Jay Ulfelder
@jayulfelder.bsky.social
Social scientist by training, currently unemployed, trying to figure out what comes next.
Pinned
Jay Ulfelder
@jayulfelder.bsky.social
· Apr 28
If you're an underfunded org or activist doing (broadly speaking) antifascist work and you've got a data-making or data-analysis idea but not the skills to implement it, let's talk!
I've got those skills but no job, so I've got time as well. Happy to add expertise and labor to the right efforts.
I've got those skills but no job, so I've got time as well. Happy to add expertise and labor to the right efforts.
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
Trying to piece together footage from the last few months in any coherent way just feels like making a trailer for a horror movie starring the feds...and all things considered, that's probably about where we're at.
November 10, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Trying to piece together footage from the last few months in any coherent way just feels like making a trailer for a horror movie starring the feds...and all things considered, that's probably about where we're at.
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
NEW: Dems easily flipped the sheriff's office in Pennsylvania's Bucks County, a big swing county in the Philly suburbs.
So? The incumbent GOP sheriff had contracted with ICE. His Dem challenger promised to end the contract.
Now he wants other swing-state Dems to look at his victory as a lesson:
So? The incumbent GOP sheriff had contracted with ICE. His Dem challenger promised to end the contract.
Now he wants other swing-state Dems to look at his victory as a lesson:
Voters Ousted This Pennsylvania Sheriff After He Signed Up to Collaborate With ICE - Bolts
A populous, swing county replaced its GOP sheriff on Tuesday after months of controversy over his joining ICE’s 287(g) program. The Democratic winner promises he’ll end the contract.
boltsmag.org
November 10, 2025 at 7:12 PM
NEW: Dems easily flipped the sheriff's office in Pennsylvania's Bucks County, a big swing county in the Philly suburbs.
So? The incumbent GOP sheriff had contracted with ICE. His Dem challenger promised to end the contract.
Now he wants other swing-state Dems to look at his victory as a lesson:
So? The incumbent GOP sheriff had contracted with ICE. His Dem challenger promised to end the contract.
Now he wants other swing-state Dems to look at his victory as a lesson:
Went to watch people race bikes on grass yesterday at the Pan-American Cyclocross Championships in DC. As cycling scenes go, CX is probably the weirdest, and, so, the best. First-time winners in both elite races, including a Maryland kid on the men's side, Andrew Strohmeyer.
November 9, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Went to watch people race bikes on grass yesterday at the Pan-American Cyclocross Championships in DC. As cycling scenes go, CX is probably the weirdest, and, so, the best. First-time winners in both elite races, including a Maryland kid on the men's side, Andrew Strohmeyer.
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
NEW: Alabama Republicans introduced new legislation that would enable them to redo the state's primaries and potentially eliminate the state’s two Black-majority congressional seats if the Supreme Court weakens protections against racial gerrymandering.
Alabama GOP Wants Do-Over Elections if SCOTUS Weakens Protections for Black Voters
Read more here.
www.democracydocket.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:41 PM
NEW: Alabama Republicans introduced new legislation that would enable them to redo the state's primaries and potentially eliminate the state’s two Black-majority congressional seats if the Supreme Court weakens protections against racial gerrymandering.
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
🚨🚨🚨LOS ANGELES- This is a call for ALL HANDS ON DECK! Organize your neighborhood, patrol your block, & defend your neighbors!
Feds are targeting LA more aggressively than ever. THREAD with updates from @latenantsunion.bsky.social on feds escalating + changing tactics & how we fight back:
Feds are targeting LA more aggressively than ever. THREAD with updates from @latenantsunion.bsky.social on feds escalating + changing tactics & how we fight back:
November 7, 2025 at 5:50 PM
🚨🚨🚨LOS ANGELES- This is a call for ALL HANDS ON DECK! Organize your neighborhood, patrol your block, & defend your neighbors!
Feds are targeting LA more aggressively than ever. THREAD with updates from @latenantsunion.bsky.social on feds escalating + changing tactics & how we fight back:
Feds are targeting LA more aggressively than ever. THREAD with updates from @latenantsunion.bsky.social on feds escalating + changing tactics & how we fight back:
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
Don’t think ppl understand the terror the Feds are unleashing on the streets of LA right now. Roving patrols targeting vulnerable individuals. It’s horrible.
There’s no one coming to save us except ourselves.
There’s no one coming to save us except ourselves.
The past week+ has been really intense in Los Angeles. We need all of the help, support, & attention we can get. Feds are literally roving the streets snatch & grabbing vulnerable individuals. It's horrific. We need to do more.
Feds are once again ruthlessly targeting ktown & adjacent areas. This is getting really intense. We need to do more.
