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nharper.bsky.social
Nick Harper, he/him
@nharper.bsky.social
2.1K followers 720 following 6.4K posts
Nonprofit political law & policy attorney. Proceduralist & anxious, jealous guardian of democracy. Tweets are mine, not my employer's. Minneapolis. Idealist w/ weltschmerz. I’m on Signal. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nharpermn/
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nharper.bsky.social
Nick Harper, he/him @nharper.bsky.social · Nov 8
Timeline cleanse: a Coping & Morale Kit that I built for myself that others are welcome to use.

Everything on the list is free or extremely low cost. No “go to the cabin” or “get a massage” advice here. docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Coping & Morale Kit
Coping & Morale Kit Do quick meditation using an app like Insight Timer or a YouTube video. Do a muscle/mindful body scan check-in and then use MuscleWiki stretches for tense areas. Use aromatherap...
docs.google.com
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Reposted by Nick Harper, he/him
edburmila.bsky.social
Ed Burmila @edburmila.bsky.social · 22h
Imagine how embarrassing changes like this are going to look in 3-5 years
UNC schools of data science and information science to merge, forming unnamed ‘School of AI’
SDSS Dean Stanley Ahalt will be made dean of the new school while SILS Dean Jeffrey Bardzell will stand as the University’s Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer and Vice Provost for AI.
www.dailytarheel.com
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Reposted by Nick Harper, he/him
volts.wtf
David Roberts @volts.wtf · 11h
Douthat is laundering hard core white Christian supremacy into the mainstream, with the NYT's blessing.
maxkennerly.bsky.social
Max Kennerly @maxkennerly.bsky.social · 13h
Ross Douthat treats this guy like they're having some deep conversation about the relationship of Christianity and the government, but the dude is a garden-variety dull, shallow, hateful, worthless bigot with nothing interesting to say, just endless riffs on "God hates everything/everyone I do."
Douthat: So that’s the first purpose of your political project, for America to stop making God angry. Wilson: Yes. And most people think that when they are confronted with that project, they think that we want to get our tentacles into everything and start controlling everything. I actually think we need limited government. The government should be significantly smaller than it is, and we need to curtail a lot of the busybodyness that we have. That’s why I would call myself a theocratic libertarian. There is a true libertarian element in this, and yet, the transcendent grounding for what we’re talking about means that we acknowledge the authority of God. We have racked up quite a body count of awful crimes, and I believe the only way out is for us to repent and turn to Christ. This would be things like no more Pride parades, no more drag queen story hours, no more abortion on demand, no more legalized same-sex unions — all of that, done. That’s the repentance part.
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bubbaprog.xyz
Timothy Burke @bubbaprog.xyz · 17h
"Republicans blocked paying the troops during the shutdown but found $20 billion to bail out Argentina's bad crypto investments" should be the sort of thing that leads every local newscast, but...
fritschner.bsky.social
Aaron Fritschner @fritschner.bsky.social · 21h
A few minutes ago in the House:

- Speaker Mike Johnson officially cancels votes next week, extending the House recess through a fourth week

- House Republicans block Democrats from passing a bill to pay the troops during the shutdown, ensuring they will miss paychecks next week
House Press Gallery: During today's pro forma session, the Clerk read a message from the Speaker designating Tuesday, October 14 through Sunday, October 19 as a district work period. Punchbowl's Briana Reilly: House gaveled in and out of its pro forma just now w/o recognizing Rep Elfreth, who was seeking to UC a mil pay bill from Rep Sykes. Elfreth told reporters after that House Dems stand “ready and willing to take” up standalone legislation to pay troops.
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sherylnyt.bsky.social
Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 12h
BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:
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nharper.bsky.social
Nick Harper, he/him @nharper.bsky.social · 14h
LOL
premthakker.bsky.social
Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 19h
Update: Bari Weiss’s first pitch at CBS — a roundtable with Antony Blinken, Mike Pompeo, and Hillary Clinton that ended up being a virtual interview with Clinton & Condoleezza Rice — has about 150 viewers on YouTube.

