John Saveland
@johnsaveland.com
Immigration and human rights advocate. Hopelessly optimistic. Digital director and writer. Exploring and loving Los Angeles.
Reposted by John Saveland
I have a book chapter on the Erdogan era subtitled, "from illiberal democracy to electoral authoritarianism"
If I were writing it today, it would continue "and right on into dictatorship."
If I were writing it today, it would continue "and right on into dictatorship."
If it feels like we've been arguing about whether Turkey is a dictatorship for 15 years, it's because we have--but it's now true
December 18, 2025 at 8:42 PM
I have a book chapter on the Erdogan era subtitled, "from illiberal democracy to electoral authoritarianism"
If I were writing it today, it would continue "and right on into dictatorship."
If I were writing it today, it would continue "and right on into dictatorship."
Reposted by John Saveland
D-Day for Europe to shore up Ukraine funding.
As EU leaders huddle in Brussels, Stephen Paduano and I analyse the reparations loan in a new piece.
This is not only a "There Is No Alternative" (TINA) moment—but the financial and legal risks are also manageable.
1/
www.cer.eu/insights/ukr...
As EU leaders huddle in Brussels, Stephen Paduano and I analyse the reparations loan in a new piece.
This is not only a "There Is No Alternative" (TINA) moment—but the financial and legal risks are also manageable.
1/
www.cer.eu/insights/ukr...
The Ukraine Reparations Loan: How to fix Europe's financial plumbing
As US support for Ukraine vanishes, Europe must overcome Belgian opposition and improvise fiscally to provide Kyiv with €210 billion.
www.cer.eu
December 18, 2025 at 1:19 PM
D-Day for Europe to shore up Ukraine funding.
As EU leaders huddle in Brussels, Stephen Paduano and I analyse the reparations loan in a new piece.
This is not only a "There Is No Alternative" (TINA) moment—but the financial and legal risks are also manageable.
1/
www.cer.eu/insights/ukr...
As EU leaders huddle in Brussels, Stephen Paduano and I analyse the reparations loan in a new piece.
This is not only a "There Is No Alternative" (TINA) moment—but the financial and legal risks are also manageable.
1/
www.cer.eu/insights/ukr...
Reposted by John Saveland
BLS Data Viewer
The BLS Data Finder allows for search across all BLS time series databases.
data.bls.gov
December 17, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Reposted by John Saveland
This is very good analysis:
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
December 17, 2025 at 3:46 PM
This is very good analysis:
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Reposted by John Saveland
"Unilateral disarmament is now official policy. Because—despite its name—this National Security Strategy is not really a strategy document. It is a suicide note."
Damn. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Damn. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
The Longest Suicide Note in American History
The Trump administration’s new National Security Strategy targets liberal democracy itself.
www.theatlantic.com
December 17, 2025 at 10:55 AM
"Unilateral disarmament is now official policy. Because—despite its name—this National Security Strategy is not really a strategy document. It is a suicide note."
Damn. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Damn. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by John Saveland
The US Administration has banned Americans from *adopting babies* from much of the African continent.
Adopting.
Babies.
What trait do those babies have that, when they grow up as fully American adults, would make them a threat to our country in any form?
Adopting.
Babies.
What trait do those babies have that, when they grow up as fully American adults, would make them a threat to our country in any form?
On that last post: I genuinely cannot think of any good-faith reason to bar international adoptions from those 39 countries. Under this new ban, consulates will refuse adoption visas for any baby from Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, Nigeria, or any of the 39 other countries.
December 17, 2025 at 3:04 AM
The US Administration has banned Americans from *adopting babies* from much of the African continent.
Adopting.
Babies.
What trait do those babies have that, when they grow up as fully American adults, would make them a threat to our country in any form?
Adopting.
Babies.
What trait do those babies have that, when they grow up as fully American adults, would make them a threat to our country in any form?
Reposted by John Saveland
This summer, the truth belongs to seven billion people. 👽 🛸
From Steven Spielberg comes Disclosure Day, a sci-fi film starring Emily Blunt coming to theaters June 12, 2026.
From Steven Spielberg comes Disclosure Day, a sci-fi film starring Emily Blunt coming to theaters June 12, 2026.
December 16, 2025 at 10:03 PM
This summer, the truth belongs to seven billion people. 👽 🛸
From Steven Spielberg comes Disclosure Day, a sci-fi film starring Emily Blunt coming to theaters June 12, 2026.
