Christy Quirk
@cequirk.bsky.social
Opinion research and advocacy/political strategy in declining democracies and emerging autocracies. Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to. Nice, FR
quirkglobalstrategies.com
linkedin.com/in/christinequirk
Quirkglobalstrategies: Substack
quirkglobalstrategies.com
linkedin.com/in/christinequirk
Quirkglobalstrategies: Substack
This is good news, but questions: Will KI change its approach to the region, given Russian aggression? is its endowment adequate to cover its work or will it fundraise? If so, from whom? Why did the Wilson Center roll so quickly? Why was there no photo of Boris? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/u...
Dismantled by DOGE, a Foreign Policy Center Finds New Life
www.nytimes.com
November 11, 2025 at 12:55 PM
This is good news, but questions: Will KI change its approach to the region, given Russian aggression? is its endowment adequate to cover its work or will it fundraise? If so, from whom? Why did the Wilson Center roll so quickly? Why was there no photo of Boris? www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/u...
When Trump destroyed my small business I didn’t lose my health insurance because I live in France and pay taxes into a system that doesn’t tie health care coverage to your job.
Trump: "I want the money to go into an account for people where they buy their own health insurance. It's so good. The insurance will be better. It'll cost less. Everybody is gonna be happy. They're gonna feel like entrepreneurs. They're actually able to go out & negotiate their own insurance"
November 11, 2025 at 7:00 AM
When Trump destroyed my small business I didn’t lose my health insurance because I live in France and pay taxes into a system that doesn’t tie health care coverage to your job.
Reposted by Christy Quirk
How badly do you have to have screwed up for Indivisible to say "Actually, no, divisible"?
November 10, 2025 at 4:42 PM
How badly do you have to have screwed up for Indivisible to say "Actually, no, divisible"?
Reposted by Christy Quirk
To repeat: I have studied a lot of cases of autocratization over the past 15 years. Wrote about them, taught about them, consulting about them.
I do not recall an opposition so apathetic, ignorant, and inept as the @democrats.org. They cling to their power, rather than fight for democracy. Shame.
I do not recall an opposition so apathetic, ignorant, and inept as the @democrats.org. They cling to their power, rather than fight for democracy. Shame.
March 13, 2025 at 11:22 PM
To repeat: I have studied a lot of cases of autocratization over the past 15 years. Wrote about them, taught about them, consulting about them.
I do not recall an opposition so apathetic, ignorant, and inept as the @democrats.org. They cling to their power, rather than fight for democracy. Shame.
I do not recall an opposition so apathetic, ignorant, and inept as the @democrats.org. They cling to their power, rather than fight for democracy. Shame.
Reposted by Christy Quirk
I feel like there are a lot of as-yet-unknown twists to this story - one to keep an eye on.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Russian activist held in Poland admits he worked as FSB agent, court papers say
Igor Rogov, who left Russia in 2021, due to go on trial accused of informing on other Russian opposition activists
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
I feel like there are a lot of as-yet-unknown twists to this story - one to keep an eye on.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Reposted by Christy Quirk
DONALD TRUMP: [asleep, drooling on long red tie]
SENATE DEMOCRATS: fine, we give in
SENATE DEMOCRATS: fine, we give in
November 10, 2025 at 2:37 AM
DONALD TRUMP: [asleep, drooling on long red tie]
SENATE DEMOCRATS: fine, we give in
SENATE DEMOCRATS: fine, we give in
I love this story www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Who is ‘fedora man’? Dapper French teenager in viral Louvre heist photo unmasked
Fifteen-year-old Pedro Elias Garzon Delvaux was captured looking suave in a picture outside the Paris museum on the day of a crown jewels heist
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:53 AM
I love this story www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Reposted by Christy Quirk
it's true and they should say it but it's a real bad sign it's winding up in print
“A Nigerian official was told by a U.S. counterpart that, with Thanksgiving coming up, Nigeria should go quiet and wait for the president’s attention to shift, a Nigerian official said.”
