Columnist for MSNOW, Public Notice. Formerly: Washington Post, The Week, American Prospect. Subscribe to my newsletter! The Cross Section: paulwaldman.substack.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mrg5s3uy3225The Friday discussion with @atrupar.com! https://paulwaldman.substack.com/p/trumps-hot-floundering-summer-with24 Jul 2026 20:08 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrg5s3uy3225https://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mrfra7w4kk23Ask any historian, this is the inevitable progression: 1. Country gets universal health care 2. Communism! Have you been to France or Canada or Japan or Sweden or any other developed nation on earth? No private property, long bread lines, everyone wears shapeless grey overcoats. It's terrifying. [contains quote post or other embedded content]24 Jul 2026 16:23 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrfra7w4kk23https://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mrfqsqswbc23Here's former conservative Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson propagating the lie that taxing billionaires will hurt family farmers. He's now with something called Saving America's Family Enterprises, a shadowy group that I guarantee you is funded by billionaires. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/07/23/farmers-not-billionaires-will-pay-wealth-taxes/24 Jul 2026 16:16 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrfqsqswbc23https://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mrfh3d5gmc26The most amazing part of this is when she tells him London is not actually a dystopian hellscape, and he, the world's richest man who spends his days cooking his brain on his Nazi CSAM social media site, responds "You live a cloistered existence." He really is an extraordinary moron. [contains quote post or other embedded content]24 Jul 2026 13:22 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrfh3d5gmc26https://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mrfgbzbba226Not that I'm endorsing public misconceptions, but it's nice to see JUST ONCE it working to the advantage of Democrats [contains quote post or other embedded content]24 Jul 2026 13:08 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrfgbzbba226https://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mrd4anptec2vOnerous paperwork to get food stamps, “work requirements” for Medicaid, and subscriptions that are impossible to cancel are all part of the same problem. The latest at my newsletter, on weaponized bureaucracy: https://paulwaldman.substack.com/p/weaponized-bureaucracy-and-how-to23 Jul 2026 15:02 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrd4anptec2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mrbqlngxoc2jNot to be pedantic, but based on current population DC would get 1 House member and Puerto Rico would get 4, plus 2 senators each, for a total of 9 electoral votes. But it'd be a start! [contains quote post or other embedded content]23 Jul 2026 02:01 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrbqlngxoc2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mraxzsu67c22Hey kids, I'll be coming up on MS NOW at 3 pm eastern, tune in22 Jul 2026 18:42 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mraxzsu67c22https://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mraxa6s35222"at the urging of Sebastian Gorka" is how you know it's a great idea informed by deep expertise and careful planning [contains quote post or other embedded content]22 Jul 2026 18:27 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mraxa6s35222https://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mraowlwh7223I know Sean Hannity is a pro but maybe it was a mistake to pop four Benadryls an hour before this interview started [contains quote post or other embedded content]22 Jul 2026 15:59 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mraowlwh7223https://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mraim3iv3s2aRemember when at the 2010 SOTU Barack Obama warned that Citizens United opened the door to contributions from foreign corporations, Samuel Alito shook his head and mouthed "Not true" and every Republican shouted "HOW DARE HE INSULT THE SUPREME COURT LIKE THAT, MY GOD THE GALL OF THIS DUSKY USURPER!" [contains quote post or other embedded content]22 Jul 2026 14:06 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mraim3iv3s2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mraibhg33s2wIt's terrible when a cop is killed on the job, but it's also terrible when a fisherman, logger, truck driver, or roofer is killed on the job. They all die at work at higher rates than cops, and we don't treat their deaths as uniquely tragic in a way that requires everyone in the community to mourn. [contains quote post or other embedded content]22 Jul 2026 14:00 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mraibhg33s2whttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mrafurki7k2xIs it possible that the Trump Department of Education created a national civics contest, then rigged the judging in the final when it looked like a Sikh kid who's the son of immigrants might win? They'd never do that, this administration has too much integrity. https://www.notus.org/national/america250-civics-competition22 Jul 2026 13:17 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrafurki7k2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mr6mabzem22zI am the super manly man in this race, and if anyone asks me a question I don't like I will run away with my hands over my ears saying "Nanana I can't hear you nanana" [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Jul 2026 20:05 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr6mabzem22zhttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mr6livh2jc2zRe "the disaster of what the Biden administration budgets gave us," you'll never believe this, but Hegseth is lying: the military budget increased every year Joe Biden was president [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Jul 2026 19:52 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr6livh2jc2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mr62r3efnk2xThis excellent piece reminds me of what @schaller67.bsky.social and I heard from rural folks again and again when reporting White Rural Rage: "Trump speaks our language." He didn't put on Carhartt, go hunting or milk a cow. He was vulgar and cruel and hated the people they hate. That was really it. [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Jul 2026 14:53 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr62r3efnk2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mr5yedzwrc2wIn my 20s, after having a couple of terrible bosses, I came to the realization that being a complete asshole and treating other people like shit is not only no bar to professional success, it actually seems to help. I still don't know what to do with this knowledge. These people never get punished. [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Jul 2026 14:10 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr5yedzwrc2whttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mr5w35rn522wThe party that complains about the evils of "big government" spent years studying how to weaponize bureaucracy against poor people, and that's exactly what they're doing. [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Jul 2026 13:29 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr5w35rn522whttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mr464xx3ok2x"If we make a wrong turn and we’re caught in some sort of protest, I feel safe" says one wealthy customer. People are getting murdered in their cars, honey, but it ain't people like you, and it ain't "protesters" doing the killing. [contains quote post or other embedded content]20 Jul 2026 20:48 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr464xx3ok2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mr3tna4i3k2wC-SPAN junkies may be getting tired of the “Who won the 2020 election?” ritual. But it demonstrates something vital about the whole GOP, including those who will run for president in 2028. My latest at The Cross Section: https://paulwaldman.substack.com/p/democrats-must-keep-asking-republicans20 Jul 2026 17:40 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr3tna4i3k2whttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mr3ruxqh4s2wTrump is giving Democrats a giant gift by becoming the country's #1 booster of data centers, which everyone hates. My latest for MS NOW: https://www.ms.now/opinion/trump-data-centers-elon-musk-democrats20 Jul 2026 17:08 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr3ruxqh4s2whttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mr3oqnuqrs2uReminds me to share my opinion about Fantastic 4, which managed to make Pedro Pascal, one of the most charismatic people on the planet, utterly boring. Also Eben Moss-Bachrach was miscast. His acting is quiet and subtle; he can't play a giant rock. Thank you for your attention to this matter. [contains quote post or other embedded content]20 Jul 2026 16:12 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr3oqnuqrs2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mqz34or23k23I'm not a clothes guy, but I'm pretty sure if I was president of the United States I'd have a suit or two that fit. I mean look at this.19 Jul 2026 15:16 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqz34or23k23https://bsky.app/profile/paulwaldman.bsky.social/post/3mqyxsia4dk2vChristian nationalists say all the time that "rights come from God" and it's utterly wrong. Rights come from government. God has NEVER, NOT ONCE IN HISTORY delivered or guaranteed rights for anyone. If you believe that you have no idea what a "right" is. I explained here: https://www.ms.now/opinion/clarence-thomas-rights-democracy-constitution [contains quote post or other embedded content]19 Jul 2026 14:16 +0000at://did:plc:qlnirjwff4ibiw3wchmleszo/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqyxsia4dk2v