Added with the 24/7 CBS stream, it’s just over 1200 viewers.
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thefred.bsky.social
Rigorous, Fred-based Reporting @thefred.bsky.social · 16h
It would be good to know how many military orders Stephen Miller has forged.
newrepublic.com
The New Republic @newrepublic.com · 16h
His slip of the tongue reveals who’s really in charge. trib.al/mIvP0yE

“Illinois governor says we’re provoking actions that are unlawful,” Miller said on CNN. “If I put federal law enforcement and National Guard into a nice sleepy Southern town, is anyone gonna riot?”
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wedge.live
Wedge LIVE!™ @wedge.live · 17h
VIBE REPORT: It's getting to the point that if you want to stop the Fateh juggernaut, "moderates" better flip their first choice from Frey to DeWayne Davis. Sorry Frey fans, I didn't make the ranked choice rules.
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profciara.bsky.social
Ciara Torres-Spelliscy @profciara.bsky.social · 18h
👀⚖️ second time this year that the House has closed for this reason. These files must be redonkulously bad. #epstein
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nharper.bsky.social
Nick Harper, he/him @nharper.bsky.social · 19h
THIS IS WHAT JUDGES AND LITIGATORS SHOULD BE DOING
mjsdc.bsky.social
Mark Joseph Stern @mjsdc.bsky.social · 21h
Washington Supreme Court Justice Mungia has an extraordinary opinion condemning "the underlying racism and prejudices that are woven into the very fabric" of SCOTUS opinions about Native people.

"We must clearly, loudly, and unequivocally state that was wrong.”
www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf...
MUNGIA, J. (concurring)—I concur with the majority’s opinion.1 And yet I dissent. Not from the majority’s opinion, but I dissent from the racism embedded in the federal case law that applies to this dispute. FEDERAL INDIAN LAW IS A PRODUCT OF THE RACIST BELIEFS ENDEMIC IN OUR SOCIETY AND OUR LEGAL SYSTEM While it is certainly necessary to follow federal case law on issues involving Native American tribes and their members, at the same time it is important to call out that the very foundations of those opinions were based on racism and white supremacy. By doing this, readers of our opinions will have no doubt that the current court disavows, and condemns, those racist sentiments, beliefs, and statements. Since the founding of our country, the federal government has characterized Native Americans as “savages”: They were “uncivilized.” They had little claim to the land upon which they lived. At times, the federal government attempted to eradicate Native Americans through genocidal policies. At other times, the federal government employed ethnic cleansing by forcibly removing children from their parents’ homes to strip them from their culture, their language, and their beings.2 Federal Indian case law arises from those racist underpinnings. The majority correctly cites to Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, 30 U.S. (5 Pet.) 1, 8 L. Ed. 25 (1831), which is one of the foundational cases involving tribal sovereignty. That opinion is rife with racist attitudes toward Native Americans. Chief Justice John Marshall, writing for the majority, describes a tribe’s relationship to the federal government as one of “ward to his guardian.” Id. at 17. In effect, the opinion presents tribal members as children, and the federal government as the adult. That theme would follow in later opinions by the United States Supreme Court—as would the theme of white supremacy. Cherokee Nation began with the premise that Native American tribes, once strong and powerful, were no match for the white race and so found themselves “gradually sinking beneath our superior policy, our arts and our arms.” Id. at 15. The white man was considered the teacher, the Native Americans the pupils: Meanwhile they are in a state of pupilage. Their relation to the United States resembles that of a ward to his guardian. Id. at 17. This characterization of superior to inferior, teacher to student, guardian to ward, was repeated in later United States Supreme Court opinions. In Lone Wolf v. Hitchcock, 187 U.S. 553, 23 S. Ct. 216, 47 L. Ed. 299 (1903), often characterized as the “American Indian Dred Scott,” 3 the Court used that rationale to justify ruling that the United States could break its treaties with Native American tribes. These Indian tribes are the wards of the nation. They are communities dependent on the United States. Dependent largely for their daily food. Dependent for their political rights. . . . From their very weakness and helplessness . . . there arises the duty of protection, and with it the power. Id. at 567 (quoting United States v. Kagama, 118 U.S. 375, 383-84, 6 S. Ct. 1109, 30 L. Ed. 228 (1886)). Our court also carries the shame of denigrating Native Americans by using that same characterization: “The Indian was a child, and a dangerous child, of nature, to be both protected and restrained.” State v. Towessnute, 89 Wash. 478, 482, 154 P. 805 (1916), judgment vacated and opinion repudiated by 197 Wn.2d 574, 486 P.3d 111 (2020). 3 See A Returning to Cherokee Nation, Justice William Johnson’s separate opinion was less tempered in how he considered the various Native American tribes: I cannot but think that there are strong reasons for doubting the applicability of the epithet state, to a people so low in the grade of organized society as our Indian tribes most generally are. Cherokee Nation, 30 U.S. at 21. Native Americans were not to be treated as “equals to equals” but, instead, the United States was the conqueror and Native Americans the conquered. Id. at 23. In discussing Native Americans, Justice Johnson employed another racist trope used by judges both before and after him: Native Americans were uncivilized savages. [W]e have extended to them the means and inducement to become agricultural and civilized. . . . Independently of the general influence of humanity, these people were restless, warlike, and signally cruel. . . . . But I think it very clear that the constitution neither speaks of them as states or foreign states, but as just what they were, Indian tribes . . . which the law of nations would regard as nothing more than wandering hordes, held together only by ties of blood and habit, and having neither laws or government, beyond what is required in a savage state. Id. at 23, 27-28. This same characterization was used by Justice Stanley Matthews in Ex parte KanGi-Shun-Ca (otherwise known as Crow Dog), 109 U.S. 556, 3 S. Ct. 396, 27 L. Ed. 1030 (1883). Justice Matthews described Native Americans as leading a savage life.
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Reposted by Nick Harper, he/him
mjsdc.bsky.social
Mark Joseph Stern @mjsdc.bsky.social · 21h
Washington Supreme Court Justice Mungia has an extraordinary opinion condemning "the underlying racism and prejudices that are woven into the very fabric" of SCOTUS opinions about Native people.

