Matthew K. Ribar
@mattkribar.bsky.social
Postdoctoral fellow in political science @weidenbaumcenter.bsky.social. I study the political economy of land, development, and informality in West Africa. USAID keeps America safe. https://matthewkribar.com/
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
Really important to stress that the Crown Jewels of the US higher education system were never the Ivies or elite SLACs (other countries have equivalents of these) but the well-funded, large, cheap, and excellently staffed public state university systems bringing high quality education to the masses.
One of the bragging rights that the US ed system had in the 20th century is that we didn't have education tracks. Essentially, any kid could go to a CC or state school & major in whatever they wanted to (obviously an oversimplification). I fear this aspect of the American dream is dying.
November 23, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Really important to stress that the Crown Jewels of the US higher education system were never the Ivies or elite SLACs (other countries have equivalents of these) but the well-funded, large, cheap, and excellently staffed public state university systems bringing high quality education to the masses.
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
The unraveling of USAID was deliberate. Paul Martin sounded an alarm about nearly half a billion dollars in food aid, and he lost his post for it. That choice weakened the country’s own safeguards and its standing overseas. A government committed to democratic practice protects its overseers.
Democracy Works: The dismantling of USAID and the death of government oversight
Former NASA and USAID Inspector General Paul Martin joins us to recount the chaotic end to his decades-long career in public service and discuss the role that oversight plays in American democracy.
radio.wpsu.org
November 19, 2025 at 7:22 PM
The unraveling of USAID was deliberate. Paul Martin sounded an alarm about nearly half a billion dollars in food aid, and he lost his post for it. That choice weakened the country’s own safeguards and its standing overseas. A government committed to democratic practice protects its overseers.
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 6, 2025 at 9:00 PM
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
By this time next week, the estimated deaths due to the illegal destruction of USAID and the shuttering of its aid efforts will breach 400,000.
More than 260,000 will be children.
Source: www.bu.edu/sph/news/art...
More than 260,000 will be children.
Source: www.bu.edu/sph/news/art...
Tracking Anticipated Deaths from USAID Funding Cuts
Brooke Nichols has launched online tracking tools that capture estimated increases in mortality and disease spread for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other diseases as a result of the near-total...
www.bu.edu
November 5, 2025 at 10:28 PM
By this time next week, the estimated deaths due to the illegal destruction of USAID and the shuttering of its aid efforts will breach 400,000.
More than 260,000 will be children.
Source: www.bu.edu/sph/news/art...
More than 260,000 will be children.
Source: www.bu.edu/sph/news/art...
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
Excellent turnout amidst crummy weather here in St Louis!
October 18, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Excellent turnout amidst crummy weather here in St Louis!
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
It's going up to $40 billion.
USAID's budget last year was $28 billion.
USAID's budget last year was $28 billion.
October 16, 2025 at 2:35 AM
It's going up to $40 billion.
USAID's budget last year was $28 billion.
USAID's budget last year was $28 billion.
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
#OpenAccess from @apsrjournal.bsky.social -
Land, Power, and Property Rights: The Political Economy of Land Titling in Sub-Saharan Africa - https://cup.org/46qHNnT
- @mattkribar.bsky.social
#FirstView
Land, Power, and Property Rights: The Political Economy of Land Titling in Sub-Saharan Africa - https://cup.org/46qHNnT
- @mattkribar.bsky.social
#FirstView
September 26, 2025 at 7:20 PM
#OpenAccess from @apsrjournal.bsky.social -
Land, Power, and Property Rights: The Political Economy of Land Titling in Sub-Saharan Africa - https://cup.org/46qHNnT
- @mattkribar.bsky.social
#FirstView
Land, Power, and Property Rights: The Political Economy of Land Titling in Sub-Saharan Africa - https://cup.org/46qHNnT
- @mattkribar.bsky.social
#FirstView
I’m thrilled that my job market paper, “Land, Power, and Property Rights: The Political Economy of Land Titling in sub-Saharan Africa,” is hot off the press and open-access at @apsrjournal.bsky.social. A quick thread featuring more than you ever wanted to know about land tenure.
