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Brian Callaci
@briancallaci.bsky.social
· Sep 11
Crassly dipping my toe onto this platform with self-promotion: My book, Chains of Command: The Rise and Cruel Reign of the Franchise Economy now has a beautiful cover, and a release date: April 20th. So you'll have something to enjoy with your 4/20 Taco Bell order! bookshop.org/p/books/chai...
Reposted by Brian Callaci
He's Iggy Pop's Wario istfg
February 18, 2026 at 12:46 AM
He's Iggy Pop's Wario istfg
Reposted by Brian Callaci
Over the last 10 federal elections this would steer you wrong 80-90% of the time (2012 edge case)
Ceding politics to a mediocre Event Study Mafia is as dumb as ceding to ideological purity tests
Ceding politics to a mediocre Event Study Mafia is as dumb as ceding to ideological purity tests
February 17, 2026 at 5:32 PM
Over the last 10 federal elections this would steer you wrong 80-90% of the time (2012 edge case)
Ceding politics to a mediocre Event Study Mafia is as dumb as ceding to ideological purity tests
Ceding politics to a mediocre Event Study Mafia is as dumb as ceding to ideological purity tests
Reposted by Brian Callaci
If Team Abundance is looking for rules and regulations that get in the way of all kinds of useful and life-improving work, they could start with patents and copyrights.
I keep hearing about "abundance." Anyone who claims to have an "abundance agenda" who doesn't talk about government-granted patent and copyright monopolies is a liar or a fool. These are deliberate policies designed to create scarcity cepr.net/publications...
My Abundance Agenda
A pragmatic plan for abundance: cutting monopolies, downsizing finance, reforming governance, and broadening opportunity for real shared prosperity.
cepr.net
February 16, 2026 at 12:50 PM
If Team Abundance is looking for rules and regulations that get in the way of all kinds of useful and life-improving work, they could start with patents and copyrights.
Fighting the last war
To quote one source:
“They’re terrified of being labeled anti–law enforcement. They want this to go away so they can talk about the cost of living more. Problem is, it’s not going away.”
prospect.org/2026/01/21/j...
“They’re terrified of being labeled anti–law enforcement. They want this to go away so they can talk about the cost of living more. Problem is, it’s not going away.”
prospect.org/2026/01/21/j...
Jeffries Won’t Whip Vote Against ICE Funding - The American Prospect
While the House Democratic leader announced personal opposition to a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security, he won’t pressure his colleagues to do the same.
prospect.org
January 21, 2026 at 10:21 PM
Fighting the last war
Reposted by Brian Callaci
(I show this map/diagram to my stats class every year. Tufte called it "the best statistical graph ever written.")
ICE heads to Minnesota as the triple dip polar vortex starts
January 17, 2026 at 11:46 PM
(I show this map/diagram to my stats class every year. Tufte called it "the best statistical graph ever written.")
Reposted by Brian Callaci
There is not a single causal estimate I’m aware of that has saved us from this authoritarian collapse. Not a single one. The study of history, institutions, and context combined with judicious scholarship showed us the way.
January 17, 2026 at 11:11 PM
There is not a single causal estimate I’m aware of that has saved us from this authoritarian collapse. Not a single one. The study of history, institutions, and context combined with judicious scholarship showed us the way.
Abundance Agenda in a nutshell: the largest corporations successfully push democratic backsliding, but still try to preserve "state capacity"
January 17, 2026 at 1:11 PM
Abundance Agenda in a nutshell: the largest corporations successfully push democratic backsliding, but still try to preserve "state capacity"
In this world, shipmates, sin that pays its way can travel freely and without a passport; whereas
Virtue, if a pauper, is stopped at all frontiers.
