Notices by Matthew Sheffield (mattsheffield@mastodon.social)

People don't vote based on candidates' policies. They vote based on values, what they see in media, and their opinions of the candidates.

In 2024, Kamala Harris had majority support for almost all her ideas. Popularism didn't work.

My new book, "What Republicans Know" shows what does work: https://flux.community/matthew-sheffield/what-republicans-know

Graphics source: https://archive.is/6opBF

Thank you for following me.

I'm sorry to say but I am considering quitting politics entirely because I cannot sustain myself.

Because I say things that the Democratic consultant class fears, I do not have access to the biggest center-to-left media outlets and as a result, my audience is too small to be sustainable.

I could really use your help if you are able. Thank you very much!

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/discoverflux

Substack: https://plus.flux.community/subscribe

I love this collection of #Portland ICE protest inflatables:

https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2025/10/why-portland-ice-protesters-are-showing-up-dressed-as-giant-inflatable-animals.html

#PNW has been absolutely bringing it with the protest action. The rest of us can step up to do the same tomorrow at #NoKings all over!

Find one in your area and show up! https://www.nokings.org/#map

🧵 Charlie Kirk was a terrible person, but his prowess at organizing was astonishing.

Democrats, progressive and moderate, are using tactics from the 1970s.

Republicans spend hundreds of millions on networking, jobs, and outreach every year. Democrats waste their money on obsolete stuff.

There were many right-wing groups that were lavishly funded before Kirk. He was much more effective. Money isn't the problem for Dems, it's innovation and transparency.

https://plus.flux.community/p/what-charlie-kirk-knew

The absolute state of conservative Christianity in America

Trump and fellow Republicans declared war on rural hospitals with their Medicaid cuts. Already, several are having to close up https://abcnews.go.com/US/loss-life-responders-detail-deadly-cost-rural-hospital/story?id=126291680

Republicans are so incredible at party unity. Even absurdly so.

In Virginia they are running a black Christian nationalist who thinks that homosexuality is "an immoral lifestyle choice" for governor alongside a white gay man who ran a porn blog featuring slavery and Nazi fetish content. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/gay-virginia-republican-plagued-nazi-222831328.html

NEW: #Bluesky is having a banning controversy that revealed the limitations of its federation capabilities.

No one is running a fully independent AT Protocol stack because it's so complex, not even the Blacksky community.

My full exclusive report with quotes from Bluesky and the banned user plus detailed technical analysis of the state of AT Protocol federation: https://plus.flux.community/p/banning-controversy-reveals-blueskys

#fediverse #mastodon

Donald Trump enables the eugenic policies of RFK Jr because he shares the larger goal: Eliminating "unfit" people who he thinks are a drain on society.

According to Fred Trump, his nephew, Donald offered this advice on his disabled son:

"Maybe you should just let him die and move down to Florida."

(This after Donald stole Fred's inheritance.)
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/fred-trump-disabled-people-1.7288890

America's worst media pundits thought that Scott Bessent would be a reasonable influence on Trump.

What fools they were. He's been one of the most insane of the sycophants.

Another day, another evangelical megachurch pastor convicted of sex crimes against children.

Unsurprisingly, he was a Trump faith advisor.

#notadragqueen

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/robert-morris-guilty-child-sexual-abuse-texas-megachurch-pastor-rcna234748

Alex, the African Gray parrot, was really important in the study of intelligence. His many skills showed humans are not nearly as special as we like to think.

His trainer, Irene Pepperberg, provided a great example of how much you can teach with enough care and understanding.

NEWS: Jeffrey Epstein's estate has been releasing some of his private files in response to a House Oversight Committee subpoena.

The Democrats on the committee just found something big: He was meeting regularly with top Republicans before being locked up.

Among the names: Steve Bannon, and Peter Thiel. Elon Musk was invited to his private island

So Trump is protecting both himself and his donors and advisers

Source: https://bsky.app/profile/oversightdemocrats.house.gov/post/3lzqrm2vefs2g

Far-right pastor Ralph Drollinger brags that Senate Republicans took his advice to kick millions of people off Medicaid.

“Here is our Bible study being enacted into policy!”

Drollinger teaches private propaganda sessions to the most influential Republicans in DC. He should be better known.

Please boost!

https://plus.flux.community/p/far-right-pastor-brags-that-his-bible

Crazy Trump just said he wants a shutdown rather than help Americans have healthcare.

People want him to compromise and to join Democrats in protecting their health insurance. He's giving Dems a gift because of his insane arrogance. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/23/trump-cancels-meeting-schumer-jeffries-00576176

@timo21 This is the big difference. Institutional leaders are cowards. They will bend the knee to fascism.

We the people forced Disney to do the right thing.

After what must be millions of canceled subscriptions, Disney restored Jimmy Kimmel's show.

Trump's power grabs are not inevitable. We will not stand for them.

Pam Bondi deleted a government study showing that right-wingers commit more terrorism. The right cannot think coherently so instead of making their own studies, they censor legitimate ones.

But don't worry Pam, we saved it for you! https://web.archive.org/web/20250911165140/https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/306123.pdf

The Republican party is a party of violence and blatant corruption. Everyone knows this.

We will not stop saying this truth. No president in US history has repeatedly incited violence against citizens as much as Donald Trump.

Essential reading from Jim Carroll https://plus.flux.community/p/to-beat-maga-violence-democrats-must

Charlie Kirk and fellow extremists called for public beheadings to become sporting events, which children should watch.

"You could have, like, brought to you by Coca Cola. And no. I'm not kidding."

"I think at a certain age, it's an initiation. ...But it should also be taken in a holy way"

https://www.mediamatters.org/charlie-kirk/charlie-kirk-fantasizes-about-children-watching-televised-executions-certain-age-its