Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Will Jennings 🗳️

@drjennings.bsky.social

61K followers 4.9K following 5.8K posts

I research and write about politics, public policy, public opinion, polls, elections, geography, place, trust. I run on espresso.

Videos

Political science 71%

Sociology 14%

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Will Jennings 🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 13h

Not a serious country anymore.

Mike Madden @mikemadden.bsky.social · 13h

CDC lays off, then rapidly un-lays off, the people in charge of responding to measles www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

More than 1,000 CDC staff receive layoff notices during government shutdown

Another round of mass layoffs has struck CDC. The agency had already been cut during a reorganization this year, and more employees are now being shed amid the government shutdown.

www.washingtonpost.com

1 6 51

Reposted by Will Jennings, Daniel Kuehn

Mike Madden @mikemadden.bsky.social · 13h

CDC lays off, then rapidly un-lays off, the people in charge of responding to measles www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

More than 1,000 CDC staff receive layoff notices during government shutdown

Another round of mass layoffs has struck CDC. The agency had already been cut during a reorganization this year, and more employees are now being shed amid the government shutdown.

www.washingtonpost.com

5 17 41

Will Jennings 🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 13h

If the AI bubble does burst, the techbros may come to regret their recent political positioning...

Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 15h

"Sceptics are privately - and some now publicly - asking whether the rapid rise in the value of AI tech companies may be, at least in part, the result of what they call 'financial engineering'. In other words - there are fears these companies are overvalued."

A tangled web of deals stokes AI bubble fears in Silicon Valley

Some are worried that the rapid rise in the value of AI tech companies may be a bubble waiting to burst.

www.bbc.com

3 10 50

Reposted by Will Jennings, Steve Peers, Robert C. Richards

Clay Jackson @clayjak.substack.com · 13h

that lawyer was me.

open.substack.com/pub/radleyba...

14 130 350

Reposted by Will Jennings

Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 14h

They are pulling moms out of carpool lanes www.tiktok.com/t/ZTMUNR594/

A blood-curdling scream erupted as ICE agents pulled a woman from her car in a school pickup line, shocking parents and onlookers at the scene.

TikTok video by New York Post | News

www.tiktok.com

12 150 210

Reposted by Will Jennings, David R. Miller

Miranda Yaver @mirandayaver.bsky.social · 14h

It’s a Watergate-level crime every damn day in this administration, and Congress is appallingly unwilling to exercise its Article I obligations to check executive branch power.

Reprehensible, inexcusable, and indescribably dangerous.

23 110 510

Reposted by Will Jennings

Wajahat Ali @wajali.bsky.social · 14h

265 days into Donald Trump's term:

The president's net approval rating is -16%,
down 0.7 points since last week.

39% approve, 56% disapprove, 4% not sure

www.economist.com/interactive/...

Donald Trump’s approval rating

Follow our presidential approval rating poll tracker to see how favourably Americans view Mr Trump

www.economist.com

98 300 960

Reposted by Nandita Sharma, Will Jennings, Brendan Nyhan , and 4 more Nandita Sharma, Will Jennings, Brendan Nyhan, Steve Peers, Rosemary A. Joyce, Joseph Schafer, David R. Miller

Ari Cohn @aricohn.com · 15h

Some weirdo on Twitter has been absolutely melting down for like 36 straight hours because I posted:

When this is over, do not forget what ICE did, and what ICE is. And do not make room for them in society. Make sure they know that they are, and will continue to be, reviled and beneath contempt.

710 3.4K 18K

Reposted by Will Jennings, Steve Peers, Greg Linden

Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 15h

A tangled web of deals stokes AI bubble fears in Silicon Valley

Some are worried that the rapid rise in the value of AI tech companies may be a bubble waiting to burst.

www.bbc.com

36 130 430

Will Jennings 🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 15h

Looking forward to this one!

Reposted by Will Jennings

G Elliott Morris @gelliottmorris.com · 15h

posting tomorrow morning at strength in numbers: is trump "dong what he promised"? and what does that even mean? www.gelliottmorris.com/p/is-trump-d...