January 15, 2026 at 5:58 PM
In this world, shipmates, sin that pays its way can travel freely and without a passport; whereas
Reposted by Brian Callaci
No! The criticism of the Dems isn't that they never win elections, it's that they don't use power to solve the problems that got us here. Elite impunity, concentration of wealth, the unitary executive. Winning is only step 1
New - Chuck Schumer to haters: “The answer to these critics is to win. If we win back the Senate, that will answer every question"
Peltola “was the last piece to the puzzle"
He says Dem path to Senate is Ohio, Alaska, Maine and NC. Dems are watching Texas/Iowa
www.semafor.com/article/01/1...
Peltola “was the last piece to the puzzle"
He says Dem path to Senate is Ohio, Alaska, Maine and NC. Dems are watching Texas/Iowa
www.semafor.com/article/01/1...
Exclusive: Schumer lauds recruits as Democrats see Senate within reach
The minority leader took an Al Davis-style approach as he sat down with Semafor: “The answer to these critics is to win.”
www.semafor.com
January 14, 2026 at 2:08 PM
No! The criticism of the Dems isn't that they never win elections, it's that they don't use power to solve the problems that got us here. Elite impunity, concentration of wealth, the unitary executive. Winning is only step 1
Reposted by Brian Callaci
Five armed masked federal agents to guard a Target restroom while Greg Bovino uses the facilities. A scene equally at home in authoritarian regimes and comedies about authoritarian regimes
ICE at Midway Target and seem to possible be leaving. Lots of community members here
January 11, 2026 at 11:38 PM
Five armed masked federal agents to guard a Target restroom while Greg Bovino uses the facilities. A scene equally at home in authoritarian regimes and comedies about authoritarian regimes
Reposted by Brian Callaci
Also, its illegal to discuss gender in some American universities now.
This is the second time in three months a DHS agent called a US citizen a "bitch" as he shot her. donmoynihan.substack.com/p/whos-threa...
January 10, 2026 at 7:53 PM
Also, its illegal to discuss gender in some American universities now.
Reposted by Brian Callaci
If you are waiting for a sense of conscience to kick in, you are fooling yourself. This will stop when we make it stop.
A woman recording an ICE agent tells him "Shame on you."
The agent responds, "Have you all not learned from the past couple of days?"
"Learned what?" she asks
Then he knocks her phone out of her hand
The agent responds, "Have you all not learned from the past couple of days?"
"Learned what?" she asks
Then he knocks her phone out of her hand
January 10, 2026 at 3:50 PM
If you are waiting for a sense of conscience to kick in, you are fooling yourself. This will stop when we make it stop.
Reposted by Brian Callaci
they didn’t leak it to make the shooter look innocent, but to make the victim look guilty. not guilty of a crime. guilty of having a visibly queer wife. guilty of liberalism. guilty of opposing the regime. they don’t seek to exonerate themselves, only to demonstrate who deserves to die.
In the video that the shooter took, which I believe was leaked to be exculpatory, he appears to yell “fucking bitch” after he shoots Renee Good.
January 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM
they didn’t leak it to make the shooter look innocent, but to make the victim look guilty. not guilty of a crime. guilty of having a visibly queer wife. guilty of liberalism. guilty of opposing the regime. they don’t seek to exonerate themselves, only to demonstrate who deserves to die.
Reposted by Brian Callaci
Seems like this quote might make some court cases over tribal land in the US.
Trump on Greenland: “The fact that they landed a boat there 500 years ago doesn’t mean they own the land.”
January 9, 2026 at 10:11 PM
Seems like this quote might make some court cases over tribal land in the US.
Reposted by Brian Callaci
The dates are now January 6 and January 7. The contrast between the pardoning of all the January 6 insurrectionists (~1500 people), was met with acceptance. The death of a woman at the hands of an ICE agent is debated as justified.
What is the rationale behind this difference in treatment? 🤔🧐
What is the rationale behind this difference in treatment? 🤔🧐
January 8, 2026 at 3:50 PM
The dates are now January 6 and January 7. The contrast between the pardoning of all the January 6 insurrectionists (~1500 people), was met with acceptance. The death of a woman at the hands of an ICE agent is debated as justified.
