Aaron Wells
@aaronwells.bsky.social
PhD, UCLA. Research emphasis: Ancient Mediterranean, History of Theocracy, Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Tortured #Bills fan, Proponent of #GeneralStrike, universal health care, debt release. Catahoula and GSP Owner. 🚫 No DMs! 🚫
Pinned
Reposted by Aaron Wells
*With his 1988 book, Democracy and Economic Planning: The Political Economy of a Self-governing Society, Pat Devine put forward a concrete model of how democratic economic planning could actually work, and it is one of the essential reads for people interested in the debate*
youtu.be/HSzcAw_2NV0?...
youtu.be/HSzcAw_2NV0?...
Pat Devine on Negotiated Coordination | Future Histories S02E33
YouTube video by Future Histories Podcast
youtu.be
November 30, 2025 at 2:08 AM
*With his 1988 book, Democracy and Economic Planning: The Political Economy of a Self-governing Society, Pat Devine put forward a concrete model of how democratic economic planning could actually work, and it is one of the essential reads for people interested in the debate*
youtu.be/HSzcAw_2NV0?...
youtu.be/HSzcAw_2NV0?...
The American Civil War was a war for apartheid's future: southern chattel slavery versus northern segregation. The battle further hinged on how the persecution of Latinos, Indigenous Americans, recent Chinese immigrants, etc. would materialize during the US expansion westward:
November 29, 2025 at 1:49 AM
The American Civil War was a war for apartheid's future: southern chattel slavery versus northern segregation. The battle further hinged on how the persecution of Latinos, Indigenous Americans, recent Chinese immigrants, etc. would materialize during the US expansion westward:
Reposted by Aaron Wells
*CoreCivic and GEO Group profit from Trump’s immigration policies while also receiving lucrative contracts from state and local governments, including areas controlled by Democrats*
by @matthewccook5.bsky.social
November 26, 2025
prospect.org/2025/11/26/s...
by @matthewccook5.bsky.social
November 26, 2025
prospect.org/2025/11/26/s...
State and Local Contracts Prop Up For-Profit Prisons - The American Prospect
CoreCivic and GEO Group profit from Trump’s immigration policies while also receiving lucrative contracts from state and local governments, including areas controlled by Democrats.
prospect.org
November 26, 2025 at 1:10 PM
*CoreCivic and GEO Group profit from Trump’s immigration policies while also receiving lucrative contracts from state and local governments, including areas controlled by Democrats*
by @matthewccook5.bsky.social
November 26, 2025
prospect.org/2025/11/26/s...
by @matthewccook5.bsky.social
November 26, 2025
prospect.org/2025/11/26/s...
Reposted by Aaron Wells
BREAKING: OpenAI is requesting US government support to help guarantee financing for the massive investments in AI chips and data centers it needs for expansion, per Bloomberg.
November 6, 2025 at 12:47 AM
BREAKING: OpenAI is requesting US government support to help guarantee financing for the massive investments in AI chips and data centers it needs for expansion, per Bloomberg.
Warning: NOT a pro Maga thread. This is an assessment of one factor contributing to why Democrats lack majorities in all 3 branches of government and are in need of coordinated long-term strategies if they are to neutralize Maga. Since 1964, Republicans have pursued youth-to-leadership pipelines.
October 4, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Warning: NOT a pro Maga thread. This is an assessment of one factor contributing to why Democrats lack majorities in all 3 branches of government and are in need of coordinated long-term strategies if they are to neutralize Maga. Since 1964, Republicans have pursued youth-to-leadership pipelines.
You are misinterpreting the post. This is not about what policies are better, which is obvious. It is about winning elections. Maga occupies all 3 branches of govt. For Democrats to regain power they must adopt long-game strategies, such as abandoning neoliberal economics for true populism.
October 4, 2025 at 5:15 PM
You are misinterpreting the post. This is not about what policies are better, which is obvious. It is about winning elections. Maga occupies all 3 branches of govt. For Democrats to regain power they must adopt long-game strategies, such as abandoning neoliberal economics for true populism.
Besides institution building, Republicans developed long-term coalition building: the Southern Strategy, evangelical mobilization, monetarist/neoliberal economic interests, cultural warfare. Democrats failed to match GOP coalition-building efforts. Now they wonder why Maga occupies the government.
Party Domination and Base Mobilization: Donald Trump and Republican Party Building in a Polarized Era
Since the 2016 election, President Trump has achieved unparalleled dominance over the Republican Party. He has also given his party a central role in his reelection campaign and invested heavily in it...
www.degruyterbrill.com
October 4, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Besides institution building, Republicans developed long-term coalition building: the Southern Strategy, evangelical mobilization, monetarist/neoliberal economic interests, cultural warfare. Democrats failed to match GOP coalition-building efforts. Now they wonder why Maga occupies the government.
