Alex Hertel-Fernandez
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awhf.bsky.social
Alex Hertel-Fernandez
@awhf.bsky.social
2.3K followers 640 following 92 posts
Columbia SIPA professor studying labor policy, politics of policy design, and political economy. Co-director of Consortium on American Political Economy & Columbia Labor Lab. Former Biden-Harris Department of Labor and Office of Management and Budget.
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Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
johnpfaff.bsky.social
DOJ is now recruiting for immigration judges by calling them “deportation judges.”

That’s seems really bad.
YOU BE THE JUDGE Help write the next chapter of America. Apply today to become a deportation judge and you may be entitled to these benefits.
November 21, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
ericlipton.nytimes.com
NEW: As Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick drives billions of dollars in foreign payments to help build AI data centers in the US, his sons help run a company earning tens of millions in fees helping finance AI data centers. A NYT investigation. (Free link)

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/u...
Family Affair: Commerce Secretary’s Sons Cash In on A.I. Frenzy
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
profsaunders.bsky.social
Damn right.
bakerdphd.bsky.social Dominique Baker @bakerdphd.bsky.social · 5d
"By any consistent standard, if Summers is unfit to work for each of these institutions [from which he resigned], he is equally unfit to teach at our school. Harvard should not be the only institution in America where Summers remains above reproach."

🔥🔥🔥

www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
The Professor and the Pedophile | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson
Summers should choose the most straightforward path and resign. Should he refuse to, though, the University must cut ties with its former president to the greatest extent possible.
www.thecrimson.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
sbagen.bsky.social
Things are bad, but pushback can still work. Keep it up.
kathleenromig.bsky.social Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 5d
The Trump Administration is abandoning plans for the biggest-ever cut to Social Security Disability Insurance, which would have hit older workers hardest.

The rule would have devastated up to 1.5 million workers' financial stability, retirement security & access to health care.

wapo.st/4o48J24
Social Security scraps plan to limit disability benefits after uproar
The policy would have fundamentally altered who qualifies for the two federal disability programs by eliminating or limiting a person’s age as a factor to consider.
wapo.st
November 19, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
dynarski.bsky.social
A senior academic using mentoring as leverage to obtain sex is a contemptible abuser of power.
dynarski.bsky.social Prof Dynarski @dynarski.bsky.social · 8d
Summers conferred with Epstein frequently about how to extract sexual favors from a Harvard econ grad (AB '04, PhD '09)

The grad is from China

Epstein and Summers referred to her by the codename "Peril"

Racism and sexual exploitation in one efficient package

bit.ly/3LHpin8
As Summers Sought Clandestine Relationship With Woman He Called a Mentee, Epstein Was His ‘Wing Man’ | News | The Harvard Crimson
When former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers was pursuing a romantic relationship with a woman he described as a mentee, he turned to a longtime associate for guidance: convicted sex offender Jef...
bit.ly
November 17, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
cohodes.bsky.social
📣 New NBER Working Paper out today 📣

"The Consequences of Faculty Sexual Misconduct"
Sarah Cohodes & Katherine Leu
Screenshot of working paper: The Consequences of Faculty Sexual Misconduct
November 10, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
bgrueskin.bsky.social
A thread of two photos, each worth more than 1,000 words:

The Rev. Michael Woolf of Lake Street Church in Evanston, Ill., is detained by Illinois State Police at a protest outside the Broadview ICE facility

Via Freelance photographer Jim Vondruska/Reuters

1/2

www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
November 14, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
jfallows.bsky.social
1) 'Why I Resigned' from UVa Prez 100% worth reading www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

2) Events were forced by NYT story w leaked info that he was under pressure to resign. UVa prez has 'no idea' where leaks came from (See below.)

