
Me: Yay, I get to take the whole day to write!
Also me: Writing is the bane of my existence. I would rather grade papers. Why did I do this to myself.
Also me: Writing is the bane of my existence. I would rather grade papers. Why did I do this to myself.
We watched the video for Lionel Ritchie's "Hello" for the first time since the Pop-Up Video era, and I had no idea how creepy it is. He's a theater professor trying to get with his (blind) student by following her around the halls and calling her at home! Yuck.
January 6, 2026 at 11:34 PM
We watched the video for Lionel Ritchie's "Hello" for the first time since the Pop-Up Video era, and I had no idea how creepy it is. He's a theater professor trying to get with his (blind) student by following her around the halls and calling her at home! Yuck.
It was a long time coming, but that Washington Post editorial about Trump and Venezuela was so genuinely embarrassing it reminded me to finally cancel my subscription.
January 3, 2026 at 6:17 PM
It was a long time coming, but that Washington Post editorial about Trump and Venezuela was so genuinely embarrassing it reminded me to finally cancel my subscription.
Times like this I'm just grateful I don't study war or foreign policy or whatever so no one will ask for my thoughts or analysis. Instead I get to just be angry about how truly dumb everything is.
January 3, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Times like this I'm just grateful I don't study war or foreign policy or whatever so no one will ask for my thoughts or analysis. Instead I get to just be angry about how truly dumb everything is.
We just got back in town from the east coast, so we're ordering pizzas, watching The Goes Wrong Show, and going to bed by 9pm (which is technically midnight where we began the day). Happy New Year!
January 1, 2026 at 1:27 AM
We just got back in town from the east coast, so we're ordering pizzas, watching The Goes Wrong Show, and going to bed by 9pm (which is technically midnight where we began the day). Happy New Year!
Reposted by Ben Gaskins
the line is actually "no JESUS for us meeses," an oblique reference to the fact that, as muppets are unable to take communion, they are forbidden from entering the kingdom of god
December 14, 2025 at 4:13 AM
the line is actually "no JESUS for us meeses," an oblique reference to the fact that, as muppets are unable to take communion, they are forbidden from entering the kingdom of god
Reposted by Ben Gaskins
see what you’ve got here is a classic case of too many dries. you’ve got all dries, no wets. major blunder
November 29, 2025 at 8:14 PM
see what you’ve got here is a classic case of too many dries. you’ve got all dries, no wets. major blunder
Reposted by Ben Gaskins
SHUT THE FUCK UP
Thanksgiving doesn’t have to mean delicious but unhealthy dishes. You can have flavor plus boost longevity with these five tips from blue zone researcher Dan Buettner. https://cnn.it/4rAnU6m
November 26, 2025 at 12:33 AM
SHUT THE FUCK UP
*Rant incoming*
In today's political environment, higher education is facing huge headwinds. Policy makers are antagonistic, funding is drying up, and there are fewer students than in the past.
In today's political environment, higher education is facing huge headwinds. Policy makers are antagonistic, funding is drying up, and there are fewer students than in the past.
November 14, 2025 at 8:32 PM
*Rant incoming*
In today's political environment, higher education is facing huge headwinds. Policy makers are antagonistic, funding is drying up, and there are fewer students than in the past.
In today's political environment, higher education is facing huge headwinds. Policy makers are antagonistic, funding is drying up, and there are fewer students than in the past.
I'm finally able to turn on the Thorns game in overtime and they immediately score. Coincidence? Yeah probably.
November 9, 2025 at 10:18 PM
I'm finally able to turn on the Thorns game in overtime and they immediately score. Coincidence? Yeah probably.
Reposted by Ben Gaskins
The Year of Discourse starts tonight. Remember to pace yourselves; it's a marathon, not a sprint.
election night is going to be about Spanberger and Mamdani, with both factions claiming proof of concept, and the discourse will be a nightmare
VA and NJ both being decisive, like a landslide in VA and a decisive win in NJ (ie a bit of an upset from the current vibes of maybe it'll be close) might be enough in and of themselves, but i think a lot of democrats are holding their breath and waiting to see where things fall
November 4, 2025 at 5:33 PM
The Year of Discourse starts tonight. Remember to pace yourselves; it's a marathon, not a sprint.
My kid gets back from trick or treating and immediately has to put all her candy into a spreadsheet to track what she got. Because data is power.
November 1, 2025 at 2:35 AM
My kid gets back from trick or treating and immediately has to put all her candy into a spreadsheet to track what she got. Because data is power.
Honestly, I'm okay with this
Leavitt: "At this moment in time, of course, the ballroom is really the president's main priority."
October 23, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Honestly, I'm okay with this
Reposted by Ben Gaskins
Fellow Short Kings, we good with AOC again
October 7, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Fellow Short Kings, we good with AOC again
Oof, yes
the wave of weaponized nostalgia for 90s-style multiculturalism and political correctness is gonna hit different
October 7, 2025 at 5:12 AM
Oof, yes
Had a fun time in Vancouver for APSA. My favorite interaction was with an older guy who asked me what I was in town for. I told him a political science conference. He paused for a second, then said "Well, there sure are lots of views in the world." I said there sure are, and he got off the elevator.
September 16, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Had a fun time in Vancouver for APSA. My favorite interaction was with an older guy who asked me what I was in town for. I told him a political science conference. He paused for a second, then said "Well, there sure are lots of views in the world." I said there sure are, and he got off the elevator.
Huh, interesting to see this and his rationale. I usually see this happening the other way, esp. in Republican states.
An Oregon state lawmaker switches party, from R to D: www.opb.org/article/2025...
That extends Democrats' majority to 37/23 in this chamber.
That extends Democrats' majority to 37/23 in this chamber.
September 5, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Huh, interesting to see this and his rationale. I usually see this happening the other way, esp. in Republican states.
Was at a restaurant that had Fox News on, with the chryon "Vice President JD Vance talks about President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill." Sometimes I still can't believe this is real life. Would have boggled my mind a decade ago if you told me this was real.
September 1, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Was at a restaurant that had Fox News on, with the chryon "Vice President JD Vance talks about President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill." Sometimes I still can't believe this is real life. Would have boggled my mind a decade ago if you told me this was real.
We found an old Troll doll and now our kid calls it an 80s Labubu.
August 16, 2025 at 7:08 PM
We found an old Troll doll and now our kid calls it an 80s Labubu.
Ah, Tottenham being Tottenham. Glad to have some sureties in life!
August 13, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Ah, Tottenham being Tottenham. Glad to have some sureties in life!
Reposted by Ben Gaskins
My last living musical hero is still my hero but unfortunately no longer living. RIP to the great, great Mr. Tom Lehrer.
July 27, 2025 at 5:33 PM
My last living musical hero is still my hero but unfortunately no longer living. RIP to the great, great Mr. Tom Lehrer.