Since Goldwater’s defeat in 1964, Republicans have pursued several aggressive political strategies. One of these is institutional expansion: funding think tanks, strengthening party infrastructure, reshaping the judiciary, etc. Democrats have failed to match this effort in consistency or magnitude.
October 4, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Since Goldwater’s defeat in 1964, Republicans have pursued several aggressive political strategies. One of these is institutional expansion: funding think tanks, strengthening party infrastructure, reshaping the judiciary, etc. Democrats have failed to match this effort in consistency or magnitude.
Reposted by Aaron Wells
Political economy, grassroots organizing, transformational leadership, and the evolution of consciousness, all at the same time
September 27, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Political economy, grassroots organizing, transformational leadership, and the evolution of consciousness, all at the same time
Reposted by Aaron Wells
On this day in 1973, Salvador Allende’s democratically-elected socialist government was overthrown in a military coup led by the US-backed fascist Augusto Pinochet.
September 11, 2025 at 6:37 AM
On this day in 1973, Salvador Allende’s democratically-elected socialist government was overthrown in a military coup led by the US-backed fascist Augusto Pinochet.
Reposted by Aaron Wells
Round one goes to Fed Independence over Trump Interference.
A federal judge ruled that Lisa Cook is "substantially likely" to prevail in her argument that Trump can't arbitrarily fire her, so she stays a Fed Governor while the case works its way through the courts
www.wsj.com/economy/cent...
A federal judge ruled that Lisa Cook is "substantially likely" to prevail in her argument that Trump can't arbitrarily fire her, so she stays a Fed Governor while the case works its way through the courts
www.wsj.com/economy/cent...
www.wsj.com
September 10, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Round one goes to Fed Independence over Trump Interference.
A federal judge ruled that Lisa Cook is "substantially likely" to prevail in her argument that Trump can't arbitrarily fire her, so she stays a Fed Governor while the case works its way through the courts
www.wsj.com/economy/cent...
A federal judge ruled that Lisa Cook is "substantially likely" to prevail in her argument that Trump can't arbitrarily fire her, so she stays a Fed Governor while the case works its way through the courts
www.wsj.com/economy/cent...
Reposted by Aaron Wells
ATLANTA (AP) — Judge says he'll toss the racketeering case against 61 people tied to protests over a training center called “Cop City.”
September 9, 2025 at 5:09 PM
ATLANTA (AP) — Judge says he'll toss the racketeering case against 61 people tied to protests over a training center called “Cop City.”
Reposted by Aaron Wells
A nationwide general strike is without a doubt the best response to Trump's fascist moves to consolidate power, including his likely plans to steal the '26 and '28 elections.
The trick of course is organizing it
inthesetimes.com/article/plan...
The trick of course is organizing it
inthesetimes.com/article/plan...
September 7, 2025 at 6:20 PM
A nationwide general strike is without a doubt the best response to Trump's fascist moves to consolidate power, including his likely plans to steal the '26 and '28 elections.
The trick of course is organizing it
inthesetimes.com/article/plan...
The trick of course is organizing it
inthesetimes.com/article/plan...
Reposted by Aaron Wells
I’ve been thinking about ways to combat Trump’s military invasion of our cities.
Violence has to be the worst possible response, as it seems clear he’s trying to provoke a civil war.
What about a nationwide general strike? If the stock market tanks and business leaders start squawking…. 🤔
Violence has to be the worst possible response, as it seems clear he’s trying to provoke a civil war.
What about a nationwide general strike? If the stock market tanks and business leaders start squawking…. 🤔
September 6, 2025 at 8:13 PM
I’ve been thinking about ways to combat Trump’s military invasion of our cities.
Violence has to be the worst possible response, as it seems clear he’s trying to provoke a civil war.
What about a nationwide general strike? If the stock market tanks and business leaders start squawking…. 🤔
Violence has to be the worst possible response, as it seems clear he’s trying to provoke a civil war.
What about a nationwide general strike? If the stock market tanks and business leaders start squawking…. 🤔
Reposted by Aaron Wells
Brian has been way ahead in articulating this argument and it's good to see more elite opinionmakers joining him...
Six weeks out from the government funding deadline, many Senate Democrats are in the process of convincing themselves they have no choice but to cave. One of their main rationales will be a bad read of mostly irrelevant history. In truth they’re just scared of the unknown.
Gut Check Time For Democrats
Send this to your senators.
www.offmessage.net
September 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Brian has been way ahead in articulating this argument and it's good to see more elite opinionmakers joining him...
