Lily Mason
@lilymasonphd.bsky.social
Political scientist at Johns Hopkins, author of Uncivil Agreement and co-author of Radical American Partisanship
Reposted by Lily Mason
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 Lily Mason
A majority of the days the government has ever been shut down, Donald Trump was president. www.howtoreadthisch.art/red-versus-b...
November 8, 2025 at 7:04 PM
A majority of the days the government has ever been shut down, Donald Trump was president. www.howtoreadthisch.art/red-versus-b...
Reposted by Lily Mason
Women are dying of sepsis after being denied abortions. A conservative sect that wants to repeal women’s voting rights is growing and gaining national attention. *This* is the NYT’s contribution to conversations about women?
November 7, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Women are dying of sepsis after being denied abortions. A conservative sect that wants to repeal women’s voting rights is growing and gaining national attention. *This* is the NYT’s contribution to conversations about women?
In front of OR INSIDE.
“Federal authorities told demonstrators Friday that there would be ‘no more prayer’ in front of or inside the Broadview ICE facility, in a move that mystified local leaders and raised legal questions.” blockclubchicago.org/2025/11/07/f...
Feds Tell Faith Leaders 'No More Prayer' Outside Broadview Facility
In a possible violation of the First Amendment, federal officials instructed demonstrators to stop holding religious gatherings outside the immigration processing facility in suburban Broadview after ...
blockclubchicago.org
November 8, 2025 at 2:59 PM
In front of OR INSIDE.
Reposted by Lily Mason
"Why American-style polarisation is spreading across the West"
Two words: algorithms and incentives. Mostly incentives. Until we modify or eliminate incentives, all we can do is watch as the fabric of society is pulled apart, strand by strand. www.ft.com/content/5060...
Two words: algorithms and incentives. Mostly incentives. Until we modify or eliminate incentives, all we can do is watch as the fabric of society is pulled apart, strand by strand. www.ft.com/content/5060...
November 7, 2025 at 2:57 PM
"Why American-style polarisation is spreading across the West"
Two words: algorithms and incentives. Mostly incentives. Until we modify or eliminate incentives, all we can do is watch as the fabric of society is pulled apart, strand by strand. www.ft.com/content/5060...
Two words: algorithms and incentives. Mostly incentives. Until we modify or eliminate incentives, all we can do is watch as the fabric of society is pulled apart, strand by strand. www.ft.com/content/5060...
Reposted by Lily Mason
The world’s first trillionaire initiated a move that has left more than half a million people dead, most of whom are children.
November 7, 2025 at 7:39 AM
The world’s first trillionaire initiated a move that has left more than half a million people dead, most of whom are children.
This short film is worth 20 minutes of your time today.
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 2:22 PM
This short film is worth 20 minutes of your time today.
Reposted by Lily Mason
Hundreds of thousands of people, dead because of a decision made by the world's richest man
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Hundreds of thousands of people, dead because of a decision made by the world's richest man
Reposted by Lily Mason
There had better be trials. And not just for the low-level thugs carrying out these orders, but for everyone up the chain of command.
If we get past this, the solution isn’t to pretend it never happened and invite Stephen Miller to Harvard’s Institute of Politics.
It’s trials w real punishments.
If we get past this, the solution isn’t to pretend it never happened and invite Stephen Miller to Harvard’s Institute of Politics.
It’s trials w real punishments.
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.
November 7, 2025 at 12:45 PM
There had better be trials. And not just for the low-level thugs carrying out these orders, but for everyone up the chain of command.
If we get past this, the solution isn’t to pretend it never happened and invite Stephen Miller to Harvard’s Institute of Politics.
It’s trials w real punishments.
If we get past this, the solution isn’t to pretend it never happened and invite Stephen Miller to Harvard’s Institute of Politics.
It’s trials w real punishments.
Reposted by Lily Mason
This is the kind of thing that should get a product recalled. I'm not joking. This should stop a thing being sold till it's tested fully.
I fully believe in the corporate death penalty and believe we would be a better world if OpenAI lost its corporate charter and was forcibly dissolved.
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
www.cnn.com/2025/11/06/u...
ChatGPT encouraged college graduate to commit suicide, family claims in lawsuit against OpenAI | CNN
A 23-year-old man killed himself in Texas after ChatGPT ‘goaded’ him to commit suicide, his family says in a lawsuit.
www.cnn.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:35 PM
This is the kind of thing that should get a product recalled. I'm not joking. This should stop a thing being sold till it's tested fully.
