Jeff Lazarus
@jlazarus.bsky.social
On here way too much. Political scientist at Georgia State University. Congress & elections. My feed is mostly politics but you’ll get some sports takes and terrible dad jokes along the way.
Pinned
Reposted by Jeff Lazarus
Yep, I've got a History degree and the lessons from it are far less predictive of what will happen in contemporary society than Gender Studies and Critical Race Theory, which are like that sports almanac in Back to the Future II.
kind of darkly funny that "gender studies" is the stereotypical "useless degree" because gender studies will help you understand a large and important chunk of the current psychosis in american life
January 6, 2026 at 11:06 AM
Yep, I've got a History degree and the lessons from it are far less predictive of what will happen in contemporary society than Gender Studies and Critical Race Theory, which are like that sports almanac in Back to the Future II.
Reposted by Jeff Lazarus
Statements like “international law is gay” are why we need gender studies
right. and like it's not like they're hiding it now. all of the major pundits (knowles + walsh) basically think the takeaway from Iraq War was not that PNAC was right to want to build democracy, but a world that is explicitly built around turning America into an empire
January 6, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Statements like “international law is gay” are why we need gender studies
Reposted by Jeff Lazarus
To all claiming that because the Dems are in the minority they "can't do anything," here's a 🧵 about what the minority can do—and have done.
It's not a lack of options; it's a lack of willingness. It's not as easy as "going viral" while "destroying a witness." 🙄
Most don't want to make the effort.
It's not a lack of options; it's a lack of willingness. It's not as easy as "going viral" while "destroying a witness." 🙄
Most don't want to make the effort.
There are things the minority in Congress can do, though it takes time, work, and commitment. Sometimes, a stunt is enough. But most of the time, you have to follow through.
In 2010, when Dems held the majority, I ran a hearing on electronic records.
Andrew McLaughlin was then in the news for 🧵
In 2010, when Dems held the majority, I ran a hearing on electronic records.
Andrew McLaughlin was then in the news for 🧵
January 6, 2026 at 5:31 AM
To all claiming that because the Dems are in the minority they "can't do anything," here's a 🧵 about what the minority can do—and have done.
It's not a lack of options; it's a lack of willingness. It's not as easy as "going viral" while "destroying a witness." 🙄
Most don't want to make the effort.
It's not a lack of options; it's a lack of willingness. It's not as easy as "going viral" while "destroying a witness." 🙄
Most don't want to make the effort.
Thank you for the reminder that no matter how dumb things get they can always get dumber.
Hannity: Did you at any point offered to give him the Nobel peace prize?
Machado: It hasn’t happened yet. We want to give it to him. Share it with him.
Machado: It hasn’t happened yet. We want to give it to him. Share it with him.
January 6, 2026 at 5:32 AM
Thank you for the reminder that no matter how dumb things get they can always get dumber.
Reposted by Jeff Lazarus
🚨BREAKING: DOJ admits it has only released 12,285 documents required by Epstein Files Transparency Act. More than 2 million documents still need to be reviewed/released. DOJ is in violation of federal law that required release by Dec. 19.
More from Democracy Docket in am. www.democracydocket.com
More from Democracy Docket in am. www.democracydocket.com
January 6, 2026 at 3:31 AM
🚨BREAKING: DOJ admits it has only released 12,285 documents required by Epstein Files Transparency Act. More than 2 million documents still need to be reviewed/released. DOJ is in violation of federal law that required release by Dec. 19.
More from Democracy Docket in am. www.democracydocket.com
More from Democracy Docket in am. www.democracydocket.com
Paying college athletes is the morally correct thing to do and at the same time it has also killed any interest I have in watching college football & basketball.
This place needs some Innocuous Discourse pronto. Quote this with a take that’s not political or aggressive
January 6, 2026 at 5:00 AM
Paying college athletes is the morally correct thing to do and at the same time it has also killed any interest I have in watching college football & basketball.
Reposted by Jeff Lazarus
I wrote section 230 to protect user speech, not a company's own speech. I've long said AI chatbot outputs are not protected by 230 and that it is not a close call. Given that the Trump administration is going to the mat to protect pedophiles, states should step in to hold Musk and X accountable.
I am not a Section 230 expert but being that Twitter is creating and publishing these photos I wonder if they actually have any civil legal protection? @kenwhite.bsky.social ? @akivamcohen.bsky.social ?
What X is allowing Grok to do is unlawful or regulatory-illegal in multiple jurisdictions, creates clear DSA violations, and continues despite regulator scrutiny. The images do not need to be pornographic, non-consensual sexualised or intimate depictions are enough.
