Virginia E Rutter
LightNews LightNews
virginiarutter.bsky.social
Virginia E Rutter
@virginiarutter.bsky.social
720 followers 790 following 4 posts
Sociologist. Organize adjunct faculty. Wrote/edited Families as They Really Are, The Gender of Sexuality, The Love Test, others. Cook. Blend mini cocktails. Framingham State U emerita. Council on Contemporary Families Scholar. DC public library member+fan.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
jschmittwdc.bsky.social
"A federal watchdog reported Thursday that Georgia's program requiring able-bodied adults to document low-paying work to get Medicaid has spent much more on administrative costs than on providing health care."
www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news...
A screenshot of a news article from CBS News Atlanta, dated September 19, 2025. The headline reads: "Federal watchdog report on Georgia's Medicaid program raises concerns." The first paragraph states: "A federal watchdog reported Thursday that Georgia's program requiring able-bodied adults to document low-paying work to get Medicaid has spent much more on administrative costs than on providing health care."
September 23, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
jschmittwdc.bsky.social
"Today’s BLS preliminary benchmark revisions are necessary for timely and accurate data—not fodder for Trump’s attacks"
- @elisegould.bsky.social and @benzipperer.org @epi.org

www.epi.org/blog/todays-...
Screenshot of text from epi.org website: Today’s preliminary benchmark announcement from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveals weaker job growth between March 2024 and March 2025 than when it was first reported based on survey data. These numbers are likely to anger President Trump and the White House who incorrectly view revised data as political manipulation. Trump has already lashed out at BLS, including firing the agency’s commissioner because a jobs report showed a rapidly weakening labor market. But these BLS data revisions are not corrections of mistakes. Revisions are part of the regular, transparent process to update employment counts with the most comprehensive data possible.
September 9, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
benzipperer.org
Actually, it turns out we can have nice things. Fund the services that people need and pay the workers who provide them well. It's that simple.
Governor announces New Mexico will now provide free universal child care
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – New Mexico is becoming the first state in the U.S. to offer free early childhood education to every family in the state. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced a universal ch…
www.krqe.com
September 9, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
jschmittwdc.bsky.social
Thread with everything you'll want to know about today's BLS jobs numbers, from @epi.org economist @elisegould.bsky.social.
elisegould.bsky.social Elise Gould @elisegould.bsky.social · Sep 5
The labor market continues to soften, according to the latest #JobsReport out this morning from the BLS. Payroll employment grew only 22,000 in August and revisions now show employment losses for June (-13,000). Over the last three months, job growth has slowed to just 29,000 on average.
#EconSky
September 5, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
jschmittwdc.bsky.social
"The real fraud here is the misuse of confidential government data...This is police state stuff, pure and simple. Any American can be targeted." - Bob Kuttner bobkuttner.bsky.social in @prospect.org

#LisaCook #Fed #Trump

prospect.org/blogs-and-ne...
Trump’s Hit Job Against Fed Governor Lisa Cook
Today on TAP: The real fraud here is the misuse of confidential government data.
prospect.org
August 21, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
epi.org
Money DOES matter in education. We should be spending more, not less, to make sure every kid has access to an excellent public education 🍎

Learn more about threats to public education and how we can solve them: www.epi.org/publication/...
August 21, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
jschmittwdc.bsky.social
Some useful advice fromt he the ACLU.
Know your rights if stopped by police in D.C. * Ask: “Am I free to leave?” and “Am I under arrest?” * If police stop you, they might ask if they can search you. You do not have to give the officers permission to conduct a frisk or a search, though in some circumstances they can do so anyway. Telling police that you do not consent to a search is a good way to protect your rights to the greatest extent possible. * You do not have to answer questions that police ask you, except to give your name and address if asked in some situations. * If you are arrested, you should tell the police that you are invoking your right to remain silent (say so explicitly) and that you want to speak with a lawyer. From there, you should not answer any other questions, except your name and address if asked. * If you are detained by ICE or Border Patrol, you have the right to hire a lawyer, but the government does not have to provide one for you. Ask for a list of free or low-cost alternatives. * It can be dangerous for people to argue about police misconduct in the street, especially for Black and Brown people. Keep yourself safe and file a complaint later.
August 18, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
jschmittwdc.bsky.social
A great piece, but leaves out the crucial role for organizations in this benighted moment to recruit and nurture the experts that can help inform policy when facts and expertise matter again.

