Ben Alpers
@benalpers.bsky.social
Professor of US History. Author of HAPPY DAYS: IMAGES OF THE PRE-SIXTIES PAST IN SEVENTIES AMERICA (Rutgers University Press, 2024). Opinions are entirely my own. He/him.
Thread
i think to understand the meaning of the birthright citizenship clause to the framers of the 14th amendment, you have to understand significance of dred scott to the civil war republican party. dred scott wasn't just a bad ruling, it was understood as a rejection of the declaration itself.
December 6, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Thread
Reposted by Ben Alpers
I'm going to keep saying this in my effort to speak it into reality: Supreme Court should have at least 100 Justices with rotating panels (and maybe an en banc option). No single Justice should have so much power and they shouldn't be names everyone knows.
A court with a normal-ish conservative majority would have been tolerable. I'm not eager for court packing, impeaching justices, and other such options. But this court sticking around post-Trump is untenable. They've already torched their own legitimacy, the only question is what do we do about it.
Democrats need to lay the groundwork for reform by attacking the villains on the Supreme Court - loudly, angrily, personally, relentlessly. And they should start now.
paulwaldman.substack.com/p/democrats-...
paulwaldman.substack.com/p/democrats-...
December 5, 2025 at 10:41 PM
I'm going to keep saying this in my effort to speak it into reality: Supreme Court should have at least 100 Justices with rotating panels (and maybe an en banc option). No single Justice should have so much power and they shouldn't be names everyone knows.
Reposted by Ben Alpers
"Soon, CNN will run live odds on world events where its viewers can gamble on them in real time on their smartphones."
CNN Partners With a Gambling App That Lets You Wager on Starvation in Gaza
The app company’s two biggest investors are also heavily invested in the Israeli military.
truthout.org
December 5, 2025 at 10:28 PM
"Soon, CNN will run live odds on world events where its viewers can gamble on them in real time on their smartphones."
Frog rethinks its decision to give Scorpion a ride across the river.
December 5, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Frog rethinks its decision to give Scorpion a ride across the river.
Reposted by Ben Alpers
They’ve nullified the 14th amendment once already, they don’t care what the constitution says, only what their political allies want it to say
December 5, 2025 at 7:43 PM
They’ve nullified the 14th amendment once already, they don’t care what the constitution says, only what their political allies want it to say
I seem to remember reading that, under Fascism, a light, visible from outside the building, was always left on overnight in the Villa Torlonia, Mussolini's residence in Rome, in service of the myth that Il Duce never slept, as he was always working for Italy.
VARNEY: Do you work 18 hours a day?
MIKE JOHNSON: More. More. And I have to, because President Trump works 21 hours a day.
MIKE JOHNSON: More. More. And I have to, because President Trump works 21 hours a day.
December 5, 2025 at 3:23 PM
I seem to remember reading that, under Fascism, a light, visible from outside the building, was always left on overnight in the Villa Torlonia, Mussolini's residence in Rome, in service of the myth that Il Duce never slept, as he was always working for Italy.
Reposted by Ben Alpers
You may have heard that Trump’s extortion of University of California was defeated in court. But do you know who won this historic case? Spoiler: not a single UC administrator participated. It was all faculty members of the UC Faculty Associations and @aaup.org! Cc: @veenadubal.bsky.social
Behind the Scenes: How UC Faculty Beat Back Trump's Attacks
YouTube video by UC Faculty
youtu.be
December 5, 2025 at 7:15 AM
You may have heard that Trump’s extortion of University of California was defeated in court. But do you know who won this historic case? Spoiler: not a single UC administrator participated. It was all faculty members of the UC Faculty Associations and @aaup.org! Cc: @veenadubal.bsky.social
"The future, Mr. Gits!"
December 5, 2025 at 1:30 PM
"The future, Mr. Gits!"
Sarah Isgur is a longtime GOP political operative who was on Jeff Sessions's AG confirmation team in 2017 before serving as Justice Dept spokesperson during Trump's first term. Now @nytopinion.nytimes.com is paying her to lie to provide cover for the destruction of our system of government.
