Thomas M. Keck
@tmksyracuse.bsky.social
Mostly free speech and democratic backsliding. Also Syracuse politics and Baltimore sports.
Pinned
My kingdom for a chief justice who doesn’t inspire grateful backslapping from convicted felons
I know the headline isn't Nyhan's fault and I mostly agree with the piece, but I do think it misses a key development that I've witnessed countless times at the grassroots during both Trump 1.0 and 2.0
November 25, 2025 at 3:23 PM
I know the headline isn't Nyhan's fault and I mostly agree with the piece, but I do think it misses a key development that I've witnessed countless times at the grassroots during both Trump 1.0 and 2.0
This is the more optimistic flip side of @brendannyhan.bsky.social’s op-ed: Why are old suburban white people protesting at historically high rates?
Page One in Cincinnati:
“.. I need to be able to look my grandkids in the eye and say I did not remain silent.”
#ICE
“.. I need to be able to look my grandkids in the eye and say I did not remain silent.”
#ICE
November 25, 2025 at 1:58 PM
This is the more optimistic flip side of @brendannyhan.bsky.social’s op-ed: Why are old suburban white people protesting at historically high rates?
Really nice new paper from Schickler, offering a concise account of what the first year of Trump 2.0 has taught us about U.S. political institutions. I'm thinking of using it at the start of my grad seminar on American constitutional development in January academic.oup.com/psq/advance-...
Validate User
academic.oup.com
November 23, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Really nice new paper from Schickler, offering a concise account of what the first year of Trump 2.0 has taught us about U.S. political institutions. I'm thinking of using it at the start of my grad seminar on American constitutional development in January academic.oup.com/psq/advance-...
I just used this quote in class today!
I'm struck (and entertained) by how the kicker of the piece damns Roberts while relying entirely on the words of another justice:
November 20, 2025 at 8:55 PM
I just used this quote in class today!
I’ve read a lot of takes on the shutdown cave, but this one is really important
What’s the difference between compromise and capitulation? Compromise trades concessions. Capitulation pays ransom to stop deliberate suffering, and teaches your opponent that coercion works. There are effective responses to coercive bargaining. What we saw was not one of them.
The Compassion Trap: How the Shutdown Weaponized Democratic Values Against Democracy Itself
When Opposition Parties Stop Fighting Because the Cruelty Becomes Unbearable. And Why They Shouldn't.
open.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:23 AM
I’ve read a lot of takes on the shutdown cave, but this one is really important
“DO NOT REPEAT THIS INSIGHT”
November 12, 2025 at 4:48 PM
“DO NOT REPEAT THIS INSIGHT”
Reposted by Thomas M. Keck
Great @mashagessen.bsky.social on the true purpose of Trump's cruel passport gender marker rules: exerting social control. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/o...
Opinion | The Ruling About Passports Isn’t About ID. It’s About Social Control.
www.nytimes.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Great @mashagessen.bsky.social on the true purpose of Trump's cruel passport gender marker rules: exerting social control. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/o...
Reposted by Thomas M. Keck
You know who else refused to swear in democratically elected members of congress?
Nicolas Maduro (2015)
Just saying…
Nicolas Maduro (2015)
Just saying…
Speaker Johnson is officially keeping the House in recess again next week. This will be the eighth consecutive week the House has been out of session. The chamber hasn't met since Sept. 19. Adelita Grijalva, who was elected on Sept. 23, has not been sworn in.
November 7, 2025 at 9:54 PM
You know who else refused to swear in democratically elected members of congress?
Nicolas Maduro (2015)
Just saying…
Nicolas Maduro (2015)
Just saying…
Thread
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.
November 7, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Thread
ffs
BREAKING: The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to enforce its anti-trans and anti-nonbinary passport policy during litigation.
The unsigned, four-paragraph order effectively reverses two lower-court decisions. The Democratic appointees dissent.
More to come: www.lawdork.com
The unsigned, four-paragraph order effectively reverses two lower-court decisions. The Democratic appointees dissent.
More to come: www.lawdork.com
![SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
No. 25A319
DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, ET AL. v. ASHTON ORR, ET AL.
ON APPLICATION FOR STAY
[November 6, 2025]
This case concerns an Executive Branch policy requiring
all new passports to display an individual’s biological sex at
birth. The United States District Court for the District of
Massachusetts preliminarily enjoined the Government
from enforcing the policy, and the First Circuit declined to
stay the injunction pending appeal. The Government then
filed this stay application. Applying our familiar stay fac-
tors at this preliminary stage, we grant the application.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:36eqtmzysqf7wsslczw4uxcd/bafkreievxyvqikl7wmrg5jkqhsrta5l5xfq272x7caunvxka7vtuzp7hoa@jpeg)
November 6, 2025 at 9:15 PM
ffs
This whole thread
Ellis rules that the Trump administration impermissibly prevented the free exercise of religion, in violation of the First Amendment.
