Zak Taylor
@mzak.bsky.social
Prof. of public policy at Georgia Tech. My posts don't represent my university or USG. They are random reads & vents that I find interesting or provocative.
Reposted by Zak Taylor
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
November 10, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
Reposted by Zak Taylor
Reposted by Zak Taylor
SOLICITOR GENERAL SAUER, last week: “.. They are not revenue-raising tariffs.” 🤡
November 10, 2025 at 3:51 PM
SOLICITOR GENERAL SAUER, last week: “.. They are not revenue-raising tariffs.” 🤡
Because the average Republican legislator is a multi-millionaire who doesn’t care about a paycheck and may be taken care of by a billionaire mega donor anyway?
Can someone explain to me why we’re paying House Republicans to stay at home and do nothing? SMDH
If our air traffic controllers and TSA, as well as, other essential workers have to go to work without pay, then why in the hell are all these lazy, do-nothing Republicans getting paychecks?!
If our air traffic controllers and TSA, as well as, other essential workers have to go to work without pay, then why in the hell are all these lazy, do-nothing Republicans getting paychecks?!
November 9, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Because the average Republican legislator is a multi-millionaire who doesn’t care about a paycheck and may be taken care of by a billionaire mega donor anyway?
Reposted by Zak Taylor
Once again, EVERY R1 research university depends on federal funding for ~15-25% of its budget. You simply can't unplug the largest or 2nd-largest source of $$ of every R1 university & expect it not to have devastating consequences for graduate education, which will spill over to undergrad education.
Wow. Harvard nuking its PhD programs
- Science PhD admissions reduced by more than 75%
- Arts & Humanities reduced by about 60%
- Social Sciences by 50–70%
- History by 60%
- Biology by 75%
- The German department will lose all PhD seats
- Sociology from six PhD students to zero
- Science PhD admissions reduced by more than 75%
- Arts & Humanities reduced by about 60%
- Social Sciences by 50–70%
- History by 60%
- Biology by 75%
- The German department will lose all PhD seats
- Sociology from six PhD students to zero
Harvard FAS Cuts Ph.D. Seats By More Than Half Across Next Two Admissions Cycles | News | The Harvard Crimson
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences slashed the number of Ph.D. student admissions slots for the Science division by more than 75 percent and for the Arts & Humanities division by about 60 percent for th...
www.thecrimson.com
October 21, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Once again, EVERY R1 research university depends on federal funding for ~15-25% of its budget. You simply can't unplug the largest or 2nd-largest source of $$ of every R1 university & expect it not to have devastating consequences for graduate education, which will spill over to undergrad education.
Against Greenland?
November 7, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Against Greenland?
Reposted by Zak Taylor
This is fantastic. Make sure you stick around until the record scratch at the end.
New York millionaires: threatening to flee the city since 2009
November 7, 2025 at 10:33 PM
This is fantastic. Make sure you stick around until the record scratch at the end.
Reposted by Zak Taylor
Unprecedented corruption - not just monetizing the presidency by selling branded products, but selling those products directly to government employees and having the Department of Homeland Security promote them to the media
November 7, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Unprecedented corruption - not just monetizing the presidency by selling branded products, but selling those products directly to government employees and having the Department of Homeland Security promote them to the media
Reposted by Zak Taylor
Who gets SNAP benefits to buy groceries and what the government pays for the program – in 5 charts
@us.theconversation.com
Tracy Roof
theconversation.com/who-gets-sna...
@us.theconversation.com
Tracy Roof
theconversation.com/who-gets-sna...
Who gets SNAP benefits to buy groceries and what the government pays for the program – in 5 charts
Nearly 60% of Americans enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are either children under 18 or adults who are 60 or older.
theconversation.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Who gets SNAP benefits to buy groceries and what the government pays for the program – in 5 charts
@us.theconversation.com
Tracy Roof
theconversation.com/who-gets-sna...
