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Bruce Larson

@brucelarson.bsky.social
172 followers 189 following 50 posts

Political Science Prof., Gettysburg College

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Reposted by Bruce Larson
Scott Meinke @srmeinke.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
We're hiring a tenure-track Americanist at Bucknell, in a new line focused on parties, groups, and/or communications/media. Please share with folks who might be interested, and I'm happy to answer questions or talk in person at APSA!
bucknell.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com
Tenure Track Position in American Politics
Position Title: Tenure Track Position in American Politics Position Type: Full time Location: Bucknell University Categories: Faculty Exempt Job Summary: Job Duties: Bucknell University’s Department o...
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
I save way too much stuff
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Unprecedented shakedown operation would make for a more accurate title. www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
wsj.com
Exclusive | ‘The Boss Wants This Money’: Inside Trump’s Unprecedented Fundraising Operation
Meredith O’Rourke, nicknamed ‘princess of darkness,’ carries out the president’s desire to wring hundreds of millions from companies for his projects.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
The WSJ politics newsletter refers to House Speaker Mike Johnson as “the calm conductor of a runaway train.”
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
A photo of my dog Eloise when I was discussing the Court’s ruling in NRSC v. FEC with someone. Not everyone is excited by campaign finance cases, I guess.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
I believe Dick Cheney was in a political science PhD program at Wisconsin but never finished
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
The birthright citizenship case should have been 9-0.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
With parties no longer limited in making coordinated expenditures, it may be that safe House incumbents will face even more pressure to transfer money to the party congressional campaign committees.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Didn’t happen. I wouldn’t necessarily rule it out for the future, though.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
In NRSC v. FEC, I feel like there is a non-zero chance the Court will invalidate not only party coordinated spending limits but also limits on contributions TO the parties. Per McCutcheon, conservatives on the Court see quid pro quo corruption as less of a concern when money flows through parties.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
For Trone, the $25 million comes after he spent $63 million in the 2024 MD Democratic primary for U.S. Senate--and losing to now Senator Angela Alsobrooks.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Big if lopsided self-funding in the Dem primary in my MD-06 district. David Trone has loaned his campaign $25 million in the contest, while incumbent April McClain Delaney has loaned her campaign $7.4 million.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
smotus.substack.com/p/missing-th...
smotus.substack.com
Missing the point on Platner
The question is whether he's a good nominee, not a good person -- and a nominee you have to constantly defend and explain is not a good one
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Reposted by Bruce Larson
Schooley @schooley.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Pretty fun that Springsteen managed to organize an America 250 concert line up that people actually want to see.
njbiz.com
Springsteen Center to launch with America 250 concerts
The Bruce Springsteen Center at Monmouth will host a 2-night America 250 concert featuring Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi and other artists.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Long time Knicks fan but love Wemby and like the Spurs. Damn.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
File this in “how not to improve public confidence in Congress” news.bgov.com/bloomberg-go...
news.bgov.com
Lawmakers Lean on Lobbyists for Cash as They Leave Congress
Lawmakers who aren’t running for reelection may no longer raise money for their campaign committees, but they are allowed to solicit cash for their leadership PACs, hitting up lobbyists who have busin...
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Reposted by Bruce Larson
Jennifer N. Victor @jenvictor.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
My colleague @mattngreen.bsky.social has made a terrific accounting of various democratic reform proposals floating about. This is a terrific roundabout and a good resource for much needed conversations.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Currently worried Trump will throw Taiwan under the bus if Xi agrees to rename it Trumpwan.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
I found a set of SPSS 13.0 CDs in my office. The discs make good coasters!
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
Wait. The UK has a National Statistician Position?
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
If the Court invalidates limits on party coordinated expenditures, it won’t alter the party fundraising side. So expect the Hill committees to ratchet up pressure on incumbents for funds, since incumbents can give unlimited sums to the national party committees from their campaign committees.
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Reposted by Bruce Larson
Jennifer N. Victor @jenvictor.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
The first, and necessary step, is absolutely overwhelming, devastating turnout.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
I never thought I’d be thankful for Moodle.
nytimes.com
Canvas Online Learning Platform Disabled After Breach by Hackers
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
SCOTUS in City of Mobile v. Bolden (1980): plaintiffs gotta show discriminatory intent. Congress in the 1982 VRA Reauthorization: discriminatory effects are sufficient. Justice Alito in Louisiana v. Callais: f**k Congress.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
A must-read.
slate.com
The Supreme Court’s Conservatives Just Issued the Worst Ruling in a Century
This evisceration of the Voting Rights Act requires us to take SCOTUS reform more seriously.
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Reposted by Bruce Larson
Rick Hasen @rickhasen.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
My New One at Slate: Justice Alito is a Coward (and Possibly a Liar) slate.com/news-and-pol...
In the end, Justice Alito is afraid to stand up and say what his opinions necessarily imply: that Congress cannot do anything to protect minority voting rights short of banning intentional discrimination despite the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection guarantee, despite the Fifteenth Amendment’s ban on race discrimination in voting, and despite the fact that both amendments explicitly give Congress the power to enforce the measures by “appropriate legislation.”

