Chelsea Pennick, PhD
@chelseaspring.bsky.social
Reluctant academic | Scholar of all things public #admin #policy #lands | Parent | Live music junkie | Idaho native | Forest Service brat
Reposted by Chelsea Pennick, PhD
Just to reiterate: What this administration is doing right now is orders of magnitude more dangerous for academic freedom and free speech than anything the right has spent the last 30 years complaining about.
Faculty who wrote to defend their president and object to a DOJ investigation of their university...are now being investigated by the DOJ.
The most banal defense of free speech and academic freedom will trigger the full wrath of the US government now.
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/28/u...
The most banal defense of free speech and academic freedom will trigger the full wrath of the US government now.
www.nytimes.com/2025/07/28/u...
Faculty Support of George Mason’s President Draws Federal Investigation
www.nytimes.com
July 29, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Just to reiterate: What this administration is doing right now is orders of magnitude more dangerous for academic freedom and free speech than anything the right has spent the last 30 years complaining about.
Reposted by Chelsea Pennick, PhD
Jules Gill-Peterson doesn’t want to fight for trans joy. She wants to fight for what trans people really need: resources, hormones, and surgery. Her latest arena? The Supreme Court.
This Historian Has Seen the Future of Trans Health Care
Jules Gill-Peterson doesn’t want to fight for trans joy. She wants to fight for what trans people really need: resources, hormones, and surgery. Her latest arena? The Supreme Court.
www.them.us
June 16, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Jules Gill-Peterson doesn’t want to fight for trans joy. She wants to fight for what trans people really need: resources, hormones, and surgery. Her latest arena? The Supreme Court.
Big Win! www.lmtribune.com/local-news/r...
UPDATE AT 5:10 P.M.: Crapo joining Risch in opposition to sell-off of ...
Proposal to sell federal land is provision in 'Big Beautiful Bill' that U.S. Senate is considering
www.lmtribune.com
June 23, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Big Win! www.lmtribune.com/local-news/r...
The public lands sell-off language in the Senate's reconciliation bill has surprising resemblance to this report by Headwaters Economics, which doesn't bode well for anyone thinking that the idea was pulled out of thin air and can't be operationalized:
headwaterseconomics.org/public-lands...
headwaterseconomics.org/public-lands...
Housing on public lands will be limited by wildfire risk and development challenges - Headwaters Economics
Federal public lands may offer opportunities to improve housing affordability in a limited number of states, but will face significant barriers from wildfire risk, water availability, and conflicts wi...
headwaterseconomics.org
June 23, 2025 at 3:56 PM
The public lands sell-off language in the Senate's reconciliation bill has surprising resemblance to this report by Headwaters Economics, which doesn't bode well for anyone thinking that the idea was pulled out of thin air and can't be operationalized:
headwaterseconomics.org/public-lands...
headwaterseconomics.org/public-lands...
An inquiry into the impact of a public lands sell-off for rural, public lands communities
Public lands, small businesses and housing
If you read my last post, or are following the budget reconciliation process, you know that the Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources committee released draft budget language last week that would dire...
open.substack.com
June 20, 2025 at 7:38 PM
An inquiry into the impact of a public lands sell-off for rural, public lands communities
A new post on my substack, All Things Public open.substack.com/pub/drchelse... #publiclands #energy #timber
My take on the Senate ENR draft reconciliation bill text
What's big, what's not so big and what's going unnoticed
open.substack.com
June 18, 2025 at 3:57 PM
A new post on my substack, All Things Public open.substack.com/pub/drchelse... #publiclands #energy #timber
This says it all: the share of homes for sale that are affordable for moderate income buyers is 5.6% in Idaho and 11.1% in Montana. idahocapitalsun.com/2025/05/24/h...
Homebuying options remain slim for middle-income earners • Idaho Capital Sun
High interest rates and high prices in a still-competitive housing market continue to make it tough for first-time homebuyers in the U.S.
idahocapitalsun.com
May 27, 2025 at 4:11 PM
This says it all: the share of homes for sale that are affordable for moderate income buyers is 5.6% in Idaho and 11.1% in Montana. idahocapitalsun.com/2025/05/24/h...
Strangely, social and behavioral sciences are set to increase...
NSF Physics was cut by 85%, basically wiping out most of its capacity for supporting research.
NSF Astronomy was cut by 53%
Undergrad education was cut by 71% and research on learning by 79%
Graduate education was cut by 100% to ZERO.
