Calvin Elison
@calvinelison.bsky.social
Aspiring political theorist and staff member at American U’s School of Int. Service.
American U MA '23. PhD hopeful TBD. 🇺🇸🇩🇪
Nationalism/internationalism & ideology in NA+Eurasia, statebuilding, capitalism and revolutions.
All views are my own.
American U MA '23. PhD hopeful TBD. 🇺🇸🇩🇪
Nationalism/internationalism & ideology in NA+Eurasia, statebuilding, capitalism and revolutions.
All views are my own.
Reposted by Calvin Elison
a thought about trump v. slaughter. it is largely unspoken, but the assertion that there is an unlimited presidential removal power and that independent agencies functionally cannot exist is an assertion of presidential sovereignty.
December 8, 2025 at 3:40 PM
a thought about trump v. slaughter. it is largely unspoken, but the assertion that there is an unlimited presidential removal power and that independent agencies functionally cannot exist is an assertion of presidential sovereignty.
Reposted by Calvin Elison
gorsuch in particular is just monstrously arrogant. the portrait of a fart sniffer.
It is really, really hard to get your head around the raw hubris of the majority. They really will be destabilizing the operating structure of the entire U.S. government. Why? Because they believe they have a better idea about how the past century should've been done.
Justice Gorsuch: Is it possible--"just maybe"--that we're setting our sights far too low and we should be blowing up many more structures of modern government?
December 8, 2025 at 4:25 PM
gorsuch in particular is just monstrously arrogant. the portrait of a fart sniffer.
Reposted by Calvin Elison
RFK Jr: "Two weeks ago we ended, under your leadership, a twenty year war on women".
Three out of five men in this shot have been accused of sexual misconduct, harassment or abusive behaviour towards women. A fourth signed into law a near-total abortion ban in his state as governor.
Three out of five men in this shot have been accused of sexual misconduct, harassment or abusive behaviour towards women. A fourth signed into law a near-total abortion ban in his state as governor.
December 2, 2025 at 6:46 PM
RFK Jr: "Two weeks ago we ended, under your leadership, a twenty year war on women".
Three out of five men in this shot have been accused of sexual misconduct, harassment or abusive behaviour towards women. A fourth signed into law a near-total abortion ban in his state as governor.
Three out of five men in this shot have been accused of sexual misconduct, harassment or abusive behaviour towards women. A fourth signed into law a near-total abortion ban in his state as governor.
Reposted by Calvin Elison
conservatives basically want to implement the caricature of affirmative action for conservative students. acceptance without meeting qualifications, good grades and degrees without having to do the work.
OU has put the professor here on administrative leave:
December 1, 2025 at 1:29 AM
conservatives basically want to implement the caricature of affirmative action for conservative students. acceptance without meeting qualifications, good grades and degrees without having to do the work.
Reposted by Calvin Elison
It's been a miserable 2025, but I'm going to take a moment to celebrate a legitimately good thing that happened. My friend and colleague, Kimberly Cowell-Meyers, and I published a book! 1/
Building a Green Wall
Building a Green Wall - Irish America’s Resurgence Post-Brexit; Brexit deepened tensions in Northern Ireland and created rifts between Ireland and the UK. Drawing on interviews in Washington, Belfast,...
bristoluniversitypress.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 7:17 PM
It's been a miserable 2025, but I'm going to take a moment to celebrate a legitimately good thing that happened. My friend and colleague, Kimberly Cowell-Meyers, and I published a book! 1/
Reposted by Calvin Elison
If you are a Dem thinking of running for president and your first order of business isn't putting every person involved first the current administration crime wave on public trial- DO NOT RUN.
November 14, 2025 at 1:35 PM
If you are a Dem thinking of running for president and your first order of business isn't putting every person involved first the current administration crime wave on public trial- DO NOT RUN.
Reposted by Calvin Elison
you could fact check this — there aren’t 30 million illegal immigrants and there is no evidence that the presence of an immigrant in say houston has any impact on housing in madison, wisconsin — or you could note straightforwardly that this is just nazi rhetoric
JD Vance: "A lot of young people are saying housing is way too expensive. Why is that? Because we flooded the country with 30 million illegal immigrants who were taking houses that ought by right go to American citizens."
November 13, 2025 at 10:12 PM
you could fact check this — there aren’t 30 million illegal immigrants and there is no evidence that the presence of an immigrant in say houston has any impact on housing in madison, wisconsin — or you could note straightforwardly that this is just nazi rhetoric
Reposted by Calvin Elison
Last night, the ADL took down its "Glossary of antisemitism" which included an entry for the term "globalist," describing it as a far-right codeword for Jews.
Hours later, the official DHS account authors a post with a common far-right meme, saying that "globalists" will be denied entry to the US.
Hours later, the official DHS account authors a post with a common far-right meme, saying that "globalists" will be denied entry to the US.
October 1, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Last night, the ADL took down its "Glossary of antisemitism" which included an entry for the term "globalist," describing it as a far-right codeword for Jews.
Hours later, the official DHS account authors a post with a common far-right meme, saying that "globalists" will be denied entry to the US.
