On the morning of Wednesday, November 7, 2018, I was sitting in my office at the Texas AFL-CIO building, square between the Texas governor’s mansion and the state capitol, ruminating on what had been one hell of a weird election night. On the one hand, progressives had picked up nearly a dozen seats in the […]
Author Archives: Jeff Rotkoff
Jeff Rotkoff is the publisher of The Barbed Wire. He’s worked in politics, nonprofits, organized labor, and business consulting. A Texan to his core, at The Barbed Wire, Jeff’s job is to help run business operations in support of the editorial team.
Posted inCulture
This Holiday Season, Give Yourself Some Peace of Mind
Hey there listeners, and welcome back. It’s that fallow period between Thanksgiving, Christmas (Hanukkah!), and New Year’s. Time barely counts, calories sure as shit don’t, and your bank account is full of Monopoly money. I am not the man to tell you what to do with all that cash burning a hole in your pocket. […]
Posted inOpinion
We’re Fucking Delighted The Onion Bought Infowars
First, the good news: The Onion bought Infowars. We’re fucking thrilled about this. Congrats to our pals over there, who will do magnificent things with a nascent right-wing media empire that peddled harmful conspiracy theories at the expense of grieving parents. And gang, I’ve never been more happy to lose. (Please shut up with any […]
Posted inOpinion
Texas Is the Center of American Politics This Week. Get Used to It.
It’s difficult to remember the last time both major party presidential candidates appeared in Texas so close to an election. There’s an old adage in politics, that campaigns have only three resources: time, money, and people. You can always find one more volunteer. You can always raise one more dollar. But you can never get […]
Posted inOpinion
Tell Alex Jones to Eat Shit: Let’s Buy Infowars
Howdy! I’m the publisher at The Barbed Wire. If you’re new to our site, we’re a next-generation digital media property absolutely obsessed with all-things Texas. If you’re returning after reading our kick-ass coverage of tiny lizards, Russian wrestlers, video games, and civil rights, we’re glad to have you back. We’d like your help to make […]
Posted inOpinion
A Note from Our Publisher
Hi there, friend — My name is Jeff Rotkoff. I’m the publisher of The Barbed Wire. In 1995, my dad, then-stationed at the Pentagon while our family lived in Northern Virginia, received orders to move to Fort Hood. I was 16 years old, and I’m pretty sure I’d never set foot in the Lone Star […]