Will Friedman
@willfriedman.bsky.social
Democracy researcher/writer/advocate focused on the idea that we can’t defend democracy without renewing democracy. Former president, Public Agenda. NYC born, Brooklyn based.
Reposted by Will Friedman
🚨BREAKING: President Donald Trump violated the Constitution and federal law by ordering hundreds of National Guard soldiers to Portland, Oregon, earlier this year, a federal judge ruled Friday. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Trump-Appointed Judge Rules His Portland Military Takeover Was Unconstitutional
Read more here.
www.democracydocket.com
November 8, 2025 at 1:30 AM
🚨BREAKING: President Donald Trump violated the Constitution and federal law by ordering hundreds of National Guard soldiers to Portland, Oregon, earlier this year, a federal judge ruled Friday. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Reposted by Will Friedman
Medicare for All would save $450B a year.
Every dollar spent on food stamps generates $1.50-$1.80 in economic activity.
Each dollar going to low-wage workers adds $1.20 to the economy overall.
It’s not about what this country can or can’t afford.
It’s about priorities.
Every dollar spent on food stamps generates $1.50-$1.80 in economic activity.
Each dollar going to low-wage workers adds $1.20 to the economy overall.
It’s not about what this country can or can’t afford.
It’s about priorities.
October 31, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Medicare for All would save $450B a year.
Every dollar spent on food stamps generates $1.50-$1.80 in economic activity.
Each dollar going to low-wage workers adds $1.20 to the economy overall.
It’s not about what this country can or can’t afford.
It’s about priorities.
Every dollar spent on food stamps generates $1.50-$1.80 in economic activity.
Each dollar going to low-wage workers adds $1.20 to the economy overall.
It’s not about what this country can or can’t afford.
It’s about priorities.
Reposted by Will Friedman
the whole article could have just been ten pages of “Brilliant Things Eleanor O’Brien Said,” and some gold was left on the cutting room floor, but this is such a banger of a closer and it’s so very much the theme of today
October 18, 2025 at 10:03 PM
the whole article could have just been ten pages of “Brilliant Things Eleanor O’Brien Said,” and some gold was left on the cutting room floor, but this is such a banger of a closer and it’s so very much the theme of today
Reposted by Will Friedman
CEO-to-worker pay ratio in 1965: 20-1
CEO-to-worker pay ratio in 1990: 75-1
CEO-to-worker pay ratio today: 280-to-1
Trickle-down economics was always a sham.
Nothing has ever trickled down.
CEO-to-worker pay ratio in 1990: 75-1
CEO-to-worker pay ratio today: 280-to-1
Trickle-down economics was always a sham.
Nothing has ever trickled down.
October 18, 2025 at 8:00 PM
CEO-to-worker pay ratio in 1965: 20-1
CEO-to-worker pay ratio in 1990: 75-1
CEO-to-worker pay ratio today: 280-to-1
Trickle-down economics was always a sham.
Nothing has ever trickled down.
CEO-to-worker pay ratio in 1990: 75-1
CEO-to-worker pay ratio today: 280-to-1
Trickle-down economics was always a sham.
Nothing has ever trickled down.
Reposted by Will Friedman
I'm attending No Kings's event, “ANCHOR EVENT: NYC SAYS NO KINGS!” - sign up now to join me! www.mobilize.us/nokings/even...
ANCHOR EVENT: NYC SAYS NO KINGS! · No Kings
**In America, we don’t put up with would-be kings.**
📍 Where: Father Duffy Square, 47th st. and Broadway
📅 When: 11:00 AM ET, October 18, 2025
NOTE: this will be a march, not a rally! Enter from the...
www.mobilize.us
October 16, 2025 at 6:39 PM
I'm attending No Kings's event, “ANCHOR EVENT: NYC SAYS NO KINGS!” - sign up now to join me! www.mobilize.us/nokings/even...
Reposted by Will Friedman
Make your plans for #NoKings. October 18th. Free speech is action. Please join in. You'll see me at one of the events.
www.nokings.org
www.nokings.org
No Kings
As the president escalates his authoritarian power grab, the NO KINGS non-violent movement continues to rise stronger. We are united once again to remind the world: America has No Kings and the power ...
www.nokings.org
October 11, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Make your plans for #NoKings. October 18th. Free speech is action. Please join in. You'll see me at one of the events.
www.nokings.org
www.nokings.org
Reposted by Will Friedman
Your Prime Day reminder that Amazon...
-Provides cloud services that help fuel ICE's deportation machine
-Donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund
-Scrapped plans to display tariff costs after pressure from Trump
-Shelled out $40M for a documentary about Melania Trump
-Provides cloud services that help fuel ICE's deportation machine
-Donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund
-Scrapped plans to display tariff costs after pressure from Trump
-Shelled out $40M for a documentary about Melania Trump
October 7, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Your Prime Day reminder that Amazon...
