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alanrichardson.bsky.social
Alan Richardson
@alanrichardson.bsky.social
4K followers 1.4K following 12K posts

Professor of Philosophy, UBC
Faculty Member, Science and Technology Studies Graduate Program, UBC
Philosophy of Science
History of Philosophy of Science

Videos
Philosophy 46%
History 20%
Posts Replies Media Videos

alanrichardson.bsky.social
Alan Richardson @alanrichardson.bsky.social · 30m
She has been Mar-a-Lago’d.

alanrichardson.bsky.social
Alan Richardson @alanrichardson.bsky.social · 41m
These gains will only grow in the next 11 months—Trump has no popular policies and no policies that have good outcomes for most Americans. And Trump as a political figure is well and truly past his sell-by date.
wijama.bsky.social William Martindale @wijama.bsky.social · 1h
yeah if these are the kinds of political swings we're getting in Trump country the Republicans are beyond screwed for the midterms

alanrichardson.bsky.social
Alan Richardson @alanrichardson.bsky.social · 51m
Whoever convinced people that billionaire populism was a thing really destroyed the country
propublica.org ProPublica @propublica.org · 2h
A policy expert described Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s push in favor of private schools as a “great American heist,” funneling money from public schools:

“It’s a strategic theft of the future of our country, our kids and our democracy.”

(Published October 2025)
These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.
Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of publ...
www.propublica.org

Reposted by Alan Richardson

santiagomayer.com
Santiago Mayer @santiagomayer.com · 1h
Let's be clear: no Republicans in seats Trump won by less than 10pts is safe.

We're coming for all of them.

Reposted by Alan Richardson

wijama.bsky.social
William Martindale @wijama.bsky.social · 1h
yeah if these are the kinds of political swings we're getting in Trump country the Republicans are beyond screwed for the midterms
A screenshot of the New York Times's coverage of the TN-7 special election. Five counties whose votes are already counted are showing a 7 to 15 percentage point swing toward the Democrats

Reposted by Alan Richardson

brendelbored.bsky.social
Brendel @brendelbored.bsky.social · 1h
If Dems are competitive in a ruby red district in Tennessee and the response is anything but damn this Trump shit is unpopular I don’t know what to tell you

Reposted by Tom Clark, Alan Richardson, David R. Miller

rgoodlaw.bsky.social
Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 1h
Wow.

"It gives me no pleasure to say what I’m about to say because I worked with Pete Hegseth for seven or eight years at Fox News. This is an act of a war crime .... There’s absolutely no legal basis for it.”

- Newsmax's Judge Napolitano
kaivanshroff.bsky.social Kaivan Shroff @kaivanshroff.bsky.social · 5h
Woah. Newsmax’s legal analyst just said Pete Hegseth and everyone involved in the illegal boat strike should be “prosecuted for a war crime.”

They’ve even lost Newsmax on this one.

Reposted by Alan Richardson

propublica.org
ProPublica @propublica.org · 2h
A policy expert described Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s push in favor of private schools as a “great American heist,” funneling money from public schools:

“It’s a strategic theft of the future of our country, our kids and our democracy.”

(Published October 2025)
These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.
Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of publ...
www.propublica.org

Reposted by Brendan Nyhan, Alan Richardson, Daxton R. Stewart , and 2 more

carlquintanilla.bsky.social
Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 2h
NYT: “.. Even for Mr. Trump — who has a long history of insulting Black people, particularly those from African countries — his outburst was shocking in its unapologetic bigotry.”

@nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/u...

Reposted by Alan Richardson

ubyssey.ca
The Ubyssey @ubyssey.ca · 2h
The winners beat out four other candidates, winning over 20 per cent of the vote each.

ubyssey.ca/news/faculty...
Leonard Foster and Mark Mac Lean elected as faculty representatives to the Board of Governors
The winners beat out four other candidates, winning over 20 per cent of the vote each.
ubyssey.ca

Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, Alan Richardson, Lisa Diedrich

aljazeera.com
Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 2h
Congresswoman Omar calls Trump's comments about her 'creepy' after the US president launches into an anti-Somali tirade.
Ilhan Omar denounces Donald Trump for calling Somali immigrants ‘garbage’
Congresswoman Omar calls Trump's comments about her 'creepy' after the US president launches into an anti-Somali tirade.
bit.ly

Reposted by Scott L. Greer, Alan Richardson, Simon Lester

mattyglesias.bsky.social
Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias.bsky.social · 3h
Y’all talked too much about the TN-7 race, turned it high salience, juiced turnout, and wrecked Dems’ chances of sneaking in a win.

