Sara Watson
@saraewatson.bsky.social
From everywhere and nowhere, now settled in the Midwest | Polisci prof @OSU (CP, left parties, unions, social welfare, US+Europe) | PTO Mom
Finding it hard to trust Pam Bondi...
June 6, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Finding it hard to trust Pam Bondi...
Because, yes, administrative burden IS a thing.
Opinion | Republicans Will Use Paperwork to Kick Americans Off Health Care
www.nytimes.com
May 22, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Because, yes, administrative burden IS a thing.
Reposted by Sara Watson
I submit that the single most important book of social science in modern history is Karl Polanyi's The Great Transformation. Want to know what the hell is happening in the 2020s? Read Polanyi on the 1920s.
April 27, 2025 at 6:50 PM
I submit that the single most important book of social science in modern history is Karl Polanyi's The Great Transformation. Want to know what the hell is happening in the 2020s? Read Polanyi on the 1920s.
No idea what Columbus City Schools was thinking. The law they cite as justification says nothing about students' preferred names and pronouns. There was no reason to do this.
Columbus Schools changes student profiles to birth names after dropping transgender policy
Columbus City Schools changed the names and genders of transgender and gender-variant students to their name and biological sex in district systems.
www.dispatch.com
March 24, 2025 at 11:36 PM
No idea what Columbus City Schools was thinking. The law they cite as justification says nothing about students' preferred names and pronouns. There was no reason to do this.
The DOE 2/28 FAQ acknowledges there is a process for addressing Title VI violations. Federal law says the DOE may not suspend, terminate, etc, federal financial assistance until it has followed a process. Shouldn't Columbia be filing a lawsuit on Monday morning?
Trump Administration Cancels $400 Million in Federal Funds to Columbia University
The Trump administration blamed the university’s failure to protect Jewish students from harassment during protests last year over the war in Gaza.
www.nytimes.com
March 8, 2025 at 6:39 PM
The DOE 2/28 FAQ acknowledges there is a process for addressing Title VI violations. Federal law says the DOE may not suspend, terminate, etc, federal financial assistance until it has followed a process. Shouldn't Columbia be filing a lawsuit on Monday morning?
Reposted by Sara Watson
If you read one thing this month, make it this paper.
ICYMI, @anthonymkreis.bsky.social @paulgowder.bsky.social and I wrote about how the academic opponents of birthright citizenship are wrong about everything.
Everything. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Everything. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
March 4, 2025 at 4:43 PM
If you read one thing this month, make it this paper.
Reposted by Sara Watson
A puny little torture defender has thoughts on what a hero must do. Glad I cancelled my subscription to Bezo's POS newspaper.
March 3, 2025 at 1:09 AM
A puny little torture defender has thoughts on what a hero must do. Glad I cancelled my subscription to Bezo's POS newspaper.
"The common misconception is that diversity, equity, and inclusion programs took away opportunities from people like me. I am writing today to share this is so far from the truth."
I am white. Ohio State anti-diversity actions make me ashamed of my alma mater. | Letter
Letter: DEI helped me, and I am straight, white and privileged.
www.dispatch.com
March 1, 2025 at 10:36 PM
"The common misconception is that diversity, equity, and inclusion programs took away opportunities from people like me. I am writing today to share this is so far from the truth."
Reposted by Sara Watson
Reposted by Sara Watson
Zelensky has more courage and honor in his left pinky than Trump, Vance, and Rubio combined. What an embarrassment. That was nothing but an ambush by a bunch of bullies in an attempt to make a well-known hero look bad.
February 28, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Zelensky has more courage and honor in his left pinky than Trump, Vance, and Rubio combined. What an embarrassment. That was nothing but an ambush by a bunch of bullies in an attempt to make a well-known hero look bad.
Reposted by Sara Watson
Millions of Americans saw a traitor disgrace himself and the office of the presidency, flanked by his toady and a roomful of lickspittles.
That was the most shameful performance by any American president in a century.
I want to fucking throw up.
I want to fucking throw up.
February 28, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Millions of Americans saw a traitor disgrace himself and the office of the presidency, flanked by his toady and a roomful of lickspittles.
Reposted by Sara Watson
The President of the United States—the leader of the free world—just chastised a staunch U.S. ally and democratically-elected foreign leader for defending his country against a brutal dictator. And he did it in the Oval Office.
Embarrassing and dangerous.
Embarrassing and dangerous.