November 5, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Don’t think ppl understand the terror the Feds are unleashing on the streets of LA right now. Roving patrols targeting vulnerable individuals. It’s horrible.
There’s no one coming to save us except ourselves.
There’s no one coming to save us except ourselves.
It pains me to see so many anti-Trump folks continue to fantasize about state or local cops protecting their towns from ICE and other federal cops. This will not happen. This is not a plan. Ask DC or Chicago or LA how that's working out. Look at the history and current politics of policing. No.
November 7, 2025 at 11:59 AM
It pains me to see so many anti-Trump folks continue to fantasize about state or local cops protecting their towns from ICE and other federal cops. This will not happen. This is not a plan. Ask DC or Chicago or LA how that's working out. Look at the history and current politics of policing. No.
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
The more democratic elements of the American constitutional and economic order are actually throwing up road blocks to Trumpism. Protests and boycotts and low level courts and juries and cetera. Elite actors on the other hand are all too frequently caving. Fascinating study in who actually cares!
BREAKING: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT EATS A LOSS IN 'SANDWICH GUY' CASE AS JURORS FIND DEFENDANT NOT GUILTY www.nbcnews.com/politics/jus...
Jury acquits D.C. 'sandwich guy' charged with chucking a sub at a federal agent
Sean Dunn faced single misdemeanor offense after federal grand jurors refused to indict him on the felony charge sought by prosecutors.
www.nbcnews.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:30 PM
The more democratic elements of the American constitutional and economic order are actually throwing up road blocks to Trumpism. Protests and boycotts and low level courts and juries and cetera. Elite actors on the other hand are all too frequently caving. Fascinating study in who actually cares!
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
what we saw tonight can help blunt some fear about these tactics: people don’r like them, & the more they see others don’t either, the less effective the tactics will be
Authoritarian breakthrough here depends on a glide path over the American people, & the American people are throwing down spikes
Authoritarian breakthrough here depends on a glide path over the American people, & the American people are throwing down spikes
not to bring the vibe down, but my guess is that after tonight Trump will probably double down on gerrymandering, voter suppression, and intimidation as tactics to disincentivize Dem turnout ahead of next year‘s midterms. (with margins like these, it won’t matter, but it’s a time to be vigilant)
November 5, 2025 at 3:57 AM
what we saw tonight can help blunt some fear about these tactics: people don’r like them, & the more they see others don’t either, the less effective the tactics will be
Authoritarian breakthrough here depends on a glide path over the American people, & the American people are throwing down spikes
Authoritarian breakthrough here depends on a glide path over the American people, & the American people are throwing down spikes
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
Meta annually earns $16 billion (with a "b") on ads built to defraud people.
It's so bad that Meta itself admits that its advertising tools and platforms have made it a pillar of the global scam economy.
Reporting by Reuters.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
It's so bad that Meta itself admits that its advertising tools and platforms have made it a pillar of the global scam economy.
Reporting by Reuters.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
November 6, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Meta annually earns $16 billion (with a "b") on ads built to defraud people.
It's so bad that Meta itself admits that its advertising tools and platforms have made it a pillar of the global scam economy.
Reporting by Reuters.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
It's so bad that Meta itself admits that its advertising tools and platforms have made it a pillar of the global scam economy.
Reporting by Reuters.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
Happy to share my latest piece at Foreign Policy w/ @drpowell.bsky.social. Madagascar’s recent coup reflects a wider “coupvolution” trend - civilians help topple leaders, only to be sidelined once the military takes over. Here's what they can do.
foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/06/m...
foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/06/m...
Madagascar’s ‘Coupvolution’ Is Following a Familiar Pattern
Gen Z protesters now have buyer's remorse.
foreignpolicy.com
November 6, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Happy to share my latest piece at Foreign Policy w/ @drpowell.bsky.social. Madagascar’s recent coup reflects a wider “coupvolution” trend - civilians help topple leaders, only to be sidelined once the military takes over. Here's what they can do.
foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/06/m...
foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/06/m...
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
Friends— here it is. Updated & expanded thanks to the space afforded to me in the @therumpus.net & the guidance of the brilliant @roxanegay.bsky.social’s edits. The win centers Muslims humanity — but what does that mean in a country that rejects that?
therumpus.net/2025/11/05/z...
therumpus.net/2025/11/05/z...
November 5, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Friends— here it is. Updated & expanded thanks to the space afforded to me in the @therumpus.net & the guidance of the brilliant @roxanegay.bsky.social’s edits. The win centers Muslims humanity — but what does that mean in a country that rejects that?
therumpus.net/2025/11/05/z...
therumpus.net/2025/11/05/z...
