E.J. Fagan
@ejfagan.com
Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Illinois Chicago. Author of The Thinkers: The Rise of Partisan Think Tanks and the Polarization of American Politics. Also, baseball.
Pinned
E.J. Fagan
@ejfagan.com
· Nov 18
The Thinkers: The Rise of Partisan Think Tanks and the Polarization of American Politics (Studies in Postwar American Political Development): Fagan, E.J.: 9780197759660: Amazon.com: Books
The Thinkers: The Rise of Partisan Think Tanks and the Polarization of American Politics (Studies in Postwar American Political Development) [Fagan, E.J.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Thinkers: The Rise of Partisan Think Tanks and the Polarization of American Politics (Studies in Postwar American Political Development)
www.amazon.com
Hello new Bluesky followers!
I study U.S. politics and policymaking, focusing on the politicization of expertise and information processing.
I published a great book this summer. It's called The Thinkers: The Rise of Partisan Think Tanks and the Polarization of American Politics. Check it out!
I study U.S. politics and policymaking, focusing on the politicization of expertise and information processing.
I published a great book this summer. It's called The Thinkers: The Rise of Partisan Think Tanks and the Polarization of American Politics. Check it out!
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
The forces that make Trump impervious to internal correction within the GOP are going to create huge obstacles to the party winning elections and governing for a generation.
The tragedy of today's GOP is that they have purged anyone inclined to independence and leadership. Those who are left chose to climb into the back seat, and now they're lost. But they're finally yelling at the driver.
New in PN: The blowback to Trump's racist video reveals his weakness
"What has changed is not Trump’s racism (which is the same as it ever was) but his poll numbers (which have dropped precipitously)." www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-obam...
"What has changed is not Trump’s racism (which is the same as it ever was) but his poll numbers (which have dropped precipitously)." www.publicnotice.co/p/trump-obam...
February 9, 2026 at 2:05 PM
The forces that make Trump impervious to internal correction within the GOP are going to create huge obstacles to the party winning elections and governing for a generation.
Internal poll caveats, but this is Tim Walz's old district. Trump won it 59-41 in 2024.
February 9, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Internal poll caveats, but this is Tim Walz's old district. Trump won it 59-41 in 2024.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Delighted to be named one of the Washington Post's "Next 50" for 2026.
www.washingtonpost.com/post-next/in...
www.washingtonpost.com/post-next/in...
February 9, 2026 at 4:50 PM
Delighted to be named one of the Washington Post's "Next 50" for 2026.
www.washingtonpost.com/post-next/in...
www.washingtonpost.com/post-next/in...
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
The seething contempt Republicans have for Latino-American culture has been on full display over the last 24 hours.
February 9, 2026 at 3:14 PM
The seething contempt Republicans have for Latino-American culture has been on full display over the last 24 hours.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Bad Bunny has a consulting historian. news.wisc.edu/pop-star-bad...
Pop star Bad Bunny needed a Puerto Rican history scholar. UW–Madison had just the one.
Bad Bunny collaborated with UW–Madison history professor Jorell Meléndez-Badillo on Puerto Rican narratives that accompany the new album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.”
news.wisc.edu
February 9, 2026 at 4:46 AM
Bad Bunny has a consulting historian. news.wisc.edu/pop-star-bad...
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
This was the USSR's policy
February 9, 2026 at 3:39 AM
This was the USSR's policy
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
SpaceX to focus on Moon settlements instead of Mars?!? Wow, it is hard to overstate what a change -- what a climb-down -- this is for Musk. It has always been Mars for him. Full stop. Supposedly the goal behind *everything* he does.
February 9, 2026 at 2:53 AM
SpaceX to focus on Moon settlements instead of Mars?!? Wow, it is hard to overstate what a change -- what a climb-down -- this is for Musk. It has always been Mars for him. Full stop. Supposedly the goal behind *everything* he does.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
“Before the game, activists clandestinely distributed 15,000 of them to fans entering Levi’s Stadium for the Super Bowl, seeding grassroots support toward a performer who spoke up for Latinos and immigrants at the Grammy Awards last week.”
