Olivia VanBuskirk
@oliviavanbuskirk.bsky.social
PhD candidate at the University of Oklahoma studying greening, climate adaptation, and environmental justice in legacy cities
Truly cannot even process how cruel some of these proposed cuts are
The NYT is tracking what is included in the new budget plan--the cuts and the jumps in proposed spending. You can read about it here. www.nytimes.com/live/2025/05...
Trump Unveils 2026 Budget Proposal, Calling for $163 Billion in Cuts to Non-Defense Spending: Live Updates
The president’s blueprint for the next fiscal year highlights his vision for Washington and is a dramatic retrenchment in the role and reach of the federal government.
www.nytimes.com
May 2, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Truly cannot even process how cruel some of these proposed cuts are
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
No one is more of a woman than trans women who have chosen to live their lives as their full selves in the face of immense societal and legal opposition.
April 16, 2025 at 9:18 AM
No one is more of a woman than trans women who have chosen to live their lives as their full selves in the face of immense societal and legal opposition.
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
Scoop: DOGE now controls how grant opportunities get posted across government.
DOGE engineer removed users’ permissions to post to Grants-dot-gov without telling them. Now requests flow thru DOGE-controlled mailbox.
with @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social + @hannahnatanson.bsky.social
DOGE engineer removed users’ permissions to post to Grants-dot-gov without telling them. Now requests flow thru DOGE-controlled mailbox.
with @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social + @hannahnatanson.bsky.social
DOGE takes over federal grants website, wresting control of billions
A DOGE engineer removed users’ access to grants.gov, threatening to further slow the process of awarding thousands of federal grants per year.
www.washingtonpost.com
April 12, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Scoop: DOGE now controls how grant opportunities get posted across government.
DOGE engineer removed users’ permissions to post to Grants-dot-gov without telling them. Now requests flow thru DOGE-controlled mailbox.
with @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social + @hannahnatanson.bsky.social
DOGE engineer removed users’ permissions to post to Grants-dot-gov without telling them. Now requests flow thru DOGE-controlled mailbox.
with @carolynyjohnson.bsky.social + @hannahnatanson.bsky.social
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
BREAKING from @science.org: The Trump admin is seeking to kill nearly all climate research at NOAA, its climate science agency.
Its near-final budget proposal would end all NOAA research labs, academic institutes, and regional climate centers. And it wants to fully end the NOAA Research division.
Its near-final budget proposal would end all NOAA research labs, academic institutes, and regional climate centers. And it wants to fully end the NOAA Research division.
Trump seeks to end climate research at premier U.S. climate agency
White House aims to end NOAA’s research office; NASA also targeted
www.science.org
April 11, 2025 at 3:20 PM
BREAKING from @science.org: The Trump admin is seeking to kill nearly all climate research at NOAA, its climate science agency.
Its near-final budget proposal would end all NOAA research labs, academic institutes, and regional climate centers. And it wants to fully end the NOAA Research division.
Its near-final budget proposal would end all NOAA research labs, academic institutes, and regional climate centers. And it wants to fully end the NOAA Research division.
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
yeah man, please make my 85 year
old great aunt prove her citizenship to vote in rural georgia, this definitely isn’t reminiscent of anything in the american past
old great aunt prove her citizenship to vote in rural georgia, this definitely isn’t reminiscent of anything in the american past
🧵 There are a lot of misleading claims out there about the SAVE Act. Let me set the record straight: I voted for the SAVE Act for the simple reason that American elections are for Americans. Requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote is common sense.
