Ric Stubbs
@stubbazubba.bsky.social
National security lawyer (all views strictly my own), TTRPG enthusiast, Tolkien lover, occasional songwriter, and a partridge in a pear tree. He/him.
Cover photo: concept art for Númenor in The Rings of Power.
Cover photo: concept art for Númenor in The Rings of Power.
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
They are running the government according to the logic of right-wing grievance media. I cannot emphasize that enough. The point is to create content, and they don't see an actual difference between dunking on Sabrina Carpenter, passing legislation, and bombing other countries.
I don't really know what the administration hopes to gain by picking fights with the most well-liked pop artists in the United States. You're just generating backlash for no discernible reason outside of owning the libs.
Sabrina Carpenter ratioed the White House after it used her song in an ICE video.
The WH deleted the post…but now it’s back with a new ICE video, this time using an altered clip from Carpenter’s SNL monologue.
The WH deleted the post…but now it’s back with a new ICE video, this time using an altered clip from Carpenter’s SNL monologue.
December 6, 2025 at 4:11 AM
They are running the government according to the logic of right-wing grievance media. I cannot emphasize that enough. The point is to create content, and they don't see an actual difference between dunking on Sabrina Carpenter, passing legislation, and bombing other countries.
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
I feel like if the Court tries to nullify birthright citizenship then House Democrats should commit to impeaching all the Republican justices as soon as they get a majority. Even if the Senate won’t convict, make them make a spectacle out of it.
December 6, 2025 at 3:03 AM
I feel like if the Court tries to nullify birthright citizenship then House Democrats should commit to impeaching all the Republican justices as soon as they get a majority. Even if the Senate won’t convict, make them make a spectacle out of it.
Everyone realizes this prize will cease to be a thing by 2029 at the latest, right?
President Donald Trump was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize on Friday during the final draw for the 2026 World Cup.
December 6, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Everyone realizes this prize will cease to be a thing by 2029 at the latest, right?
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
I hate these people.
December 5, 2025 at 11:37 PM
I hate these people.
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
If you’re clinging to the flotsam what are you thinking? You’re thinking, “I gotta get these drugs to America.”
December 4, 2025 at 2:19 AM
If you’re clinging to the flotsam what are you thinking? You’re thinking, “I gotta get these drugs to America.”
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
The reason the judiciary functions is because judges understand that despite everyone being human beings who hold grudges and have stupid opinions and peccadilloes and flaws, there is a sense that you have to justify what you're doing on more than "because I say so."
This Court is undermining that.
This Court is undermining that.
December 4, 2025 at 11:14 PM
The reason the judiciary functions is because judges understand that despite everyone being human beings who hold grudges and have stupid opinions and peccadilloes and flaws, there is a sense that you have to justify what you're doing on more than "because I say so."
This Court is undermining that.
This Court is undermining that.
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
Democratic voters are working hard to stop fascism. It would be nice if the leaders of the party joined them.
December 3, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Democratic voters are working hard to stop fascism. It would be nice if the leaders of the party joined them.
If @schumer.senate.gov is not organizing an AHOD effort to threaten the administration into NOT starting an illegal war RIGHT NOW he must be removed from leadership so someone else can.
If he is instead consulting with donors and campaign staff on how to spin it in an ad campaign, he must resign!
If he is instead consulting with donors and campaign staff on how to spin it in an ad campaign, he must resign!
November 29, 2025 at 11:17 PM
If @schumer.senate.gov is not organizing an AHOD effort to threaten the administration into NOT starting an illegal war RIGHT NOW he must be removed from leadership so someone else can.
If he is instead consulting with donors and campaign staff on how to spin it in an ad campaign, he must resign!
If he is instead consulting with donors and campaign staff on how to spin it in an ad campaign, he must resign!
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
bsky.app/profile/anja... this period of American politics won’t last forever and institutions should behave accordingly
If @columbiauniversity.bsky.social's Acting President doesn't want replies, she shouldn't send emails that can receive replies.
November 29, 2025 at 7:59 PM
bsky.app/profile/anja... this period of American politics won’t last forever and institutions should behave accordingly
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
The fact that TPUSA posted the entirely reasonable comments from the instructor here as coming from the “TRANS PROFESSOR” gives away the game.
They’re not defending students, they’re targeting faculty — as always
They’re not defending students, they’re targeting faculty — as always
idk not to mention how very nuanced and normal the actual response here was
November 29, 2025 at 5:10 PM
The fact that TPUSA posted the entirely reasonable comments from the instructor here as coming from the “TRANS PROFESSOR” gives away the game.
