Darin Self
@darinself.com
Assistant Professor of Political Science -- Researching democratization, autocracies, the military, and political parties.
Chair of Utah County Democratic Party -- working to make democracy work locally:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/utcountydems
Chair of Utah County Democratic Party -- working to make democracy work locally:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/utcountydems
Pinned
Darin Self
@darinself.com
· Sep 10
Donate to Utah County Democratic Party (UT)
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This year I became the chair of the Democratic Party in Utah's second largest county.
I'm working to build a real party from the neighborhood up, but we don't get support from the national party.
If you want to help, you can donate here:
secure.actblue.com/donate/utcou...
I'm working to build a real party from the neighborhood up, but we don't get support from the national party.
If you want to help, you can donate here:
secure.actblue.com/donate/utcou...
Things that would get any other president impeached
NEW: President Trump's pardon of his alleged 2020 co-conspirators was less about shielding them from past crimes, his adversaries say, than about signaling to others that he has their back if he needs them again in 2026 or 2028.
w/ @joshgerstein.bsky.social
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
w/ @joshgerstein.bsky.social
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
November 11, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Things that would get any other president impeached
Reposted by Darin Self
maybe all you referees who didn’t want to publish our paper on programmatic subsidies in competitive authoritarian regimes want to know what happens when regimes do this
President Trump has again floated giving out rebates from tariff funds, but sending direct payments to Americans would be difficult and ultimately unlikely.
Here’s what’s going on with tariffs and the pledge of dividends:
Here’s what’s going on with tariffs and the pledge of dividends:
Trump floated tariff rebates for Americans. That faces many challenges.
President Trump's plan to give Americans tariff rebates faces significant challenges and may not happen.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 11, 2025 at 12:05 AM
maybe all you referees who didn’t want to publish our paper on programmatic subsidies in competitive authoritarian regimes want to know what happens when regimes do this
AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL YOU FORGOT UNCONSTITUTIONAL
President Trump has again floated giving out rebates from tariff funds, but sending direct payments to Americans would be difficult and ultimately unlikely.
Here’s what’s going on with tariffs and the pledge of dividends:
Here’s what’s going on with tariffs and the pledge of dividends:
Trump floated tariff rebates for Americans. That faces many challenges.
President Trump's plan to give Americans tariff rebates faces significant challenges and may not happen.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 11, 2025 at 12:01 AM
AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL YOU FORGOT UNCONSTITUTIONAL
Reposted by Darin Self
Tapper: Angus King said standing up to Donald Trump didn't work.
Sanders: Maybe Angus didn't notice the elections on Tuesday. I thought that they worked pretty well.
Sanders: Maybe Angus didn't notice the elections on Tuesday. I thought that they worked pretty well.
November 10, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Tapper: Angus King said standing up to Donald Trump didn't work.
Sanders: Maybe Angus didn't notice the elections on Tuesday. I thought that they worked pretty well.
Sanders: Maybe Angus didn't notice the elections on Tuesday. I thought that they worked pretty well.
The collective response to every justification from Schumer and the 8 Dems who voted for ending the shutdown in the past 12 hours:
a man says okay but that 's worse in front of a woman
ALT: a man says okay but that 's worse in front of a woman
media.tenor.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:51 PM
The collective response to every justification from Schumer and the 8 Dems who voted for ending the shutdown in the past 12 hours:
Reposted by Darin Self
Quick snapshot of the @runforsomething.net candidate sign-ups -- we're building a party of fighters, not folders.
November 10, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Quick snapshot of the @runforsomething.net candidate sign-ups -- we're building a party of fighters, not folders.
Step 1: Make things more expensive by taxing them
Step 2: Realize you're unpopular because of Step 1
Step 3: Use finances (illegally) obtained via taxes to buy support
Step 4: Drive up prices because you've subsidized taxed consumption
Step 2: Realize you're unpopular because of Step 1
Step 3: Use finances (illegally) obtained via taxes to buy support
Step 4: Drive up prices because you've subsidized taxed consumption
Trump: "We're gonna issue a dividend to our middle income people and lower income people of about $2,000, and we're gonna use the remaining tariffs to lower our debt."
November 10, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Step 1: Make things more expensive by taxing them
Step 2: Realize you're unpopular because of Step 1
Step 3: Use finances (illegally) obtained via taxes to buy support
Step 4: Drive up prices because you've subsidized taxed consumption
Step 2: Realize you're unpopular because of Step 1
Step 3: Use finances (illegally) obtained via taxes to buy support
Step 4: Drive up prices because you've subsidized taxed consumption
Ah, Orban saw what Argentina got and wants some too because he's losing ground in the polls.
Hungary’s surging opposition is demanding Prime Minister Viktor Orbán explain a “bailout package” he hinted at securing from US President Donald Trump.
Orbán counts on Trump going full Argentina to save him from election doom
The specter of Washington throwing a financial lifeline to save its ally in Budapest echoes another controversial White House gambit.
www.politico.eu
November 10, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Ah, Orban saw what Argentina got and wants some too because he's losing ground in the polls.
If you thought your premiums and out of pocket were high before...wait until Trump's healthcare plan gets enacted.
Trump: "I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars currently being sent to money sucking Insurance Companies in order to save the bad Healthcare provided by ObamaCare, BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE."
November 10, 2025 at 8:51 PM
If you thought your premiums and out of pocket were high before...wait until Trump's healthcare plan gets enacted.
Reposted by Darin Self
pikachu-shocked-face-on-charlie-brown-with-lucy-holding-football.jpg
US HOUSE SPEAKER JOHNSON SAID HE WON'T COMMIT TO A VOTE ON ACA SUBSIDIES, I'M TOLD – SEMOFAR REPORTER ON X
November 10, 2025 at 4:59 PM
pikachu-shocked-face-on-charlie-brown-with-lucy-holding-football.jpg
Hey, anyone out there have a good explanation for the fecklessness of some major center-left parties in the past 5 years?
