Alec Lopata
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alec-lopata.bsky.social
Alec Lopata
@alec-lopata.bsky.social
210 followers 650 following 21 posts
Policy @ US Impact Investing Alliance | Former Forefront (IL) lobbyist, Dunn Fellow for Gov Pritzker | Claremont McKenna alum | All opinions are my own
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alec-lopata.bsky.social
Heinous and indefensible. Our government is making decisions to explicitly benefit white supremacists and Nazis. If this doesn't convince people morally corrupt this Administration is, nothing will.
rgoodlaw.bsky.social Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 7d
"US Coast Guard will no longer classify the swastika, an emblem of fascism and white supremacy inextricably linked to the murder of millions of Jews and that more than 400,000 US troops died fighting against in World War II, as a hate symbol, according to a new policy that takes effect next month."
U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The military service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has drafted a new policy that classifies such items “potentially divisive.”
www.washingtonpost.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:11 AM
alec-lopata.bsky.social
The reporting coming out of Chicago has been so awful. The National Guard is not needed, and ICE is not welcome, in our amazing city.
govpritzker.illinois.gov Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · Oct 15
Greg Bovino, Kristi Noem, and DHS need to answer for their unchecked attacks on Chicago residents.

ICE is an out-of-control danger to our peaceful communities.

The images from the Sun-Times today speak for themselves.
An ICE agent throws a tear gas canister at protesters at East 105th Street and South Avenue N in East Side. Photo Credit: Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Federal immigration enforcement agents detain a protester during a skirmish at East 105th Street and South Avenue N in East Side. Photo Credit: Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent points a crowd control weapon at a protester Tuesday at East 105th Street and South Avenue N in the East Side neighborhood. Photo Credit: Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times A Chicago Police Department officer washes his face after being exposed to tear gas during a protest at East 105th Street and South Avenue N in East Side. Photo Credit: Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
October 16, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Reposted by Alec Lopata
josephpolitano.bsky.social
The new $100k/year H1B fee is pure economic self-harm—workers making **5 times the median US income**, who contribute massively to the US, would still basically be unable to afford this fee

Oh, but never fear, the White House reserves the right to dish out exemptions as favors!
Section 1. Restriction on Entry. (a) Pursuant to sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a), the entry into the United States of aliens as nonimmigrants to perform services in a specialty occupation under section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b), is restricted, except for those aliens whose petitions are accompanied or supplemented by a payment of $100,000 — subject to the exceptions set forth in subsection (c) of this section. This restriction shall expire, absent extension, 12 months after the effective date of this proclamation, which shall be 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2025. (b) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall restrict decisions on petitions not accompanied by a $100,000 payment for H-1B specialty occupation workers under section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of the INA, who are currently outside the United States, for 12 months following the effective date of this proclamation as set forth in subsection (a) of this section. The Secretary of State shall also issue guidance, as necessary and to the extent permitted by law, to prevent misuse of B visas by alien beneficiaries of approved H-1B petitions that have an employment start date beginning prior to October 1, 2026. (c) The restriction imposed pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall not apply to any individual alien, all aliens working for a company, or all aliens working in an industry, if the Secretary of Homeland Security determines, in the Secretary’s discretion, that the hiring of such aliens to be employed as H-1B specialty occupation workers is in the national interest and does not pose a threat to the security or welfare of the United States.
September 19, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Reposted by Alec Lopata
donmoyn.bsky.social
New, from me:
America is no longer a functioning democracy. It is a competitive authoritarian system, hurtling rapidly toward authoritarianism.
This was a hard piece to write but we can't move forward if we don’t acknowledge where we are.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-author...
The authoritarian checklist
It is time to admit that America is no longer a functioning democracy
donmoynihan.substack.com
August 28, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Reposted by Alec Lopata
wessaidwords.bsky.social
But her emails
August 16, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Reposted by Alec Lopata
petersagal.bsky.social
Remarkable story in Mother Jones.. no wait. The Daily Beast. No, sorry. Slate? The New Republic? Let me just take a big sip from my brandy snifter and look at the URL…

www.wsj.com/economy/the-...
The U.S. Marches Toward State Capitalism With American Characteristics
President Trump is imitating the Chinese Communist Party by extending political control ever deeper into the economy.
www.wsj.com
August 11, 2025 at 12:35 PM
alec-lopata.bsky.social
Protecting the #FreedomToInvest means protecting investors' right to consider all material financial risks - including climate. Former Rep. Carlos Curbelo’s latest in the Miami Herald explains why restricting responsible practices hurts both returns and taxpayers. www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-e...
Climate risk is real. Companies must be free to consider it, especially in Florida | Opinion
Climate risk is real — and businesses must stay free to adapt to it | Opinion
www.miamiherald.com
May 29, 2025 at 8:09 PM
alec-lopata.bsky.social
#COYS
May 21, 2025 at 9:15 PM
alec-lopata.bsky.social
Among many other problematic tax policy decisions in the House GOP reconciliation proposal, apparently we don't have enough podcasters and should make their equipment deductible expenses now
May 12, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Reposted by Alec Lopata
wessaidwords.bsky.social
The Trump regime wants to shred the Constitution
ronfilipkowski.bsky.social Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · May 9
Stephen Miller says they are “actively looking at” suspending the writ of habeas corpus, which is only allowed when the US has been invaded or during an insurrection, which would not allow people to challenge their incarceration in court if they are arrested and detained.
May 9, 2025 at 7:17 PM
alec-lopata.bsky.social
This is not how any government official should be communicating, this is full-on political screed.

