Michael Cerny
@cerny.bsky.social
PhD Student in the Department of Government at Harvard
michaelbcerny.net
michaelbcerny.net
Reposted by Michael Cerny
This is what authoritarians do - use the powers of the state to humiliate and degrade their opponents in public so that others will not challenge them
“The source told CBS News that [Kash Patel and Dan Bongino] asked for "large, beefy" agents to conduct an arrest of Comey "in full kit," including Kevlar vests and exterior wear emblazoned with the FBI logo.” The leadership of the FBI is now in the hands of infantile psychopaths.
The FBI is weighing an arrest and perp walk for Comey — and suspended an agent for refusing to help, sources say
The FBI is considering carrying out a "showy" arrest and perp walk of the agency's now-indicted ex-Director James Comey, sources tell CBS News.
www.cbsnews.com
October 4, 2025 at 1:48 PM
This is what authoritarians do - use the powers of the state to humiliate and degrade their opponents in public so that others will not challenge them
Reposted by Michael Cerny
Democrats should become the anti-corruption party. 72% of voters think a member of Congress would likely accept a bribe if offered one. 80% say donors run DC. The solution isn’t left vs right, it’s clean vs corrupt. But first, Democrats must reform themselves and reject big money.
The Democrats' Path Forward: Become the Anti-Corruption Party
But to reform the system they first need to reform the Democratic Party.
open.substack.com
September 21, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Democrats should become the anti-corruption party. 72% of voters think a member of Congress would likely accept a bribe if offered one. 80% say donors run DC. The solution isn’t left vs right, it’s clean vs corrupt. But first, Democrats must reform themselves and reject big money.
Reposted by Michael Cerny
Where we are as a country - the president does not make the law
At the core of this is a student saying she refuses to engage with class material that goes “against our President’s laws”
A&M Dean removed following student complaints over curriculum
The Department of Justice has also acknowledged the situation and said it would be investigating.
www.kbtx.com
September 9, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Where we are as a country - the president does not make the law
Reposted by Michael Cerny
Warnings From Weimar
Why bargaining with authoritarians fails.
www.foreignaffairs.com
August 28, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Reposted by Michael Cerny
I keep seeing the Trump-Intel deal called socialism, but there’s a term for this. This parallels what Mussolini did—the Italian state was one of the world’s largest industrial owners while keeping private companies. Nazi Germany did this too. So did Francoist Spain. It’s called state corporatism.
August 26, 2025 at 5:37 AM
I keep seeing the Trump-Intel deal called socialism, but there’s a term for this. This parallels what Mussolini did—the Italian state was one of the world’s largest industrial owners while keeping private companies. Nazi Germany did this too. So did Francoist Spain. It’s called state corporatism.
Reposted by Michael Cerny
Authoritarian regimes frequently struggle to govern effectively because accurate information doesn't reach the leadership. Trump is basically designing a system to create this problem.
We don’t *know* that this administration is getting rid of any intelligence officer who provides information contrary to Trump’s decreed view; but we don’t not know that either.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Hegseth fires head of Defense Intelligence Agency, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has fired Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the latest national security senior officer to be purged.
www.washingtonpost.com
August 22, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Authoritarian regimes frequently struggle to govern effectively because accurate information doesn't reach the leadership. Trump is basically designing a system to create this problem.
Reposted by Michael Cerny
I suspect the John Bolton thing is less likely a show trial than a show investigation. The powers of the FBI/DOJ/prosecutors provide the ability to systematically persecute people for years, ruining their lives and costing them enormous amounts of money in legal fees with little recourse.
August 22, 2025 at 11:43 AM
I suspect the John Bolton thing is less likely a show trial than a show investigation. The powers of the FBI/DOJ/prosecutors provide the ability to systematically persecute people for years, ruining their lives and costing them enormous amounts of money in legal fees with little recourse.
Reposted by Michael Cerny
On the left: Nate Cavanagh, a 28-year-old DOGE staffer and college dropout.
On the right: Mohammad Halimi, a 53-year-old exiled Afghan scholar.
This is the story of how DOGE targeted Halimi on social media.
Then the Taliban took his family. 🧵
On the right: Mohammad Halimi, a 53-year-old exiled Afghan scholar.
This is the story of how DOGE targeted Halimi on social media.
Then the Taliban took his family. 🧵
August 22, 2025 at 11:41 AM
On the left: Nate Cavanagh, a 28-year-old DOGE staffer and college dropout.
On the right: Mohammad Halimi, a 53-year-old exiled Afghan scholar.