@us.theconversation.com
Tracy Roof
theconversation.com/who-gets-sna...
Including 43% of Republicans?
The majority of Americans – and a supermajority of Democrats – believe the economy is rigged in favor of the rich and powerful.
(Ipsos)
www.ipsos.com/en-us/lesson...
(Ipsos)
www.ipsos.com/en-us/lesson...
November 7, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Including 43% of Republicans?
Reposted by Zak Taylor
A novel take on why fertility rates are falling from the recent Brookings Papers on Economic Activity conference. My podcast interview with the authors. @brookings.edu www.brookings.edu/articles/are...
Are fertility rates falling because of social comparisons? | Brookings
Fertility rates are falling in many countries around the world, with births failing to keep pace with deaths in nearly half of countries. Researchers believe it’s possible that the world’s population ...
www.brookings.edu
November 6, 2025 at 2:54 PM
A novel take on why fertility rates are falling from the recent Brookings Papers on Economic Activity conference. My podcast interview with the authors. @brookings.edu www.brookings.edu/articles/are...
Interesting discussion on the cult like quality of post-Soviet Russia podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Lawfare Daily: Seeking Meaning at the Soviet Collapse, with Joseph Kellner
Podcast Episode · The Lawfare Podcast · 11/06/2025 · 38m
podcasts.apple.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Interesting discussion on the cult like quality of post-Soviet Russia podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Reposted by Zak Taylor
“.. if the enforcement actions are stepped up, ‘this is just the cusp of what we'll be seeing.’”
@npr.org
www.npr.org/2025/11/06/n...
@npr.org
www.npr.org/2025/11/06/n...
November 6, 2025 at 1:15 PM
“.. if the enforcement actions are stepped up, ‘this is just the cusp of what we'll be seeing.’”
@npr.org
www.npr.org/2025/11/06/n...
@npr.org
www.npr.org/2025/11/06/n...
Great episode about presidential restraint with @johnadearborn.bsky.social & Jack Greenberg:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...
Jack B. Greenberg and John A. Dearborn,
Podcast Episode · New Books in Political Science · 11/05/2025 · 48m
podcasts.apple.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Great episode about presidential restraint with @johnadearborn.bsky.social & Jack Greenberg:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...
Reposted by Zak Taylor
For the remarkable number of folks in excellent law firms, corporate suites, non-legal academia who still aren't really sure "where we are" country-wise, I'm just not sure how much clearer he can be. Countries in which opponents of the government can "never obtain power" are not democracies.
Trump: "They're gonna make DC a state and they're gonna make Puerto Rico a state. So now they pick up two states, four senators. They're gonna pick up electoral votes. It's gonna be a very, very bad situation. Now, if we do what I'm saying, they'll most likely never obtain power."
November 5, 2025 at 7:41 PM
For the remarkable number of folks in excellent law firms, corporate suites, non-legal academia who still aren't really sure "where we are" country-wise, I'm just not sure how much clearer he can be. Countries in which opponents of the government can "never obtain power" are not democracies.
Reposted by Zak Taylor
I know we're all watching election returns but don't let this get lost in the mix: the Heritage Foundation is calling on the HHS to conduct a 'safety' review of oral contraception
jessica.substack.com/p/the-group-...
jessica.substack.com/p/the-group-...
The Group Behind Project 2025 Wants RFK Jr. to ‘Study’ the Pill
11.4.25
jessica.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:44 AM
I know we're all watching election returns but don't let this get lost in the mix: the Heritage Foundation is calling on the HHS to conduct a 'safety' review of oral contraception
jessica.substack.com/p/the-group-...
jessica.substack.com/p/the-group-...
Reposted by Zak Taylor
“.. the bulletin cites five 2025 incidents involving fake immigration officers and says criminals are using Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s heightened profile to target vulnerable communities ..”
@wired.com
www.wired.com/story/fbi-wa...
@wired.com
www.wired.com/story/fbi-wa...