February 28, 2025 at 7:55 PM
The President of the United States—the leader of the free world—just chastised a staunch U.S. ally and democratically-elected foreign leader for defending his country against a brutal dictator. And he did it in the Oval Office.
Embarrassing and dangerous.
Embarrassing and dangerous.
Reposted by Sara Watson
Any university still using X and promoting it on its web site is making a mockery of "institutional neutrality."
We have a massive academic base on Bluesky, we can lobby unis to quit X. The French are leading on this, others can do it too.
3 more French unis quit Twitter:
Université Paris-Saclay
@univparissaclay.bsky.social
Université PSL
@psl-univ.bsky.social
Sorbonne Université
@sorbonne-universite.fr
3 more French unis quit Twitter:
Université Paris-Saclay
@univparissaclay.bsky.social
Université PSL
@psl-univ.bsky.social
Sorbonne Université
@sorbonne-universite.fr
February 23, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Any university still using X and promoting it on its web site is making a mockery of "institutional neutrality."
Omg, this NIH overhead announcement. One of the justificatons they are giving in the order seems to be that some other foundations (like Smith Richardson, Carnegie) have lower overhead rates.
But how much basic science (w/ heavy lab components) is funded by those foundations??
But how much basic science (w/ heavy lab components) is funded by those foundations??
February 8, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Omg, this NIH overhead announcement. One of the justificatons they are giving in the order seems to be that some other foundations (like Smith Richardson, Carnegie) have lower overhead rates.
But how much basic science (w/ heavy lab components) is funded by those foundations??
But how much basic science (w/ heavy lab components) is funded by those foundations??
There are so many threats to Higher Ed coming at the national level, but in Ohio we have another set of attacks coming from our own legislature.
I couldn't teach college students truth if zombie bill passes. It must die | Opinion
The Orwellian doublespeak in Senate Bill 1 should chill every Ohioan.
www.dispatch.com
February 5, 2025 at 11:32 PM
There are so many threats to Higher Ed coming at the national level, but in Ohio we have another set of attacks coming from our own legislature.
Reposted by Sara Watson
Thinking of the young air national guardsman who illegally shared classified material on Discord to impress people he played video games with online.
If he had waited a few years, he could’ve been placed high in the Office of Personnel Management, downloading US secrets with White House permission.
If he had waited a few years, he could’ve been placed high in the Office of Personnel Management, downloading US secrets with White House permission.
Air Guardsman Jack Teixeira Gets 15 Years for Discord Leak
Airman 1st Class Jack Teixeira was sentenced to 15 years in prison for leaking top secret documents to online chatrooms.
www.airandspaceforces.com
February 3, 2025 at 5:42 AM
Thinking of the young air national guardsman who illegally shared classified material on Discord to impress people he played video games with online.
If he had waited a few years, he could’ve been placed high in the Office of Personnel Management, downloading US secrets with White House permission.
If he had waited a few years, he could’ve been placed high in the Office of Personnel Management, downloading US secrets with White House permission.
Reposted by Sara Watson
Trump *is* building an autocracy: asserting new executive powers and substituting arbitrary rule for institutions. It’ll be a patrimonial, personalist, utterly corrupt, creaking ramshackle of an autocracy, but one nonetheless
February 1, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Trump *is* building an autocracy: asserting new executive powers and substituting arbitrary rule for institutions. It’ll be a patrimonial, personalist, utterly corrupt, creaking ramshackle of an autocracy, but one nonetheless
Hard week at my midwestern R1. Our "institutional neutrality" policy is being interpreted so narrowly that leadership will not even make a statement about federal and state policies that undermine our fundamental mission.
February 1, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Hard week at my midwestern R1. Our "institutional neutrality" policy is being interpreted so narrowly that leadership will not even make a statement about federal and state policies that undermine our fundamental mission.
Even the WSJ editorial board thinks Trump's trade policy is terrible...
February 1, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Even the WSJ editorial board thinks Trump's trade policy is terrible...
Reposted by Sara Watson
Truly chilling and totalitarian.
“Promoting patriotic education”? We have arrived at the terrible place.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
“Promoting patriotic education”? We have arrived at the terrible place.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling – The White House
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 and
www.whitehouse.gov
January 30, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Truly chilling and totalitarian.
“Promoting patriotic education”? We have arrived at the terrible place.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
“Promoting patriotic education”? We have arrived at the terrible place.
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...