Amy Fried
@asfried.bsky.social
Political scientist, kayaker
Emeritus, UMaine
Political Sightlines at https://amyfried.substack.com/
Books on how U.S. conservatives weaponized distrust, New England politics, professionalizing polling, and perceptions of public opinion as a resource
Emeritus, UMaine
Political Sightlines at https://amyfried.substack.com/
Books on how U.S. conservatives weaponized distrust, New England politics, professionalizing polling, and perceptions of public opinion as a resource
Pinned
Amy Fried
@asfried.bsky.social
· Nov 12
Blueskyers, I’m a retired political scientist, still actively writing and doing more real politics, whose core research has been on the history and political uses of public opinion. But I've done research other topics, too! My 1st pub was on abortion politics, the latest on ranked choice voting. 1/5
Reposted by Amy Fried
Here it comes: the crisis wave of Americans making the tough choice to drop coverage — in the face or rising premiums.
@reuters.com $XLV
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
@reuters.com $XLV
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
November 24, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Here it comes: the crisis wave of Americans making the tough choice to drop coverage — in the face or rising premiums.
@reuters.com $XLV
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
@reuters.com $XLV
www.reuters.com/world/americ...
Reposted by Amy Fried
Art. I of the Constitution gives Congress the power to make rules and regulations for the armed forces — including codes of discipline and strictures against following illegal orders. You can’t punish members of Congress for articulating those rules. Also protected by Speech and Debate Clause.
November 25, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Art. I of the Constitution gives Congress the power to make rules and regulations for the armed forces — including codes of discipline and strictures against following illegal orders. You can’t punish members of Congress for articulating those rules. Also protected by Speech and Debate Clause.
Reposted by Amy Fried
it’s plainly offensive for an outsider to tell members of a faith what is and isn’t welcome in their own religious space as a matter of what is “sacred” to them. That principle isn’t specific to him; just generally don’t do that.
November 25, 2025 at 5:48 PM
it’s plainly offensive for an outsider to tell members of a faith what is and isn’t welcome in their own religious space as a matter of what is “sacred” to them. That principle isn’t specific to him; just generally don’t do that.
Matt Dunlap is the kind of Democrat who can win Maine’s 2nd Congressional District #mepolitics www.bangordailynews.com/2025/11/25/o...
Opinion: Matt Dunlap is the kind of Democrat who can win Maine’s 2nd Congressional District
“Dunlap also brings varied experience that undercuts any attempt to paint him as extreme or unprepared.”
www.bangordailynews.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Matt Dunlap is the kind of Democrat who can win Maine’s 2nd Congressional District #mepolitics www.bangordailynews.com/2025/11/25/o...
Reposted by Amy Fried
A roundtrip LAX-JFK flight in the late 60s was around $3K in today’s dollars. The people who wore suits on those flights were the people who regularly wore suits. Complaining about informally-dressed fliers is complaining that the wrong sorts of people are flying today.
November 25, 2025 at 4:38 PM
A roundtrip LAX-JFK flight in the late 60s was around $3K in today’s dollars. The people who wore suits on those flights were the people who regularly wore suits. Complaining about informally-dressed fliers is complaining that the wrong sorts of people are flying today.
This will be my 4th Thanksgiving with cancer. #mepolitics open.substack.com/pub/amyfried...
My Fourth Thanksgiving With Cancer
Reflections on kvetching, loving, and enjoying life with ovarian cancer
open.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:34 PM
This will be my 4th Thanksgiving with cancer. #mepolitics open.substack.com/pub/amyfried...
This will be my fourth Thanksgiving with cancer. open.substack.com/pub/amyfried...
My Fourth Thanksgiving With Cancer
Reflections on kvetching, loving, and enjoying life with ovarian cancer
open.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:00 PM
This will be my fourth Thanksgiving with cancer. open.substack.com/pub/amyfried...
Reposted by Amy Fried
Amazing story, state legislator and Turning Points USA leader who crusaded against bogus voter fraud claims pleads guilty to attempted election fraud. azmirror.com/briefs/turni...
Turning Point leader, former GOP Rep pleads guilty to attempted election fraud | Arizona Mirror
Austin Smith election fraud guilty plea: Former GOP Rep admits forging 100+ signatures on ballot petitions in Arizona
azmirror.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Amazing story, state legislator and Turning Points USA leader who crusaded against bogus voter fraud claims pleads guilty to attempted election fraud. azmirror.com/briefs/turni...
Reposted by Amy Fried
"It's clear the people of the United States deserve a universal health care plan."
