Author | Lightnews

Alex Bates, MD, MPH

@alexjbates.bsky.social

23 followers 41 following 6 posts

Epidemiology PhD candidate @umnsph.bsky.social | MD @rcsi.bsky.social | Social epidemiologist Research: LGBTQIA+ health inequities, structural stigma, discrimination, health equity he/him

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Alex Bates, MD, MPH @alexjbates.bsky.social · Apr 5

Sounds familiar

#Tariffs #Stocks #Economy

A screenshot of a social media post from Donald J. Trump dated June 13, 2022 at 7:12 AM. The post reads: “The Stock Market(s) are literally crashing. There was no reason for this, all self inflicted!” The post has 14k ReTruths and 39.8k Likes.

Reposted by Alex Bates, MD, MPH

Tina Smith @smith.senate.gov · Mar 26

From the White House website: President Donald J. Trump and his administration continue racking up major wins for the American people at lightning speed - and his cabinet is a major driving force.

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Alex Bates, MD, MPH @alexjbates.bsky.social · Mar 26

In other science-dumpster fire news:
-NIH axed ~400 grants (tracker: tinyurl.com/36ctaaxk)
-CDC cutting $11.4B in COVID funds as hundreds die weekly (nbc: tinyurl.com/huyrd58m)
-MN losing $226M. Putting MDH jobs at risk.

Science vanishing in real time.

#PublicHealth #NIH #CDC #AcademicSky

CDC is pulling back $11B in Covid funding sent to health departments across the U.S.

“Now that the pandemic is over, the grants and cooperative agreements are no longer necessary," federal health authorities wrote to funding recipients this week.

tinyurl.com

Reposted by Alex Bates, MD, MPH

Pete Buttigieg @petebuttigieg.bsky.social · Mar 26

Well, they lied. Obviously.

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Alex Bates, MD, MPH @alexjbates.bsky.social · Mar 21

Unbelievable. In just one week, both NIH grants I worked on as a graduate assistant—an R01 and a U01—have been terminated. Their "reasoning" is beyond infuriating. These cuts are going to set back vital research by years, if not decades. #NIHFunding #AcademicSky #LGBTQIA+ #Equity

NIH reasoning for terminating the R01 grant: "Research programs based on gender identity are often unscientific, have little identifiable return on investment, and do nothing to enhance the health of many Americans. Many such studies ignore, rather than seriously examine, biological realities."

NIH reasoning for terminating the U01 grant: "Research programs based primarily on artificial and non-scientific categories, including amorphous equity objectives, are antithetical to the scientific inquiry, do nothing to expand our knowledge of living systems, provide low returns on investment, and ultimately do not enhance health, lengthen life, or reduce illness. Worse, so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) studies are often used to support unlawful discrimination on the basis of race and other protected characteristics, which harms the health of Americans."

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Alex Bates, MD, MPH @alexjbates.bsky.social · Mar 19

I know the constant headlines have made us numb, but the fact that the administration is openly claiming the judicial branch can’t question them is insane. That means they can do anything...no questions. Insane. www.axios.com/2025/03/18/j...

a poster for only murders in the building shows a man in a blue suit

ALT: a poster for only murders in the building shows a man in a blue suit

media.tenor.com

Reposted by Alex Bates, MD, MPH

Senator Bernie Sanders @sanders.senate.gov · Mar 17

Not surprisingly, Trump’s overall tax and tariff proposals would make the very rich much richer and working families poorer.

If you earn less than $360,000 a year, your taxes are going to go way up.

If you’re in the top 1%? Don’t worry. You’ll save big.

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Alex Bates, MD, MPH @alexjbates.bsky.social · Mar 17

There it is, they're just saying it out loud now. www.axios.com/2025/03/17/t...

Trump's border czar: "I don't care what the judges think"

"I don't care what the Left thinks. We're coming," he added.

www.axios.com

Reposted by Alex Bates, MD, MPH

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Mar 17

Dictator shit

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Alex Bates, MD, MPH @alexjbates.bsky.social · Mar 17

When the government ignores court orders, it’s an authoritarian regime. Really not loving 2025...

www.nytimes.com/2025/03/16/u...

White House Denies Violating Judge’s Order in Deporting Venezuelans (Gift Article)

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, also asserted that the federal courts “have no jurisdiction” over President Trump’s conduct of foreign affairs or his power to expel foreign enemies.