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Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer) profile picture

Robinson Meyer

@robinsonmeyer

executive editor and “shift key” podcast host, @heatmap_news | contributing opinion writer, @nytimes

 New York, NY
heatmap.news
Joined March 2007
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Photo by Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer)Photo by Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer)Photo by Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer)Photo by Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer)Photo by Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer)Photo by Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer)Photo by Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer)Photo by Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer)Photo by Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer)Photo by Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer)
It’s the age of electricity and America isn’t ready. Virtually every goal that Americans care about requires big changes to the power grid. I’m in @nytopinion today on why power bills are going up, whether AI is to blame, & what we need to do about it: nytimes.com/interactive/2026…
Image from Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer)
Image from Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer)
Image from Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer)
Image from Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer)
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I feel like I am going crazy. The Q will not be getting four Republican senators next year — it will be getting 10 R senators, because Trump will veto any permitting measure that can get all 56 Ds. (And of course, any bill that can get 56 Ds won’t get 10 Rs.)
Seaver Wang (@wang_seaver) profile pictureSeaver Wang@wang_seaver16h
David is right here--there is no path to passing a "better" permitting bill next Congress, let alone one that Trump would sign.
Image from Seaver Wang (@wang_seaver)
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Let me add that some of BAAJA’s NGO opponents have staged a very effective tactical retreat on the need for transmission expansion. If BAAJA fails, then come Jan 1 we will go right back to hearing that SunZia’s 17-year permitting delay was actually not a policy problem at all.
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Lisa Friedman (@LFFriedman) profile picture
Lisa Friedman@LFFriedman16h
lolllll
Image from Lisa Friedman (@LFFriedman)
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David Pomerantz (@DavidPomerantz) profile picture
David Pomerantz@DavidPomerantzNov 11
1. Reasonable people can oppose BAAJA; many people I respect do. Calling it a "utility giveaway" is not supportable, imho. Utilities opposed it until yesterday am, when they threw in largely for optics/relationship preservation.
Zephyr Teachout (@ZephyrTeachout) profile pictureZephyr Teachout
@ZephyrTeachoutNov 10
The permitting bill is a data center accelerator and an oil and gas and utility giveaway. It’s a boon to the big tech barons that the country just rejected. Listen to Al here on why it’s especially bad w a Trump
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Ben Walsh (@BenDWalsh) profile picture
Ben Walsh@BenDWalshNov 10
getting your face 3 inches from the laptop screen while on the phone is how you know real journalism is happening (laudatory)
Nicky🇺🇸 (@NickyScatz) profile pictureNicky🇺🇸
@NickyScatzNov 10
I think this was generally everyone's reaction to the Texas numbers
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I know there’s a lot of payola on social media, but whenever I hear the figures, I realize there’s even more money going around than I thought.
Julian Brave NoiseCat (@jnoisecat) profile pictureJulian Brave NoiseCat
@jnoisecatNov 10
Lot of anti-BAAJA people in my mentions mad about my descriptions of the bill and the political dynamics concerning climate & tribes. FWIW, I connected The Wilderness Society—who were offering me, a new dad, $10k to make anti-BAAJA content, to an actually famous Native environmentalist because he has a larger following and would make the case against the bill in as strong and vital a way as possible. His videos on the subject now have 1 MIL views and that’s just on Instagram
Image from Julian Brave NoiseCat (@jnoisecat)
Image from Julian Brave NoiseCat (@jnoisecat)
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In retrospect, I think it’s clear that the Democratic tsunami strengthened the politics of permitting reform. I wrote about why: heatmap.news/daily/how-the-b…
How the Blue Tsunami Strengthened the Permitting Bill

How the Blue Tsunami Strengthened the Permitting Bill

If Democrats plan to restore the solar and wind tax credits, then passing BAAJA now suddenly looks like the savvy move.

heatmap.news
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I struggle to see how the permitting bill is a data center accelerator, but it simply is NOT a utility giveaway. It subjects utilities to increased competition and weakens their monopolies. There’s a reason anti-utility activists support it. heatmap.news/podcast/shift-k…
Why Permitting Reform Is a Historic Victory Over Utilities

Why Permitting Reform Is a Historic Victory Over Utilities

Rob talks with David Pomerantz, the executive director of the Energy and Policy Institute, about how the bill would remake the electricity grid — and strike against utilities’ political power.

