Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · 12h

Saying the quiet part out loud while staying totally silent

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · 6d

A “the beatings will stop when morale improves” sort of approach. New episode out now!

1

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · 7d

Also new from the substack.

A new survey of 700 political scientists and 2700 Americans says the US isn't a full democracy anymore.

Read my new piece here.

mimsnewspod.substack.com/p/a-new-repo...

A New Report Says The US Isn't A Full Democracy Any More

Hundreds of democracy experts and political scientists say the US is slipping closer and closer to being an authoritarian state

mimsnewspod.substack.com

2

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · 7d

The line that the GOP is putting out there right now is probably false.

1

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · 14d

“With Kennedy in the driver’s seat and Trump’s past obsessions with eugenics and autism panic, it’s clear the pseudo-science behind both is now the official science of the United States. A science that experts say will put Americans in danger.”

mimsnewspod.substack.com/p/trumps-eugen…

https://mimsnewspod.substack.com/p/trumps-eugen…

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · 19d

A big thanks to @kvanderson.bsky.social for coming on and talking about how we should be talking about our current political moment. Full episode out now!

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · 20d

“Online extremism only becomes a pressing issue...when physical violence happens. By the time it happens, it's too late. We've missed all of the important conversations.”

New from me about why we're bad at talking about online extremism

mimsnewspod.substack.com/p/were-reall...

We're Really Bad At Talking About Online Extremism. Why?

Researchers have spent decades studying who and how gets radicalized online. So why are our leaders so bad at talking about it?

mimsnewspod.substack.com

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · 27d

New from the podcast today. Some thoughts on our current age of fear and political violence.

Episode out now wherever you listen/watch your podcasts

2

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · 27d

So obviously this took a backseat to the new yesterday but Congress is pushing through a bill that looks like an immigration bill but is actually a private prison bill
mimsnewspod.substack.com/p/congresss-...

Congress's New Immigration Bill Is About To Fill Private Prisons

A bill aimed at increasing the penalties for immigration crimes is really about helping an industry that was seeing its population dwindle

mimsnewspod.substack.com

1

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · 29d

Thanks for watching and supporting!

1

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · 29d

Ha! That’s a new one from him. It’s definitely not why I left. My contract was up and I had accepted an offer in a larger market. I’m back in Michigan now though but I went independent!

1 1

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · Sep 3

Trump just told us he was going to start using AI as the new “hoax.” But what does that mean for the Epstein story and the rest of us?

(Left: the official WH portrait. Right: Chatgpt image of Trump)
mimsnewspod.substack.com/p/trump-reve...

Trump Reveals Crying AI May Be His New "Hoax." The First Test Might Be The Epstein Files

In lying about a viral video, Trump showed how he's planning to use an "AI defense" for negative headlines.

mimsnewspod.substack.com

1 2

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · Aug 20

Separately they might seem like a fluke. Together it’s a troubling pattern. DHS keeps posting white supremacist/Nazi stuff on social media and won’t say why.

mimsnewspod.substack.com/p/dhs-keeps-...

DHS Keeps Posting White Supremacist Things Online

For weeks, DHS has been posting subtle and not-so-subtle, white supremacist and neo-Nazi imagery. It's a pattern now.

mimsnewspod.substack.com

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · Aug 14

open.substack.com/pub/mimsnews...

In Vowing To "Beautify" DC, Trump Echoes Dictators Of The Past

Trump is following in the footsteps of the most infamous authoritarians in world history, even if those steps are gilded in gold

open.substack.com

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · Aug 14

1

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · Aug 8

Adoptees are getting caught in immigration troubles they never thought they’d be in. Many didn’t even know they could be targets.

The full conversation with Greg Luce from @adopteerights.bsky.social is out now! Wherever you get your podcasts. Just search Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes

3 5

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · Aug 7

A list of all the President’s hoaxes (almost). Listen to the latest episode of Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes wherever you get your podcasts!

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · Aug 6

A cash bonus program that lasted 4 hours and an asterisk on a promise of a signing bonus.

How the Trump Admin is trying to supercharge ICE recruitment to boost deportations, while leaving the door open to discrimination, scams, and corruption.

mimsnewspod.substack.com/p/ice-offers...

ICE Offers Cash And Signing Bonuses To Boost Deportations

The White House, DHS and ICE have, publicly and privately, been promoting bonus programs to get more ICE agents to speed up deportations.

mimsnewspod.substack.com

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · Aug 4

It’s not just the music or Trump, but it was definitely showing last weekend. Listen to my full convo with @mikenellis.bsky.social search Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes wherever you get your podcasts.

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · Aug 3

A big thanks to @mikenellis.bsky.social for coming on
Make It Make Sense this week to talk about the Epstein files, his old boss Kamala Harris, the future of the Democratic party and why our politicians are such weirdos.

Full episode out wherever you get your podcasts!

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · Aug 3

This month's promo code on the Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes podcast! AKILA eyewear: 10% Off your whole order! Finish out the summer in style with the promo code: MIMS25

akila.la/discount/MIM...

A Modern Eyewear Concept

AKILA is an independent eyewear brand based in downtown Los Angeles focused on handmade unisex sunglasses at anti-industry pricing.

akila.la

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · Aug 2

Fmr. BLS commissioner Erica Groshen explaining why private sector data won’t fill in the gaps if quality public sector data disappears.

Every firm says they have their secret sauce but in the end it’s all just government ketchup

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · Aug 1

Full interview is here at min mark 21:00

youtu.be/0X0LugU-IXc?...

Are We In A Constitutional Crisis? (with Dr. Erica Groshen)

YouTube video by Make It Make Sense Podcast

youtu.be

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · Aug 1

A clip from my interview with Dr. Erica Groshen, Fmr. BLS commissioner about why good data matters. It matters even more after today’s BLS firing

1 2 2

Grant Hermes @granthermes.bsky.social · Jul 30

“It felt like jumping from an airplane and hoping the parachute I’d grabbed wasn’t an empty backpack…but I haven’t hit the ground yet, so I’m taking that as a good sign.”
mimsnewspod.substack.com/p/1-year-of-...

1 Year Of Make It Make Sense

One year of going it alone and learning we're not as alone as we think

mimsnewspod.substack.com