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Dakoda Trithara

@trithara.bsky.social
154 followers 209 following 70 posts

Assistant Professor of Political Science at University of South Carolina Aiken. Views my own.

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Reposted by Dakoda Trithara
ACLU @aclu.org · 18/09/2026
NEW: Professors shared details of the impact of Texas A&M's new censorship policy and urged a court to block it from being enforced. The policy means educators can't teach LGBTQ literature, the film Moonlight, Women's and Gender Studies courses, and more.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
If you are interested in learning about how the post-9/11 War on Terror produced legal and technical infrastructure designed to monitor communications and suppress terrorist content, ultimately shaping Meta’s moderation system and leading to instances of collateral censorship, then check this out!
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
“Last year, the internet regulator ordered platforms to suppress claims that hard work or education was useless, as well as memes and jokes that excessively spread pessimism.” The Ministry shared info accusing a foreign org of attempting to “erode the minds of Chinese youth.”
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
“The government has tried to tamp down on negative energy. In 2023, the Ministry of State Security portrayed efforts to “bad-mouth China’s economy” as a security and political issue.“
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Great article that demonstrates how small states respond to and are impacted by US regional hegemony.
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Reposted by Dakoda Trithara
AAUP @aaup.org · 08/08/2026
Trump’s Compact 2.0 announced by Linda McMahon this week should be placed in the context of their failed 2025 “loyalty oath” compact that was defeated by students & faculty at every institution they offered it to. Organizing & collective pressure works. 1 🧵 www.aaup.org/issue/winter...
Trump's Compact 2.0
Universities should not be made answerable to the political program of a particular administration.
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Reposted by Dakoda Trithara
Mark Gongloff @markgongloff.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
"America’s capitalism adds up the profits created by privatizing public goods without subtracting the value destroyed. We've created the largest enshittifying machine in history with financial logic that leaves out half the equation." - @hamiltonnolan.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/howthing...
open.substack.com
Enshittification Relies on Broken Economic Math
Pay no attention to the externalities behind the curtain.
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Reposted by Dakoda Trithara
AAUP @aaup.org · 08/06/2026
Today, the AAUP released the Annual Report on the Economic Status of the Profession, 2025–26. It is sobering. Full-time faculty salaries are down about 0.4% in real, inflation-adjusted terms. Average full-time faculty salaries remain 9.5% below fall 2019 & about 5.8% below fall 2008. 1/
aaup.org
Annual Report on the Economic Status of the Profession Now Available
This year's Annual Report on the Economic Status of the Profession finds that faculty salaries are still losing ground to inflation and expands data collection on part-time faculty pay.
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Reposted by Dakoda Trithara
Lindsay Beyerstein @beyerstein.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
The State Department supposedly sent $1.5 billion tax dollars to the Board of Peace slush fund, which is now empty.
web.archive.org
Exclusive: State Department sends $1.25B from other programs to Board of Peace
The administration is drawing on funds used for international disasters and peacekeeping to fund Trump’s Gaza effort.
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Reposted by Dakoda Trithara
Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
“.. four months after its establishment, the board’s financial fund set up by the World Bank has received no money from donors, according to four people familiar with the matter. ‘Zero dollars have been deposited,’ one said.” @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/content/5ba3...
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
While Graham’s aggressive stance may satisfy top donors backing his reelection, it exposes a deep partisan fault line. Despite 70% Republican alignment, Trump’s war with Iran remains broadly unpopular, leaving Graham to champion a conflict that 64% of Americans oppose, which maybe he can do from SC.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Assuming public opinion is not on Graham's side, what are other reasons for his strong support of the war? Perhaps his campaign donors. Open Secrets shows several groups that stand to benefit from the war donated to Graham's 2026 re-election campaign. www.opensecrets.org/profiles/lin...