November 4, 2025 at 10:40 PM
“.. the bulletin cites five 2025 incidents involving fake immigration officers and says criminals are using Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s heightened profile to target vulnerable communities ..”
@wired.com
www.wired.com/story/fbi-wa...
@wired.com
www.wired.com/story/fbi-wa...
Reposted by Zak Taylor
Interesting! Overall Trump approval amongst Republicans hasn't changed much, but that support is softening nevertheless...
February 63% strongly approve
25% somewhat approve
October 51% strongly approve
36% somewhat approve
www.pbump.net/o/the-number...
February 63% strongly approve
25% somewhat approve
October 51% strongly approve
36% somewhat approve
www.pbump.net/o/the-number...
November 3, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Interesting! Overall Trump approval amongst Republicans hasn't changed much, but that support is softening nevertheless...
February 63% strongly approve
25% somewhat approve
October 51% strongly approve
36% somewhat approve
www.pbump.net/o/the-number...
February 63% strongly approve
25% somewhat approve
October 51% strongly approve
36% somewhat approve
www.pbump.net/o/the-number...
Anti-elitism is so effective today that campaigns against populist candidates can *increase* support for them. www.nber.org/papers/w34430
Political Information and Network Effects
Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...
www.nber.org
November 3, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Anti-elitism is so effective today that campaigns against populist candidates can *increase* support for them. www.nber.org/papers/w34430
New study of clear-cut DUI convictions finds that race, gender, and financial resources strongly predict the likelihood of incarceration and case dismissal.
www.nber.org/papers/w34425
www.nber.org/papers/w34425
Same Crime, Different Time: Disparities in Judicial Outcomes for DWI Offenders
Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...
www.nber.org
November 3, 2025 at 1:55 PM
New study of clear-cut DUI convictions finds that race, gender, and financial resources strongly predict the likelihood of incarceration and case dismissal.
www.nber.org/papers/w34425
www.nber.org/papers/w34425
How Maduro Future-Proofed His Dictatorship www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/o...
Opinion | How Maduro Future-Proofed His Dictatorship
www.nytimes.com
November 3, 2025 at 10:52 AM
How Maduro Future-Proofed His Dictatorship www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/o...
Over 25% of nations are now governed by populists. But what typically follows is economic disintegration, macroeconomic instability, and the erosion of institutions. After 15 yrs, GDP per capita is 10% lower compared to nonpopulist countries. www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=...
Populist Leaders and the Economy
(December 2023) - Populism at the country level is at an all-time high, with more than 25 percent of nations currently governed by populists. How do economies perform under populist leaders? We build a new long-run cross-country database to study the macroeconomic history of populism. We identify 51 populist presidents and prime ministers from 1900 to 2020 and show that the economic cost of populism is high. After 15 years, GDP per capita is 10 percent lower compared to a plausible nonpopulist counterfactual. Economic disintegration, decreasing macroeconomic stability, and the erosion of institutions typically go hand in hand with populist rule.
www.aeaweb.org
November 2, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Over 25% of nations are now governed by populists. But what typically follows is economic disintegration, macroeconomic instability, and the erosion of institutions. After 15 yrs, GDP per capita is 10% lower compared to nonpopulist countries. www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=...
Reposted by Zak Taylor
My latest is about the latest revelations on the failed prosecution of Donald Trump, and why you should blame Merrick Garland more than the Supreme Court.
You Should Blame Merrick Garland
Garland's incompetence gave the Supreme Court the chance to set Trump free
stringinamaze.net
November 1, 2025 at 7:53 PM
My latest is about the latest revelations on the failed prosecution of Donald Trump, and why you should blame Merrick Garland more than the Supreme Court.
Why Trump Can Do No Wrong www.nytimes.com/2025/11/02/o...
Opinion | Why Trump Can Do No Wrong
www.nytimes.com
November 2, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Why Trump Can Do No Wrong www.nytimes.com/2025/11/02/o...