Ladies and Gentlemen, the commander in chief of the U.S. military.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the commander in chief of the U.S. military.
November 9, 2025 at 4:13 AM
it's true and they should say it but it's a real bad sign it's winding up in print
Reposted by Christy Quirk
On the day of the Fall of the Berlin Wall, we must remember that the enemy still sows division through brute force and subversive, hybrid efforts.
Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus are the most disadvantaged victims.
Ensure the Ukrainian victory.
Help the people of Georgia.
Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus are the most disadvantaged victims.
Ensure the Ukrainian victory.
Help the people of Georgia.
November 9, 2025 at 4:45 PM
On the day of the Fall of the Berlin Wall, we must remember that the enemy still sows division through brute force and subversive, hybrid efforts.
Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus are the most disadvantaged victims.
Ensure the Ukrainian victory.
Help the people of Georgia.
Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus are the most disadvantaged victims.
Ensure the Ukrainian victory.
Help the people of Georgia.
Reposted by Christy Quirk
$40B of your money to this guy, so he can dance at CPAC at Mar-a-Lago while Americans wait for their paychecks, hoping the money actually comes.
November 9, 2025 at 1:11 AM
$40B of your money to this guy, so he can dance at CPAC at Mar-a-Lago while Americans wait for their paychecks, hoping the money actually comes.
There are at least a dozen Rainier Beer ads from the 70s that still feature prominently in family discourse
youtu.be/nayT7SL6C-I
youtu.be/nayT7SL6C-I
November 8, 2025 at 4:40 PM
There are at least a dozen Rainier Beer ads from the 70s that still feature prominently in family discourse
youtu.be/nayT7SL6C-I
youtu.be/nayT7SL6C-I
I saw CJ in the early '90s in LA. When they played this, Lou Reed came on stage to play with them and rocked it. It was amazing.
Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane
Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane (Official Video)
YouTube video by CowboyJunkiesVEVO
www.youtube.com
November 8, 2025 at 4:17 PM
I saw CJ in the early '90s in LA. When they played this, Lou Reed came on stage to play with them and rocked it. It was amazing.
Get it, France!
French lawmakers vote to tax American retirees who freely benefit from social security
French lawmakers vote to tax American retirees who freely benefit from social security
Members of the Assemblée Nationale backed an amendment to the social security that would create a 'minimum contribution' on foreign retirees who receive free healthcare.
www.lemonde.fr
November 8, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Get it, France!
Outstanding work by @fesonline.bsky.social mapping the tech/policy/finance connections binding the network undermining US democracy now, and that is coming for Europe next. Great visuals. www.authoritarian-stack.info
The Authoritarian Stack
How Tech Billionaires Are Building a Post-Democratic America — And Why Europe Is Next
www.authoritarian-stack.info
November 8, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Outstanding work by @fesonline.bsky.social mapping the tech/policy/finance connections binding the network undermining US democracy now, and that is coming for Europe next. Great visuals. www.authoritarian-stack.info
Reposted by Christy Quirk
i think it is possible that people overinterpreted trump's win in 2024 because they wanted harris to win, and have not adjusted their priors for the data showing his agenda is historically unpopular and voters don't want him/his party in charge
November 7, 2025 at 3:22 PM
i think it is possible that people overinterpreted trump's win in 2024 because they wanted harris to win, and have not adjusted their priors for the data showing his agenda is historically unpopular and voters don't want him/his party in charge
Reposted by Christy Quirk
From @theonion.com to the @nytpitchbot.bsky.social, it’s fascinating how prescient satire has proven to be. Not just in spirit, which has always been true, and is the point of satire, but also in literal substance. Every time satire moves to a higher vantage point to mock, reality quickly catches up
November 6, 2025 at 3:48 PM
From @theonion.com to the @nytpitchbot.bsky.social, it’s fascinating how prescient satire has proven to be. Not just in spirit, which has always been true, and is the point of satire, but also in literal substance. Every time satire moves to a higher vantage point to mock, reality quickly catches up
I recently got scammed so effectively through a Facebook ad that I have concluded the platform is absolutely optimized for scamming and little else.