Those engaged in prayer have been shot, without warning, with pepper balls and tear gas, Ellis says.
Those engaged in prayer have been shot, without warning, with pepper balls and tear gas, Ellis says.
November 6, 2025 at 5:15 PM
This whole thread
Please tell me this was a rogue headline writer trolling Douthat
November 6, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Please tell me this was a rogue headline writer trolling Douthat
Reposted by Thomas M. Keck
Here’s a fun fact: More than 1000 people have signed up at runforwhat.net to run for office since last night. 😈😈😈
November 5, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Here’s a fun fact: More than 1000 people have signed up at runforwhat.net to run for office since last night. 😈😈😈
17th century pamphleteer who’s been scrolling Bluesky for 400 years with the ancestors: Finally!
utterly OBSESSED with this song rn
'Dominion of the Sword' English Folk Song - Nastee Chapel
YouTube video by Nastee Chapel
youtu.be
November 5, 2025 at 1:31 PM
17th century pamphleteer who’s been scrolling Bluesky for 400 years with the ancestors: Finally!
Good grief, I just remembered we’ve got SCOTUS arguments this morning
November 5, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Good grief, I just remembered we’ve got SCOTUS arguments this morning
CNY peeps, @taniel.bsky.social is shouting us out
the sort of headline we're seeing all over: www.syracuse.com/politics/cny...
November 5, 2025 at 11:05 AM
CNY peeps, @taniel.bsky.social is shouting us out
‼️
Re-upping the dedication of Mahmood Mamdani's 2020 book, 'Neither Settler nor Native'.
November 5, 2025 at 10:46 AM
‼️
Reposted by Thomas M. Keck
University of Virginia AAUP calls to immediately rescind the standstill agreement with Trump admin!
It poses these threats to academic freedom:
❌Divergence from Existing Civil Rights Law
❌Unconstitutional Coercion
❌Conflict with Virginia Law
❌Lack of Due Process
❌Preventing Legal Challenges
It poses these threats to academic freedom:
❌Divergence from Existing Civil Rights Law
❌Unconstitutional Coercion
❌Conflict with Virginia Law
❌Lack of Due Process
❌Preventing Legal Challenges
aaup-uva.org
November 4, 2025 at 5:30 PM
University of Virginia AAUP calls to immediately rescind the standstill agreement with Trump admin!
It poses these threats to academic freedom:
❌Divergence from Existing Civil Rights Law
❌Unconstitutional Coercion
❌Conflict with Virginia Law
❌Lack of Due Process
❌Preventing Legal Challenges
It poses these threats to academic freedom:
❌Divergence from Existing Civil Rights Law
❌Unconstitutional Coercion
❌Conflict with Virginia Law
❌Lack of Due Process
❌Preventing Legal Challenges
Reposted by Thomas M. Keck
Earth shaking is confirmed by local media (gift link):
www.syracuse.com/politics/cny...
www.syracuse.com/politics/cny...
November 5, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Earth shaking is confirmed by local media (gift link):
www.syracuse.com/politics/cny...
www.syracuse.com/politics/cny...
Zohran opens with quote from Eugene Debs! I was just teaching Debs’ Canton speech this morning. I hope some of my students are watching
November 5, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Zohran opens with quote from Eugene Debs! I was just teaching Debs’ Canton speech this morning. I hope some of my students are watching
If these results hold, this will be _wild_ earth-shaking result for local politics here in Central New York
The Onondaga County Legislature has been a GOP-gerrymandered mess for as long as any of us can remember.
Don't want to jinx anything, and votes still being counted, but Dem and/or WFP candidates are currently leading in 10 of the 17 seats.
Don't want to jinx anything, and votes still being counted, but Dem and/or WFP candidates are currently leading in 10 of the 17 seats.
100% reporting and longtime @cnysolidarity.bsky.social member @elainemichele.bsky.social is up 10 points in her race for county legislator
November 5, 2025 at 3:57 AM
If these results hold, this will be _wild_ earth-shaking result for local politics here in Central New York
Looks like we’re finally getting our first Black mayor in Syracuse
November 5, 2025 at 3:34 AM
Looks like we’re finally getting our first Black mayor in Syracuse