Maybe Alito is worried that a ruling forthrightly saying what he is doing would sully the reputation of the court, which has already faced public criticism for killing off another key part of the Voting Rights Act in 2013’s Shelby County decision. Perhaps he is worried that a frontal kill of Section 2 would energize Democrats, leading to greater losses for Republicans in the midterm elections and in future elections.

Whatever the reason, Justice Alito lacks courage, a word which ironically has been embraced by the Trumpiest of judges and legal commentators to describe taking positions that are extreme, unpopular, and I would argue, in conflict with the rule of law.

No one is fooled by Justice Alito’s act of cowardice, unless it is Justice Alito himself. If that’s the case, he is more deluded than he seems to think the rest of us are.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
This is so worth reading. We’ve normalized billionaires bankrolling so-called independent spending campaigns, and we wonder why the government isn’t responsive to ordinary people.
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Reposted by Bruce Larson
Jake Grumbach @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
This is a @rfunkfordham.bsky.social figure 🔥 Full article here rooseveltinstitute.org/publications...
rooseveltinstitute.org
Citizens United and the Decline of US Democracy: Assessing the Decision’s Impact 15 Years Later - Roosevelt Institute
In a new analysis, Rachel Funk Fordham examines the 15-year legacy of Citizens United, assessing its impact on democracy through new evidence and political science research and offering recommendation...
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
Will need to update my class VRA slide to explain how, according to Justice Alito in Louisiana v. Callais, the words “in a manner that results in” must be interpreted as “in a manner intended by the state”
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
That Brin can spend $57 million trying to block a California billionaire tax makes a good case for the billionaire tax.
nytimes.com
Sergey Brin Moves to the Right, With a ‘MAGA Girlfriend’ by His Side
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Congratulations!
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Reposted by Bruce Larson
Jennifer N. Victor @jenvictor.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
Not the main point here, but I do not ever recall a federal agency making significant programmatic and personnel changes as a result of the PRESIDENT'S BUDGET PROPOSAL, which does not change any law or funding allocations. Congress hasn't acted yet. What are we doing here?
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
I just ordered this. Thank you for writing it.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
Frederick MD.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
You can also have serious objections to the fact that the administration did almost no consultation with Congress—the first branch of government and lynchpin of U.S. representative democracy that constitutionally holds the power to declare war.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
You can celebrate the destruction of a ruthless group of leaders in Iran that has destroyed the lives of countless Iranians AND still have serious doubts that the Trump administration has a coherent plan to enable the emergence of a more humane government in Iran once the bombs stop falling.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
This should have been a 9-0 decision.
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Reposted by Bruce Larson
Rick Hasen @rickhasen.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Repeat after me: An executive order is not a royal edict; it is not law. It is a direction to the executive branch as to how to carry out the law. Also: Key parts of Trump's last EO on elections have been stopped by federal courts, ruling that the President has no role to play in federal elections
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
All great in different ways. Elton John was my first concert; that was really special. Led Zeppelin and Queen were tremendous too
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
Your post got me thinking about my concert days. I actually saw Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Elton John—and Queen three times. Showing my age here! Totally regret never seeing Fleetwood Mac.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
I feel like Queen was bigger than a second-tier act during the earlier period. Maybe that’s just how I remember them. Either way they definitely seem bigger now.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Contact your member of Congress and senators. It can matter.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Great piece by @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social democracyproject.org/posts/extrem...
democracyproject.org
Extreme Wealth Inequality Destroys Constitutions
A broad range of views on democracy to help break the stalemate caused by partisan conflict.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
opensecrets.org
Quiz: Are you dark money savvy? - OpenSecrets News
OpenSecrets has spent more than 40 years following the money. But over the past 15 years, our work has become…
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Reposted by Bruce Larson
Scott Meinke @srmeinke.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
The Senate vote on the Venezuela resolution was not a final passage vote . . . this seems like something the Post should get right?
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Reposted by Bruce Larson
Max Berger @maxberger.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
It would be so cool if the United States Congress still existed.
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Bruce Larson @brucelarson.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
@repaprildelaney.bsky.social: make him spend it all.
marylandmatters.org
Trone announces run for former Western Maryland congressional seat - Maryland Matters
David Trone, the former three-term congressman who gave up his Western Maryland seat last year for an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate, announced Thursday he is running for his old job.
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Reposted by Bruce Larson
Julia Raifman, ScD @juliaraifman.bsky.social · 27/10/2025
Did you know? About 4.5 million SNAP recipients are babies and toddlers under age 5. About 11.1 million SNAP recipients are kids aged 5 to 17 years, who need food for healthy growth, learning, & development. The federal government has the capacity to continue funding SNAP during a shutdown.
11.1% of SNAP recipients are kids under age 5, 27.7% kids 5-17, 41.6% adults 18-59, 19.5% adults aged 60 & older 

https://www.ers.usda.gov/media/1124/snapparticipantage.xlsx
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Reposted by Bruce Larson
Josh Chafetz @joshchafetz.bsky.social · 23/10/2025
Pleasure talking with @cgrisales.bsky.social for this All Things Considered story: www.npr.org/2025/10/22/n...
npr.org
Is Congress willing to curb Trump's approach to executive power?
President Trump's expansive interpretation of executive power is continuing to reshape federal spending in a government shutdown.
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