January 5, 2026 at 11:10 PM
I wrote section 230 to protect user speech, not a company's own speech. I've long said AI chatbot outputs are not protected by 230 and that it is not a close call. Given that the Trump administration is going to the mat to protect pedophiles, states should step in to hold Musk and X accountable.
In 2016 if you had asked me what’s the stupidest possible thing I see the U.S. doing in ten years, there’s no way I would’ve come up with anything nearly as dumb as saber rattling a NATO ally over military control of Greenland. Not even close.
January 6, 2026 at 4:53 AM
In 2016 if you had asked me what’s the stupidest possible thing I see the U.S. doing in ten years, there’s no way I would’ve come up with anything nearly as dumb as saber rattling a NATO ally over military control of Greenland. Not even close.
I’d also like a pony.
I think the Greenland threat is a troll. I think.
But it would sure be nice for some senators and GOP house members to speak up now and make it clear that an attack on a nato ally would lead to removal from office
But it would sure be nice for some senators and GOP house members to speak up now and make it clear that an attack on a nato ally would lead to removal from office
January 6, 2026 at 4:44 AM
I’d also like a pony.
Reposted by Jeff Lazarus
We underestimate how impactful harassment and threats of violence are on politicians. Clear, large uptick in the number of major incumbent politicians not running/retiring specifically due to harassments and threats of violence. The harassers are like 0.1% of the population but hugely impactful.
January 6, 2026 at 2:50 AM
We underestimate how impactful harassment and threats of violence are on politicians. Clear, large uptick in the number of major incumbent politicians not running/retiring specifically due to harassments and threats of violence. The harassers are like 0.1% of the population but hugely impactful.
Reposted by Jeff Lazarus
I don't know how else to say this: every biographer of Donald Trump understands that he doesn't care about human suffering.
Not one iota.
Not in the United States, not anywhere else.
Not among children, not among animals.
He is, *journalistically speaking*, an actual monster.
Not one iota.
Not in the United States, not anywhere else.
Not among children, not among animals.
He is, *journalistically speaking*, an actual monster.
January 5, 2026 at 9:08 PM
I don't know how else to say this: every biographer of Donald Trump understands that he doesn't care about human suffering.
Not one iota.
Not in the United States, not anywhere else.
Not among children, not among animals.
He is, *journalistically speaking*, an actual monster.
Not one iota.
Not in the United States, not anywhere else.
Not among children, not among animals.
He is, *journalistically speaking*, an actual monster.
Reposted by Jeff Lazarus
A related problem is that models for mainstream news, K-12, and higher ed functionally forbid saying that Republicans are the primary problem in American politics, even tho ignoring that fact undermines their supposed missions to inform.
yep. i can identify any number of structural issues but at the end of the day the basic problem is the republican party. this has been apparent for at least 20 years. it is also an incredibly unpopular observation to make among “serious” people.
Right.
If you want a good explanation of why the American system of government worked well enough for 200 years and then suddenly stopped, it's because Republicans in Congress suddenly started letting their partisan interests COMPLETELY override their institutional interests
If you want a good explanation of why the American system of government worked well enough for 200 years and then suddenly stopped, it's because Republicans in Congress suddenly started letting their partisan interests COMPLETELY override their institutional interests
January 5, 2026 at 6:29 PM
A related problem is that models for mainstream news, K-12, and higher ed functionally forbid saying that Republicans are the primary problem in American politics, even tho ignoring that fact undermines their supposed missions to inform.
Reposted by Jeff Lazarus
yep. i can identify any number of structural issues but at the end of the day the basic problem is the republican party. this has been apparent for at least 20 years. it is also an incredibly unpopular observation to make among “serious” people.
Right.
If you want a good explanation of why the American system of government worked well enough for 200 years and then suddenly stopped, it's because Republicans in Congress suddenly started letting their partisan interests COMPLETELY override their institutional interests
If you want a good explanation of why the American system of government worked well enough for 200 years and then suddenly stopped, it's because Republicans in Congress suddenly started letting their partisan interests COMPLETELY override their institutional interests
a lot of problems wouldn't exist if we had a congress with even an ounce of self interest
January 4, 2026 at 11:52 PM
yep. i can identify any number of structural issues but at the end of the day the basic problem is the republican party. this has been apparent for at least 20 years. it is also an incredibly unpopular observation to make among “serious” people.
Reposted by Jeff Lazarus
I don’t like to throw around the term rape culture often for a variety of reasons, but this? THIS is rape culture.
It exists to intimidate women into minimizing their public prominence, which serves to strengthen male dominance in culture, society, and politics.
It exists to intimidate women into minimizing their public prominence, which serves to strengthen male dominance in culture, society, and politics.
