Sign in

Blaine Stum

@bstum.bsky.social
468 followers 629 following 418 posts

DC Council Staffer 🏛️ Staunchly Pro-Democracy Former CJ TA Provider/Researcher Gay Cat Owner 🏳️‍🌈😸 Movie and Music Nerd 🎥🎶🤓 **All Opinions My Own**

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Nick Carnes @carnes.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
It's finally publication day for this decade-in-the-making book. @noamlupu.bsky.social and I explain why working-class jobs make up 70% of the average democracy's labor force, but only 2% of the average democracy's national lawmakers had working-class jobs when they got into politics.
1119870
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Susan Rinkunas @susanrinkunas.com · 30/09/2026
To recap: three GOP-led states that wanted the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade in order to "send abortion back to the states" are now asking the Court to strike down abortion protections in blue states
125301167
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Bobby Kogan @bbkogan.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Russ Vought just sent a rescissions request to Congress, signaling he intends to illegally impound funds. The $810 million highlighted in this “request” (but this is a pretext to just illegally impound the funds) is not the exhaustive list of many billions of dollars he’s impounding this year.
32973408
Reposted by Blaine Stum
@GottaLaff @gottalaff.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Election interference
22817
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Corey Rayburn Yung @coreyryung.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
He doesn't understand how risk pooling or insurance fraud works. People who "never file a claim" subsidize everyone else and cannot be committing insurance fraud (which requires filing claims).
1412938
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Last few weeks have been super fun: Still experiencing my first bout with eczema (0/10 do not recommend) and sprained my back (also 0/10) the other day.
110
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Defector @defector.com · 28/08/2026
1998 should always be remembered as the year DMX took over the world. defector.com/the-year-dmx...
defector.com
The Year DMX Painted The World Blood Red | Defector
The most awe-inspiring thing in music is when an artist takes over the world. At least back when there was a monoculture, it was possible for a single person to dominate collective attention, at…
5426
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Ally Whelan @amwhelan.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Dolly Parton, Superstar Whose Songs Spoke to Millions, Dies at 80
nytimes.com
Dolly Parton, Superstar Whose Songs Spoke to Millions, Dies at 80 (Gift Article)
Known for her outsize persona, appearance and talent, she rose from rural poverty to become a top-selling singer, songwriter and entrepreneur.
2196
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Pierce @pierceah66.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
RIP Dolly www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
nbcnews.com
Dolly Parton, country music icon, dies at 80
Her death came after in May 2026 she announced she was canceling a Las Vegas show and said she’d been undergoing treatment for kidney stones for several years.
1264
Reposted by Blaine Stum
NBC4 Washington @nbcwashington.com · 24/08/2026
“You come Monday, someone’s gone.” Students in the D.C. area describe the effects of immigration enforcement.
nbcwashington.com
‘You come Monday, someone's gone': How immigration enforcement is affecting DMV schools
As millions of students across the country prepare to head back to school, the News4 I-Team examined the impacts of President Trump‘s immigration enforcement operations on schools in the D.C. area, fr...
02620
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Academic "debate" and peer review are not, and have never been, effective barriers to the spread of harmful pseudoscience or misinformation. If they ever were, we would be living in a very different world today.
000
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
The level naivety some academics possess is astonishing....
100
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Christina Henderson @chenderson.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Nope, we’re not. Downtown DC has had ongoing road closures since July 20 for this one event. And that will stretch until the first week of September. 7 weeks of this is enough.
115641
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Oh for sure. In one of the jurisdictions I worked in, it was a scandal that some legislators viewed their jobs as full-time.
000
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Yea I’d say most state and local legislators are not well paid. It’s understandably difficult to justify increasing their salaries to the public, so a lot of legislatures avoid the topic altogether (or outsource the decision to some other body).
100
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
In my experience working with several state and local legislative bodies, this is rare. In most cases, they're completely unfamiliar with the research/studies to begin with...
1140
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
And that's a problem. (I should note that even well meaning progressive advocates and organizations reinforce this dynamic as much as elected officials, but that's for another time...)
010
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Now that I've been in policy work for nearly a decade and a half, I've been asked about my plans (i.e., "Are you going to run for office some day?") more times than I can count. If I were still a server, bartender, or maintenance worker... I wouldn't even be a thought for most people in power.
121
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
He asked me, point blank, "You've only worked service and hospitality jobs for over a decade. How will those jobs help you with this work?" I was able to answer it effectively, but it underscored the reality that elected officials don't see low-wage workers as viable political operatives, etc.
121
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
This is so real, and it's true for all policy-related jobs, frankly. I remember when I was interviewed for (what would become) my first policy job by a Councilmember in Spokane circa 2012....
262
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Nick Carnes @carnes.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Working-class people almost never go on to become politicians, and that's not a fluke or a recent development: it's a ***built-in feature of elections*** in all democracies (w/ @noamlupu.bsky.social) theconversation.com/why-working-...
theconversation.com
Why working-class people account for around 1% of lawmakers in the US – and only 2% in the average democracy around the world
Campaigning anywhere for any office at any level of government is personally burdensome.
76833
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Nah, the Bible should not be in the classroom. While you're not wrong about its importance in America's social and political development, you and I both know teaching the Bible will do nothing but invite attempts to indoctrinate. Don't be naive.
000
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Correct. And absolutely no conservative out there will countenance teaching the Bible as just another piece of literature that can provide historical context to social and political developments. Surely Jonathan knows that.
010
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Brad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
President Donald Trump sent thousands of National Guard to Washington as what he has said is an effort to get tough on an epidemic of crime. They seldom actually fight crime. Soldiers have been involved in about 1.3% of the city's criminal cases since they arrived. www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
16398177
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Adam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
The fundraising texts you delete are working on someone. It’s infuriating and heartbreaking. An 85yo in Ohio gave more than double the value of his home. A 91yo in an Indianapolis senior facility gave 25K times. The DCCC/DSCC don’t just tolerate the spammers who exploit seniors. They take part.
data4democracy.substack.com
Hook and Squeeze
How Democratic consultants, committees, and party leaders built a fundraising spam pipeline that funnels money from a captive pool of elderly donors into their own operations.
17845351588
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Disturbing @adambonica.bsky.social analysis of the Democratic scam PAC ecosystem and how the tactics they employ are also used by mainstream party orgs and elected officials to take advantage of vulnerable seniors data4democracy.substack.com/p/hook-and-s...
1233897
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Hakeem Jefferson @hakeemjefferson.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
“I was asked not to mention the Times at all. I’m choosing not to honor that norm, b/c silence abt how accountability journalism gets suppressed is itself a form of suppression.” Read the back story of how @nytimes.com and @thebulwark.com killed @adambonica.bsky.social’s piece. What a mf badass.
data4democracy.substack.com
With Fear and Favor
Institutions don’t have courage. They have incentives.
11197451
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Not sure how using contractors is "an amazing innovation" either...
010
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Yep. It’s so much work it just drains you. And I have to say, it’s harder to move in a big city than it is in the suburbs.
010
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Thanks! My last moving experience was a straight up nightmare. So I’m hoping this is significantly better.
010
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
All of this to say: That there are numerous reasons people don’t leave a substandard place or a rental owned by a horrid landlord, such as place attachment, but the cost of moving— monetarily or otherwise— makes it difficult for a lot of people to get out of terrible living situations.
010
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Moving is also costly in terms of time. I’ve spent probably three-to-four solid days (in terms of number of hours) sorting through everything, packing, disassembling, putting up permits, etc. If you don’t have a lot of free time or the ability to take time off, you’re screwed.
210
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Then there’s all of the things you may need to buy for the new place, or anything you may need to replace if it gets mangled/destroyed during the move.
100
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Movers will cost around $1,000-$2,000. And even if you don’t get movers, you’ll still need a vehicle (i.e., a van or a truck) that can carry everything. A van or truck rental may run several hundred dollars.
100
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Moving is costly. First, you have to be able to afford the application fee, security deposit, first months rent, and any pet fees or pet rent. Security deposit and first months rent alone is several thousand.
100
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
I’ve been in my current place for 7 years, but am about to move to a new building so I can live with my partner. I’ve had a wonderful experience at my current property, but the cost of moving reminds me of why so many people who don’t have good experiences stay put.
220
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Reuters @reuters.com · 03/08/2026
About 60,000 ordered to evacuate from fires in Spokane, Washington reut.rs/4caRSYf
reut.rs
About 60,000 ordered to evacuate from fires in Spokane, Washington
Around 60,000 people have been ordered to evacuate as ​wildfires threaten the city of Spokane ‌in Washington state, local officials said Sunday, adding the fires in the region had destroyed 600 ​buildings, including homes and businesses.
311171
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Yes, although not all states publish names or addresses associated with a property. NYC does though, and has for many, many years, so calling it "doxxing" is ridiculous.
000
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Martin Austermuhle @maustermuhle.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
NEWS: @chairmanmendelson.com has fired back at @mayorbowser.dc.gov after she returned the 2027 budget unsigned and criticized the D.C. Council for its spending decisions. "At a time when our government is under siege, it not constructive to take gratuitous pot shots at your co-equal branch."
3299
Reposted by Blaine Stum
Murshed Zaheed @murshedz.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
“Trump has rejected disaster aid for Democratic-run states at the highest rate in the 47-year history of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.” Right now people in blue states are basically paying federal taxes as if they’re colonized territories of red states. www.politico.com/news/2026/03...
Trump has denied most disaster requests from Democratic-led states

