Sign in

Jon Rauch

@jonrauch.bsky.social
6.5K followers 298 following 640 posts

Journalist, writer, unlicensed epistemologist. Brookings and The Atlantic. Please be sane, BlueSky.

PostsRepliesMedia
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Trump's audacious plan to remake civil society has failed. Here's why. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/19/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | Trump Has Finally Lost the Plot
It is now apparent that many Americans — probably enough Americans — are determined to live within the truth rather than the lie.
0136
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
More evidence that the radicalization of the Democratic Party is a myth. Socialists aren't winning and they're mostly not running in primaries in competitive districts. Mainstream candidates dominate. www.brookings.edu/articles/ele...
brookings.edu
Electability over ideology: Takeaways from the 2026 primaries | Brookings
Elaine Kamarck and Jordan Muchnick analyze the 2026 primaries, revealing what candidates addressed—and avoided—ahead of November.
074
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Good idea: universities that want to favor progressive ideologies should just say so. Put it right there in the catalog. Truth in labeling! www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
washingtonpost.com
Opinion | Dear universities: Don’t want to be neutral? Admit it.
Plenty of schools have their own lenses. No need to hide the ball.
011
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
That DSA wave you've heard about? Yes in a few high profile races. But the numbers tell a different story. There are few DSA candidates; they usually lose; where they win is mostly in deep blue places. www.brookings.edu/articles/dem...
brookings.edu
Democratic socialist candidates show gains but limited reach in 2026 | Brookings
This analysis examines the DSA’s high-profile 2026 primary wins and what they reveal about the movement’s influence in the Democratic Party.
267
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
How white evangelicals took the deal that Jesus rejected - new podcast conversation with Eric Pratum on MAGA, Christianity, and our imperiled democracy. www.youtube.com/watch?v=B39-...
youtube.com
Did MAGA Take the Deal Jesus Refused? | Jonathan Rauch
YouTube video by Inbound & Agile
041
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Are liberals still not reckoning with our failures? Or are we navel-gazing too much? Or maybe...both? Conversation with Brink Lindsey goes deep and runs the gamut. brinklindsey.substack.com/p/jonathan-r...
brinklindsey.substack.com
Jonathan Rauch on responding to the crisis of liberalism
Liberal values and institutions now face aggressive challenges from both right and left extremism, so how should defenders of the embattled liberal center respond?
110
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
An important essay by a thirty-something gay kinkster on why he isn't "queer." And why "queer"might not mean what you think...if it means anything at all. sacredtension.substack.com/p/queer-what...
sacredtension.substack.com
Queer, What Art Thou?
Why I, too, am gay, not queer.
210
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
David Frum nails it (as usual). "Trump’s record of dishonesty, callousness, and selfishness during the pandemic is a documented reality. The imputations against Fauci are mostly fantasies." www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
theatlantic.com
Anthony Fauci Is Not the Villain in This Story
The doctor was thrust into his pandemic-leadership role because of Trump’s deadly dereliction of duty.
1197
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Isn't there a word for stopping ships on the high seas and demanding money at gunpoint? Isn't that word "piracy"? (Is it really possible we're even having this conversation?) www.cnbc.com/2026/07/13/i...
cnbc.com
UN maritime agency opposes Hormuz transit fees after Trump demands protection money
The security situation in Hormuz has deteriorated since Iran attacked multiple commercial ships transiting the strait over the past week.
1217
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
We're now at war with Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz...something that was not even in question in January. I'm tired of so much winning. apnews.com/article/iran...
apnews.com
Trump says US will blockade Iran in the Strait of Hormuz and will charge ships for safe passage
U.S. President Donald Trump says the United States is “reinstating” a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz and will charge other ships for safe passage.
1104
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
What's wrong with OMB's new proposed rules for federal science grants? Practically everything, according to Anna Krylov (a brilliant and brave ex-Soviet scientist who knows whereof she speaks). hxstem.substack.com/p/public-com...
hxstem.substack.com
Public Comment on the Office of Management and Budget Proposed Regulation on Federal Financial Assistance
This is the comment I submitted in response to the OMB call for public comments on the proposed rule on federal financial assistance.
