Mark Copelovitch
@mcopelov.bsky.social
Professor of Political Science & Public Affairs & Director of European Studies, University of Wisconsin - Madison. International political economy, international relations, & international finance. 🇺🇸 & 🇪🇺 politics & economic policy. Tradeoffs in everything.
This is the inevitable outcome of listening to people like Ezra Douthglesias & the Pollster Industrial Complex about What Democrats Must Do in the face of unprecedented authoritarianism, instead of being serious about What Democrats Must Do in the face of unprecedented authoritarianism.
Apparently the Democratic strategy memo went out, and it says there's too much criticism of Trump threatening longtime US allies, ruining America's most valuable alliance, and making the US a global villain in direct contrast to the image most Americans hold. Stop objecting or trying to prevent it.
The White House is laser focused on threatening a military takeover of Greenland.
Where’s the same focus on lowering costs?
Where’s the same focus on lowering costs?
January 7, 2026 at 5:07 PM
This is the inevitable outcome of listening to people like Ezra Douthglesias & the Pollster Industrial Complex about What Democrats Must Do in the face of unprecedented authoritarianism, instead of being serious about What Democrats Must Do in the face of unprecedented authoritarianism.
"That's one hell of an act you've got there. What do you call it?"
"The Kakistocrats!"
"The Kakistocrats!"
Hegseth takes the mic and starts denigrating a CNN reporter for asking a "disingenuous question," adding, "you're trying to find any angle possible to undermine the success of one of the most historic military missions the world has ever seen"
January 7, 2026 at 4:52 PM
"That's one hell of an act you've got there. What do you call it?"
"The Kakistocrats!"
"The Kakistocrats!"
Yes
And you, Brian Fitzpatrick, Don Bacon, Mike Lawler, and David Valadao, you absolute oath-violating cowards.
January 7, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Yes
Reposted by Mark Copelovitch
Constituents can do this too!
January 7, 2026 at 4:39 PM
Constituents can do this too!
Reposted by Mark Copelovitch
Again, one helpful way to start this process would be for journalists to go to Mike Johnson & John Thune's press conferences & simply ask, "When are you going to impeach & remove him for the obviously unprecedentedly illegal & unconstitutional crimes now happening daily?" over & over again:
This is the wrong question. You know the answer to this question.
The question is, “Since the president doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally seize oil from Venezuela or to commit any of these other unconstitutional crimes, when are you going to act to remove him in accordance with your oath?”
The question is, “Since the president doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally seize oil from Venezuela or to commit any of these other unconstitutional crimes, when are you going to act to remove him in accordance with your oath?”
Q: Does the president have the authority to unilaterally seize oil from Venezuela and use money from the sale of that oil as he sees fit?
MIKE JOHNSON: That's sanctioned oil, and I'm not gonna get up here and tell you the details of all these developments
MIKE JOHNSON: That's sanctioned oil, and I'm not gonna get up here and tell you the details of all these developments
January 7, 2026 at 4:39 PM
Again, one helpful way to start this process would be for journalists to go to Mike Johnson & John Thune's press conferences & simply ask, "When are you going to impeach & remove him for the obviously unprecedentedly illegal & unconstitutional crimes now happening daily?" over & over again:
Reposted by Mark Copelovitch
One way to get more Dems to start calling loudly & constantly for impeachment every day would be for everyone to stop giving total free passes to the Republicans whose votes are needed to impeach & remove. If only Dems get yelled at, it’s not surprising they’re timid. People respond to incentives.
Yes, Democrats are feckless & need new leaders & should be yelling every day on the Capitol steps about impeachment & removal. And yet, they could do all that, we’d all feel better, & it would <still require> Lisa Murkowski & company to stop violating their oaths & do the things. We need to focus.
Yes, Democrats should do 👇💯. Yes, every one should be calling for immediate impeachment & removal.
And, guess what? If every one of them did that, it <still wouldn't happen> until <Congressional Republicans do their damn jobs>. Thune, Johnson, & co. get total free passes every day. It's maddening.
And, guess what? If every one of them did that, it <still wouldn't happen> until <Congressional Republicans do their damn jobs>. Thune, Johnson, & co. get total free passes every day. It's maddening.