They’re not defending students, they’re targeting faculty — as always
They’re not defending students, they’re targeting faculty — as always
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
This is fundamentally Nazism. The idea that different peoples than the favored races carry degradation in their very genes, that they cannot strive to become better because biology compels them to be worse. It’s not just repugnant, it’s a bald faced lie.
Stephen Miller is now arguing that assimilation is fundamentally impossible and that certain cultures are not compatible with Western civilization
November 28, 2025 at 2:02 PM
This is fundamentally Nazism. The idea that different peoples than the favored races carry degradation in their very genes, that they cannot strive to become better because biology compels them to be worse. It’s not just repugnant, it’s a bald faced lie.
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
There's a reason why major social media platforms, including Twitter pre-Elon, spent time and resources on "countering foreign influence" or "coordinated inauthentic behavior."
But then Tai bi, Shellenberger, Weiss, Benz, and Jordan showed up claiming that was the "censorship industrial complex"
But then Tai bi, Shellenberger, Weiss, Benz, and Jordan showed up claiming that was the "censorship industrial complex"
NEWS: I spent the past 24 hours going through major MAGA accounts on Twitter, and a bombshell development has become clear: most of the right-wing ecosphere is being fed propaganda from foreign actors.
This impacts elections. This impacts discourse. This is major. Subscribe to support my work:
This impacts elections. This impacts discourse. This is major. Subscribe to support my work:
NEWS: Major MAGA Accounts on Twitter Exposed as Foreign Actors
A stunning development over the past 24 hours.
open.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
There's a reason why major social media platforms, including Twitter pre-Elon, spent time and resources on "countering foreign influence" or "coordinated inauthentic behavior."
But then Tai bi, Shellenberger, Weiss, Benz, and Jordan showed up claiming that was the "censorship industrial complex"
But then Tai bi, Shellenberger, Weiss, Benz, and Jordan showed up claiming that was the "censorship industrial complex"
This thread is peak Menswear Guy: leads with pointing out the fashion illiteracy of a villain-of-the-week, and then dives deep into the human condition and the values that underpin not only his fashion commentary but the kind of society we need to strive to be.
A friend who teaches theology shared with me a post about CS Lewis's Mere Christianity, which discusses foundational Christian logic across denominations. It reminded me of Dale's tweet below, and I wanted to share some thoughts here regarding modesty and respectability, which are often hot topics.
November 24, 2025 at 1:35 AM
This thread is peak Menswear Guy: leads with pointing out the fashion illiteracy of a villain-of-the-week, and then dives deep into the human condition and the values that underpin not only his fashion commentary but the kind of society we need to strive to be.
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
Can’t believe the whole country has to suffer through the return of Dickensian childhood diseases because the worst, most ignorant attention-demanders decided other people’s expertise makes them feel bad
November 20, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Can’t believe the whole country has to suffer through the return of Dickensian childhood diseases because the worst, most ignorant attention-demanders decided other people’s expertise makes them feel bad
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
Memo Blessing Boat Strikes Is Said to Rely on Trump’s Claims About Cartels
Accounts of a secret Justice Department memo offer a window into how administration lawyers approved the president’s desired course of action.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
Accounts of a secret Justice Department memo offer a window into how administration lawyers approved the president’s desired course of action.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
Memo Blessing Boat Strikes Is Said to Rely on Trump’s Claims About Cartels
www.nytimes.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Memo Blessing Boat Strikes Is Said to Rely on Trump’s Claims About Cartels
Accounts of a secret Justice Department memo offer a window into how administration lawyers approved the president’s desired course of action.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
Accounts of a secret Justice Department memo offer a window into how administration lawyers approved the president’s desired course of action.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
Misinformation *is* central to democratic problems today, but the solution is *not* to correct such epistemic failures directly. Instead, we must address them at their roots, in social identity.
Or so I argue in a new post for @apaphilosophy.bsky.social.
blog.apaonline.org/2025/11/12/t...
Or so I argue in a new post for @apaphilosophy.bsky.social.
blog.apaonline.org/2025/11/12/t...
The Problem is Epistemic. The Solution is Not. | Blog of the APA
Doubts about the wisdom of the masses are as old as philosophy itself. Yet interest in democracy’s “epistemic” merits has surged in the last decade—and it is no mystery why. Democracy is collapsing ar...
blog.apaonline.org
November 13, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Misinformation *is* central to democratic problems today, but the solution is *not* to correct such epistemic failures directly. Instead, we must address them at their roots, in social identity.