#GiftLink ⚛️🔭
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
NSF Astronomy was cut by 53%
Undergrad education was cut by 71% and research on learning by 79%
Graduate education was cut by 100% to ZERO.
#GiftLink ⚛️🔭
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Trump Has Cut Science Funding to Its Lowest Level in Decades (Gift Article)
The lag in funding extends far beyond D.E.I. initiatives, affecting almost every area of science: chemistry, computing, engineering, materials and more.
www.nytimes.com
May 22, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Strangely, social and behavioral sciences are set to increase...
A recent post on my substack All Things Public about the impact of defederalization in the provision of public goods and services from public lands: drchelseapennick.substack.com/p/shared-ste...
Shared Stewardship and The Hazards of Relying on Private Philanthropy to Fill Social Voids
Third sector government and private philanthropy's impact on public goods
drchelseapennick.substack.com
May 22, 2025 at 4:24 PM
A recent post on my substack All Things Public about the impact of defederalization in the provision of public goods and services from public lands: drchelseapennick.substack.com/p/shared-ste...
Reposted by Chelsea Pennick, PhD
Trump Has Cut Science Funding to Its Lowest Level in Decades www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Trump Has Cut Science Funding to Its Lowest Level in Decades
The lag in funding extends far beyond D.E.I. initiatives, affecting almost every area of science: chemistry, computing, engineering, materials and more.
www.nytimes.com
May 22, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Trump Has Cut Science Funding to Its Lowest Level in Decades www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Oy vey
Still amazed that these two maps are not making more news and generating more public comment. Especially given the intentionally degraded capacity of the federal wildland fire service.
May 21, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Oy vey
Yes, please do. There is nothing inherently wrong with active management, but that doesn't mean it can't be harmful.
Center for Biological Diversity (@biologicaldiversity.org) recently published an opinion piece: "‘Active management’ harms forests — and it’s about to get a whole lot worse." Given that this article has considerable bearing on my profession, allow me to offer a different point of view. 🌎🍁🔥🌳
‘Active Management’ Harms Forests — And It’s About to Get a Whole Lot Worse • The Revelator
Forest management approaches promoted as “resilience,” “restoration,” “fuel reduction,” and “forest health” often degrade natural systems and reduce carbon stocks.
therevelator.org
May 21, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Yes, please do. There is nothing inherently wrong with active management, but that doesn't mean it can't be harmful.
Reposted by Chelsea Pennick, PhD
The 2025 Stein Rokkan lecture by Petr Kopecký is not great news for the United States. Depending on how you read it we’re pretty close to an autocracy and that’s because Republicans got to work on unchecked executive power and politicized courts a long time ago.
May 21, 2025 at 3:46 PM
The 2025 Stein Rokkan lecture by Petr Kopecký is not great news for the United States. Depending on how you read it we’re pretty close to an autocracy and that’s because Republicans got to work on unchecked executive power and politicized courts a long time ago.
I found Bryce's courage to speak up so inspiring. It is not easy to be queer, in rural Idaho, in the Forest Service. I wonder whether they are still employed and if so, what it feels like to be expected to work in/support new mission areas like fire and timber (see Sec of Ag letter dated May 20).
Backcountry ranger Bryce Spare was one of dozens of probationary Forest Service employees laid off on the Payette NF, and 100s nationwide. While he's excited to have his job back, he remains worried about it and his forest. But workers, of course, are full people, and Bryce is a trans person...
May 21, 2025 at 3:15 PM
I found Bryce's courage to speak up so inspiring. It is not easy to be queer, in rural Idaho, in the Forest Service. I wonder whether they are still employed and if so, what it feels like to be expected to work in/support new mission areas like fire and timber (see Sec of Ag letter dated May 20).
Reposted by Chelsea Pennick, PhD
Backcountry ranger Bryce Spare was one of dozens of probationary Forest Service employees laid off on the Payette NF, and 100s nationwide. While he's excited to have his job back, he remains worried about it and his forest. But workers, of course, are full people, and Bryce is a trans person...
March 12, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Backcountry ranger Bryce Spare was one of dozens of probationary Forest Service employees laid off on the Payette NF, and 100s nationwide. While he's excited to have his job back, he remains worried about it and his forest. But workers, of course, are full people, and Bryce is a trans person...
It's about time!
BREAKING: Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier released from prison after nearly 50 years
February 18, 2025 at 6:08 PM
It's about time!