-Provides cloud services that help fuel ICE's deportation machine
-Donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund
-Scrapped plans to display tariff costs after pressure from Trump
-Shelled out $40M for a documentary about Melania Trump
-Provides cloud services that help fuel ICE's deportation machine
-Donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund
-Scrapped plans to display tariff costs after pressure from Trump
-Shelled out $40M for a documentary about Melania Trump
Important speech on the essential task of creating the conditions that make democratic conversation and judgment possible.
Macron remarks are notable- some quotes: "We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks that are controlled either by large American entrepreneurs or large Chinese companies, whose interests are not at all the survival or proper functioning of our democracies."
President Macron: “Europeans, let's wake up!
We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks.”
defenddemocracy.eu/macron-democ...
We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks.”
defenddemocracy.eu/macron-democ...
October 4, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Important speech on the essential task of creating the conditions that make democratic conversation and judgment possible.
Useful reflections and suggestions on engaging young men in public life.
What Charlie Kirk Understood That Democrats Need to Learn www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/o...
What Charlie Kirk Understood That Democrats Need to Learn www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/o...
Opinion | What Charlie Kirk Understood That Democrats Need to Learn
www.nytimes.com
September 19, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Useful reflections and suggestions on engaging young men in public life.
What Charlie Kirk Understood That Democrats Need to Learn www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/o...
What Charlie Kirk Understood That Democrats Need to Learn www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/o...
Reposted by Will Friedman
Thank you British Resistance!
September 17, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Thank you British Resistance!
Reposted by Will Friedman
Thrilled to see growing consensus that Dems must step up in the Continuing Resolution fight. Key to doing so? Refuse to frame this as "shutting down government." Instead, call it what it is - refusing to be an accomplice to turning the government into a weapon against the American people.
September 8, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Thrilled to see growing consensus that Dems must step up in the Continuing Resolution fight. Key to doing so? Refuse to frame this as "shutting down government." Instead, call it what it is - refusing to be an accomplice to turning the government into a weapon against the American people.
The basic point here by @ezrakleinbot.bsky.social is this: If the Democrats' plan is to keep playing dead, they need new leadership. Many of us concluded this long ago, but the argument is strongly made if anyone still needs convincing.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/o...
Opinion | Stop Acting Like This Is Normal
www.nytimes.com
September 7, 2025 at 7:20 PM
The basic point here by @ezrakleinbot.bsky.social is this: If the Democrats' plan is to keep playing dead, they need new leadership. Many of us concluded this long ago, but the argument is strongly made if anyone still needs convincing.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/o...
Reposted by Will Friedman
Read our statement released in response to the introduction of the Restore Trust in Congress Act, which would put an end to the corrupt practice that Americans across the political spectrum favor banning: issueone.org/press/introd...
Issue One praises introduction of bipartisan stock trading ban in the House - Issue One
In reaction to today’s introduction of the Restore Trust in Congress Act, bipartisan legislation that would ban members of Congress from trading stocks while in office, representatives from Issue One’...
issueone.org
September 3, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Read our statement released in response to the introduction of the Restore Trust in Congress Act, which would put an end to the corrupt practice that Americans across the political spectrum favor banning: issueone.org/press/introd...
Reposted by Will Friedman
Reposted by Will Friedman
I expected the hardliners in the early days of the administration to try to slow walk people from "why do we need to know about Harriet Tubman?" to "how bad is extrajudicial killing really?" but they have opened the bidding at "how bad is cancer really?"
March 15, 2025 at 7:58 PM
I expected the hardliners in the early days of the administration to try to slow walk people from "why do we need to know about Harriet Tubman?" to "how bad is extrajudicial killing really?" but they have opened the bidding at "how bad is cancer really?"
In 2018 I spearheaded the still-active Hidden Common Ground project (tinyurl.com/3j2ss4bb) to explore & amplify solutions that cut across partisanship/race/age. This new research adds fresh insights, potentially useful for building coalitions to strengthen #democracy. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/29/o...
Opinion | Politicians Are Polarized. American Voters, Not So Much.
www.nytimes.com
August 29, 2025 at 5:29 PM
In 2018 I spearheaded the still-active Hidden Common Ground project (tinyurl.com/3j2ss4bb) to explore & amplify solutions that cut across partisanship/race/age. This new research adds fresh insights, potentially useful for building coalitions to strengthen #democracy. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/29/o...
Reposted by Will Friedman
"Tao is one of the most prominent mathematicians and academics to publicly oppose the administration’s actions, calling them an “existential threat” to his field, and academic science, more broadly. He said public advocacy is a priority over his research, for now."