Whenever secret police kidnap and disappear people, atrocities are happening behind the scenes.
Her husband told her that detainees at Broadview had to get up at 5am to get in line for one bathroom. He often peed himself. One time he had to wait until 2pm to use the bathroom. You could only use the bathroom once a day. He said the agents would beat you if you used the bathroom on yourself.
November 7, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Whenever secret police kidnap and disappear people, atrocities are happening behind the scenes.
Academic tip: sometimes you have to write "Importantly," to get a sentence started and then you can go back and delete it.
November 6, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Academic tip: sometimes you have to write "Importantly," to get a sentence started and then you can go back and delete it.
Reposted by Lily Mason
The govt defense counsel is incredible. “The Feds’ coercive action was meted out by compliance before the fact by the university. Therefore, you can’t sue the Feds; you must instead sue the university.”
NB: the UCLA FA did sue UCLA.
NB: the UCLA FA did sue UCLA.
November 6, 2025 at 6:31 PM
The govt defense counsel is incredible. “The Feds’ coercive action was meted out by compliance before the fact by the university. Therefore, you can’t sue the Feds; you must instead sue the university.”
NB: the UCLA FA did sue UCLA.
NB: the UCLA FA did sue UCLA.
Reposted by Lily Mason
as a thought exercise for everyone reading ross douthat's latest missive in the NYT, i want you to think about sending an email to your entire company with the subject line "Did Women Ruin the Workplace?", then think about the over/under on the number of minutes/hours you would still be employed
November 6, 2025 at 1:31 PM
as a thought exercise for everyone reading ross douthat's latest missive in the NYT, i want you to think about sending an email to your entire company with the subject line "Did Women Ruin the Workplace?", then think about the over/under on the number of minutes/hours you would still be employed
Reposted by Lily Mason
I’ll keep pushing this line of analysis because I’m increasingly convinced the clearest path out of this mess is for Dems to adopt a relentless anti-corruption, anti-inequality, anti-oligarchy, pro-democracy platform. The Dem leadership hasn’t realized it yet, but they’re now a reform party.
November 6, 2025 at 12:06 AM
I’ll keep pushing this line of analysis because I’m increasingly convinced the clearest path out of this mess is for Dems to adopt a relentless anti-corruption, anti-inequality, anti-oligarchy, pro-democracy platform. The Dem leadership hasn’t realized it yet, but they’re now a reform party.
Reposted by Lily Mason
Change in Headline
November 6, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Change in Headline
Reposted by Lily Mason
I talked about this with my students. I think that basically very few people in NYC had latent attitudes on free buses but Mamdani puts it on the agenda, links it to other things people care about and makes it an issue. Candidates can shape opinion (which is why popularism makes me nuts)
November 5, 2025 at 1:44 PM
I talked about this with my students. I think that basically very few people in NYC had latent attitudes on free buses but Mamdani puts it on the agenda, links it to other things people care about and makes it an issue. Candidates can shape opinion (which is why popularism makes me nuts)
Generally, when a party is trying to appeal to a new cohort of voters, they don’t send masked men to publicly kidnap and disappear thousands of members of that cohort.
Latinos in VA also moved hard back to the left from last year
November 5, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Generally, when a party is trying to appeal to a new cohort of voters, they don’t send masked men to publicly kidnap and disappear thousands of members of that cohort.
Reposted by Lily Mason
"The results, then, are a marked contrast to the accommodation, capitulation and outright surrender of prominent individuals and institutions in the face of Trump’s demands."
@jamellebouie.net this morning:
[🎁]
@jamellebouie.net this morning:
[🎁]
Opinion | Trump Is an Albatross
www.nytimes.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:19 PM
"The results, then, are a marked contrast to the accommodation, capitulation and outright surrender of prominent individuals and institutions in the face of Trump’s demands."
@jamellebouie.net this morning:
[🎁]
@jamellebouie.net this morning:
[🎁]
Reposted by Lily Mason
NEW: Mississippi Democrats broke the Republican Party's supermajority in the state Senate tonight for the first time since 2011.
It came as Democrats flipped 2 Senate seats and 1 House seat.
“Mississippi just broke the supermajority—and the people have taken back their power,” the party says.