Hours later, the official DHS account authors a post with a common far-right meme, saying that "globalists" will be denied entry to the US.
Reposted by Calvin Elison
As long as the far right shapes public opinion, and mainstream parties follow public opinion, the far right dominates politics, whether in government or not.
October 1, 2025 at 1:09 PM
As long as the far right shapes public opinion, and mainstream parties follow public opinion, the far right dominates politics, whether in government or not.
Reposted by Calvin Elison
one question to ask the editorial board is whether there is a minimum bar for what constitutes "american democracy." if most people in most states are gerrymandered out of effective political representation, is that democracy?
August 21, 2025 at 2:32 PM
one question to ask the editorial board is whether there is a minimum bar for what constitutes "american democracy." if most people in most states are gerrymandered out of effective political representation, is that democracy?
Reposted by Calvin Elison
it is genuinely maddening to see pundits and reporters say things like “well trump has an advantage on crime” while the public consistently says “we think this guy sucks on crime”
Trump and Stephen Miller's military occupations are UNPOPULAR.
Pew: 56% don't trust Trump to manage law enforcement
Reuters: Only 42% approve his handling of crime
WaPo: 79% of DCers oppose invasion
On the pod, @monicapotts.bsky.social and I urge Dems to engage:
newrepublic.com/article/1993...
Pew: 56% don't trust Trump to manage law enforcement
Reuters: Only 42% approve his handling of crime
WaPo: 79% of DCers oppose invasion
On the pod, @monicapotts.bsky.social and I urge Dems to engage:
newrepublic.com/article/1993...
Stephen Miller Erupts in Manic Fascist Rant—and Reveals a Big Weakness
As Miller unleashes a wild tirade about Trump’s D.C. takeover, a sharp observer of his military occupations explains how he’s ominously consolidating power right before our eyes—and how Dems must figh...
newrepublic.com
August 21, 2025 at 12:09 PM
it is genuinely maddening to see pundits and reporters say things like “well trump has an advantage on crime” while the public consistently says “we think this guy sucks on crime”
Reposted by Calvin Elison
Allies of the fascist regime are referring to the residents of our capital city as “cockroaches.”
This is explicitly neo-Nazi language used in service of making Jeffrey Epstein‘s best friend into dictator for life.
This is explicitly neo-Nazi language used in service of making Jeffrey Epstein‘s best friend into dictator for life.
August 21, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Allies of the fascist regime are referring to the residents of our capital city as “cockroaches.”
This is explicitly neo-Nazi language used in service of making Jeffrey Epstein‘s best friend into dictator for life.
This is explicitly neo-Nazi language used in service of making Jeffrey Epstein‘s best friend into dictator for life.
(Gift Link) - Douthat was never a serious thinker, but the NYTs is becoming a deeply unserious publication by platforming this “conversation”
Opinion | The YouTube Host Defining Conservative Christianity
www.nytimes.com
July 17, 2025 at 12:33 PM
(Gift Link) - Douthat was never a serious thinker, but the NYTs is becoming a deeply unserious publication by platforming this “conversation”
Reposted by Calvin Elison
Under “normal” circumstances, writing and platforming the 500th rage piece against the “excesses” of radical woke transgender ideology makes you look silly.
Doing it in the midst of the regime’s relentless assault on the fundamental rights of an extremely vulnerable minority makes you complicit.
Doing it in the midst of the regime’s relentless assault on the fundamental rights of an extremely vulnerable minority makes you complicit.
This is what the Paper of Record™ chose to publish for the 10th anniversary of Obergefell
archive.ph/AqDLU
archive.ph/AqDLU
June 27, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Under “normal” circumstances, writing and platforming the 500th rage piece against the “excesses” of radical woke transgender ideology makes you look silly.
Doing it in the midst of the regime’s relentless assault on the fundamental rights of an extremely vulnerable minority makes you complicit.
Doing it in the midst of the regime’s relentless assault on the fundamental rights of an extremely vulnerable minority makes you complicit.
Reposted by Calvin Elison
one of the projects of the court is to expand the ability of states to pursue reactionary ends and constrain the ability of the federal government to set minimum standards *or* of democratic-led states to expand upon existing rights
🚨By a 6–3 vote, the Supreme Court ALLOWS states to defund Planned Parenthood, holding that Medicaid does not give patients a right to obtain care from its providers. All three liberals dissent. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
June 26, 2025 at 2:20 PM
one of the projects of the court is to expand the ability of states to pursue reactionary ends and constrain the ability of the federal government to set minimum standards *or* of democratic-led states to expand upon existing rights
Reposted by Calvin Elison
In the political literature this is known as donating for access. It’s very common. Campaign donations should be interpreted as strategic manifestations of political goals, not expressions of true preference.
Here's a fun thing that a top donor to Andrew Cuomo's super PAC just told me.
June 25, 2025 at 11:44 PM
In the political literature this is known as donating for access. It’s very common. Campaign donations should be interpreted as strategic manifestations of political goals, not expressions of true preference.
