Posts by Matt Bernius

Matt Bernius
About Matt Bernius
Matt Bernius is a design researcher working to create more equitable government systems and experiences. Matt's most recent work has been in the civic tech space, working as a researcher and design strategist at Code for America and Measures for Justice. Prior to that he worked at Effective, a UX agency, and also taught at the Rochester Institute of Technology and Cornell. Matt has an MA from the University of Chicago.

What Many On The Left Get Wrong When They Talk About Due Process

In particular in the Kilmar Abrego Garcia case

Senator Murkowski: “We Are All Afraid”

A chilling admission from a leader in the President’s OWN party

Trump Administration Cancels Food Shipments That Help US Food Banks And Farmers

They are also considering another US Farmer Bailout while simultaneously cutting funds to help US Farmers and other residents

What Will Be The Impact Of The Pause That Wasn’t?

Be prepared for a rocky day and potentially more changes to “the plan”

[Updating] President Trump Kinda Pauses(?) Implementation of Non-China Tariffs

Or they maybe happening at 10%… Who knows?! Clearly not the White House.

Fox And Friends Has Fallen!

Things have to be bad when they actually start to speak the truth to the President

Different Forms of Trump Apologist Copium

Remember Trump cannot fail, he can only be failed!

X/itter Truth Bomb Of The Day

This one should come with a warning label (especially as it cuts both ways)

Strong Jobs Report For March*

* – but the tariffs didn’t start until April 2

photo of working, person, military, construction, cutting, team, helmet, build, labor, job, workers, laborer, task, construction worker, sledge hammer photo of working, person, military, construction, cutting, team, helmet, build, labor, job, workers, laborer, task, construction worker, sledge hammer

The Problem With “What About The Workers?!”

A response to an argument based on feels not facts

X/itter Reacts To The Tariffs

It’s like tab clearing, but for those with no attention spa… squirrel!

Some Tariff Related Content

Spoiler alert: This is going to be a disaster

photo of working, person, military, construction, cutting, team, helmet, build, labor, job, workers, laborer, task, construction worker, sledge hammer photo of working, person, military, construction, cutting, team, helmet, build, labor, job, workers, laborer, task, construction worker, sledge hammer

Quick OTB Site Update: Don’t Mind The Dust

Infrastructure week is continuing

X/eet Of The Day

Who’d of thought that Donald Trump would do what he campaigned on doing?!

Vance + Musk: Self-Proclaimed Racist DOGE Employees Should Be Rehired

Remember kids, DEI is the REAL racism

A Few Thoughts On Block Grants, USAid, Conservatism, and Coalition Building

This could be a issue for common ground… if both sides are prepared to give a little

What We Know So Far About The OPM “Buy Out”

Is it even a traditional “Buy Out” and is it already in conflict with OPM statutes?

A Few Thoughts On Resistance And Pardons

Today’s an appropriate on to think about the role of suffering in change

Biden Pardons Fauci, Milley, And Others

Going out on another unforced error

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself: Carter Funeral Edition

Pro-tip: Googling BEFORE posting a Hot Take can save a lot of embarrasment

Steven Colbert eating comically large popcorn. Steven Colbert eating comically large popcorn.

Congress To Release Gaetz Report

Gaetz’s own party hates him almost as much as the Democrats hate him

A Bit Of Wheat Among The Chaff

Trump’s Deputy AG nominee is an promising choice

Meritocracy, Mediocrity, & DEI: SECDEF* Edition

There is no such thing as “the perfect candidate.”

President-Elect Trump Pushing For Recess Appointments

In which I agree with Trump about the problem, but NOT the solution

[Pope Francis] [Pope Francis]

Advice From Popehat

Definitely not advice from the pope

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Whose Predictions Were Wrong?

Like Guy Fawkes, I got burnt!

