Ryan Olson
@ryanolson.bsky.social
East coast transplant surviving in minnesota. Dad to a good little dude and a couple good little dogs.
Reposted by Ryan Olson
Harvard professor Theda Skocpol argues that the dramatic expansion of ICE could serve as Trump’s hidden strategy to bypass federalist constraints & carry out a full autocratic consolidation of power in the United States.
Via @joshtpm.bsky.social
In full: talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/criti...
Via @joshtpm.bsky.social
In full: talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/criti...
July 9, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Harvard professor Theda Skocpol argues that the dramatic expansion of ICE could serve as Trump’s hidden strategy to bypass federalist constraints & carry out a full autocratic consolidation of power in the United States.
Via @joshtpm.bsky.social
In full: talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/criti...
Via @joshtpm.bsky.social
In full: talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/criti...
Reposted by Ryan Olson
As Shawn McCreesh and Tyler Pager report, House Republican holdouts were apparently swayed to support President Trump’s tax and spending bill by signed merch and photographs with the president.
Trump Goes on a Charm Offensive as He Woos Holdout Republicans
www.nytimes.com
July 3, 2025 at 12:03 PM
As Shawn McCreesh and Tyler Pager report, House Republican holdouts were apparently swayed to support President Trump’s tax and spending bill by signed merch and photographs with the president.
Reposted by Ryan Olson
The White House has ordered the US Dept. of Justice to prioritize denaturalization: voiding the citizenship of US citizens.
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
June 30, 2025 at 5:58 PM
The White House has ordered the US Dept. of Justice to prioritize denaturalization: voiding the citizenship of US citizens.
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
Who will it denaturalize? "Any" case that it "determines to be sufficiently important".
Point 10 leaves the criteria opaque and arbitrary.
substack.com/redirect/169...
Reposted by Ryan Olson
Federal agent “I will fucking shoot you” to a man in a car as another agent, wearing an FBI vest and mask covering his face, grabs a woman. According to eyewitness, no warrant was shown or probable cause given.
June 27, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Federal agent “I will fucking shoot you” to a man in a car as another agent, wearing an FBI vest and mask covering his face, grabs a woman. According to eyewitness, no warrant was shown or probable cause given.
Reposted by Ryan Olson
Yup. And part of the freakout is that — unlike Cuomo — Mamdani is not Netanyahu’s lawyer. Moreover, Mamdani may actually hold Netanyahu to the standards of international law and treat him as a war criminal, which is how he should be treated.
The Dem political establishment is not freaking out because of Mamdani’s modest policy proposals or even so much his identity as DemSoc.
They are freaking out because he is NOT compromised by involvement in networks of corruption like they are—and those networks are freaking out about losing power.
They are freaking out because he is NOT compromised by involvement in networks of corruption like they are—and those networks are freaking out about losing power.
June 27, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Yup. And part of the freakout is that — unlike Cuomo — Mamdani is not Netanyahu’s lawyer. Moreover, Mamdani may actually hold Netanyahu to the standards of international law and treat him as a war criminal, which is how he should be treated.
Reposted by Ryan Olson
WTF FT? This is your lead story? What the hell are you doing?
June 27, 2025 at 12:10 PM
WTF FT? This is your lead story? What the hell are you doing?
Reposted by Ryan Olson
It is a huge, huge problem globally that the "culture warriors" have decided fact-checking is censorship and pushed that narrative everywhere they can. Glad to see some pushback: www.poynter.org/fact-checkin...
The truth is still worth fighting for - Poynter
As fact-checkers gather in Rio this week, the fight for information integrity has never been more urgent.
www.poynter.org
June 26, 2025 at 4:49 PM
It is a huge, huge problem globally that the "culture warriors" have decided fact-checking is censorship and pushed that narrative everywhere they can. Glad to see some pushback: www.poynter.org/fact-checkin...
Reposted by Ryan Olson
I am very, very happy to be wrong. I'm glad especially to see independents split on this.
I was pretty sure the protests would create a more even split, but Trump being down 15 points on this one issue tells me I was too worried.
I was pretty sure the protests would create a more even split, but Trump being down 15 points on this one issue tells me I was too worried.