January 7, 2026 at 4:34 PM
One way to get more Dems to start calling loudly & constantly for impeachment every day would be for everyone to stop giving total free passes to the Republicans whose votes are needed to impeach & remove. If only Dems get yelled at, it’s not surprising they’re timid. People respond to incentives.
Again, one helpful way to start this process would be for journalists to go to Mike Johnson & John Thune's press conferences & simply ask, "When are you going to impeach & remove him for the obviously unprecedentedly illegal & unconstitutional crimes now happening daily?" over & over again:
This is the wrong question. You know the answer to this question.
The question is, “Since the president doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally seize oil from Venezuela or to commit any of these other unconstitutional crimes, when are you going to act to remove him in accordance with your oath?”
The question is, “Since the president doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally seize oil from Venezuela or to commit any of these other unconstitutional crimes, when are you going to act to remove him in accordance with your oath?”
Q: Does the president have the authority to unilaterally seize oil from Venezuela and use money from the sale of that oil as he sees fit?
MIKE JOHNSON: That's sanctioned oil, and I'm not gonna get up here and tell you the details of all these developments
MIKE JOHNSON: That's sanctioned oil, and I'm not gonna get up here and tell you the details of all these developments
January 7, 2026 at 4:39 PM
Again, one helpful way to start this process would be for journalists to go to Mike Johnson & John Thune's press conferences & simply ask, "When are you going to impeach & remove him for the obviously unprecedentedly illegal & unconstitutional crimes now happening daily?" over & over again:
One way to get more Dems to start calling loudly & constantly for impeachment every day would be for everyone to stop giving total free passes to the Republicans whose votes are needed to impeach & remove. If only Dems get yelled at, it’s not surprising they’re timid. People respond to incentives.
Yes, Democrats are feckless & need new leaders & should be yelling every day on the Capitol steps about impeachment & removal. And yet, they could do all that, we’d all feel better, & it would <still require> Lisa Murkowski & company to stop violating their oaths & do the things. We need to focus.
Yes, Democrats should do 👇💯. Yes, every one should be calling for immediate impeachment & removal.
And, guess what? If every one of them did that, it <still wouldn't happen> until <Congressional Republicans do their damn jobs>. Thune, Johnson, & co. get total free passes every day. It's maddening.
And, guess what? If every one of them did that, it <still wouldn't happen> until <Congressional Republicans do their damn jobs>. Thune, Johnson, & co. get total free passes every day. It's maddening.
January 7, 2026 at 4:34 PM
One way to get more Dems to start calling loudly & constantly for impeachment every day would be for everyone to stop giving total free passes to the Republicans whose votes are needed to impeach & remove. If only Dems get yelled at, it’s not surprising they’re timid. People respond to incentives.
👇🎯 Many folks seem to have the inability to hold two thoughts in their head at the same time:
1. Impeachment will only work if enough Republicans in Congress finally do their damn jobs & choose democracy over party
2. Democrats should nonetheless be calling for impeachment loudly & constantly
1. Impeachment will only work if enough Republicans in Congress finally do their damn jobs & choose democracy over party
2. Democrats should nonetheless be calling for impeachment loudly & constantly
Unreal how many Democrats—politicians, pundits, posters, etc—advocate complacency on the grounds that they won't get Republicans to remove Trump.
Yes, you draw public attention to Trump malfeasance, make Republicans publicly defend it, and distract the regime, but don't get Trump out of office. OK.
Yes, you draw public attention to Trump malfeasance, make Republicans publicly defend it, and distract the regime, but don't get Trump out of office. OK.
January 7, 2026 at 4:30 PM
👇🎯 Many folks seem to have the inability to hold two thoughts in their head at the same time:
1. Impeachment will only work if enough Republicans in Congress finally do their damn jobs & choose democracy over party
2. Democrats should nonetheless be calling for impeachment loudly & constantly
1. Impeachment will only work if enough Republicans in Congress finally do their damn jobs & choose democracy over party
2. Democrats should nonetheless be calling for impeachment loudly & constantly
Reposted by Mark Copelovitch
Surreal seeing Trump sweat over the possibility of impeachment, and implore Republicans to win/cheat in the midterms not for any legislative agenda but to avoid getting impeached, while leading Democrats go "oh no, not that" when asked about impeachment in the face egregiously impeachable offenses.
