Steve Rugare
@steverug.bsky.social
Professor of architectural and urban history, Opera queen, dog-lover, anti fascist. At the moment I’m too sad for words.
They had really tapered off for a while. I thought maybe I’d blocked enough numbers to get off the lists, but no. The shady 501c4 tide rolled in the last few days. The democrats are just a bunch of Nigerian princes at this point, except the princes are more likely to deliver.
August 4, 2025 at 9:42 PM
They had really tapered off for a while. I thought maybe I’d blocked enough numbers to get off the lists, but no. The shady 501c4 tide rolled in the last few days. The democrats are just a bunch of Nigerian princes at this point, except the princes are more likely to deliver.
Reposted by Steve Rugare
According to this Supreme Court, President Biden's Department of Education was exceeding its power by trying to forgive peoples' student loans.
President Trump, on the other hand, has the power to just completely dismantle the entire Education Department.
President Trump, on the other hand, has the power to just completely dismantle the entire Education Department.
BREAKING: The Supreme Court allows the Trump administration to move forward with the abolition of the Department of Education. It gives no explanation for its order. All three liberals dissent. www.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
From Sotomayor's dissent:
From Sotomayor's dissent:
July 14, 2025 at 7:35 PM
According to this Supreme Court, President Biden's Department of Education was exceeding its power by trying to forgive peoples' student loans.
President Trump, on the other hand, has the power to just completely dismantle the entire Education Department.
President Trump, on the other hand, has the power to just completely dismantle the entire Education Department.
Early in this administration, I wrote to my republican senators (Moreno and Husted) about the illegal activities of DOGE. I suggested they might want to start guarding Congress’ powers or they would have purely ceremonial jobs in a few months. Sadly, I was right. What dopes!
July 14, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Early in this administration, I wrote to my republican senators (Moreno and Husted) about the illegal activities of DOGE. I suggested they might want to start guarding Congress’ powers or they would have purely ceremonial jobs in a few months. Sadly, I was right. What dopes!
Even at this late date, I still see “experts” on tv and the op-ed pages saying we’re on the “verge” of a constitutional crisis. Not only did all the serious people miss the verge, they missed the whole crisis. As of today it’s over, and so is the Constitution of 1789.
July 14, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Even at this late date, I still see “experts” on tv and the op-ed pages saying we’re on the “verge” of a constitutional crisis. Not only did all the serious people miss the verge, they missed the whole crisis. As of today it’s over, and so is the Constitution of 1789.
Reposted by Steve Rugare
It’ll be hard in the future to convince people who are looking back on this awful period that the perpetrators didn’t pull off some dastardly scheme, they were open about it in advance, and chosen by people who
-liked it
-assumed it wouldn’t happen but liked that it bothered others
-were kinda bored
-liked it
-assumed it wouldn’t happen but liked that it bothered others
-were kinda bored
Especially since their platform was "we're gonna do all the fascist things"
July 5, 2025 at 6:46 PM
It’ll be hard in the future to convince people who are looking back on this awful period that the perpetrators didn’t pull off some dastardly scheme, they were open about it in advance, and chosen by people who
-liked it
-assumed it wouldn’t happen but liked that it bothered others
-were kinda bored
-liked it
-assumed it wouldn’t happen but liked that it bothered others
-were kinda bored
I’ve been appalled. I’ve been concerned. I’ve been shocked at the complete rottenness of American institutions. But this weekend is the first time I’ve been terrified. It’s now clear what the plan is for ICE, and it’s the worst case. We are all targets.
July 5, 2025 at 11:54 PM
I’ve been appalled. I’ve been concerned. I’ve been shocked at the complete rottenness of American institutions. But this weekend is the first time I’ve been terrified. It’s now clear what the plan is for ICE, and it’s the worst case. We are all targets.
Reposted by Steve Rugare
If you think American politics are insane now, wait until they turn Marin County into Youngstown
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-w...
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-w...
CEOs Start Saying the Quiet Part Out Loud: AI Will Wipe Out Jobs
Ford chief predicts AI will replace “literally half of all white-collar workers.”
www.wsj.com
July 3, 2025 at 9:47 PM
If you think American politics are insane now, wait until they turn Marin County into Youngstown
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-w...