What is the rationale behind this difference in treatment? 🤔🧐
What is the rationale behind this difference in treatment? 🤔🧐
People who work with input-output tables: I'm looking at an industry with declining employment but rising output. I'm wondering if this is truly productivity growth, or if subcontracting means the jobs have moved to new NAICS industries while the value is being captured at the top.
January 8, 2026 at 2:59 PM
People who work with input-output tables: I'm looking at an industry with declining employment but rising output. I'm wondering if this is truly productivity growth, or if subcontracting means the jobs have moved to new NAICS industries while the value is being captured at the top.
Reposted by Brian Callaci
“Everyone knows what they saw in that video with their own two eyes. What this NYTimes/Atlantic/Free Press/Persuasion article supposes is … what if they didn’t?”
January 8, 2026 at 8:14 AM
“Everyone knows what they saw in that video with their own two eyes. What this NYTimes/Atlantic/Free Press/Persuasion article supposes is … what if they didn’t?”
Reposted by Brian Callaci
The “hard truths” that NYT is endlessly demanding we big city liberals learn are always right-wing lies: sure the 4 videos show one thing, but did you hear President Trump’s statement that contradicts those 4 videos?!?
January 8, 2026 at 3:11 AM
The “hard truths” that NYT is endlessly demanding we big city liberals learn are always right-wing lies: sure the 4 videos show one thing, but did you hear President Trump’s statement that contradicts those 4 videos?!?
Reposted by Brian Callaci
And this is an accurate statement, not an exaggeration. All of the parts of that tweet are not only technically accurate at every level, it is a meaningfully accurate description. Straightforwardly true. And so many would laugh in your face for saying it
I hate to break it to you, but heavily-armed government militias are roaming unchecked through US cities and shooting human rights observers dead in the streets. That's happening in our country.
January 8, 2026 at 12:30 AM
And this is an accurate statement, not an exaggeration. All of the parts of that tweet are not only technically accurate at every level, it is a meaningfully accurate description. Straightforwardly true. And so many would laugh in your face for saying it
A huge chunk of mid-market hotels like this one are owned by immigrant franchisees, primarily from India, who routinely face pretty awful racism
Hilton said it is breaking from a franchise that was accused of canceling ICE agents' reservations at its Minneapolis-area location
Hilton To Break From Franchise Hotel Accused Of Canceling ICE Agents' Bookings
www.huffpost.com
January 6, 2026 at 7:17 PM
A huge chunk of mid-market hotels like this one are owned by immigrant franchisees, primarily from India, who routinely face pretty awful racism
Reposted by Brian Callaci
No, it was a successful coup. None of the people who led it were punished, and are in fact back in power, rewarded for their efforts to break the system by running it. Donald Trump is currently the dictator he attempted to become 5 years ago, and it’s because nobody treated trying as a crime.
We must speak plainly: January 6th was an attempted coup. It was an effort to nullify millions of lawful votes and subvert the will of the American people.
January 6, 2026 at 6:26 PM
No, it was a successful coup. None of the people who led it were punished, and are in fact back in power, rewarded for their efforts to break the system by running it. Donald Trump is currently the dictator he attempted to become 5 years ago, and it’s because nobody treated trying as a crime.
Reposted by Brian Callaci
What do we learn about American liberals from the fact that Krugman, a retired prof with pension pots from 500k/year American academia, is charging for Substack?
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/chinas-tra...
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/chinas-tra...
China’s Trade Surplus, Part II
How the surplus is achieved, and why it’s a problem
paulkrugman.substack.com
January 6, 2026 at 11:37 AM
What do we learn about American liberals from the fact that Krugman, a retired prof with pension pots from 500k/year American academia, is charging for Substack?
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/chinas-tra...
paulkrugman.substack.com/p/chinas-tra...