Mark Csikszentmihalyi
@markcsik.bsky.social
California prof, International Studies
& Emily, Henry, Kinga, Aschalew, and Zofia's dad
NB: I am here for public conversation, not private ones.
& Emily, Henry, Kinga, Aschalew, and Zofia's dad
NB: I am here for public conversation, not private ones.
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
“The incalculable damage left by Bush and Cheney’s day-in-and-day-out contempt for national and international law includes the power to sweep forward in time and trivialize into a matter of personal preference any future president’s adherence to the law.“
Elaine Scarry in 2008:
Elaine Scarry in 2008:
Presidential Crimes - Boston Review
Torture must be addressed through legal instruments, not simply through the electoral repudiation of bad policy.
www.bostonreview.net
November 4, 2025 at 7:12 PM
“The incalculable damage left by Bush and Cheney’s day-in-and-day-out contempt for national and international law includes the power to sweep forward in time and trivialize into a matter of personal preference any future president’s adherence to the law.“
Elaine Scarry in 2008:
Elaine Scarry in 2008:
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
I hadn’t seen the very beginning part of this coverage before I don’t think - familiar ICE Goons‼️⤵️ bsky.app/profile/laur...
Immigration agents crashed into a U.S. citizen on her way to work—then dragged her out of her car and arrested her.
Her family couldn’t find her for hours.
She was later released without charges.
Read the story: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/03/c...
Her family couldn’t find her for hours.
She was later released without charges.
Read the story: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/03/c...
November 3, 2025 at 10:43 PM
I hadn’t seen the very beginning part of this coverage before I don’t think - familiar ICE Goons‼️⤵️ bsky.app/profile/laur...
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
🚨👀 {𝙖𝙅𝙎𝘿} ProPublica tallied 170+ U.S. citizens detained by immigration agents in 2025 sweeps — many dragged, tased, or held >1 day w/o calls; ~130 arrests often dropped. Kavanaugh said citizens are ❝promptly❞ released; DHS denies profiling. The cases tell a different story.
October 16, 2025 at 8:43 PM
🚨👀 {𝙖𝙅𝙎𝘿} ProPublica tallied 170+ U.S. citizens detained by immigration agents in 2025 sweeps — many dragged, tased, or held >1 day w/o calls; ~130 arrests often dropped. Kavanaugh said citizens are ❝promptly❞ released; DHS denies profiling. The cases tell a different story.
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
Breaking on MSNBC:
Two federal prosecutors have been placed on leave at the direction of the White House after filing a sentencing memo seeking 27 months in prison for a pardoned Jan. 6 rioter who brought illegal guns and ammunition to President Obama's house in 2023.
Two federal prosecutors have been placed on leave at the direction of the White House after filing a sentencing memo seeking 27 months in prison for a pardoned Jan. 6 rioter who brought illegal guns and ammunition to President Obama's house in 2023.
October 29, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Breaking on MSNBC:
Two federal prosecutors have been placed on leave at the direction of the White House after filing a sentencing memo seeking 27 months in prison for a pardoned Jan. 6 rioter who brought illegal guns and ammunition to President Obama's house in 2023.
Two federal prosecutors have been placed on leave at the direction of the White House after filing a sentencing memo seeking 27 months in prison for a pardoned Jan. 6 rioter who brought illegal guns and ammunition to President Obama's house in 2023.
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
This man left Costa Rica in Dec 2024 to look for work.
He was in perfect health.
Snatched by ICE on Dec 27, held for 8 months in Texas, and now dead.
Picked up in perfect health, then deported back on an ambulance flight, and died shortly after his return.
Something monstrous is going on.
He was in perfect health.
Snatched by ICE on Dec 27, held for 8 months in Texas, and now dead.
Picked up in perfect health, then deported back on an ambulance flight, and died shortly after his return.
Something monstrous is going on.
🧵This horrific story is being reported all over Latin America, but not the US.
Randall Gamboa, a Costa Rican, was deported from the US in such a critical health condition it required an ambulance flight.
He then died upon his return to Costa Rica after being detained for 8 months by DHS.
Randall Gamboa, a Costa Rican, was deported from the US in such a critical health condition it required an ambulance flight.
He then died upon his return to Costa Rica after being detained for 8 months by DHS.