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-w...
Republicans in Congress just voted to create a mercenary paramilitary large than the Marine Corps and accountable only to their leader. And I bet Washington pundits will still claim we shouldn’t raise the temperature by calling them fascists.
July 3, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Republicans in Congress just voted to create a mercenary paramilitary large than the Marine Corps and accountable only to their leader. And I bet Washington pundits will still claim we shouldn’t raise the temperature by calling them fascists.
I’ve received three texts from this guy so far today, all business-as-usual consultant pablum. Allred is a decent guy, but is it any wonder that people have given up on the Democratic Party when this is the best they can do? Is there even going to be a real election in Texas next year?
July 2, 2025 at 1:28 AM
I’ve received three texts from this guy so far today, all business-as-usual consultant pablum. Allred is a decent guy, but is it any wonder that people have given up on the Democratic Party when this is the best they can do? Is there even going to be a real election in Texas next year?
Reposted by Steve Rugare
It is 100% carrying water for the opposition to participate in this collective delusion that Dems for some reason need to answer for every teen who throws a rock rather than hold the Trump admin accountable for intentionally creating chaos and breaking the law to stoke violence.
They are in charge.
They are in charge.
June 11, 2025 at 12:44 AM
It is 100% carrying water for the opposition to participate in this collective delusion that Dems for some reason need to answer for every teen who throws a rock rather than hold the Trump admin accountable for intentionally creating chaos and breaking the law to stoke violence.
They are in charge.
They are in charge.
Reposted by Steve Rugare
The LA protests will trigger a drumbeat of "law and order" messaging from the White House and their media allies as a prelude to invoking the Insurrection Act.
This is entirely predictable, and any Dem or media outlet that facilitates this narrative will be aiding Trump's authoritarian project.
This is entirely predictable, and any Dem or media outlet that facilitates this narrative will be aiding Trump's authoritarian project.
June 7, 2025 at 8:42 PM
The LA protests will trigger a drumbeat of "law and order" messaging from the White House and their media allies as a prelude to invoking the Insurrection Act.
This is entirely predictable, and any Dem or media outlet that facilitates this narrative will be aiding Trump's authoritarian project.
This is entirely predictable, and any Dem or media outlet that facilitates this narrative will be aiding Trump's authoritarian project.
Reposted by Steve Rugare
Remember when this pic of Elián González was a national scandal instead of a daily occurrence?
June 3, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Remember when this pic of Elián González was a national scandal instead of a daily occurrence?
Reposted by Steve Rugare
The real scandal in 1930s German politics was Kaiser Wilhelm’s cognitive decline
May 29, 2025 at 8:07 PM
The real scandal in 1930s German politics was Kaiser Wilhelm’s cognitive decline
I know some people who could have written this. And they’ll go to their graves making excuses.
I spent ten years attacking universities as illiberal and overly woke. Now that the Trump administration is using my rhetoric to destroy American science and higher education, I am horrified but not horrified enough to apologize.
May 27, 2025 at 1:27 PM
I know some people who could have written this. And they’ll go to their graves making excuses.
Now that SCOTUS gave Trump a permission slip to misapply the Enemy Aliens Act, does anyone doubt that he’ll try the Insurrection Act very soon? Does anyone doubt that the justices know the signal they’re sending?
April 8, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Now that SCOTUS gave Trump a permission slip to misapply the Enemy Aliens Act, does anyone doubt that he’ll try the Insurrection Act very soon? Does anyone doubt that the justices know the signal they’re sending?
Judging by the texts I’ve received today, the best thing democrats can imagine doing with Booker’s speech is fundraiser off it. They truly seem to be allergic to any action that meets the moment.
April 2, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Judging by the texts I’ve received today, the best thing democrats can imagine doing with Booker’s speech is fundraiser off it. They truly seem to be allergic to any action that meets the moment.
