"Cease quoting laws to those of us with swords." #PompeyTheGreat

without empathy, without an understanding that this path makes all the benefits of an open society impossible, isn't this the unavoidable result?

And laws are not enough if we do not establish and accept a third party to decide disputes over what they mean and enforce them. otherwise, you're really just back to who is most stubborn and heavily armed. #RuleOfLaw #LiberalValues

I've thought and said #EpsteinDidntKillHimself for years. I think the problems with our government come down more to the wealthy having too much say than Dem or GOP influence. So for me, this case is an example of privileged people being protected by the system. That #MAGA thought Trump would be different shows how badly they misunderstand the world imo. How much they're willing to believe in saviors rather than human nature and do civics.

So I'm a dissident lefty. #LiberalValues

the right calls everybody left of themselves liberals, but it has always upset me that the mainstream/moderate left gets called liberal by the further left. in my experience, there is a separate part of the further left that is most reliably engaged in critical thinking, honest and trying to understand all other perspectives (#LiberalValues). usually focused on economics and foreign policy, less concerned re feelings etc. dissidents like Greenwald. Bill Moyers was one.

https://fair.org/home/farewell-to-bill-moyers-who-showed-what-public-tv-could-be/

If government policy changes and it deeply impacts you but you routinely misunderstand how your representatives' actions led to that outcome, how can democracy work?

Having massive policy arguments even within the right and left is how our system is supposed to work. Political parties and primaries are not supposed to exist. It's supposed to be chaotic.

But we're not supposed to be in deep disagreement on facts. Or so angry at each other that we can't compromise. Politicians should have to change minds via argument not force of personality. One person possibly donating to campaigns shouldn't be able to influence the passage of legislation.

#LiberalValues are about putting the people in control, recognizing that there must be a state or else private power abuses us, but also that the state must be controlled by the public to keep it from abusing us.

within that, you can still be #conservative and primarily concerned about preventing things from getting worse (usually the focus of those older and doing the best) or #progressive and focused on how we need to make things better (usually the concern of those younger and doing poorly).

Could #ZohranMamdani fail to get passed what he promised, implement it poorly or could it have worse unintended consequences? Yes.

I still think you try in the best way you're able.

To me, the real fixes are deeper. National or global. The insatiable demand for profit breaking down all systems that try to provide for a shared prosperity, including competitive markets and democratic governments.

So until we collectively understand this problem, we're all addressing the symptoms. #LiberalValues

Do your favorite media sources care more about getting more of your attention or making sure you are well informed and thinking critically? I understand wanting both but what's their priority?

Journalism should always favor the latter. Otherwise it's entertainment that you need to limit your consumption of. #LiberalValues

The best reason to point out hypocrisy is to drive people to have more substantive conversations. To get away from ideology and partisan talking points. Sometimes conservatives like government doing stuff and sometimes progressives don't. Sometimes progressives are on the side of more freedom and conservatives are not.

But don't just mock the other side, talk details. That's how we learn to hate each other less and find compromises to make life better for everyone. #LiberalValues

I think the best fix for the misinformation and division is a universal social network without algos or ads where we try to maximize participation and focus our moderation towards that outcome. Say anything as long as it's not primarily intended to bother others (not always an easy call).

I have faith in people and the democratic process. I'm frustrated that others don't and that people don't see the potential in specifically trying to use this medium for this purpose. #LiberalValues #SocialWeb

A great episode with #DanielleAllen on @radioopensource.bsky.social. She is all about hearing from all sides and making democracy work. A true liberal. Please listen. Wish she was here. #LiberalValues
https://radioopensource.org/divided-defensive-democracy/

The founders were opposed to political parties. We've let them become subcultures. #LiberalValues #uspol

So much illegitimate power stems from how our media environment is structured to allow money to be turned into influence. That distribution of info, ideas and art is determined by how much can be spent on it. Most political campaign donations are spent on getting their message in front of people.

I won't claim the term anarchist but my advocacy for the fedi is about fighting this fight. Making everybody have to earn cultural influence legitimately.

The people have to be engaged for democracy to work. Turning the news and government affairs into something like reality TV, where the public is convinced civics doesn't matter and they should treat politics like sports, is one way to break a society.

I don't think the people facilitating this, have this purpose in mind. They are having fun, maybe making money, or even feel like they are saving the world. But it is having the same effect.

The fundamental concern in a market-based democracy will always be about how to make the economy and social programs better support the not wealthy, while the wealthy have better access to convince politicians to support their interests and more resources to bias the media to their views.

Civics is mostly about trying to address this, forever. But a decentralized media more reliant on the general public for funding and allocating attention would greatly help.

How much are we feeding the conspiracy mindset by having a centralized, corporate media filled by only elite university graduates? For most, it feels like you must be born into a wealthy/connected family to become a dominant voice in the public conversation. Or be chosen by them, and thus probably have proven your willingness to push their agenda.

To appear to challenge that gets you automatic cred. This opportunity to grift lets them turn justified skeptics into dangerous nuts. #LiberalValues

You should be able to accept that the MSM lies about WMDs in Iraq got people needlessly killed and Trump's lies about 2020 being stolen got Ashli Babbitt killed. That shit like these two well known examples are ample reason for pursuing numerous changes in the media environment to ensure people are as well informed as possible. That it's not an ideological or partisan or elite vs alt media goal. #LiberalValues

#woke is not just progressive. it's the illiberal left. it's trying to force everybody else to think and act progressive. it didn't used to mean this. many on both sides don't seem to understand this.

we're supposed to be trying to live better with people who disagree with us. understand our differences and find compromises that make life better for everybody. #LiberalValues

Sadly, the people who usually freak out the most about the "truth", are those most assure they possess it. It is essential to maintain a democracy, but that means acknowledging that your understanding is also lacking. We have lots of people angry about the lying but few interested in why it works and dealing with that. #LiberalValues

Why does #MAGA scream about defending free speech but support making big pharma ads illegal? Me thinks they haven't thought it through and just want to "win", but the difference to me is summarized in the term #DemocracyOfReach.

We need to reform all our media systems so attention is not easily bought. You should be able to say almost anything, but make systems where you're able to pay to make people hear it obsolete. You should have to convince others to want to tell others. #LiberalValues