Matthew Borus
@matthewborus.bsky.social
Sociologist, social work faculty
Posting topics include community, disability, social welfare, Chicago, social movements, organizing, policy, the state, labor, coffee, and various nerdy side trips. Personal account
Posting topics include community, disability, social welfare, Chicago, social movements, organizing, policy, the state, labor, coffee, and various nerdy side trips. Personal account
Pinned
Matthew Borus
@matthewborus.bsky.social
· Feb 26
Cutting Medicaid and federal programs are among 4 key Trump administration policy changes that could make life harder for disabled people
Tracking disability policies has long been challenging − this will become a harder task under the Trump administration.
theconversation.com
New from me: A look at four (of many) areas where Trump and his GOP allies threaten to roll back disability policy:
-Disability rights at work
-Cuts to the federal workforce
-Education
-Health care, both in terms of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid
Please check it out!
-Disability rights at work
-Cuts to the federal workforce
-Education
-Health care, both in terms of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid
Please check it out!
Riding a transit system for the first time is a special thing, and I’m doing it.
Twin Cities light rail, woo!
Twin Cities light rail, woo!
November 11, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Riding a transit system for the first time is a special thing, and I’m doing it.
Twin Cities light rail, woo!
Twin Cities light rail, woo!
Reposted by Matthew Borus
I was reminded this month that if you’re ordering books, Powell’s has a huge online selection, and it’s not Amazon.
(In fact, workers there are union. With ILWU, no less.)
(In fact, workers there are union. With ILWU, no less.)
December 30, 2024 at 3:51 PM
I was reminded this month that if you’re ordering books, Powell’s has a huge online selection, and it’s not Amazon.
(In fact, workers there are union. With ILWU, no less.)
(In fact, workers there are union. With ILWU, no less.)
I learned this weekend that there’s a family edition of Cards Against Humanity, which I played with my niblings.
Pretty fun if you don’t mind a lot of scatalogical humor.
Pretty fun if you don’t mind a lot of scatalogical humor.
November 10, 2025 at 4:57 PM
I learned this weekend that there’s a family edition of Cards Against Humanity, which I played with my niblings.
Pretty fun if you don’t mind a lot of scatalogical humor.
Pretty fun if you don’t mind a lot of scatalogical humor.
Schumer out as Leader.
Durbin out as Whip.
It’s got a rhythm to it, and it’s easy to chant. And it’s the bare minimum for this excuse of a party.
Durbin out as Whip.
It’s got a rhythm to it, and it’s easy to chant. And it’s the bare minimum for this excuse of a party.
The coordinated nature of this—none are facing voters in 2026—means that either Schumer approved it or failed in his job as Senate Majority Leader to stop it.
Dems voting "no" get zero credit until they demand a change in leadership. Schumer out as Leader, Durbin out as Whip.
Dems voting "no" get zero credit until they demand a change in leadership. Schumer out as Leader, Durbin out as Whip.
so currently defectors are:
Kaine (2030)
Shaheen (Retiring)
Hasan (2028)
Fetterman (2028)
Durbin (Retiring)
CCM (2028)
Rosen (2030)
King (2030)
Kaine (2030)
Shaheen (Retiring)
Hasan (2028)
Fetterman (2028)
Durbin (Retiring)
CCM (2028)
Rosen (2030)
King (2030)
November 10, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Schumer out as Leader.
Durbin out as Whip.
It’s got a rhythm to it, and it’s easy to chant. And it’s the bare minimum for this excuse of a party.
Durbin out as Whip.
It’s got a rhythm to it, and it’s easy to chant. And it’s the bare minimum for this excuse of a party.
Reposted by Matthew Borus
Every few weeks we gotta make posts like this”call your dem reps to tell them to not vote to allow Lord Killdude to shove people into a volcano” and then the dem reps go “we’ve made an amazing deal where Lord Killdude can have his volcano so long as he promises not to shove people into it”
November 10, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Every few weeks we gotta make posts like this”call your dem reps to tell them to not vote to allow Lord Killdude to shove people into a volcano” and then the dem reps go “we’ve made an amazing deal where Lord Killdude can have his volcano so long as he promises not to shove people into it”
Reposted by Matthew Borus
Mamdani is going to implement shakshuka law. Looks delicious.
November 9, 2025 at 3:29 AM
Mamdani is going to implement shakshuka law. Looks delicious.
Reposted by Matthew Borus
I opened the `Friends of Alf` team for anyone who wants to go hector *their* mutuals to chip in. Open invite--go raise some money, have some fun with it
Gonna commandeer the podcast recording tonight to talk about it, maybe dust off the Stupid Stream Kit this week and make some of you come hang out
Gonna commandeer the podcast recording tonight to talk about it, maybe dust off the Stupid Stream Kit this week and make some of you come hang out
I'm supporting Feeding America!