Labour, Democrats, and SPD are each acting like pros at stepping on rakes.
Labour, Democrats, and SPD are each acting like pros at stepping on rakes.
November 10, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Hey, anyone out there have a good explanation for the fecklessness of some major center-left parties in the past 5 years?
Labour, Democrats, and SPD are each acting like pros at stepping on rakes.
Labour, Democrats, and SPD are each acting like pros at stepping on rakes.
I kid you not, Hegseth and everyone signing off on these need to be shipped off to the Hague when we retake power.
The U.S. military killed six people on Sunday in two more strikes on boats suspected of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, without providing evidence. The strikes raised the death toll in the campaign to 76 people.
U.S. Military Kills 6 in Strikes on Suspected Drug Boats, Hegseth Says
The latest strikes raised the death toll in the campaign to 76 people in 19 attacks in the Pacific and the Caribbean Sea since early September.
nyti.ms
November 10, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I kid you not, Hegseth and everyone signing off on these need to be shipped off to the Hague when we retake power.
Senate Dems looked at this chart and said "Ah, lets interrupt our opponent while he's making mistakes"
November 10, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Senate Dems looked at this chart and said "Ah, lets interrupt our opponent while he's making mistakes"
Also, your local Dem Party needs to know your registration so they can mobilize you!
Don't exit, use your voice and get involved with your county party. ITs much easier to influence and they desperately need people who can work to change things.
Don't exit, use your voice and get involved with your county party. ITs much easier to influence and they desperately need people who can work to change things.
Hey, a lot of people are talking about changing affiliation from Democratic to Independent.
Let me tell you why you shouldn’t do that in Colorado.
One of the main ways to get a primary challenge candidate on a ballot is to caucus for your party. You need to be registered as a Dem to caucus.
Let me tell you why you shouldn’t do that in Colorado.
One of the main ways to get a primary challenge candidate on a ballot is to caucus for your party. You need to be registered as a Dem to caucus.
November 10, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Also, your local Dem Party needs to know your registration so they can mobilize you!
Don't exit, use your voice and get involved with your county party. ITs much easier to influence and they desperately need people who can work to change things.
Don't exit, use your voice and get involved with your county party. ITs much easier to influence and they desperately need people who can work to change things.
Ah yes, the GOP gets to continue destroying the government, the Dems get a line for an email.
Kaine on why he thinks just getting a vote on healthcare is a win: "We're the minority party, but everybody will get to see who is standing for them when it comes to lowering their healthcare costs"
November 10, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Ah yes, the GOP gets to continue destroying the government, the Dems get a line for an email.
Good job Senate Dems.
This is who you helped.
This is who you helped.
Trump to air traffic controllers: "For those that did nothing but complain, and took time off, even though everyone knew they would be paid, IN FULL, shortly into the future, I am NOT HAPPY WITH YOU. You didn’t step up to help the U.S.A. against the FAKE DEMOCRAT ATTACK"
November 10, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Good job Senate Dems.
This is who you helped.
This is who you helped.
The best arguments in favor of Dems caving all assume we're in the status quo ante regime and not experiencing rapid autocratization and constitutional failure
November 10, 2025 at 2:18 PM
The best arguments in favor of Dems caving all assume we're in the status quo ante regime and not experiencing rapid autocratization and constitutional failure
They literally blew the GOP out of the water in elections last week!!!
November 10, 2025 at 2:15 PM
They literally blew the GOP out of the water in elections last week!!!
Reposted by Darin Self
Not a political consultant but I’m not sure “standing up to trump doesn’t work” is the best midterm message, even if if accurately represents senate dems position. Not much point in putting you in power then bsky.app/profile/atru...
November 10, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Not a political consultant but I’m not sure “standing up to trump doesn’t work” is the best midterm message, even if if accurately represents senate dems position. Not much point in putting you in power then bsky.app/profile/atru...
I've thought that the framers creating 6 year terms for the Senate was generally a good thing to help create long time horizons
But fixed terms for the Senate (and potus) are undermining basic principles of accountability right now
But fixed terms for the Senate (and potus) are undermining basic principles of accountability right now
November 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
I've thought that the framers creating 6 year terms for the Senate was generally a good thing to help create long time horizons
But fixed terms for the Senate (and potus) are undermining basic principles of accountability right now
But fixed terms for the Senate (and potus) are undermining basic principles of accountability right now
Dems had the upper hand and caved for the guy that is abusing executive power to an astonishing degree
Trump Pardons Giuliani and Others Involved in Effort to Overturn 2020 Election www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/u...
Trump Pardons Giuliani and Others Involved in Effort to Overturn 2020 Election
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Dems had the upper hand and caved for the guy that is abusing executive power to an astonishing degree
Reposted by Darin Self
The 2026 primaries could be the bloodbath Dem incumbents largely avoided in 2018
November 10, 2025 at 4:14 AM
The 2026 primaries could be the bloodbath Dem incumbents largely avoided in 2018
Reposted by Darin Self
Like I fucking said.
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.
November 10, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Like I fucking said.
One reason I'm livid is when Trump got reelected I jumped in to my local Dem Party to fight and build a better future.
But I need the national party to fight or what's this even for?
But I need the national party to fight or what's this even for?
November 10, 2025 at 4:27 AM
One reason I'm livid is when Trump got reelected I jumped in to my local Dem Party to fight and build a better future.
But I need the national party to fight or what's this even for?
But I need the national party to fight or what's this even for?
Reposted by Darin Self
When you've lost *checks notes again* Chris Cillizza
November 10, 2025 at 3:15 AM
When you've lost *checks notes again* Chris Cillizza