Harry Enten: "I think we can say Donald Trump has lost the political battle when it comes to what has happened in Los Angeles. Trump's net approval rating on LA - way, way underwater at -15 points... this is happening on what should be on Donald Trump's best issue ... he's losing on his core issue"
June 20, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I am very, very happy to be wrong. I'm glad especially to see independents split on this.
I was pretty sure the protests would create a more even split, but Trump being down 15 points on this one issue tells me I was too worried.
I was pretty sure the protests would create a more even split, but Trump being down 15 points on this one issue tells me I was too worried.
Reposted by Ryan Olson
Was consumed all day at work by the fact that trump tweeted "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!" at Iran, which from any normal president would be hugely consequential and it wasn't even a story because the media has just sort of deformed itself into nihilistic acceptance of the fact that he's insane
Worse, the entire media basically knows this. They incredibly low standards they display for him are obvious. And yet they rarely highlight this as the disqualifying truth it is.
June 18, 2025 at 4:53 AM
Was consumed all day at work by the fact that trump tweeted "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!" at Iran, which from any normal president would be hugely consequential and it wasn't even a story because the media has just sort of deformed itself into nihilistic acceptance of the fact that he's insane
Reposted by Ryan Olson
Hey there Scott Walker. I noticed you deleted this after learning that in fact the shooter was from the right. I don’t think it matters either way, violence is violence, so I’m waiting for you to tweet the same thing with corrected facts?
Cuz you’re uh, to use your words, “being silent.”
Cuz you’re uh, to use your words, “being silent.”
June 16, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Hey there Scott Walker. I noticed you deleted this after learning that in fact the shooter was from the right. I don’t think it matters either way, violence is violence, so I’m waiting for you to tweet the same thing with corrected facts?
Cuz you’re uh, to use your words, “being silent.”
Cuz you’re uh, to use your words, “being silent.”
Reposted by Ryan Olson
So, to be clear, Musk has now admitted he funded a man he believes to be a pedophile to be president.
And Trump has now admitted that he gave access to high level government secrets to a man he believes to be a big time drug addict.
This should be *the* story on the Sunday shows tomorrow.
And Trump has now admitted that he gave access to high level government secrets to a man he believes to be a big time drug addict.
This should be *the* story on the Sunday shows tomorrow.
Trump called Musk "a big-time drug addict" in a phone call shortly after their public feud. (WaPo)
June 7, 2025 at 5:55 PM
So, to be clear, Musk has now admitted he funded a man he believes to be a pedophile to be president.
And Trump has now admitted that he gave access to high level government secrets to a man he believes to be a big time drug addict.
This should be *the* story on the Sunday shows tomorrow.
And Trump has now admitted that he gave access to high level government secrets to a man he believes to be a big time drug addict.
This should be *the* story on the Sunday shows tomorrow.
Reposted by Ryan Olson
I bet it'd be easier for Americans to see ICE agents as just regular folks if they weren't, you know, wearing black masks and hiding their names and identities from the public out of shame.
ICYMI — ICE DIRECTOR: “These are real people with real families you’re hurting.”
He says this not about immigrants… but about ICE agents. A record-setting lack of self-awareness.
He says this not about immigrants… but about ICE agents. A record-setting lack of self-awareness.
June 7, 2025 at 6:28 PM
I bet it'd be easier for Americans to see ICE agents as just regular folks if they weren't, you know, wearing black masks and hiding their names and identities from the public out of shame.
Reposted by Ryan Olson
Chris Murphy asks Linda McMahon what statute gives the federal government the authority to demand that Harvard hire and admit more conservatives
McMahon says Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
(Title VI outlaws discrimination based on race, color, or national origin)
McMahon says Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
(Title VI outlaws discrimination based on race, color, or national origin)
June 3, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Chris Murphy asks Linda McMahon what statute gives the federal government the authority to demand that Harvard hire and admit more conservatives
McMahon says Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
(Title VI outlaws discrimination based on race, color, or national origin)
McMahon says Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
(Title VI outlaws discrimination based on race, color, or national origin)
Reposted by Ryan Olson
yes this is famously how free societies treat their universities
Linda McMahon: "Universities should continue to be able to do research as long as they're abiding by the laws and in sync, I think, with the administration and what the administration is trying to accomplish."