Agree
i think rather than schadenfreude directed towards trump voters who “didnt think he meant me,” we should direct outrage towards political media that misinformed americans by choosing to “both sides” every issue or just completely ignore policy
February 15, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Agree
Really? This is breaking news? We have an impending constitutional crisis looming and this is news? No wonder people aren't outraged like they should be.
Breaking News: President Trump has suggested paving over the grass in the White House Rose Garden for a patio like the one he has at Mar-a-Lago.
Trump Considers Paving Grass at White House Rose Garden to Match Mar-a-Lago
The president has been discussing plans to rip up the grass in one of the White House’s most iconic locations and put in a hard surface to serve as a patio like the one at his Florida home and club.
www.nytimes.com
February 14, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Really? This is breaking news? We have an impending constitutional crisis looming and this is news? No wonder people aren't outraged like they should be.
or the media, I would add
How are we going to ever convince regular Americans to be outraged at Trump lawbreaking if we can’t even convince the leaders of the political party opposing him to be outraged
February 14, 2025 at 10:37 PM
or the media, I would add
"These clowns literally have no power besides what we give them" And we are giving them a lot. Like, when did we, aka the media, decide that DOGE was a real department? It is not. It is illigitimate, but the media immediately legitimized it by treating it as if it was real and created by Congress.
THIS IS HOW ALL OF OUR INSTITUTIONS SHOULD BE RESPONDING. These clowns literally have no power besides what we give them. It’s a demented old racist real estate hustler from queens and a bunch of weird tech bros who can’t get girlfriends they don’t buy. Why are we scared of these clowns?
Army guidance on implementing President Trump's order on transgender troops, filed in court today, says to NOT take adverse personnel action against people based on gender identity "at this time" and to continue medical treatment. for gender dysphoria.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
February 14, 2025 at 10:29 PM
"These clowns literally have no power besides what we give them" And we are giving them a lot. Like, when did we, aka the media, decide that DOGE was a real department? It is not. It is illigitimate, but the media immediately legitimized it by treating it as if it was real and created by Congress.
Word.
In my opinion the right (inclusive of centrist liberals) has been super effective at replacing material notions of class with cultural ones.
It’s the only way a plumber making $160k a year can feel like a victim of an “elitist” first generation English professor making $42k a year.
It’s the only way a plumber making $160k a year can feel like a victim of an “elitist” first generation English professor making $42k a year.
February 14, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Word.
Reposted by Chelsea Pennick, PhD
NEW: My office is hearing that DOGE is now at the IRS. That means Musk's henchmen are in a position to dig through a trove of data about every taxpayer in America. And if your refund is delayed, they could very well be the reason.
February 13, 2025 at 7:01 PM
NEW: My office is hearing that DOGE is now at the IRS. That means Musk's henchmen are in a position to dig through a trove of data about every taxpayer in America. And if your refund is delayed, they could very well be the reason.
Yes. Exactly.
The idea that unions cannot have standing to represent an assault on their members does not make sense. It makes it harder to establish preventive injunctions, and frankly, how many individuals will want to sue given the nature of the current government?
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...
www.washingtonpost.com
February 13, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Yes. Exactly.
Reposted by Chelsea Pennick, PhD
Sen. Ted Cruz’s list of “woke” science includes self-driving cars, solar eclipses
🧪
www.npr.org/2025/02/13/n...
🧪
www.npr.org/2025/02/13/n...
Sen. Ted Cruz's list of "woke" science includes self-driving cars, solar eclipses
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, says the National Science Foundation has given money to thousands of "Woke DEI" studies. Researchers say that's misrepresenting science and disparaging important research.
www.npr.org
February 13, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Sen. Ted Cruz’s list of “woke” science includes self-driving cars, solar eclipses
🧪
www.npr.org/2025/02/13/n...
🧪
www.npr.org/2025/02/13/n...
Reposted by Chelsea Pennick, PhD
Imagine if @aoc @sanders.senate.gov , every dem, SIMULTANEOUSLY held Town Halls where they allowed grant and contract recipients to explain to the country what it is they do and why it's important
Invite all media. Including RW podcasters. @spaces Flood the zone
Call it a Day Of Transparency
Invite all media. Including RW podcasters. @spaces Flood the zone
Call it a Day Of Transparency
February 11, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Imagine if @aoc @sanders.senate.gov , every dem, SIMULTANEOUSLY held Town Halls where they allowed grant and contract recipients to explain to the country what it is they do and why it's important
Invite all media. Including RW podcasters. @spaces Flood the zone
Call it a Day Of Transparency
Invite all media. Including RW podcasters. @spaces Flood the zone
Call it a Day Of Transparency