Kim L. Nalder
@kimberlynalder.bsky.social
Political Science Professor in California's capital.
Director, Project for an Informed Electorate. Interested in pol psych, public opinion, and California politics. Ex-pollster.
Snark appreciator. Long-time member of the reality-based-community.
Director, Project for an Informed Electorate. Interested in pol psych, public opinion, and California politics. Ex-pollster.
Snark appreciator. Long-time member of the reality-based-community.
So, what is all the tariff revenue going to be used for?
Shouldn't they at least give lip service to the idea that there are benefits, not just the pure economic self sabotage it appears to be?
This timeline is so weird.
Shouldn't they at least give lip service to the idea that there are benefits, not just the pure economic self sabotage it appears to be?
This timeline is so weird.
April 29, 2025 at 3:57 AM
So, what is all the tariff revenue going to be used for?
Shouldn't they at least give lip service to the idea that there are benefits, not just the pure economic self sabotage it appears to be?
This timeline is so weird.
Shouldn't they at least give lip service to the idea that there are benefits, not just the pure economic self sabotage it appears to be?
This timeline is so weird.
Reposted by Kim L. Nalder
So, a bribe?
New: Trump rescinds order targeting the law firm Paul Weiss after it agreed to “dedicate the equivalent of $40m in pro bono legal services over the course of President Trump’s term to support the admin’s initiatives” AND “acknowledged the wrongdoing of Mark Pomerantz”
March 20, 2025 at 10:58 PM
So, a bribe?
Reposted by Kim L. Nalder
oh so *now* the biden economy was "firing on all cylinders" huh? i kinda don't recall that being the tenor of economic news coverage before the election
President Trump inherited an economy that was, by most conventional measures, firing on all cylinders. Just weeks into his term, economic forecasts have deteriorated, reflecting the upheaval from federal layoffs, tariff moves and immigration roundups. nyti.ms/43sbBz5
March 7, 2025 at 6:56 PM
oh so *now* the biden economy was "firing on all cylinders" huh? i kinda don't recall that being the tenor of economic news coverage before the election
Reposted by Kim L. Nalder
I’ve seen a lot of assumptions in the media that Trump (and Musk) are targeting institutions with loyalty tests.
But that’s not quite right. They’re using dominance tests. And the difference between these two things matter. 🧵
But that’s not quite right. They’re using dominance tests. And the difference between these two things matter. 🧵
March 7, 2025 at 8:07 PM
I’ve seen a lot of assumptions in the media that Trump (and Musk) are targeting institutions with loyalty tests.
But that’s not quite right. They’re using dominance tests. And the difference between these two things matter. 🧵
But that’s not quite right. They’re using dominance tests. And the difference between these two things matter. 🧵
Just aaaaaaaaah!
Steve Levitsky on how unprecedented the concentration of power in Musk is - "at least in democracies, I’ve never seen a concentration of political, economic, and media power as vast as this," only comparison is "old-fashioned dictatorships"
March 4, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Just aaaaaaaaah!
Can someone explain how resigning from your crucial govt role in order to protest this lawlessness is helpful.
Doesn't that just empower the illegitimate raiders more?
Doesn't that just empower the illegitimate raiders more?
February 21, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Can someone explain how resigning from your crucial govt role in order to protest this lawlessness is helpful.
Doesn't that just empower the illegitimate raiders more?
Doesn't that just empower the illegitimate raiders more?
Reposted by Kim L. Nalder
If you wanted to cut waste, fraud, and abuse, you would empower the inspectors general.
If you wanted more waste, fraud, and abuse, you would fire them.
If you wanted more waste, fraud, and abuse, you would fire them.
February 17, 2025 at 2:17 PM
If you wanted to cut waste, fraud, and abuse, you would empower the inspectors general.
If you wanted more waste, fraud, and abuse, you would fire them.
If you wanted more waste, fraud, and abuse, you would fire them.
Reposted by Kim L. Nalder
Our ad with @splcenter.org: www.commoncause.org/wp-content/u...
February 17, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Our ad with @splcenter.org: www.commoncause.org/wp-content/u...
Can we start a massive class action suit for all the mental and physical health damage done by Trump and Musk?
Maybe just measure everyone's cortisol and news consumption? High enough on both, and you qualify for damages.
Only half joking.
