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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · 27d

Good morning! I reunited with David Brooks and Robert Siegel, who hosted us for many years on @npr.org, to discuss Trump, authoritarianism and the next phase of American politics. Happy to say it’s my inaugural contribution as a @nytimes.com opinion writer.

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/o...

Opinion | When Authoritarianism Looms, Old Friends Reunite

www.nytimes.com

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Sep 8

“Here’s a Shocking Idea: Democrats Don’t All Have to Sound Alike.
“Four candidates in wildly different races show the value of being yourself.”

A v-important piece by @jilldlawrence.bsky.social. In a diverse country & party, forget about cookie-cutter candidates.

www.thebulwark.com/p/shocking-i...

Here’s a Shocking Idea: Democrats Don’t All Have to Sound Alike

Four candidates in wildly different races show the value of being yourself.

www.thebulwark.com

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Sep 1

Dem Governors should make clear they “cherish our public health system as a pillar of American greatness and see vaccines as a miraculous human achievement” — unlike their foes who indulge “in juvenile conspiracy theories disparaging ‘deep state’ medical professionals.”
Good @gregsargent.bsky.social

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · Aug 31

Trump/RFK are decapitating our public health system, a pillar of American greatness. So Dem Govs should scour every corner of the law for creative new ways to defend their people from this madness.

Dems should polarize this debate to the max.

Thoughts on this here:

newrepublic.com/article/1998...

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Aug 26

An extraordinary and moving account by @jo-ann.bsky.social of how progressive Israelis feel and think about the activities of a government they revile. A rare, penetrating look at liberal Israeli civil society from the inside as it struggles to end to the war.

newrepublic.com/article/1995...

I Visit Israel Every Summer. I’ve Never Seen Hopelessness Like This.

The slaughter of Palestinians continues. Most Israelis hate the war and their government. But a tiny right-wing faction controls all.

newrepublic.com

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Aug 25

“There is no electoral risk to hammering away on Trump’s dictatorial tendencies—and a huge risk to the nation in ignoring them.”

Important @perrybaconjr.bsky.social. Connecting the dots about how Trump is aggrandizing his power is deeply important & does not preclude discussions of economic issues.

Perry Bacon @perrybaconjr.bsky.social · Aug 24

"What’s missing and desperately needed is these events being connected to one another and presented collectively and aggressively by the media, the Democratic Party, and other prominent institutions as one megastory: Trump’s attempt to become America’s dictator." newrepublic.com/article/1994...

Stopping Trump’s Dictatorship Is a Vital Message—and a Winning One

There is no electoral risk to hammering away on Trump’s dictatorial tendencies—and a huge risk to the nation in ignoring them.

newrepublic.com

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Aug 19

“The GOP States With Guards Deployed to D.C. Have Urban Murder Rates Way Higher Than D.C.’s.”

“New Orleans? Memphis? Baton Rouge? Jackson, Mississippi? Why aren’t their states’ Guards on patrol there?”

Great from Harold Meyerson @prospect.org

prospect.org/blogs-and-ne...

The GOP States With Guards Deployed to D.C. Have Urban Murder Rates Way Higher Than D.C.’s

Today on TAP: New Orleans? Memphis? Baton Rouge? Jackson, Mississippi? Why aren’t their states’ Guards on patrol there?

prospect.org

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Aug 9

“The Texas gerrymandering scheme combines…personalist, autocratic leadership and a pattern of gaining and wielding power with little regard for the views of the broader public.”

Excellent by @perrybaconjr: Why the GOP’s maneuvers go beyond the usual politics.

newrepublic.com/article/1988...

Texas Republicans: It’s About Power, Yes—but Also Their Radical Agenda

Of course this gerrymandering plan is about keeping power. But it’s about keeping power to a specific end: to pass laws people hate and block ones they want.

newrepublic.com

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Aug 5

“[I]f behavior that this administration has exhibited in just its first six months continues and is amplified for its full four years, the America you know will be gone. And I don’t know how we will get it back.”

Remarkable essay by @thomaslfriedman.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/o...

Opinion | The America We Knew Is Rapidly Slipping Away

www.nytimes.com

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Aug 1

Trump’s messing with official stats is very bad for everyone.

“To be useful, information on a nation’s society & economy must be credible & trustworthy.” Users must know that the data gathering is “not affected by any political or ideological perspective…”

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK573...

THE VALUE OF NATIONAL STATISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES

PEOPLE in the United States and other countries rely on data and statistics to live their lives, often without realizing it. They may check weather, traffic, or air quality reports and other readily a...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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Reposted by E.J. Dionne

E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jul 31

The good news about murder:
Homicides are way down.

My essay on the need to acknowledge and understand why crime is declining — and how to build on success: What happened, what we can learn and how progressives became crime fighters.

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Opinion | The good news about murder

Homicides are way down. What happened, what we can learn and how progressives became crime fighters.

www.washingtonpost.com

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jul 31

The good news about murder:
Homicides are way down.

My essay on the need to acknowledge and understand why crime is declining — and how to build on success: What happened, what we can learn and how progressives became crime fighters.

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Opinion | The good news about murder

Homicides are way down. What happened, what we can learn and how progressives became crime fighters.

www.washingtonpost.com

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jul 20

Trump’ problems extend beyond a revolt in his base around Epstein.

“He has lost ground with the broader public on issues that once were among his strongest attributes,” writes Dan Balz
in a very good analysis.