180
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
SCOTUS's birthright citizenship decision was a closer call than most people realize...and opens the door to future mischief. www.theunpopulist.net/p/there-is-n...
theunpopulist.net
There Is No Originalist Rationale for Denying Citizenship to the US Born
So the conservative dissenters on the Supreme Court ditched their own preferred approach in the recent birthright ruling
04813
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
This is the first and only email I have ever received from the Social Security Administration. I didn't even know they have my email address. Your tax dollars at work!
232
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
The greatness of George Washington. On the occasion of the 250th, read and weep. teachingamericanhistory.org/document/let...
teachingamericanhistory.org
Letter from George Washington to Catherine Macaulay Graham (1790)
“From George Washington to Catharine Sawbridge Macaulay Graham, 9 January 1790,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://teachingamericanhistory.org/zg52. Madam: Your obliging letter, dated in Oct...
152
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Here's a reality check for Mamdami et al. TL;DR: "Neoliberalism" never happened, Sweden isn't socialist, and economic populism is a stagflationary failure. essays.victormenaldo.com/p/the-old-di...
essays.victormenaldo.com
The Old, Discredited Left in New Clothes
America’s democratic socialists aren’t Scandinavian. They’re resurrecting a flawed paradigm buried by stagflation — and the “neoliberalism” they think they’re overthrowing was never really a thing.
011
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
A shrewd assessment by Peter Berkowitz (Trump 1 State Dept senior official). TL;DR: Tehran took Trump and Vance to the cleaners. www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/202...
realclearpolitics.com
032
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
The same government that the US and Israel went to war to overthrow is now claiming, and effectively controlling, the world's most important waterway. I'm tired of so much winning! apnews.com/article/iran...
apnews.com
Iran attacks Bahrain and Kuwait following US strikes and threatens to halt talks
Iran has again launched drone and missile attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait in response to new U.S. airstrikes.
052
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
Smart and refreshing: Europe should stop appeasing Trump. He needs NATO more than Europe needs him. open.substack.com/pub/billemmo...
open.substack.com
The purpose of NATO is to guard against Russia, not to appease Donald Trump
English original of article published this morning in Italian by La Stampa
071
Reposted by Jon Rauch
Tyler McBrien @tylermcbrien.com · 04/06/2026
NEW: A stunning new project from @lawfaremedia.org's @katherinepomps.bsky.social finds that 97 Jan. 6ers who received clemency for their role in the Capitol riot then got arrested, charged, and/or convicted with subsequent crimes—a number much higher than previously reported.
22825396
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Is America about ideals, or identity? Mitt Romney or JD Vance? It's emerging as the great ideological division of the future, especially on the Right. Join me for an exciting conversation @brookings.edu on June 23... www.brookings.edu/events/what-...
022
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
This dismissal for vindictive prosecution is how a judge sounds when he's shouting from the rooftops that an administration is corrupt. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
washingtonpost.com
Judge drops criminal case against Kilmar Abrego García, ruling it vindictive
The Maryland man was charged with human smuggling after a high-profile legal fight in which courts ruled he had been illegally deported to El Salvador.
0176
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
This is what friends of law and liberty are projecting on the DOJ's Trump banner right now:
1267
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
We should have seen it coming. www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/dem...
journalofdemocracy.org
Democracy’s Troubles Should Be No Surprise | Journal of Democracy
Democracy’s present difficulties were predictable. History and older theories of democratic stability should have prepared us for both democratic backsliding and the vulnerability of Western democracy...
140
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
My exchange today with Claude...I'm sorry, this is creepy.
