Paul Gowder

Why would zip code have anything to do with race 🤔🤔🤔

Oh they absolutely didn't mean it, but that doesn't matter---the holding is the holding!

The Supreme Court LITERALLY SAID PERSONAL STATEMENTS WERE OK IF INDIVIDUALIZED

In case you're interested in listening to a podcast this morning, may I recommend this one?

Trump’s Deal-Making With Other Elite Schools Scrambles Harvard Negotiations

It is not “deal-making.” It is extortion built on Christopher Rufo’s idea of “taking down” one or more elite university.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/04/u...

The idea that President can negotiate/dictate bilateral “deals” by using the full force of the federal government to punish and humiliate his perceived enemies goes against the whole idea of the rule of law. That should be the story, rather than normalizing this authoritarian behavior.

But no matter the structure, White House officials have made clear that an extraordinary sum will be required to reach a settlement.

A logical follow-up to the statement that “White House officials have made clear that an extraordinary sum will be required to reach a settlement,” is wtf. Why parrot extortionist language that reflects Trump’s personalist quest for dominance rather than acting on the basis of legal precepts?

Harvard also has much more federal money at stake. The Trump administration has warned that it could ultimately strip $9 billion in funding for Harvard; it threatened $510 million in funding for Brown.

ON WHAT LEGAL BASIS IS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MAKING THESE ‘THREATS’ AND ‘WARNINGS’?
Trump could just as easily demand the John Harvard statue in Harvard Yard for the new White House ballroom.

Montgomery Riverfront brawl - Wikipedia

Happy Montgomery Riverfront Brawl Day, y'all

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgom...

The Case for Democratic Recklessness Democrats may place a greater value on a functioning government than Republicans do—and that’s commendable—but it’s putting the…

I wrote this back in 2017 but the logic still holds. In terms of game theory, Democrats valuing institutions and norms while Republicans do not is a poor strategy. Only when both sides appear equally reckless can a more stable compromise be reached.
psmag.com/news/the-cas...

We’re pleased to offer our editors’ choice in open access form. Details 👇

Somewhat ironically, the petition cites confusion over the holding in Tandon as a reason to grant the petition. “Please clean up this unreasoned mess you made!”

Isn't that what the shadow docket is for?

A group of former lawyers from the U.S. Justice Department and major law firms launched a new nonprofit on Monday to take on cases for free opposing actions by the Trump administration @davidjthomas.bsky.social reut.rs/4lgJTLc

NYT pantsed by the Crimson

A+

If there are any Texas dems in Chicago reading this, lmk if you want me to throw a total rager for y’all

Illinois governor says Texas Democrats who left will be protected amid arrest threats JB Pritzker said lawmakers are ‘doing the right thing’ after a group left Texas to prevent House vote on redistricting

Yes, the Trump administration is fascistic and represents a degradation of American democracy into competitive authoritarianism.

But many state-level Republican Parties represent an equally dangerous threat to freedom and justice in America. Abbott is crooked.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Organizing Against Authoritarianism Toolkit Table of Contents Introduction: Fighting Authoritarianism ………………………………….……………………….……………………………… 3 Part I: Understanding the Threats Facing Our Communities ……………………………………………………….. 5 Know your rights a...

Our new toolkit "Organizing Against Authoritarianism"! I am so proud of this living, breathing guide, led by @freepress.bsky.social's @rlivier.bsky.social for communities to understand their constitutional rights, to organize on & offline, w/ trusted resources: docs.google.com/document/d/1...

I Love You More Than Anything, but I Would Rather Die Than Talk to You on the Phone There is no me without you. Would I remember your phone number if my contacts were suddenly deleted, with no backups? If I’m being completely hones...

"There is no me without you. Would I remember your phone number if my contacts were suddenly deleted, with no backups? If I’m being completely honest, not even the area code."

How our history became "divisive" Inside the modern quest to enforce American unity

I wrote about the recent use of "divisive" as a tool for sanitizing history and laundering patriotism

www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

say it again:

4 million people work in higher ed, the largest employer in 10 states, second largest employer in 10 more, and in 60 of the 100 biggest cities

demolishing higher education is economic sabotage

What the Columbia Settlement Really Means

The Columbia settlement is an “astonishing transfer of autonomy and authority to . . . an administration whose disdain for the values of the academy is demonstrated anew every day.” New @knightcolumbia.org analysis of the Columbia settlement, just published. knightcolumbia.org/blog/what-th...

Has anyone researched/analyzed the First Amendment implications of the Columbia/Brown settlements? One could easily argue that these private universities are acting as an arm of the State.

Masked ICE Agents Detain Interpreter Who Helped U.S. Military The Afghan man was living the U.S. legally and was detained during a routine green card appointment.

“They should’ve come here legally,” MAGA says. Well, they did. One Afghan interpreter was arrested after a green card appointment. Another? Detained after his asylum hearing. Both helped U.S. troops. Now ICE wants to deport them.

Also everyone who ever gets impeached was legitimately elected, that's the entire point of the thing

Oh god

Donor List Suggests Scale of Trump’s Pay-for-Access Operation

The most corrupt White House in history. Here is an account of what people are paying, directly to a PAC called MAGA Inc, in order to meet the president, get pardons, change policy

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/02/u...

The Economics of Smoot-Hawley 2.0, Part I Tariffs will be very high as far as the eye can see. What does that mean?

"Crucially, what Trump is really waging is mostly a class war against middle- and lower-income Americans rather than a trade war against other countries. The hit from his tariffs to the typical family is much bigger than the hit to GDP." paulkrugman.substack.com/p/the-econom...

Internal divisions and incompetence mostly

Why Universities Must Not Capitulate to the Trump Regime Colleges that settle with the Trump administration have no guarantee of safety from further retaliation.

This is a fantastic oped about why universities must not continue toadying to Trump www.insidehighered.com/opinion/colu...