Matt Ford
@mford.bsky.social
Staff writer, The New Republic. Law, democracy, and the courts. 49ers/Dodgers stuff too.
Reposted by Matt Ford
New: The Supreme Court DENIES Kim Davis' request to overturn Obergefell, the marriage equality decision. No noted dissents. www.supremecourt.gov/orders/court...
November 10, 2025 at 2:31 PM
New: The Supreme Court DENIES Kim Davis' request to overturn Obergefell, the marriage equality decision. No noted dissents. www.supremecourt.gov/orders/court...
Tang dynasty emperors were slow learners.
November 10, 2025 at 6:05 AM
Tang dynasty emperors were slow learners.
Reposted by Matt Ford
Not that he didn’t already know, but now Trump knows for sure he can roll the Dems every time and there’s no need to negotiate for anything
November 10, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Not that he didn’t already know, but now Trump knows for sure he can roll the Dems every time and there’s no need to negotiate for anything
The big inspirational quote in the Chargers building lobby is…Alex Spanos saying he “always wanted to own a NFL team”?
November 10, 2025 at 2:06 AM
The big inspirational quote in the Chargers building lobby is…Alex Spanos saying he “always wanted to own a NFL team”?
If they’re going to roll over like this after an electoral blowout less than a week ago, why bother electing Democrats to Congress next year? What would they actually do?
Major concession from Democrats here is enhanced ACA funds aren’t extended. Preserving them was Dems’ central demand in this fight. They secured a promise of a vote (which Thune has been offering for weeks), but that could still fail. Even if it passes, Johnson has made no promise of a House vote.
Tentative Senate deal to end shutdown, multiple sources tell me & @frankthorp.bsky.social:
—CR through Jan 30
—Approps minibus
—Fully funds SNAP
—Reverses Trump’s shutdown RIFs
—Promise of Senate vote on ACA subsidies by Dec second week (details/outcome uncertain)
—Led by King/Shaheen/Hassan
—CR through Jan 30
—Approps minibus
—Fully funds SNAP
—Reverses Trump’s shutdown RIFs
—Promise of Senate vote on ACA subsidies by Dec second week (details/outcome uncertain)
—Led by King/Shaheen/Hassan
November 10, 2025 at 1:02 AM
If they’re going to roll over like this after an electoral blowout less than a week ago, why bother electing Democrats to Congress next year? What would they actually do?
Reposted by Matt Ford
i think this is key. taking the deal would amount to taking the blame. it would turn a clear political victory into an unambiguous defeat.
If the Dems blink after all of this, for a deal that all but ensures no ACA subsidies in 2026 anyway, then what was the purpose of letting the shutdown go for 40 days in the first place?
November 10, 2025 at 12:56 AM
i think this is key. taking the deal would amount to taking the blame. it would turn a clear political victory into an unambiguous defeat.
Punting the ACA stuff to a future bill instead of the must-pass one is a complete surrender. Trump wasn’t following the law on RIFs anyway so good luck with that minibus language, too.
Welp, that’s the Senate side of the shutdown over, it seems.
November 10, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Punting the ACA stuff to a future bill instead of the must-pass one is a complete surrender. Trump wasn’t following the law on RIFs anyway so good luck with that minibus language, too.
The weird part is that this isn’t even an important game. I remember when Clinton was in the ESPN booth in the 1990s and it was for Ripken passing Gehrig’s record.
Government is shut down. Chaos in airports. 42 million going hungry. 24 million face skyrocketing healthcare costs. Economy in turmoil. And the president of the United States is in the Fox broadcast booth calling plays for a football game.
November 9, 2025 at 11:34 PM
The weird part is that this isn’t even an important game. I remember when Clinton was in the ESPN booth in the 1990s and it was for Ripken passing Gehrig’s record.
Reposted by Matt Ford
JUST IN: In new letter, Trump administration tells federal appeals court that states who instituted full SNAP payments were 'unauthorized' to do so and 'are responsible for the consequences of that action.' Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26... Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
SNAPDOJFlgCA1110925
www.documentcloud.org
November 9, 2025 at 7:17 PM
JUST IN: In new letter, Trump administration tells federal appeals court that states who instituted full SNAP payments were 'unauthorized' to do so and 'are responsible for the consequences of that action.' Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26... Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Reposted by Matt Ford
reagan judges, democracy's strongest soldiers
BREAKING: Mark Wolf, appointed to the federal bench by Ronald Reagan, writes that he is resigning as a judge to have the freedom to speak out against the president's assault on the rule of law.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
November 9, 2025 at 3:28 PM
reagan judges, democracy's strongest soldiers
“We’ll shoot the hostage unless you cave” doesn’t work if you’ve been shooting hostages for fun for the last ten months.
Lee Zeldin announces on Fox that there will be "severe" layoffs at the EPA if the shutdown continues
November 9, 2025 at 3:25 PM
“We’ll shoot the hostage unless you cave” doesn’t work if you’ve been shooting hostages for fun for the last ten months.
Reposted by Matt Ford
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:39 PM
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
I think that TD pass killed the Indiana/Penn State announcer
November 8, 2025 at 8:27 PM
I think that TD pass killed the Indiana/Penn State announcer
Good luck figuring this one out, Josh Harris.