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
The no-nuke-at-all-costs argument also helps make sense of how folks can brush aside the war's $25 billion price tag and that, in June 2025, Sec. Hegseth said Iran's "nuclear facilities have been obliterated," including stockpiles of highly enriched uranium. www.nprillinois.org/2026-04-29/t...
nprillinois.org
The Iran war now has a price tag ($25 billion), but still no end date
The Pentagon estimates the war has cost $25 billion over the past two months. In congressional testimony, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not say when the war might end.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
While general regional public opinion is not on the side of the war, it is possible that the Republican base in SC aligns closely with the NYT results. Anecdotally, I have not met anyone that outwardly supports the war, though I can imagine some folks agreeing with the hawkish nuke stance.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
In Georgia, not one person part of a focus group comprised of 2024 Trump supporters said they thought the war in Iran was going well. One participant noted: "It's clear that he completely underestimated the opponent here." www.southcarolinapublicradio.org/news/2026-04...
southcarolinapublicradio.org
We watched 2 focus groups of Georgia swing voters. They're not happy with the Iran war
None of the 13 focus group participants — who all voted for President Trump in 2024 — said they would describe the military action in Iran as going well so far.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
While a quick search did not unearth polling data for SC, data suggest regional support for the war is not strong. In NC, 62% opposed sending a large number of U.S. ground troops into Iran, with only 16% expressing support. www.elon.edu/u/news/2026/...
elon.edu
Elon Poll: North Carolinians strongly oppose deploying ground troops to Iran
An Elon University Poll finds 62% of residents oppose sending a large number of ground troops to Iran, while majorities say recent U.S. actions make Americans less safe.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Here is Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) making this argument, going as far to say that he would willingly lose his job to make sure Iran never has a nuclear weapon. Why does Senator Graham vehemently hold this view? www.youtube.com/shorts/g_cIk...
youtube.com
Sen. Graham: I would give up my job to disarm Iran
YouTube video by NBC News
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Despite gas prices going up more than 50% since the start of the war, Republicans that rationalize this as the right decision argue it is worth Americans paying the price in the short term because a nuclear-armed Iran is a major threat to global stability. www.nbcnews.com/data-graphic...
nbcnews.com
Data: Track county, state and national gas prices
Gas prices across the country, after declining some of April, are up again.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
New poll by the NYT shows 70% of Republicans say Trump's decision to go to war with Iran was the right decision, while 93% of Democratic say it was the wrong decision. A majority, 64%, of respondents said it was the wrong decision.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Great quote by Dave Karpf: "Once you start treating academia as a business and trying to identify cost savings, you’ll eventually decide to try to educate those student-consumers cheaper-and-worse via a more precarious workforce. … And the job itself is, well, fraying."
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
As Paul notes, there is a long-running effort by ideological interest groups to reshape higher ed. Their goals include a more corporate university, one that is less rooted in academic freedom and independence. In a pluralistic society, these voices will win if there is no countervailing force.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Excellent piece by Paul Musgrave reflecting on the current state of political science. In addition to building rapport with students, defending academic freedom, and broadening what counts as contributions, we need to engage decision makers. musgrave.substack.com/p/political-...
musgrave.substack.com
Political Science In the Polycrisis
My keynote talk to an online APSA conference
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Crucially, this would not require a constitutional amendment. Article I grants Congress broad latitude to determine how congressional elections are conducted. Congress would have to repeal a 1967 law mandating single-member districts. If Congress mandated SMDs, then it can mandate MMDs.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Recent polling shows that 66% of Americans cannot comfortably afford paying $1,000 for an emergency expense. In particular, young women of color would struggle. The affordability crisis needs to be addressed.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
“If a president can simply fire the members of an independent science board whenever they are inconvenient, then the board is not meaningfully independent. It becomes something closer to a political instrument” that can be cleared and repopulated to bless the administration’s preferred agenda.
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Reposted by Dakoda Trithara
PBS News @pbsnews.org · 07/04/2026
President Trump said the U.S. has a plan to decimate bridges in Iran and destroy every power plant. to.pbs.org/4sOWQQS
to.pbs.org
What international law says about Trump's threats to bomb Iran's bridges and power plants
For perspective on President Trump’s talk about bombing Iran’s bridges and power plants and whether that's legal under international law, Geoff Bennett spoke with retired Lieutenant Colonel Rachel Van...
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
And Congress’s pattern of usage is plain: When Congress grants the power to impose tariffs, it does so clearly and with careful constraints. It did neither in IEEPA.”
