Leah McElrath
@leahmcelrath.bsky.social
Politics, intl relations, psychology, etc.
Making sense of a world that doesn’t
Smith College BA, MSW | LSE
#AuDHD #LGBTQ #MECFS
Patreon: patreon.com/leahmcelrath
Making sense of a world that doesn’t
Smith College BA, MSW | LSE
#AuDHD #LGBTQ #MECFS
Patreon: patreon.com/leahmcelrath
Pinned
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Thank you for your consideration: My autistic daughter and I and our dog, Bonnie, are… Leah McElrath needs your support for Help Keep a Disabled Family Housed
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If my efforts have ever been helpful to you, we could use your support.
All reposts and donations are very deeply appreciated.
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I’m sorry I’m so quiet. My MECFS is flaring, and I’m in a lot of pain. Sending 💜
November 25, 2025 at 5:18 AM
I’m sorry I’m so quiet. My MECFS is flaring, and I’m in a lot of pain. Sending 💜
Reposted by Leah McElrath
Origins of language, one of humanity’s most distinctive traits, may be best explained as a unique convergence of multiple capacities each with its own evolutionary history, involving intertwined roles of biology & culture. This framing can expand research horizons. A 🧵 on our @science.org paper.🧪1/n
What enables human language? A biocultural framework
Explaining the origins of language is a key challenge in understanding ourselves as a species. We present an empirical framework that draws on synergies across fields to facilitate robust studies of l...
www.science.org
November 23, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Origins of language, one of humanity’s most distinctive traits, may be best explained as a unique convergence of multiple capacities each with its own evolutionary history, involving intertwined roles of biology & culture. This framing can expand research horizons. A 🧵 on our @science.org paper.🧪1/n
Reposted by Leah McElrath
Neo-Liberalism has been a disaster leading to Giant Monopolies like we've never seen before!
Cory Doctorow explains the consequences of 40+ years of Neo-Liberal policies and deregulation of competition law.
Cory Doctorow explains the consequences of 40+ years of Neo-Liberal policies and deregulation of competition law.
November 23, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Neo-Liberalism has been a disaster leading to Giant Monopolies like we've never seen before!
Cory Doctorow explains the consequences of 40+ years of Neo-Liberal policies and deregulation of competition law.
Cory Doctorow explains the consequences of 40+ years of Neo-Liberal policies and deregulation of competition law.
Reposted by Leah McElrath
The senators are angered by Schumer & Gillibrand's lack of endorsement of Zohran Mamdani, and their handling of open seat Senate races.
They believe leadership is quietly pushing donors toward specific candidates: Angie Craig in Minnesota, Haley Stevens in Michigan, and Janet Mills in Maine.
They believe leadership is quietly pushing donors toward specific candidates: Angie Craig in Minnesota, Haley Stevens in Michigan, and Janet Mills in Maine.
Wow — Senators Van Hollen, Smith, Murphy, Sanders, Warren, Markey, Merkley, Heinrich have created an official internal "Fight Club."
They're challenging Schumer & Gillibrand's leadership, arguing the party is using an old, corporate-friendly playbook insufficient to take on Trump or win elections.
They're challenging Schumer & Gillibrand's leadership, arguing the party is using an old, corporate-friendly playbook insufficient to take on Trump or win elections.
Chuck Schumer Faces Pushback From a ‘Fight Club’ of Senate Democrats
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:43 AM
The senators are angered by Schumer & Gillibrand's lack of endorsement of Zohran Mamdani, and their handling of open seat Senate races.
They believe leadership is quietly pushing donors toward specific candidates: Angie Craig in Minnesota, Haley Stevens in Michigan, and Janet Mills in Maine.
They believe leadership is quietly pushing donors toward specific candidates: Angie Craig in Minnesota, Haley Stevens in Michigan, and Janet Mills in Maine.
Yes, and all are downstream of social media platforms existing as attack vectors through which the vulnerabilities of pluralistic democratic societies have been exploited by bad faith actors with varying and often multiple incentive structures.
(Which often INCLUDES the owners of the platforms…)
(Which often INCLUDES the owners of the platforms…)
The "People in India and other low-wage countries are farming racist rage-bait on X" phenomenon is downstream of Elon Musk manipulating the X algorithms to prioritize promoting racism.
November 24, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Yes, and all are downstream of social media platforms existing as attack vectors through which the vulnerabilities of pluralistic democratic societies have been exploited by bad faith actors with varying and often multiple incentive structures.
(Which often INCLUDES the owners of the platforms…)
(Which often INCLUDES the owners of the platforms…)
Reposted by Leah McElrath
One explanation for economic populism in the US is the recurring cycle of bubbles and bailouts that happens without any democratic input
November 24, 2025 at 10:35 PM
One explanation for economic populism in the US is the recurring cycle of bubbles and bailouts that happens without any democratic input
This is a thread worth reading, but any meaningful analysis of how the networks on X and Twitter before it have been leveraged in the service of political division in the United States needs to take into account the fact that this behavior began long BEFORE monetization of the platform took place.
