Bruce Bartlett
@bartlettb.bsky.social
Now posting at https://brucebartlett.substack.com/
Background on me: https://brucebartlett.substack.com/p/bruce-bartlett-cv
Background on me: https://brucebartlett.substack.com/p/bruce-bartlett-cv
Pinned
The other day I came across my entry on Grokipedia, which is some sort of AI-powered version of Wikipedia. It had a lot of mistakes and I couldn't figure out how to fix them, so I posted a revised version on Substack. open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
My Grokipedia Entry
Annotated
open.substack.com
January 14, 2026 at 3:18 PM
The other day I came across my entry on Grokipedia, which is some sort of AI-powered version of Wikipedia. It had a lot of mistakes and I couldn't figure out how to fix them, so I posted a revised version on Substack. open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
It is my position that if a national leader persistently ignores the rule of law, he is a dictator even if he was elected legally. Hitler was elected legally.
January 12, 2026 at 4:04 AM
It is my position that if a national leader persistently ignores the rule of law, he is a dictator even if he was elected legally. Hitler was elected legally.
The issue today is not whether central bank independence is a good idea--that question has been settled for a long time. The unambiguous answer is yes. The question today is about the rule of law and whether our president is an authoritarian dictator.
January 12, 2026 at 3:37 AM
The issue today is not whether central bank independence is a good idea--that question has been settled for a long time. The unambiguous answer is yes. The question today is about the rule of law and whether our president is an authoritarian dictator.
I take seriously the idea of voluntary taxation--the only kind right-wingers support. open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
Voluntary Taxation is the Only Form of Taxation Right-Wingers Will Support
All Right-Wingers Are Operational Anarchists Because They Don't Support Any Taxation
open.substack.com
January 9, 2026 at 3:56 PM
I take seriously the idea of voluntary taxation--the only kind right-wingers support. open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
There is a close parallel to Trump's lust for Greenland in Ulysses Grant's efforts to annex the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo). Although he put much effort into it, the plan failed due to Republican opposition. Will history repeat? open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
Gunboat Diplomacy à la Trump
Venezuela Part Trois
open.substack.com
January 8, 2026 at 2:34 PM
There is a close parallel to Trump's lust for Greenland in Ulysses Grant's efforts to annex the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo). Although he put much effort into it, the plan failed due to Republican opposition. Will history repeat? open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
The Democratic Party should state, in no uncertain terms, that the next Democratic president, whoever he or she is, will immediately reverse any Trump conquest of Greenland on their first day in office.
January 8, 2026 at 1:01 PM
The Democratic Party should state, in no uncertain terms, that the next Democratic president, whoever he or she is, will immediately reverse any Trump conquest of Greenland on their first day in office.
It amazes me that neither Trump nor any of his staff have yet figured out that Teddy Roosevelt's policies directly support what he is doing in Venezuela. In fact, TR did virtually the same thing in the same country! Details and references here. open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
Gunboat Diplomacy à la Trump
Venezuela Part Trois
open.substack.com
January 7, 2026 at 2:52 PM
It amazes me that neither Trump nor any of his staff have yet figured out that Teddy Roosevelt's policies directly support what he is doing in Venezuela. In fact, TR did virtually the same thing in the same country! Details and references here. open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
Trump's tariffs are having the opposite effect he intended.
January 6, 2026 at 10:42 PM
Trump's tariffs are having the opposite effect he intended.
I haven't seen it mentioned, but the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine directly supports Trump's action in Venezuela. open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
Gunboat Diplomacy à la Trump
Venezuela Part Trois
open.substack.com
January 6, 2026 at 10:15 PM
I haven't seen it mentioned, but the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine directly supports Trump's action in Venezuela. open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
One of my regrets in life is that I didn't take wood shop in school. Instead I took metal shop and electric shop, neither of which turned out to be useful in my life. Auto shop would have also helped.
January 4, 2026 at 2:11 AM
One of my regrets in life is that I didn't take wood shop in school. Instead I took metal shop and electric shop, neither of which turned out to be useful in my life. Auto shop would have also helped.
This article from 2016 seems relevant today. www.jstor.org/stable/24916...
You Can't Always Get What You Want: Why Foreign-Imposed Regime Change Seldom Improves Interstate Relations on JSTOR
Alexander B. Downes, Lindsey A. O'Rourke, You Can't Always Get What You Want: Why Foreign-Imposed Regime Change Seldom Improves Interstate Relations, International Security, Vol. 41, No. 2 (FALL 2016)...
www.jstor.org
January 3, 2026 at 4:01 PM
This article from 2016 seems relevant today. www.jstor.org/stable/24916...
Reupping my post on the crimes of capitalism in light of last night's events. open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
January 3, 2026 at 3:45 PM
Reupping my post on the crimes of capitalism in light of last night's events. open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
On the imminent Trumpization of the Federal Reserve. open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
Thoughts on the Federal Reserve
Will Kevin Hassett Be Another Arthur Burns?
open.substack.com
December 30, 2025 at 4:41 PM
On the imminent Trumpization of the Federal Reserve. open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
The end of Federal Reserve independence. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/u...
How Kevin Hassett Became a Trump Loyalist and Fed Chair Contender
www.nytimes.com
December 29, 2025 at 6:16 PM
The end of Federal Reserve independence. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/29/u...
Good issues for Democrats. They should pound them relentlessly. But mostly I hear crickets.
December 28, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Good issues for Democrats. They should pound them relentlessly. But mostly I hear crickets.
Anyone still watching CBS News is either a Trumpster or a fool. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Stop Defending Bari Weiss
It is impossible to take her actions at face value given the context in which she is operating.
www.theatlantic.com
December 27, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Anyone still watching CBS News is either a Trumpster or a fool. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
CBS has handed the Trump administration a "kill switch" for any story it doesn't like. wapo.st/3YL4T3D
‘60 Minutes’ correspondent says CBS’s Bari Weiss abruptly pulled segment on Trump deportations
CBS News postponed a “60 Minutes” segment about El Salvador’s CECOT prison one day before it was set to air because the Trump administration declined to participate.
wapo.st
December 22, 2025 at 4:49 PM
CBS has handed the Trump administration a "kill switch" for any story it doesn't like. wapo.st/3YL4T3D
It's ironic that Nixon once proposed a universal basic income, but it was killed by congressional liberals who didn't think it was liberal enough. open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
UBI Once Again
I see that the idea of a universal basic income (UBI) is regaining some interest (Porter 2025, Ferguson 2024, Kelly 2023).
open.substack.com
December 21, 2025 at 7:31 PM
It's ironic that Nixon once proposed a universal basic income, but it was killed by congressional liberals who didn't think it was liberal enough. open.substack.com/pub/brucebar...
Most of my substantive thoughts now appear on substack. brucebartlett.substack.com
Bartlett's Notations | Bruce Bartlett | Substack
My personal Substack. Click to read Bartlett's Notations, by Bruce Bartlett, a Substack publication with hundreds of subscribers.
brucebartlett.substack.com
December 20, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Most of my substantive thoughts now appear on substack. brucebartlett.substack.com
The rats are deserting the sinking ship. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/n...
Elise Stefanik Drops Out of N.Y. Governor’s Race and Will Leave Congress
www.nytimes.com
December 20, 2025 at 12:16 AM
The rats are deserting the sinking ship. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/n...