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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz

@kurttg.bsky.social
168 followers 91 following 579 posts

Independent scholar & analyst-Washington DC. Previously Old Dominion, Oxford, & Stanford Universities. Democracy & foreign policy, int'l law, research methods, & political philosophy. Some work now on econ forecasting, philosophy & the equality of women.

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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
25 years ago in Cyberselfish (just reissued) Paulina Borsook noted the hypocrisy of Silicon Valley libertarians & the massive govt funding of the tech industry. Same story now: AI industry believes it "is so important to the nation that if it needs more funding, taxpayers should be on the hook."
nytimes.com
Opinion | What Happens if the A.I. Bubble Bursts
It’s as though 2008 never even happened.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
25 years ago my dear friend Paulina Borsook published an insightful & prophetic book about the perversities of Silicon Valley libertarianism. Despite strong reviews it largely disappeared from public attention. It has now been reissued and is an essential guide to how we got to where we are now.
My original copy of cyberselfish.
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Repeater Books @repeaterbooks.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
UK version out next week with our sister imprint, Zer0 Books www.collectiveinkbooks.com/zer0-books/o...
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
I’m sure the Russians would have thought twice about sharing satellite images with Iran if they had known the US was building an arch with snipers on it.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Invoking national security as a get-out-of-judicial-review card, adds to the impeachment list. Not taking our national security seriously violates his oath to "faithfully execute the office of President." Trump Says His Contested Arch Would House Drones and Snipers www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/u...
nytimes.com
Trump Says His D.C. Arch Would Be a ‘Military Complex’ Housing Drones and Snipers
The president’s announcement on Sunday echoed his justification for the White House ballroom: that the project was necessary for national security.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
I would think this a sufficient campaign issue for an overwhelming Democratic victory: "It is unclear if Mr. Trump has ever visited a national park, either while in office or as a private citizen"
nytimes.com
How Trump Has Disrupted National Parks
Maintenance projects have been put off around the country and resources diverted to the president’s favored projects in Washington.
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Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Again, every single article about the “Greenland deal” that does not lead with this is journalistic malpractice & borderline misinformation. It was not a spat or a dispute or a fight. It was an illegal treaty violation.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Did the protest but maybe we let him add his name with a context sign: John F. Kennedy: Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country Donald J. Trump: Add my name or I'll tear it down Republican Congress (tears in their eyes): How big do you want the letters, sir?
Kennedy Center Protest - 9-18-2026
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
You've got to remember that Trump promised to lower drug prices by 800%. So, 100% isn't necessarily that big of a probability.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
OK. Lots of fine political science here about the effects of polarization, which I certainly believe. But doesn't Platner also stand out in her short list as the only Democrat? So, let's fix this: Why Scandals Don’t Bring Down REPUBLICAN Politicians Anymore www.nytimes.com/2026/09/14/w...
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Classic Prisoners Dilemma-Everyone wants coordinated slowdown regime, but everyone (US/international competitors) has incentives to defect & continue work on breakout models. One of those breakout models is likely to break out & kill us all. Top A.I. Leaders Call for Slowing Down A.I. Development
nytimes.com
Anthropic C.E.O. Dario Amodei Calls for A.I. Slowdown
In an essay, the head of Anthropic laid out the rapidly advancing capabilities of artificial intelligence and said there needed to be greater safety controls across the industry.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
$5,000! That's like getting $1 apiece from each of these attendees at Trump's "completely packed" midterm convention!
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Kevin Collins @kwcollins.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
The credibility of anything that the president promises to do, no matter how plausible or implausible, if his party retains a majority of both chambers of Congress, should be viewed through the fact that his party currently has a majority of both chambers and hasn't done that thing
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Jason "Red5" Lyall @jaylyall.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Yes. I never, ever, ever, want to hear that the "Republicans are the party of national security" ever again. Like, ever.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Russian commanders regularly lie about progress in Ukraine undermining the ability to plan & execute at both the tactical & strategic level. Our Commander in Chief regularly dissembles about military successes & strategic objectives. This has to be similarly destructive for military effectiveness.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
I propose all news sources just put a small box in the corner labeled "crazy things Trump did yesterday" and we put his Truth postings and hair changes and the like in that box so they don't distract from the everyday stories about how he is undermining America, democracy, and the world.
nytimes.com
Trump Posts Map Suggesting New Mexico Be Renamed as ‘New America’
The suggestion, posted on social media, appeared to be the latest in the president’s efforts to alter geographic names.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Thinking about the contrast to our current military leadership while seeing this painting of George Marshall in the National Portrait Gallery today.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
If my math is right and each remaining Trump supporter bought about 700,000 of these and put them permanently in their sock drawer, we could retire the national debt, as Trump promised to do in both the 2016 and 2024 elections.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
"Judge Amy Berman Jackson temporarily blocked the demolition plan citing an “absence of reasoned decision-making” in justifying the removal." What? How do ANY Trump policies survive the "absence of reasoned decision-making" requirement?
nytimes.com
Do D.E.I. Bike Paths Exist? The Trump Administration Says Yes.
