Matthew Sheffield
@matthew.flux.community
🟦 Writing and editing @flux.community
🟦 Host, Theory of Change podcast
🟦 Former TV producer and pollster
🟦 As seen in NYT, WaPo, NBC, NPR, Variety ...
New book: What Republicans Know https://flux.community/book/what-republicans-know
🟦 Host, Theory of Change podcast
🟦 Former TV producer and pollster
🟦 As seen in NYT, WaPo, NBC, NPR, Variety ...
New book: What Republicans Know https://flux.community/book/what-republicans-know
Pinned
Robert Kennedy’s bizarre obsession with ‘natural’ isn’t going to make Americans healthier
Historian of fitness Natalia Mehlman Petrzela on why an obese president has a health secretary who moralizes about wellness
plus.flux.community
Just released a great discussion with @nataliapetrzela.bsky.social about RFK Junior and the danger of making "natural" the centerpiece of your worldview.
Glenn Beck's AI George Washington makes an appearance as well!
Glenn Beck's AI George Washington makes an appearance as well!
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
🧪A few more hours to go…
January 1, 2026 at 12:06 AM
🧪A few more hours to go…
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
Stephen Miller wants you to think he's all-powerful, so that he can become so. Important perspective.
One point I would add is that the SCOTUS conservatives (Roberts, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barrett) have mostly been playing shadow docket games. They love unitary executive, but are seeing its problems.
One point I would add is that the SCOTUS conservatives (Roberts, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barrett) have mostly been playing shadow docket games. They love unitary executive, but are seeing its problems.
Trump and Stephen Miller are actually failing in crucial ways. Deportations are lagging behind their goals, courts are mostly functioning, and their fascist, ethnonationalist cruelties have unleashed a countermobilization of unexpected scope and power.
New from me:
newrepublic.com/article/2046...
New from me:
newrepublic.com/article/2046...
December 31, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Stephen Miller wants you to think he's all-powerful, so that he can become so. Important perspective.
One point I would add is that the SCOTUS conservatives (Roberts, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barrett) have mostly been playing shadow docket games. They love unitary executive, but are seeing its problems.
One point I would add is that the SCOTUS conservatives (Roberts, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barrett) have mostly been playing shadow docket games. They love unitary executive, but are seeing its problems.
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
American wellness culture! Never not providing endless fodder for analysis… psyched to return to @matthew.flux.community podcast to discuss RFK, Jr.’s latest. Out today!
Just released a great discussion with @nataliapetrzela.bsky.social about RFK Junior and the danger of making "natural" the centerpiece of your worldview.
Glenn Beck's AI George Washington makes an appearance as well!
Glenn Beck's AI George Washington makes an appearance as well!
Robert Kennedy’s bizarre obsession with ‘natural’ isn’t going to make Americans healthier
Historian of fitness Natalia Mehlman Petrzela on why an obese president has a health secretary who moralizes about wellness
plus.flux.community
December 31, 2025 at 7:44 PM
American wellness culture! Never not providing endless fodder for analysis… psyched to return to @matthew.flux.community podcast to discuss RFK, Jr.’s latest. Out today!
Just released a great discussion with @nataliapetrzela.bsky.social about RFK Junior and the danger of making "natural" the centerpiece of your worldview.
Glenn Beck's AI George Washington makes an appearance as well!
Glenn Beck's AI George Washington makes an appearance as well!
Robert Kennedy’s bizarre obsession with ‘natural’ isn’t going to make Americans healthier
Historian of fitness Natalia Mehlman Petrzela on why an obese president has a health secretary who moralizes about wellness
plus.flux.community
December 31, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Just released a great discussion with @nataliapetrzela.bsky.social about RFK Junior and the danger of making "natural" the centerpiece of your worldview.
Glenn Beck's AI George Washington makes an appearance as well!
Glenn Beck's AI George Washington makes an appearance as well!
"Platonic space" discourse in biology or computer science is not only incorrect, it is actively enabling of authoritarian superstition.
Creationist propagandists are absolutely joyous that some smart people are dabbling with dualism. archive.is/XQRFl
Creationist propagandists are absolutely joyous that some smart people are dabbling with dualism. archive.is/XQRFl
archive.is
December 31, 2025 at 11:59 AM
"Platonic space" discourse in biology or computer science is not only incorrect, it is actively enabling of authoritarian superstition.