September 26, 2025 at 7:23 PM
I’m thrilled that my job market paper, “Land, Power, and Property Rights: The Political Economy of Land Titling in sub-Saharan Africa,” is hot off the press and open-access at @apsrjournal.bsky.social. A quick thread featuring more than you ever wanted to know about land tenure.
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
🚨 New paper alert 🚨 Using LLMs as data annotators, you can produce any scientific result you want. We call this **LLM Hacking**.
Paper: arxiv.org/pdf/2509.08825
Paper: arxiv.org/pdf/2509.08825
September 12, 2025 at 10:33 AM
🚨 New paper alert 🚨 Using LLMs as data annotators, you can produce any scientific result you want. We call this **LLM Hacking**.
Paper: arxiv.org/pdf/2509.08825
Paper: arxiv.org/pdf/2509.08825
This article highlights the fundamental lie behind Rubio’s claim that humanitarian aid is still flowing. Have grants been signed? A couple (massive cuts to humanitarian food). Has money been obligated? It’s starting to trickle. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/15/h...
A $45 Treatment Can Save a Starving Child. US Aid Cuts Have Frozen the Supply
www.nytimes.com
August 18, 2025 at 5:29 AM
This article highlights the fundamental lie behind Rubio’s claim that humanitarian aid is still flowing. Have grants been signed? A couple (massive cuts to humanitarian food). Has money been obligated? It’s starting to trickle. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/15/h...
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
Look, I hate to get all 1938 here, but this is exactly the same concession that Hitler made over Czechoslovakia.
Witkoff says the concessions that Russia has agreed to make is not gobbling up the entirety of Ukraine
August 17, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Look, I hate to get all 1938 here, but this is exactly the same concession that Hitler made over Czechoslovakia.
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
We took a close look at Split Ticket's WAR metric, which has become influential in Democratic circles for suggesting moderates significantly outperform progressives.
Our finding: The metric contains systematic biases that overstate the advantage of moderation. A corrected model shows no advantage.🧵
Our finding: The metric contains systematic biases that overstate the advantage of moderation. A corrected model shows no advantage.🧵
Do Moderates Do Better?
Uncovering Bias in Split Ticket’s WAR Scores
data4democracy.substack.com
August 14, 2025 at 8:44 PM
We took a close look at Split Ticket's WAR metric, which has become influential in Democratic circles for suggesting moderates significantly outperform progressives.
Our finding: The metric contains systematic biases that overstate the advantage of moderation. A corrected model shows no advantage.🧵
Our finding: The metric contains systematic biases that overstate the advantage of moderation. A corrected model shows no advantage.🧵
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
E.J. Antoni has more insurrections to his name than published papers
August 14, 2025 at 12:51 AM
E.J. Antoni has more insurrections to his name than published papers
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
Excellent article by Pratik Pawar on the consequences of cutting the Demographic and Health Surveys, and efforts to revive them. I'm quoted briefly.
The Demographic and Health Survey’s death, and potential revival, explained
Why this obscure survey from USAID has life-or-death stakes for global health. The Gates Foundation announced $25 million in emergency funding, but the long-term solution is far from clear.
www.vox.com
August 5, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Excellent article by Pratik Pawar on the consequences of cutting the Demographic and Health Surveys, and efforts to revive them. I'm quoted briefly.
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
Trump and Republicans know that America’s presence and influence around the world is critical.
Yet they’re destroying USAID and other foreign programs, ceding our global leadership to China.
Yet they’re destroying USAID and other foreign programs, ceding our global leadership to China.
August 2, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Trump and Republicans know that America’s presence and influence around the world is critical.
Yet they’re destroying USAID and other foreign programs, ceding our global leadership to China.
Yet they’re destroying USAID and other foreign programs, ceding our global leadership to China.
When the Trump administration said "trade not aid," it turns out they don't mean trade either:
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/w...
How the Threat of Trump’s Highest Tariff Derailed an African Nation
www.nytimes.com
August 3, 2025 at 7:45 PM
When the Trump administration said "trade not aid," it turns out they don't mean trade either:
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/w...
