Michael Leo Owens
@milophd.bsky.social
A pluviophile, melomaniac, gardener, karaoke fiend, & academic, punching above his weight in any ring and on any street. Atlantan by labor; New Yorker by birth. Coauthor of Deadly Force: Police Shootings in Urban America (Princeton University Press, 2025).
Pinned
Michael Leo Owens
@milophd.bsky.social
· Jan 20
The Mastery of Fear
kinginstitute.stanford.edu
“A further step in mastering fear is to remember that it always involves the misuse of the imagination…” - MLK Jr. kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/...
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
seems to me that those democrats inclined not to fight perceive themselves as living through a somewhat ordinary cycle of presidential overreach and backlash and not something much more significant and dangerous
November 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
seems to me that those democrats inclined not to fight perceive themselves as living through a somewhat ordinary cycle of presidential overreach and backlash and not something much more significant and dangerous
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
You ever call a senator's office and ask the staffer who picks up what it's like to work for someone without a spine?
10/10 recommend.
10/10 recommend.
November 11, 2025 at 4:31 AM
You ever call a senator's office and ask the staffer who picks up what it's like to work for someone without a spine?
10/10 recommend.
10/10 recommend.
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
Now I'm a dummy but it really feels to me like there has to be an entire relatively broad-based winning politics based around being in opposition to *just this one sliver* of what the Trump administration is doing right here www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/b...
November 11, 2025 at 4:26 AM
Now I'm a dummy but it really feels to me like there has to be an entire relatively broad-based winning politics based around being in opposition to *just this one sliver* of what the Trump administration is doing right here www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/b...
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
Some thoughts on the CR/minibus.
1 The Dems negotiating with Rs were not freelancing. They coordinated with Sen Schumer. A few were ready to give in on day one, others worked to maximize appropriations wins.
Those voting for the 'deal' are the ones furthest away from electoral consequences.
1 The Dems negotiating with Rs were not freelancing. They coordinated with Sen Schumer. A few were ready to give in on day one, others worked to maximize appropriations wins.
Those voting for the 'deal' are the ones furthest away from electoral consequences.
November 10, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Some thoughts on the CR/minibus.
1 The Dems negotiating with Rs were not freelancing. They coordinated with Sen Schumer. A few were ready to give in on day one, others worked to maximize appropriations wins.
Those voting for the 'deal' are the ones furthest away from electoral consequences.
1 The Dems negotiating with Rs were not freelancing. They coordinated with Sen Schumer. A few were ready to give in on day one, others worked to maximize appropriations wins.
Those voting for the 'deal' are the ones furthest away from electoral consequences.
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
Thanksgiving-Cyber Monday, my wallet's ignoring Target, Home Depot, ＆ Amazon. I'm tired of corporations enabling this administration ditching DEI, allowing ICE to terrorize our communities, ＆ chase tax breaks. Join me! #WeAintBuyingIt 🚫 app.sosha.ai/s/umrLzurP
We Ain't Buying It - Target, Home Depot & Amazon
app.sosha.ai
November 11, 2025 at 1:12 AM
Thanksgiving-Cyber Monday, my wallet's ignoring Target, Home Depot, ＆ Amazon. I'm tired of corporations enabling this administration ditching DEI, allowing ICE to terrorize our communities, ＆ chase tax breaks. Join me! #WeAintBuyingIt 🚫 app.sosha.ai/s/umrLzurP
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
These corrupt cowards can’t even let us be happy for ONE week.
November 11, 2025 at 4:14 AM
These corrupt cowards can’t even let us be happy for ONE week.
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
November 11, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Count my furloughed family & friends among em. NONE of them are pleased. Just when they thought the USA was being forced to see/get the bigger political picture, esp in light of the election results, after massive No Kings turnout, this is how it ends (in the short run)!? Milk-livered ninnyhammers.
November 11, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Count my furloughed family & friends among em. NONE of them are pleased. Just when they thought the USA was being forced to see/get the bigger political picture, esp in light of the election results, after massive No Kings turnout, this is how it ends (in the short run)!? Milk-livered ninnyhammers.
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
Eight Democratic senators game away the only thing they had on this criminal regime—real leverage to protect Americans from losing their healthcare—for WORSE than nothing: A promise from GOP
And we all know a promise from Trump toadies is worth shit
And we all know a promise from Trump toadies is worth shit
November 10, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Eight Democratic senators game away the only thing they had on this criminal regime—real leverage to protect Americans from losing their healthcare—for WORSE than nothing: A promise from GOP
And we all know a promise from Trump toadies is worth shit
And we all know a promise from Trump toadies is worth shit
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
Time to work out … Turn. It. Up!!!
🗣️🎙️”As a spoken poem, let it levitate your zone
I'm the homegrown preacher, the creeper, Thai, not sativa
But these days I wouldn't smoke either
S-O-B-E-R, I take a breather…”
youtu.be/2JbDzv4z7wU?...