Creationist propagandists are absolutely joyous that some smart people are dabbling with dualism. archive.is/XQRFl
Creationist propagandists are absolutely joyous that some smart people are dabbling with dualism. archive.is/XQRFl
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
I never get tired of talking about “The Myth of Disenchantment.” If you too are up for more, I had a great convo with Khalid Khatri on his Incisive Thoughts podcast. Give it a listen! : youtu.be/7gKeqOmL4bo
Science’s Hidden History of Magic and Spirits w/ Dr. Jason Josephson Storm
YouTube video by Incisive Thoughts
youtu.be
December 6, 2025 at 2:23 PM
I never get tired of talking about “The Myth of Disenchantment.” If you too are up for more, I had a great convo with Khalid Khatri on his Incisive Thoughts podcast. Give it a listen! : youtu.be/7gKeqOmL4bo
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
Right wingers love to attack the very concept of daycare centers. In the 80s and 90s, local outbreaks of Satanic Panic often involved daycare centers and their employees. And it’s all about trying to scare and shame women into quitting their jobs
Trump guys are about to Comet Pizza every third daycare center because they think they are all fronts for Somali money laundering. They're only doing this near cities with progressive mayors. This is straight up Government by LibsOfTikTok.
December 31, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Right wingers love to attack the very concept of daycare centers. In the 80s and 90s, local outbreaks of Satanic Panic often involved daycare centers and their employees. And it’s all about trying to scare and shame women into quitting their jobs
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
Yes, Reagan really said this. And yes he did a bunch of awful things. My controversial take is that church-state separation is NOT a partisan political issue. It's a founding American value. People arguing against it want their religion to reign supreme. With church-state separation, everyone wins.
December 29, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Yes, Reagan really said this. And yes he did a bunch of awful things. My controversial take is that church-state separation is NOT a partisan political issue. It's a founding American value. People arguing against it want their religion to reign supreme. With church-state separation, everyone wins.
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
Seems to me if voting didn’t matter the people who benefit most from the destruction of democracy wouldn’t be trying so hard to demolish democracy
USPS quietly changed its postmark rules — mail is no longer dated when you drop it off. The “official” date is when it hits automated sorting — sometimes days later
Which could have major implications for mail in voting — it’s a clever way to disenfranchise voters that’s going largely overlooked
Which could have major implications for mail in voting — it’s a clever way to disenfranchise voters that’s going largely overlooked
December 29, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Seems to me if voting didn’t matter the people who benefit most from the destruction of democracy wouldn’t be trying so hard to demolish democracy
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
Stephen Miller is a horrible racist in the sense that he is actually not that good at being racist.
Dean Martin, born Dino Paul Crocetti, son of Italian immigrant Gaetano Crocetti
Frank Sinatra, son of Italian immigrants Antonino Sinatra and Natalina Garavanta
Merry Christmas to everyone except Stephen Miller and his enablers and handlers
Frank Sinatra, son of Italian immigrants Antonino Sinatra and Natalina Garavanta
Merry Christmas to everyone except Stephen Miller and his enablers and handlers
December 26, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Stephen Miller is a horrible racist in the sense that he is actually not that good at being racist.
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
"Sodium is nearly 50 times cheaper than lithium and can even be harvested from seawater, making it a much more sustainable option for large-scale energy storage”
Previously, I posted that Na-ion batteries were likely to reach Li-ion battery energy density faster due to the prior advances and experience from Lithium work. Well, that’s appears to be the case. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨💧🔋 www.uh.edu/news-events/...
Breakthrough New Material Brings Affordable, Sustainable Future Within Grasp
Researchers have developed a new material for sodium-ion batteries, sodium vanadium phosphate, that delivers higher voltage and greater energy capacity than previous sodium-based materials. This break...
www.uh.edu
December 26, 2025 at 6:02 PM
"Sodium is nearly 50 times cheaper than lithium and can even be harvested from seawater, making it a much more sustainable option for large-scale energy storage”
Correct. This is because they're instinctive thinkers, and that kind of process only gets you so far conceptually.
Like 90% of conservatism is people with sheltered and segregated childhoods, assuming their understanding back then was complete.
That's probably also why their political ideas don't really advance. Grover Norquist came up with his tax "policy" pledge at 14, and basically stopped thinking.
That's probably also why their political ideas don't really advance. Grover Norquist came up with his tax "policy" pledge at 14, and basically stopped thinking.
December 25, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Correct. This is because they're instinctive thinkers, and that kind of process only gets you so far conceptually.
Minds are often thought of as software that controls the hardware of bodies, but this is actually a bad analogy.