Reposted by Calvin Elison
It is frightening that the defense of basic rights and democratic self-government against the authoritarian onslaught depends so much on people who are evidently unable and/or unwilling to grasp who and what we are facing and instead just cling to signaling “bipartisanship” and upholding “unity.”
Dems think they’re rising above partisan politics by killing impeachment. Really they’re falling down on constitutional duty. Trump illegally bombs Iran without Congress, 128 Dems + leadership join the GOP. We can’t confuse complicity for pragmatism. You don’t fight authoritarianism by enabling it.
June 25, 2025 at 3:29 PM
It is frightening that the defense of basic rights and democratic self-government against the authoritarian onslaught depends so much on people who are evidently unable and/or unwilling to grasp who and what we are facing and instead just cling to signaling “bipartisanship” and upholding “unity.”
Reposted by Calvin Elison
In the words of Nelson Mandela: it always seems impossible until it’s done.
My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it.
I am honored to be your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York City.
My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it.
I am honored to be your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York City.
June 25, 2025 at 5:54 AM
In the words of Nelson Mandela: it always seems impossible until it’s done.
My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it.
I am honored to be your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York City.
My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it.
I am honored to be your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York City.
Reposted by Calvin Elison
very easy to see what is happening. trump will run for a third term, he’ll try to bring the dispute to federal courts, where his election denying judges will rewrite the 22nd amendment to mean it only refers to “consecutive” terms.
This is becoming the standard line for Trump judicial nominees: All of them will say only that Congress "certified" the election, which translates from Polite Republican Lawyer as "Trump should have been reelected and only lost because of Democrat voter fraud" ballsandstrikes.org/nominations/...
Senate Democrats Are Letting Trump’s Judicial Nominees Off the Hook
Trump's nominees gave some eye-popping answers in their written questionnaires. Why didn't Senate Democrats ask these questions in person?
ballsandstrikes.org
June 25, 2025 at 10:55 PM
very easy to see what is happening. trump will run for a third term, he’ll try to bring the dispute to federal courts, where his election denying judges will rewrite the 22nd amendment to mean it only refers to “consecutive” terms.
Reposted by Calvin Elison
he's right and he's right to say it
June 25, 2025 at 1:14 PM
he's right and he's right to say it
Reposted by Calvin Elison
America's superrich emerged in two phases: predatory finance followed by quasi-monoplies based on network effects paulkrugman.substack.com/p/inequality...
Inequality, Part IV: Oligarchs
The rise of mega-fortunes
paulkrugman.substack.com
June 22, 2025 at 9:13 PM
America's superrich emerged in two phases: predatory finance followed by quasi-monoplies based on network effects paulkrugman.substack.com/p/inequality...
Reposted by Calvin Elison
the lesson of this isn't that tucker carlson is actually good but that you should ask these people basic factual questions instead of bullshit about politics
WATCH: “You’re a U.S. senator and you don’t know anything about the country you want to topple.”
Tucker Carlson embarrasses @sentedcruz as he pushes for war with Iran
Tucker Carlson embarrasses @sentedcruz as he pushes for war with Iran
June 18, 2025 at 2:52 AM
the lesson of this isn't that tucker carlson is actually good but that you should ask these people basic factual questions instead of bullshit about politics
Reposted by Calvin Elison
one huge problem with institutions like the NYT or the Democratic Party is that most of the people who succeed in these places are overly deferential to authority and wedded their personal success to American exceptionalism and thus can’t see the collapse of the US around them
I did an event in DC & there was a party for donors etc after. Was talking to 2 ppl & I said "Things are so bad." They said "No this is how it is. Things swing one way, then another. It's normal."
That's when I realized why Dems are toothless. They have no idea what this is. Frogs boiling in water.
That's when I realized why Dems are toothless. They have no idea what this is. Frogs boiling in water.
June 16, 2025 at 2:25 PM
one huge problem with institutions like the NYT or the Democratic Party is that most of the people who succeed in these places are overly deferential to authority and wedded their personal success to American exceptionalism and thus can’t see the collapse of the US around them
Reposted by Calvin Elison
he’s just completely vacuous. he talks in television sound-bytes and clearly does not think about a word coming out of his mouth
HEGSETH: We wore a patch on our shoulder that said ISAF -- International Security Assistance Force. And you know what the joke was? That is stood for 'I saw Americans fighting.'
COONS: Let's just make clear for the record that our military partners in Afghanistan included many who served and died
COONS: Let's just make clear for the record that our military partners in Afghanistan included many who served and died
June 11, 2025 at 8:35 PM
he’s just completely vacuous. he talks in television sound-bytes and clearly does not think about a word coming out of his mouth
Reposted by Calvin Elison
Pathetically incompetent journalism
the word "constitution" does not appear in this article
nor does any indication that the Trump regime's actions might be illegal
it does however note "White House officials maintain that the president is ... standing up for 'law and order' as Democrats go soft on violent agitators."
nor does any indication that the Trump regime's actions might be illegal
it does however note "White House officials maintain that the president is ... standing up for 'law and order' as Democrats go soft on violent agitators."
June 12, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Pathetically incompetent journalism