October 28, 2025 at 2:42 AM
This man left Costa Rica in Dec 2024 to look for work.
He was in perfect health.
Snatched by ICE on Dec 27, held for 8 months in Texas, and now dead.
Picked up in perfect health, then deported back on an ambulance flight, and died shortly after his return.
Something monstrous is going on.
He was in perfect health.
Snatched by ICE on Dec 27, held for 8 months in Texas, and now dead.
Picked up in perfect health, then deported back on an ambulance flight, and died shortly after his return.
Something monstrous is going on.
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
Here’s the original clip of Ronald Reagan from April 25, 1987, where he delivered a complete and total rebuke against tariffs. Trump's calling Reagan’s words here “FAKE” and “fraudulent.” They’re 100% real. And the original clip is actually far worse for Trump, as much is left out of the ad:
October 24, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Here’s the original clip of Ronald Reagan from April 25, 1987, where he delivered a complete and total rebuke against tariffs. Trump's calling Reagan’s words here “FAKE” and “fraudulent.” They’re 100% real. And the original clip is actually far worse for Trump, as much is left out of the ad:
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
Thanks John Roberts!
Q: On the pardon of Changpeng Zhao, Binance has significant business interests with World Liberty Financial, the president family's crypto company. How do you respond to criticisms that this is a corrupt act?
LEAVITT: I would respond and say the president is exercising his constitutional authority
LEAVITT: I would respond and say the president is exercising his constitutional authority
October 23, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Thanks John Roberts!
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
Mamdani is already reducing crime in New York.
October 21, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Mamdani is already reducing crime in New York.
Given their free time, House Dems should find a venue, invite citizen replacements for their GOP counterparts, and rent a venue where they can start writing and debating the bills that they promise to pass in 2027. Begin with progressive tax reform. It will end the shutdown in a week.
October 21, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Given their free time, House Dems should find a venue, invite citizen replacements for their GOP counterparts, and rent a venue where they can start writing and debating the bills that they promise to pass in 2027. Begin with progressive tax reform. It will end the shutdown in a week.
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
So much coverage these days seems like the media wishcasting a return to "politics as usual," like they see this shit and say "wow these guys don't know how bad this looks, I'll fix it" when those guys know exactly how it looks and just don't care and in fact want it to look bad.
“The ousting comes amid a critical dispute within academia about how to rebuild confidence in higher education in a politically polarized moment.”
This is such a tortured story frame it is functionally a lie. Greg Abbott is not trying to rebuild confidence, he is proudly conducting a purge.
This is such a tortured story frame it is functionally a lie. Greg Abbott is not trying to rebuild confidence, he is proudly conducting a purge.
Texas professor ousted from admin role over "ideological differences"
Art Markman had served as a senior vice provost for academic affairs since 2021.
www.axios.com
October 20, 2025 at 11:56 AM
So much coverage these days seems like the media wishcasting a return to "politics as usual," like they see this shit and say "wow these guys don't know how bad this looks, I'll fix it" when those guys know exactly how it looks and just don't care and in fact want it to look bad.
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
This is an international disaster. They targeted a disabled fishing boat in Colombian territorial waters and killed fishermen.
October 19, 2025 at 1:15 PM
This is an international disaster. They targeted a disabled fishing boat in Colombian territorial waters and killed fishermen.
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
Powerful sign at No Kings in Cleveland
October 18, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Powerful sign at No Kings in Cleveland
A deep cut (a WWII poster) from the SF March:
October 19, 2025 at 12:43 AM
A deep cut (a WWII poster) from the SF March:
SF was wall to wall signs today
October 19, 2025 at 12:40 AM
SF was wall to wall signs today
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
Senator Jeffrey Merkley claims that Trump is orchestrating a fabricated riot in order to invoke the Insurrection Act.
October 18, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Senator Jeffrey Merkley claims that Trump is orchestrating a fabricated riot in order to invoke the Insurrection Act.
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
Bessent’s friends have huge investments in Argentina.
Elon Musk does too.
Bessent is sending $40 billion of our money to Argentina with more to come.
There is zero oversight. Congress not involved.
One unelected man is sending a fortune to Argentina and nobody will stop him,
Elon Musk does too.
Bessent is sending $40 billion of our money to Argentina with more to come.
