Scott Wolford
@thescottwolford.bsky.social
630 followers 320 following 270 posts
Professor of Government, UT Austin // Co-director, Correlates of War Project // IR, war, game theory, beer snobbery, rock music, Dune references
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Reposted by Scott Wolford
elizaskinner.bsky.social
The news media needs to start using experts on authoritarianism and pre-WWII history as pundits on stories about the current administration. This is not a joke - just a boring good idea. The rapid shift to fascism needs to be put in context by people who know, not podcasters and politicians.
Reposted by Scott Wolford
yonahfreemark.com
It's becoming difficult to hide that a major purpose of the Trump administration is siphoning tax revenues from Blue states and redirecting them into subsidies for Red states. At what point does this become intolerable?
jamiedupree.bsky.social
Next move from OMB - canceling $8 billion in clean energy funds. You will note, all of the projects are in states led by Democrats
Reposted by Scott Wolford
ryanmarino.bsky.social
ER doc here! This is a lie. Wait times are up because the American healthcare system is an unsustainable business model and a for-profit national healthcare system just doesn’t work. These problems will continue to get worse until we change that system. It literally has nothing to do with immigrants
atrupar.com
Vance: "If you're an American citizen & you've been to the hospital in the last few years, you've probably noticed wait times are especially large & very often somebody who's there in the ER is an illegal alien. Why do those people get healthcare benefits at hospitals paid for by American citizens?"
Reposted by Scott Wolford
Reposted by Scott Wolford
atrupar.com
Pritzker: "People of Illinois, we need your help. Get our your cell phones, record and narrate what you see. Put it on social media. Peacefully ask for badge numbers and identification. Speak up for your neighbors. We need to let the world know that this is happening and that we won't stand for it."
Reposted by Scott Wolford
beijingpalmer.bsky.social
This is something I observed in China: the political mediocrities were the most defensive, status-conscious and egotistical. The guys with actual talent didn’t demand respect - and also had other options.
beijingpalmer.bsky.social
there's no grift easier than the conservative pundit, which is one of the big reasons they're all so absurdly thin-skinned.
Reposted by Scott Wolford
nicholasgrossman.bsky.social
I get why people respond to the “legal arguments” for the unitary executive. But since the real theory is obviously “a president I agree with should be above the law, a president I disagree with is even more restricted than the law says,” the “legal” discussion takes place inside a surreal fiction.
Reposted by Scott Wolford
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
Reposted by Scott Wolford
hntdove.bsky.social
And, given claims about the upcoming Rapture, how can I resist plugging this?⬇️⬇️⬇️
hntdove.bsky.social
Given the way things are right now, I'm going to point people at ALPHA AND OMEGA, my supernatural Middle East thriller. I'm not 100% happy with it, having had some changes forced on me my editorial fiat. But it's more relevant than I ever dreamt it would be.
www.amazon.com/Alpha-Omega-...
Alpha and Omega
Alpha and Omega - Kindle edition by Turtledove, Harry. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Alpha and Omega.
www.amazon.com
Reposted by Scott Wolford
stevevladeck.bsky.social
Certiorari "before judgment" is how #SCOTUS takes up a full appeal *before* the intermediate federal courts have heard it.

It used to be exceedingly rare. For instance, there wasn't a *single* grant of such expedited review b/w August 2004 & February 2019.

This is the *23rd* such grant since then.
stevevladeck.bsky.social
#BREAKING: Over dissents from Justices Sotomayor, Kagan & Jackson, #SCOTUS grants a stay in the Slaughter case (allowing President Trump to remove the last Dem member of the FTC), *and* grants certiorari "before judgment" to decide whether to formally overrule its 1935 ruling in Humphrey's Executor.
Reposted by Scott Wolford
nicholasgrossman.bsky.social
Disney reverses course on Kimmel. Lessons:

-Trump's anti-Constitutional stances, anti-1A in this case, are unpopular
-Popular resistance via expression and spending choices can have an impact
-Many corporate leaders are weak, amoral people who'll bow to threats unless they face countervailing ones
oliverdarcy.bsky.social
Breaking: Jimmy Kimmel to return Tuesday.
Reposted by Scott Wolford
dhnexon.bsky.social
This is a terrific piece by @zackbeauchamp.bsky.social. He explains extremely well, at least IMHO, the logic of competitive authoritarianism, where and how its happening here, and that we still have time to stop it.
This is how Trump ends democracy
The past week has revealed Trump’s road map to one-party rule. Will Americans let him follow it?
www.vox.com
Reposted by Scott Wolford
ryanenos.bsky.social
Yes. This is how I see it. America, of course, did not always live up to these norms, but there was always some constraint provided by them. They have been abandoned.
donmoyn.bsky.social
What America is going through is not unusual in historical terms. Plenty of examples like it today elsewhere in the world.
What makes it unusual is the rapid collapse from a set of widely espoused norms and values that centered on liberty. It is the sacking of the shining city on hill that shocks.
Reposted by Scott Wolford
govpritzker.illinois.gov
A free and democratic society cannot silence comedians because the President doesn’t like what they say.

This is an attack on free speech and cannot be allowed to stand.

All elected officials need to speak up and push back on this undemocratic act.
Reposted by Scott Wolford
pgourevitch.bsky.social
good fucking night and good fucking luck
Reposted by Scott Wolford
convolver.bsky.social
I feel that Hanania is probably one of the few far right types who actually understands where his fellow travelers are taking us and thinks, nope, civilization is better moderately woke than violently broke.