This week in the USA * FCC chair threatens licenses of media whose coverage he doesn’t like * President calls SCOTUS unjust, inept * DOJ does away with experience requirement for new attorneys * 3 organizations report that US has fallen further from being a full democracy

Is it overwhelmingly players & coaches from football who run for office simply because there are more of them (bigger teams) than in other sports? www.politico.com/news/2025/12...

🚨Join us for a panel on the evolving politics of Gen Z🚨 Experts will discuss rising youth participation, changing attitudes toward parties and institutions, and what these shifts mean for the future of American politics. Learn more and register here: go.wisc.edu/5sgx2j

With the federal SAVE Act in trouble, why don’t more GOP trifecta states enact their own versions? www.politico.com/news/2026/03...

Extinction of my beloved banana is taking longer than projected. I read 15 years ago the Cavandish would be gone on 15 years. www.vox.com/videos/48225...

This week in the USA * US eases sanctions on Russia while Trump says Putin is helping Iran * GOP pays to hold retreat at Trump property * FBI seizes 2020 election material from Arizona * Pres floats idea that US bombing of girls school where 125 died was done by Iran

Why does this puzzle keep doing this? www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/d...

For decades neither party would renominate a candidate who lost the last election. The GOP’s successful return to Trump & the unusual nature of Harris’s short run could change that norm.

I’m in favor of bringing back the “talking” filibuster. But: the bill Trump is throwing down over does not exist, Congress doesn’t need his signature to enact laws, & it’s weird to kick DHS funding bill to the side thehill.com/homenews/adm...

Employment won’t be the only factor in the midterms, but the jobs drop off starting with Trump will be inconvenient for the GOP this fall

This week in the USA * DOJ pledged to continue defending political targeting of law firms * US troops told by commanders war in Iran is part of biblical Armageddon * Admin officials attend summit organized by election deniers looking to take federal control of 2026 elections

Oklahoma law says appointee to Mullin’s vacated Senate seat must swear not to run for it later. Probably unenforceable.

One week from today

This week in the USA * DOJ withheld & removed Epstein files involving Trump * President used constitutionally-mandated SOTU message to call opposition party “crazy,” “sick,” destroying the country * Plans revealed for gold currency coin featuring image of the sitting president

Say what you want at the airport. No one else is.

Trump approval rating is ranging wildly from 36% to 50% — not only because of diverging samples of adults versus reg/likely voters

Who exactly selects this person? A student asked me this week but I just don’t know.

This week in the USA * Court confirms Trump tariffs violate Constitution * Talk show avoids politician interview under FCC pressure * President’s residence hosts meeting of investors in his crypto coin * Trump pledges $10B from Treasury to “Board of Peace” he chairs for life

We don’t know where Wisconsin politics is headed this election year, but the departure of Vos is the final undoing of the “cheesehead revolution” that included Ryan, Walker, & Priebus apnews.com/article/wisc...

There might never be another Spelling Bee that contains a president’s name #PresidentsDay

Why do younger people report the highest levels of consumer confidence?

This week in the USA * Grand jury finds admin targeting of senators not credible * DHS hires comms director who uses Nazi & conspiracy imagery * White nationalist & conspiracist picked for top State Dept job * AG admits hiring indicted J6 rioter who yelled “kill them” at police

Sad end to 88-year run that probably reflects 2 business strategies Gallup stopped election polling after 2012 due to competition from new pollsters & bigger miss that year There must also be worry bad polling news drawing Trump’s attention (see Selzer) thehill.com/homenews/med...

Gerry Christmas to all who celebrate

And Patriots will not the be first team to score zero points in a Superbowl

Looks like Packers have no Republicans — but it’s a “sample” missing some data and Wisconsin does not have party registration

Not likely to be much electoral benefit even if the average refund does turn out to be $1k bigger this year. Trump might be tempted to resuscitate his unfulfilled promise of $2k stimulus checks www.politico.com/news/2026/02...

This week in the USA: *Revealed UAE royal fam gave Trump crypto firm $500M *Trump says party should take over elections & nationalize voting * Fed workers at whim of pres pushed from 4K to 50K * Revealed Trump stopping infrastructure project until airport & station named for him

Join @electionscenter.bsky.social & @uwlawdemocracy.bsky.social on March 6 for an all-star analysis of the 2026 mid-decade redistricting battles Featuring @mcpli.bsky.social @sarasadhwani.bsky.social @profnickstephan.bsky.social @robyablon.bsky.social Register here: go.wisc.edu/95y7s8

Trump says some states can’t be trusted to run their own elections. The 3 states with the worst election administration performance in 2020 & 2022 were bright red AR & MS elections.mit.edu#/data/rank

The Wisconsin Exchange: Pluralism in Practice program at UW-Madison is offering a cool 2-year postdoc opportunity. Feel free to reach out if you are a political scientist who might apply. Deadline is March 30 for fall start. wisconsinexchange.wisc.edu/grant-and-fe...

This week in the USA: * Fed agents killed an unarmed man on a city street * AG Bondi blackmailed MN demanding sensitive voter data to stop ICE violence * FBI raided election office in GA to get materials from 2020 election Trump tried to overturn * Epstein files not released

"I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters, OK? It's, like, incredible." Donald Trump 10 years ago this week

It’s always a good time to support high quality local media — more so now to ensure the truth on the ground is being reported. Consider the Star Tribune (www.startribune.com/subscribe) and @mprnews.org (support.mpr.org/news-web)

This week in the USA: * Trump is first prez not to acknowledge MLK holiday * Revealed Trump made at least $1.4B in 2025 * Speaker of the House endorses impeaching judges * Fed regulators threaten free speech of TV talk shows * US announces departure from WHO w unpaid bill

Why are we Americans paying attention to the European weather model instead of drawing our own predictions on the map with a Sharpie?

This week in the USA: * DHS Sec posts Nazi phrase * ICE shoots driver point blank * Fed Chair reveals Trump blackmail * FBI raids reporter’s home * Trump bullies Nobel Peace Prize winner to get award * Trump says power only limited by “own morality” * Epstein files not released

4 Supreme Court cases about to be decided could shape the 2026 & 2028 elections @thehill.com thehill.com/homenews/cam...

Maybe Trump and Vance don’t realize that we can all see the video

I believe this shrinks the House majority margin to just 5 seats: 218-213

The administration is trying to erase this history. NPR has fortunately archived it apps.npr.org/jan-6-archive/

Trump pardoned the people who smeared feces on the walls, stole equipment, threatened lawmakers, and tried to overturn an election for him.

Glad some of you are having good experiences with AI tools because they have failed at every minor task I sent their way this week

US taxpayers are going to pay to “run” another country?

Late December days are at their shortest and my email inbox is at its lowest

This is your notice that the Elections Research Center @uwmadison.bsky.social has joined @bsky.app elections.wisc.edu

Make that 6 in 7 days

Make that 5 in 5 days