Is Trump "doing what he promised"? | Weekly roundup for October 12, 2025

And what does that even mean? Also this week: Shutdown polls; Left-wing populism; Low favorability ratings for all U.S. leaders; Judges' concerns about Trump; + more!

www.gelliottmorris.com

16 8 84

Reposted by Will Jennings

Ed Zitron @edzitron.com · 15h

AI has lost the dunce vote. It’s over

Nate Silver
@NateSilver538 • 5h
•.°
I'm just one person, and my programming needs are somewhat unusual (building various kinds of statistical forecasting models). But I'm just not seeing the consistent productivity gains from LLMs that I would have expected if you'd asked me 6 months ago.

130 930 7.8K

Reposted by Will Jennings

Cat Manning @catacalypto.bsky.social · 15h

?????

Layoff notices also initially targeted the office that produces the CDC’s flagship weekly scientific report known as the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, or MMWR. But those notices were sent in error because of a miscoding, according to the health official. As of Saturday afternoon, however, the editor who oversees the MMWR and others in the office of science had not been informed that the layoff notices were a mistake, Houry said.

7 38 130

Reposted by David Lazer, Will Jennings, Jacob Montgomery , and 2 more David Lazer, Will Jennings, Jacob Montgomery, David R. Miller, Dean Eckles

Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 16h

Unprecedented corruption

Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 1d

Trump said he deserved a cut for brokering the TikTok deal, and at once there was agreement that his son Baron would have a top executive slot... though he hasn't asked for it, and has no apparent qualifications to hold it. This is how Trump 2.0 works. www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025...

Barron Trump tipped for top TikTok job

US president’s 19-year-old son could be appointed to the app’s board

www.telegraph.co.uk

55 140 450

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Will Jennings, Sanford F. Schram , and 6 more Ben H. Ansell, Will Jennings, Sanford F. Schram, Rebecca Tushnet, David R. Miller, James Goodwin, Mark Rice, Suzanne Conklin Akbari, Nathan P. Kalmoe

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 16h

vought's view is that the president is an elected dictator and lo and behold he is seizing outright the power of the purse

Kevin Elliott @kjephd.bsky.social · 17h

Unconstitutionally taking money that the law says must be spent on one purpose & using it for something else—when it's to establish personalist control over the FUCKING MILITARY—is about as dangerous a constitutional crisis/failure as you can imagine

Via: www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

The Office of Management and Budget sent a notification to Congress about their intent to use research and development funds to pay members of the military, two sources with direct knowledge tell NBC News.

A spokesperson for the OMB confirmed to NBC News that it plans to use the research and development funds and that there are two years' worth of funds available within the Department of Defense.

70 1.1K 4.2K

Reposted by Will Jennings, David R. Miller, Dean Eckles , and 1 more Will Jennings, David R. Miller, Dean Eckles, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 17h

If you're going to write headlines like this, why even have newspapers?

Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 19h

Should the New York Times be sold to Pennysaver and its editors sent to work in Amazon warehouses? It depends on who you ask.

30 160 920

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Will Jennings, Brendan Nyhan , and 11 more Ben H. Ansell, Will Jennings, Brendan Nyhan, Tom Clark, Juan Cole, Michael Kevane, Robert C. Richards, David R. Miller, Michael D. McDonald, Jason Lyall, David Rosnick, Aviel Roshwald, Stella M. Rouse, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Kevin Elliott @kjephd.bsky.social · 17h

99 1.9K 5.5K

Reposted by Richard S.J. Tol, Will Jennings, David R. Miller , and 2 more Richard S.J. Tol, Will Jennings, David R. Miller, James Goodwin, Blair Fix

Sam Halpert @samhalpert.bsky.social · 17h

Dems floated a narrow bill to fund the military, which can’t move because the House isn’t in session. Meanwhile, DoD is now going to spend funds not appropriated by Congress to ensure military paychecks continue.

POTUS now both commands and provisions the military. Unconstitutional and SO dangerous

80 1.4K 3.4K

Will Jennings 🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 17h

Also, Trump was very much against infectious disease before he was for it...