LOL
LOL
How did those Bad Bunny-themed, anti-ICE towels get into the Super Bowl? — Los Angeles Times
Before the game, activists clandestinely distributed 15,000 of them to fans entering Levi’s Stadium for the Super Bowl, seeding grassroots support toward a performer who spoke up for Latinos and immig...
apple.news
February 9, 2026 at 12:48 AM
“Before the game, activists clandestinely distributed 15,000 of them to fans entering Levi’s Stadium for the Super Bowl, seeding grassroots support toward a performer who spoke up for Latinos and immigrants at the Grammy Awards last week.”
LOL
LOL
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
The GOP just had its best chance to finally flip a legislative seat in Trump 2.0. Democrats had other ideas.
Chasity Martinez just won a rural Trump+13 in the Louisiana House in a 24-point landslide—an overperformance of 37 points.
Our complete writeup on this remarkable outcome -->
Chasity Martinez just won a rural Trump+13 in the Louisiana House in a 24-point landslide—an overperformance of 37 points.
Our complete writeup on this remarkable outcome -->
Breaking: Democrats resoundingly defend red district in Louisiana, denying GOP its first pickup
Republicans have yet to flip a single legislative seat since Trump's return
www.the-downballot.com
February 8, 2026 at 3:16 AM
The GOP just had its best chance to finally flip a legislative seat in Trump 2.0. Democrats had other ideas.
Chasity Martinez just won a rural Trump+13 in the Louisiana House in a 24-point landslide—an overperformance of 37 points.
Our complete writeup on this remarkable outcome -->
Chasity Martinez just won a rural Trump+13 in the Louisiana House in a 24-point landslide—an overperformance of 37 points.
Our complete writeup on this remarkable outcome -->
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Not how the rule of law works. Precisely the opposite, in fact.
February 7, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Not how the rule of law works. Precisely the opposite, in fact.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Not only did they bring a small private army, but among the waste of taxpayer money was BRINGING A FULL PLANE OF FOOD.
To *Italy*.
To *Italy*.
February 7, 2026 at 12:19 AM
Not only did they bring a small private army, but among the waste of taxpayer money was BRINGING A FULL PLANE OF FOOD.
To *Italy*.
To *Italy*.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
LOL.... i wanted to hear JD getting booed at the Olympics and when i searched for it on YouTube i got this
February 7, 2026 at 6:59 AM
LOL.... i wanted to hear JD getting booed at the Olympics and when i searched for it on YouTube i got this
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
The GOP’s new Voter Suppression bill, the so-called “SAVE Act,” would disenfranchise many of the 69 million women who took their husbands’ last names, as explained in my summary.
It proposes *no penalties* for erroneous voter purges but potential *prison time* for erroneous registrations. WTF?! 1/
It proposes *no penalties* for erroneous voter purges but potential *prison time* for erroneous registrations. WTF?! 1/
February 4, 2026 at 10:36 PM
The GOP’s new Voter Suppression bill, the so-called “SAVE Act,” would disenfranchise many of the 69 million women who took their husbands’ last names, as explained in my summary.
It proposes *no penalties* for erroneous voter purges but potential *prison time* for erroneous registrations. WTF?! 1/
It proposes *no penalties* for erroneous voter purges but potential *prison time* for erroneous registrations. WTF?! 1/
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
AWFUL news tonight. This blesses the “mandatory” detention in the 5th Circuit without bond (and little chance at habeas) of every undocumented immigrant who originally entered across the border, no matter how many decades in the past.
It will fuel ICE’s push to transfer people to Texas immediately.
It will fuel ICE’s push to transfer people to Texas immediately.
BREAKING: A 5th Circuit panel has backed ICE's mass detention policy, a decision that clears the way for the administration to lock up people who are in immigration proceedings
It's a 2-1 ruling
Majority: Jones (Reagan), Duncan (Trump)
Minority: Douglas (Obama)
s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
It's a 2-1 ruling
Majority: Jones (Reagan), Duncan (Trump)
Minority: Douglas (Obama)
s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
February 7, 2026 at 3:20 AM
AWFUL news tonight. This blesses the “mandatory” detention in the 5th Circuit without bond (and little chance at habeas) of every undocumented immigrant who originally entered across the border, no matter how many decades in the past.
It will fuel ICE’s push to transfer people to Texas immediately.
It will fuel ICE’s push to transfer people to Texas immediately.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
So about TrumpRx: We crunched the numbers today and about half of the drugs on there have cheaper generics available already. www.statnews.com/2026/02/06/t...