There is zero oversight. Congress not involved.
One unelected man is sending a fortune to Argentina and nobody will stop him,
October 15, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Bessent’s friends have huge investments in Argentina.
Elon Musk does too.
Bessent is sending $40 billion of our money to Argentina with more to come.
There is zero oversight. Congress not involved.
One unelected man is sending a fortune to Argentina and nobody will stop him,
Elon Musk does too.
Bessent is sending $40 billion of our money to Argentina with more to come.
There is zero oversight. Congress not involved.
One unelected man is sending a fortune to Argentina and nobody will stop him,
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
Letter From The Editors is on point www.idsnews.com/article/2025...
October 15, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Letter From The Editors is on point www.idsnews.com/article/2025...
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
October 9, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
Oregon Republicans know they can't use an image of the actual (small, tame) protest in Portland to illustrate Trump's fever dream and their fake intel, so they had to make one from stock photos of South American "Policia" leaning on riot shields + what looks like Brazilian football fans with flares
October 6, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Oregon Republicans know they can't use an image of the actual (small, tame) protest in Portland to illustrate Trump's fever dream and their fake intel, so they had to make one from stock photos of South American "Policia" leaning on riot shields + what looks like Brazilian football fans with flares
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
A WILD ONE: A man broke his leg during an arrest by ICE at a car wash south of L.A.
ICE has held him under 24/7 guard at a hospital, registering him under a pseudonym, for *37 days* without telling him why.
A judge has ordered his immediate release.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
ICE has held him under 24/7 guard at a hospital, registering him under a pseudonym, for *37 days* without telling him why.
A judge has ordered his immediate release.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
October 5, 2025 at 1:35 AM
A WILD ONE: A man broke his leg during an arrest by ICE at a car wash south of L.A.
ICE has held him under 24/7 guard at a hospital, registering him under a pseudonym, for *37 days* without telling him why.
A judge has ordered his immediate release.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
ICE has held him under 24/7 guard at a hospital, registering him under a pseudonym, for *37 days* without telling him why.
A judge has ordered his immediate release.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
MSF staff are universally understood to be engaged in an essentially sacred form of work. For a state to nonetheless continuously murder them is a testament to a truly unthinkable degree of depravity.
msf.org/msf-denounce...
msf.org/msf-denounce...
October 4, 2025 at 12:01 AM
MSF staff are universally understood to be engaged in an essentially sacred form of work. For a state to nonetheless continuously murder them is a testament to a truly unthinkable degree of depravity.
msf.org/msf-denounce...
msf.org/msf-denounce...
Not long enough for the multiple organ transplants that Xi and Putin were talking about, but longer than would be needed for blood transfusions from Christian cheerleaders.
Chemo? Gout? Kidney stones?
Are these breaks planned in advance or do they clear events from his calendar?
Chemo? Gout? Kidney stones?
Are these breaks planned in advance or do they clear events from his calendar?
The oldest man ever elected to the Presidency, with clear health problems and increasingly unhinged, untethered public appearances and postings, has now disappeared from public view of an extended period for 2nd time in recent weeks.
Truly, how is this not a bigger story?
bsky.app/profile/did:...
Truly, how is this not a bigger story?
bsky.app/profile/did:...
This is the second time Trump has disappeared from public view in last six weeks without an explanation.
October 4, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Not long enough for the multiple organ transplants that Xi and Putin were talking about, but longer than would be needed for blood transfusions from Christian cheerleaders.
Chemo? Gout? Kidney stones?
Are these breaks planned in advance or do they clear events from his calendar?
Chemo? Gout? Kidney stones?
Are these breaks planned in advance or do they clear events from his calendar?
Reposted by Mark Csikszentmihalyi
This is the best elevator pitch I've seen from Dems on the shutdown.
Good morning.
The government is shut down because Trump wants to act like a king and steal from you.
Democrats have no obligation to support a budget that funds the destruction of our democracy - and DOUBLES health premiums to fund a tax cut for billionaires.
The government is shut down because Trump wants to act like a king and steal from you.
Democrats have no obligation to support a budget that funds the destruction of our democracy - and DOUBLES health premiums to fund a tax cut for billionaires.
October 1, 2025 at 2:32 PM
This is the best elevator pitch I've seen from Dems on the shutdown.