Reposted by Jonathan A. Eisen, Jacob Montgomery, Alan Richardson

carlquintanilla.bsky.social
Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 4h
GEORGE WILL: “.. The killing of the survivors by this moral slum of an administration should nauseate Americans. A nation incapable of shame is dangerous, not least to itself.”

@postopinions.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

alanrichardson.bsky.social
Alan Richardson @alanrichardson.bsky.social · 5h
We Bought a Zoo—the title is accurate

Reposted by Michael E. Mann, Alan Richardson

revjss.bsky.social
Jeff Spencer @revjss.bsky.social · 6h
If you want a serious look at the war on science, read #ScienceUnderSiege by
@peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social and @michaelemann.bsky.social.
If you want parody look at the war on science, leave it to @randyrainbow.bsky.social - youtu.be/lDHpbnbmaME?...
RFK! - A Randy Rainbow Song Parody
YouTube video by Randy Rainbow
youtu.be

Reposted by Alan Richardson

gregggonsalves.bsky.social
Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 7h
This from Joe Kahn & Patrick Healy at the @NYTimes is embarrassing. I mean ya' gotta tell both sides, fascist or patriot, floor wax or a dessert topping, for us it's both! You can decide for yourself. We're just doin' journalism! Hint: it's one or the other boys, weigh the evidence-what does it say?

Reposted by Eric Goldman, Valerie Mueller, Alan Richardson

mclem.org
Michael Clemens @mclem.org · 7h
There are 75,977 people born in Somalia who are now citizens of the United States, including those specific people.

He is talking about US citizens. He is talking about *us*.

The truth is that none of us are garbage, and the job of the US president is to represent all of us.

We, the people.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 8h
Trump on Somalis: "We're gonna go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country. Ilhan Omar is garbage. She's garbage. Her friends are garbage."

Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Stephen M. Walt, Cas Mudde , and 4 more

chrislhayes.bsky.social
Chris Hayes @chrislhayes.bsky.social · 7h
He’s gesturing to a sleeping man as he says “He’s the only leader in the world who can help end [the war in Ukraine].”
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 8h
Trump dozes while Marco Rubio speaks to him directly next to him. Just insane optics.

alanrichardson.bsky.social
Alan Richardson @alanrichardson.bsky.social · 7h
Charity begins and ends at home
nytimes.com The New York Times @nytimes.com · 7h
Elon Musk’s charitable foundation grew larger than ever in 2024. But, for the fourth year in a row, the huge charity failed to give away the minimum amount required by law — and the donations it did make went largely to charities closely tied to Musk himself, who is the world's richest man.
Elon Musk’s Foundation Grows to $14 Billion, but Gives Little to Outsiders
The philanthropy has become one of America’s biggest, but most of its giving went to charities closely tied to the world’s richest man.
nyti.ms

Reposted by Daniel W. Drezner, Alan Richardson, Jon Dean

nytimes.com
The New York Times @nytimes.com · 7h
Elon Musk’s charitable foundation grew larger than ever in 2024. But, for the fourth year in a row, the huge charity failed to give away the minimum amount required by law — and the donations it did make went largely to charities closely tied to Musk himself, who is the world's richest man.
Elon Musk’s Foundation Grows to $14 Billion, but Gives Little to Outsiders
The philanthropy has become one of America’s biggest, but most of its giving went to charities closely tied to the world’s richest man.
nyti.ms

Reposted by American Library Association, Daniel S. Goldberg, Alan Richardson , and 2 more

nkalamb.bsky.social
Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · 7h
This year, universities are giving $228 million to football coaches who failed at coaching football so that they won't coach football anymore.
Total buyouts for 15 fired coaches in 2025: $228 million. That's a record by nearly $100M. Kelly $54M Stoops $38M Smith $33.5M Napier $21M Freeze $15.8M Gundy $15M Wilcox $10.9M Pittman $9.8M Franklin $9M Pry $6M Foster $5M Bray $4M Dilfer $2.4M Beck $1.7M Norvell $1.5M

Reposted by Shibley Telhami, Trevon D. Logan, Alan Richardson , and 7 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 8h
Trump on Minnesota's Somali community: "They contribute nothing. I don't want them in our country, I'll be honest with you."