[Guy Fawkes Mask] [Guy Fawkes Mask]

9ish Guy Fawkes Day & Beyond Predictions [Updated]

Remember, remember the fifth of November…

Trump Advisors Promise A Recession (And Worse) If He Wins

Elon is on record warning Trump supporters to be prepared for “temporary hardship”

The free high-resolution photo of desk, black and white, technology, white, money, market, blue, business, black, monochrome, chart, statistic, monitor, bw, bank, display, graph, stock, digital, currency, dollar, trade, information, sell, economy, server, financial, management, data, finance, cost, analysis, profit, investment, exchange, ticker, rate, accounting, funds, earning, trading, forex, personal computer, monochrome photography, index, electronic device, personal computer hardware, electronic instrument, foreign exchange , taken with an unknown camera 03/17 2017 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required. The free high-resolution photo of desk, black and white, technology, white, money, market, blue, business, black, monochrome, chart, statistic, monitor, bw, bank, display, graph, stock, digital, currency, dollar, trade, information, sell, economy, server, financial, management, data, finance, cost, analysis, profit, investment, exchange, ticker, rate, accounting, funds, earning, trading, forex, personal computer, monochrome photography, index, electronic device, personal computer hardware, electronic instrument, foreign exchange , taken with an unknown camera 03/17 2017 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required.

Companies Go On Record About Future Tariff-Related Price Increases

Trump’s core policies will drive inflation

With Early Voting Comes Early Claims Of Vote Switching

And the real destruction of mail-in ballots

Why We Can Say Crime Is Down Despite The FBI Upward Revision 2021’s Crime Estimates

Ignorance and motivated reasoning are never a good combination

President Donald J. Trump, joined by Vice President Mike Pence and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, takes questions from the press at a coronavirus update briefing Saturday, March 14, 2020, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead) President Donald J. Trump, joined by Vice President Mike Pence and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, takes questions from the press at a coronavirus update briefing Saturday, March 14, 2020, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)

A Question For Our Anti-Anti-Trump Commenters

What prevents you from affirmatively supporting Trump?

Thoughts Related To Second Trump Assassination Attempt

On security details and conflicting MAGA views about the danger of rhetoric

Another Day, More Trump Racism, More Bomb Threats

And more silence from our MAGA aligned commenters

[Springfield and Dayton police officers outside the City Hall building following an evacuation due to a threat Thursday. Bill Lackey, staff photographer, Springfield News-Sun] [Springfield and Dayton police officers outside the City Hall building following an evacuation due to a threat Thursday. Bill Lackey, staff photographer, Springfield News-Sun]

The Real World Consequences Of Trump’s Racism

Trump’s Anti-Black, Anti-Haitian Propaganda Is Harming Real People

More On MAGA Attacks On Haitian Migrants

Thoughts that didn’t fit in my last post

The Trump Campaign Goes All In On Xenophobia And Racism

Racism this explicit needs to be directly confronted

Xtter Reactions To The Donald’s Bigly Bad Night

Sometimes the bird gives you the bird

Image of a scupture of a snake eating it's tail. Photographer: Leo Reynolds Image of a scupture of a snake eating it's tail. Photographer: Leo Reynolds

The Fox News/Trump Ororboros

To what degree is right wing media shaping Trump’s view of Harris?

Donald Trump Shrugging Donald Trump Shrugging

Where’s The Line Between Paraphrasing And “Sanewashing?”

Is it the press’s responsibility to turn nonsense into sense?

Meme from the movie Dodgeball saying "That's a Bold Move, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off" Meme from the movie Dodgeball saying "That's a Bold Move, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off"

[Updated] Hunter Biden Attempts A Novel Plea Strategy

I suspect it isn’t going to work

Being A Useful Idiot Pays Well (Allegedly)

Where’s my $400,000 a month contract?

Tucker Carlson Promotes Hitler Apologist

Who did Nazi this coming?

[JD Vance] [JD Vance]

“Leopards Eating People’s Faces Party” VP Candidate Publicly Eats Supporter’s Face

J. D. Vance seems to have a cruel sense of humor and issues with women. Weird!

The Lack Of Economy In Trump’s “Economy” Speech

I love a good data visualization!