From Steven Spielberg comes Disclosure Day, a sci-fi film starring Emily Blunt coming to theaters June 12, 2026.
Reposted by John Saveland
Finally, quick shoutout to a few excellent films that didn’t make the International Feature shortlist, but that you shouldn’t miss:
The Love That Remains
Magellan
Peacock
Little Trouble Girls
My Father’s Shadow
A Poet
Fiume o morte!
Sanatorium
Reedland
The Tale of Silyan
Under the Flags, the Sun
The Love That Remains
Magellan
Peacock
Little Trouble Girls
My Father’s Shadow
A Poet
Fiume o morte!
Sanatorium
Reedland
The Tale of Silyan
Under the Flags, the Sun
December 16, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Finally, quick shoutout to a few excellent films that didn’t make the International Feature shortlist, but that you shouldn’t miss:
The Love That Remains
Magellan
Peacock
Little Trouble Girls
My Father’s Shadow
A Poet
Fiume o morte!
Sanatorium
Reedland
The Tale of Silyan
Under the Flags, the Sun
The Love That Remains
Magellan
Peacock
Little Trouble Girls
My Father’s Shadow
A Poet
Fiume o morte!
Sanatorium
Reedland
The Tale of Silyan
Under the Flags, the Sun
Reposted by John Saveland
Late Shift 🇨🇭
Left-Handed Girl 🇹🇼
The Voice of Hind Rajab 🇹🇳
Palestine 36 🇵🇸
Left-Handed Girl 🇹🇼
The Voice of Hind Rajab 🇹🇳
Palestine 36 🇵🇸
December 16, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Late Shift 🇨🇭
Left-Handed Girl 🇹🇼
The Voice of Hind Rajab 🇹🇳
Palestine 36 🇵🇸
Left-Handed Girl 🇹🇼
The Voice of Hind Rajab 🇹🇳
Palestine 36 🇵🇸
Reposted by John Saveland
🏆 Shortlist do Oscar de Melhor Filme Internacional 2026
O Agente Secreto 🇧🇷
Sirāt 🇪🇸
It Was Just an Accident 🇫🇷
All That’s Left of You 🇯🇴
No Other Choice 🇰🇷
Belén 🇦🇷
Sentimental Value 🇳🇴
Sound of Falling 🇩🇪
The President's Cake 🇮🇶
Kokuho 🇯🇵
Homebound 🇮🇳
+
O Agente Secreto 🇧🇷
Sirāt 🇪🇸
It Was Just an Accident 🇫🇷
All That’s Left of You 🇯🇴
No Other Choice 🇰🇷
Belén 🇦🇷
Sentimental Value 🇳🇴
Sound of Falling 🇩🇪
The President's Cake 🇮🇶
Kokuho 🇯🇵
Homebound 🇮🇳
+
December 16, 2025 at 7:23 PM
🏆 Shortlist do Oscar de Melhor Filme Internacional 2026
O Agente Secreto 🇧🇷
Sirāt 🇪🇸
It Was Just an Accident 🇫🇷
All That’s Left of You 🇯🇴
No Other Choice 🇰🇷
Belén 🇦🇷
Sentimental Value 🇳🇴
Sound of Falling 🇩🇪
The President's Cake 🇮🇶
Kokuho 🇯🇵
Homebound 🇮🇳
+
O Agente Secreto 🇧🇷
Sirāt 🇪🇸
It Was Just an Accident 🇫🇷
All That’s Left of You 🇯🇴
No Other Choice 🇰🇷
Belén 🇦🇷
Sentimental Value 🇳🇴
Sound of Falling 🇩🇪
The President's Cake 🇮🇶
Kokuho 🇯🇵
Homebound 🇮🇳
+
Reposted by John Saveland
Employment growth since April ("Liberation Day"):
United States: +119,000*
Canada: +166,200
* The U.S. number is expected to be revised down.
United States: +119,000*
Canada: +166,200
* The U.S. number is expected to be revised down.
December 16, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Employment growth since April ("Liberation Day"):
United States: +119,000*
Canada: +166,200
* The U.S. number is expected to be revised down.
United States: +119,000*
Canada: +166,200
* The U.S. number is expected to be revised down.
Reposted by John Saveland
Bottom line: If your prior before today was "the labor market is softening but not falling off a cliff," I don't think this report really changes that.
But if you came into today nervous that the labor market was cracking, I don't think this does much to set your mind at ease.