February 6, 2026 at 11:09 PM
So about TrumpRx: We crunched the numbers today and about half of the drugs on there have cheaper generics available already. www.statnews.com/2026/02/06/t...
MAGA wants Bad Bunny to cover the Beatles or something.
Former ESPN host Sage Steele tells Fox News that Bad Bunny is leading "with hate" because he won't do the Super Bowl halftime show in English.
February 6, 2026 at 5:19 PM
MAGA wants Bad Bunny to cover the Beatles or something.
Harris did worse with young voters than any Democrat since the 80s. This is her move?
kamala harris's 6-7 themed zoomer digital marketing group has already changed its name after getting made fun of. for some reason they changed it to "68." we're witnessing a level of political instinct never before imaginable
February 6, 2026 at 3:32 PM
Harris did worse with young voters than any Democrat since the 80s. This is her move?
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Trump’s Gateway tunnel pitch sounds an awful lot like extortion: If Democrats want to save the project, restore the funds, and prevent the job losses, they’ll have to indulge his self-glorification obsession.
Articles of impeachment have been introduced over less.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
Articles of impeachment have been introduced over less.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
Trump said he’d release federal funds if officials rename Dulles Airport, Penn Station after him
The president’s obsession with self-glorification is old hat, but his tactics surrounding the Gateway infrastructure project are new.
www.ms.now
February 6, 2026 at 2:07 PM
Trump’s Gateway tunnel pitch sounds an awful lot like extortion: If Democrats want to save the project, restore the funds, and prevent the job losses, they’ll have to indulge his self-glorification obsession.
Articles of impeachment have been introduced over less.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
Articles of impeachment have been introduced over less.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
🚨HOLY CRAP. The Trump admin just took a SLEDGEHAMMER to due process, largely eliminating the Board of Immigration Appeals process and MANDATING DISMISSAL of ALL appeals (which cost $1,000 thanks to OBBBA) filed after tomorrow unless a majority of the BIA votes to hear the case.
February 5, 2026 at 2:37 PM
🚨HOLY CRAP. The Trump admin just took a SLEDGEHAMMER to due process, largely eliminating the Board of Immigration Appeals process and MANDATING DISMISSAL of ALL appeals (which cost $1,000 thanks to OBBBA) filed after tomorrow unless a majority of the BIA votes to hear the case.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Today @cato.org published our report providing the first look at the fiscal effects of the wave of legal & illegal immigration over the last 3 decades. It shows immigrants created surpluses every year, by a combined $14.5 trillion, even as deficits grew www.cato.org/white-paper/...
February 3, 2026 at 4:29 PM
Today @cato.org published our report providing the first look at the fiscal effects of the wave of legal & illegal immigration over the last 3 decades. It shows immigrants created surpluses every year, by a combined $14.5 trillion, even as deficits grew www.cato.org/white-paper/...
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
This chart seems to suggest a striking pattern: Kevin Warsh's speeches are consistently hawkish, except when Trump is President and about to appoint a new Fed Chair.
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
February 5, 2026 at 9:22 PM
This chart seems to suggest a striking pattern: Kevin Warsh's speeches are consistently hawkish, except when Trump is President and about to appoint a new Fed Chair.
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
www.economist.com/finance-and-...
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
As a doctor, I am horrified by what I saw at the Whipple detention facility in Minneapolis.
No medical protocols.
No real medical care.
No nurse on site when I visited.
No beds. No real blankets. Extremely cold temperatures. Minimal food.
These conditions are inhumane and unacceptable.
No medical protocols.
No real medical care.
No nurse on site when I visited.
No beds. No real blankets. Extremely cold temperatures. Minimal food.
These conditions are inhumane and unacceptable.
February 5, 2026 at 6:42 PM
As a doctor, I am horrified by what I saw at the Whipple detention facility in Minneapolis.
No medical protocols.
No real medical care.
No nurse on site when I visited.
No beds. No real blankets. Extremely cold temperatures. Minimal food.
These conditions are inhumane and unacceptable.
No medical protocols.
No real medical care.
No nurse on site when I visited.
No beds. No real blankets. Extremely cold temperatures. Minimal food.
These conditions are inhumane and unacceptable.
This is one big demand that I could see Democrats actually getting. Republican politicians agree, strongly, with the core mission of ICE. They want to deport millions of people and believe it would be good public policy. ICE harassing voters? Not so much.
