E.J. Fagan
@ejfagan.com
Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Illinois Chicago. Author of The Thinkers: The Rise of Partisan Think Tanks and the Polarization of American Politics. Also, baseball.
Pinned
E.J. Fagan
@ejfagan.com
· Nov 18
The Thinkers: The Rise of Partisan Think Tanks and the Polarization of American Politics (Studies in Postwar American Political Development): Fagan, E.J.: 9780197759660: Amazon.com: Books
The Thinkers: The Rise of Partisan Think Tanks and the Polarization of American Politics (Studies in Postwar American Political Development) [Fagan, E.J.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Thinkers: The Rise of Partisan Think Tanks and the Polarization of American Politics (Studies in Postwar American Political Development)
www.amazon.com
Hello new Bluesky followers!
I study U.S. politics and policymaking, focusing on the politicization of expertise and information processing.
I published a great book this summer. It's called The Thinkers: The Rise of Partisan Think Tanks and the Polarization of American Politics. Check it out!
I study U.S. politics and policymaking, focusing on the politicization of expertise and information processing.
I published a great book this summer. It's called The Thinkers: The Rise of Partisan Think Tanks and the Polarization of American Politics. Check it out!
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
12 former commissioners of the FDA came together to write a Perspectives piece for the New England Journal of Medicine; raising our concerns about recent changes to vaccine approval policy at the FDA and its implications for patients and public health.
December 3, 2025 at 10:28 PM
12 former commissioners of the FDA came together to write a Perspectives piece for the New England Journal of Medicine; raising our concerns about recent changes to vaccine approval policy at the FDA and its implications for patients and public health.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Major decision. In D.C., ICE/CBP can no longer arrest immigrants without a warrant unless they find individualized probable cause of a flight risk.
"Viewing all immigrants potentially subject to removal as criminals is, as a legal matter, plain wrong." www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
"Viewing all immigrants potentially subject to removal as criminals is, as a legal matter, plain wrong." www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
December 3, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Major decision. In D.C., ICE/CBP can no longer arrest immigrants without a warrant unless they find individualized probable cause of a flight risk.
"Viewing all immigrants potentially subject to removal as criminals is, as a legal matter, plain wrong." www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
"Viewing all immigrants potentially subject to removal as criminals is, as a legal matter, plain wrong." www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Today on Volts: while some blue states hedge on their green commitments, Illinois is doubling down, passing its third major energy bill in a decade. Among other things, this one empowers the state's utility regulator to directly procure clean energy. I get into it w/ two of its architects.
How Illinois passed its third big clean-energy bill in a decade
Kady McFadden and John Delurey join me to talk about why "fast and cheap" is the new winning message for climate policy.
www.volts.wtf
December 3, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Today on Volts: while some blue states hedge on their green commitments, Illinois is doubling down, passing its third major energy bill in a decade. Among other things, this one empowers the state's utility regulator to directly procure clean energy. I get into it w/ two of its architects.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
R+6 or 7 is a great result for Dems here regardless but with 93% of 2022 turnout this is terrifying for Rs
they cannot rely on "oh this is just special election turnout differential"
almost everyone showed up and a lot of them voted the other way
they cannot rely on "oh this is just special election turnout differential"
almost everyone showed up and a lot of them voted the other way
14% swing from 2024 when all is said and done? Pretty good considering just how high-profile the race became in the last week
Turnout is currently *93%* of 2022, and it's also a 14% swing from 2022 despite similar turnout levels
Turnout is currently *93%* of 2022, and it's also a 14% swing from 2022 despite similar turnout levels
December 3, 2025 at 3:07 AM
R+6 or 7 is a great result for Dems here regardless but with 93% of 2022 turnout this is terrifying for Rs
they cannot rely on "oh this is just special election turnout differential"
almost everyone showed up and a lot of them voted the other way
they cannot rely on "oh this is just special election turnout differential"
almost everyone showed up and a lot of them voted the other way
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
If you knew, read, or wrote that #TN07 went for Trump by 22 points last year, that's almost certainly thanks to The Downballot's complete collection of presidential results for all 435 congressional districts—a massively difficult project we undertake every four years.