Reposted by Alan Richardson, Jacob T. Levy

nytpitchbot.bsky.social
NY Times Pitchbot @nytpitchbot.bsky.social · 10h
Juan Orlando Hernández imported a quantity of cocaine sufficient to allow the enthusiastic enjoyer to snort an ounce every five minutes for a lifetime. This man does not just deserve a pardon. He deserves our thanks.

by Donald Trump Jr

Reposted by George McKay, Alan Richardson, Mike Rowe , and 3 more

ucuessex.bsky.social
UCU Essex @ucuessex.bsky.social · 10h
It's official: 400 redundancies and a campus closure. At-risk staff will get a letter next week. Absolutely no serious consideration of any of the union's counterproposals.

Please share widely.

Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, Shelly Lundberg, Alan Richardson , and 2 more

dynarski.bsky.social
Prof Dynarski @dynarski.bsky.social · 10h
Larry Summers banned from the American Economics Association conferences and journals. Can't referee or be an editor for AEA journals.

National Bureau of Economic Research, your turn.

alanrichardson.bsky.social
Alan Richardson @alanrichardson.bsky.social · 10h
Confirming someone who confessed to advocating war crimes as Secy of Defense was a terrible idea
robertscotthorton.bsky.social Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 13h
Hegseth told soldiers under his command in Iraq to ignore legal advice about when they were permitted to kill enemy combatants under their rules of engagement. The anecdote is contained in a book Hegseth wrote last year in which he sharply disparaged the Geneva and Hague Conventions.
Pete Hegseth told US soldiers in Iraq to ignore legal advice on rules of engagement
Defense secretary shares anecdote in The War on Warriors and rails against ‘rules and regulations’ governing war
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Mark Bray, Alan Richardson, Gerald Friedman , and 1 more

annabower.bsky.social
Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · 10h
Pop star Sabrina Carpenter slams the White House for using “Juno” in an ICE arrest video:

“This video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.”
Sabrina Carpenter replies to WH video: This video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.

alanrichardson.bsky.social
Alan Richardson @alanrichardson.bsky.social · 10h
This isn’t hard
audacityofdespair.bsky.social David Simon @audacityofdespair.bsky.social · 13h
We are not at war with Venezuela, yet. The boats are civilian craft. The U.S. criminal code does not maintain a death penalty for drug smuggling. Due process is required before conviction or sentence.

All of the 80 people killed thus far are wanton murders slain under illegal orders. All of them.

alanrichardson.bsky.social
Alan Richardson @alanrichardson.bsky.social · 10h
Ah, the late 80s/early 90s, when the young analytic philosopher faced the terrifying choice between Davidson and Dummett.
aidanmcglynn.bsky.social Aidan McGlynn @aidanmcglynn.bsky.social · 10h
I hope people keeping reading Davidson. I was obviously way too late for the 'Davidsonic boom', but he was still seen as a core figure when I was studying, and I'm not sure how much that's still true. (My supervisor was a self-described Davidsonian, but more generally we read a lot of his work.)

Reposted by Alan Richardson

tomlevenson.bsky.social
Boston Tom Levenson @tomlevenson.bsky.social · 10h
Several folks have noted that "traditional" is a definite (bad) choice by the Gray Lady.

The dek on the story itself is somehow worse:

The key pt. to highlight is Trump admin's "frustration" with what is, after all, the lawful practice?

Normalizing w. a capital N.
The judges wrote that the Trump administration appeared to have become frustrated by legal and political barriers that have prevented its preferred U.S. attorneys from leading federal prosecutors’ offices.