"Skepticism Mounts" the NYT now reports. My skepticism couldn't possibly mount. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/u...

witnessing the final death of a 21st c verb: "to google"

"Recent surges in deportations have led to job losses for both immigrant and American-born workers, while wages have stayed flat, according to the study, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, a nonpartisan research organization." (NYT)

the "Thucydides Trap" shows how bad history can succeed if it serves a purpose

Does your civic organization, club, or institution need a guest speaker who is a highly trained historian? You can find one near you at this website, an initiative of the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic in partnership with several civic orgs.

1. These threats remain insane and impeachable and we should resist normalizing them 2. How many bluffs will it take before Axios stops reporting them credulously?

I'm begging for one article--just one--that is "Trump says Iran war is worth the economic pain. These urban voters in Harlem say `We told you he'd screw everything up, why didn't you listen to us?'" Just one. Just one "diner" interview in a place w a density above 1 per 1000 sq mi and < 95% white.

There's a major civil rights protest taking place in Selma, Alabama, right now in response to the SCOTUS decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act and the ongoing attack on Black Americans’ political power (video: defiancedispatch/IG)

Taking food from people. Ugh.

Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff struck student protesters with his car. This is why.

Says it all. 'Admiral Cooper described the prevention of civilian deaths on the battlefield as “a matter that I’m passionate about.” But he also conceded that his staff had not investigated any of the incidents documented by The Times or human rights groups.' www.nytimes.com/live/2026/05...

these young queens.

I wonder how much all this Federal lawlessness will ultimately cost in settlements.

What “distressing” ideas? How are they “cocooned”? It’s amazing how much publicity one can get by reinforcing cliches that accord so little with the experiences of so many of us who actually teach college students.

really interesting. and shout out to projects creating data for public use!

As Forbes shows, Trump is the first US president to fully monetize the value of the office of president. He's raking in billions every year. And it's all a felony, going on right in front of your eyes.

Trump’s bogus FEMA in action: www.politico.com/news/2026/05...

This week the New Yorker & NY Mag competed to out-disaster-pr0n each other w the genre of "students using chatbots to college." Yet over the last 3 months alone students from Oregon to MA reached out to me to help them fight AI at their unis & high schools. Journalists should write that article.

Yesterday, Trump pointed at Rachel Scott of ABC News and said "she's a bitch" after Ms. Scott asked him about rising gas prices. It will be old news by close of business today. Once again: Trump is held to a different standard by legacy media.

Yep. “Even if the [Iranian] regime will be toppled tomorrow, it doesn’t matter,” former Israeli intelligence analyst Danny Citrinowicz said in a recent conversation. “The problem is the Palestinian issue.” I'll also link to a piece I wrote in 2021 that dovetails with this new essay.

If you're still confused who is winning the war in Iran.

The underlying logic of Supreme Court reform.

Not good for our ability to hang together as a country. But not holding my breath that GOP will choose country over party in this case and agree to long-running Democratic case for gerrymandering ban.

One thing that didn't make any of the "5 Takeaways" posts on Whiskey Pete yesterday: He was asked at least twice, and I think at least three times, what the price of gas was. It was similar to the old George HW question about milk. He didn't know. Repeatedly said it was more expensive in CA.

Any candidate worth their salt who's running for the Democratic nomination in 2028 will campaign aggressively on expanding the Supreme Court.

If you want to draw your own Congressional districts for any state. I found looking at Louisiana was very informative. districtr.org

Read every word: 🧵

Justice Kagan: "And then, the majority puts all that aside and begins to free solo."

good analysis here of where US administration stands with Iran: "Some things are too big for Trump to lie his way through."

Yes, the decline of US public support for Israel could eventually mean Israel can't do forever wars. But so could the decline in internal Israeli Jewish support for the price of forever wars (eg combat death, suicide, PTSD, depression). Ideological commitment to territorial expansion may have limits

"There still seems to be no [US] attempt to bring in anyone with more than a middle-school background in nuclear or any other issues," writes @cherylrofer.bsky.social.

So much false equivalence in media on gerrymandering in Texas vs California & Virginia. California and Virginia maps approved by the voters. That's a huge difference not enough people pointing out

A magnificent essay by @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social, which every progressive mind should read RIGHT NOW. I mean it: NOW!

Govt of Israel's current strategy relies on 2 things 1) domestic support for expansion 2) US support for expansion If either falls away, the policy will not be sustainable. On #2, we've seen the shifting polling data suggesting sympathy for Israel is in significant decline among US under age 50 1/2

I've seen few US leaders who can redefine power in such human terms.

Trump is trying to pay himself with billions of dollars of our taxes. Corruption at a massive scale.

The thing is, Trump is not a madman. He’s just ignorant, impulsive, and easily distracted and manipulated.

International journalists have been barred from Gaza for two years and seven months. It's been seven months since the "cease fire" came into force, and two months since the Rafah crossing started to operate. Israel continues to prevent the entry of journalists.

Once you accept that John Roberts is a politician who happens to wear judicial robes, it all makes much more sense.

boo

Vows of accountability for the administration’s lawlessness are an important step.

I don't thing Democrats can campaign on accountability across the board - and dismantling the literal and figurative Arches and Ball Rooms - but it should be a key plank of their agenda and policy if back in power.

Sing it to the rafters!

And speaks to the wider point: the US government has leverage over the Israeli one, not the reverse.

Wow I bet by viewpoint diversity Harvard means it’s going to hire some pro-Palestinian faculty, right? Right? Lol no just playing we know what they mean www.thecrimson.com/article/2026...

excellent read. Tactics are not strategy.

ProPublica should publish separate numbers of who pleaded guilty and who was convicted at trial in the 32 cases in California. Plea deals may be taking place under tremendous Federal and social media pressure.

I appreciate that @abuaardvark.bsky.social and @stelhami.bsky.social try to broaden his vision, but Klein is so stuck on October 7, 2023. A key moment, for sure, but so much preceded and followed it, too.