"We must clearly, loudly, and unequivocally state that was wrong.”
www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf...
MUNGIA, J. (concurring)—I concur with the majority’s opinion.1 And yet I dissent. Not from the majority’s opinion, but I dissent from the racism embedded in the federal case law that applies to this dispute. FEDERAL INDIAN LAW IS A PRODUCT OF THE RACIST BELIEFS ENDEMIC IN OUR SOCIETY AND OUR LEGAL SYSTEM While it is certainly necessary to follow federal case law on issues involving Native American tribes and their members, at the same time it is important to call out that the very foundations of those opinions were based on racism and white supremacy. By doing this, readers of our opinions will have no doubt that the current court disavows, and condemns, those racist sentiments, beliefs, and statements. Since the founding of our country, the federal government has characterized Native Americans as “savages”: They were “uncivilized.” They had little claim to the land upon which they lived. At times, the federal government attempted to eradicate Native Americans through genocidal policies. At other times, the federal government employed ethnic cleansing by forcibly removing children from their parents’ homes to strip them from their culture, their language, and their beings.2 Federal Indian case law arises from those racist underpinnings. The majority correctly cites to Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, 30 U.S. (5 Pet.) 1, 8 L. Ed. 25 (1831), which is one of the foundational cases involving tribal sovereignty. That opinion is rife with racist attitudes toward Native Americans. Chief Justice John Marshall, writing for the majority, describes a tribe’s relationship to the federal government as one of “ward to his guardian.” Id. at 17. In effect, the opinion presents tribal members as children, and the federal government as the adult. That theme would follow in later opinions by the United States Supreme Court—as would the theme of white supremacy. Cherokee Nation began with the premise that Native American tribes, once strong and powerful, were no match for the white race and so found themselves “gradually sinking beneath our superior policy, our arts and our arms.” Id. at 15. The white man was considered the teacher, the Native Americans the pupils: Meanwhile they are in a state of pupilage. Their relation to the United States resembles that of a ward to his guardian. Id. at 17. This characterization of superior to inferior, teacher to student, guardian to ward, was repeated in later United States Supreme Court opinions. In Lone Wolf v. Hitchcock, 187 U.S. 553, 23 S. Ct. 216, 47 L. Ed. 299 (1903), often characterized as the “American Indian Dred Scott,” 3 the Court used that rationale to justify ruling that the United States could break its treaties with Native American tribes. These Indian tribes are the wards of the nation. They are communities dependent on the United States. Dependent largely for their daily food. Dependent for their political rights. . . . From their very weakness and helplessness . . . there arises the duty of protection, and with it the power. Id. at 567 (quoting United States v. Kagama, 118 U.S. 375, 383-84, 6 S. Ct. 1109, 30 L. Ed. 228 (1886)). Our court also carries the shame of denigrating Native Americans by using that same characterization: “The Indian was a child, and a dangerous child, of nature, to be both protected and restrained.” State v. Towessnute, 89 Wash. 478, 482, 154 P. 805 (1916), judgment vacated and opinion repudiated by 197 Wn.2d 574, 486 P.3d 111 (2020). 3 See A Returning to Cherokee Nation, Justice William Johnson’s separate opinion was less tempered in how he considered the various Native American tribes: I cannot but think that there are strong reasons for doubting the applicability of the epithet state, to a people so low in the grade of organized society as our Indian tribes most generally are. Cherokee Nation, 30 U.S. at 21. Native Americans were not to be treated as “equals to equals” but, instead, the United States was the conqueror and Native Americans the conquered. Id. at 23. In discussing Native Americans, Justice Johnson employed another racist trope used by judges both before and after him: Native Americans were uncivilized savages. [W]e have extended to them the means and inducement to become agricultural and civilized. . . . Independently of the general influence of humanity, these people were restless, warlike, and signally cruel. . . . . But I think it very clear that the constitution neither speaks of them as states or foreign states, but as just what they were, Indian tribes . . . which the law of nations would regard as nothing more than wandering hordes, held together only by ties of blood and habit, and having neither laws or government, beyond what is required in a savage state. Id. at 23, 27-28. This same characterization was used by Justice Stanley Matthews in Ex parte KanGi-Shun-Ca (otherwise known as Crow Dog), 109 U.S. 556, 3 S. Ct. 396, 27 L. Ed. 1030 (1883). Justice Matthews described Native Americans as leading a savage life.
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nharper.bsky.social
Nick Harper, he/him @nharper.bsky.social · 19h
One of the murals at George Floyd Square was vandalized!? They straight up painted over his face!
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Reposted by Nick Harper, he/him
sreynolds.bsky.social
Spencer Reynolds @sreynolds.bsky.social · 20h
DHS Federal Protective Service is meant to secure federal property but is a weapon to deploy thousands of DHS agents to counter protestors. (See my next post for how they did this in LA.)