This is some news. The first time Gov Mills has supported a Medicare-for-All style proposal. #mepolitics
This is some news. The first time Gov Mills has supported a Medicare-for-All style proposal. #mepolitics
11/24 As America’s health insurance crisis worsens, Maine Governor Janet Mills announces support for universal health care and calls on President Trump to extend Affordable Care Act premium tax credits #maine #MEpolitics
November 24, 2025 at 10:16 PM
"It's clear the people of the United States deserve a universal health care plan."
This is some news. The first time Gov Mills has supported a Medicare-for-All style proposal. #mepolitics
This is some news. The first time Gov Mills has supported a Medicare-for-All style proposal. #mepolitics
Reposted by Amy Fried
Janet Mills today: "Whether you call it Medicare for All or something else, I think it's clear the people of the United States deserve a universal health care plan. It's time."
Susan Collins today: wants to reverse a decade+ of Maine law and ban trans kids from sports and bathrooms #mepolitics
Susan Collins today: wants to reverse a decade+ of Maine law and ban trans kids from sports and bathrooms #mepolitics
November 24, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Janet Mills today: "Whether you call it Medicare for All or something else, I think it's clear the people of the United States deserve a universal health care plan. It's time."
Susan Collins today: wants to reverse a decade+ of Maine law and ban trans kids from sports and bathrooms #mepolitics
Susan Collins today: wants to reverse a decade+ of Maine law and ban trans kids from sports and bathrooms #mepolitics
Reposted by Amy Fried
Political Scientist Vahid Abedini detained boarding flight as he traveled to the annual MESA conference
November 24, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Political Scientist Vahid Abedini detained boarding flight as he traveled to the annual MESA conference
When he was governor, Paul LePage gutted working-class Mainers and then flew off to his luxury Florida beach home.
Maine is done with politicians who put billionaires before working families.
Paul — do Mainers a favor: go home to Florida for good.
Maine is done with politicians who put billionaires before working families.
Paul — do Mainers a favor: go home to Florida for good.
November 24, 2025 at 7:33 PM
By the way, this is a bad sign for Paul LePage and a good one for Matt Dunlap when it comes to Dems retaining ME-2. #mepolitics
PUNCHBOWL: “.. GOP members messaged us over the weekend saying that they, too, are considering retiring in the middle of the term. Here’s one particularly exercised senior House Republican:
@punchbowlnews.bsky.social
@punchbowlnews.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 5:47 PM
By the way, this is a bad sign for Paul LePage and a good one for Matt Dunlap when it comes to Dems retaining ME-2. #mepolitics
Reposted by Amy Fried
A federal judge didn’t “steal” the Commander-in-Chief’s powers—she ruled that DoD exceeded the limits Congress set. That is the rule of law working as designed. What threatens the Republic isn’t judicial review, but officials who insist they’re above it.
November 23, 2025 at 5:46 PM
A federal judge didn’t “steal” the Commander-in-Chief’s powers—she ruled that DoD exceeded the limits Congress set. That is the rule of law working as designed. What threatens the Republic isn’t judicial review, but officials who insist they’re above it.
What Trump and his people don’t know is that there is a crime called seditious conspiracy and it has certain elements needed to charge someone and convict. You can’t just shout “sedition” like Michael in The Office declared “bankruptcy!”
New threats from Trump:
The president just endorsed a post reading, "Go get all those traitorous sons of bitches for sedition at the very least. Those pompous traitorous communists should be impeached and prosecuted."
The president just endorsed a post reading, "Go get all those traitorous sons of bitches for sedition at the very least. Those pompous traitorous communists should be impeached and prosecuted."
November 24, 2025 at 12:13 PM
What Trump and his people don’t know is that there is a crime called seditious conspiracy and it has certain elements needed to charge someone and convict. You can’t just shout “sedition” like Michael in The Office declared “bankruptcy!”
Reposted by Amy Fried
Despite telling the officers he was an American citizen, one of them broke the driver’s side window and detained him. In a video shared to the outlet by Cesar Jimenez, Christian can reportedly be heard asserting his citizenship while an officer responds “get out of the car” and “I don’t care.”
ICE detained teenaged US citizen during school lunch break, family says
Christian Jimenez, Oregon high school senior, faces possible obstruction charges after traffic stop by immigration agents
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Despite telling the officers he was an American citizen, one of them broke the driver’s side window and detained him. In a video shared to the outlet by Cesar Jimenez, Christian can reportedly be heard asserting his citizenship while an officer responds “get out of the car” and “I don’t care.”
What do you think swing voters in Maine think about this sort of thing? #mepolitics open.substack.com/pub/freebeac...