Incredible- Meta projected 10% of its 2024 revenue would come from ads for scams and banned goods, documents seen by Reuters show. And the social media giant internally estimates that its platforms show users 15 billion scam ads a day."
Meta earns $3.5 billion every six months from showing Faceboon and Instagram users 15 billion “higher legal risk” scam ad impressions a day, internal documents state.
That haul vastly exceeds how much the company expects regulators
To fine it for running scam ads.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
That haul vastly exceeds how much the company expects regulators
To fine it for running scam ads.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
November 6, 2025 at 1:41 PM
I recently got scammed so effectively through a Facebook ad that I have concluded the platform is absolutely optimized for scamming and little else.
Just because the opposition performs well it doesn’t mean the system is fair. A thumb on the scale is a thumb on the scale and should be called out. open.substack.com/pub/quirkglo...
The Smart Authoritarian's Guide to Undermining Your Opposition
And what a smart opposition can do to protect itself
open.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Just because the opposition performs well it doesn’t mean the system is fair. A thumb on the scale is a thumb on the scale and should be called out. open.substack.com/pub/quirkglo...
Reposted by Christy Quirk
Jeez, they elect one communist as the mayor of New York and the dominos start falling the next day, amazing how quickly the revolution has arrived
BREAKING: OpenAI is requesting US government support to help guarantee financing for the massive investments in AI chips and data centers it needs for expansion, per Bloomberg.
November 6, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Jeez, they elect one communist as the mayor of New York and the dominos start falling the next day, amazing how quickly the revolution has arrived
Reposted by Christy Quirk
That should clear up a few things...
November 6, 2025 at 12:07 PM
That should clear up a few things...
What an amazing thread! How ballots are counted in the US’s largest, most diverse, most administratively complex counties.
Watching one of 22 optical scanners read ballots. A few minutes later, the ballot count update added another 120,000. Now over 2M ballots have been processed+counted in LA County (5.8 M registered voters).
On the processing floor, only green pens and gold pencils are allowed (invisible to scanner)
On the processing floor, only green pens and gold pencils are allowed (invisible to scanner)
November 6, 2025 at 8:43 AM
What an amazing thread! How ballots are counted in the US’s largest, most diverse, most administratively complex counties.
FAFO, Russian style. “After Irina reportedly discovered her husband’s affair, she began revealing in private conversations with other Russian emigres that Igor had been cooperating for years with an FSB officer named Yevgeny.” www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/11/04/r...
Russian Charged With Spying in Poland Admits Passing Data to FSB – Polish Media - The Moscow Times
A Russian national charged in Poland with spying for Russian intelligence has admitted to passing information to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Polish media reported Monday, citing case file...
www.themoscowtimes.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:31 AM
FAFO, Russian style. “After Irina reportedly discovered her husband’s affair, she began revealing in private conversations with other Russian emigres that Igor had been cooperating for years with an FSB officer named Yevgeny.” www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/11/04/r...
If only @nytimes.com was all Chris Chivers and Finbarr O’Reillys. Extremely brave, professional and possessing exceptional clarity and insight. I can’t believe they did this. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/m...
A Harrowing Escape From the Drone-Infested Hellscape of Ukraine’s Front Lines
www.nytimes.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:57 AM
If only @nytimes.com was all Chris Chivers and Finbarr O’Reillys. Extremely brave, professional and possessing exceptional clarity and insight. I can’t believe they did this. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/05/m...
Reposted by Christy Quirk
The US military is now advising its soldiers in Germany, who are not receiving their paychecks due to the shutdown, to ask for food from local German food banks. One advantage France has of being one of the few countries in Europe without a US base: you don't have to feed starving US soldiers.
November 5, 2025 at 10:02 PM
The US military is now advising its soldiers in Germany, who are not receiving their paychecks due to the shutdown, to ask for food from local German food banks. One advantage France has of being one of the few countries in Europe without a US base: you don't have to feed starving US soldiers.