To feed America’s hungry through food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger
teamfeed.feedingamerica.org
November 2, 2025 at 8:54 PM
I opened the `Friends of Alf` team for anyone who wants to go hector *their* mutuals to chip in. Open invite--go raise some money, have some fun with it
Gonna commandeer the podcast recording tonight to talk about it, maybe dust off the Stupid Stream Kit this week and make some of you come hang out
Gonna commandeer the podcast recording tonight to talk about it, maybe dust off the Stupid Stream Kit this week and make some of you come hang out
Reposted by Matthew Borus
New — While some states have received SNAP benefits for November and USDA is supposedly pushing through all federal payments soon, that doesn’t erase the psychological terror of the last few weeks.
I spoke with 20+ SNAP recipients in 16 states about preparing for a possible future with no food:
I spoke with 20+ SNAP recipients in 16 states about preparing for a possible future with no food:
The voices of SNAP
Recipients have become political pawns. They explained, in their own words, what Trump withholding funds has been like.
www.thehandbasket.co
November 7, 2025 at 10:55 PM
New — While some states have received SNAP benefits for November and USDA is supposedly pushing through all federal payments soon, that doesn’t erase the psychological terror of the last few weeks.
I spoke with 20+ SNAP recipients in 16 states about preparing for a possible future with no food:
I spoke with 20+ SNAP recipients in 16 states about preparing for a possible future with no food:
I am still struck by and grateful for this line.
There’s good reason to be wary of state power. But the right has successfully taught many people to assume that any government effort will fail.
And that’s bred cynicism toward the very idea of the social. We need to fight that on multiple levels.
There’s good reason to be wary of state power. But the right has successfully taught many people to assume that any government effort will fail.
And that’s bred cynicism toward the very idea of the social. We need to fight that on multiple levels.
"This new age will be defined by a competence and a compassion that have too long been placed at odds with one another. We will prove that there is no problem too large for government to solve, and no concern too small for it to care about."
Perhaps Z's most radical AND pragmatic line last night.
Perhaps Z's most radical AND pragmatic line last night.
November 7, 2025 at 5:52 PM
I am still struck by and grateful for this line.
There’s good reason to be wary of state power. But the right has successfully taught many people to assume that any government effort will fail.
And that’s bred cynicism toward the very idea of the social. We need to fight that on multiple levels.
There’s good reason to be wary of state power. But the right has successfully taught many people to assume that any government effort will fail.
And that’s bred cynicism toward the very idea of the social. We need to fight that on multiple levels.
Do cowboys ever become cow men?
Do they mark that transition with a cow bar mitzvah?
Do they mark that transition with a cow bar mitzvah?
November 7, 2025 at 5:42 AM
Do cowboys ever become cow men?
Do they mark that transition with a cow bar mitzvah?
Do they mark that transition with a cow bar mitzvah?
Reposted by Matthew Borus
"World's first potential trillionaire has killed 600,000 people, including 400,000 children" is the only headline that anyone should ever read about Elon Musk
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 1:33 AM
"World's first potential trillionaire has killed 600,000 people, including 400,000 children" is the only headline that anyone should ever read about Elon Musk
Reposted by Matthew Borus
About an hour after Ellis entered this injunction, a group of agents, including Bovino, drove away from a Southwest Side gas station where they were confronted by protestors, and fired a round of pepper balls at a sedan that pulled up alongside their vehicle, reports @chicagotribune.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:38 AM
About an hour after Ellis entered this injunction, a group of agents, including Bovino, drove away from a Southwest Side gas station where they were confronted by protestors, and fired a round of pepper balls at a sedan that pulled up alongside their vehicle, reports @chicagotribune.com
Reposted by Matthew Borus
We been here for years (1828).
November 6, 2025 at 7:49 PM
We been here for years (1828).
Reposted by Matthew Borus
BREAKING: A federal judge finds the Trump administration "did not comply" with his order.
A hearing has begun over the enforcement of a federal judge's order to fund SNAP benefits through November.
Plaintiffs say Trump is holding "full SNAP benefits hostage for political leverage during the shutdown."
Coverage ahead
www.allrisenews.com/p/snap-judgm...
Plaintiffs say Trump is holding "full SNAP benefits hostage for political leverage during the shutdown."
Coverage ahead
www.allrisenews.com/p/snap-judgm...
Rising This Week: SNAP judgments
It took orders from two federal judges and a tsunami of calls to Congress for Trump to express concern for millions of Americans affected by his plans to suspend food assistance.
www.allrisenews.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:51 PM
BREAKING: A federal judge finds the Trump administration "did not comply" with his order.
Reposted by Matthew Borus
The fact that Greg Bovino himself, the head of Border Patrol operations in the area, is on video tossing a tear gas canister…
It would be hard for him to be more plainly in contempt of Judge Ellis’ order unless he actively threw it in her courtroom.
It would be hard for him to be more plainly in contempt of Judge Ellis’ order unless he actively threw it in her courtroom.