“What we are actually seeing at the Supreme Court is the chance to rebalance the separation of powers in the federal government,” Sarah Isgur writes.
Opinion | Actually, the Supreme Court Has a Plan
We are seeing an intentional effort from justices to rebalance the separation of powers in the federal government.
nyti.ms
December 5, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Sarah Isgur is a longtime GOP political operative who was on Jeff Sessions's AG confirmation team in 2017 before serving as Justice Dept spokesperson during Trump's first term. Now @nytopinion.nytimes.com is paying her to lie to provide cover for the destruction of our system of government.
It cannot be said enough what an extraordinarily misogynistic organization the Catholic Church is.
A second Vatican study commission has determined that women should not be ordained as deacons. The Vatican on Thursday took the unusual step of publishing a synthesis of the commission’s findings, including the members’ votes on specific theological questions.
Vatican commission again says no to ordaining women as deacons, but urges other ministries
A second Vatican study commission has determined that women should not be ordained as deacons. The Vatican on Thursday took the unusual step of publishing a synthesis of the commission’s findings, including the members’ votes on specific theological questions.
bit.ly
December 5, 2025 at 1:11 PM
It cannot be said enough what an extraordinarily misogynistic organization the Catholic Church is.
"There's no good evidence" is the equally pernicious journalistic sibling of "some say." One could just as accurately write "There's no good evidence that Jews kill Christian babies to make matzah from their blood."
It's notable that, even in an article critical of RFK Jr., the reporter hedges, saying "There’s no good evidence of serious, widespread harm from the vaccine" rather than just "vaccines are safe." RFK Jr. has made a career of exploiting the ambiguity of the former.
www.thebulwark.com/p/rfk-anti-v...
www.thebulwark.com/p/rfk-anti-v...
RFK’s Anti-Vax Team Readies Its Next Moves
“Their game is, let’s really destabilize trust in the vaccine, and make people really anxious about it.”
www.thebulwark.com
December 5, 2025 at 1:08 PM
"There's no good evidence" is the equally pernicious journalistic sibling of "some say." One could just as accurately write "There's no good evidence that Jews kill Christian babies to make matzah from their blood."
Reposted by Ben Alpers
I am begging reporters to heed @jessicacalarco.com's warning here. There is too much equivocation even in articles that highlight RFK Jr's anti-vaccine zealotry. These articles juxtapose a claim he offers, with "other experts say." It is a pernicious tic of mainstream journalism and has to stop.
It's notable that, even in an article critical of RFK Jr., the reporter hedges, saying "There’s no good evidence of serious, widespread harm from the vaccine" rather than just "vaccines are safe." RFK Jr. has made a career of exploiting the ambiguity of the former.
www.thebulwark.com/p/rfk-anti-v...
www.thebulwark.com/p/rfk-anti-v...
RFK’s Anti-Vax Team Readies Its Next Moves
“Their game is, let’s really destabilize trust in the vaccine, and make people really anxious about it.”
www.thebulwark.com
December 5, 2025 at 12:23 PM
I am begging reporters to heed @jessicacalarco.com's warning here. There is too much equivocation even in articles that highlight RFK Jr's anti-vaccine zealotry. These articles juxtapose a claim he offers, with "other experts say." It is a pernicious tic of mainstream journalism and has to stop.
The reductio ad absurdum of the "marketplace of ideas."
The co-founder of Kalshi says: " The long-term vision is to financialize everything and create a tradable asset out of any difference in opinion."
December 3, 2025 at 9:54 PM
The reductio ad absurdum of the "marketplace of ideas."
Reposted by Ben Alpers
Every sentence here is even crazier than the last.
December 2, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Every sentence here is even crazier than the last.
So very this.
My hot take is that I don't give a fuck if someone without disabilities gets an accommodation. They get a slightly better grade on a test? Tests are just part of a grade or portfolio and also, who FUCKING CARES. I care that a disabled person isn't *penalized* for needing more time.