Sources: Trump wants D.C. stadium named for him
A senior White House source says there have been backchannel communications with a member of the Commanders ownership group, led by Josh Harris, to express Trump's desire to have the $3.7 billion dome...
www.espn.com
November 8, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Good luck figuring this one out, Josh Harris.
Reposted by Matt Ford
This is actually a pretty standard and unremarkable move, as evidenced by Justice Jackson issuing it.
But most people won't believe that for several good reasons.
/1
But most people won't believe that for several good reasons.
/1
#BREAKING: Justice Jackson has issued an "administrative" stay, temporarily pausing a district court order that would've required the USDA to continue using contingency funds to pay SNAP benefits.
The stay expires 48 hours after the First Circuit rules on USDA's request for a stay pending appeal.
The stay expires 48 hours after the First Circuit rules on USDA's request for a stay pending appeal.
November 8, 2025 at 2:40 AM
This is actually a pretty standard and unremarkable move, as evidenced by Justice Jackson issuing it.
But most people won't believe that for several good reasons.
/1
But most people won't believe that for several good reasons.
/1
Reposted by Matt Ford
I would love to see a photo of the other end of this lineup. Did they install gilded portraits of Obama and Biden?
November 7, 2025 at 2:09 PM
I would love to see a photo of the other end of this lineup. Did they install gilded portraits of Obama and Biden?
Meanwhile, the unionized Swedes over at Paradox keep knocking out new map games and expansions every fiscal quarter.
Grand Theft Auto VI delayed to Nov 19, 2026 www.rockstargames.com/newswire/art...
November 6, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Meanwhile, the unionized Swedes over at Paradox keep knocking out new map games and expansions every fiscal quarter.
Reposted by Matt Ford
BREAKING: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT EATS A LOSS IN 'SANDWICH GUY' CASE AS JURORS FIND DEFENDANT NOT GUILTY www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
Jury acquits D.C. 'sandwich guy' charged with chucking a sub at a federal agent
Sean Dunn faced single misdemeanor offense after federal grand jurors refused to indict him on the felony charge sought by prosecutors.
www.nbcnews.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:27 PM
BREAKING: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT EATS A LOSS IN 'SANDWICH GUY' CASE AS JURORS FIND DEFENDANT NOT GUILTY www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
Reposted by Matt Ford
That the executive can't spend money, and thus do stuff, without the regular and periodic approval of a representative legislature isn't some incidental hiccup. It is the core premise of the power of the purse, the most bedrock foundation of Anglo-American constitutionalism from time immemorial.
The American people expect Congress to get the hard work done.
It’s time we end shutdowns once and for all and get back to the real debate over the things that matter. | Sen. Lankford
https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/11/it-is-time-to-be-done-with-shutdowns/
It’s time we end shutdowns once and for all and get back to the real debate over the things that matter. | Sen. Lankford
https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/11/it-is-time-to-be-done-with-shutdowns/
It Is Time to Be Done with Shutdowns | National Review
We’re five weeks into a government shutdown. It should be the last one.
www.nationalreview.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:40 PM
That the executive can't spend money, and thus do stuff, without the regular and periodic approval of a representative legislature isn't some incidental hiccup. It is the core premise of the power of the purse, the most bedrock foundation of Anglo-American constitutionalism from time immemorial.
Reposted by Matt Ford
Good summary of why pollsters whiffed in VA and NJ. TLDR: electorate looked like 2017 when pollsters assumed it would look like 2024, plus Latino turnout exploded.
www.wsj.com/politics/ele...
www.wsj.com/politics/ele...
Pollsters Didn’t See the Blue Wave Coming in New Jersey and Virginia
Pollsters say they miscalculated who would show up to vote and a leftward shift by Latino voters.
www.wsj.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Good summary of why pollsters whiffed in VA and NJ. TLDR: electorate looked like 2017 when pollsters assumed it would look like 2024, plus Latino turnout exploded.
www.wsj.com/politics/ele...
www.wsj.com/politics/ele...
Reposted by Matt Ford
Game 7 of the 2025 World Series averaged 51million viewers combined across the United States, Canada, and Japan making it the most-watched MLB game in 34 years, since Game 7 of the 1991 World Series.
November 5, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Game 7 of the 2025 World Series averaged 51million viewers combined across the United States, Canada, and Japan making it the most-watched MLB game in 34 years, since Game 7 of the 1991 World Series.
Reposted by Matt Ford
Truly one of - well, actually two of - the worst campaigns I’ve ever seen run.
Speaking as a NYC resident/not as a reporter, I'm still in awe of how weird and bad Cuomo's campaign was. His message during the primary seemed to be "I am owed this." After he lost it was "ignore Dems, you Dems," plus islamophobia. The last day it was "my car technically isn't the same as OJ's."
Andrew Cuomo on X: "New York, here’s a little history on why we’ll win this race—last stretch magic courtesy of the good luck truck! #VoteforCuomo https://t.co/FdWX0Xqos5" / X
New York, here’s a little history on why we’ll win this race—last stretch magic courtesy of the good luck truck! #VoteforCuomo https://t.co/FdWX0Xqos5
x.com
November 5, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Truly one of - well, actually two of - the worst campaigns I’ve ever seen run.