Isaac Speer
@isaacspeer.bsky.social
Continuing Lecturer in UCLA's Sociology Department
Pinned
Isaac Speer
@isaacspeer.bsky.social
· Jun 14
"The road to authoritarianism is littered with people telling you you're overreacting." - MN Governor Tim Walz
Reposted by Isaac Speer
It is very frustrating to be an American taking US democratic backsliding seriously while the ostensibly pro-democracy national leaders don't.
At least some state leaders and activist groups are.
At least some state leaders and activist groups are.
November 11, 2025 at 4:09 PM
It is very frustrating to be an American taking US democratic backsliding seriously while the ostensibly pro-democracy national leaders don't.
At least some state leaders and activist groups are.
At least some state leaders and activist groups are.
Democratic politicians sound like abuse victims who are coming up with reasons why caving to am abuser is rational. "Oh we couldn't let him keep hurting people so we had to give him what he wants" is textbook abuse victim logic.
November 11, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Democratic politicians sound like abuse victims who are coming up with reasons why caving to am abuser is rational. "Oh we couldn't let him keep hurting people so we had to give him what he wants" is textbook abuse victim logic.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
DO NOT vote to validate the authoritarianism.
If the anti-Constitution party does so on its own, so be it.
That is not a hard request.
Constitutional democracy good, lawbreaking authoritarianism bad. Act like it.
If the anti-Constitution party does so on its own, so be it.
That is not a hard request.
Constitutional democracy good, lawbreaking authoritarianism bad. Act like it.
November 11, 2025 at 3:00 PM
DO NOT vote to validate the authoritarianism.
If the anti-Constitution party does so on its own, so be it.
That is not a hard request.
Constitutional democracy good, lawbreaking authoritarianism bad. Act like it.
If the anti-Constitution party does so on its own, so be it.
That is not a hard request.
Constitutional democracy good, lawbreaking authoritarianism bad. Act like it.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
The thing about the "I voted against this" position Schumer is taking is that either he is trying to mislead Dem voters by implying he didn't support reopening right now, or he has no control over his caucus.
November 10, 2025 at 9:35 PM
The thing about the "I voted against this" position Schumer is taking is that either he is trying to mislead Dem voters by implying he didn't support reopening right now, or he has no control over his caucus.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
The harm caused by the shutdown was real, affecting millions, and no one should downplay that. But America is not in a situation of harm or no harm. Rapidly backsliding into authoritarianism, America is in a terrible situation where appeasement trades short-term relief for more long-term harm.
Democrats Have to Get Out of a Normal Democracy Mindset
By folding in the government shutdown in exchange for virtually nothing, eight Democratic senators aid Trump's authoritarian takeover rather than oppose it
www.arcdigital.media
November 10, 2025 at 8:14 PM
The harm caused by the shutdown was real, affecting millions, and no one should downplay that. But America is not in a situation of harm or no harm. Rapidly backsliding into authoritarianism, America is in a terrible situation where appeasement trades short-term relief for more long-term harm.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
Some of the most powerful and well-paid people in the world don't understand a lesson that every schoolchild knows: if you surrender to bullies, they will only bully you more
November 10, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Some of the most powerful and well-paid people in the world don't understand a lesson that every schoolchild knows: if you surrender to bullies, they will only bully you more
An adequate explanation of Democrats caving yesterday has to reckon with the timing of the cave. What happened in the last week to make Democrats decide to give up? Here's a couple ideas:
1) they were just waiting until the election was over bc they knew caving beforehand would have hurt turnout
1/2
1) they were just waiting until the election was over bc they knew caving beforehand would have hurt turnout
1/2
November 10, 2025 at 4:59 PM
An adequate explanation of Democrats caving yesterday has to reckon with the timing of the cave. What happened in the last week to make Democrats decide to give up? Here's a couple ideas:
1) they were just waiting until the election was over bc they knew caving beforehand would have hurt turnout
1/2
1) they were just waiting until the election was over bc they knew caving beforehand would have hurt turnout
1/2
Reposted by Isaac Speer
What a great long-term recruiting pitch: come do this high-stress job, you may have to work for free at some point — and if you try to feed your family with a side gig, you’ll be punished. 🤡
@politico.com
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
@politico.com
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
November 10, 2025 at 4:50 PM
What a great long-term recruiting pitch: come do this high-stress job, you may have to work for free at some point — and if you try to feed your family with a side gig, you’ll be punished. 🤡
@politico.com
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
@politico.com
www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Reposted by Isaac Speer
While the Trump admin sent $40 billion to a keep the regime of a right wing crackpot afloat in Argentina, they are putting on a full court press to starve and deny food stamps to millions in America.
AP:
President Donald Trump’s administration returned to the Supreme Court on Monday in a push to keep full payments in the SNAP federal food aid program frozen while the government is shut down.
apnews.com/article/snap...
President Donald Trump’s administration returned to the Supreme Court on Monday in a push to keep full payments in the SNAP federal food aid program frozen while the government is shut down.
apnews.com/article/snap...
Trump administration renews Supreme Court appeal to keep full SNAP payments frozen
The Trump administration is again asking the Supreme Court to keep full food aid payments on hold. The request Monday is the latest in a legal fight over how the program that helps 42 million American...
apnews.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:18 PM
While the Trump admin sent $40 billion to a keep the regime of a right wing crackpot afloat in Argentina, they are putting on a full court press to starve and deny food stamps to millions in America.