heatmap.news
Zephyr Teachout (@ZephyrTeachout) profile pictureZephyr Teachout
@ZephyrTeachoutNov 10
The permitting bill is a data center accelerator and an oil and gas and utility giveaway. It’s a boon to the big tech barons that the country just rejected. Listen to Al here on why it’s especially bad w a Trump
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Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) profile picture
Igor Bobic
@igorbobicNov 9
2028 split on advancing permitting reform today: Yes: Ossoff, Slotkin, Gallego, Warnock No: Kelly, Van Hollen, Booker
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Legislating is so cool. Counting yes and no votes. Whipping. Procedure. Floor time. They should do this more often.
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Environmental Defense Fund supports a yes vote tonight on BAAJA, saying it would help get new power lines and clean energy built
Joshua Siegel (@SiegelScribe) profile pictureJoshua Siegel@SiegelScribeNov 9
Replying to @SiegelScribe
(2 of 2 from EDF, an influential green group): "A positive vote in the Senate today will allow the process to move forward to see if this work is possible." So EDF is ENDORSING the Motion to Proceed to start debate on the bill.
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jae holzman (@jaeporeon) profile picture
jae holzman@jaeporeonNov 9
Podesta, who chairs CAP’s board, says their statement “reflects my views.” He added that the underlying transmission provisions “are quite good.” Says he “discussed this extensively” with Neera Tanden, CAP president and CEO.
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jae holzman (@jaeporeon) profile picture
jae holzman@jaeporeonNov 9
NEW: In an email to me, John Podesta tells me he backs @amprog statement on revised BAAJA. Says senators made “some improvements” but still needs “a clear exception to let a future Administration reverse a permit” that is “illegally granted” by Trump’s admin. CAP calls for amdt.
Center for American Progress (@amprog) profile pictureCenter for American Progress
@amprogNov 9
Senate negotiators have released the text of a substitute amendment for their proposed Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act. In response, @NeeraTanden, president and CEO of CAP released the following statement: americanprogress.org/press/s…
STATEMENT: CAP Statement on Permitting Reform Legislation

STATEMENT: CAP Statement on Permitting Reform Legislation

americanprogress.org
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Burgess Everett (@burgessev) profile picture
Burgess Everett
@burgessevNov 9
New: Sen. Whitehouse says “we believe we have the votes to proceed” to the permitting reform bill. Says there should be a robust amendment process after “People voting not to go onto this bill need to understand that what they are doing is providing data centers a 35 plus billion dollar handout”
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Has there ever been a story like the Jensen scandal — something that ties together corruption, sex, national security, a late-term POTUS, the most important trend in the economy, the most famous CEO associated with that trend, *and* a widely panned policy helping that company?
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It’s like if John Jacob Astor had a ménage à trois with X, Y, and Z.
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Though I suppose that would be a ménage à quatre.
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Joshua Siegel (@SiegelScribe) profile picture
Joshua Siegel@SiegelScribeNov 9
NEWS: Former Biden Energy @SecGranholm has drafted a statement shared w/me urging Dems to back BAAJA, saying changes "respond directly to concerns" the bill "could weaken env enforcement, undermine Tribal consultation, and constrain state authority to protect water quality."
Image from Joshua Siegel (@SiegelScribe)
Image from Joshua Siegel (@SiegelScribe)
Image from Joshua Siegel (@SiegelScribe)
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It’s true. 😂 I have them saved in my phone just like this.
Image from Lauren Ashley Simmons (@LASimmonsTX146)
Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) profile pictureMatthew Yglesias
@mattyglesiasNov 8
An incredibly confusing but apparently true fact is that James Talarico’s chief of staff is named Gina Hinojosa.
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me and the boys reading this tweet
Image from Robinson Meyer (@robinsonmeyer)
Fortissax (@FortySacks) profile pictureFortissax
@FortySacksNov 8
Blowing an Indian colleagues’ mind by explaining that “firangi” in Hindi and Punjabi, meaning foreigner, usually white, comes from Persian “farangi”, via Arabic “al Faranj”, meaning “the Franks” (French). A medieval catch all word for “Westerner” from the crusader era.
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