A new legal memo shows how far off the wheels have come.

Cities like Chicago can, must restrict work with FPS.
marisakabas.bsky.social
Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 21h
EXCLUSIVE — DHS Acting General Counsel sent out a memo Wednesday to all Federal Protective Service staff (the sub-agency that guards federal buildings) letting officers know they could take any action necessary "in the vicinity" federal property to protect themselves.

The Handbasket reports:
DHS top lawyer says 'no legal barrier' to actions officers can take to defend federal property
In a memo obtained exclusively by The Handbasket, Federal Protective Service (FPS) officers were given free rein.
www.thehandbasket.co
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markhisted.org
Mark Histed @markhisted.org · 21h
Russell Vought has announced that "mass firings [RIFs] have begun."

Lawless. The RIFs in the spring were illegal, as Judge Illston outlined. Yes, the conservative SCOTUS supermajority lawlessly signed off. But the Calvinball Court is not doing law.

Congress can stop this. A thread: 1/
'RIFs have begun.' Vought announces start of mass firings during government shutdown
The White House budget office said Friday that mass firings of federal workers have started in an attempt to exert more pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the government shutdown continues.
www.pbs.org
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asherelbein.bsky.social
Asher Hellbein @asherelbein.bsky.social · 20h
The thing about this that's worth recalling is that it *wouldn't* even offend most Americans: just the group of reactionary grifters who make money by being professionally offended online.
marklemley.bsky.social
Mark Lemley @marklemley.bsky.social · 1d
Assassin's Creed pulls planned game about the Civil War, apparently because having a black protagonist fighting the KKK would offend too many Americans

www.polygon.com/assassins-cr...
The canceled Assassin's Creed Civil War game was a powder keg waiting to explode
Ubisoft was reportedly working on a game set after the Civil War era, but canceled it due to politics and Assassins Creed Shadows backlash.
www.polygon.com
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marisakabas.bsky.social
Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 21h
EXCLUSIVE — DHS Acting General Counsel sent out a memo Wednesday to all Federal Protective Service staff (the sub-agency that guards federal buildings) letting officers know they could take any action necessary "in the vicinity" federal property to protect themselves.