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
The 'Mozart of Math' rarely speaks about politics. The wide-ranging cuts to science funding made him change that.
UCLA's Terence Tao called the Trump administration's actions an "existential threat" to academic research in the U.S.
www.nbcnews.com
August 28, 2025 at 2:38 AM
"Tao is one of the most prominent mathematicians and academics to publicly oppose the administration’s actions, calling them an “existential threat” to his field, and academic science, more broadly. He said public advocacy is a priority over his research, for now."
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
Reposted by Will Friedman
With misinformation nearly everywhere, one professor tested a simple fix of 150 minutes of fact-checking homework – and it worked, boosting the students’ ability to spot misinformation by nearly 20%.
College students are bombarded by misinformation, so this professor taught them fact-checking 101 − here’s what happened
Just 2½ hours of online instruction made students a lot better at identifying misinformation on YouTube and TikTok.
buff.ly
August 27, 2025 at 4:35 AM
With misinformation nearly everywhere, one professor tested a simple fix of 150 minutes of fact-checking homework – and it worked, boosting the students’ ability to spot misinformation by nearly 20%.
Reposted by Will Friedman
📣 Call for Papers- International Conference 📣 We’re excited to announce our upcoming conference: "Democracy Reimagined: Advancing Democratic Resilience and Renewal"
🗓 17–18 November 2025
📍 University of Canberra, Australia
📥 Abstracts due by 8 August 2025
Details 👇
🗓 17–18 November 2025
📍 University of Canberra, Australia
📥 Abstracts due by 8 August 2025
Details 👇
July 8, 2025 at 2:13 AM
📣 Call for Papers- International Conference 📣 We’re excited to announce our upcoming conference: "Democracy Reimagined: Advancing Democratic Resilience and Renewal"
🗓 17–18 November 2025
📍 University of Canberra, Australia
📥 Abstracts due by 8 August 2025
Details 👇
🗓 17–18 November 2025
📍 University of Canberra, Australia
📥 Abstracts due by 8 August 2025
Details 👇
Reposted by Will Friedman
Seattle voters just approved a renewal of the city's pioneering Democracy Voucher program, with 56% in favor.
A new book from @drjenh.bsky.social found that the program, created to counter Big Money in elections, has increased local donor participation and diversified Seattle's candidate pool.
A new book from @drjenh.bsky.social found that the program, created to counter Big Money in elections, has increased local donor participation and diversified Seattle's candidate pool.
New Book Examines Seattle Democracy Voucher Program’s Success
An interview with Dr. Jen Heerwig, co-author of a book researching how Seattle's pioneering program has helped boost voter participation and local representation
readsludge.com
August 6, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Seattle voters just approved a renewal of the city's pioneering Democracy Voucher program, with 56% in favor.
A new book from @drjenh.bsky.social found that the program, created to counter Big Money in elections, has increased local donor participation and diversified Seattle's candidate pool.
A new book from @drjenh.bsky.social found that the program, created to counter Big Money in elections, has increased local donor participation and diversified Seattle's candidate pool.
Interesting experiment.
August 26, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Interesting experiment.
Reposted by Will Friedman
This! The right has been so good at giving its constituents a role — something to do — beyond voting. If the left (or whatever is the opposition to Trumpism) wants to compete, it needs to be *participatory* — ie, it needs to create opportunities for action in both the digital and physical worlds.
what's interesting about this is that it serves the same purpose as trump's rallies — energizing potential supporters and interested people, creating a positive vibe that builds an affective relationship — but is so much more democratic in that it is participatory
The crowd at Stop One of the Mamdani scavenger hunt!
August 25, 2025 at 12:12 AM
This! The right has been so good at giving its constituents a role — something to do — beyond voting. If the left (or whatever is the opposition to Trumpism) wants to compete, it needs to be *participatory* — ie, it needs to create opportunities for action in both the digital and physical worlds.
Reposted by Will Friedman
Yes.
And the Democratic leadership SHOULD be working to get this voter with a passionate opinion about the DMV to have a passionate opinion about Comcast and Big Cable — and link that to Republican policies.
And the Democratic leadership SHOULD be working to get this voter with a passionate opinion about the DMV to have a passionate opinion about Comcast and Big Cable — and link that to Republican policies.
The median voter isn't a pureed balance of elite centrist takes, they're somebody who has a passionate opinion about vehicle registration fees but couldn't name the current vice president.
August 24, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Yes.
And the Democratic leadership SHOULD be working to get this voter with a passionate opinion about the DMV to have a passionate opinion about Comcast and Big Cable — and link that to Republican policies.
And the Democratic leadership SHOULD be working to get this voter with a passionate opinion about the DMV to have a passionate opinion about Comcast and Big Cable — and link that to Republican policies.