If impeachment is so useless, why does Trump fear it?
January 7, 2026 at 3:41 PM
Surreal seeing Trump sweat over the possibility of impeachment, and implore Republicans to win/cheat in the midterms not for any legislative agenda but to avoid getting impeached, while leading Democrats go "oh no, not that" when asked about impeachment in the face egregiously impeachable offenses.
Reposted by Mark Copelovitch
They can cut funding for social science, but they can't make social science less relevant to people's daily lives.
January 7, 2026 at 4:26 PM
They can cut funding for social science, but they can't make social science less relevant to people's daily lives.
Stop going to Johnson & Thune’s press conferences to be lied to. Start asking actual questions about why Congress has fully abdicated its power. Leave when they don’t answer & keep lying. Literally turn off the cameras & walk out. The entire model of “normal journalism” c.1945-2016 doesn’t work now.
January 7, 2026 at 4:19 PM
Stop going to Johnson & Thune’s press conferences to be lied to. Start asking actual questions about why Congress has fully abdicated its power. Leave when they don’t answer & keep lying. Literally turn off the cameras & walk out. The entire model of “normal journalism” c.1945-2016 doesn’t work now.
This is the wrong question. You know the answer to this question.
The question is, “Since the president doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally seize oil from Venezuela or to commit any of these other unconstitutional crimes, when are you going to act to remove him in accordance with your oath?”
The question is, “Since the president doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally seize oil from Venezuela or to commit any of these other unconstitutional crimes, when are you going to act to remove him in accordance with your oath?”
Q: Does the president have the authority to unilaterally seize oil from Venezuela and use money from the sale of that oil as he sees fit?
MIKE JOHNSON: That's sanctioned oil, and I'm not gonna get up here and tell you the details of all these developments
MIKE JOHNSON: That's sanctioned oil, and I'm not gonna get up here and tell you the details of all these developments
January 7, 2026 at 4:14 PM
This is the wrong question. You know the answer to this question.
The question is, “Since the president doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally seize oil from Venezuela or to commit any of these other unconstitutional crimes, when are you going to act to remove him in accordance with your oath?”
The question is, “Since the president doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally seize oil from Venezuela or to commit any of these other unconstitutional crimes, when are you going to act to remove him in accordance with your oath?”
Reposted by Mark Copelovitch
Lol how can you tell this administration is lying to you? Because oil hasn't been shipped in actual barrels in over a century
www.cnn.com/2026/01/06/b...
www.cnn.com/2026/01/06/b...
January 7, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Lol how can you tell this administration is lying to you? Because oil hasn't been shipped in actual barrels in over a century
www.cnn.com/2026/01/06/b...
www.cnn.com/2026/01/06/b...
Clicktatorship
a man in a tuxedo is applauding in front of a crowd
ALT: a man in a tuxedo is applauding in front of a crowd
media.tenor.com
January 7, 2026 at 4:10 PM
Clicktatorship
Arya assassinating the Night King and Jon ending up back in the one place he ever felt like he belonged. The WW were never going all the way to Kings Landing. That’s why Winterfell was always so important.
January 7, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Arya assassinating the Night King and Jon ending up back in the one place he ever felt like he belonged. The WW were never going all the way to Kings Landing. That’s why Winterfell was always so important.
I still don’t know what to tell folks who missed the series-long, ponderous foreshadowing that Daenerys was a Targaryen who would burn Kings Landing, or the signs that Bran would become king & sit a throne from the very first episode onward.
January 7, 2026 at 3:38 PM
I still don’t know what to tell folks who missed the series-long, ponderous foreshadowing that Daenerys was a Targaryen who would burn Kings Landing, or the signs that Bran would become king & sit a throne from the very first episode onward.
👇🎯 Today in “neither our media nor our political system is designed to deal with a far right authoritarian party”
god this is such a terrible message. its so bad.