Dems need to demand a ban on ICE at polling places and no ICE operations in run up to election before agreeing to any DHS funding
Q: Bannon recently said 'we're gonna have ICE surround the polls come November.' Is that something the president is considering?
LEAVITT: I can't guarantee an ICE agent won't be around a polling location, but what I can tell you is I haven't heard the president discuss any formal plans
LEAVITT: I can't guarantee an ICE agent won't be around a polling location, but what I can tell you is I haven't heard the president discuss any formal plans
February 5, 2026 at 8:42 PM
This is one big demand that I could see Democrats actually getting. Republican politicians agree, strongly, with the core mission of ICE. They want to deport millions of people and believe it would be good public policy. ICE harassing voters? Not so much.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
‘One officer told me that I "had no chance of returning to Minnesota" and that "the best thing for (me] is self-deportation." …
She offered me $2600 to self-deport.
I refused.
I wanted to talk to my attorney.
They didn't tell me the judge had already ordered my release and return to Minnesota.’
She offered me $2600 to self-deport.
I refused.
I wanted to talk to my attorney.
They didn't tell me the judge had already ordered my release and return to Minnesota.’
![…
25. This Cibola jail was horrible. It was cramped. I was chained up again.
The officers mocked
me and called me their enemy. They laughed at me. I was kept at the jail for what felt like around three hours. I wasn't given an explanation for why I was there.
26. Security
guards then put me on a bus. I think it was around January 27.
No one said
anything about where I was going. I was handcuffed. It felt like the middle of the night. It was freezing cold in the bus because the driver had the AC on. We had no jackets. The bus eventually took me back to El Paso in the carly morning of Tuesday, January 27th.
27. I was put in a cold cell where I had to sleep on the bare cement floor. Around 10 in the morning my cellmate asked to speak to an ICE officer. Three officers came into the cell so I had a chance to speak to them too. One officer told me that I "had no chance of returning to Minnesota" and that "the best thing for (me] is self-deportation." She told me that if I fought my case, I would spend two to three more months here in El Paso. She offered me $2600 to self-deport. I refused. I wanted to talk to my attorney. They didn't tell me the judge had already ordered my release and return to Minnesota. If I hadn't managed to talk to my attorney who told me a while back that I was ordered released. I might have given up at this point and signed the self-deportation forms because the conditions were so unbearable.
…
30. When I was taken back to the detention center from the airport, after missing the flight, I overheard an ICE officer saying in English, "the judge in Minnesota wants this one back." I was put in a cold jail cell again until early next morning (January 28). But again no one had told me directly that a judge had ordered my release
…
32. When I arrived in Minneapolis, I was handed off to ICE
… I had to sign lots of papers saying that I wasn't going to be a part of any "groups." I didn't know what they meant by "groups." They never told me why I was detained](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5cn3kbi4g5blrtahon34xbu4/bafkreiccqxmfncofjqinoveiqscwale2ox5xpiqt46veqjdh3jmimkrxhq@jpeg)
February 5, 2026 at 6:04 AM
‘One officer told me that I "had no chance of returning to Minnesota" and that "the best thing for (me] is self-deportation." …
She offered me $2600 to self-deport.
I refused.
I wanted to talk to my attorney.
They didn't tell me the judge had already ordered my release and return to Minnesota.’
She offered me $2600 to self-deport.
I refused.
I wanted to talk to my attorney.
They didn't tell me the judge had already ordered my release and return to Minnesota.’
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Likely to happen:
Bachelor's holders will go to grad school - increased enrollment in grad school = increased chance of a similar student loan crisis born from 2008.
Grad school is where debt often gets unmanageable and our current tools are just as shitty to deal with it.
Bachelor's holders will go to grad school - increased enrollment in grad school = increased chance of a similar student loan crisis born from 2008.
Grad school is where debt often gets unmanageable and our current tools are just as shitty to deal with it.
February 5, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Likely to happen:
Bachelor's holders will go to grad school - increased enrollment in grad school = increased chance of a similar student loan crisis born from 2008.
Grad school is where debt often gets unmanageable and our current tools are just as shitty to deal with it.
Bachelor's holders will go to grad school - increased enrollment in grad school = increased chance of a similar student loan crisis born from 2008.
Grad school is where debt often gets unmanageable and our current tools are just as shitty to deal with it.