But if you came into today nervous that the labor market was cracking, I don't think this does much to set your mind at ease.
December 16, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Bottom line: If your prior before today was "the labor market is softening but not falling off a cliff," I don't think this report really changes that.
But if you came into today nervous that the labor market was cracking, I don't think this does much to set your mind at ease.
But if you came into today nervous that the labor market was cracking, I don't think this does much to set your mind at ease.
Reposted by John Saveland
Alliances are built on trust and attraction, otherwise known as soft power, and they are the most effective tools that democracies have in their struggle with autocracies.” Steven Kotkin in @foreignaffairs.com
The Weakness of the Strongmen
Not long ago in the sweep of history, countries that had once been buried behind the Iron Curtain, and even some Soviet republics, were transformed into members of the solidly democratic club. Some of...
www.foreignaffairs.com
December 16, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Alliances are built on trust and attraction, otherwise known as soft power, and they are the most effective tools that democracies have in their struggle with autocracies.” Steven Kotkin in @foreignaffairs.com
Reposted by John Saveland
The headline jobs numbers are almost uniformly weak. I would discount some due to shutdown and Federal retirements. But only some.
41K jobs added in Oct & Nov
4.6% unemployment rate in Nov, up from 4.4% in Sep
Private wage growth slowed
Labor force participation rose
41K jobs added in Oct & Nov
4.6% unemployment rate in Nov, up from 4.4% in Sep
Private wage growth slowed
Labor force participation rose
December 16, 2025 at 2:12 PM
The headline jobs numbers are almost uniformly weak. I would discount some due to shutdown and Federal retirements. But only some.
41K jobs added in Oct & Nov
4.6% unemployment rate in Nov, up from 4.4% in Sep
Private wage growth slowed
Labor force participation rose
41K jobs added in Oct & Nov
4.6% unemployment rate in Nov, up from 4.4% in Sep
Private wage growth slowed
Labor force participation rose
Reposted by John Saveland
Is Germany again dragging its feet and undermining a "simple" solution to the Ukraine financing problem, instead pushing the ubercomplex reparations loan?
It's a tempting eurocrisis reflex that if only there were a will in Berlin, there would be a better way.
But there isn't. Here is why:
It's a tempting eurocrisis reflex that if only there were a will in Berlin, there would be a better way.
But there isn't. Here is why:
December 16, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Is Germany again dragging its feet and undermining a "simple" solution to the Ukraine financing problem, instead pushing the ubercomplex reparations loan?
It's a tempting eurocrisis reflex that if only there were a will in Berlin, there would be a better way.
But there isn't. Here is why:
It's a tempting eurocrisis reflex that if only there were a will in Berlin, there would be a better way.
But there isn't. Here is why:
Reposted by John Saveland
The Constitution guarantees your right to follow, record, protest, and notify others about the agents and what you see. These are core First Amendment rights, and DHS has clearly ordered its agents to threaten and violate those rights. cato.org/blog/dhs-pol...
December 15, 2025 at 8:09 PM
The Constitution guarantees your right to follow, record, protest, and notify others about the agents and what you see. These are core First Amendment rights, and DHS has clearly ordered its agents to threaten and violate those rights. cato.org/blog/dhs-pol...
Reposted by John Saveland
Ahmed al Ahmed, the man who tackled one of the Bondi killers, became an Australian citizen 3 years ago.
His deed was "his way of conveying his gratitude for staying in Australia, for being granted citizenship."
He took 5 bullets, and fears he'll lose his left arm.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
His deed was "his way of conveying his gratitude for staying in Australia, for being granted citizenship."
He took 5 bullets, and fears he'll lose his left arm.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
December 15, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Ahmed al Ahmed, the man who tackled one of the Bondi killers, became an Australian citizen 3 years ago.
His deed was "his way of conveying his gratitude for staying in Australia, for being granted citizenship."
He took 5 bullets, and fears he'll lose his left arm.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
His deed was "his way of conveying his gratitude for staying in Australia, for being granted citizenship."
He took 5 bullets, and fears he'll lose his left arm.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...
Reposted by John Saveland
Look at the lengths that my incredible @propublica.org colleagues @annamaria.bsky.social and Brett Murphy went to in order to report this story.
Please take a moment to read what they found about the effect of USAID cuts on the world's most vulnerable people: www.propublica.org/article/usai...
Please take a moment to read what they found about the effect of USAID cuts on the world's most vulnerable people: www.propublica.org/article/usai...