One example of how Grok is being used to target women. Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch being sexualised, degraded, and humiliated step-by-step by Grok. All the images accurately reflect the prompts provided.
January 5, 2026 at 5:58 PM
I don’t like to throw around the term rape culture often for a variety of reasons, but this? THIS is rape culture.
It exists to intimidate women into minimizing their public prominence, which serves to strengthen male dominance in culture, society, and politics.
It exists to intimidate women into minimizing their public prominence, which serves to strengthen male dominance in culture, society, and politics.
Reposted by Jeff Lazarus
What in the Gestapo is going on in Grand Rapids?
Watch this activist get arrested *mid-interview* for speaking out against U.S. action in Venezuela.
Watch this activist get arrested *mid-interview* for speaking out against U.S. action in Venezuela.
January 5, 2026 at 4:12 PM
What in the Gestapo is going on in Grand Rapids?
Watch this activist get arrested *mid-interview* for speaking out against U.S. action in Venezuela.
Watch this activist get arrested *mid-interview* for speaking out against U.S. action in Venezuela.
Reposted by Jeff Lazarus
Spot on in @atrupar.com’ s PN:
“We have the foreign policy of a personalist dictatorship” — and the dictator’s personal preference is to watch TV shows in which the US military blows things up at his whim. What could go wrong? Unfortunately, we’re about to find out.
By @nberlat.bsky.social
“We have the foreign policy of a personalist dictatorship” — and the dictator’s personal preference is to watch TV shows in which the US military blows things up at his whim. What could go wrong? Unfortunately, we’re about to find out.
By @nberlat.bsky.social
Trump's Venezuela coup sends America down a dark path
He got a taste of violence and clearly wants more.
open.substack.com
January 5, 2026 at 2:27 PM
Spot on in @atrupar.com’ s PN:
“We have the foreign policy of a personalist dictatorship” — and the dictator’s personal preference is to watch TV shows in which the US military blows things up at his whim. What could go wrong? Unfortunately, we’re about to find out.
By @nberlat.bsky.social
“We have the foreign policy of a personalist dictatorship” — and the dictator’s personal preference is to watch TV shows in which the US military blows things up at his whim. What could go wrong? Unfortunately, we’re about to find out.
By @nberlat.bsky.social
Yesterday I said “emotional regulation of a toddler” but according to at least one subject matter expert that’s an overestimate.
Maybe but I think you might give them too much credit. They are not playing 4D chess here, they are not even playing checkers. They are playing the thing my 1 year old niece does where she repeatedly bangs on a toy and it makes a moo sound.
January 5, 2026 at 3:22 PM
Yesterday I said “emotional regulation of a toddler” but according to at least one subject matter expert that’s an overestimate.
Reposted by Jeff Lazarus
Maybe but I think you might give them too much credit. They are not playing 4D chess here, they are not even playing checkers. They are playing the thing my 1 year old niece does where she repeatedly bangs on a toy and it makes a moo sound.
January 5, 2026 at 2:28 PM
Maybe but I think you might give them too much credit. They are not playing 4D chess here, they are not even playing checkers. They are playing the thing my 1 year old niece does where she repeatedly bangs on a toy and it makes a moo sound.
Reposted by Jeff Lazarus
language note: don't say 'congress' when you mean 'congressional republicans'
January 5, 2026 at 2:47 PM
language note: don't say 'congress' when you mean 'congressional republicans'
Holy shit this game.
January 5, 2026 at 4:35 AM
Holy shit this game.
I’m not sure there’s another quarterback in the league who can make that play.
January 5, 2026 at 3:57 AM
I’m not sure there’s another quarterback in the league who can make that play.
Our president has the emotional regulation of a toddler.
WH sources say Venezuela's opposition leader committed the "ultimate sin": She accepted the Nobel Peace prize.
“If she had turned it down and said, ‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’ she’d be the president of Venezuela today,” one said.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
“If she had turned it down and said, ‘I can’t accept it because it’s Donald Trump’s,’ she’d be the president of Venezuela today,” one said.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
January 5, 2026 at 3:18 AM
Our president has the emotional regulation of a toddler.
Reposted by Jeff Lazarus
The foreign policy of a personalist dictatorship. There are no constraints.
Trump in a single gaggle on Air Force One just threatened:
-- a second strike against Venezuela
-- Cuba
-- Mexico
-- Colombia
-- Iran
-- Greenland (which in turn would be an attack on the EU and Denmark)
-- a second strike against Venezuela
-- Cuba
-- Mexico
-- Colombia
-- Iran
-- Greenland (which in turn would be an attack on the EU and Denmark)
January 5, 2026 at 2:08 AM
The foreign policy of a personalist dictatorship. There are no constraints.