Daniel Kinderman

Tech demands ICE out of our cities

A majority of Americans feel that ICE has been too tough. Businesses have long hesitated to criticize the administration, but that seems to be changing, as we can see in this letter from Silicon Valley tech workers iceout.tech and from businesses in Minnesota and elsewhere. Will this movement grow?

(Sadly, the Supreme Court has enabled some of this).

It's not legal but the administration doesn't care, they don't give a f*ck about the Constitution or the rule of law.

I agree with you 100%, it seems very obvious from the videos, but a core tenet of our legal system is that suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The killing/murder of Renee Good and the DOJ probe into Fed Chair Jerome Powell have taken place just a few days apart. Both of these actions are highly salient and broadly unpopular. Could this be the turning point, the critical juncture when the political tide turns decisively against Trump/MAGA?

'This is indefensible': Lexington business owner speaks out against Minneapolis ICE shooting "This is indefensible," said Rick Paynter, the owner of The Kentucky Shop in Lexington, referring to when an ICE officer shot and killed an American citizen in her car on Wednesday in Minneapolis.

More small business owners are speaking out against the ICE agent's "indefensible" killing of Renee Good: www.lex18.com/news/coverin... They state that standing up for what's right, for human decency and due process, is more important than money. That's absolutely right!

After ICE killed Renee Good, Fatty Lumpkins Sandwich Shack declared that "ICE should not EVER set foot in this establishment without a warrant." They criticized ICE's "murderous ways," the govts "lack of humanity"+"disregard for due process+ our beloved constitution" www.facebook.com/profile.php?...

Dear Tom, YES indeed, thank you so much for connecting with me on LinkedIn and here as well! The political situation is quite grim; the damage is immense (irreversible? 😢); but the fight continues! with warm wishes, Daniel

Appeasement is Risky and Dangerous – It’s Time for Business Leaders to Stand Up! As the Trump administration pressures businesses for loyalty, executives face rising risks. Here’s why business leaders must act now to defend democracy and the rule of law.

🔥 'Appeasement is Risky and Dangerous – It’s Time for Business Leaders to Stand Up,' writes Daniel Kinderman, political science professor at the University of Delaware.

Business Roundtable is an association of 200 CEOs of leading US companies. Time to speak up.

www.dcreport.org/2025/11/18/b...

In late 2025, the political momentum has shifted against Trump 2.0. But Trump has had a huge impact. To get a sense of how President Trump has reshaped American capitalism, check out this article www.npr.org/2025/12/22/n... which contains my thoughts on the matter and those of other leading experts.

How President Trump reshaped capitalism in 2025 His policies are picking winners and losers — and blurring the lines between business and government.

In late 2025, the political momentum has shifted against Trump 2.0. But Trump has had a huge impact. To get a sense of how President Trump has reshaped American capitalism, check out this article www.npr.org/2025/12/22/n... which contains my thoughts on the matter and those of other leading experts.

This USA Today story cites my article published after George Floyd was murdered doi.org/10.1017/bap.... It makes me reflect on the stupid state of our politics. Instead of figuring out better ways for us to live together as free, equal, and diverse citizens, we have questions such as: 'woke' or not?

Some have argued that the United States is an oligarchy, i.e., ruled by a small, rich elite. Are they correct? Should we take these claims seriously? I think so. I recently wrote a short text about this. To access it, follow this link cqpress.sagepub.com/cqresearcher... go to Pro/Con and select Pro

Appeasement is Risky and Dangerous – It’s Time for Business Leaders to Stand Up! As the Trump administration pressures businesses for loyalty, executives face rising risks. Here’s why business leaders must act now to defend democracy and the rule of law.

My latest essay, “Why Business Leaders Must Defend Democracy Now,” has just been published. You can read it here www.dcreport.org/2025/11/18/b... I welcome your comments. Feel free to share it with anyone who may be interested.

Appeasement is Risky and Dangerous – It’s Time for Business Leaders to Stand Up! As the Trump administration pressures businesses for loyalty, executives face rising risks. Here’s why business leaders must act now to defend democracy and the rule of law.

My latest essay, “Why Business Leaders Must Defend Democracy Now,” has just been published. You can read it here www.dcreport.org/2025/11/18/b... I welcome your comments. Feel free to share it with anyone who may be interested.

🚨New publication out in @reggovjournal.bsky.social

@danielk24.bsky.social & I show that the support for green subsidies by unions & business interest groups in the 🇺🇸 & in 🇩🇪 goes hand in hand with the support for eco-social policies.

Open access here: doi.org/10.1111/rego...

A summary below 👇

Donald Trump, anti-establishment populism and the revolving door between business and politics in the United States Revolving door dynamics are pervasive in the United States. There are vast literatures on the revolving door and on Donald Trump, but so far, no attempts to bring these literatures together. This pape...

Trump is seen as pro-business, and during Trump's first presidency, many businessmen revolved into politics www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi... But Trump 2.0 now has a loyalty scorecard for business. Will the government put pressure on businesses that they view as insufficiently loyal to MAGA?

You are most welcome, Benja -- we are delighted to have you in our department!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS on this fantastic achievement, Benja!!!

That's right @jenmercieca.bsky.social -- Carl Schmitt was NOT a theorist of democracy. The authoritarian / autocratic ambitions of Steven Miller and of the Trump 2.0 administration is open and clear for all of us to see.

🔈Next week, I´ll talk about my book on far-right populism and exclusionary neoliberalism with the wonderful @dorobohle.bsky.social, @philiprathgeb.bsky.social and @danielk24.bsky.social - tune in for a sadly topical discussion ‼️

What is an oligarchy and is Biden right to call it a threat to US democracy? Ultra-rich individuals are associating with Donald Trump as he ascends to the presidency for his second time

Here's another article on this topic, in case it may be helpful www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

I mean to write in some respects YES, I think it is. I should have corrected this before posting.

'Oligarchy 2.0': Experts weigh in on whether Biden's warning about wealthy justified Biden's farewell speech warning that oligarchs pose a threat to democracy has echoed a growing problem in the world, economic and historical experts say.

In some respects, yet, I think it is. Is this article at all useful @leedrutman.bsky.social abcnews.go.com/Politics/oli... ?

In Deutschland ist die AfD im neuen Bundestag mit der größten Zahl von Unternehmern vertreten.@dneuerer.bsky.social hat mich zu diesem Thema in diesem sehr lesenswerten Handelsblatt-Artikel interviewt. Diese Entwicklung ist eine Zäsur, und die AfD wird das politisch ausnutzen, da bin ich mir sicher.

Yes, I agree @karlobasta.bsky.social -- but to be fair, a lot of concern is now being voiced about Trump's tariffs and about his erratic policymaking. If (business)people weren't afraid of the bully in the White House and his enablers, they would be even more vocal.

That's right @pmpearson.bsky.social- it was a mistake to cancel the US Chamber's Equality of Opportunity Initiative. If we can't even agree to support something as basic as equality of opportunity for all, we are not in a good place as a society. But the real fault lies with Trump and his enablers.

Check out @jguynn.bsky.social's piece about the Trump administration's war on #DEI. www.usatoday.com/story/money/... She refers to my research on business actions following George Floyd's murder, e.g. the US Chamber of Commerce's Equality of Opportunity Initiative, which has now been eliminated.

Have we entered an era of scaredy-cat capitalism? Check out this article www.aol.com/weve-entered... I believe that "companies may regret cozying up with Trump & being quick to bend to his will .... a lot of companies will be sorry that they got on the bandwagon & did not keep a greater distance."

You're right -- it's a very grim and destructive agenda.