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Joel Mathis

@joelderburner.bsky.social
85 followers 44 following 333 posts

I went away. I'm back now, smaller and hopefully quieter.

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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 4h
Hey folks: I think my attempt to return to social media is ... not working for me. I spend too much time on this site and mostly it makes me want to fight with strangers. Will delete account tomorrow. If you need my contact info, DM me by 9 am CT Wednesday.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 11h
I like the menswear guy, but I also think this is Bluesky media criticism distilled to its essence: "The media won't cover this" is actually "the audience won't care as much as I want it to."
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 14h
My mom watched a lot of Jim and Tammy Faye. But she never sent them a red cent - never bought what they were selling in either the literal or metaphorical sense. She just liked the showbiz of it all. And Jim and Tammy put on a good show. joelmmathis.substack.com/p/jim-bakker...
joelmmathis.substack.com
Jim Bakker put on a good show
A preacher and a huckster, RIP.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 17h
It’s crazy to me that I keep seeing people posting about how the media is not really gonna cover this when they’re linking to the media‘s coverage of this.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Dr. Pulaski is TNG’s greatest character.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Roger Marshall to state’s most populous county: Drop dead. www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/washing...
washingtonexaminer.com
Roger Marshall slams megachurch challenger for living in a 'bubble'
EXCLUSIVE — Marshall said it was his rival, a megachurch pastor from the suburbs of Kansas City, who was largely absent from the real Kansas.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
You ever wonder if we're not a superpower anymore and we haven't figured it out yet? Figuring it out is going to be painful in a lot of ways.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
The movement that professed deep concern about the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein is now running an ad that embraces the sensibility of “barely legal” pornography. joelmmathis.substack.com/p/the-epstei...
joelmmathis.substack.com
The Epstein aesthetic of Steve Hilton’s new ad
The Calfornia GOP gubernatorial candidate goes there.
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David Faris @davidfaris.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
The coordinated campaign of claims about how the US has normalized Hormuz and thus has won the war isn't convincing anyone. Not only is the military operation unsustainable, it isn't addressing the cascading series of bottlenecks and shortages caused by the ongoing crisis. New for @thenation.com
thenation.com
The GOP Sells the Mirage of a Hormuz Victory
The American action in the contested strait isn’t sustainable—and won’t alter the economic and political fallout from its closure.
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Leah @leah.myatproto.social · 02/10/2026
Very few know that #Kansas was an epicenter of fiery American journalism. I'm a very proud graduate of the William Allen White School of Journalism as is my buddy, @claywires.bsky.social Order his book! kansaspress.ku.edu/9780700643059/ #NewsieSky
A new book arrives! The cover shows a typical Main Street Newspaper office 
Book title: Opinionated: Kansas Journalists Who Proved Why Commentary Matters
By Clay Wirestone
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Kansas is not a swing state. But this is the first time in my life it has *felt* like a swing state.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
We're not talking enough about Trump's comment that Obama "doesn't know if something's dirty or clean" comment.
Trump in Time interview: Look, this is nothing compared to what I've done, but I took the White House and made it beautiful again. Okay, and people look at it. People came up. President Xi looked at it two days ago. He said, "This is beautiful. Much better than I…" He was here 25 years ago with Obama. Think Obama knows it? Obama would not. He doesn't know if something's dirty or clean.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Lunch update.
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Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Let me say a couple words about paywalls. They’re annoying. I feel that (as a news consumer) and know that (as a news publisher). But asking for your email, either to read an article or even to access a gift link (someone said this happened to them a a Times gift link a moment ago) isn’t some …
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Axios just straight up using the bullshit Orwellianisms.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
As of today, I have lived precisely half my life in the 21st century. It doesn't matter. But it does. joelmmathis.substack.com/p/my-21st-ce...
joelmmathis.substack.com
My 21st century day
One foot in. One foot out.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I don’t spend energy on Halloween - and certainly not the entire month of October - because I am an adult.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
I don’t think Derek Thompson’s “it’s sad people don’t hang out like that charming couple from WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?” is a very compelling call to arms.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Huh.
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Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Laugh at Eric Schmitt and Co. for Hawkeyes/Hawks, sure. Their screw up is funny and they deserve the mockery. But also, this was the GOP and allied media geared up to defend a coup attempt with lies and jail a prosecutor because he tried to enforce the law against a criminal. How far we've fallen.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I got very excited seeing Jerry Blavat at a restaurant once.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
He was trying to jump-start a conspiracy theory.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
If I was still a columnist for the KC Star, I'd write something linking Eric Schmitt's performance today to the Josh Hawley skedaddling video, along the lines that the entirety of Missouri's Senate delegation has now irrevocably and memorably embarrassed themselves with regard to Jan. 6. If only.
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Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 29/09/2026
The senator who mistook the Atlanta Hawks for the Iowa Hawkeyes and tried to accuse Jack Smith of perjury? He could be the most dangerous man in the US Senate. What to know about Eric Schmitt:
motherjones.com
Is this the most dangerous man in the US Senate?
Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri is pushing a tribalistic ideology suggesting only descendants of white Christian pioneers are true Americans.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
A reminder that Eric Schmitt provided employment for Nate Hochman, who was booted from the DeSantis presidential campaign for creating an ad with Nazi imagery.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Even my phone Scrabble game is coming out against Philadelphia tonight.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Bailey expected to be Patel's replacement, and Patel has hung on longer than anybody reasonably expected.
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Kim Lyons @kimly.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
I think I am going to start a newsletter titled "I Don't Care and This Does Not Matter" and make it just a weekly roundup of stupid internet arguments. This week's edition would be "iced coffee and that song about Texas."
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Evocative!
Top image: Trump staring at camera  in black and white, with print: "aid for by the U.S. government.

