@taran745.bsky.social
Reposted
Nothing is inevitable. In either direction. Hope and work.
“52% of all autocratization episodes become U-Turns, which increases to 73% when focusing on the last 30 years. The vast majority of U-Turns (90%) lead to restored or even improved levels of democracy”
V-Dem data
V-Dem data
When autocratization is reversed: episodes of U-Turns since 1900
The world is in a “wave of autocratization.” Yet, recent events in Brazil, the Maldives, and Zambia demonstrate that autocratization can be halted and reversed. This article introduces “U-Turn” as ...
www.tandfonline.com
September 20, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Nothing is inevitable. In either direction. Hope and work.
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Looked at my data collections for state-backed activity. If the report were a picture:
September 13, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Looked at my data collections for state-backed activity. If the report were a picture:
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i have no idea why my meme archive has so many of these
August 23, 2025 at 7:13 PM
i have no idea why my meme archive has so many of these
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The Biden Administration’s approach to Gaza was very bad and it was objectively significantly better than the approach of the Trump administration, a thing that was very obviously going to be true all of last year
August 9, 2025 at 8:39 PM
The Biden Administration’s approach to Gaza was very bad and it was objectively significantly better than the approach of the Trump administration, a thing that was very obviously going to be true all of last year
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So wait: 25 years ago, oligarchs sold dereg as a way to create housing abundance, which resulted in a mortgage-fueled financial crisis, mass foreclosures & a contraction of housing construction…and now we’re asked to assume more dereg is the key to creating housing abundance?
August 10, 2025 at 4:39 PM
So wait: 25 years ago, oligarchs sold dereg as a way to create housing abundance, which resulted in a mortgage-fueled financial crisis, mass foreclosures & a contraction of housing construction…and now we’re asked to assume more dereg is the key to creating housing abundance?
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(2026, dark alley)
Me: hey, man, you got the stuff
Dark Figure; I might, but only if you got money
Me: (shoves $6 billion credits in a bag at him, the price of a hot dog)
Him: (slips me a thumb drive with the real unemployment data)
Me: hey, man, you got the stuff
Dark Figure; I might, but only if you got money
Me: (shoves $6 billion credits in a bag at him, the price of a hot dog)
Him: (slips me a thumb drive with the real unemployment data)
February 1, 2025 at 11:05 PM
(2026, dark alley)
Me: hey, man, you got the stuff
Dark Figure; I might, but only if you got money
Me: (shoves $6 billion credits in a bag at him, the price of a hot dog)
Him: (slips me a thumb drive with the real unemployment data)
Me: hey, man, you got the stuff
Dark Figure; I might, but only if you got money
Me: (shoves $6 billion credits in a bag at him, the price of a hot dog)
Him: (slips me a thumb drive with the real unemployment data)
Reposted
we have to destroy the Republican majority on the Supreme Court or they will reinstitute Jim Crow
August 2, 2025 at 1:34 AM
we have to destroy the Republican majority on the Supreme Court or they will reinstitute Jim Crow
Reposted
As Trump tries to downplay his role in helping Israel starve Gazan children, remember that his Admin burned 500 tons of food provided by American farmers to feed starving children.
www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...
www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...
The Trump Administration Is About to Incinerate 500 Tons of Emergency Food
Federal workers warned for months that the high-energy biscuits would go to waste.
www.theatlantic.com
July 28, 2025 at 1:27 PM
As Trump tries to downplay his role in helping Israel starve Gazan children, remember that his Admin burned 500 tons of food provided by American farmers to feed starving children.
www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...
www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...
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Really proud of this! I wrote a proposal for the @rooseveltinstitute.org about how to design a universal system for child care, after school, and summer.
In my latest newsletter, I talk about what it would look like, how it would work, and the potential it holds.
open.substack.com/pub/kedsecon...
In my latest newsletter, I talk about what it would look like, how it would work, and the potential it holds.
open.substack.com/pub/kedsecon...
Let's go as big as families deserve
My proposal for a universal Child Development System
open.substack.com
July 21, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Really proud of this! I wrote a proposal for the @rooseveltinstitute.org about how to design a universal system for child care, after school, and summer.
In my latest newsletter, I talk about what it would look like, how it would work, and the potential it holds.
open.substack.com/pub/kedsecon...
In my latest newsletter, I talk about what it would look like, how it would work, and the potential it holds.
open.substack.com/pub/kedsecon...