December 15, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Look at the lengths that my incredible @propublica.org colleagues @annamaria.bsky.social and Brett Murphy went to in order to report this story.
Please take a moment to read what they found about the effect of USAID cuts on the world's most vulnerable people: www.propublica.org/article/usai...
Please take a moment to read what they found about the effect of USAID cuts on the world's most vulnerable people: www.propublica.org/article/usai...
Reposted by John Saveland
Jimmy Lai found guilty of sedition and collusion with foreign forces. He may be in prison for the rest of his life.
Hong Kong court convicts pro-democracy newspaper founder Jimmy Lai
The verdict exemplifies the way Beijing, through Hong Kong’s national security law, has swept away any last remaining press freedoms and judicial independence in the city.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 15, 2025 at 2:59 AM
Jimmy Lai found guilty of sedition and collusion with foreign forces. He may be in prison for the rest of his life.
Reposted by John Saveland
Obviously, no one expected a different result.
Which does not make it less sad and outrageous.
Which does not make it less sad and outrageous.
Jimmy Lai has been found guilty of all three charges: two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces, and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious publications
via @holmeschan.bsky.social
via @holmeschan.bsky.social
December 15, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Obviously, no one expected a different result.
Which does not make it less sad and outrageous.
Which does not make it less sad and outrageous.
Reposted by John Saveland
⚡️Update: Ukrainian immigrant, Holocaust survivor killed in Australia terror attack.
Alexander Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor who immigrated to Australia from Ukraine with his wife Larisa, was one of 16 killed in a mass shooting targeting the Jewish community in Sydney on Dec. 14.
Alexander Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor who immigrated to Australia from Ukraine with his wife Larisa, was one of 16 killed in a mass shooting targeting the Jewish community in Sydney on Dec. 14.
Ukrainian immigrant, Holocaust survivor killed in mass shooting in Australia
Alexander Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor who immigrated to Australia from Ukraine with his wife Larisa, was one of 16 killed in a terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community in Sydney.
kyivindependent.com
December 14, 2025 at 10:45 PM
⚡️Update: Ukrainian immigrant, Holocaust survivor killed in Australia terror attack.
Alexander Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor who immigrated to Australia from Ukraine with his wife Larisa, was one of 16 killed in a mass shooting targeting the Jewish community in Sydney on Dec. 14.
Alexander Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor who immigrated to Australia from Ukraine with his wife Larisa, was one of 16 killed in a mass shooting targeting the Jewish community in Sydney on Dec. 14.
Reposted by John Saveland
Armed ICE agents trapped US citizens in a restaurant and demanded their papers. Federal agents walked into East African restaurants in Cedar-Riverside, MN. They closed and blocked the doors. Then they demanded to see everyone’s papers. Every person present was a US citizen.
Federal agents use chemical irritant on crowd in Somali neighborhood of Minneapolis amid Trump crackdown
Federal agents have used chemical irritant to disperse a crowd in a heavily Somali neighborhood in Minneapolis. This happened Tuesday during a identification checks amid the Trump administration's cra...
www.mprnews.org
December 14, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Armed ICE agents trapped US citizens in a restaurant and demanded their papers. Federal agents walked into East African restaurants in Cedar-Riverside, MN. They closed and blocked the doors. Then they demanded to see everyone’s papers. Every person present was a US citizen.
Reposted by John Saveland
💥“We won't tolerate!" and "Resign! Resign!” — crowds chant outside Viktor Orbán’s and president’s offices in Budapest at a weekend protest led by opposition leader Péter Magyar. He still leads the polls but Orbán has vast resources — plus Trump and Putin's backing. 4 months to go until the election.
December 14, 2025 at 3:18 PM
💥“We won't tolerate!" and "Resign! Resign!” — crowds chant outside Viktor Orbán’s and president’s offices in Budapest at a weekend protest led by opposition leader Péter Magyar. He still leads the polls but Orbán has vast resources — plus Trump and Putin's backing. 4 months to go until the election.
Myanmar’s illegitimately-ruling military junta, the Tatmadaw, bombed a civilian hospital three days ago — it was the 67th attack on health care facilities this year
Dozens Killed as a Hospital Is Bombed in Brutal Civil War
www.nytimes.com
December 13, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Myanmar’s illegitimately-ruling military junta, the Tatmadaw, bombed a civilian hospital three days ago — it was the 67th attack on health care facilities this year
Reposted by John Saveland
Every word of this.
December 13, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Every word of this.