The administration has revoked funding for bike paths, and encouraged removing some. A cycling advocate said it is playing on the idea of “that dork on a bike.”
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Mike Walker @newnarrative.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Forbes energy expert says Trump will not likely be able to use Venezuela oil to refill the depleted US strategic petroleum reserve
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
This 👇
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
I'm hoping the 2028 Republican Party primary debates will ask candidates to raise their hands if they supported Trump's Iran war and his tariff war with Canada.
Picture of Republican Primary Debate
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
"For Now" has become a disturbingly frequent and disturbingly ambiguous term in legal rulings on Trump's attacks on our constitutional order. Trump Administration Live Updates: Judge Allows U.S.P.S. Move to Restrict Mail Voting as States Mount New Challenge www.nytimes.com/live/2026/08...
nytimes.com
Trump Live Updates: States Bring Legal Challenges to Mail-In Voting Restrictions
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Darline Graham--“I’m not that informed on national security” Trumpian in every way (but maybe a little more self-aware) www.nytimes.com/2026/08/26/u...
nytimes.com
Even as Trump’s Standing Slips, He Slingshots Darline Graham to Victory
After facing low approval ratings and endorsement setbacks, the president made a show of force in lifting Darline Graham to the Republican nomination for Senate in South Carolina.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Canada could save us. Trump wants to annex Canada. I propose a 3-year trial period ending with a Canadian referendum to choose their future. During those years, the only changes would be dropping all tariffs & giving every Canadian province 2 senators & the population appropriate representatives.
Meeting between Trump and Carney
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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 23/08/2026
i wrote this last year but there is literally no publicly available evidence that donald trump knows what a tariff actually is
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Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
The most remarkable thing about Trump's statements was this: they reflect deep knowledge of North Korean propaganda and acceptance of all North Korean claims, but no knowledge even of the rudiments of the US security relationship with the Republic of Korea. Who, exactly, is briefing Trump?
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I’m guessing both Putin and Xi recommended this to him.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
The constitutional problem of secreting the whereabouts of the President echoes today's NYT op-ed by Jonathan Reiner ("Cheney's Cardiologist") re the necessity of knowing the President's health status. In both cases, the lack of transparency is a consequential harm to the constitutional order.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
I try not to be overly cynical, but the times we are living in make it hard. I have to wonder if the Iranians have thought through how an attack on Air Force 1 would unite Americans and create a sense of purpose for this otherwise very unpopular war. I wonder if Trump has thought the same...
nytimes.com
Trump Said to Have Secretly Used Military Jet to Leave Turkey Amid Threats
President Trump hid in an airport catering container and was taken to a military jet for a secret flight out of country after the NATO summit last month.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Other than Iran and Israel, everyone’s on board for Trump’s peace plan! Netanyahu Rejects Trump’s Plan to Disarm Hamas www.nytimes.com/2026/08/09/w...
nytimes.com
Israel Rejects Trump’s 15-Point Plan to Disarm Hamas
President Trump’s Board of Peace announced an agreement last month that aimed at Hamas giving up its weapons alongside an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Henceforth this will be called “I-know-a-pool-guy diplomacy” After Trump’s Board of Peace Made a Plan for Gaza, the Bombings Grew Worse www.nytimes.com/2026/08/05/w...
nytimes.com
After Trump’s Board of Peace Made a Plan for Gaza, the Bombings Grew Worse
President Trump announced a proposal aimed at achieving the disarmament of Hamas and an Israeli withdrawal. Israel ramped up attacks on the Palestinian enclave.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
The War Referendum movement wanted a popular vote to declare war, with pro-war voters at the head of the line for the draft. This was impractical for many reasons, including its need for a non-secret ballot. Still, I'm thinking Trump voters should be taxed for payouts in Trump-related law suits.
nytimes.com
Prosecutor Sues Justice Dept. Over Dismissal After Right-Wing Influencer’s Claim
Will Rosenzweig joins a growing list of former prosecutors and federal agents who have gone to court to contest the purge of law enforcement deemed disloyal.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
And yet, Cornyn and Tillis, who were pushed off the cliff, still genuflect to the fearsome MAGA idol.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
This is pretty far short of the two-MRC (Major Regional Conflict) standard, or the newer peer-competitors posture. I wonder how often Hegseth's interference in the promotion process has impacted officers who excelled at logistics and planning rather than pull-ups and testosterone.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
The Constitutional Conundrum of Impeachment: We can only hope that the midterms will bring serious impeachment hearings. One challenge will be what do you do about a Vice President who (despite a Yale legal education) denies that the obviously illegal actions of the President are impeachable?