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
“The question is not whether tariffs can ever be a means of regulating commerce. It is instead whether Congress, when conferring the power to “regulate . . . importation,” gave the President the power to impose tariffs at his sole discretion.
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Reposted by Dakoda Trithara
AAUP @aaup.org · 20/02/2026
The University of Texas system has voted to limit 'controversial topics' in class. Where's the academic freedom? "A faculty member is not going to be able do talk about current events without risking being fired. What kind of education is this?" —Brian Evans, President of @texasaaup.bsky.social
tpr.org
UT System votes to limit 'controversial topics' in class, raising concerns about academic freedom
This is the latest move by the state to have more control over what is taught at public universities.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
The Venezuela situation is changing rapidly. Since writing the article, the number of individuals the US has killed in its boat bombing campaign has increased, oil tankers are being seized, and we've learned both countries are engaged in GPS signal jamming. The march towards war is picking up speed.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
Check out my latest op-ed for the Center for International Relations! I discuss three foreign policy issues — tariffs, US boat bombing in the Caribbean, and the UNSC-approved Board of Peace — to watch in 2026. www.ia-forum.org/Content/View...
ia-forum.org
Eroding the Liberal Order: How 2025’s Turmoil Sets the Stage for a Crucial 2026 - International Affairs Forum
<em>By Dr. Dakoda Trithara</em> As we say goodbye to 2025, the global stage is set for 2026 to be another year where the United States moves away from t
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
So it just happens that World Liberty’s USD1 stablecoin being used for a $2 billion transaction between Binance and a UAE state-owned fund coincides with Binance founder Changpeng Zhao’s pardon request, which was granted. Sure raises some questions about potential quid pro quo dealings.
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Reposted by Dakoda Trithara
Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
Textbook war crime/extrajudicial killing "Two survivors were clinging to the smoldering wreck. The Special Operations commander overseeing the Sept. 2 attack ... ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions." Report by @alexhorton.bsky.social @ellenwapo.bsky.social o.bsky.social
washingtonpost.com
Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order to kill all crew members in the Sept. 2 strike on a suspected drug boat. Navy SEALs fired a second missile.
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Reposted by Dakoda Trithara
Sanho Tree @sanho.bsky.social · 26/09/2025
The long range Ukrainian drone strikes against Russian oil installations is paying off bigly.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
“Without a guiding ethos of teaching and learning, we may be shaping an amoral omniscient teacher able to influence millions with no pedagogical or ethical framework… we must question who is responsible for their education, at what levels, including ethical, social, technical, and institutional.”
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 30/08/2025
“Additionally, I cannot verify that agency data is being used in accordance with legal agreements or in compliance with federal requirements.“
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
Stock buybacks were considered market manipulation until 1982. Rather than invest in R&D, expansion, or higher wages, buying back shares reduces the number of shares available for public trading. This inflates the stock price and boosts dividends, increasing the value for existing shareholders.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
Visa and MC should not use their dominance in the global payments processing sector to engage in financial censorship and dictate what digital storefronts can sell and what consumers can buy. This impacts the liberties of people around the globe. No one wants MC telling them what they can’t buy.
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Reposted by Dakoda Trithara
Adam Bonica @adambonica.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
The Supreme Court’s “shadow docket” has cast very different shadows depending on which party holds the White House. When lower courts blocked Trump admin policies, SCOTUS intervened on an emergency basis to lift those orders in 77% of cases. For the Biden administration, that number was 0%.
Infographic titled “One Court, Two Standards” compares how the Supreme Court used emergency powers to rule on lower-court injunctions against the Biden and Trump administrations. Two panels show:
	•	Biden Administration: Lower courts blocked policies in 21 cases. All 21 cases are represented by red squares, indicating that 0% of injunctions/TROs were lifted by SCOTUS.
	•	Trump Administration: Lower courts blocked policies in 86 cases. 66 green squares and 20 red squares show that 77% of injunctions/TROs were lifted by SCOTUS.

Key takeaway box below reads:
“Using its ‘shadow docket,’ the Supreme Court granted emergency relief to lift 77% of lower-court injunctions against the Trump administration. It lifted 0% of those against the Biden administration.”

Sources and notes below include: CourtListener data through July 7, 2025; analysis by Adam Bonica.