Maybe just measure everyone's cortisol and news consumption? High enough on both, and you qualify for damages.
Only half joking.
February 12, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Can we start a massive class action suit for all the mental and physical health damage done by Trump and Musk?
Maybe just measure everyone's cortisol and news consumption? High enough on both, and you qualify for damages.
Only half joking.
Maybe just measure everyone's cortisol and news consumption? High enough on both, and you qualify for damages.
Only half joking.
You can replace "DEI" with "fairness" to get real (and simple).
"[For the Right], D.E.I...is the mere presence of a woman or nonwhite person or disabled or transgender person in any high-skilled, high-status position. And their alternative isn’t some heretofore unknown standard of merit; it is the reintroduction of something like segregation."
(gift link)
(gift link)
Opinion | Trump’s War on D.E.I. Is Really a War on Civil Rights
The genius of the right-wing crusade against D.E.I. is that the term is amorphous enough that it can mean many different things to many different people.
www.nytimes.com
February 12, 2025 at 4:15 PM
You can replace "DEI" with "fairness" to get real (and simple).
Sadly, it's hard to imagine he'll ever explore the rest of the D-K range (it's a steep drop off!)
Catching up on this Musk Oval Office appearance and, optics aside, it's like a brave explorer holding a press conference from the first peak in the Dunning-Kruger range. Just so much confident opining on stuff that even casual observers can spot as completely wrong.
February 12, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Sadly, it's hard to imagine he'll ever explore the rest of the D-K range (it's a steep drop off!)
Here's a good start to the "what can we do?" questions we all have.
“So what do we do to stop Trump?” is a question I get dozens of times per day. I answer in detail here.
The worst thing we can do is give up. Autocrats want capitulation through exhaustion and compliance through fear. Do not comply.
Here’s how to take action:
www.qasimrashid.com/p/magas-7-de...
The worst thing we can do is give up. Autocrats want capitulation through exhaustion and compliance through fear. Do not comply.
Here’s how to take action:
www.qasimrashid.com/p/magas-7-de...
MAGAs 7 Deadly Sins—So Far—And How to Fight Back
How MAGAs are undermining every aspect of our Republic as they march the United States towards fascism—and the actions we must take to stop them
www.qasimrashid.com
February 2, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Here's a good start to the "what can we do?" questions we all have.
So, like, when are we going to DO SOMETHING?
Trump is openly violating the law on a vast and unprecedented scale and everyone is acting like it's normal. NPR had a long story about finding a rare shrew. NYT said he was disregarding "legal niceties." This is an attack on the Constitution as profound as the attempt to overturn the 2020 election.
February 1, 2025 at 4:46 PM
So, like, when are we going to DO SOMETHING?
Reposted by Kim L. Nalder
Quick reminder that if you see a headline from a source you’ve never heard of that isn’t being reported by anyone else, you really should do some due diligence before spreading it around as fact. There’s enough misinformation floating around already; no need to add more.
February 1, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Quick reminder that if you see a headline from a source you’ve never heard of that isn’t being reported by anyone else, you really should do some due diligence before spreading it around as fact. There’s enough misinformation floating around already; no need to add more.
Reposted by Kim L. Nalder
Not "legal niceties." What they are doing is illegal! www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/u...
January 31, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Not "legal niceties." What they are doing is illegal! www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/u...
To Trump, any POC, female, or disabled hire is ipso facto unqualified.
Should be hilarious given his colossal (the biggest ever?) skills/fitness to job requirements gap.
Yet somehow, it's not.
Should be hilarious given his colossal (the biggest ever?) skills/fitness to job requirements gap.
Yet somehow, it's not.
January 31, 2025 at 6:30 PM
To Trump, any POC, female, or disabled hire is ipso facto unqualified.
Should be hilarious given his colossal (the biggest ever?) skills/fitness to job requirements gap.
Yet somehow, it's not.
Should be hilarious given his colossal (the biggest ever?) skills/fitness to job requirements gap.
Yet somehow, it's not.
Reposted by Kim L. Nalder
On this note, here is a thread with recent research on what normalization is and how it happens.
It includes links to references, from my work and that of others.
I tried to tag the authors whenever they are on here, in case you are interested in following their work.
1/8
It includes links to references, from my work and that of others.
I tried to tag the authors whenever they are on here, in case you are interested in following their work.