Even if we make no headway in the short-term, we need infrastructure in place for when new space emerges.
mschmitt9.bsky.social Mark Schmitt @mschmitt9.bsky.social · Jul 16
I wrote about the role of think tanks in a moment when knowledge and ideas are under attack. Many thanks to colleagues at @newamerica.org and other organizations for sharing thoughts on this challenge. democracyjournal.org/arguments/th...
Think Tanks in an Authoritarian Moment
When the “war of ideas” meets the war on knowledge, how can ideas come out on top?
democracyjournal.org
August 1, 2025 at 5:14 PM
virginiarutter.bsky.social
New report “Medicaid is the second most important source of coverage for workers, insuring one of every 10 workers in the country (10.3 percent).” Now you know. From @jschmittwdc.bsky.social
May 13, 2025 at 2:05 PM
virginiarutter.bsky.social
cepr.net/publications...
A Complicated Maze: How Workers Navigate the US Health Care System
Explore how U.S. workers get health insurance, the disparities by race, gender, and income, and how looming policy changes could leave millions uninsured.
cepr.net
May 13, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
jschmittwdc.bsky.social
I was so shocked by this White House post that I asked Google Gemini AI whether it was real or fake. Gemini's 1st take -a resounding assertion the tweet was a spoof- is in the post below.

Gemini's reasoning is similar to what any normal human being would think after seeing such a sophomoric post.
juddlegum.bsky.social Judd Legum @juddlegum.bsky.social · Apr 18
Put up or shut up time for the Supreme Court
April 19, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
drcompton.bsky.social
Here's a starter pack for #QueerDemography #SexSurveys #SexResearch #MoreQuanty... #SOGI #Demography #LGBTResearch
& Let me know if you'd like to be added!
#ScholarSunday
March 16, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
jschmittwdc.bsky.social
Gene Sperling with an exceptionally strong and accessible critique of Jason Furman's attacks on Biden's economic record.

democracyjournal.org/arguments/tr...
“Tragedy” of a One-Sided Biden Critique
Gene Sperling responds to Jason Furman's questionable crusade against Biden economic policy.
democracyjournal.org
March 8, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
jschmittwdc.bsky.social
Here, let me fix that for you.

"The people voted by a small margin for Donald J. Trump, but are already showing signs of buyer's remorse."
Screenshot from the DOGE website reads: "Department of Government Efficiency / The people voted for major reform."
February 24, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
philipncohen.com
Hey, I'm giving a zoom talk on my book, Citizen Scholar, at University of Wisconsin Sociology's Politics, Culture, and Society Workshop, tomorrow at 1:30pm Eastern US time. @uwsoc.bsky.social It's open to the public at: uwmadison.zoom.us/j/9571632480...
What is the role of professional scholars in civic life? How and why should academics seek to reach audiences beyond their disciplines and institutions? Must there be tension between advancing along an academic career path and taking part in public conversations, or can these goals reinforce each other? Cohen will present his new book, Citizen Scholar, a practitioner’s guide to civic engagement today, showing current and aspiring social scientists how to build a career in the public sphere. Drawing from personal experience and in-depth research, Cohen gives straightforward advice that acknowledges professional risks as well as rewards. He calls on readers to embrace the reciprocal relationship between professional scholarship and active citizenship, arguing that aligning personal and vocational identities can enhance both public and academic contributions. Citizen Scholar explores intellectual work on social media, communication on topical issues, the role of political activism, and how to build trust while developing a public intellectual identity. It features lively examples from Cohen’s own work, from data-visualization principles to his experience suing President Trump for blocking him on Twitter—and winning.
February 24, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
jschmittwdc.bsky.social
If the United States did this to a military adversary it would be made into a fist-pumping, feel-good Hollywood movie.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...
Text from headline and intro to NB news story: Trump administration wants to un-fire nuclear safety workers but can’t figure out how to reach them The individuals, who work in an agency that oversees the nation's nuclear stockpile, had been fired on Thursday and lost access to their federal government email accounts.
February 15, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
jschmittwdc.bsky.social
On January 19th or the morning of January 20th, can some responsible media outlet take a picture at a national grocery chain of the prices of the items below and then track the cost of those items over the next four years?
Donald Trump standing in front of a table with various grocery items. Photo credit: Jeenah Moon/Reuters Source: https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/14/economy/trump-grocery-prices-inflation/index.html
December 19, 2024 at 1:48 PM
Reposted by Virginia E Rutter
jschmittwdc.bsky.social
No great insight here, but it does seem like widespread use of the term "co-president" when referring to Elon Musk might be the most effective way to induce Trump to dump Musk.
November 24, 2024 at 12:40 PM