Maine's Platner Calls To Harass Lawmakers Who Oppose Medicare for All: 'Don’t Let Them Have a Public Dinner’
‘I want people to follow them around,’ the Democrat says
open.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:55 AM
What do you think swing voters in Maine think about this sort of thing? #mepolitics open.substack.com/pub/freebeac...
Reposted by Amy Fried
Unfortunately, I can confirm that this is true.
I have known Carl for 2 decades and he is smart, dedicated, and quite apolitical, focused on science and getting stuff done on important problems.
Huge unnecessary loss of leadership and expertise.
I have known Carl for 2 decades and he is smart, dedicated, and quite apolitical, focused on science and getting stuff done on important problems.
Huge unnecessary loss of leadership and expertise.
Hearing news that Carl Dieffenbach, the Director of the Division of AIDS at #NIH (NIAID), has been removed from his position because he was "not aligned with HHS/OMB."
Russell Vought continues to remove great scientists as part of the Project 2025 mission to politicize and destroy NIH.
🧪 1/
Russell Vought continues to remove great scientists as part of the Project 2025 mission to politicize and destroy NIH.
🧪 1/
November 24, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Unfortunately, I can confirm that this is true.
I have known Carl for 2 decades and he is smart, dedicated, and quite apolitical, focused on science and getting stuff done on important problems.
Huge unnecessary loss of leadership and expertise.
I have known Carl for 2 decades and he is smart, dedicated, and quite apolitical, focused on science and getting stuff done on important problems.
Huge unnecessary loss of leadership and expertise.
Reposted by Amy Fried
Trump has done *nothing* to make the case for why he is murdering people in the seas and contemplating an invasion of Venezuela. Bush at least lied to US for months before invading Iraq.
Trump had found an issue more unpopular than his handling of inflation - attacking Venezuela:
www.cbsnews.com/feature/cbs-...
www.cbsnews.com/feature/cbs-...
November 24, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Trump has done *nothing* to make the case for why he is murdering people in the seas and contemplating an invasion of Venezuela. Bush at least lied to US for months before invading Iraq.
Reposted by Amy Fried
1/ Sorry for the paywall, but this is a very informative article. I’ve observed this happening in my community where outside hate groups have mobilized to try and force the school board to change policies to strip trans students of their rights and roll back DEI, but the degree to which these
Parents’ rights groups, backed by conservative funders, bring fight to Maine school boards
The Gardiner-area school board is one of many across the state being confronted with organized, sometimes disruptive, efforts to remake education.
www.pressherald.com
November 23, 2025 at 11:28 PM
1/ Sorry for the paywall, but this is a very informative article. I’ve observed this happening in my community where outside hate groups have mobilized to try and force the school board to change policies to strip trans students of their rights and roll back DEI, but the degree to which these
Reposted by Amy Fried
King: According to Secretary Rubio, this plan is not the administration’s position — it is essentially the Russians’ wish list that is now being presented to the Europeans and to the Ukrainians.
November 23, 2025 at 2:16 AM
Reposted by Amy Fried
The thing about DOGE is it accomplished neither its ostensible nor actual goals but did manage to cause a couple of holocausts worth of deaths internationally.
And the media finds none of those three things particularly notable.
And the media finds none of those three things particularly notable.
It remains insane to me that DOGE was treated at the time as an impressive shock and awe accomplishment - “you can’t deny he’s getting stuff done!” - and then instantly memory holed by the press once if became clear it was a total failure by every possible standard including Musk’s own
Difficult to overstate how profound a failure DOGE was. Spending in FY2025 was not only than in FY2024 – but higher than it was projected to be when Trump first took office.*
The little bit of spending DOGE cut has already killed hundreds of thousands and will eventually lead to millions of deaths.
The little bit of spending DOGE cut has already killed hundreds of thousands and will eventually lead to millions of deaths.
November 23, 2025 at 4:09 PM
The thing about DOGE is it accomplished neither its ostensible nor actual goals but did manage to cause a couple of holocausts worth of deaths internationally.
And the media finds none of those three things particularly notable.
And the media finds none of those three things particularly notable.
Reposted by Amy Fried
DOGE was created for data theft and infrastructure dismantling and it wildly succeeded on both counts within the first few weeks of its existence. It will take a generation to rebuild what it destroyed and the breach of data is unprecedented.
Bye bye, “DOGE”.
It no longer exists as a “centralized entity”, according to the Office of Personnel Management.
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/dog...
It no longer exists as a “centralized entity”, according to the Office of Personnel Management.
@reuters.com
www.reuters.com/world/us/dog...
November 23, 2025 at 3:01 PM
DOGE was created for data theft and infrastructure dismantling and it wildly succeeded on both counts within the first few weeks of its existence. It will take a generation to rebuild what it destroyed and the breach of data is unprecedented.