April 11, 2025 at 3:03 AM
yeah man, please make my 85 year
old great aunt prove her citizenship to vote in rural georgia, this definitely isn’t reminiscent of anything in the american past
old great aunt prove her citizenship to vote in rural georgia, this definitely isn’t reminiscent of anything in the american past
So like what do you do when you study climate adaptation and environmental justice and you’re supposed to graduate with a PhD next year asking for a friend
April 9, 2025 at 1:55 AM
So like what do you do when you study climate adaptation and environmental justice and you’re supposed to graduate with a PhD next year asking for a friend
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
In case you missed it, Trump also signed an executive order today directing the AG to go after state and local climate policies. Potentially bigger deal than coal order, imo…
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Protecting American Energy From State Overreach
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Purpose.
www.whitehouse.gov
April 9, 2025 at 12:29 AM
In case you missed it, Trump also signed an executive order today directing the AG to go after state and local climate policies. Potentially bigger deal than coal order, imo…
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
Expect targeting of individual climate activists and scientists - environmental scientists have long been a thorn in the side of authoritarian governments (see: Little Corner of Freedom by Douglas Weiner)
publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebook...
publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebook...
April 9, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Expect targeting of individual climate activists and scientists - environmental scientists have long been a thorn in the side of authoritarian governments (see: Little Corner of Freedom by Douglas Weiner)
publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebook...
publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebook...
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
We need new leaders in Washington. I’m running for Senate to be one. Let’s go.
April 2, 2025 at 10:04 AM
We need new leaders in Washington. I’m running for Senate to be one. Let’s go.
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
I don’t understand how you can watch a video like the Tufts one and not view ICE as an irredeemable agency that is attractive for violent white supremacists to work at.
March 26, 2025 at 5:51 PM
I don’t understand how you can watch a video like the Tufts one and not view ICE as an irredeemable agency that is attractive for violent white supremacists to work at.
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
A key step in fighting the Trump admin's attacks on higher education specifically and democracy more broadly is to say as clearly as we can that we share values that are meaningful and that we will not stand by while our institutions are destroyed.
You can do that here:
bit.ly/DemocracyAndHigherEd
You can do that here:
bit.ly/DemocracyAndHigherEd
March 19, 2025 at 2:12 PM
A key step in fighting the Trump admin's attacks on higher education specifically and democracy more broadly is to say as clearly as we can that we share values that are meaningful and that we will not stand by while our institutions are destroyed.
You can do that here:
bit.ly/DemocracyAndHigherEd
You can do that here:
bit.ly/DemocracyAndHigherEd
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
They are coming for every university, if you think you’re safe because it hasn’t been yours yet I don’t know what to tell you. Join AAUP, refuse to comply, organize your colleagues
Trump administration freezes $175 million in federal funding to Penn
According to a White House tweet, Wednesday's decision is a result of Penn's
www.thedp.com
March 19, 2025 at 2:36 PM
They are coming for every university, if you think you’re safe because it hasn’t been yours yet I don’t know what to tell you. Join AAUP, refuse to comply, organize your colleagues
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
Harvard alum here to say that what happens to Univ of Maine and other public universities like it is way more important than anything financial that is happening to Columbia right now because Columbia can withstand the financial storm. and our public unis serve people Columbia wouldn’t sniff at.
March 16, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Harvard alum here to say that what happens to Univ of Maine and other public universities like it is way more important than anything financial that is happening to Columbia right now because Columbia can withstand the financial storm. and our public unis serve people Columbia wouldn’t sniff at.
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
Of course. "Mr. Zeldin’s move effectively ends three decades of work at the E.P.A. to try to ease the pollution that burdens poor and minority communities, which are frequently located near highways, power plants, industrial plants, and other polluting facilities.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/11/c...
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/11/c...
E.P.A. Plans to Close All Environmental Justice Offices
An internal memo directs the closure of offices designed to ease the heavy pollution faced by poor and minority communities.
www.nytimes.com
March 12, 2025 at 4:03 AM
Of course. "Mr. Zeldin’s move effectively ends three decades of work at the E.P.A. to try to ease the pollution that burdens poor and minority communities, which are frequently located near highways, power plants, industrial plants, and other polluting facilities.
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/11/c...
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/11/c...
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
Breaking: EPA & DOGE announce the cancellation of an additional 400+ grants worth $1.7 billion--likely environmental justice and other grants from the Inflation Reduction Act directed at local community organizations and governments to implement strategies to confront the climate crisis.