It's more accurate to think of minds as execution states of software.
This often sounds confusing, but this video illustrates that software and execution state are different.
It's more accurate to think of minds as execution states of software.
This often sounds confusing, but this video illustrates that software and execution state are different.
What Happens if you SWITCH Save Files in Pokemon Lets Go Pikachu And Eevee?
YouTube video by PokeTips
www.youtube.com
December 24, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Minds are often thought of as software that controls the hardware of bodies, but this is actually a bad analogy.
It's more accurate to think of minds as execution states of software.
This often sounds confusing, but this video illustrates that software and execution state are different.
It's more accurate to think of minds as execution states of software.
This often sounds confusing, but this video illustrates that software and execution state are different.
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
"What Do Republicans Know?": @caitlinmoriah.bsky.social and @trentrichardnelson.bsky.social with @matthew.flux.community, on our Half the Answer podcast www.liberalcurrents.com/half-the-ans...
Half the Answer #55: What Do Republicans Know?
Caitlin and Trent talk with Matthew Sheffield about his experiences as a former Republican strategist and the information he wants progressives to know about their strategies and successes.
Half the ...
www.liberalcurrents.com
December 23, 2025 at 7:12 PM
"What Do Republicans Know?": @caitlinmoriah.bsky.social and @trentrichardnelson.bsky.social with @matthew.flux.community, on our Half the Answer podcast www.liberalcurrents.com/half-the-ans...
The judge should be sanctioned for this. Courts are for testimony of people with personal experience or expertise pertinent to the case.
Putting the tech aside, this was like allowing someone to read an essay that was fictively composed by the victim. That would never be allowed.
Putting the tech aside, this was like allowing someone to read an essay that was fictively composed by the victim. That would never be allowed.
This year marked the first time the AI avatar of a victim—in this case, a dead man—has ever addressed a court, and it raises many questions about the use of this type of technology in future court proceedings.
www.404media.co/i-loved-that...
www.404media.co/i-loved-that...
'I Loved That AI:' Judge Moved by AI-Generated Avatar of Man Killed in Road Rage Incident
How the sister of Christopher Pelkey made an avatar of him to testify in court.
www.404media.co
December 23, 2025 at 11:15 PM
The judge should be sanctioned for this. Courts are for testimony of people with personal experience or expertise pertinent to the case.
Putting the tech aside, this was like allowing someone to read an essay that was fictively composed by the victim. That would never be allowed.
Putting the tech aside, this was like allowing someone to read an essay that was fictively composed by the victim. That would never be allowed.
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
This means the VA won't cover abortions EVEN in the case of rape, incest, or serious threat to the health of the patient.
The DOJ memo was authored by Josh Craddock, one of the chief legal advocates for fetal personhood, i.e. imposing a nationwide abortion ban through the courts.
The DOJ memo was authored by Josh Craddock, one of the chief legal advocates for fetal personhood, i.e. imposing a nationwide abortion ban through the courts.
🚨🚨 SCOOP @ms.now : The Department of Veteran Affairs has quietly implemented its abortion ban following a DOJ memo issued last week.
This will affect 9 million veterans and their dependents, and has been a long time coming: It was outlined in Project 2025.
Read/share 👇
This will affect 9 million veterans and their dependents, and has been a long time coming: It was outlined in Project 2025.
Read/share 👇
Department of Veterans Affairs quietly implements abortion ban
A VA spokesperson confirmed to MS NOW that the ban was in place following a Department of Justice memo issued last week.
www.ms.now
December 23, 2025 at 7:18 PM
This means the VA won't cover abortions EVEN in the case of rape, incest, or serious threat to the health of the patient.
The DOJ memo was authored by Josh Craddock, one of the chief legal advocates for fetal personhood, i.e. imposing a nationwide abortion ban through the courts.
The DOJ memo was authored by Josh Craddock, one of the chief legal advocates for fetal personhood, i.e. imposing a nationwide abortion ban through the courts.
[email protected] is a good egg and worth helping out if you are able to.
Hey folks! Mutual aid request!!
If you appreciate the ways in which Bluesky is a welcoming place for minoritized folks, especially Black folks, Aveta played a key role in making it that way and could now use our support! Consider chipping in!!!
Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/aveta
cash.app/$SammyxB26
If you appreciate the ways in which Bluesky is a welcoming place for minoritized folks, especially Black folks, Aveta played a key role in making it that way and could now use our support! Consider chipping in!!!
Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/aveta
cash.app/$SammyxB26
December 23, 2025 at 9:07 PM
[email protected] is a good egg and worth helping out if you are able to.
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
asked RFK Jr a question about them at a Senate hearing and made him look bad, within hours they were renewed.
I won't discuss any information that is non-public from the agency, but it is striking that the renewals came after media coverage.
I won't discuss any information that is non-public from the agency, but it is striking that the renewals came after media coverage.
December 23, 2025 at 3:38 AM
asked RFK Jr a question about them at a Senate hearing and made him look bad, within hours they were renewed.
I won't discuss any information that is non-public from the agency, but it is striking that the renewals came after media coverage.
I won't discuss any information that is non-public from the agency, but it is striking that the renewals came after media coverage.
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
Remember when I said Weiss was stupid and incompetent? Stuff like this. An actual television producer would understand this stuff - if not the exact schedule and procedures for how the episode was distributed, at least who they could ask who would know.
It’s actually not technically a leak. CBS News only operates in the US. A non-PSKY owned network Global TV has Canadian rights for 60 Minutes and aired it unedited since the call to pull the episode was made so late in the day. That broadcast was recorded and then shared across the internet.
December 23, 2025 at 5:45 AM
Remember when I said Weiss was stupid and incompetent? Stuff like this. An actual television producer would understand this stuff - if not the exact schedule and procedures for how the episode was distributed, at least who they could ask who would know.
There's no such thing as an informed centrist.
"Centrism" is not an ideology. The term is what conservatives who are too ignorant or dishonest call themselves.
"Centrism" is not an ideology. The term is what conservatives who are too ignorant or dishonest call themselves.
December 23, 2025 at 3:29 AM
There's no such thing as an informed centrist.
"Centrism" is not an ideology. The term is what conservatives who are too ignorant or dishonest call themselves.
"Centrism" is not an ideology. The term is what conservatives who are too ignorant or dishonest call themselves.
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
This is the type of response I'd get from other editors at NYT when I'd pitch them on opinion pieces. Opinion sections at newspapers value contrarianism over everything else.
i always look back on this email as predictive of where she was heading
December 22, 2025 at 11:00 PM
This is the type of response I'd get from other editors at NYT when I'd pitch them on opinion pieces. Opinion sections at newspapers value contrarianism over everything else.
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
JFC. Nearly a third of people who have left their church have done so because of scandals involving clergy or other religious leaders.
That’s not incidental, that’s endemic.
That’s not incidental, that’s endemic.
🧵 The Pew Research Center has some fascinating details on religious switching. Only 56% of American adults are in the system they were raised in.
Very important info on switching from various groups, too.
Why do people say they leave? The biggest reason is that they stopped believing the claims.
Very important info on switching from various groups, too.
Why do people say they leave? The biggest reason is that they stopped believing the claims.
December 23, 2025 at 2:00 AM
JFC. Nearly a third of people who have left their church have done so because of scandals involving clergy or other religious leaders.
That’s not incidental, that’s endemic.
That’s not incidental, that’s endemic.
🧵 The Pew Research Center has some fascinating details on religious switching. Only 56% of American adults are in the system they were raised in.
Very important info on switching from various groups, too.
Why do people say they leave? The biggest reason is that they stopped believing the claims.
Very important info on switching from various groups, too.
Why do people say they leave? The biggest reason is that they stopped believing the claims.
December 23, 2025 at 12:24 AM
🧵 The Pew Research Center has some fascinating details on religious switching. Only 56% of American adults are in the system they were raised in.
Very important info on switching from various groups, too.
Why do people say they leave? The biggest reason is that they stopped believing the claims.
Very important info on switching from various groups, too.
Why do people say they leave? The biggest reason is that they stopped believing the claims.
Reposted by Matthew Sheffield
Democrats are hiding their 2024 postmortem, luckily, I was invited by the great @caitlinmoriah.bsky.social and @trentrichardnelson.bsky.social to talk about what Democrats have been doing wrong and where they can improve: plus.flux.community/p/democrats-...
Democrats won’t release their 2024 election autopsy, here is ours
Discussing ‘What Republicans Know’ on the Liberal Currents podcast Half the Answer
plus.flux.community
December 20, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Democrats are hiding their 2024 postmortem, luckily, I was invited by the great @caitlinmoriah.bsky.social and @trentrichardnelson.bsky.social to talk about what Democrats have been doing wrong and where they can improve: plus.flux.community/p/democrats-...