Bottom image:  Norman Bates staring at camera  in black and white, with print: "aid for by the U.S. government.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
It's Sunday. The second featured story at the Kansas City Star is ... horoscopes. The third featured story is ... something that happened at a football game in another state. #mcclatchy
KC Star website.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Trump's immigration agenda was always going to harm red state prosperity. Now Kansas - and Roger Marshall - are finding out. joelmmathis.substack.com/p/donald-tru... #ksleg
joelmmathis.substack.com
Donald Trump's immigration agenda was always going to harm red state prosperity
Sen. Roger Marshall is finding out.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
We’re going to have a multi-year strike.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Do I have a TV show for you! (It was on CBS, so not so much vulgarity.)
CBS' "Person of Interest"
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Trump's immigration agenda was always going to harm red state prosperity. Now Kansas - and Roger Marshall - are finding out. joelmmathis.substack.com/p/donald-tru... #ksleg
joelmmathis.substack.com
Donald Trump's immigration agenda was always going to harm red state prosperity
Sen. Roger Marshall is finding out.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Ominous over the farmers market.
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Will Bunch @willbunch.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I don't regret canceling my Post subscription over Jeff Bezos' embrace of fascism, but the handful of real journalists who didn't jump ship have been doing some excellent work in spite of it all. It's a shame I can't read it. I'm hoping they all regroup at the Washington Sun
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Is Brad Pitt doing Hasan Piker cosplay?
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
To be fair, Hitch in the movie also says it without saying it.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
I think folks should be mentally prepared to a) win the midterms and b) still be highly frustrated. www.washingtonpost.com/elections/20...
washingtonpost.com
Democrats favored to win slim House majority, nonpartisan analyst says
The Cook Political Report says the most likely outcome in November is Democrats winning a slim majority and picking up five to 15 seats in November.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
How's the McClatchy makeover going? Well, the KC Star website is featuring Brook Hogan remembering her dad sleeping with her friend as the third featured story on the website. Slop.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Rejected Prince album titles.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
American exceptionalism depends on the idea we're *morally* better than other nations and, uh, nope.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Something I wrote in 2013: www.phillymag.com/news/2013/08...
phillymag.com
I Can't Watch "Breaking Bad" | The Philly Post
It's acclaimed as one of the greatest shows on TV. Why can't I make myself stomach it?
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Aren't a lot of airline pilots former military aviators?
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
New meme just dropped.
Willem Dafoe on Hot Ones, making a pouty face with an "(exciting dramatic music)" caption.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The tension for Marshall has always been that the meatpacking counties of Southwest Kansas are A) the only growing parts of that region and B) reliant to an extraordinary degree on migrant labor. To side with Trump is to doom the most thriving parts of rural Kansas to a depressed, declining future.
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Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The polls are so bad that a pro-ICE Kansas Republican is now preemptively begging ICE to not shoot one of his constituents now that they're active in his state
When ICE operates in Kansas, it needs to coordinate with our local law enforcement. Our sheriffs and police know these communities better than anyone, and working together keeps officers and residents safe.
I'm closely following what's happening in SW Kansas and have been in direct contact with Secretary Mullin and local law enforcement as ICE executes warrants in order to keep Kansans safe.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
It is wrong to dance on Renee Good's grave because her mom voted for Trump. joelmmathis.substack.com/p/politics-c...
joelmmathis.substack.com
Politics can make us inhuman
No. No no no no no.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I sometimes think about how seven years elapsed betwen ALIEN and ALIENS and if that happened today Ripley would be recast with a 19-year-old and Sigourney Weaver would be invited to make a cameo as a Wayland-Yutani executive seen via video in one scene.
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Joel Mathis @joelderburner.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
This has to be who AOC has in mind when she thinks about taking her shot in 2028. Christie should have run in 2012, didn't, and 2016 was too late - Trump was there to fill the "craziest SOB in the race" lane. Christie is going to spend the rest of his life trying to recapture the magic and he won't.
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