Paul Gowder
@gowder.io
Prof @ Northwestern law, political theorist, cat parent. Black lives matter.
Profile, pubs, etc: https://gowder.io
All my books (rule of law, racial justice, platform governance) are downloadable in free open access pdf @ https://books.gowder.io
Profile, pubs, etc: https://gowder.io
All my books (rule of law, racial justice, platform governance) are downloadable in free open access pdf @ https://books.gowder.io
Pinned
Paul Gowder
@gowder.io
· Oct 14
Senator Hale, 1851, dropping truth bombs about the Fugitive Slave Act that apply just as well to Trump's efforts to send troops do "mass deportation" against the will of the people (Cong. Globe, 31st Congress, session 2, p. 598)
Reposted by Paul Gowder
Great piece by my Cato colleague. “Since July, immigration agents have shot at least six people behind the wheel of a vehicle. The same playbook is used each time: the agent says they “feared for their life” as a vehicle was “weaponized” against them. Juries should decide, but we tie their hands.
Opinion | Renee Good wasn’t the first person shot in her car by ICE. The justification followed a familiar script.
Mike Fox: The officer who shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis might never have to defend his actions before a judge or jury.
www.ms.now
January 10, 2026 at 3:51 AM
Great piece by my Cato colleague. “Since July, immigration agents have shot at least six people behind the wheel of a vehicle. The same playbook is used each time: the agent says they “feared for their life” as a vehicle was “weaponized” against them. Juries should decide, but we tie their hands.
His kettlebell swings are somehow even worse than his pull-ups. Holy shit
Hegseth had cameras recording him working out with recruits today at UCLA
January 9, 2026 at 10:24 PM
His kettlebell swings are somehow even worse than his pull-ups. Holy shit
You are going to want this book.
The final set of corrections to the galleys just went in. I guess whether I (or you) like it or not, the book is coming on March 10, 2026.
Pre-order info here: global.oup.com/academic/pro...
Pre-order info here: global.oup.com/academic/pro...
January 9, 2026 at 7:01 PM
You are going to want this book.
Reposted by Paul Gowder
Weird to be commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Am Rev while living under a government that has a) sent armed troops to occupy cities perceived to be too rebellious, b) rendered largely irrelevant the representative branch of government, and c) claimed imperial right to rule other countries.
January 9, 2026 at 3:10 PM
Weird to be commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Am Rev while living under a government that has a) sent armed troops to occupy cities perceived to be too rebellious, b) rendered largely irrelevant the representative branch of government, and c) claimed imperial right to rule other countries.
Reposted by Paul Gowder
There is nothing new or interesting here about a fascist being incoherent and impulsive and power hungry. That is diagnostic of the thing.
January 9, 2026 at 2:21 PM
There is nothing new or interesting here about a fascist being incoherent and impulsive and power hungry. That is diagnostic of the thing.
Reposted by Paul Gowder
Leaving my house with the ‘don’t tread on me’ flag on it, putting on my mask and tactical gear, strapping on my weapon, and roaming the cities and towns that didn’t vote for my favorite candidate as an armed anonymous agent of the state kidnapping and shooting people who I don’t like the look of.
ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who shot and killed an unarmed civilian, flew a don't-tread-on-me Gadsden flag at his house, per the Daily Mail.
January 9, 2026 at 3:10 PM
Leaving my house with the ‘don’t tread on me’ flag on it, putting on my mask and tactical gear, strapping on my weapon, and roaming the cities and towns that didn’t vote for my favorite candidate as an armed anonymous agent of the state kidnapping and shooting people who I don’t like the look of.
Reposted by Paul Gowder
"We are very well aware of the fact that X for Grok is now offering a spicy mode showing explicit sexual content.
This is not spicy. This is illegal. This is appalling. This is disgusting.
I can confirm we are very seriously looking into this matter."
— Spokesperson @thomasregnier.ec.europa.eu
This is not spicy. This is illegal. This is appalling. This is disgusting.
I can confirm we are very seriously looking into this matter."
— Spokesperson @thomasregnier.ec.europa.eu
January 9, 2026 at 2:00 PM
"We are very well aware of the fact that X for Grok is now offering a spicy mode showing explicit sexual content.
This is not spicy. This is illegal. This is appalling. This is disgusting.
I can confirm we are very seriously looking into this matter."
— Spokesperson @thomasregnier.ec.europa.eu
This is not spicy. This is illegal. This is appalling. This is disgusting.
I can confirm we are very seriously looking into this matter."