Senator Durbin claims he will "continue to hold Trump accountable" not even a full day after caving into Trump's extortion. This is all just kayfabe to the Senate Dems.
www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
Opinion | Trump turned the military on U.S. cities. I will continue to hold him accountable.
Excessive militarized ICE raids and misuse of the military will not make Chicago safer, writes Sen. Dick Durbin.
www.msnbc.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Senator Durbin claims he will "continue to hold Trump accountable" not even a full day after caving into Trump's extortion. This is all just kayfabe to the Senate Dems.
www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...
Reposted by Isaac Speer
To repeat: Maybe electing a life-long criminal to an office where he can pardon other criminals wasn't such a good idea.
November 10, 2025 at 1:08 PM
To repeat: Maybe electing a life-long criminal to an office where he can pardon other criminals wasn't such a good idea.
Can the world stop being so demoralizing for a week? Please?
November 10, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Can the world stop being so demoralizing for a week? Please?
Reposted by Isaac Speer
Call the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and they will connect you with your senator's office.
No matter how they voted last night, every one of them has a say in maintaining Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin as their caucus leaders. Every one of them is accountable here.
No matter how they voted last night, every one of them has a say in maintaining Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin as their caucus leaders. Every one of them is accountable here.
November 10, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Call the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and they will connect you with your senator's office.
No matter how they voted last night, every one of them has a say in maintaining Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin as their caucus leaders. Every one of them is accountable here.
No matter how they voted last night, every one of them has a say in maintaining Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin as their caucus leaders. Every one of them is accountable here.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
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.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
BREAKING:
A whistleblower tells House Judiciary Democrats that convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell is in the process of seeking a commutation of her 20-year prison sentence from Donald Trump. tinyurl.com/582addcc
A whistleblower tells House Judiciary Democrats that convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell is in the process of seeking a commutation of her 20-year prison sentence from Donald Trump. tinyurl.com/582addcc
November 10, 2025 at 3:20 PM
BREAKING:
A whistleblower tells House Judiciary Democrats that convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell is in the process of seeking a commutation of her 20-year prison sentence from Donald Trump. tinyurl.com/582addcc
A whistleblower tells House Judiciary Democrats that convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell is in the process of seeking a commutation of her 20-year prison sentence from Donald Trump. tinyurl.com/582addcc
My grand hypothesis is that America's billionaires and political elites genuinely believe that AI and robots will replace human labor within a few years, so there's no need to be nice to the masses anymore.
November 10, 2025 at 3:32 PM
My grand hypothesis is that America's billionaires and political elites genuinely believe that AI and robots will replace human labor within a few years, so there's no need to be nice to the masses anymore.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
America’s chickenshit elites problem continues to be the biggest obstacle to fighting Trump www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
November 10, 2025 at 3:25 PM
America’s chickenshit elites problem continues to be the biggest obstacle to fighting Trump www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
Reposted by Isaac Speer
Yup, and the damage isn’t so much in the story as in the proof of weakness. Trump now knows he has new torture tools to make Dems do what he wants. It’s why at least one of the 7 capitulators oughta be run out of office now, mid session. Get that number down to 6. www.offmessage.net/p/16-thought...
November 10, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Yup, and the damage isn’t so much in the story as in the proof of weakness. Trump now knows he has new torture tools to make Dems do what he wants. It’s why at least one of the 7 capitulators oughta be run out of office now, mid session. Get that number down to 6. www.offmessage.net/p/16-thought...
Reposted by Isaac Speer
Durbin said critics of his vote “need to understand how the Senate works”
November 10, 2025 at 2:43 AM
Durbin said critics of his vote “need to understand how the Senate works”
The worst part of this is Senator King suggesting the shutdown gave Trump more power, when in reality Trump broke the law to be cruel to SNAP recipients. King is doing Trump's work for him by spreading this propaganda.
November 10, 2025 at 3:04 PM
The worst part of this is Senator King suggesting the shutdown gave Trump more power, when in reality Trump broke the law to be cruel to SNAP recipients. King is doing Trump's work for him by spreading this propaganda.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
Enough is enough. Contact your Democratic senators TODAY and tell them to call for Senator Schumer to step aside as Minority Leader. We desperately need new leadership in the Democratic Party.
CALL NOW: Tell Your Democratic Senator It's Time for Chuck Schumer to Step Aside
indivisible.org
November 10, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Enough is enough. Contact your Democratic senators TODAY and tell them to call for Senator Schumer to step aside as Minority Leader. We desperately need new leadership in the Democratic Party.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
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
The message from yesterday is that Senate Democrats think we are suckers who will tolerate performative opposition while our country turns into a dictatorship. Our message today should be: we will make your lives hell unless you actually fight Trump and defend the Constitution, which is your job.
November 10, 2025 at 2:47 PM
The message from yesterday is that Senate Democrats think we are suckers who will tolerate performative opposition while our country turns into a dictatorship. Our message today should be: we will make your lives hell unless you actually fight Trump and defend the Constitution, which is your job.
The surrender caucus.
November 10, 2025 at 2:44 PM
The surrender caucus.
Dems to voters: Vote harder
Votes: sure thing
Dems: jk, we are going to cave and get nothing on return. Stop complaining and vote harder
Votes: sure thing
Dems: jk, we are going to cave and get nothing on return. Stop complaining and vote harder
November 10, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Dems to voters: Vote harder
Votes: sure thing
Dems: jk, we are going to cave and get nothing on return. Stop complaining and vote harder
Votes: sure thing
Dems: jk, we are going to cave and get nothing on return. Stop complaining and vote harder