Or so I argue in a new post for @apaphilosophy.bsky.social.
blog.apaonline.org/2025/11/12/t...
Or so I argue in a new post for @apaphilosophy.bsky.social.
blog.apaonline.org/2025/11/12/t...
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
The reason these solutions never work is that epistemic failures are rooted in deeper structures of social identity, which are notoriously resilient to rational argument. The only way to restore the epistemic foundations of a healthy democracy is to address these pathologies at the source.
November 13, 2025 at 1:19 AM
The reason these solutions never work is that epistemic failures are rooted in deeper structures of social identity, which are notoriously resilient to rational argument. The only way to restore the epistemic foundations of a healthy democracy is to address these pathologies at the source.
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
tbh, the scope of criminality described in barely-literate text and the scale of how many people involved are both genuinely really shocking to me
November 12, 2025 at 10:44 PM
tbh, the scope of criminality described in barely-literate text and the scale of how many people involved are both genuinely really shocking to me
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
Huh well it turns out I heard from a few federal workers about this and well
"We civil servants organized to help our colleagues face the hardship of the shutdown, we put up with the pain and our only request was to not be betrayed like this. Trade our pain, make it count."
"We civil servants organized to help our colleagues face the hardship of the shutdown, we put up with the pain and our only request was to not be betrayed like this. Trade our pain, make it count."
November 10, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Huh well it turns out I heard from a few federal workers about this and well
"We civil servants organized to help our colleagues face the hardship of the shutdown, we put up with the pain and our only request was to not be betrayed like this. Trade our pain, make it count."
"We civil servants organized to help our colleagues face the hardship of the shutdown, we put up with the pain and our only request was to not be betrayed like this. Trade our pain, make it count."
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
Why is the "we must be united!" hectoring directed at people who are mad at the Cavers and not to the Cavers? Everyone who's mad was united, then the Cave Caucus walked across the aisle and betrayed what the public had been told was the Dem position.
The sooner we get past internal recriminations and back to fighting united, the better off we all are — the likelier our victory next November.
November 10, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Why is the "we must be united!" hectoring directed at people who are mad at the Cavers and not to the Cavers? Everyone who's mad was united, then the Cave Caucus walked across the aisle and betrayed what the public had been told was the Dem position.
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
Even the senators who are retiring and think they won't have to face the wrath of furious Democratic voters should know that their last name is about to become so toxic that not even a goddamn nonprofit is going to want you on the board.
I think Senate folders are significantly underestimating how fucking angry Democratic voters are at them
November 10, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Even the senators who are retiring and think they won't have to face the wrath of furious Democratic voters should know that their last name is about to become so toxic that not even a goddamn nonprofit is going to want you on the board.
Reposted by Ric Stubbs
I heard from a bunch of federal employees last night and this morning. They aren't happy.
"I would rather be an actual pawn. At least pawn sacrifices are calculated and achieve something. All this for a fucking meaningless vote."
"I would rather be an actual pawn. At least pawn sacrifices are calculated and achieve something. All this for a fucking meaningless vote."
'A Slap in the Face': Federal Employees Feel Betrayed by Democrats' Shutdown Cave
"I would rather be an actual pawn. At least pawn sacrifices are calculated and achieve something."
www.gravityisgone.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:46 PM
I heard from a bunch of federal employees last night and this morning. They aren't happy.
"I would rather be an actual pawn. At least pawn sacrifices are calculated and achieve something. All this for a fucking meaningless vote."
"I would rather be an actual pawn. At least pawn sacrifices are calculated and achieve something. All this for a fucking meaningless vote."
If the GOP had any doubt after March, they now know for sure that Senate Dems can make zero credible threats whatsoever. The GOP will just wait them out.
The only chance of any actual negotiation in January or ever again is to replace leadership now. Schumer needs to be out by Thanksgiving.
The only chance of any actual negotiation in January or ever again is to replace leadership now. Schumer needs to be out by Thanksgiving.
November 10, 2025 at 4:08 PM
If the GOP had any doubt after March, they now know for sure that Senate Dems can make zero credible threats whatsoever. The GOP will just wait them out.
The only chance of any actual negotiation in January or ever again is to replace leadership now. Schumer needs to be out by Thanksgiving.
The only chance of any actual negotiation in January or ever again is to replace leadership now. Schumer needs to be out by Thanksgiving.