— Spokesperson @thomasregnier.ec.europa.eu
Reposted by Paul Gowder
We love to see universities caving to right wing hysteria both literally and figuratively paying the price for it
The lawsuits have been plentiful as well as the settlements
wach.com/news/local/f...
wach.com/news/local/f...
Clemson professor wins settlement after firing over Charlie Kirk post
An assistant professor at Clemson University will be back on the job after a social media post led to his firing.
wach.com
January 9, 2026 at 3:06 PM
We love to see universities caving to right wing hysteria both literally and figuratively paying the price for it
Reposted by Paul Gowder
The police kill you twice; once in body, once in reputation.
This is literally what they do whenever a Black person is killed by police. No matter how solid the evidence is, they will keep pushing that lie, not just to poison the conversation and make sure the killer walks free, but to reassert the political idea that these people deserve to be killed.
The shooting is shocking enough but the government's response is off the charts when you consider that this incident is forensically documented on video.
January 8, 2026 at 3:19 PM
The police kill you twice; once in body, once in reputation.
Needless to say, if he seizes it we absolutely have to give it back after we get rid of him, lest we become a North Korea-level pariah state
Not everyone believed me when I wrote that Trump wants Greenland becuase it would make him feel important, but that's what he told the NYT:
When asked why he needed to possess the territory, he said: “Because that’s what I feel is psychologically needed for success"
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/u...
When asked why he needed to possess the territory, he said: “Because that’s what I feel is psychologically needed for success"
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/u...
Trump Lays Out a Vision of Power Restrained Only by ‘My Own Morality’
www.nytimes.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:33 AM
Needless to say, if he seizes it we absolutely have to give it back after we get rid of him, lest we become a North Korea-level pariah state
They're just shooting people everywhere. Trigger-happy Nazi pigs.
BREAKING NEWS: We are opening a formal investigation into the shooting involving federal agents in Portland today.
Our office will take every step necessary to ensure the rights and security of Oregonians are protected. #orpol #breakingnews
Our office will take every step necessary to ensure the rights and security of Oregonians are protected. #orpol #breakingnews
January 9, 2026 at 9:32 AM
They're just shooting people everywhere. Trigger-happy Nazi pigs.
Reposted by Paul Gowder
Amy Klobuchar voted for one of Trump's nominees the day after a woman in her state was murdered by ICE.
Alexander Van Hook is confirmed 53-40 to be a District Judge of Western Louisiana. According to @senatepress.bsky.social, the Dems yeas are Dick Durbin (IL), Maggie Hassan (NH), Tim Kaine (VA), Amy Klobuchar (MN), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), and Peter Welch (VT). Angus King (I-ME) was also a yea.
January 8, 2026 at 8:38 PM
Amy Klobuchar voted for one of Trump's nominees the day after a woman in her state was murdered by ICE.
Reposted by Paul Gowder
This is very straightforwardly the old vision of absolute monarchy subject only to the king's conscience and duty to God, exceeding even Hobbes' account of sovereign authority.
But if the king were a serial fraud, adulterer, rapist, a near-constant liar, a promoter of hatred and violence.
But if the king were a serial fraud, adulterer, rapist, a near-constant liar, a promoter of hatred and violence.
January 8, 2026 at 10:51 PM
This is very straightforwardly the old vision of absolute monarchy subject only to the king's conscience and duty to God, exceeding even Hobbes' account of sovereign authority.
But if the king were a serial fraud, adulterer, rapist, a near-constant liar, a promoter of hatred and violence.
But if the king were a serial fraud, adulterer, rapist, a near-constant liar, a promoter of hatred and violence.
Reposted by Paul Gowder
January 8, 2026 at 10:48 PM
Reposted by Paul Gowder
The “rules-based international order” Trump is so rapidly dismantling made America both the richest and the indisputably most powerful nation on earth.
Usually systems are dismantled by those losing out under them, not by the winners.
Usually systems are dismantled by those losing out under them, not by the winners.
We’re withdrawing from the International Law Commission??? This whole list is absolutely insane.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Withdrawing the United States from International Organizations, Conventions, and Treaties that Are Contrary to the Interests of the United States
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United
www.whitehouse.gov
January 8, 2026 at 8:11 AM
The “rules-based international order” Trump is so rapidly dismantling made America both the richest and the indisputably most powerful nation on earth.
Usually systems are dismantled by those losing out under them, not by the winners.
Usually systems are dismantled by those losing out under them, not by the winners.
