Nicholas Grossman
International Relations prof at U. Illinois. Editor of Arc Digital. Author “Drones and Terrorism.” Politics, national security, and occasional nerdery.
- The Trump era exposed how badly Congress erred over decades by granting the president emergency powers in certain situations while also making the president the one who decides when we’re in those situations. ICE can’t mask except when ICE’s boss says it’s necessary? Repeating that same mistake.
- "except in extraordinary and unusual circumstances" is a big enough loophole for a family of elephants to walk through. www.huffpost.com/entry/democr...
- The chair of the first law firm that bent the knee to Trump’s extortion and agreed to do pro bono work for him is featured in the Epstein Files, you say? Huh.
- Brad Karp to step down as Paul Weiss chair after Epstein revelations ft.trib.al/H1vYT7B
- So, is Nicolas Maduro getting the Ghislaine Maxwell deal to lie that Venezuela magically hacked the 2020 election (don’t ask how) or at least to not contradict it? Decent chance this is dumber and less planned than that, like other attempts to validate something obviously false Trump made up.)
- Not gullibility, not exactly. Nor personal agreement. A deep psychological need and professional incentive for normality, with both sides equal, where we share basic values but disagree about how. Because if it really is this bad, good people would be biased against it, not neutral and “balanced.”
- Do the people at CNN really believe Trump has had a change of heart, adopted a sincere new tone, and is adjusting policy accordingly? I doubt it, but who knows. I’m not accusing them of believing him or falling for it, I’m accusing them of not caring. They act like truth isn’t part of their job.
- Let’s think through how ICE/BP thugs doing voter intimidation could possibly swing the midterms. Have to pick close races, pick the right precincts, not inspire backlash, and do all that in enough places to overcome a likely national wave. They’ll try, it’s wrong, but I second the anti-doomerism.
- Voter intimidation isn’t new, and the counters to it are well established. Black voters in the south, for example, faced some at various times. Ideally, use early voting to make intimidation harder. Otherwise, show up to vote on Election Day, braving whatever they try. Not sexy, but it works.
- US higher ed is under attack. Harvard refusing Trump's unreasonable, lie-based, often illegal demands is making a difference. I especially appreciate how @ryanenos.bsky.social explains that research grants aren't favors, they're competitive contracts serving national priorities as set by Congress.
- "We are now in a system of competitive authoritarianism. And it’s just about whether we manage to take our democracy back from that." On the pod, @ryanenos.bsky.social is so good on Harvard pulling back from surrender to Trump, and on need for institutions to fight: newrepublic.com/article/2061...
- The Trump "negotiations" with Iran didn't get off the ground, presumably for the same reason as previous ones: the US demand is essentially that Iran capitulates, agreeing to forfeit its national interests, and in exchange the US leader who broke the last deal without cause might honor a new one.
- Moderate, run to the center, assume opinions are fixed and chase what polls well — that’s a badly misguided strategy for this moment. If interested in US elections, “popularism,” and opposing authoritarianism, read what the poli sci says, from @adambonica.bsky.social and @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social.
- Oh, the pearl-clutching that will commence when future US leaders take steps to remove Trump constructions in DC. "How could you insult..." and "you have to accept that..." and on and on. Ignore it. These are aberrations, illegal, a stain. We the People, not tribute to one anti-democracy figure.
- Many Trump voters wanted state violence and shows of bigoted cruelty in service of making the US whiter. But other Trump voters bought a fantasy of stopping criminals. As @gregsargent.bsky.social shows, seeing this in reality—eg building concentration camps—they don’t like it. That’s a big wedge.
- Remarkable: Trump's planned migrant prison camps are hitting deep resistance in red areas. In Virginia's partly rural Hanover (+26 Trump) opposition is intense. GOP leaders in other states are opposed. Voters are rejecting mass deportations big time. 1/ (new piece) newrepublic.com/article/2060...