The Downballot's calculations of presidential election results by congressional district, sponsored by Grassroots Analytics
Our one-of-a-kind collection spans from 2008 to the present
www.the-downballot.com
December 3, 2025 at 2:32 AM
If you knew, read, or wrote that #TN07 went for Trump by 22 points last year, that's almost certainly thanks to The Downballot's complete collection of presidential results for all 435 congressional districts—a massively difficult project we undertake every four years.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Wow.
"It gives me no pleasure to say what I’m about to say because I worked with Pete Hegseth for seven or eight years at Fox News. This is an act of a war crime .... There’s absolutely no legal basis for it.”
- Newsmax's Judge Napolitano
"It gives me no pleasure to say what I’m about to say because I worked with Pete Hegseth for seven or eight years at Fox News. This is an act of a war crime .... There’s absolutely no legal basis for it.”
- Newsmax's Judge Napolitano
Woah. Newsmax’s legal analyst just said Pete Hegseth and everyone involved in the illegal boat strike should be “prosecuted for a war crime.”
They’ve even lost Newsmax on this one.
They’ve even lost Newsmax on this one.
December 3, 2025 at 2:06 AM
Wow.
"It gives me no pleasure to say what I’m about to say because I worked with Pete Hegseth for seven or eight years at Fox News. This is an act of a war crime .... There’s absolutely no legal basis for it.”
- Newsmax's Judge Napolitano
"It gives me no pleasure to say what I’m about to say because I worked with Pete Hegseth for seven or eight years at Fox News. This is an act of a war crime .... There’s absolutely no legal basis for it.”
- Newsmax's Judge Napolitano
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
A razor close finish in _this_ Tennessee district, of all places, is a God-awful night for the GOP. Don’t let anyone persuade you otherwise.
December 3, 2025 at 2:02 AM
A razor close finish in _this_ Tennessee district, of all places, is a God-awful night for the GOP. Don’t let anyone persuade you otherwise.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
December 2, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
It really isn’t said enough how much these people straight up hate America. People should say this a lot more frequently. They simply don’t like the good parts of modern American life.
"Sources in the Trump administration have previously told Zeteo that officials will at times intentionally use popular music from vocally anti-Trump performing artists, in order to trigger a negative response from a famous liberal and provide further amplification of their pervasive culture war,"
NEWS: The Trump-Vance White House is attacking Sabrina Carpenter.
In a new statement, the White House — led by Trump, a liable sexual abuser mired in scandal for ties to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein — suggests Carpenter is "stupid" and is defending pedophiles and rapists.
@swin24.bsky.social reports:
In a new statement, the White House — led by Trump, a liable sexual abuser mired in scandal for ties to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein — suggests Carpenter is "stupid" and is defending pedophiles and rapists.
@swin24.bsky.social reports:
December 2, 2025 at 7:36 PM
It really isn’t said enough how much these people straight up hate America. People should say this a lot more frequently. They simply don’t like the good parts of modern American life.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
December 2, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Clean electricity is officially growing fast enough in China that the level of fossil generation is falling, even as overall demand rises. They've gotten over the hump.
December 2, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Clean electricity is officially growing fast enough in China that the level of fossil generation is falling, even as overall demand rises. They've gotten over the hump.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
My great-uncle was born in the Russian Empire and wrote God Bless America
Rep. Kat Cammarck: "Today, one in six people in the US is foreign born. That quite frankly is not sustainable to maintain a culture that we are known for here in the United States."
December 2, 2025 at 5:18 PM
My great-uncle was born in the Russian Empire and wrote God Bless America
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Why there never was a Vibecession in one chart.
It’s always been about the prices of essentials.
It’s always been about the prices of essentials.
November 26, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Why there never was a Vibecession in one chart.
It’s always been about the prices of essentials.
It’s always been about the prices of essentials.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
I wrote about Bari Weiss newrepublic.com/article/2037...
Bari Weiss’s Big Secret Is That She’s Boring
The “contrarian” journalist’s new vision for CBS News appears to just mean reinventing Crossfire.
newrepublic.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:14 PM
I wrote about Bari Weiss newrepublic.com/article/2037...