This is the story of how DOGE targeted Halimi on social media.
Then the Taliban took his family. 🧵
On the right: Mohammad Halimi, a 53-year-old exiled Afghan scholar.
This is the story of how DOGE targeted Halimi on social media.
Then the Taliban took his family. 🧵
Reposted by Michael Cerny
My take is that senior officers are completely unprepared for this moment.
When demo is healthy, there is little tension btw adhering to civilian control & serving democracy
Faced w/ the manifest clash in principles these missions present, they are doing what's familiar--following orders.1/
When demo is healthy, there is little tension btw adhering to civilian control & serving democracy
Faced w/ the manifest clash in principles these missions present, they are doing what's familiar--following orders.1/
What's a MAJ supposed to do when they watch GOFOs and COLs do nothing and say nothing about what went down with LA, the parade, Bragg, and criticism of MoH recipients?
There's no top cover, no leadership, no hard convos. Just abdication and servility from the top creating difficulties on down.
There's no top cover, no leadership, no hard convos. Just abdication and servility from the top creating difficulties on down.
August 13, 2025 at 3:35 PM
My take is that senior officers are completely unprepared for this moment.
When demo is healthy, there is little tension btw adhering to civilian control & serving democracy
Faced w/ the manifest clash in principles these missions present, they are doing what's familiar--following orders.1/
When demo is healthy, there is little tension btw adhering to civilian control & serving democracy
Faced w/ the manifest clash in principles these missions present, they are doing what's familiar--following orders.1/
Reposted by Michael Cerny
To reiterate: there is no legitimate justification for this. Violent crime is at a 30-year low in D.C.
"So we're getting this information from multiple sources [...] within the mayor's office and within Metro Police Department, that President Trump, come tomorrow, will deploy the National Guard along the streets of DC."
www.wusa9.com/video/news/n...
www.wusa9.com/video/news/n...
August 11, 2025 at 1:32 AM
To reiterate: there is no legitimate justification for this. Violent crime is at a 30-year low in D.C.
Reposted by Michael Cerny
hegemonic enshittification how are ya www.wired.com/story/enshit...
August 7, 2025 at 2:06 PM
hegemonic enshittification how are ya www.wired.com/story/enshit...
Reposted by Michael Cerny
A fun reminder that a loss of 60,000 jobs in and around academia is ~50% more than all coal mining jobs in the entire country.
The US could see a 30-40% decline in new international student enrollment, resulting in nearly $7 billion in lost revenue and more than 60,000 fewer American jobs. https://www.nafsa.org/fall-2025-international-student-enrollment-outlook-and-economic-impact
August 4, 2025 at 12:02 AM
A fun reminder that a loss of 60,000 jobs in and around academia is ~50% more than all coal mining jobs in the entire country.
Reposted by Michael Cerny
He's right, and it's not just Brazil.
Around the world, at least 31 democratic leaders who committed similar crimes have been jailed or banned from office since 2010. The failure to hold Trump accountable in the US was a unique and systemic failure of our institutions and political culture.
Around the world, at least 31 democratic leaders who committed similar crimes have been jailed or banned from office since 2010. The failure to hold Trump accountable in the US was a unique and systemic failure of our institutions and political culture.
July 20, 2025 at 7:26 PM
He's right, and it's not just Brazil.
Around the world, at least 31 democratic leaders who committed similar crimes have been jailed or banned from office since 2010. The failure to hold Trump accountable in the US was a unique and systemic failure of our institutions and political culture.
Around the world, at least 31 democratic leaders who committed similar crimes have been jailed or banned from office since 2010. The failure to hold Trump accountable in the US was a unique and systemic failure of our institutions and political culture.
Reposted by Michael Cerny
The first session of The Civic Forum is today at noon EST! Link is here: www.crowdcast.io/c/civicforum.... Come for a short lecture on democratic erosion in the U.S. Full series info here: www.thecivicforum.com
The Civic Forum - S1E2 - Forum Overview and Introduction to Democratic Backsliding - Rory Truex
Register now for The Civic Forum - S1E2 - Forum Overview and Introduction to Democratic Backsliding - Rory Truex on crowdcast, scheduled to go live on July 10, 2025, 12:00 PM EDT.