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
NYT (Jan. 1963): MOSCOW REPORTS BOOMING ECONOMY
"Every three months, statistics on results of the state plan are published. The statistics are unfailingly optimistic. Each time they raise questions ... about the relationship of statistics to reality."
www.nytimes.com/1963/01/28/a...
"Every three months, statistics on results of the state plan are published. The statistics are unfailingly optimistic. Each time they raise questions ... about the relationship of statistics to reality."
www.nytimes.com/1963/01/28/a...
MOSCOW REPORTS BOOMING ECONOMY; But Observers Find Facts Unsupported by Figures 9.5% Growth Asserted Local Statistics Questioned Soviet Maintains Industry Showed 9.5% Growth in '62 (Published 1963)
www.nytimes.com
August 1, 2025 at 7:35 PM
NYT (Jan. 1963): MOSCOW REPORTS BOOMING ECONOMY
"Every three months, statistics on results of the state plan are published. The statistics are unfailingly optimistic. Each time they raise questions ... about the relationship of statistics to reality."
www.nytimes.com/1963/01/28/a...
"Every three months, statistics on results of the state plan are published. The statistics are unfailingly optimistic. Each time they raise questions ... about the relationship of statistics to reality."
www.nytimes.com/1963/01/28/a...
The New York Times should be deeply ashamed of platforming Jeremy Lewin, the unqualified 28 year old DOGE bro who help destroy USAID. The piece below is full of lies, mischaracterizations, and bad faith which went completely unchecked. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/o...
Opinion | The DOGE Alum Asking if Foreign Aid Is America’s Problem
www.nytimes.com
July 31, 2025 at 8:55 PM
The New York Times should be deeply ashamed of platforming Jeremy Lewin, the unqualified 28 year old DOGE bro who help destroy USAID. The piece below is full of lies, mischaracterizations, and bad faith which went completely unchecked. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/o...
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
NEW
The White House is blocking the NIH from awarding new research grants for the rest of the fiscal year
Chokes off billions in research funding
Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol... with @nidhisubs.bsky.social
The White House is blocking the NIH from awarding new research grants for the rest of the fiscal year
Chokes off billions in research funding
Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol... with @nidhisubs.bsky.social
Trump Administration Puts New Chokehold on Billions in Health-Research Funding
The National Institutes of Health can’t award grants to outside researchers under a new White House restriction.
www.wsj.com
July 29, 2025 at 11:58 PM
NEW
The White House is blocking the NIH from awarding new research grants for the rest of the fiscal year
Chokes off billions in research funding
Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol... with @nidhisubs.bsky.social
The White House is blocking the NIH from awarding new research grants for the rest of the fiscal year
Chokes off billions in research funding
Gift link www.wsj.com/politics/pol... with @nidhisubs.bsky.social
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
NEW: The scenes in the lobby of State Department headquarters this evening (Fri).
Tears, cheers and hugs from colleagues as some of the 1300 fired workers leave the building with their belongings in boxes.
(🎥 Alex Raufoglu)
Tears, cheers and hugs from colleagues as some of the 1300 fired workers leave the building with their belongings in boxes.
(🎥 Alex Raufoglu)
July 11, 2025 at 11:42 PM
NEW: The scenes in the lobby of State Department headquarters this evening (Fri).
Tears, cheers and hugs from colleagues as some of the 1300 fired workers leave the building with their belongings in boxes.
(🎥 Alex Raufoglu)
Tears, cheers and hugs from colleagues as some of the 1300 fired workers leave the building with their belongings in boxes.
(🎥 Alex Raufoglu)
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
they have pictures of you guys in here
July 12, 2025 at 12:02 AM
they have pictures of you guys in here
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
Reposted by Matthew K. Ribar
STAGGERING: This new study of 133 countries is the first to estimate the impact of all USAID’s work. In 2 decades, it has saved *92M* lives. Current cuts, if not reversed, are forecast to cost up to *14M* lives thru 2030. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
July 1, 2025 at 2:23 PM
STAGGERING: This new study of 133 countries is the first to estimate the impact of all USAID’s work. In 2 decades, it has saved *92M* lives. Current cuts, if not reversed, are forecast to cost up to *14M* lives thru 2030. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...