Reposted
NYTimes has a long history of holding conservatives—including its paid columnists, like Stephens here—to absolutely no standards whatsoever, but still worth noting the complete lack of ethics required to not mention how 99.99% of Iran's uranium stockpile was due to Trump withdrawing from JCPOA.
June 23, 2025 at 12:32 AM
NYTimes has a long history of holding conservatives—including its paid columnists, like Stephens here—to absolutely no standards whatsoever, but still worth noting the complete lack of ethics required to not mention how 99.99% of Iran's uranium stockpile was due to Trump withdrawing from JCPOA.
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Add this to the pile of articles thousands high that casually attribute Social Security’s financing issues to living longer without once mentioning stagnant wages.
All while giving column inches to whether Social Security is a Ponzi scheme.
Weak.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
All while giving column inches to whether Social Security is a Ponzi scheme.
Weak.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Democrats seize on a new issue to use against the GOP: Social Security
As Democrats link Trump to Social Security’s struggles, he reiterates his promise to protect the agency’s benefits while also carrying out sweeping staff and spending cuts.
www.washingtonpost.com
April 28, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Add this to the pile of articles thousands high that casually attribute Social Security’s financing issues to living longer without once mentioning stagnant wages.
All while giving column inches to whether Social Security is a Ponzi scheme.
Weak.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
All while giving column inches to whether Social Security is a Ponzi scheme.
Weak.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
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Politically Regressive American Males (PRAMs) are looking for "fraud and abuse" because they don't want you to remember that in 2017 they permanently cut corporate taxes, shifting $1.8 trillion from U.S. tax revenue to corporate profits.
February 18, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Politically Regressive American Males (PRAMs) are looking for "fraud and abuse" because they don't want you to remember that in 2017 they permanently cut corporate taxes, shifting $1.8 trillion from U.S. tax revenue to corporate profits.
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I still believe this is not a permanent regression—it’s an extinction event. There are too many of us now, & we are better at using technology & adapting than they are. We are too interconnected, open, curious—& their kids know that there’s something beautiful beyond the shadows on the cave wall. 🏳️🌈
February 16, 2025 at 2:29 PM
I still believe this is not a permanent regression—it’s an extinction event. There are too many of us now, & we are better at using technology & adapting than they are. We are too interconnected, open, curious—& their kids know that there’s something beautiful beyond the shadows on the cave wall. 🏳️🌈
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Our coalition has grown rapidly, now standing strong with over 92,000 federal employees. We are united by our oath and our commitment to hold the line. Every day, more of us are being targeted simply for speaking the truth to America.
February 4, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Our coalition has grown rapidly, now standing strong with over 92,000 federal employees. We are united by our oath and our commitment to hold the line. Every day, more of us are being targeted simply for speaking the truth to America.
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It is our honor to serve you. America, you broke through— the media is finally picking up on what’s happening. We love you!! 🦬 💚 🇺🇸
February 3, 2025 at 2:42 AM
It is our honor to serve you. America, you broke through— the media is finally picking up on what’s happening. We love you!! 🦬 💚 🇺🇸
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Reposted
One of my favorite paintings of 2024 🌴 large scale palm, oil on canvas
#oilpainting #largescalepainting
#oilpainting #largescalepainting
January 29, 2025 at 11:01 PM
One of my favorite paintings of 2024 🌴 large scale palm, oil on canvas
#oilpainting #largescalepainting
#oilpainting #largescalepainting
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The best part of finishing a painting 🐢
January 28, 2025 at 3:39 AM
The best part of finishing a painting 🐢
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Hi! Trying to find the art community here 😊🎨 I’m an oil and gouache painter here to share my process videos! Here’s an old tiktok of mine, hoping to share them all here eventually!
January 22, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Hi! Trying to find the art community here 😊🎨 I’m an oil and gouache painter here to share my process videos! Here’s an old tiktok of mine, hoping to share them all here eventually!
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This came up in a call with a reporter today. Remember in 2016 when Trump was going to save coal?
fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CEU10...
fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CEU10...
All Employees, Coal Mining
All Employees, Coal Mining
fred.stlouisfed.org
January 22, 2025 at 4:49 PM
This came up in a call with a reporter today. Remember in 2016 when Trump was going to save coal?
fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CEU10...
fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CEU10...
Reposted