Reposted by Steve Rugare
Peter Thiel ally Curtis Yarvin recently accused the Trump administration of failing to understand that “regime change”, requires that “Every existing institution of science” be “fully cremated” & replaced w/ a “new scientific establishment.” Soon after, RFK Jr guts HHS & announces a new division 1/
April 1, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Peter Thiel ally Curtis Yarvin recently accused the Trump administration of failing to understand that “regime change”, requires that “Every existing institution of science” be “fully cremated” & replaced w/ a “new scientific establishment.” Soon after, RFK Jr guts HHS & announces a new division 1/
Reposted by Steve Rugare
This is an utter disgrace. This man has debased our election system to new depths.
March 31, 2025 at 6:16 PM
This is an utter disgrace. This man has debased our election system to new depths.
Reposted by Steve Rugare
This is the government the right-wing in the US wants to copy.
March 31, 2025 at 2:06 PM
This is the government the right-wing in the US wants to copy.
Reposted by Steve Rugare
I think a lot about this quote from Anaïs Nin’s diary from 1939-1944:
“America is in even greater danger because of its cult of toughness, its hatred of sensitivity, and someday it may have to pay a price for this, because atrophy of feeling creates criminals”.
“America is in even greater danger because of its cult of toughness, its hatred of sensitivity, and someday it may have to pay a price for this, because atrophy of feeling creates criminals”.
December 19, 2024 at 2:31 AM
I think a lot about this quote from Anaïs Nin’s diary from 1939-1944:
“America is in even greater danger because of its cult of toughness, its hatred of sensitivity, and someday it may have to pay a price for this, because atrophy of feeling creates criminals”.
“America is in even greater danger because of its cult of toughness, its hatred of sensitivity, and someday it may have to pay a price for this, because atrophy of feeling creates criminals”.
Reposted by Steve Rugare
Elon doing the “straight armed salute”
March 29, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Elon doing the “straight armed salute”
Reposted by Steve Rugare
Yes.
Look at how these people—these very image-conscious people—want the world to see them.
March 27, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Yes.
Reposted by Steve Rugare
It will never be enough. The goal is to break the University, not have them meet demands.
Taunting Columbia with the hope of compliance just sweetens the pot with humiliation.
Taunting Columbia with the hope of compliance just sweetens the pot with humiliation.
In the NYT right now, from a Justice Dept lawyer: “I will tell you right now that Columbia has not in my opinion — and the opinion of the Department of Justice — has not cleaned up their act,” Mr. Terrell said. “They’re not even close, not even close to having those funds unfrozen.”
"acceding to the ... demands is not going to restore the funding." From @danifriedrich.bsky.social in @chronicle.com
www.chronicle.com/article/faci...
www.chronicle.com/article/faci...
March 23, 2025 at 12:32 PM
It will never be enough. The goal is to break the University, not have them meet demands.
Taunting Columbia with the hope of compliance just sweetens the pot with humiliation.
Taunting Columbia with the hope of compliance just sweetens the pot with humiliation.
Reposted by Steve Rugare
In some countries this position is known as a Political Officer.
So it seems Columbia gave the Trump administration everything they wanted and more, including a new "vice provost" who will review curriculum, hiring, and leadership.
www.wsj.com/us-news/educ...
www.wsj.com/us-news/educ...
Exclusive | Columbia Yields to Trump in Battle Over Federal Funding
Columbia’s agreement is a significant moment in the intensifying battle between Trump and elite universities.
www.wsj.com
March 21, 2025 at 9:42 PM
In some countries this position is known as a Political Officer.
Reposted by Steve Rugare
"On October 8, 1931, a law went into effect requiring every Italian university professor to sign an oath pledging their loyalty to the government of Benito Mussolini. Out of over 1,200 professors in the country, only 12 refused. All of them were immediately fired." www.chronicle.com/article/what...
Opinion | What Autocrats Want From Academics: Servility
In 1931, Italian scholars were made to take loyalty oaths. Will that happen to us?
www.chronicle.com
March 21, 2025 at 10:45 PM
"On October 8, 1931, a law went into effect requiring every Italian university professor to sign an oath pledging their loyalty to the government of Benito Mussolini. Out of over 1,200 professors in the country, only 12 refused. All of them were immediately fired." www.chronicle.com/article/what...