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polisciguy

@askpolisciguy.bsky.social
278 followers 1.3K following 96 posts

central appalachian political scientist. primarily interested in international relations, the middle east/west asia, war/origins of conflict, and american government. tech industry veteran. ama.

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Reposted by polisciguy
Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
DoorDash spent $1.4M trying to stop Zohran Mamdani from becoming mayor. This week's historic $131.5M enforcement action against DoorDash for underpaying NYC delivery workers shows why. Yet another reminder that the only thing that can beat organized money is organized people.
theintercept.com
DoorDash Spent $1.4 Million Trying to Stop Mamdani From Becoming Mayor. Now We Know Why.
In a wage-theft settlement, DoorDash now has to pay its workers around 100 times what it spent trying to beat Zohran Mam
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Reposted by polisciguy
Simple Memo @simplememo.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
unpopular take: your notes app doesn't need more features, it needs less friction. every folder you pick, every tag you choose, every field you fill is one more chance for the thought to escape before it's saved. capture first, organize later (or never).
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/s…
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Senate Republicans continue to back Trump's war, allowing the Netanyahu regime to continue pulling the president's strings. These people have a 1st grade understanding of war and IR at best.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Well written piece on Trump's new forever war. Enjoy a gift article from @theatlantic.com www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
theatlantic.com
Don’t Ask How This War Ends
It is, unfortunately, the wrong question.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
I'm a daily user of the Drafts app on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. For any fellow users, I've created a couple new custom actions that are now available in the community actions library. 🧵
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
All this is to say, the pain, suffering, and death of 9/11 did not end on 9/12. It has been a constant for a quarter century, and the series of regimes in its wake have failed to learn the lessons of that day. Which fails to honor the victims and heroes that morning and every day since.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
And meanwhile, our Presidents have appeared to learn absolutely nothing in the 25 years since. Trump’s Middle East policy is a disaster. Biden’s was marginally better, if that. Obama’s drone warfare program and failure to adjust in Iraq and Afghanistan further destabilized the region. Cont.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Our intelligence apparatus failed to prevent the attacks. And the CIA has ruined any and all chance of holding the Al Qaeda leaders responsible in a court of law. Our 20 years in Afghanistan was undone in a week. Iraq remains chronically unstable and fragile. Cont.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Millions more with potential deadly illnesses from exposure to burn pits. All of this is to say, the ripples of 9/11 continue. In some ways, that day has never ended. And we do a great disservice to those victims by ignoring the role U.S. foreign policy policy played in enabling 9/11 to occur Cont.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
9/11 is such a dark day in history, where nearly 3,000 Americans lost their lives in the course of one morning. Countless others in the years since, as disease ravages their body. Innocent civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq, along with over 7,000 U.S. soldiers in country, 30,000+ from suicide Cont.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Before long, I realized there was more to the story as I learned about U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, our relationship with Israel, and our various proxy wars with Russia by way of the region, spilling into Asia with Afghanistan in the 80s. It would take 14 years to fully understand. Cont.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
The answer given in the media and by those I asked was “they hate us for our freedom” or for the fact that we aren’t Muslims, which in addition to being BS was never a satisfactory answer. But it was a simple one. An easy one for most Americans to accept. For me, I wanted the truth. Cont.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I also wanted to understand the how and the impact it would have. That night, I recall lying in bed and thinking, well, I guess we’ll be going war. I set out to learn all that I could about the day, those responsible, and how it could happen. But the why remained top of mind. Cont.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I’m feeling rather more reflective on this 25th anniversary of 9/11 than I usually am. I remember the day well. I was 9 years old. Old enough to realize what was happening, but unable to understand the why. I don’t recall being scared. I was, however, curious. I wanted to know why it happened. Cont.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
theatlantic.com
Is Mojtaba Khamenei Dead?
The office of Iran’s supreme leader has fallen quiet, fueling uncertainty in a country with decisions to make.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
DuBois warned the failings of the U.S. to implement a liberal order domestically represents the same structural problem with the pursuit of a liberal international order. Just as relevant today. His IR writings are often overlooked but required reading www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...
foreignaffairs.com
The Du Bois Doctrine
Race and the American century.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
apple.news/AdR6Zsua9R06...
apple.news
The universe is static. No, expanding! Wait, slowing? Oh, accelerating — Scientific American
The universe has a habit of disproving “unassailable” facts To astronomers in the 1990s, these three facts were self-evident: The universe is expanding; all the matter in the universe is gravitational...