www.crowdcast.io
July 10, 2025 at 12:17 PM
The first session of The Civic Forum is today at noon EST! Link is here: www.crowdcast.io/c/civicforum.... Come for a short lecture on democratic erosion in the U.S. Full series info here: www.thecivicforum.com
Reposted by Michael Cerny
The "unitary executive theory" is a fancy name for a strategy used by authoritarians worldwide, rebranded for the US. It’s a legal blueprint for a power grab, and my new article explains how it turns the law itself into a tool for undermining democracy:
How to Dismantle a Democracy, Legally
The unitary executive theory is a masterclass in autocratic legalism.
open.substack.com
July 9, 2025 at 9:18 PM
The "unitary executive theory" is a fancy name for a strategy used by authoritarians worldwide, rebranded for the US. It’s a legal blueprint for a power grab, and my new article explains how it turns the law itself into a tool for undermining democracy:
Reposted by Michael Cerny
I hope @christiehenry.bsky.social understands that for many in Xinjiang, the “peace” she saw is what scholars have elsewhere termed “the peace of the prison-yard.”
(Plenty of good scholars at Princeton who could’ve helped them avoid this. Just embarrassing.)
(Plenty of good scholars at Princeton who could’ve helped them avoid this. Just embarrassing.)
ICYMI, On her curated tour, head of Princeton UP Henry says directly to camera: “the ability for multiple languages and cultures to coexist in such a magical wonderful way is a story that will help the rest of the world learn to live, how to live in peace, rather than war.”
not looking good for Princeton University Press is it @princetonupress.bsky.social
the video can be found on Facebook
www.facebook.com/share/v/16Rv...
the video can be found on Facebook
www.facebook.com/share/v/16Rv...
June 30, 2025 at 12:13 AM
I hope @christiehenry.bsky.social understands that for many in Xinjiang, the “peace” she saw is what scholars have elsewhere termed “the peace of the prison-yard.”
(Plenty of good scholars at Princeton who could’ve helped them avoid this. Just embarrassing.)
(Plenty of good scholars at Princeton who could’ve helped them avoid this. Just embarrassing.)
Reposted by Michael Cerny
Reposted by Michael Cerny
It's good to see the OPM hiring memo has started to get the attention it deserves.
We're going to sorely miss the smart, hardworking, career federal workers who serve the public--not the party in power--when they're gone.
Let's break down what this means and why it's a major concern: 🧵⬇️
We're going to sorely miss the smart, hardworking, career federal workers who serve the public--not the party in power--when they're gone.
Let's break down what this means and why it's a major concern: 🧵⬇️
June 2, 2025 at 11:00 PM
It's good to see the OPM hiring memo has started to get the attention it deserves.
We're going to sorely miss the smart, hardworking, career federal workers who serve the public--not the party in power--when they're gone.
Let's break down what this means and why it's a major concern: 🧵⬇️
We're going to sorely miss the smart, hardworking, career federal workers who serve the public--not the party in power--when they're gone.
Let's break down what this means and why it's a major concern: 🧵⬇️
Reposted by Michael Cerny
UPDATE: I've written a deeper dive on these numbers and what's driving this unprecedented judicial pushback.
open.substack.com/pub/data4dem...
open.substack.com/pub/data4dem...
May 24, 2025 at 7:52 PM
UPDATE: I've written a deeper dive on these numbers and what's driving this unprecedented judicial pushback.
open.substack.com/pub/data4dem...
open.substack.com/pub/data4dem...
Reposted by Michael Cerny
Three things made the US a rich and powerful nation: the rule of law, its science & innovation system, and openness to foreign talent. Remarkable how Trump has taken a sledgehammer to all three. No enemy of this country could do more.
May 22, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Three things made the US a rich and powerful nation: the rule of law, its science & innovation system, and openness to foreign talent. Remarkable how Trump has taken a sledgehammer to all three. No enemy of this country could do more.
Reposted by Michael Cerny
I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar. Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return.
April 18, 2025 at 1:02 AM
I said my main goal of this trip was to meet with Kilmar. Tonight I had that chance. I have called his wife, Jennifer, to pass along his message of love. I look forward to providing a full update upon my return.
Reposted by Michael Cerny
Steve Kerr: "I believe in academic freedom. I think it's crucial for all of our institutions to be able to handle their own business the way they want to. And they should not be shaken down and told what to teach, what to say, by our government. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
Steve Kerr wore a Harvard basketball shirt after the Warriors’ win tonight: “Yes, this is me supporting Harvard. Way to go. Way to stand up to the bully.”
April 16, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Steve Kerr: "I believe in academic freedom. I think it's crucial for all of our institutions to be able to handle their own business the way they want to. And they should not be shaken down and told what to teach, what to say, by our government. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."