381
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
The Supreme Court is about to give the president authority over the executive branch that's undreamt-of by the founders. www.aei.org/op-eds/a-thr...
aei.org
061
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
While Israel is spit-roasted for a genocide it didn't commit, crickets about Hamas's use of Gaza's population as human shields. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...
lawfaremedia.org
The Dangerous Failure to Hold Hamas Accountable for Using Human Shields
How international institutions’ silence on Hamas hiding behind civilians incentivizes human shields use, and distorts law and accountability.
331
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Real war...pretend victory. spectator.com/article/trum...
spectator.com
Trump is clinging to a mirage in the Middle East
It seems unlikely that Iran, a past master at conducting negotiations at a glacial pace, will accede to Trump’s wish-list
021
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
The Declaration hinges on "consent of the governed"...but what does it actually mean? And are we losing it? www.brookings.edu/articles/is-...
brookings.edu
Is ‘consent of the governed' possible amid polarized politics? | Brookings
The Declaration of Independence declared that legitimate government rests on the “consent of the governed.” Where does the social contract between Americans and government stand today? In this episode...
011
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
www.chicagotribune.com/2026/05/06/c...
chicagotribune.com
Steve Chapman: What the erasure of Cesar Chavez reveals about American politics
If Cesar Chavez, now cloaked in disgrace, had his life to do over again, I’m guessing he might become a Republican.
020
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
No, there wasn't a global effort by the Biden administration to censor the internet...and two recent consent decrees don't change that fact. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/what...
lawfaremedia.org
What the Murthy v. Missouri and Daily Wire Consent Decrees Do—and Don’t—Establish
Despite the spin, these consent decrees are negotiated settlements—not court verdicts. They contain no judicial finding or admission that a Biden-era “censorship regime” existed.
022
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Here's an actually solvable, yet important, problem. There's no reason to sell precise geolocation data to consumers. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/it-i...
lawfaremedia.org
It Is Time to Ban the Sale of Precise Geolocation
The latest edition of the Seriously Risky Business cybersecurity newsletter, now on Lawfare.
062
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Patrimonialists and authoritarian populists are always corrupt and incompetent...and that's how you defeat them, as Hungary demonstrates again. Orban’s defeat shows the Achilles’ heel of populist power www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
washingtonpost.com
Opinion | Orban’s defeat shows the Achilles’ heel of populist power
Formerly ascendant European right-wing parties are in retreat, a possible omen for Trump’s MAGA movement.
083
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
substack.com/@revchrisdav...
substack.com
Chris Davis (@revchrisdavis)
Last night President Trump posted an AI-generated image portraying himself as Jesus Christ. This has sparked outrage from many, and rightfully so. This is on par with King Nebuchadnezzar asking, “Is n...
120
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Remember the song-and-dance we got about Vietnam? The White House tallied ordnance dropped and targets hit, as if that was the same as winning. Well...here we go again. maxboot.substack.com/p/what-did-o...
maxboot.substack.com
What did Operation Epic Fury actually achieve?
A close read of Central Command's dodgy claims suggests this was no victory.
081
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
Though I know we're all out of bandwidth, this is important: Trump's DOJ is vindictively prosecuting Smartmatic as part of its election denial campaign. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...
lawfaremedia.org
The Prosecution of Smartmatic
A rare corporate FCPA indictment tests whether courts will more closely interrogate prosecutorial motive.
053
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
www.brookings.edu/articles/why...
brookings.edu
Why affordability will be a key issue in the 2026 midterm elections | Brookings
Rising costs across major household expenses are making affordability a central issue in the 2026 midterm elections.
041
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
On the ground in Kiev and Kharkiv with Max Boot. He finds remarkable resolve and resilience. maxboot.substack.com/p/why-ukrain...
maxboot.substack.com
Why Ukraine is even more impressive in person
Impressions from a week spent in Kyiv and Kharkiv
0115
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
The four enduring truths of the Mueller report. They shatter the claim that Russia's involvement in the 2016 election--and Trump's involvement with Russia--are a "hoax." www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...
lawfaremedia.org
The Situation: The Enduring Truths of the Mueller Report
There are four of them.