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
It’s been like this for at least 9 years.
Making death threats against people you’re mad at is everyday behavior for many “regular” Republicans.
These are people who deliberately *encourage* extremists to basically “do their thing” to the enemy du jour that Libs of TikTok or whatever put on blast
Making death threats against people you’re mad at is everyday behavior for many “regular” Republicans.
These are people who deliberately *encourage* extremists to basically “do their thing” to the enemy du jour that Libs of TikTok or whatever put on blast
What shocked me most about the death threats sent to teachers in Arizona in recent days was that they didn't come from extremists on fringe platforms, these were sent from seemingly regular people on Facebook.
Here's a sample of what they sent:
www.wired.com/story/arizon...
Here's a sample of what they sent:
www.wired.com/story/arizon...
November 5, 2025 at 4:56 PM
It’s been like this for at least 9 years.
Making death threats against people you’re mad at is everyday behavior for many “regular” Republicans.
These are people who deliberately *encourage* extremists to basically “do their thing” to the enemy du jour that Libs of TikTok or whatever put on blast
Making death threats against people you’re mad at is everyday behavior for many “regular” Republicans.
These are people who deliberately *encourage* extremists to basically “do their thing” to the enemy du jour that Libs of TikTok or whatever put on blast
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
“We haven’t stretched our protest/march muscles in a while, and it felt good to do so! It definitely was worth going out and talking to people about alternatives to marches and community organizing.”
November 4, 2025 at 8:07 PM
“We haven’t stretched our protest/march muscles in a while, and it felt good to do so! It definitely was worth going out and talking to people about alternatives to marches and community organizing.”
"While some organizers worried that fears of deportation would cast a pall on public celebrations, participants turned out in droves in cities big and small, saying the rituals brought a much-needed sense of resilience and community pride.
'We decided we can’t cave.'"
'We decided we can’t cave.'"
Joyful Day of the Dead commemorations rally US Latino communities despite immigration raid fears
Day of the Dead commemorations in early November are a crucial religious, family and community celebration for most Mexicans and many other Latin Americans.
apnews.com
November 3, 2025 at 11:39 AM
"While some organizers worried that fears of deportation would cast a pall on public celebrations, participants turned out in droves in cities big and small, saying the rituals brought a much-needed sense of resilience and community pride.
'We decided we can’t cave.'"
'We decided we can’t cave.'"
I miss having my kids around for Halloween. Macabre holidays are the best. Here's some of the lawn decorating they did way back in 2013. I'll never top this.
October 31, 2025 at 6:27 PM
I miss having my kids around for Halloween. Macabre holidays are the best. Here's some of the lawn decorating they did way back in 2013. I'll never top this.
We do need more intellectual diversity in US higher ed. To make that happen, institutions need to try harder to include communist, socialist, and anarchist perspectives, which have been othered in American culture forever. The rest of the spectrum is already pretty well represented.
October 31, 2025 at 1:41 PM
We do need more intellectual diversity in US higher ed. To make that happen, institutions need to try harder to include communist, socialist, and anarchist perspectives, which have been othered in American culture forever. The rest of the spectrum is already pretty well represented.
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
This is something @aaronwinter.bsky.social and I explored in our report for the @runnymedetrust.bsky.social in the lead up to the 2024 election
Once more, the key question is not whether immigration is a popular concern, but why it has been made so
www.runnymedetrust.org/publications...
Once more, the key question is not whether immigration is a popular concern, but why it has been made so
www.runnymedetrust.org/publications...
October 31, 2025 at 11:25 AM
This is something @aaronwinter.bsky.social and I explored in our report for the @runnymedetrust.bsky.social in the lead up to the 2024 election
Once more, the key question is not whether immigration is a popular concern, but why it has been made so
www.runnymedetrust.org/publications...
Once more, the key question is not whether immigration is a popular concern, but why it has been made so
www.runnymedetrust.org/publications...
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
Released 44 years ago
"Nazi Punks Fuck Off", the fifth and most important single by the Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys - Nazi Punks Fuck Off (In Studio)
#punk #punks #punkrock #DeadKennedys #nazipunksfuckoff #history #punkrockhistory
"Nazi Punks Fuck Off", the fifth and most important single by the Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys - Nazi Punks Fuck Off (In Studio)
#punk #punks #punkrock #DeadKennedys #nazipunksfuckoff #history #punkrockhistory
October 30, 2025 at 4:03 AM
Released 44 years ago
"Nazi Punks Fuck Off", the fifth and most important single by the Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys - Nazi Punks Fuck Off (In Studio)
#punk #punks #punkrock #DeadKennedys #nazipunksfuckoff #history #punkrockhistory
"Nazi Punks Fuck Off", the fifth and most important single by the Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys - Nazi Punks Fuck Off (In Studio)
#punk #punks #punkrock #DeadKennedys #nazipunksfuckoff #history #punkrockhistory
This tracks with my personal experience: "As casual users disengage and polarized partisans remain vocal, the online public sphere grows smaller, sharper, and more ideologically extreme."