🗣️🎙️”As a spoken poem, let it levitate your zone
I'm the homegrown preacher, the creeper, Thai, not sativa
But these days I wouldn't smoke either
S-O-B-E-R, I take a breather…”
youtu.be/2JbDzv4z7wU?...
Loyle Carner - Georgetown feat. John Agard
YouTube video by Music United
youtu.be
November 10, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Time to work out … Turn. It. Up!!!
🗣️🎙️”As a spoken poem, let it levitate your zone
I'm the homegrown preacher, the creeper, Thai, not sativa
But these days I wouldn't smoke either
S-O-B-E-R, I take a breather…”
youtu.be/2JbDzv4z7wU?...
🗣️🎙️”As a spoken poem, let it levitate your zone
I'm the homegrown preacher, the creeper, Thai, not sativa
But these days I wouldn't smoke either
S-O-B-E-R, I take a breather…”
youtu.be/2JbDzv4z7wU?...
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
This is a good piece of analysis, one that doesn’t give into doomerism
November 10, 2025 at 6:13 AM
This is a good piece of analysis, one that doesn’t give into doomerism
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
Maybe Zohran Mamdani should have come out for ending the shutdown so Democratic Senators could have opposed it.
November 10, 2025 at 4:02 AM
Maybe Zohran Mamdani should have come out for ending the shutdown so Democratic Senators could have opposed it.
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
It was harder getting endorsements for Zohran Mamdani from Democrats than them caving to Republicans to mutually strip us of healthcare
November 10, 2025 at 3:06 AM
It was harder getting endorsements for Zohran Mamdani from Democrats than them caving to Republicans to mutually strip us of healthcare
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
Not that he didn’t already know, but now Trump knows for sure he can roll the Dems every time and there’s no need to negotiate for anything
November 10, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Not that he didn’t already know, but now Trump knows for sure he can roll the Dems every time and there’s no need to negotiate for anything
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
Oh god these craven motherfuckers
November 10, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Oh god these craven motherfuckers
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
It almost feels as if the Democratic leadership in the Senate is blind to Tuesday’s blue 🌊 and the clear mandate to fight and chart a new direction.
November 9, 2025 at 11:19 PM
It almost feels as if the Democratic leadership in the Senate is blind to Tuesday’s blue 🌊 and the clear mandate to fight and chart a new direction.
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
Dems backed Trump into a corner where he’s advocating for starving Americans and hemorrhaging support. If they vote to let him off the hook in exchange for nothing it’s a cataclysmic failure. I know people are in pain but insulating Republicans from political consequences is not the answer.
November 9, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Dems backed Trump into a corner where he’s advocating for starving Americans and hemorrhaging support. If they vote to let him off the hook in exchange for nothing it’s a cataclysmic failure. I know people are in pain but insulating Republicans from political consequences is not the answer.
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
Any Democrat who votes with MAGA should be primaried next year.
I will design your logo and brand for FREE if you primary any Democratic senator who votes to reopen the government in the next 24 hours.
For FREE.
I will design your logo and brand for FREE if you primary any Democratic senator who votes to reopen the government in the next 24 hours.
For FREE.
November 9, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Any Democrat who votes with MAGA should be primaried next year.
I will design your logo and brand for FREE if you primary any Democratic senator who votes to reopen the government in the next 24 hours.
For FREE.
I will design your logo and brand for FREE if you primary any Democratic senator who votes to reopen the government in the next 24 hours.
For FREE.
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
Getting a deal where you are promised a future vote that might not pass the Senate let alone the House is a chump move.
BREAKING: Deal to end government shutdown in reach
Deal to end government shutdown in reach
At least 10 Senate Democrats are expected to support a key procedural motion.
www.axios.com
November 9, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Getting a deal where you are promised a future vote that might not pass the Senate let alone the House is a chump move.
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
yeah, I think there are multiple constituencies for 1, 2, and 3, as well as all possible two-way and three combinations of them, in this administration
Theory 1: Administration botching it badly, but the intent is to cause pain and suffering so people will blame Dems.
Theory 2: Causing pain and suffering to cater to strongest supporters, who like pain and suffering.
Theory 3: Administration just likes pain and suffering.
All plausible!
Theory 2: Causing pain and suffering to cater to strongest supporters, who like pain and suffering.
Theory 3: Administration just likes pain and suffering.
All plausible!
Astonishing how hard this administration is working to keep people hungry.
It's clear they are trying maximize public suffering, in hopes of getting people to blame Dems for that suffering. But it's transparently the White House working overtime to keep the suffering going!
bsky.app/profile/cram...
It's clear they are trying maximize public suffering, in hopes of getting people to blame Dems for that suffering. But it's transparently the White House working overtime to keep the suffering going!
bsky.app/profile/cram...
November 9, 2025 at 6:31 PM
yeah, I think there are multiple constituencies for 1, 2, and 3, as well as all possible two-way and three combinations of them, in this administration
Reposted by Michael Leo Owens