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

Analysis | Consumed by Epstein, Trump has lost ground on the economy and immigration

When he was sworn in, Trump promised a new “Golden Age.” It’s clear that, six months into his presidency, the public isn’t buying all the hype.

www.washingtonpost.com

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jul 17

Lots of middle-of-the road voices long for bi-partisanship. But the GOP in the Senate (except for Collins & Murkowski) just blew up any hope for bi-partisan budget accords. If the GOP makes a budget deal to get 60 votes & then blows it up when they only need 50 votes, good faith bargaining is dead.

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jul 14

The Epstein explosion “allows us to peer into the future of MAGA and see its potential crackup. After Trump is gone, this movement could tear itself apart. Its very existence is premised on a series of fantastical assertions about America and American government.”

@davidfrenchjag.bsky.social

David French @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social · Jul 13

Want to understand the MAGA crackup over Epstein?

After stoking years of speculation, some of MAGA’s most trusted voices — including Patel, Bondi, Bongino and Trump himself — are telling their movement: Move along, there’s nothing to see here. But MAGA does not want to hear what they have to say.

Opinion | MAGA Is Tearing Itself Apart Over Jeffrey Epstein

www.nytimes.com

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jul 11

“Trump tariff threat piles pressure on Canada to expand trade with Asia.”

Headline in Canada’s national newspaper, the @theglobeandmail.com

Does Trump really think that pushing our closest ally & friend away from us is in our country’s interest?

www.theglobeandmail.com/world/articl...

Trump tariff threat piles pressure on Canada to expand trade with Asia

Ottawa’s latest pivot to Asia comes three years after it released a much-vaunted Indo-Pacific Strategy

www.theglobeandmail.com

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jul 10

Really excellent piece by @qjurecic.bsky.social on how the Supreme Court keeps rescuing Trump.

“The Trump administration…seems only too happy to take advantage of the Supreme Court’s help. And as far as the White House is concerned, the cost to the rule of law may be a bonus.”

Quinta Jurecic @qjurecic.bsky.social · Jul 9

About that Supreme Court ruling yesterday

The Court Comes to the Administration’s Rescue, Again

A distinct pattern has emerged—one that the administration surely appreciates.

www.theatlantic.com

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Reposted by E.J. Dionne

Jon Wiener @jonwiener.bsky.social · Jul 8

“Be curious, not judgmental” – how Jim Ryan’s slogan is one that "all kinds of people from right to left should welcome" – and what's at stake in Trump vs. Harvard – @ejdionne.bsky.social on @thenation.com podcast bit.ly/4kh0fT

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jul 8

“As former president Joe Biden has often said, ‘Show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.’ Today, American values point in one direction: expanding the immigration police state.”
Thanks @crampell.bsky.social for this important piece on the dangers of the huge ICE expansion.

Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · Jul 8

ICE is eating the federal budget.
Thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill, we will spend more this year on ICE than on most other law enforcement agencies combined.
wapo.st/3U4Lc4s

Opinion | Welcome to the immigration industrial complex

Funding for ICE is about to skyrocket under Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill.

wapo.st

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jul 4

Progressives prosper when they answer justified fury with aspiration & battle nostalgia with promise.
My essay: The Abundance idea needs work but has taken flight because it recognizes that defending rights, advancing social justice & protecting the planet all require a liberalism that builds.

E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jul 3

The market for “big ideas” depends far more on demand than supply, and the Democrats’ craving for the next new thing is intense. Amidst the chaos created by Trump’s antidemocratic power grab, one idea has broken through.
My essay on why Abundance took off:

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Opinion | ‘Abundance’ at the fore of Democrats’ new ideas sweepstakes

How one book created both excitement and trepidation inside the Democratic Party.

www.washingtonpost.com

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jul 4

“With this faith in the future, we will be able to adjourn the councils of despair and rise from the fatigue of darkness to the buoyancy of hope, and we will be able to bring into being this new society and realize the American dream.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.
#Happy4thofJuly

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jul 3

The market for “big ideas” depends far more on demand than supply, and the Democrats’ craving for the next new thing is intense. Amidst the chaos created by Trump’s antidemocratic power grab, one idea has broken through.
My essay on why Abundance took off:

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Opinion | ‘Abundance’ at the fore of Democrats’ new ideas sweepstakes

How one book created both excitement and trepidation inside the Democratic Party.

www.washingtonpost.com

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jul 2

“In order to truly believe that the Freedom Caucus is going to tank the bill, they’re going to have to actually vote against it. Not hold out, not fold their arms and grumble. Actually vote against it. And we still haven’t seen that.”
@ddayen.bsky.social

americanprospect.bluelena.io/index.php?ac...

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jul 2

I don’t believe a word any House Republican (except for Massie) says about how awful they find the Senate-passed monstrosity. They always cave to Trump. If that’s what they plan to do again, they should just say nothing and stop embarrassing themselves. The only thing that counts is how they vote.

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jul 1

Here’s the deal: Sen. Murkowski knows this bill will hurt a lot of people. So she wanted amendments to minimize the impact on her state. But a carve-out like that was against Senate rules. So now she has to decide if she’ll vote for a bill that hurts the people of her state.

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E.J. Dionne @ejdionne.bsky.social · Jun 30

“Legislation speaks louder than words.”
Excellent analysis by @jacobhacker.bsky.social
& @patrick-sullivan.bsky.social
of the bill before the Senate today that is “the most regressive, least populist policy package in memory.” It’s terrible on tax equity, heath care & hunger.

Washington Center for Equitable Growth @equitablegrowth.bsky.social · Jun 25

"It would shift more resources up the income ladder than any bill passed since scorekeepers started keeping track."

In this opinion piece, @jacobhacker.bsky.social and @patrick-sullivan.bsky.social highlight four most regressive aspects of the 'Big Beautiful Bill.'

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/25/o...

Opinion | The Four Ugliest Points About the Big Beautiful Bill

www.nytimes.com

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