Balancing "no person with a disability should be denied accommodations" with "it's important to discourage non-disabled people from pretending to be disabled to take advantage of these accommodations" is really difficult and I don't have a great answer for what anyone should do about it.
December 3, 2025 at 4:03 PM
So very this.
Game recognize game.
Trump said he is offering a "full and unconditional PARDON" to a Democratic Rep. and his wife who were indicted for bribery and money laundering
Trump Says He's Pardoning Henry Cuellar
www.huffpost.com
December 3, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Game recognize game.
Currently working the Not Arguing Online With Fellow Opponents of Fascism Who Happen To Be Very Wrong About Some Political Things on The Internet Popular Front Challenge.
December 3, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Currently working the Not Arguing Online With Fellow Opponents of Fascism Who Happen To Be Very Wrong About Some Political Things on The Internet Popular Front Challenge.
💯
December 3, 2025 at 3:31 PM
💯
Not sure what "progressive centrist"
means, but the only non-fascist I know who thinks Trump provides a model of getting things done is a proud centrist who thinks that left and right are equally at fault for failing to embrace the entirely obvious (to him) technocratic solutions to our problems.
means, but the only non-fascist I know who thinks Trump provides a model of getting things done is a proud centrist who thinks that left and right are equally at fault for failing to embrace the entirely obvious (to him) technocratic solutions to our problems.
There is such a thirst in some progressive centrist circles that they will look at the Trump administration as a model to get things done. I think its worth addressing the argument. This is from Mark Dunkelman, author of the widely praised "Why Nothing Works."
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/03/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/03/o...
Opinion | What the Left Could Learn From Trump’s Brutal Efficiency
www.nytimes.com
December 3, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Not sure what "progressive centrist"
means, but the only non-fascist I know who thinks Trump provides a model of getting things done is a proud centrist who thinks that left and right are equally at fault for failing to embrace the entirely obvious (to him) technocratic solutions to our problems.
means, but the only non-fascist I know who thinks Trump provides a model of getting things done is a proud centrist who thinks that left and right are equally at fault for failing to embrace the entirely obvious (to him) technocratic solutions to our problems.
This is pretty much the right response to Yglesias on anything...unless one prefers simply ignoring him.
okay matt
December 3, 2025 at 2:06 PM
This is pretty much the right response to Yglesias on anything...unless one prefers simply ignoring him.
Reposted by Ben Alpers
For my newsletter, I wrote about that college essay scandal that's gone viral and what everyone is seeming to miss:
It's about ATTACKING TRANS PEOPLE!!!
www.burnsnotice.com/that-viral-e...
It's about ATTACKING TRANS PEOPLE!!!
www.burnsnotice.com/that-viral-e...
That Viral Essay Scandal is (SURPRISE!) Actually About Trans People
A shoddy Oklahoma University essay went viral. Cis people think this is about conservatives whining for better grades. Trans people see a planned attack on a trans academic.
(Note for free subscriber...
www.burnsnotice.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:18 PM
For my newsletter, I wrote about that college essay scandal that's gone viral and what everyone is seeming to miss:
It's about ATTACKING TRANS PEOPLE!!!
www.burnsnotice.com/that-viral-e...
It's about ATTACKING TRANS PEOPLE!!!
www.burnsnotice.com/that-viral-e...
Reposted by Ben Alpers
it is the worst of all worlds. a "unitary *presidency*" insulated from judicial or congressional power and a weak president unable to do the job of governing
December 1, 2025 at 5:36 PM
it is the worst of all worlds. a "unitary *presidency*" insulated from judicial or congressional power and a weak president unable to do the job of governing
Reposted by Ben Alpers
No value, no villain, no vision. Sounds like the tagline for the earnings call of a collapsing appliance retailer
November 30, 2025 at 1:20 PM
No value, no villain, no vision. Sounds like the tagline for the earnings call of a collapsing appliance retailer
Reposted by Ben Alpers
yeah AI Ben Garrison is incredible
November 30, 2025 at 5:17 PM
yeah AI Ben Garrison is incredible