Although the scale of this is still to be assessed, this is the inevitable outcome of the monetization of the algorithm. Rage-bait becomes a personal revenue model. Nothing about this should be a surprise.
NEWS: I spent the past 24 hours going through major MAGA accounts on Twitter, and a bombshell development has become clear: most of the right-wing ecosphere is being fed propaganda from foreign actors.
This impacts elections. This impacts discourse. This is major. Subscribe to support my work:
This impacts elections. This impacts discourse. This is major. Subscribe to support my work:
November 24, 2025 at 10:22 PM
This is a thread worth reading, but any meaningful analysis of how the networks on X and Twitter before it have been leveraged in the service of political division in the United States needs to take into account the fact that this behavior began long BEFORE monetization of the platform took place.
“Our oil companies”
An actual opposition party would be able to make good use out of rhetoric where the subtext is removed when it comes to putting American service members in harm’s way on behalf of corporate profits. We’ll see if that happens.
An actual opposition party would be able to make good use out of rhetoric where the subtext is removed when it comes to putting American service members in harm’s way on behalf of corporate profits. We’ll see if that happens.
Rep. Salazar: "We're gonna be doing a favor to us, to our children, to our economy, to our oil companies to be able to liberate. And to Venezuelans who wants to be free."
November 24, 2025 at 9:56 PM
“Our oil companies”
An actual opposition party would be able to make good use out of rhetoric where the subtext is removed when it comes to putting American service members in harm’s way on behalf of corporate profits. We’ll see if that happens.
An actual opposition party would be able to make good use out of rhetoric where the subtext is removed when it comes to putting American service members in harm’s way on behalf of corporate profits. We’ll see if that happens.
The @nytimes.com is using the anti-trans playbook—and even the same reporter, Azeen Ghorayshi—to go after the autistic community now. They’ve come a long way in the wrong direction since the Science Times was one of the best sections of the paper. Their reporting is often ignorant and irresponsible.
Autism rates have increased in recent decades, but the reasons are more complicated than what Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has presented. Hear more on today's episode of "The Daily." nyti.ms/480eqtm
The Autism Diagnosis Problem
Autism rates have increased in recent decades, but the reasons are more complicated than what Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has presented.
nyti.ms
November 24, 2025 at 9:49 PM
The @nytimes.com is using the anti-trans playbook—and even the same reporter, Azeen Ghorayshi—to go after the autistic community now. They’ve come a long way in the wrong direction since the Science Times was one of the best sections of the paper. Their reporting is often ignorant and irresponsible.
Support for economic populism and support for minority rights are NOT in opposition to one another.
If anything, they should be seen—and politically leveraged—as mutually reinforcing positions. In the most recent elections, Democrats did just that and won overwhelmingly.
The framing here is wrong.
If anything, they should be seen—and politically leveraged—as mutually reinforcing positions. In the most recent elections, Democrats did just that and won overwhelmingly.
The framing here is wrong.
Opinion | James Carville: Out With Woke. In With Rage.
www.nytimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Support for economic populism and support for minority rights are NOT in opposition to one another.
If anything, they should be seen—and politically leveraged—as mutually reinforcing positions. In the most recent elections, Democrats did just that and won overwhelmingly.
The framing here is wrong.
If anything, they should be seen—and politically leveraged—as mutually reinforcing positions. In the most recent elections, Democrats did just that and won overwhelmingly.
The framing here is wrong.
Reposted by Leah McElrath
One of my favorite things is getting to tell friends who are new to NYC that the subway "stand clear of the closing doors please" voice is a trans woman named Bernie Wagenblast and she's amazing.
November 24, 2025 at 6:19 PM
One of my favorite things is getting to tell friends who are new to NYC that the subway "stand clear of the closing doors please" voice is a trans woman named Bernie Wagenblast and she's amazing.
White House healthcare proposal “delayed.”
(I know you’re all shocked.)
(I know you’re all shocked.)
November 24, 2025 at 6:33 PM
White House healthcare proposal “delayed.”
(I know you’re all shocked.)
(I know you’re all shocked.)
GOOD news on the legal front and reasons to be grateful for the Trump administration’s areas of incompetence:
BREAKING: Judge rules Lindsey Halligan's appointment was not valid, thus, she had no authority to present the James Comey or Letitia James indictments and the indictments are dismissed without prejudice.
November 24, 2025 at 5:56 PM
GOOD news on the legal front and reasons to be grateful for the Trump administration’s areas of incompetence:
Trump says he has accepted an invitation from Xi to visit China in April:
November 24, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Trump says he has accepted an invitation from Xi to visit China in April:
The Secretary of Defense is threatening Democratic Senator Mark Kelly with court martial for his messaging reminding servicemembers that their oath is to the Constitution and they should not obey unlawful orders.
(The statement also asserts that “orders are presumed to be lawful”…)
(The statement also asserts that “orders are presumed to be lawful”…)
November 24, 2025 at 5:09 PM
The Secretary of Defense is threatening Democratic Senator Mark Kelly with court martial for his messaging reminding servicemembers that their oath is to the Constitution and they should not obey unlawful orders.