Reposted by Aaron Wells
Florida is set to end all state vaccine mandates, the state surgeon general announced today
DeSantis and Ladapo to ‘end all vaccine mandates in Florida law’
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced the move in Hillsborough County on Wednesday.
www.miamiherald.com
September 3, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Florida is set to end all state vaccine mandates, the state surgeon general announced today
Reposted by Aaron Wells
*The country is rapidly devolving into rule by an unpopular despot. The Democrats who blind themselves to this are causing great harm*
prospect.org/politics/202...
prospect.org/politics/202...
There’s No More Business as Usual in Washington
The country is rapidly devolving into rule by an unpopular despot. The Democrats who blind themselves to this are causing great harm.
prospect.org
September 2, 2025 at 3:49 PM
*The country is rapidly devolving into rule by an unpopular despot. The Democrats who blind themselves to this are causing great harm*
prospect.org/politics/202...
prospect.org/politics/202...
Reposted by Aaron Wells
*Billionaires exist because market rules are rigged to push money to the top, not just because they pay too little tax*
cepr.net/publications...
cepr.net/publications...
The Rich Wrote the Laws So that They Get all the Money, While the Left Was Sleeping
Billionaires aren’t just undertaxed—the rules of patents, labor law, corporations, and bankruptcy are built to funnel wealth upward.
cepr.net
September 2, 2025 at 3:42 PM
*Billionaires exist because market rules are rigged to push money to the top, not just because they pay too little tax*
cepr.net/publications...
cepr.net/publications...
Argentina’s political regimes have used the central bank to finance deficits, causing over 200% inflation (2023) and repeated Peso devaluations. GDP swung from 10.1% growth (2010) to -2.5% (2018). Debt defaults (2001, 2014, 2020) also occurred.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Why Did Inflation Targeting Fail in Argentina?
Argentina’s experience with inflation targeting lasted only 26 months. In this paper, we study the reason why this regime failed in Argentina and the economic c
papers.ssrn.com
August 29, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Argentina’s political regimes have used the central bank to finance deficits, causing over 200% inflation (2023) and repeated Peso devaluations. GDP swung from 10.1% growth (2010) to -2.5% (2018). Debt defaults (2001, 2014, 2020) also occurred.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
President Erdoğan’s control of Turkey’s central bank since 2016 has led to 85.5% inflation for 2022 and 80% Lira depreciation for 2015-23. There was some short-term growth (7.5% in 2017) with volatility in GDP. Investor distrust grew; Foreign Direct Investment did not.
www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Art...
www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Art...
Scenes From A Central Bank: A Turkish Tale in Two Acts
www.imf.org
August 29, 2025 at 8:40 PM
President Erdoğan’s control of Turkey’s central bank since 2016 has led to 85.5% inflation for 2022 and 80% Lira depreciation for 2015-23. There was some short-term growth (7.5% in 2017) with volatility in GDP. Investor distrust grew; Foreign Direct Investment did not.
www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Art...
www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Art...
Reduced Central Bank Independence (CBI), where political regimes control monetary policy, often leads to high inflation, currency depreciation, and economic instability. Short-term growth may occur, but long-term instability, capital flight, and dismal investor confidence normally follow.
More effective than we thought: Central bank independence and inflation in developing countries
This study examines the effect of legal central bank independence on inflation in developing countries. In spite of the policy consensus suggesting th…
www.sciencedirect.com
August 29, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Reduced Central Bank Independence (CBI), where political regimes control monetary policy, often leads to high inflation, currency depreciation, and economic instability. Short-term growth may occur, but long-term instability, capital flight, and dismal investor confidence normally follow.
A 2022 Yahoo News/YouGov poll revealed 61% of Trump voters believe “a group of people in this country are trying to replace native-born Americans with immigrants and people of color who share their political views." So goes the Great Replacement Theory, a core element of Maga immigration policy.
Poll: 61% of Trump voters agree with idea behind 'great replacement' conspiracy theory
A new Yahoo News/YouGov poll shows that more than 6 in 10 Donald Trump voters agree that “a group of people in this country are trying to replace native-born Americans with immigrants and people of co...
www.yahoo.com
August 28, 2025 at 1:45 AM
A 2022 Yahoo News/YouGov poll revealed 61% of Trump voters believe “a group of people in this country are trying to replace native-born Americans with immigrants and people of color who share their political views." So goes the Great Replacement Theory, a core element of Maga immigration policy.
Reposted by Aaron Wells
remember folks, we cant have gun restrictions because if we do the federal government will occupy our streets, imprison people without due process, ship dissidents to foreign gulags and things of that nature
August 27, 2025 at 6:42 PM
remember folks, we cant have gun restrictions because if we do the federal government will occupy our streets, imprison people without due process, ship dissidents to foreign gulags and things of that nature