It came as Democrats flipped 2 Senate seats and 1 House seat.
“Mississippi just broke the supermajority—and the people have taken back their power,” the party says.
Mississippi Democrats Break Republican Senate Supermajority, Flipping 3 Legislative Seats
After 13 years, Mississippi Democrats broke the Republican Party's supermajority in the Mississippi Senate, flipping 3 legislative seats.
www.mississippifreepress.org
November 5, 2025 at 7:25 AM
NEW: Mississippi Democrats broke the Republican Party's supermajority in the state Senate tonight for the first time since 2011.
It came as Democrats flipped 2 Senate seats and 1 House seat.
“Mississippi just broke the supermajority—and the people have taken back their power,” the party says.
It came as Democrats flipped 2 Senate seats and 1 House seat.
“Mississippi just broke the supermajority—and the people have taken back their power,” the party says.
Reposted by Lily Mason
ah, perhaps instead of pumping millions into endless factional infighting Dem donors could invest in making local Dem organizations genuine civic spaces that can reach people during and between elections
November 5, 2025 at 12:49 PM
ah, perhaps instead of pumping millions into endless factional infighting Dem donors could invest in making local Dem organizations genuine civic spaces that can reach people during and between elections
Reposted by Lily Mason
i want to repeat this: mamdani and spanberger have run similar campaigns tailored to their respective electorates and it is maddening to watch political journalists attempt to create some broad contrast where none exist
the other thing about this is that there is no reason to pit these candidates against each other? each are good fits for their respective electorates and each shows the value of vigorous campaigns focused on the stated material problems of voters.
November 4, 2025 at 1:37 PM
i want to repeat this: mamdani and spanberger have run similar campaigns tailored to their respective electorates and it is maddening to watch political journalists attempt to create some broad contrast where none exist
Reposted by Lily Mason
Looking forward to learning all about how the right should move left to win elections tomorrow. They should maybe dye their hair pink, learn to love pronouns.
November 5, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Looking forward to learning all about how the right should move left to win elections tomorrow. They should maybe dye their hair pink, learn to love pronouns.
Reposted by Lily Mason
A more pertinent question: Why might one mayor in one city be a political liability for national Democrats, while the president, VP, various governors, and members of Congress are not for the national Republicans, let alone any GOP mayor?
How did that come to be? Who makes that happen?
How did that come to be? Who makes that happen?
![Screenshot of article that reads: “A Mamdani victory is a serious political problem for those in the party who believe, as we do, that our primary focus must be on flipping red and purple seats blue, expanding the map for Democrats, and creating a path back to Congress and the White House,” Matt Bennett, executive vice president of center-left think tank Third Way, told MSNBC. “The [Democratic Socialists of America] platform — which Mamdani has not repudiated — hands a potent set of weapons to Republican ad makers eager to tie Mamdani-style politics to Democrats running in much tougher places than deep blue New York.”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ozma3timm5c32fa7bimb4zaj/bafkreidedpbe5cweyx6x5pz66ypn74fumifyvinjjr4prysjpvopaqi4vi@jpeg)
November 4, 2025 at 4:30 PM
A more pertinent question: Why might one mayor in one city be a political liability for national Democrats, while the president, VP, various governors, and members of Congress are not for the national Republicans, let alone any GOP mayor?
How did that come to be? Who makes that happen?
How did that come to be? Who makes that happen?
Reposted by Lily Mason
The job of a good message isn't to say what is popular. The job of a good message is to make popular what we need said.
MAGA and Madison Avenue have known and exploited this. But it also very much applies to campaigns for good.
www.weekendreading.net/p/bringing-a...
MAGA and Madison Avenue have known and exploited this. But it also very much applies to campaigns for good.
www.weekendreading.net/p/bringing-a...
Bringing a Survey to a Gun Fight
“Pollingism” Has Failed Democrats and Voters. Here’s Why, and What to Do Instead.
www.weekendreading.net
November 3, 2025 at 4:13 AM
The job of a good message isn't to say what is popular. The job of a good message is to make popular what we need said.
MAGA and Madison Avenue have known and exploited this. But it also very much applies to campaigns for good.
www.weekendreading.net/p/bringing-a...
MAGA and Madison Avenue have known and exploited this. But it also very much applies to campaigns for good.
www.weekendreading.net/p/bringing-a...