(The statement also asserts that “orders are presumed to be lawful”…)
(The statement also asserts that “orders are presumed to be lawful”…)
Reposted by Leah McElrath
This feels like one of those stories you're going to look at a year from now and say to yourself, "Why didn't I move more of my portfolio into cash?" **
** (This post is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or any other advice.)
🎁
www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai...
** (This post is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or any other advice.)
🎁
www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai...
AI Meets Aggressive Accounting at Meta’s Gigantic New Data Center
Favorable treatment off the balance sheet hinges on some convenient assumptions.
www.wsj.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:01 PM
This feels like one of those stories you're going to look at a year from now and say to yourself, "Why didn't I move more of my portfolio into cash?" **
** (This post is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or any other advice.)
🎁
www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai...
** (This post is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or any other advice.)
🎁
www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai...
Reposted by Leah McElrath
NEW: As Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick drives billions of dollars in foreign payments to help build AI data centers in the US, his sons help run a company earning tens of millions in fees helping finance AI data centers. A NYT investigation. (Free link)
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...
Family Affair: Commerce Secretary’s Sons Cash In on A.I. Frenzy
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:02 PM
NEW: As Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick drives billions of dollars in foreign payments to help build AI data centers in the US, his sons help run a company earning tens of millions in fees helping finance AI data centers. A NYT investigation. (Free link)
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...
Reposted by Leah McElrath
We spent a year investigating billionaires for @washingtonpost.com.
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
November 21, 2025 at 2:56 PM
We spent a year investigating billionaires for @washingtonpost.com.
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
We found: the wealthiest 100 Americans gave $1.1 billion to influence the 2024 elections — 140x more than they did in 2000. And almost all of that giving boosted Republicans.
washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
Reposted by Leah McElrath
MEET: The New Billionaires Behind the AI Data Center Boom
From software to buildings, the race into artificial intelligence has vaulted 16 executives into new stratospheres of wealth.
archive.is/QBFzp
From software to buildings, the race into artificial intelligence has vaulted 16 executives into new stratospheres of wealth.
archive.is/QBFzp
The New Billionaires Worth $37 Billion Behind the AI Data Center Boom
From software to the buildings, the race into artificial intelligence has created 16 billionaires across eight firms
www.bloomberg.com
November 22, 2025 at 4:27 AM
MEET: The New Billionaires Behind the AI Data Center Boom
From software to buildings, the race into artificial intelligence has vaulted 16 executives into new stratospheres of wealth.
archive.is/QBFzp
From software to buildings, the race into artificial intelligence has vaulted 16 executives into new stratospheres of wealth.
archive.is/QBFzp
Reposted by Leah McElrath
This excellent WSJ annotation of the Molotov/Ribbentrop … sorry, Witkoff/Dmitriev … “peace deal” for Ukraine shows how ridiculously vague and utterly unworkable this thing is
Free link
www.wsj.com/world/europe...
Free link
www.wsj.com/world/europe...
Trump’s Peace Plan for Ukraine, Annotated
Here’s a breakdown of some of the key points in the plan and how Ukraine and its European allies might respond.
www.wsj.com
November 22, 2025 at 8:42 PM
This excellent WSJ annotation of the Molotov/Ribbentrop … sorry, Witkoff/Dmitriev … “peace deal” for Ukraine shows how ridiculously vague and utterly unworkable this thing is
Free link
www.wsj.com/world/europe...
Free link
www.wsj.com/world/europe...
Reposted by Leah McElrath
Thomas Massie says the FBI is sitting on information that implicates 20 other men in Epstein's child sex trafficking operation
They include a rockstar, six billionaires (including one from Canada), a high-profile government official, a very prominent banker, and a magician
They include a rockstar, six billionaires (including one from Canada), a high-profile government official, a very prominent banker, and a magician
November 22, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Thomas Massie says the FBI is sitting on information that implicates 20 other men in Epstein's child sex trafficking operation
They include a rockstar, six billionaires (including one from Canada), a high-profile government official, a very prominent banker, and a magician
They include a rockstar, six billionaires (including one from Canada), a high-profile government official, a very prominent banker, and a magician
⚠️ US “poised to kick to launch a new phase of Venezuela-related operations,” per Reuters
November 22, 2025 at 9:30 PM
⚠️ US “poised to kick to launch a new phase of Venezuela-related operations,” per Reuters
X is finalizing its feature showing where an account is based and will be rolling it out globally.
(This is a NEW announcement. It’s possible they were beta testing the feature previously.)
(This is a NEW announcement. It’s possible they were beta testing the feature previously.)
November 22, 2025 at 9:26 PM
X is finalizing its feature showing where an account is based and will be rolling it out globally.
(This is a NEW announcement. It’s possible they were beta testing the feature previously.)
(This is a NEW announcement. It’s possible they were beta testing the feature previously.)
Reposted by Leah McElrath
Walter Cronkite on CBS delivering the announcement of JFK’s death, 62 years ago today.
November 22, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Walter Cronkite on CBS delivering the announcement of JFK’s death, 62 years ago today.