Is social media dying? How much has Twitter changed as it became X? Which party now dominates the conversation?
Using nationally representative ANES data from 2020 & 2024, I map how the U.S. social media landscape has transformed.
Here are the key take-aways 🧵
arxiv.org/abs/2510.25417
Using nationally representative ANES data from 2020 & 2024, I map how the U.S. social media landscape has transformed.
Here are the key take-aways 🧵
arxiv.org/abs/2510.25417
October 30, 2025 at 11:35 AM
This tracks with my personal experience: "As casual users disengage and polarized partisans remain vocal, the online public sphere grows smaller, sharper, and more ideologically extreme."
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
I really want cis folks to understand the situation - trans women face widespread employment discrimination and live in devastating poverty.
Meanwhile, the woman who came in fifth place in a swimming competition, ONCE, makes a million+ a year to advocate for destroying our rights.
Meanwhile, the woman who came in fifth place in a swimming competition, ONCE, makes a million+ a year to advocate for destroying our rights.
If Riley's doing speeches 40 times a year, assuming breaks, she'd be making between $600,000 and $999,960 a year pre-tax. She's a fucking millionaire who has made her entire career of harassing a singular trans woman into exile. I legit thought Lia Thomas was dead until she did a recent interview.
October 29, 2025 at 1:44 PM
I really want cis folks to understand the situation - trans women face widespread employment discrimination and live in devastating poverty.
Meanwhile, the woman who came in fifth place in a swimming competition, ONCE, makes a million+ a year to advocate for destroying our rights.
Meanwhile, the woman who came in fifth place in a swimming competition, ONCE, makes a million+ a year to advocate for destroying our rights.
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
“There is a reason why federal agents know exactly where to do detentions and jumpouts. MPD has surveilled Black and Brown people in DC for years, and their collaboration has given feds a demographic and cultural map of our communities.” @dcmigrantmutualaid.org
October 29, 2025 at 2:25 PM
“There is a reason why federal agents know exactly where to do detentions and jumpouts. MPD has surveilled Black and Brown people in DC for years, and their collaboration has given feds a demographic and cultural map of our communities.” @dcmigrantmutualaid.org
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
“I find it hard to imagine that we would be having this conversation at all were Platner anything other than a fit middle-aged white guy who dresses like a stock photo of a “real man.’”
Straight to the point, as usual from @tressiemcphd.bsky.social
Straight to the point, as usual from @tressiemcphd.bsky.social
Opinion | A Nazi Tattoo Exposes Democrats’ Greatest Weakness
www.nytimes.com
October 29, 2025 at 12:53 PM
“I find it hard to imagine that we would be having this conversation at all were Platner anything other than a fit middle-aged white guy who dresses like a stock photo of a “real man.’”
Straight to the point, as usual from @tressiemcphd.bsky.social
Straight to the point, as usual from @tressiemcphd.bsky.social
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
I have tried to go after this strategic blur.... "The idea that the working class is white men too readily becomes a justification for politics that pander to white male prejudices and entitlements. Framed that way, it often seems to mean: shut up about rights for women and non-white people."
What does it actually mean when we talk about the American ‘working class’? | Rebecca Solnit
Everyone I asked gave a different definition – and when a concept is so nebulous, it becomes a political cudgel
www.theguardian.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:04 PM
I have tried to go after this strategic blur.... "The idea that the working class is white men too readily becomes a justification for politics that pander to white male prejudices and entitlements. Framed that way, it often seems to mean: shut up about rights for women and non-white people."
Reposted by Jay Ulfelder
A great list of orgs to get help from, to donate to, & to get involved with to support and defend our neighbors in DC!
Four weeks into the federal shutdown, rent is about to be due and next month’s SNAP benefits are at risk.
We previously made this list of ways to give and receive help locally — but need your help: Where else can our neighbors find food?
Share any meal or grocery distributions you know of ⬇️
We previously made this list of ways to give and receive help locally — but need your help: Where else can our neighbors find food?
Share any meal or grocery distributions you know of ⬇️
A guide to giving and receiving help in D.C.
Where to find all kinds of assistance, from legal aid to food donations to political organizing.
51st.news
October 28, 2025 at 9:19 PM
A great list of orgs to get help from, to donate to, & to get involved with to support and defend our neighbors in DC!