The Handbasket reports:
DHS top lawyer says 'no legal barrier' to actions officers can take to defend federal property
In a memo obtained exclusively by The Handbasket, Federal Protective Service (FPS) officers were given free rein.
www.thehandbasket.co
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nharper.bsky.social
Nick Harper, he/him @nharper.bsky.social · 21h
we don't have the capacity to treat each and every item as a five alarm fire at all times immediately. we're going to have to be smart about how we define risk of various events.

if this is going to be one of your fire alarm fires, then do what you feel is right.
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nharper.bsky.social
Nick Harper, he/him @nharper.bsky.social · 21h
Agreed, but there's levels of bad. I'm saying we'll have to see if this is "ok, not ideal, but easily manageable" or if this is "this is really really really bad" territory.
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nharper.bsky.social
Nick Harper, he/him @nharper.bsky.social · 21h
I think Josh's judgment is correct, this has GOP vibes.

Btw, fraud *on* the government (what we have had in MN) is not the same as fraud *in* the government (which we don't have), which is also distinct from political corruption (a local problem, imho). They are not the same.
joshmartinmpls.bsky.social
Josh Martin @joshmartinmpls.bsky.social · 21h
New, extremely long 2026 poll in the field. Too long to make a thread of it, so I made a Google Doc with the questions. Definitely seems like a Republican sponsored poll, based on the questions.

docs.google.com/document/d/1...
North Star State Poll
“North Star State Poll” Q1 - Are you registered to vote in Minnesota? (Yes/No) Q2 - What is your age? (freeform response) Q3 - What is your gender? (Male, Female, Nonbinary or other) Q4 – Zip Code (fr...
docs.google.com
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nharper.bsky.social
Nick Harper, he/him @nharper.bsky.social · 21h
I wouldn't call it good. We'll see exactly how bad it means though. Hard to predict exactly for 2026 right now, but I don't feel great about it. For now it depends on to what degree they continue providing services for existing technology already purchased/used by election officials.
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nharper.bsky.social
Nick Harper, he/him @nharper.bsky.social · 21h
Never said it did
2
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katiecashman.bsky.social
Katie Cashman @katiecashman.bsky.social · 22h
This map was made by Hank Brekke and presented at Twin Cities Startup Week yesterday!
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johnrogers.bsky.social
John Rogers @johnrogers.bsky.social · 23h
A billion dollars is the socio-political equivalent of a loose nuke, and we should work as ruthlessly and diligently to prevent the acquisition of the former as we do the latter.
liberalcurrents.com
Liberal Currents @liberalcurrents.com · 1d
“The problem with billionaires isn’t that they’re hoarding money that would otherwise pay for a Scandinavian social utopia. It’s that their money has become a source of wildly distorted political power that allows a few men with extremist views to wreak havoc on the rest of us.”
Billionaires Are Hoarding Power, Not Money
Billionaire money has become a source of wildly distorted political power that allows a few men with extremist views to wreak havoc on the rest of us.
www.liberalcurrents.com
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viamarsala18.bsky.social
Elle Ess @viamarsala18.bsky.social · 22h
Related to this, it isn’t over
I just called Pillsbury and Edison high school to let them know And Edison high school said they have had several calls with different locations So they are not leaving the neighborhood
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nharper.bsky.social
Nick Harper, he/him @nharper.bsky.social · 22h
It sounds like (wildly) MPD did all the right things today maybe? Obvi would love more confirmation but: they showed up timely to a 911 call; the saw ICE, did not assist, and left; and then when ICE pursued to talk with MPD, MPD refused?

Again, skepticism is VERY VALID but I’m hoping for the best.
engy5150.bsky.social
Dan Engelhart He/Him @engy5150.bsky.social · 22h
Exactly- they were totally cool- left pretty quickly- AND when ice tried to talk to mpd at handy stop they refused as we followed them
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Reposted by Nick Harper, he/him
engy5150.bsky.social
Dan Engelhart He/Him @engy5150.bsky.social · 22h
Exactly- they were totally cool- left pretty quickly- AND when ice tried to talk to mpd at handy stop they refused as we followed them
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