These kind of attacks, paired with the attempt to revoke Harvard's c3 status, is so immensely dangerous to civil society.
ericcolumbus.bsky.social Eric Columbus @ericcolumbus.bsky.social · May 6
🚨🚨 Deranged letter from Education Secretary Linda McMahon to Harvard’s president, cutting off federal funding for any new grants.

Worth reading in full. It is NUTS.
THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION WASHINGTON, DC 20202 May 5, 2025 Dr. Alan Garber Office of the President Harvard University Massachusetts Hall Cambridge, MA 02138 Dr. Garber, The Federal Government has a sacred responsibility to be a wise and important steward of American taxpayer dollars. Harvard University, despite amassing a largely tax-free $53.2 billion dollar endowment (larger than the GDP of 100 countries), receives billions of dollars of taxpayer largess each year. Receiving such taxpayer funds is a privilege, not a right. Yet instead of using these funds to advance the education of its students, Harvard is engaging in a systemic pattern of violating federal law. Where do many of these "students" come from, who are they, how do they get into Harvard, or even into our country—and why is there so much HATE? These are questions that must be answered, among many more, but the biggest question of all is, why will Harvard not give straightforward answers to the American public? Harvard University has made a mockery of this country's higher education system. It has invited foreign students, who engage in violent behavior and show contempt for the United States of America, to its campus. In every way, Harvard has failed to abide by its legal obligations, its ethical and fiduciary duties, its transparency responsibilities, and any semblance of academic rigor. It had scrapped standardized testing requirements and a normalized grading system. This year Harvard was forced to adopt an embarrassing "remedial math" program for undergraduates. Why is it, we ask, that Harvard has to teach simple and basic mathematics, when it is supposedly so hard to get into this "acclaimed university"? Who is getting in under such a low standard when others, with fabulous grades and a great understanding of the highest levels of mathematics, are being rejected? Harvard has even been embroiled in humiliating plagiarism scandals, exposed clearly and plainly in the media, with respect to your then… running the institution in a totally chaotic way. Harvard alumnus and highly successful hedge fund manager Bill Ackman noted that, under her leadership, Harvard has become "a political advocacy organization for one party." Ackman has called for the resignation of Pritzker, concluding that the "[t)he mismanagement here is Penny Pritzker" and noting that any serious corporation would have removed her after a litany of recent failings and the fact that, incredibly, "Harvard is not in a good financial position." According to Ackman, one of the world's foremost finance experts, Harvard's so-called S53 billion endowment is "massively overstated as far as what it's really worth," and Harvard has irresponsibly taken out $8 billion in debt. If this is true, it is concerning evidence of Harvard's disastrous mismanagement, indicating an urgent need for massive reform-not continued taxpayer investment. If Harvard prefers not to change, then Harvard should have no problem using its overflowing endowment to fund its bloated bureaucracy. At its best, a university should fulfill the highest ideals of our Nation, and enlighten the thousands of hopeful students who walk through its magnificent gates. But Harvard has betrayed this ideal. Perhaps most alarmingly, Harvard has failed to abide by the United States Supreme Court's ruling demanding that it end its racial preferencing, and continues to engage in ugly racism in its undergraduate and graduate schools, and even within the Harvard Law Review itself. Our universities should be bastions of merit that reward and celebrate excellence and achievement. They should not be incubators of discrimination that encourage resentment and instill grievance and racism into our wonderful young Americans. The above concerns are only a fraction of the long list of Harvard's consistent violations of its own legal duties. Given these and other concerning allegations, this letter is to inform you that Harvard should no longer seek GRANTS from the fede… Federal Agencies. The Administration's priorities have not changed and today's letter marks the end of new grants for the University. These requests will advance the best interests of Harvard University, so it can reclaim its status as a respected educational institution for the future leaders of America. Thank you for your attention to this matter! Sincerely, Linda E. McMahon Secretary of Education
May 6, 2025 at 1:42 AM
alec-lopata.bsky.social
My grandparents are incredibly talented artists, and got to learn a cool new medium for my grandfather's 89th birthday! Happy birthday Papa!
May 5, 2025 at 1:34 PM
alec-lopata.bsky.social
Republicans are once again seeking to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy by taxing university endowments. I supported research back in 2017 on why this is a bad idea that would only harm students, and it continues to be a bad idea today www.cbpp.org/blog/taxing-... @centeronbudget.bsky.social
Taxing College Endowment Income No Way to Pay for Regressive Tax Cuts | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
The House- and Senate-passed Republican tax bills each impose a 1.4 percent excise tax on the income from endowments of some private colleges and universities. The idea appears to stem from a larger.....
www.cbpp.org
May 1, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Reposted by Alec Lopata
isaacdovere.bsky.social
Pritzker invokes his own Jewish background in responding to Trump:
"Stop tearing down the Constitution in the name of my ancestors. Do not claim that your authoritarian power grabs are about anti-semitism. When you destroy social justice, you are disparaging the very foundation of Judaism."
April 28, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Reposted by Alec Lopata
councilfoundations.bsky.social
Join us in this effort to protect our freedom to express ourselves, to give, and to invest in our communities. cof.org/page/public-...
A Public Statement From Philanthropy
We invite all charitable giving organizations to join us in this effort to protect our freedom to express ourselves, to give, and to invest in our communities. Please sign on to the statement below to...
cof.org
April 9, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Reposted by Alec Lopata
wessaidwords.bsky.social
Kumar Abrego Garcia deserves due process and Gorka is trying to intimidate us all from exercising our First Amendment rights
April 17, 2025 at 4:04 AM
Reposted by Alec Lopata
wessaidwords.bsky.social
Beyond unfair to taxpayers who have a filing obligation and are just trying to do the right thing. This will erode trust and reduce revenues
jacobbogage.bsky.social Jacob Bogage @jacobbogage.bsky.social · Apr 8
🚨 NEWS: The IRS and DHS have signed an agreement to share confidential tax data for suspected undocumented immigrants.