A graph  showing Presidential approval rates for disaster requests from Democratic-led states and Republican-led states

Source: POLITICO's E&E News analysis of FEMA records
16154702517
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
bsky.app/profile/maus... If you support Home Rule, you can’t support this bill. Period. Their statement is ridiculous.
1151
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
As a result, our borrowing costs would skyrocket and would economic development would stagnate. It’s a dangerous bill, and DoorDash’ characterization of it as some sort of extension of how things already work is disgusting.
2190
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
It would blow up our budget process entirely, make it nearly impossible to do tax abatements and economic development (e.g., office to residential conversions, etc.).
1110
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
H.R. 9720 would not only restrict our ability to raise revenue, it would restrict our ability to do basic code clean up, licensing reform, and fee adjustments.
1170
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
In their letter, DoorDash seems to be conflating the passive congressional review that all of our legislation undergoes with active approval. Suffice to say, those are not even close to the same thing.
713346
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Such a process would blow a giant hole in the District's budget, as the Mayor and Council routinely adjust taxes and codify provisions in Title 47 in the Budget Support Act.
010
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
The language of the bill would require any act that codifies provisions in Title 47 or imposes or increases a tax or a fee to be approved via a joint resolution of Congress. If the joint resolution isn't approved, the act will not go into effect.
101
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Another day that ends in "y" and another proposal to interfere in the District's affairs. www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/ju...
washingtontimes.com
Comer moves to give Congress veto power over D.C. tax hikes
House Oversight Chairman James Comer on Thursday introduced legislation that would require congressional approval of any act passed by the D.C. Council that would impose or increase a tax or fee.
131
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Longitudinal studies use data that tracks the same sample over a multiple points in time. For instance, a longitudinal study in this space could track offending by immigrants over time in a specific area.
130
Blaine Stum @bstum.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Cross sectional studies use data from a single point or period of time. In the case of these studies, that would mean using immigration population data or crime data from a specific year, for example.
130