1/8
No country is immune to the far right.
No country is immune to the normalization of the far right.
No country is immune to the normalization of the far right.
January 30, 2025 at 12:12 PM
On this note, here is a thread with recent research on what normalization is and how it happens.
It includes links to references, from my work and that of others.
I tried to tag the authors whenever they are on here, in case you are interested in following their work.
1/8
It includes links to references, from my work and that of others.
I tried to tag the authors whenever they are on here, in case you are interested in following their work.
1/8
Reposted by Kim L. Nalder
I just reached out to my senators about the NIH situation. If you need to find out how much impact NIH has in your state in terms of dollars in and their economic impact here's a link: www.unitedformedicalresearch.org/nih-in-your-...
NIH In Your State - United For Medical Research
Select a state on the map to see the impact of NIH funding across America.
www.unitedformedicalresearch.org
January 22, 2025 at 9:34 PM
I just reached out to my senators about the NIH situation. If you need to find out how much impact NIH has in your state in terms of dollars in and their economic impact here's a link: www.unitedformedicalresearch.org/nih-in-your-...
Reposted by Kim L. Nalder
NIH funding supports the vast majority of all biomedical research in the United States. Virtually every advance in American medicine and biological science comes from NIH. This is a blow against American science.
Call Congress, 202-224-3121.
Call Congress, 202-224-3121.
All NIH study sections canceled indefinitely. This will halt science and devastate research budgets in universities.
January 23, 2025 at 12:41 AM
NIH funding supports the vast majority of all biomedical research in the United States. Virtually every advance in American medicine and biological science comes from NIH. This is a blow against American science.
Call Congress, 202-224-3121.
Call Congress, 202-224-3121.
I miss the country we grew up loving.
This timeline is spirit-crushing.
This timeline is spirit-crushing.
January 23, 2025 at 1:55 AM
I miss the country we grew up loving.
This timeline is spirit-crushing.
This timeline is spirit-crushing.
Reposted by Kim L. Nalder
Please please please watch this. Please.
Ex-Sniper reacts to Pete Hegseth Hearing
YouTube video by Hillary Clinton
www.youtube.com
January 16, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Please please please watch this. Please.
Reposted by Kim L. Nalder
Political scientists and journalists are trained to be politically neutral in order to demonstrate their objectivity. But when a threat comes from one side, we abandon objectivity in the name of neutrality. The two sides *empirically* do not pose the same threat to democracy, but we pretend they do.
October 31, 2024 at 1:13 PM
Political scientists and journalists are trained to be politically neutral in order to demonstrate their objectivity. But when a threat comes from one side, we abandon objectivity in the name of neutrality. The two sides *empirically* do not pose the same threat to democracy, but we pretend they do.
This is pretty much why so many professors are trying to hold the line on this and reverting to in-class written work.
Society can't just outsource critical thinking to tech bro's (profitable) toys.
Society can't just outsource critical thinking to tech bro's (profitable) toys.
January 8, 2025 at 3:49 PM
This is pretty much why so many professors are trying to hold the line on this and reverting to in-class written work.
Society can't just outsource critical thinking to tech bro's (profitable) toys.
Society can't just outsource critical thinking to tech bro's (profitable) toys.
Reposted by Kim L. Nalder
Yesterday, President Biden finalized a rule to remove medical debt from the credit reports of millions of Americans.
The number of Americans with medical debt on their credit reports will be zero — down from 46 million right before he took office.
Why isn’t anybody talking about this?
The number of Americans with medical debt on their credit reports will be zero — down from 46 million right before he took office.
Why isn’t anybody talking about this?
January 8, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Yesterday, President Biden finalized a rule to remove medical debt from the credit reports of millions of Americans.
The number of Americans with medical debt on their credit reports will be zero — down from 46 million right before he took office.
Why isn’t anybody talking about this?
The number of Americans with medical debt on their credit reports will be zero — down from 46 million right before he took office.
Why isn’t anybody talking about this?
This feels like the in-the-background news buildup to a dystopian system-collapse movie.
Already.
Already.
Meta ending fact-checking for community notes model
Meta will end its eight-year partnership with independent American journalists, including PolitiFact, to identify false
www.politifact.com
January 8, 2025 at 3:39 PM
This feels like the in-the-background news buildup to a dystopian system-collapse movie.
Already.
Already.