March 11, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Breaking: EPA & DOGE announce the cancellation of an additional 400+ grants worth $1.7 billion--likely environmental justice and other grants from the Inflation Reduction Act directed at local community organizations and governments to implement strategies to confront the climate crisis.
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
Let's just be clear about this--Reagan was not in any way a good president. And without him, we wouldn't be in this whole mess right now. 🧵1/
March 5, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Let's just be clear about this--Reagan was not in any way a good president. And without him, we wouldn't be in this whole mess right now. 🧵1/
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
SCOTUS holds that the EPA *cannot* order cities to maintain acceptable water quality standards by limiting the discharge—usually sewage—that they dump into nearby bodies of water (like oceans and bays). The four women justices, dissenting, say that's ridiculous. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
March 4, 2025 at 3:16 PM
SCOTUS holds that the EPA *cannot* order cities to maintain acceptable water quality standards by limiting the discharge—usually sewage—that they dump into nearby bodies of water (like oceans and bays). The four women justices, dissenting, say that's ridiculous. www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
No one's life is "inconsequential." No. One's. To think otherwise is to be a fascist yourself, even as you think you're criticizing them.
March 1, 2025 at 6:56 PM
No one's life is "inconsequential." No. One's. To think otherwise is to be a fascist yourself, even as you think you're criticizing them.
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
Analysis: I think the American public deserve to know the weather forecast for free
February 27, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Analysis: I think the American public deserve to know the weather forecast for free
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
I am now hearing from multiple folks in the past two hours (including some who have personally been fired) that mass firings have now commenced within NOAA--including, yes, at the National Weather Service.
February 27, 2025 at 9:17 PM
I am now hearing from multiple folks in the past two hours (including some who have personally been fired) that mass firings have now commenced within NOAA--including, yes, at the National Weather Service.
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
Targeting people for involvement in employee resource groups *is* targeting them based on identity. This is a horrifying and very intentional purge of LGBTQ+ employees.
LGBTQ federal workers say they're terrified they're about to be fired for their gender identity, sexual orientation, or past efforts to support other queer and trans employees—in other words, a second Lavender Scare.
Honored to have their trust with this story: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Honored to have their trust with this story: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
LGBTQ federal workers brace for a McCarthyist purge
"They’re not asking people ‘Are you gay? Are you lesbian?’ They’re asking, ‘Who is participating in DEI?'"
www.motherjones.com
February 24, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Targeting people for involvement in employee resource groups *is* targeting them based on identity. This is a horrifying and very intentional purge of LGBTQ+ employees.
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
"If any institutional leaders are thinking that if they do just enough compliance with Trump’s demands, he will stop the war, they are kidding themselves." www.insidehighered.c...
Higher ed must resist authoritarian rule. It's the mission.
Trying to make your institution a smaller target isn’t going to work.
www.insidehighered.com
February 20, 2025 at 3:14 PM
"If any institutional leaders are thinking that if they do just enough compliance with Trump’s demands, he will stop the war, they are kidding themselves." www.insidehighered.c...
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
I’m not sure why Democratic leaders can’t seem to adjust to the casualness of the time. People are wearing jeans to church. You don’t need to say that billionaires should “pay their fair share,” you can call them greedy vampires sucking us dry. It’s ok.
February 20, 2025 at 1:36 PM
I’m not sure why Democratic leaders can’t seem to adjust to the casualness of the time. People are wearing jeans to church. You don’t need to say that billionaires should “pay their fair share,” you can call them greedy vampires sucking us dry. It’s ok.
Reposted by Olivia VanBuskirk
Hello I would like millions of dollars of private funding to start a climate/energy justice social science think tank that also serves as a refuge for displaced federal workers to double as a brain drain prevention outfit so we can help rebuild a better country when this all comes crashing down, thx
February 16, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Hello I would like millions of dollars of private funding to start a climate/energy justice social science think tank that also serves as a refuge for displaced federal workers to double as a brain drain prevention outfit so we can help rebuild a better country when this all comes crashing down, thx