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Reposted by Dakoda Trithara
Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 09/07/2025
Three-quarters of US universities surveyed in recent weeks anticipate a fall in international student numbers this year, with the majority expecting a drop of at least 10%. on.ft.com/4lHIaiz
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Reposted by Dakoda Trithara
Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
1/ A remarkable essay by two eminent Israeli scholars "We wrote this essay to give [former IDF chief of staff's] words legal backing... We felt compelled to fulfill our human, conscientious, and civic duty, as Israelis – and as Zionists – who have expertise in areas related to the IDF’s ... order."
justsecurity.org
Moving the Population in Gaza is a Manifest War Crime
We wrote this essay to fulfill our human, conscientious, and civic duty, as Israelis – and as Zionists – who have expertise in areas related to the IDF’s order.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
It's not just the elimination of the EV tax credit that irks Elon. Commercial space flight companies, so SpaceX, will have to pay fees for their launches and reentries, a measure intended to help the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation keep up with the industry’s rapid growth.
cnn.com
7 little-known items in Trump’s big agenda bill | CNN Politics
Lawmakers tucked a long list of measures that won’t grab headlines into the massive tax and spending package.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 04/07/2025
Immigration is seeing a mass increase in spending. The BBB allocates more than $100 billion to ICE and border enforcement through 2029. For context, ICE's existing annual budget is about $8 billion. The budget prioritizes building walls and camps over feeding and providing medical care to people.
axios.com
How the GOP spending bill will fund immigration enforcement
The bill allocates more than $100 billion to ICE and border enforcement through September 2029.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 04/07/2025
In energy, the law phases out clean electricity investment (from 2005) and production tax credits (around since 1992) for wind and solar, crucial for renewable energy growth. Biden's IRA extended both until at least 2032. Meanwhile, coal pays reduced royalties for mining on more federal land.
cnbc.com
Trump megabill gives the oil industry everything it wants and ends key support for solar and wind
President Donald Trump wants the U.S. to rely on oil, gas, coal and nuclear to meet its energy needs.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 04/07/2025
For higher ed, workforce pell and changes to student loans. Glad the Senate axed plans to 1) eliminate subsidized fed undergrad loans, and 2) require Pell Grant students to take 30 credit hours per academic year to receive the max award, and 15 credit hours to be eligible for Pell Grants at all.
chronicle.com
What Republicans’ Sprawling Policy Bill Means for Higher Ed
Trump’s signature legislation now heads to his desk after passing the House. It hikes some endowment taxes, remakes student aid, and introduces a new accountability standard for colleges.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 04/07/2025
People working in "an occupation which customarily and regularly received tips" and earning less than $150,000 will be able to deduct $25,000 in tips annually from their taxable income. This limited, temporary tax exemption expires in 2028. Serves a small portion of the workforce, but hope it helps.
npr.org
Congress passed no tax on tips in Trump's 'big, beautiful bill.' Here's how it works
Congress passed the tax cut and spending megabill with President Trump's legislative priorities which includes new tax exemptions for tipped hourly workers. But how will it work?
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 04/07/2025
Medicaid cuts ($1T over 10 years) and impacts to the healthcare industry are massive. To ease the pain rural hospitals will face, Republican senators added a $50 billion fund to help keep hospitals in business. They would rather just give hospitals money than provide poor people with healthcare.
npr.org
5 ways Trump's megabill will limit health care access
With spending cuts poised to hit medical providers, Medicaid recipients and Affordable Care Act enrollees, here's how the bill will affect health care access for millions in the U.S.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 04/07/2025
On this Independence Day, the United States government, led by a Republican president with a majority in both chambers of Congress, passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The bill touches on numerous parts of society, carrying heavy consequences for real people.
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Reposted by Dakoda Trithara
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 28/06/2025
If the GOP reconciliation bill passes, ICE gets through FY2029: - $45 billion for detention, on top of the current annual budget of $3.4 billion - $14.4 billion for transportation and removal, on top of the current annual budget of $750 million - $8 billion for hiring/retention - Billions more.
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Dakoda Trithara @trithara.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
Spain is apparently not going to aim for the 5% goal, but will work towards hitting the 2% target. bsky.app/profile/reut...
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