May 28, 2025 at 3:03 PM
yes this is famously how free societies treat their universities
Reposted by Ryan Olson
In any case: No one is immune to the effects of social media. I believe I can say: things are getting worse. We need to make radical changes to our behavior. One place to start would be with this book, written by @roberttalisse.bsky.social, the thesis of which, again, I initially treated like poison
May 26, 2025 at 5:10 PM
In any case: No one is immune to the effects of social media. I believe I can say: things are getting worse. We need to make radical changes to our behavior. One place to start would be with this book, written by @roberttalisse.bsky.social, the thesis of which, again, I initially treated like poison
Reposted by Ryan Olson
Reposted by Ryan Olson
America is in danger of experiencing an academic brain drain
economist.com/science-and-...
economist.com/science-and-...
May 22, 2025 at 8:59 PM
America is in danger of experiencing an academic brain drain
economist.com/science-and-...
economist.com/science-and-...
Reposted by Ryan Olson
Reposted by Ryan Olson
The House Rules Committee -- which changes bills however the House speaker tells it to before they hit the House floor -- is meeting Weds at 1am to bring up the GOP's massive tax plan, which strips health insurance from 13.7M people to give tax breaks to rich people.
Definitely nothing to see here!
Definitely nothing to see here!
May 19, 2025 at 3:18 PM
The House Rules Committee -- which changes bills however the House speaker tells it to before they hit the House floor -- is meeting Weds at 1am to bring up the GOP's massive tax plan, which strips health insurance from 13.7M people to give tax breaks to rich people.
Definitely nothing to see here!
Definitely nothing to see here!
Reposted by Ryan Olson
Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” isn’t just about tax cuts it quietly guts federal protections and reshapes entire agencies. Here’s what’s buried inside:
May 18, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” isn’t just about tax cuts it quietly guts federal protections and reshapes entire agencies. Here’s what’s buried inside:
Reposted by Ryan Olson
Breaking news: The US has been stripped of its top-notch triple-a credit rating by Moody’s on concerns about rising levels of government debt www.ft.com/content/e456...
May 16, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Breaking news: The US has been stripped of its top-notch triple-a credit rating by Moody’s on concerns about rising levels of government debt www.ft.com/content/e456...
Reposted by Ryan Olson
Do I have to tap some sign?
Would it be funny if it were a Tesla?
SURE.
Has it been definitively reported as a Tesla? ("Sources")
NO.
So effectively, you CAN make this shit up.
Don't spread mis/disinformation.
Shit's already bad enough out there on that front.
Would it be funny if it were a Tesla?
SURE.
Has it been definitively reported as a Tesla? ("Sources")
NO.
So effectively, you CAN make this shit up.
Don't spread mis/disinformation.
Shit's already bad enough out there on that front.
May 16, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Do I have to tap some sign?
Would it be funny if it were a Tesla?
SURE.
Has it been definitively reported as a Tesla? ("Sources")
NO.
So effectively, you CAN make this shit up.
Don't spread mis/disinformation.
Shit's already bad enough out there on that front.
Would it be funny if it were a Tesla?
SURE.
Has it been definitively reported as a Tesla? ("Sources")
NO.
So effectively, you CAN make this shit up.
Don't spread mis/disinformation.
Shit's already bad enough out there on that front.
Reposted by Ryan Olson
It is so tragic and highly embarrassing that someone so vile, petty, and bereft of decency is the president. I will never understand or have peace with it.
May 16, 2025 at 7:48 PM
It is so tragic and highly embarrassing that someone so vile, petty, and bereft of decency is the president. I will never understand or have peace with it.
Reposted by Ryan Olson
I keep coming back to the idea that there are kids for whom this is what a president sounds like. This is just normal for what a president says every day. Open mic night at the Chuckle Hut.
Trump on India-Pakistan: "Everyone was stronger, stronger-- to a point where the next one was gonna be you know what. The n word. You know what the n word is, right? It's the n word. That's very nasty word, right? In a lot of ways. The n word used in a nuclear sense."
May 16, 2025 at 11:05 PM
I keep coming back to the idea that there are kids for whom this is what a president sounds like. This is just normal for what a president says every day. Open mic night at the Chuckle Hut.