Michael Tesler
@tesler.bsky.social
2.3K followers 260 following 42 posts
Professor of Political Science | UC-Irvine
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Reposted by Michael Tesler
jordiedavies.bsky.social
New article: "Fundamentals of Solidarity: Race-Based Caucus Organizing in Houston" is live at Urban Affairs Review. I'm grateful to the organizers who let me into their world and work so we could produce this piece. Check it out 👇
Fundamentals of Solidarity: Race-Based Caucus Organizing in Houston - Elizabeth Jordie Davies, 2025
Grassroots organizations often espouse multiracial solidarity as a value but struggle with putting this value into practice. How can organizations, especially t...
doi.org
Reposted by Michael Tesler
mehdirhasan.bsky.social
The new season of The Peacemaker on HBO is so, so good!

The story, the action, the one-liners, the humor, the pathos. (Also it's anti-Nazi, which in this current American moment, is super approrpriate and necessary!)

Congrats to
@jamesgunn.bsky.social, John Cena, and the entire team.
Reposted by Michael Tesler
povertyscholar.bsky.social
My book w/@profsorelle.bsky.social will be out in January! These ideas have brewed since I interned at Queens Legal Services 20 years ago. The book is for anyone who cares about people, justice, power & democracy. Much more to share more in the coming months!

press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
Uncivil Democracy
How the civil legal system undermines the political lives of marginalized communities
press.princeton.edu
Reposted by Michael Tesler
johnsides.bsky.social
Under Biden, there was no thermostatic shift in public opinion about the size of government. The public stayed relatively liberal. Take attitudes toward the government's role in health care:
Reposted by Michael Tesler
adamserwer.bsky.social
If you’re white, your accomplishments are your own and you can resent and criticize the country all you like, but if you’re black and successful you should be grateful to white people for allowing you in their presence. bsky.app/profile/jess...
jessicacalarco.com
Weaponized gratitude is a key tool in the abuser's toolkit. The goal is to convince the victim that they owe the abuser so much, they should feel guilty for wanting to complain.
Tweet from the VP:
Joy Reid has had such a good life in this country. It's been
overwhelmingly kind and gracious to her. She is far wealthier than most.
Yet she oozes with contempt.
My honest, non-trolling advice to Joy Reid is that you'd be a much
happier person if you showed a little gratitude
Reposted by Michael Tesler
jennmjacksonphd.bsky.social
The Vice President of the United States used his social media page to tell Joy Reid, a private citizen with no connection to the government, that she should express "gratitude" for how this country has treated her.

Black women remain the most consistent targets in all of this.
Reposted by Michael Tesler
maaloufmd.bsky.social
My husband was detained by ICE today

Juan Muñoz, an American citizen, father of 2, and local government official, was peacefully protesting w. other elected officials. He was assaulted and taken away

I have had zero contact or updates since

#SOS
@duckworth.senate.gov @durbin.senate.gov
Reposted by Michael Tesler
governor.ca.gov
IF ANY CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY SIGNS THIS RADICAL AGREEMENT, THEY'LL LOSE BILLIONS IN STATE FUNDING — INCLUDING CAL GRANTS — INSTANTLY.

CALIFORNIA WILL NOT BANKROLL SCHOOLS THAT SELL OUT THEIR STUDENTS, PROFESSORS, RESEARCHERS, AND SURRENDER ACADEMIC FREEDOM.
New York Times: "Trump Administration Asks Colleges to Sign ‘Compact’ to Get Funding Preference."

The White House asked nine top universities to pledge support for President Trump’s agenda to help ensure access to research funding.
tesler.bsky.social
My colleague, Crystal Robertson, is actually teaching a course on the Racial Politics of Horror this quarter at UCI.
Reposted by Michael Tesler
adamserwer.bsky.social
Reconstruction bros have long understood that in the American context, "socialism" most often means "integration and equality" bsky.app/profile/bren...
brendannyhan.bsky.social
As a child of the Reagan years, the fact that the *Republican Party* is expropriating shares in companies and shaking companies down while saying stuff like this is wild
atrupar.com
BARTIROMO: The idea of government owning portions of public companies -- this is something that free-market have to get their heads around.

BESSENT: Maria, there are decisions that the US government makes that we believe are good for society
Reposted by Michael Tesler
swizzard.pizza
like guys this is the whole thing, right here, in one chart
a chart of the results of a poll showing that 70% of jewish democrats disapprove of israel's actions in gaza while 18% approve; and 64% of jewish republicans approve and 16% disapprove
Reposted by Michael Tesler
thomaszimmer.bsky.social
Some major personal news:
 
Things have really changed. Now I need your help.
 
On why I left academia, why I left America, and why I need your support as I am starting over as a full-time independent writer:
 
Onward. Forward. Steady:
Onward. Forward. Steady.
Things have really changed. Now I need your help.
steady.page
Reposted by Michael Tesler
Reposted by Michael Tesler
chadstanton.blacksky.app
Again, this is a broad coalition of people across the ideological spectrum whose top concern is making sure everyone rues and laments the “Woke Times” forever. It’s very much akin to the myths around “Negro misrule” in Reconstruction, which justified Jim Crow.
maris.bsky.social
I will not link to it. I just want to reiterate that thousands of books have been banned by the right. And American Dirt sold millions of copies.
Reposted by Michael Tesler
donmoyn.bsky.social
Seems bad for our society when you can’t make racist terrorists the villains
Reposted by Michael Tesler
tesler.bsky.social
I'm all in for AOC in 2028, but anyone quoting Nemik gets at least some consideration.
tesler.bsky.social
Especially notable given the well-established psychological tendency to rate the dead more favorably than the living (aka death positivity bias).
Reposted by Michael Tesler
bcburden.bsky.social
Charlie Kirk had an unmistakable & lasting effect in galvanizing young conservatives, but he's actually fairly unpopular among young people
Reposted by Michael Tesler
govpritzker.illinois.gov
"Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that."

Looking forward to seeing Jimmy back on the air.
Jimmy Kimmel Returns: ABC Ends Suspension Starting Tuesday
Jimmy Kimmel will return to late night on Tuesday
variety.com
tesler.bsky.social
I'm all in for AOC in 2028, but anyone quoting Nemik gets at least some consideration.
Reposted by Michael Tesler
adambonica.bsky.social
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
Reposted by Michael Tesler
katmabu.bsky.social
As I told @newrepublic.com, "Once last week, twice today, ICE has picked me up and thrown me on the ground. Honestly, it doesn’t compare to what our neighbors who are trapped inside the Broadview processing facility are going through. They’re committing crimes against humanity there."
I’m a Congressional Candidate. I Was Assaulted by ICE.
An interview with Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old Democratic House candidate in Illinois, who was violently thrown to the ground twice at a peaceful protest in Illinois on Friday morning.
newrepublic.com
Reposted by Michael Tesler
zackbeauchamp.bsky.social
The past week has shown us something scary — the concrete and specific outlines of a durable authoritarian state in America.

Here's what this state would look like, and the precise policy levers Trump is pulling to get there from here.

www.vox.com/politics/462...
This is how Trump ends democracy
The past week has revealed Trump’s policy road map to veto one-party rule. Will Americans let him follow it?
www.vox.com
Reposted by Michael Tesler
katmabu.bsky.social
They just tear-gassed us. They tried to run us over in a van holding a peaceful protester. They shot us with pepper balls. They dragged another protester into the facility.
mulchy.bsky.social
moments ago, ice agents again came out of the broadview detention/“professing” facility to escort a silver suv out of the lot.

one of the agents picked up and threw congressional candidate kat abughazaleh to the ground.