Follows our reporting that this deal was imminent — and would cover **7 million** suspected undocumented folks.

More to come…

www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
April 8, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Reposted by Alec Lopata
franseegull.bsky.social
CDFIs fuel small businesses, homeownership & local economies. A recent Executive Order threatens the Treasury’s CDFI Fund, putting these investments at risk. We urge policymakers to protect this vital agency. Read our statement below. #econdev #CDFI @usimpinvalliance.bsky.social
U.S. Impact Investing Alliance Calls on Policymakers to Support the CDFI Fund — U.S. Impact Investing Alliance
The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance advocates for shared prosperity, accelerated by investments in robust pathways for economic mobility and opportunity. Community development financial institutions (C...
impinvalliance.org
March 18, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Reposted by Alec Lopata
americanbar.org
The ABA supports the rule of law. Read full message: www.americanbar.org/news/abanews...
February 10, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Reposted by Alec Lopata
wessaidwords.bsky.social
Every time this point is made, a bunch of academics and activists show up in the replies and basically prove the point.

He's not talking to you! If you're even thinking about this subject, you're not the intended audience and that's okay.
sahilkapur.bsky.social Sahil Kapur @sahilkapur.bsky.social · Dec 27
Sen. @schatz.bsky.social argues that Democrats need to stop saying things that are “egregiously weird sounding” to echo activists and academics and instead speak like normal people.

“But it’s also just alienating. This magic words thing has to go away.”

www.politico.com/news/magazin...
December 27, 2024 at 10:19 PM
Reposted by Alec Lopata
usimpinvalliance.bsky.social
(1/10) These investors are raising their public policy game to enhance their social impact by @davidbank.bsky.social (ft. Liesel Pritzker Simmons, Jim Sorenson + more) - bit.ly/4iSGClo
These investors are raising their lobbying game to enhance their social impact
Small business advocates in Illinois this year succeeded in getting the state Senate to approve a “small business bill of rights” to ensure ...
bit.ly
December 23, 2024 at 5:36 PM
alec-lopata.bsky.social
No one, outside of the highest ivory towers of academia, talks like this. Democrats have a lot of work to do to learn how to authentically reach voters if this is the standard
December 23, 2024 at 2:22 PM
Reposted by Alec Lopata
wessaidwords.bsky.social
To Elon and Trump's great dismay, Dems are making sure we keep funding research to help kids with cancer!
fritschner.bsky.social Aaron Fritschner @fritschner.bsky.social · Dec 21
Huge huge news— Tim Kaine just passed one of the big pediatric cancer research bills, Jennifer Wexton’s Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0, by unanimous consent!

It already passed in the House so it will become law with the President’s signature! This is so great!!!
December 21, 2024 at 2:32 AM
alec-lopata.bsky.social
We should be funding pediatric cancer research.
December 20, 2024 at 10:40 PM