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Reposted by polisciguy
Eric Umansky @ericumansky.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
OMFG, this quote. www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
A prescient reminder that it is possible to use the institutions of democracy to implement authoritarianism. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
theatlantic.com
How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy in 53 Days
He used the constitution to shatter the constitution.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
One of my favorite things to do is find controversial Facebook posts and laugh react at random commenters, even ones I totally agree with. It’s the main reason I open the FB app. It’s especially fun to do it to whomever is the voice of reason in an otherwise insane and chaotic comments section.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Barney Frank, Gay Pioneer and Liberal Stalwart in Congress, Dies at 86 www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/u...
nytimes.com
Barney Frank, Gay Pioneer and Liberal Stalwart in Congress, Dies at 86
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Reposted by polisciguy
Hank Green @hankgreen.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Updated ArtemisTimeline.com with about 100 photos from the new drop! You can click "new crew photos" if you just want to see the new ones!
artemistimeline.com
Artemis II Photo Timeline
An interactive photo timeline of NASA's Artemis II mission — scrub through every crew moment, lunar flyby shot, and audio clip from April 1–10, 2026.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Great analysis, definitely worth a read
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Reposted by polisciguy
Middle-East Tracker @me.skyfleet.blue · 01/05/2026
Jury of Italy's Venice Biennale resigns over Russia row
al-monitor.com
Jury of Italy's Venice Biennale resigns over Russia row
The international jury of the upcoming Venice Biennale Art Exhibition resigned Thursday in a row over the organisation's decision to allow Russia to participate in this year's event.The resignations came a week after the jury said it would exclude countries from awards if the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for war crimes against their leaders -- meaning Russia and Israel.The exhibition is due to open on May 9.
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Reposted by polisciguy
BenB 🇺🇦 @benborges.xyz · 26/04/2026
Ukraine war latest: Three Russian ships, MiG-31 aircraft damaged in major overnight strikes on Crimea Key developments on April 25-26: Three Russian ships, MiG-31 aircraft damaged in major overnight strikes on Crimea, SBU reports Ukrainian drones strike Russia's Yaroslavl oil ...
kyivindependent.com
Ukraine war latest: Three Russian ships, MiG-31 aircraft damaged in major overnight strikes on Crimea
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Reposted by polisciguy
Glen O'Hara @gsoh31.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
(3) When I talk to policymakers they show every time they don't know anything. You say 'it's not a matter of more money' for 20mins and then they look at you incomprehending and say 'no more money'. There's no capacity in the system even to read a 2 page summary. (4/4) observer.co.uk/news/columni...
observer.co.uk
Why saving universities is far more than academic
Modern Britain needs young people with degrees – here’s how to make sure they still have somewhere to study them
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Reposted by polisciguy
Manisha Sinha @profmsinha.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
The only reason to be on Linked In?
Linked In post
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
A rare win for the Trump administration. Rescheduling it removes some barriers to patient access and gives doctors more flexibility in prescribing it. Marijuana rescheduling: Trump eases rules on medical cannabis www.npr.org/2026/04/23/n...
npr.org
Trump administration eases rules on some marijuana categories. Here's what to know
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said he is immediately moving medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, which includes drugs like ketamine, Tylenol with codeine and anabolic steroids.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
Pete Hegseth is so insecure about being wimpy, effete, and impotent that comes out every time the man speaks. And informs his decisions apparently, as he is removing the military influenza vaccine mandate. If he can’t see the strategic need for a simple flu shot, he’s less qualified than I thought
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
They've had 6 years to prove the 2020 election was "stolen" in a court system filled with Trump appointees, and they can't do it. Because he lost. Because there isn't a shred of legitimate evidence that indicates he won. He is delusional as is anyone who buys into the idea.
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Reposted by polisciguy
Jameel Jaffer @jameeljaffer.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
This wild document is the basis for the State Department's decision to cancel the visas and green cards of tech researchers who study the social media platforms and of tech regulators who enforce privacy and transparency laws. Disclosed to us last night in @thecoalition.bsky.social v. Rubio.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
Any chance the president gets to diminish the plight of black people, be it slavery or civil rights, he does so. It's telling when someone refuses to state plainly what it was these people lived through and fought against. Of course, it doesn't tell us anything we didn't know already.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
Editor's spotlight from Foreign Affairs this morning calls attention to a great piece by @lianafix.bsky.social on the risks of European destabilization as Germany begins their first military ascent since World War II link.foreignaffairs.com/click/453772...
link.foreignaffairs.com
Europe’s Next Hegemon
The perils of German power.