While Trump & Republicans threaten more endless wars, Democrats are focused on lowering healthcare costs here at home.
We've forced a vote this week to extend the ACA subsidies and prevent healthcare premiums from skyrocketing.
Republicans must join us NOW before it's too late.
We've forced a vote this week to extend the ACA subsidies and prevent healthcare premiums from skyrocketing.
Republicans must join us NOW before it's too late.
January 7, 2026 at 3:11 PM
👇🎯 Today in “neither our media nor our political system is designed to deal with a far right authoritarian party”
This is journalism 🎯💯
COMMENTARY: It seems an increasing number of Americans, including elected leaders and journalists, are afraid to tell the truth about what happened on January 6. That's dangerous.
January 7, 2026 at 3:03 PM
This is journalism 🎯💯
"I’m going to pause here just to review: an institution that purports to be a university has told a philosophy professor he is forbidden from teaching Plato."
surreal times
dailynous.com/2026/01/06/t...
surreal times
dailynous.com/2026/01/06/t...
Texas A&M Bans Plato - Daily Nous
Drop the race and gender material from your course and the Plato readings, or teach a different course. You have a day to decide. That's a paraphrase of what Martin Peterson, professor of philosophy a...
dailynous.com
January 7, 2026 at 2:55 PM
Democratic Leaders Quit Twitter, Slam Musk's "Pedo Porn Industrial Complex" is a headline dems could generate immediately
most americans dont know that republicans invented and are monthly subscribers to a kiddie porn generator
you know how theyd learn? by democrats leaving the site and turning it into a national story
you know how theyd learn? by democrats leaving the site and turning it into a national story
January 7, 2026 at 2:52 PM
The Americans. 10.0 from the East German judge.
Also, the GOT finale was not actually bad. Lots of folks just missed all the years of foreshadowing & deluded themselves about who the hero was & what show they were watching. The problem was the rushed final season that needed to be 2-3 seasons.
Also, the GOT finale was not actually bad. Lots of folks just missed all the years of foreshadowing & deluded themselves about who the hero was & what show they were watching. The problem was the rushed final season that needed to be 2-3 seasons.
January 7, 2026 at 7:28 AM
The Americans. 10.0 from the East German judge.
Also, the GOT finale was not actually bad. Lots of folks just missed all the years of foreshadowing & deluded themselves about who the hero was & what show they were watching. The problem was the rushed final season that needed to be 2-3 seasons.
Also, the GOT finale was not actually bad. Lots of folks just missed all the years of foreshadowing & deluded themselves about who the hero was & what show they were watching. The problem was the rushed final season that needed to be 2-3 seasons.
Reposted by Mark Copelovitch
The Moment We Lost The Plot talkingpointsmemo.com/news/the-mom...
The Moment We Lost The Plot
It has never been easy for me to write about January 6. ...
talkingpointsmemo.com
January 6, 2026 at 8:23 PM
The Moment We Lost The Plot talkingpointsmemo.com/news/the-mom...
Reposted by Mark Copelovitch
People who fancy quoting the Melian Dialogue ("the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must") ignore the fact that Thucydides was clearly portraying this as the kind of hubris that squandered Athens' primacy and paved the way for a devastating peer war that it ultimately lost.
January 7, 2026 at 3:36 AM
People who fancy quoting the Melian Dialogue ("the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must") ignore the fact that Thucydides was clearly portraying this as the kind of hubris that squandered Athens' primacy and paved the way for a devastating peer war that it ultimately lost.
Reposted by Mark Copelovitch
This is the other shoe dropping. It’s not unexpected that the Trump admin wants an authoritarian they can work with to do their bidding, not democracy
Venezuela’s government is arresting journalists and sending paramilitary forces to suppress anyone who is too happy about Maduro's removal
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... via @FT
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... via @FT
Venezuela launches wave of repression after US seizure of Nicolás Maduro
Armed militias patrol the streets and journalists arrested as government crackdown on dissent widens
giftarticle.ft.com
January 7, 2026 at 3:44 AM
This is the other shoe dropping. It’s not unexpected that the Trump admin wants an authoritarian they can work with to do their bidding, not democracy