3) FWIW same NYT team did leaked "Harvard will cave" stories
Story says: Headline "The Final Day" Then: The Final Day Rachel went to meet with the DOJ lawyers the next day—Thursday, June 26th. That morning, an article came out in the NY Times describing how DOJ lawyers were pressuring me to resign. I still have no idea who leaked the story. At around 1pm on Thursday, I was called by Rachel and the two outside lawyers, Jack and Farnaz, who attended the meeting with Rachel. I was told that the DOJ lawyers were very upset with the leaked story in the Times and that the only offer on the table was that I needed to resign by 5pm that day or the DOJ would basically rain hell on UVA. I also needed my resignation to be effective prior to the students returning. If I did not resign that day, I was told that the DOJ would extract/block hundreds of millions of dollars from UVA before they would even negotiate. I was then told that the DOJ had offered an amazing deal—unlike any the lawyers had ever seen, in their words. They were basically willing to grant UVA blanket immunity—all of the inquires and investigations would be suspended, no financial penalties would be imposed, and agencies would be told not to cut off our research funding. They said they had never seen or heard about such a great deal for any university. Rachel praised the lawyers for their astute and savvy bargaining, and I was told this was an amazing deal.
November 14, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
malpas.bsky.social
The problem was never "cancel culture." The problem is that our elites have no shame. And many are also pretty terrible people
November 13, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
columbiaigp.bsky.social
LIVE now 🔴 The Rise of Populism and the Future of Economic Policy

With Sheri Berman, Mary Kay Henry, @awhf.bsky.social, Faiz Shakir, @josephestiglitz.bsky.social, @shaynalstrom.bsky.social, and more. @equitablegrowth.bsky.social

youtube.com/live/41tsfAq...
The Rise of Populism and the Future of Economic Policy
YouTube video by Columbia SIPA
youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
ezralevin.bsky.social
We started Indivisible in 2016 because a future Trump appointee was talking about the WWII Japanese internment camps as a model for immigrants at the same time that Schumer was talking about finding common ground with Trump.
themodsisyphus.bsky.social Dheepa Sundaram, PhD (she/her) @themodsisyphus.bsky.social · 12d
This concentration camp was opened at Fort Bliss, the site of a former Japanese internment camp.

It also cost over $1B in private contracts to build in a place meant to hold 1000 people. So, basically it’s a fascist grift.
shorturl.at/qhuSc
November 12, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
equitablegrowth.bsky.social
How do we rebuild trust in government to achieve equitable economic growth? 
 
Panelists @josephestiglitz.bsky.social, @dongravesjr.bsky.social, Sheri Berman of @columbiauniversity.bsky.social, and @matt-tuerk.bsky.social discuss alongside NYT reporter and moderator @lydiadepillis.bsky.social.
November 10, 2025 at 10:50 PM
awhf.bsky.social
Starting now with a great discussion of the connection of economic policy and democracy @equitablegrowth.bsky.social @columbiaigp.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
kjephd.bsky.social
This is why this surrender isn't just about this narrow issue but is rather the whole constitutional ballgame:

Democrats are affirmatively signaling they do not want political power at the same time Trump is transitioning the political system into an autocratic one wherein they're denied it forever
adamserwer.bsky.social Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 15d
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 3:10 AM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
donmoyn.bsky.social
I think the quick negative statements by normie centrist Dems outside of the Senate reflects their read that the vote is very unpopular with the base, at least in the short run.
joshuajfriedman.com Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 15d
Interesting that NY gov Kathy Hochul felt compelled to put out a statement against Dems' deal to end the shutdown
Governor Kathy Hochul * @GovKathyHochul ... Ending the shutdown shouldn't come at the expense of health care for tens of millions of Americans. This deal paves the way for devastating premium hikes that will drive up costs for New Yorkers. Count me out.
November 10, 2025 at 3:53 AM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
nber.org
Low-income households denied SNAP due to administrative barriers suffer downstream consequences. Process-related denials increase debt, delinquencies, and decrease credit scores, from Tatiana Homonoff, Min S. Lee, and Katherine Meckel www.nber.org/papers/w34434
November 8, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
timfrye.bsky.social
Looking forward to discussing our new book with John Huber, Jessica Pisano @awhf.bsky.social @pagefortna.bsky.social on Friday, Nov. 14th at 12:15. The event is both in person and on zoom. Hope you can make it. harriman.columbia.edu/event/celebr...
Celebrating Recent Work by Timothy Frye
Please join the Harriman Institute, the Institute for Social and Economic Research, The Society of Fellows and Heyman Center for the Humanities, and the Department of Political Science for a celebrati...
harriman.columbia.edu
November 6, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
zohrankmamdani.bsky.social
We’re hiring!