7247101
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
Amid a blizzard of commentary on the war and the situation in Iran, Vali Nasr shares real expertise with Paul Starobin. newbooksnetwork.com/understandin...
newbooksnetwork.com
Understanding Iran Under Attack: A Discussion with Author Vali Nasr - New Books Network
031
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
Brilliant tour d'horizon of the global twin threats of Putinism and populism from Tom G. Palmer. open.substack.com/pub/theunpop...
open.substack.com
Russia Resurrected and Exported a Fascist Ideology to the West
That the Trump administration is targeting ‘enemies within’ instead of Putin shows how much America has already succumbed to it
085
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
In case you're still using TikTok, here's a reminder that it's a dishonest company with even more dishonest backers. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/info...
lawfaremedia.org
“Information Looking for People”
A review of Emily Baker-White, “Every Screen on the Planet: The War Over TikTok” (Norton, 2025).
182
Reposted by Jon Rauch
Shikha Dalmia @shikhadalmia.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
One of the frustrations of being an editor/organizer is that I don't get to do my own thinking and work. One of the joys is that I get to platform absolutely first rate conversations by brilliant minds such as this one at LibCon2025. Moderator @jonrauch.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/theunpop...
open.substack.com
What Do Liberalism and Religion Owe Each Other?
When religion becomes an identity it can't play the vital role of cultivating the virtue and morality necessary for a self-governing people
181
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
Important new concept from @sarahlongwell25.bsky.social: "vice signaling." From her 2/11/2016 interview with Sam Harris... www.samharris.org/podcasts/mak...
samharris.org
Sam Harris | #458 - The Bulwark Against MAGA
Sam Harris speaks with Sarah Longwell and Tim Miller about Trump and the future of American politics.
172
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Detailed analysis by Rob Shapiro finds MAGA is the same type of authoritarian, violence-prone mass movement that brought dictators to power in other countries. www.sonecon.com/hannah-arend...
sonecon.com
Hannah Arendt Understood the Dangerous Forces Behind Donald Trump – Sonecon
075
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Whatever else you do today, do not miss this column by Russell Moore about the real meaning of the Epstein debacle. www.christianitytoday.com/newsletter/a...
christianitytoday.com
Moore to the Point 2-11-2026 v.2 - Christianity Today
Moore to the Point 2-11-2026 v.2 newsletter. Get the most recent headlines and stories from Christianity Today delivered to your inbox daily.
0103
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
Sam Harris and I dissect the Trump phenomenon and sadly conclude...yes, it's fascism. www.samharris.org/podcasts/mak...
samharris.org
Sam Harris | #456 - American Fascism
Sam Harris speaks with Jonathan Rauch about the emergence of fascism in American politics.
3144
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
Want to know why Trump is granting asylum to supposedly persecuted white South Africans? Read this insightful essay by Eve Fairbanks about the false (and racist) claim that whites were better off under apartheid. www.thedial.world/articles/new...
thedial.world
The Myth of the Police State — The Dial
No one, not even the supposed beneficiaries, is protected.
1158
Reposted by Jon Rauch
Michael Feinberg @michael-feinberg.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
This is, quite frankly, complete bullshit. I’ve received more criticism, harassment, and — at one point — calls for my death in the past six months of criticizing this administration than I did in an entire FBI career of investigations, operations, and arrests. And I never wore a goddamn mask.
142651706
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
How about those fiscally conservative Republicans? "OMB estimates that the lawmakers in 2025 added $2.6 trillion to the deficit through 2030 and $4.4 trillion through 2035." www.crfb.org/press-releas...
crfb.org
OMB Confirms Congressional Punt on PAYGO | Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
This week the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
1117
Reposted by Jon Rauch
The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · 25/01/2026
"Recent events have brought Trump’s governing style into sharper focus," Jonathan Rauch argues. "'Fascist' best describes it, and reluctance to use the term has now become perverse." theatln.tc/wVq7MFaa
69479167