Schooley @schooley.bsky.social · 17h

I looked these up in light of the gutting of our ability to respond to Ebola and every other possible outbreak, but it struck me that THIS is the guy who wants to criminalize criticism of the president and his leadership?

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
There is a good possibility that a person who treated patients in West Africa and who FLEW into New York has Ebola. Touched many, bedlam!
Donald J. Trump O @realDonaldTrump
A single Ebola carrier infects 2 others at a minimum.
STOP THE FLIGHTS! NO VISAS FROM EBOLA STRICKEN COUNTRIES!
Donald J. Trump O @realDonaldTrump
Tremendous pressure on President Obama to institute a travel ban on Ebola stricken West Africa. At some point this stubborn dope will fold!
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
Obama just appointed an Ebola Czar with zero experience in the medical area and zero experience in infectious disease control. A TOTAL JOKE!
Donald J. Trump
>
@realDonaldTrump
If there is one more Ebola case in the U.S., a full travel ban will be instituted. This common sense move should have been done long ago!

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
I don't know if President Obama isn't stopping the flights from Ebola torn West Africa because he is stubborn, stupid, or just doesn't care!
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
With all that is happening with Ebola, including the doctor who so easily came back to New York, Obama still refuses to stop the flights!
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
There is ZERO margin for error on Ebola. Are we confident in Obama when he can't even make a website for $5 Billion?
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
Here we go - A healthcare worker who treated Thomas Duncan, the man who flew into the U.S. from West Africa infected with Ebola, caught it!
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
All the governors are already backing off of the Ebola quarantines. Bad decision that will lead to more mayhem.

1 17

Will Jennings 🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 17h

I imagine it would look a little like the video for Weezer's Buddy Holly anyway...

Reposted by Will Jennings

Schooley @schooley.bsky.social · 17h

4 57 220

Will Jennings 🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 17h

I'm sure AI could do that for you...

Will Jennings 🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 18h

Just say political science :)

Will Jennings 🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 18h

How Alan Moore imagined standing up to totalitarianism...

How the end of V for Vendetta would look if it were set in Portland.

1 19 120

Reposted by Will Jennings, Aviel Roshwald

George Conway 👊🇺🇸🔥 @gtconway.bsky.social · 19h

"The original #NoKings protest was 250 years ago. We've had democracy since then. Now we have a would-be king who wants to take it away—King Donald the First. Fuck that. Stand up and be counted in the nationwide No Kings protest on October 18."
👉👉 nokings.org

69 990 3K

Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Will Jennings, Brendan Nyhan , and 10 more Anne Applebaum, Will Jennings, Brendan Nyhan, Rosemary A. Joyce, Joseph Schafer, Daniel W. Drezner, Jason Lyall, Sarah Roberts, Aurélien Mondon, Michael J. Hicks, Matthew P. McAllister, Meredith Farkas, David R. Shumway

Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 19h

Should the New York Times be sold to Pennysaver and its editors sent to work in Amazon warehouses? It depends on who you ask.

280 1.9K 9.7K

Reposted by Will Jennings, Michael D. McDonald, Mark Rice , and 2 more Will Jennings, Michael D. McDonald, Mark Rice, Timothy D. McBride, David Darmofal

Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · 19h

Illinois law requires all registered vehicles to display front and back license plates, without exception. But to evade accountability, masked federal immigration agents are driving around in unmarked cars without plates.
chicago.suntimes.com/news/2025/10...?

Federal immigration officers wear masks, no name tags — now some drive cars without license plates

The Sun-Times has documented four unmarked cars carrying federal officers without required plates, offering another way to shield their identities. Federal officials say they’re meeting regulations.

chicago.suntimes.com

300 2K 3.8K

Reposted by Will Jennings, David R. Miller, Dean Eckles

Kevin Reuning @reuning.bsky.social · 20h

Trump straight up murdering people in the Caribbean and the NYT writes this

The Trump Split Screen: A Peacemaker Abroad, a Retribution Campaign at Home

16 220 1K

Will Jennings 🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 20h

This is my most new elite post ever.

1 6

Will Jennings 🗳️ @drjennings.bsky.social · 20h

Chilli is optional but it definitely contains garlic!