Our new resume portal is live, and we’re looking for top talent in NYC to help build this administration and deliver on our affordability agenda.

Could that be you? Apply using the link below.
transition2025.com/apply
November 6, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
carlquintanilla.bsky.social
“.. in a group Signal chat, .. he wrote in part: ‘I fired 5 rounds and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book boys.’”

@reuters.com #Chicago
www.reuters.com/world/us/bor...
November 6, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
donmoyn.bsky.social
The Social Security Administration used to have an incredible communications arm, including even a film unit. This was crucial in helping people understand the program, and how it would work. From 1936, 1939.
www.ssa.gov/history/puba...
Poster from 1936 says: Join the March to Old Age Security, with a long line of happy people Poster with picture of old man holding pipe: More Security for the American Family (1939)
November 6, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
perrybaconjr.bsky.social
"I"m super-enthusiastic about Mamdani. What I love about him is that he is not just anti-Cuomo. He’s proposing something that has obviously really excited a bunch of people. And we need to do more of that," says @smith.senate.gov. newrepublic.com/article/2024...
Transcript: Senator Tina Smith Says Dems Need Big Ideas Like Mamdani’s
Minnesota Senator Tina Smith says Democrats can’t just be anti-Trump and instead need to offer a compelling alternative agenda.
newrepublic.com
October 31, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
leedrutman.bsky.social
I jump into the moderation debate. I agree with @adambonica.bsky.social and @gelliottmorris.com on the methodology, but I want to draw attention to a bigger issue. The collapse of candidate effects generally.
leedrutman.substack.com/p/the-modera...
October 29, 2025 at 8:04 PM
awhf.bsky.social
Really important analysis from @rooseveltinstitute.org about the structures and decisions that held back a more ambitious Biden Administration agenda that might have resonated more with the public and what should change in a future administration. 1/

rooseveltinstitute.org/publications...
Building a More Effective, Responsive Government: Lessons Learned from the Biden-Harris Administration - Roosevelt Institute
In a new analysis, Hannah Garden-Monheit and Tresa Joseph draw on interviews with more than 45 senior Biden-Harris appointees to offer a bold road map for rebuilding federal government capacity and re...
rooseveltinstitute.org
October 28, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
gregsargent.bsky.social
SCOOP --> Major new Bidenworld autopsy just dropped: 45 former Biden officials candidly assess their mistakes and failings in new Roosevelt Institute report. They lay out the beginnings of a Project 2029 agenda to reverse authoritarian tide.

Details in my new piece:
newrepublic.com/article/2023...
Why Is Trump Autocracy Rising? These Dems Have an Unnerving Answer.
A new Biden administration autopsy, based on internal assessments from many government insiders, has crystal clear lessons for the future.
newrepublic.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Reposted by Alex Hertel-Fernandez
dartmouthartsci.bsky.social
A new report from Bright Line Watch, co-directed by #Dartmouth professors @brendannyhan.bsky.social and @johncarey.bsky.social, finds expert ratings place U.S. democracy closer to "illiberal or mixed democracy" than full democracy—more similar to Israel and Mexico than Britain or Canada.
U.S. Democracy Rankings Remain Stable But With a Red Flag | Faculty of Arts and Sciences
New study finds disapproval of targeted political violence is not universal.
fas.dartmouth.edu
October 23, 2025 at 8:55 PM