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Reposted by polisciguy
J. Chris Mueller @jchrismueller.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
“In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it."
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Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · 23/04/2026
I firmly believe presidents & people with control over medical agencies should understand percentages! If *you* don’t, no judgment; I will explain in the next couple posts how they work. The short version is that Senator Warren is correct in the clip, and there’s NO interpretation in which RFKJr is
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
New piece on Ukraine-Russia, and why the Trump administration's cut to aid and push for a ceasefire is a big win for Moscow open.substack.com/pub/poliscig...
open.substack.com
Ukraine-Russia Ceasefire Now Isn't Peace, It's Surrender
Why Washington’s next move will determine whether Russia is contained or rewarded
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
A brief piece with some of my initial thoughts on the outcome of the Virginia referendum, mainly aimed at those in my home district of the 9th. open.substack.com/pub/poliscig...
open.substack.com
NOVA Does Not Control Your Destiny
Virginia Redistricting Referendum and what it means
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
All models now project the Virginia referendum passes. New York Times, the Hill, and others project that Yes votes narrowly prevail. Legal challenges are no doubt already in progress.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
"No" has been leading in the VA referendum since the polls closed, which is not unexpected, but its lead has reduced substantially as votes from more populated counties are being counted. No currently leads with 50.43% to 49.57%, but there are roughly 1 million votes left to count from Dem areas
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
A couple of models I'm seeing at the moment indicate the VA referendum has a chance to pass by somewhere between 2-4%. Other models are less favorable for passing. What's certain is that the results are likely to be very close.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Virginia is a solidly purple state. Should the referendum succeed and survive the onslaught of court challenges, I would expect Republican and conservative leaning voters to be motivated in the midterms and future elections. Central/Eastern districts would not be as solidly blue as the image shows.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
This shows the current Virginia districts vs. the proposed redistricted version. The new version is somewhat overly optimistic and is unlikely to result in that kind of boon for Democrats, but it does certainly swing in their favor.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
The Virginia redistricting referendum is in direct response to president Trump, nervous that Democratic and anti-Trump support has been increasing substantially in Texas, requested that the districts be redrawn to favor conservatives, which created 5 new solidly Republican districts.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Challenges to the referendum have been ongoing, and attorneys opposed to it were successful in getting a judge to agree that the legislative process was an issue, which it most certainly is. But the VA Supreme Court ordered that the referendum go forward. Should it pass, legal battles will continue.
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Polls closed 16 minutes ago, and voting results are rolling in for the Virginia redistricting referendum. Both sides are motivated, so this will come down to turnout. Follow the coverage: www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04... www.270towin.com/news/ wtop.com/elections/20... apnews.com/article/virg...
nytimes.com
Election Live Updates: Polls Close in Vote on Virginia Map With Major Midterm Stakes
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Reposted by polisciguy
The Kyiv Independent @kyivindependent.com · 21/04/2026
⚡️Russian drone attack on Sumy injures at least 6, damages medical facility. Numerous explosions were heard across the city, and damage was reported to residential buildings, cars, and a medical facility.
kyivindependent.com
Russian drone attack on Sumy injures at least 6, damages medical facility
At least six people were injured in a Russian drone attack on the city of Sumy overnight on April 21, local authorities reported.
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War on the Rocks @warontherocks.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
The hardest part of leaving the military isn't the transition paperwork. It's figuring out who you are when the institution that defined you no longer does. (Members Only) Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
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Mae Nick Phra Khanong @nickjbrumfield.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Authoritarianism always comes down to conflict between the military and internal security forces huh
theguardian.com
Federal agents detain wife of another US army member: ‘ICE is out of control’
Jose Serrano, a sergeant, said Deisy Rivera Ortega, his wife, was arrested at an immigration appointment
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polisciguy @askpolisciguy.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
A good piece. Even at times where Ukraine has appeared to be at a strategic disadvantage, they have been much better positioned in reality for much of the war. Russia has only one viable strategy: extend the war as long as possible 🧵
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