Dana R. Fisher | Lightnews

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist)

@fisherdanar.bsky.social

27K followers 2.5K following 4.6K posts

Director, Center for Environment Community, & Equity and Professor, AU | NonRes Sr Fellow, Brookings | IPCCWG3 AR6 | www.danarfisher.com | TED Talk on Saving Ourselves: go.ted.com/danarfisher

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Dana R. Fisher is an American sociologist, professor of sociology, public speaker, and author. She is the director of the Center for Environment, Community, and Equity and a professor in the School of International Service at American University. Her areas of research and expertise are activism, democracy, the climate crisis, and environmental policy. .. more

Political science 27%

Environmental science 23%

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Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · Nov 19

My TED Talk on Saving Ourselves is OUT! Tune in to learn why we ALL need to be apocalyptic optimists: Prepared for the climate shocks that are coming and ready to rally as activists, disruptors, and bridge-builders to save ourselves from the climate crisis. go.ted.com/danarfisher

Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, Mark D. White, Dana R. Fisher , and 2 more Lisa W. Fazio, Mark D. White, Dana R. Fisher, Greg Linden, David Darmofal

Kathleen Bachynski @bachynski.bsky.social · 12h

I can’t fully articulate the way my stomach dropped when I saw this headline. Please know the evidence has not changed. The people in charge have changed, and they did not consult any relevant experts or the public. “This new policy has not been vetted with pediatricians, the public, or the ACIP”

Federal health officials slash recommended childhood vaccinations under Trump’s directive

The number of recommended childhood shots drops from 17 to 11.

www.statnews.com

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

Colin's Lounge Lizards 🇨🇦 🍁 @colin-dawny.bsky.social · 13h

"Pete Hegseth wants to send the message to every single retired servicemember that if they say something he or Donald Trump doesn't like, they will come after them the same way. It's outrageous and it is wrong. There is nothing more un-American than that," Kelly added.

www.npr.org/2026/01/05/n...

Sen. Mark Kelly fires back after Hegseth threatens his rank and retirement pay

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has launched administrative action against Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain and astronaut, which could affect Kelly's rank and retirement pay.

www.npr.org

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 15h

#truth 👇

Max Berger @maxberger.bsky.social · 2d

It would be so cool if the United States Congress still existed.

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 15h

I suppose we could consider this a form of escalation…

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

Stacy VanDeveer @stacydvandeveer.bsky.social · 16h

Omfg

Reuters @reuters.com · 16h

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced he will demote retired naval officer and sitting Senator Mark Kelly for 'reckless misconduct' after the senator and other Democratic lawmakers urged troops to refuse any illegal orders reut.rs/49Fd5c0

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

BNO News @bnonews.com · 16h

NEW: Pentagon initiates proceedings to demote U.S. Senator Mark Kelly, a retired captain, over video telling soldiers to refuse illegal orders

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 17h

Is the BBC going the way of CBS? 🤔

Owen Jones @owenjones.bsky.social · 18h

BBC journalists have been banned from describing the kidnapped Venezuelan leader as having been kidnapped.

The BBC News Editor has sent this to BBC journalists.

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 18h

This new paper provides important insights into climate policy sequencing to see if technological investments (ie policy carrots like the Inflation Reduction Act) make punitive policies (ie policy sticks) more effective. Unfortunately, the short answer is: NO. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Modelling the impacts of policy sequencing on energy decarbonization - Nature Climate Change

Green subsidies (carrots) are now becoming a more politically acceptable climate policy option compared with corrective regulations (sticks). However, researcher show that carrots without quick and ap...

www.nature.com

Reposted by Mel Bartley, Jeffrey Ian Ross, Fabián Muniesa , and 9 more Mel Bartley, Jeffrey Ian Ross, Fabián Muniesa, Juan Cole, David R. Miller, Julia Lynch, Peter Cook, Dana R. Fisher, Laleh Khalili, Aurélien Mondon, Ann Bartow, Manisha Sinha

Owen Jones @owenjones.bsky.social · 18h

BBC journalists have been banned from describing the kidnapped Venezuelan leader as having been kidnapped.

The BBC News Editor has sent this to BBC journalists.

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 19h

Indeed!

Reposted by Michael E. Mann, Melanie C. Green, Dana R. Fisher

Will Bunch @willbunch.bsky.social · 1d

We need to be honest with ourselves and our leaders about Venezuela

We are a rogue state, a global pariah

Trump is ruling as a dictator, period

An axis of evil wants to carve up small, resource-rich nations

The message for 2026 is clear: No kings!

My new column www.inquirer.com/opinion/trum...

America launches its 250th birthday year by becoming a rogue state | Will Bunch

Trump's illegal war on Venezuela cemented his claim to dictatorship and marked the U.S. as a global pariah.

www.inquirer.com

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d

Lolz, as if!