I love this for the law. It's been way too long since we've had basic issues of constitutional and/or international law adjudicated en passant in a common law contract, property, or tort claim between private parties
Polymarket is disputing that the US mission to capture Nicolás Maduro constituted an "invasion", refusing to pay out bets on a contract with $10.5M in wagers (Financial Times)
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
January 7, 2026 at 7:59 PM
I love this for the law. It's been way too long since we've had basic issues of constitutional and/or international law adjudicated en passant in a common law contract, property, or tort claim between private parties
Reposted by Paul Gowder
Reposted by Paul Gowder
“No one teaches the Western canon anymore!”
“Look, Plato’s Symposium is right here on my syllabus!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa—not that!”
“Look, Plato’s Symposium is right here on my syllabus!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa—not that!”
"I’m going to pause here just to review: an institution that purports to be a university has told a philosophy professor he is forbidden from teaching Plato."
surreal times
dailynous.com/2026/01/06/t...
surreal times
dailynous.com/2026/01/06/t...
Texas A&M Bans Plato - Daily Nous
Drop the race and gender material from your course and the Plato readings, or teach a different course. You have a day to decide. That's a paraphrase of what Martin Peterson, professor of philosophy a...
dailynous.com
January 7, 2026 at 11:58 AM
“No one teaches the Western canon anymore!”
“Look, Plato’s Symposium is right here on my syllabus!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa—not that!”
“Look, Plato’s Symposium is right here on my syllabus!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa—not that!”
A whole new level of judicial pick-meism. Sorry, Jim, you're still third in line for the next scotus seat after Emil Bove and Carl Schmitt's rotted corpse journals.law.harvard.edu/jlpp/not-eno...
Not Enough Respect for the Judiciary—Or Too Much? – Judge James C. Ho
PDF Not Enough Respect for the Judiciary—Or Too Much? Arrogance and the Myth of Judicial Supremacy In recent months, we’ve heard a lot of judges complain that the judiciary doesn’t get enough respe…
journals.law.harvard.edu
January 7, 2026 at 12:37 PM
A whole new level of judicial pick-meism. Sorry, Jim, you're still third in line for the next scotus seat after Emil Bove and Carl Schmitt's rotted corpse journals.law.harvard.edu/jlpp/not-eno...
Reposted by Paul Gowder
Some further details here - dailynous.com/2026/01/06/t...
Texas A&M Bans Plato - Daily Nous
Drop the race and gender material from your course and the Plato readings, or teach a different course. You have a day to decide. That's a paraphrase of what Martin Peterson, professor of philosophy a...
dailynous.com
January 7, 2026 at 8:02 AM
Some further details here - dailynous.com/2026/01/06/t...
TXMAGA finding out that the "classical" education they so love came before right-wing christians got all in a twist about people's genitalia??
From an email to one of our faculty members....
Not even Plato can escape censorship at Texas A&M!
Not even Plato can escape censorship at Texas A&M!
January 7, 2026 at 10:30 AM
TXMAGA finding out that the "classical" education they so love came before right-wing christians got all in a twist about people's genitalia??
Reposted by Paul Gowder
... basically do what it wants without opposition, with immediate success, and with total impunity. I guess that must feel great.
But it never lasts. It can't. Because in the end you need friends, not merely subjects.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0mu...
But it never lasts. It can't. Because in the end you need friends, not merely subjects.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0mu...
Richard II Monologue - No matter where; of comfort no man speak:
YouTube video by Croggie
www.youtube.com
January 6, 2026 at 4:58 PM
... basically do what it wants without opposition, with immediate success, and with total impunity. I guess that must feel great.
But it never lasts. It can't. Because in the end you need friends, not merely subjects.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0mu...
But it never lasts. It can't. Because in the end you need friends, not merely subjects.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0mu...
Reposted by Paul Gowder
When people start puffing out their chests and talking like the Athenian delegation in the Melian dialogue, it's because they are feeling powerful and invulnerable. That's how a lot of people on the right are feeling right now: it feels to them like they just proved that the US can ...
1/
1/
January 6, 2026 at 4:53 PM
When people start puffing out their chests and talking like the Athenian delegation in the Melian dialogue, it's because they are feeling powerful and invulnerable. That's how a lot of people on the right are feeling right now: it feels to them like they just proved that the US can ...
1/
1/
Reposted by Paul Gowder
Hilton Hotels doubles-down on their support for the American Gestapo.
When looking for a hotel, there are *plenty* of other choices.
When looking for a hotel, there are *plenty* of other choices.
January 6, 2026 at 8:32 PM
Hilton Hotels doubles-down on their support for the American Gestapo.
When looking for a hotel, there are *plenty* of other choices.
When looking for a hotel, there are *plenty* of other choices.