Big companies were afraid to challenge Trump earlier this year. The most prominent tariff case was brought only by a small toy company. But now he’s weaker, so Costco is getting off the bench.
Costco sues US to preserve tariff refunds if Trump loses appeal reut.rs/48J2koC
Costco sues US to preserve tariff refunds if Trump loses appeal
Costco has sued the U.S. government to ensure it will receive refunds if the Supreme Court rejects President Donald Trump's bid for sweeping authority to impose tariffs.
reut.rs
December 2, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Big companies were afraid to challenge Trump earlier this year. The most prominent tariff case was brought only by a small toy company. But now he’s weaker, so Costco is getting off the bench.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
“…the decisions he has made…”
Disgraceful
Disgraceful
If Admiral Bradley didn’t realize before that these cowards were setting him up to take the fall, he knows it now. Time to hire a good lawyer.
December 2, 2025 at 2:12 AM
“…the decisions he has made…”
Disgraceful
Disgraceful
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
The end of academic freedom, Flowchart Edition.
TX Tech has a flow chat for guidance on what can be taught in the university system. Two things:
1. Very little content seems to be permitted. This is partisan control of the curriculum.
2. I would not enjoy teaching under these conditions, but I really would not want to be a Chair or Dean.
1. Very little content seems to be permitted. This is partisan control of the curriculum.
2. I would not enjoy teaching under these conditions, but I really would not want to be a Chair or Dean.
December 2, 2025 at 1:38 AM
The end of academic freedom, Flowchart Edition.
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
who decided to call it Secret Santa when Nondisclosure Claus was right there
December 1, 2025 at 10:55 PM
who decided to call it Secret Santa when Nondisclosure Claus was right there
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Senate Armed Services chair:
December 1, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Senate Armed Services chair:
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
it looks like the "mississippi" miracle in reading scores was due to be a pretty basic stats error in the design of the experimental study (selecting on the dependent variable)... a lotta people Got Got on this one! statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2025/12/01/h...
December 1, 2025 at 8:32 PM
it looks like the "mississippi" miracle in reading scores was due to be a pretty basic stats error in the design of the experimental study (selecting on the dependent variable)... a lotta people Got Got on this one! statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2025/12/01/h...
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
idk not to mention how very nuanced and normal the actual response here was
November 29, 2025 at 3:45 PM
idk not to mention how very nuanced and normal the actual response here was
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Lol, Zillow tried to rate the climate risks facing individual properties. The real estate industry *hated* it, precisely because it worked -- it made selling risky properties more difficult. So they rebelled & Zillow caved.
Don't look up!
Don't look up!
Zillow Removes Climate Risk Scores From Home Listings
www.nytimes.com
November 30, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Lol, Zillow tried to rate the climate risks facing individual properties. The real estate industry *hated* it, precisely because it worked -- it made selling risky properties more difficult. So they rebelled & Zillow caved.
Don't look up!
Don't look up!
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Explore this PSJ study reviewing 88 Chinese-language PET articles, revealing growing scholarship, qualitative dominance, and a punctuated pattern of change in China’s policy process.
By @pubpolicychina.bsky.social & @cammieli.bsky.social
Read here: doi.org/10.1111/psj....
By @pubpolicychina.bsky.social & @cammieli.bsky.social
Read here: doi.org/10.1111/psj....
November 30, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Explore this PSJ study reviewing 88 Chinese-language PET articles, revealing growing scholarship, qualitative dominance, and a punctuated pattern of change in China’s policy process.
By @pubpolicychina.bsky.social & @cammieli.bsky.social
Read here: doi.org/10.1111/psj....
By @pubpolicychina.bsky.social & @cammieli.bsky.social
Read here: doi.org/10.1111/psj....
Reposted by E.J. Fagan
Folks, I promise you that national party midterm slogans really, really, really aren't a big deal - they are very unlikely to affect either election outcomes or how the party behaves in office.
November 30, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Folks, I promise you that national party midterm slogans really, really, really aren't a big deal - they are very unlikely to affect either election outcomes or how the party behaves in office.
Trump hits a new low on the @fiftyplusone.news approval rating average at 39.6%.
November 30, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Trump hits a new low on the @fiftyplusone.news approval rating average at 39.6%.