nytimes.com
Vance Downplays Watergate and Compares Himself to Nixon
The vice president said that the scandal that ended Richard Nixon’s presidency would be “like a 12-hour news story” if it happened today and that the “deep state” had taken down Nixon.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
It's almost as if the Pentagon is being run by some disgruntled mid-level officer who was always sure he and his drinking buddies knew more than the generals.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Trump Administration Live Updates: Republican Holdouts Say They Now Support Blanche Nomination www.nytimes.com/live/2026/08...
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Doug Burgum & the Interior Dept LIED to Jeanine Pirro & the Justice Dept about the Reflecting Pool fiasco! There will have to be some serious consequences in the Administration for this... Most likely, I suppose, Jeanine Pirro will get fired & the Olympic Canoeing Committee will be disbanded.
nytimes.com
Charges Dropped Against Ex-Olympian David Hearn Accused of Damaging Reflecting Pool
A former Olympian will not face trial after federal prosecutors acknowledged that the Trump administration’s claims of vandalism were false.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
But isn't Hearn still on the hook for undermining the Iran operation and contaminating the lettuce?
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
The depressing thing about this is the sense that no one in the chain of command seems to have any sense that sanity might someday return & impose costs for their eager endorsement of Hegsethism. After Trump’s order, West Point curbed faculty speech. One professor said no. - The Washington Post
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
But the new justification for Trump Tariffs is weak standards on forced labor…
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
What? People who need glasses can still be war-fighters? No wonder we're stuck in this Iran mess! An Admiral’s Rise Reveals the Politics Driving Hegseth’s Pentagon www.nytimes.com/2026/07/26/u...
nytimes.com
An Admiral’s Rise Reveals the Politics Driving Hegseth’s Pentagon
Before he was picked to lead the Navy, Adm. Daryl Caudle found ways to signal his support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s anti-diversity goals.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
How is it we got into the Iran War without a policy process to think through the likely consequences? Oh yeah...
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
This admitted to avoid discovery, which "could have required federal agencies to hand over more damaging records." Even MORE damaging!?! Let's have a look at those records, please. This article also makes it clear we need to look at the politicization of charges about lying to Congress.
nytimes.com
Trump Administration Admits Canceling Grants to States That Did Not Vote for Him
Federal officials said in court documents that they halted billions of dollars in funding for energy projects to states “based solely” on whether they backed President Trump in the 2024 election.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Price of oil just hit $100 barrel. Economists tell us that rising prices lower demand. But don't worry, we've got a whole-of-government approach working on that: www.npr.org/2026/07/23/n...
npr.org
DOT cranks up its campaign to strip bike lane references from federal websites
Transportation officials have removed a growing list of safety materials that mention bike lanes from federal websites. Safety advocates warn that's undermining proven measures for reducing crashes.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Just making it up as he goes along. Trump says a U.S.-Saudi nuclear deal hinges on Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/23/u...
nytimes.com
As Part of Nuclear Deal, Trump Demands Saudi Arabia Join the Abraham Accords
The president’s new condition could create a roadblock to the Saudi nuclear deal his administration announced this week.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Taxes on American consumers will be increased until affordability improves (or until the courts require them to be refunded). Trump to Impose 50% Tariff on Many Canadian Goods www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/b...
nytimes.com
Trump to Impose 50% Tariff on Many Canadian Goods
The administration will use an untested legal provision to put significant duties on Canadian exports, reigniting a clash with one of America’s biggest trading partners.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Soviet Politburo attacks scientists over Mendelian Genetics Chapter in Manual. Trump Attacks Nation’s Top Scientific Body Over Climate Chapter in Manual www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/c...
nytimes.com
Trump Attacks National Academies Over Climate Chapter in Judges’ Manual
The president joined Republican officials who slammed the National Academies of Sciences for a chapter about climate science in an educational guide for judges.
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Kurt Taylor Gaubatz @kurttg.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Vance: "If your alternative is just to drop bombs without any clear goal or any clear American interest implicated, then you’re not making wise decisions.” Trump: "the United States would resume bombing Iran if he did not like how the preliminary agreement was executed"
nytimes.com
Live Updates: After G7 Leaders Praise U.S.-Iran Deal, Trump Threatens Iran Again
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