“Tricia McLaughlin said protesters “shot at agents” with fireworks and threw objects at agents [and] Agents...gave protesters multiple warnings.
The video of the incident does not show protesters throwing rocks or fireworks at agents, nor can agents be heard warning protesters.”
The video of the incident does not show protesters throwing rocks or fireworks at agents, nor can agents be heard warning protesters.”
Border Patrol Boss Bovino Tear-Gasses Chicago Crowd, Violating Judge’s Order, Lawyers Say
New video shows Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino tossing a tear gas canister toward people in Little Village Thursday. Attorneys in an ongoing lawsuit over force against peaceful protesters say Bovino ...
blockclubchicago.org
October 24, 2025 at 5:34 PM
The fact that Greg Bovino himself, the head of Border Patrol operations in the area, is on video tossing a tear gas canister…
It would be hard for him to be more plainly in contempt of Judge Ellis’ order unless he actively threw it in her courtroom.
It would be hard for him to be more plainly in contempt of Judge Ellis’ order unless he actively threw it in her courtroom.
Reposted by Matthew Borus
the leader of the department of health literally runs away
everybody else rushes to the hurt guy and the Make America Healthy Again guy says "I gotta get outta here"
let a hundred gifs bloom
everybody else rushes to the hurt guy and the Make America Healthy Again guy says "I gotta get outta here"
let a hundred gifs bloom
holy shit -- one of Trump's toadies just passed out and the White House event is brought to an abrupt end
November 6, 2025 at 6:15 PM
the leader of the department of health literally runs away
everybody else rushes to the hurt guy and the Make America Healthy Again guy says "I gotta get outta here"
let a hundred gifs bloom
everybody else rushes to the hurt guy and the Make America Healthy Again guy says "I gotta get outta here"
let a hundred gifs bloom
Reposted by Matthew Borus
I love that the ruling is “Chicago fucking rules, fuck the liars and the haters”
After reading Carl Sandburg's "Chicago' poem in full in open court this morning, Federal Judge Sarah Ellis says this about our city:
It should go without saying that is she correct & Donald Trump is lying. #chicago
It should go without saying that is she correct & Donald Trump is lying. #chicago
November 6, 2025 at 5:10 PM
I love that the ruling is “Chicago fucking rules, fuck the liars and the haters”
Real heads love to see a water crib from a plane window.
November 6, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Real heads love to see a water crib from a plane window.
I’m at O’Hare en route somewhere else. Chicago’s so beautiful. I love this city and I miss y’all.
November 6, 2025 at 5:41 PM
I’m at O’Hare en route somewhere else. Chicago’s so beautiful. I love this city and I miss y’all.
Reposted by Matthew Borus
Ellis: The use of force during the Trump administration's Operation Midway Blitz "shocks the conscience."
November 6, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Ellis: The use of force during the Trump administration's Operation Midway Blitz "shocks the conscience."
Reposted by Matthew Borus
Despite bad-faith accusations of antisemitism, Mamdani and Lander’s joint campaign is one of the most prominent examples of Jewish-Muslim solidarity in the US in recent memory.
"Among 469,018 ballots that ranked Mamdani first, 308,683 ranked Lander second."
Damn. Two-thirds of Mamdani voters ranked Lander second.
Damn. Two-thirds of Mamdani voters ranked Lander second.
“No-Cuomo voters made up 70% of fully completed ballots.” ✊✊✊ gothamist.com/news/how-did...
July 24, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Despite bad-faith accusations of antisemitism, Mamdani and Lander’s joint campaign is one of the most prominent examples of Jewish-Muslim solidarity in the US in recent memory.
The Chicago Democratic machine used to have torchlight parades the night before an election. I remember seeing a passing reference to this in a book about Daley and being amazed.
Can we build back civic ritual without the corruption, racism, and personalism of machine politics?
Can we build back civic ritual without the corruption, racism, and personalism of machine politics?
Effective political machines weren't just about graft and kickbacks.
They also gave young people an opportunity to 1) meet like-minded young people, and 2) feel like active participants in the political process.
They also gave young people an opportunity to 1) meet like-minded young people, and 2) feel like active participants in the political process.
ah, perhaps instead of pumping millions into endless factional infighting Dem donors could invest in making local Dem organizations genuine civic spaces that can reach people during and between elections
November 5, 2025 at 10:06 PM
The Chicago Democratic machine used to have torchlight parades the night before an election. I remember seeing a passing reference to this in a book about Daley and being amazed.
Can we build back civic ritual without the corruption, racism, and personalism of machine politics?
Can we build back civic ritual without the corruption, racism, and personalism of machine politics?
Sorry, reports are coming in that I got a haircut. I retract my previous retraction.
I take back everything I said about Zohran. His confiscatory socialist policies stole approximately 70% of my hair by volume.
November 5, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Sorry, reports are coming in that I got a haircut. I retract my previous retraction.