Kayla Calkin @kaylacalkin.bsky.social · 1d

So now that we’ve destabilized Venezuela we’re going to welcome immigrants from the country right?

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

Kayla Calkin @kaylacalkin.bsky.social · 1d

So now that we’ve destabilized Venezuela we’re going to welcome immigrants from the country right?

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d

As January 2026 gets underway, we are going to see another wave of Resistance (this one driven by the President’s actions in Venezuela) surge in the US 👇

Melissa Nadia Viviana 🐸 @resistrebelrevolt.net · 2d

Made a montage of some of the anti-war emergency protests that erupted today across NYC, Chicago, Atlanta, Portland, & San Francisco.

Proud of them for taking to the streets bc of Trump's illegal invasion of Venezuela.

More to come! This ain't over! 🙌🏻✊🏼✌🏻

What is it good for? Absolutely nothing!

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d

Umm, what now?

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d

Trump says Venezuela's oil wealth "goes also to the United States of America in the form of reimbursement for the damages caused us by that country"

Reposted by Silvia Secchi

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d

👀👀

Joseph Henderson @josephenderson.bsky.social · 2d

This too is a kind of climate politics.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d

Trump: "We're going to have our very large United States oil companies go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure and start making money for the country. And we are ready to stage a second and much larger attack if we need to do so."

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks!

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

Jody Money @jodymoney.bsky.social · 1d

There are definite parallels in how both of these conflicts are being sold to the public. But while down from his immediate post-9/11 high, Bush (unlike Trump today) was still popular in early 2003. His ratings weren't underwater until 2004, when it was clear the war was out of control.

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks for posting!

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d

Yes but his approval ratings were abysmal before that

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

Sean Gallagher @seanmg.bsky.social · 1d

Bush’s approval going into the Iraq war was around 57%. He didn’t really start tanking until the whole thing went south, though it was reverting back to normal levels after the 9/11 spike.

Chart showing Gallup polling of George W Bush approval rating. 57% in early 2003, after the 90% approval after 9/11. Drifts down from that to 25% at the end of his presidency.

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

Dr Seán DOOLAN 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇮🇪 @sdinpraxis.bsky.social · 1d

US media falling over each other to downplay the orange's actions in Venezuela.

I chose an image to suit, a parody of a cartoon of Pitt the Younger and Napoleon dividing the globe (a plum pudding). 220 years on, it's just as relevant.

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d

*for OIL!

Ugly Ugh GIF

ALT: Ugly Ugh GIF

media.tenor.com

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d

I'd love to see a comparison between US actions in Venezuela and the war in Iraq in 2003--that'd be the last time an unpopular (Republican) US President went to war or oil when his poll numbers were in the toilet.

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 1d

Welp, I didn't have "US breaching international law and getting into a war over natural resources" on my radar, but with such low polling and the need to distract from inflation and the Epstein files, jumping into a war about oil should have been obvious...Still, the rest of the list stands:

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 4d

Happy 2026! Some early thoughts before we get down to business: #LFG💪 danarfisher.com/2026/01/01/w...

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

Rabbi Sandra @rabbisandra.bsky.social · 1d

Remember when Trump said he knew nothing about Project 2025? Now he’s bombing countries to enact it.
This operation is the direct implementation of what Project 2025 explicitly called “re-hemisphering” - capturing Latin American supply chains and resources as a requirement of US economic security.

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

Rima I Anabtawi @rimaanabtawi.bsky.social · 1d

Trump says Venezuela stole U.S. oil, land and assets. But U.S. companies never owned oil or land in Venezuela and officials didn’t kick them out of the country. Here's the real history of oil and Venezuela:

www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...

Trump says Venezuela stole U.S. oil, land and assets. Here’s the history.

The government of the oil-rich nation took control of its petroleum industry in 1976, nationalizing hundreds of private businesses and foreign-owned assets.

www.washingtonpost.com

Reposted by Diane Ravitch, Philip Nel, David R. Miller , and 4 more Diane Ravitch, Philip Nel, David R. Miller, Anne Norton, Dana R. Fisher, Stefan C. Aykut, Greg Linden

Max Berger @maxberger.bsky.social · 2d

It would be so cool if the United States Congress still existed.

Reposted by Dana R. Fisher

Melissa Nadia Viviana 🐸 @resistrebelrevolt.net · 2d

Dana R. Fisher (aka the Apocalyptic Optimist) @fisherdanar.bsky.social · 2d

💯🎯👇

Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf @rahmstorf.bsky.social · 2d

Trump just said what it is all about.
The sooner the world sheds its addiction to fossil fuels, the better. The alternatives are available, plentiful and cheaper.

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