Scott L Greer
@scottlgreer.bsky.social
Political scientist in a public health school. Health policy and politics, especially in Europe. Recent books on EU health policy, federalism and social policy, co-benefits. Ann Arbor, Michigan. Opinions personal. 🚲. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5288-0471
Pinned
Scott L Greer
@scottlgreer.bsky.social
· May 19
I’ve been writing about the politics and impact of Donald Trump on the US and world, with special attention to Europe and the University of Michigan, and most of it is free to read. This thread, in order, brings it all together. I hope it’s useful as a resource on the different issues.
Really?
November 26, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Really?
You know, a smarter set of authoritarians might have gulled her. I don’t know. These guys? Pretend they’re running a consolidated autocracy when it’s just as likely they’ll all end up indicted themselves, and thereby make the latter more likely.
Elissa Slotkin says she, other lawmakers targets of possible FBI probe
U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said that the FBI has launched a possible inquiry into her and others for their message to military personnel.
www.freep.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:14 AM
You know, a smarter set of authoritarians might have gulled her. I don’t know. These guys? Pretend they’re running a consolidated autocracy when it’s just as likely they’ll all end up indicted themselves, and thereby make the latter more likely.
I do find it fascinating how many of them say that the society they oppose is a society of death. Some rather heavy metaphysical territory here- political disputes that quickly escalate into the meaning of life.
The anti-vaccine movement is a death cult
A third infant has died in Kentucky, KYDPH adds:
“These are Kentucky’s first pertussis deaths since 2018. None of the infants nor their mothers received the recommended pertussis vaccinations during pregnancy or early infancy.”
s3.amazonaws.com/nursing-netw...
“These are Kentucky’s first pertussis deaths since 2018. None of the infants nor their mothers received the recommended pertussis vaccinations during pregnancy or early infancy.”
s3.amazonaws.com/nursing-netw...
November 26, 2025 at 6:02 AM
I do find it fascinating how many of them say that the society they oppose is a society of death. Some rather heavy metaphysical territory here- political disputes that quickly escalate into the meaning of life.
It’s also going to produce a budgeting nightmare for a lot of future Dem appointees when they inherit a generally terrible post-Republican fiscal situation and then look at endless programs whose finances have been refashioned so that they depend on abusing visitors/ migrants/ poor people
National parks have SO MANY people from other countries (since they get real vacations!)
And they spend a lot of money on hotels, food, souvenirs, etc.
This is unbelievably dumb, it will destroy entire tourist towns
And they spend a lot of money on hotels, food, souvenirs, etc.
This is unbelievably dumb, it will destroy entire tourist towns
November 26, 2025 at 5:59 AM
It’s also going to produce a budgeting nightmare for a lot of future Dem appointees when they inherit a generally terrible post-Republican fiscal situation and then look at endless programs whose finances have been refashioned so that they depend on abusing visitors/ migrants/ poor people
Reposted by Scott L Greer
National parks have SO MANY people from other countries (since they get real vacations!)
And they spend a lot of money on hotels, food, souvenirs, etc.
This is unbelievably dumb, it will destroy entire tourist towns
And they spend a lot of money on hotels, food, souvenirs, etc.
This is unbelievably dumb, it will destroy entire tourist towns
November 26, 2025 at 3:13 AM
National parks have SO MANY people from other countries (since they get real vacations!)
And they spend a lot of money on hotels, food, souvenirs, etc.
This is unbelievably dumb, it will destroy entire tourist towns
And they spend a lot of money on hotels, food, souvenirs, etc.
This is unbelievably dumb, it will destroy entire tourist towns
I have the standard google calendars for a bunch of religions and countries on my calendar so I can avoid scheduling things on other people's holidays.
Imagine my delight to learn that google includes the Black Friday sales as a US [religious] "Observance"
Imagine my delight to learn that google includes the Black Friday sales as a US [religious] "Observance"
November 26, 2025 at 12:00 AM
I have the standard google calendars for a bunch of religions and countries on my calendar so I can avoid scheduling things on other people's holidays.
Imagine my delight to learn that google includes the Black Friday sales as a US [religious] "Observance"
Imagine my delight to learn that google includes the Black Friday sales as a US [religious] "Observance"
SCOTUS 'traded public legitimacy as a significant basis for its authority in favor of just alignment with the GOP"... As the justices keep rushing to Trump’s aid, Democrats grow more open to reform if they return to power—and thus Roberts lashes himself more tightly to Trump’s mast.'
This is all John Roberts’ fault
Trump owes his corrupt and abusive reign to one man.
www.motherjones.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
SCOTUS 'traded public legitimacy as a significant basis for its authority in favor of just alignment with the GOP"... As the justices keep rushing to Trump’s aid, Democrats grow more open to reform if they return to power—and thus Roberts lashes himself more tightly to Trump’s mast.'
"If you believe that people—including children—choose their own suffering for obscure reasons connected to reincarnation and energetic vibrations, you might not be so concerned with the potential harms of ushering in a new age of infectious disease."
From medicine to mysticism: the radicalization of Florida's top doc
Joseph Ladapo was a normie—until he met his wife and a guru into levitating and communicating with spirits.
www.motherjones.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:00 PM
"If you believe that people—including children—choose their own suffering for obscure reasons connected to reincarnation and energetic vibrations, you might not be so concerned with the potential harms of ushering in a new age of infectious disease."
Reposted by Scott L Greer
Yep. The range in my study of rural places in the South was 0.2-49.5 mi, while mean travel distances/times to access acute hospitals increased from 2007-2018 (from 9.85 mi in 2007 to 15.9 mi in 2018) onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Structural Factors and Racial/Ethnic Inequities in Travel Times to Acute Care Hospitals in the Rural US South, 2007–2018
Policy Points Policymakers should invest in programs to support rural health systems, with a more targeted focus on spatial accessibility and racial and ethnic equity, not only total supply or ne...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Yep. The range in my study of rural places in the South was 0.2-49.5 mi, while mean travel distances/times to access acute hospitals increased from 2007-2018 (from 9.85 mi in 2007 to 15.9 mi in 2018) onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
quite a case study: of elite radicalisation, but above all of the pipeline from health grifting to far-right politics
From medicine to mysticism: the radicalization of Florida's top doc
Joseph Ladapo was a normie—until he met his wife and a guru into levitating and communicating with spirits.
www.motherjones.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:56 PM
quite a case study: of elite radicalisation, but above all of the pipeline from health grifting to far-right politics
‘The evidence underpinning gender-affirming health care is “not different from most of medicine,” Guyatt said, and the field, from his point of view, looks about like any other in medicine, with a similar range of quality, caution, and care in medical practice—if possibly under more scrutiny.’
Trans health care "skeptics" lost a key ally—now they're having a meltdown
The godfather of evidence-based medicine on rejecting anti-trans "misuse" of his work.
www.motherjones.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:03 PM
‘The evidence underpinning gender-affirming health care is “not different from most of medicine,” Guyatt said, and the field, from his point of view, looks about like any other in medicine, with a similar range of quality, caution, and care in medical practice—if possibly under more scrutiny.’
“it is unpardonable that Labour is spending time promoting hateful policies which it knows will not work, instead of doing the actual work of government which the country requires.
This is the classic Westminster madness, the prototypical bullshit pantomime”
This is the classic Westminster madness, the prototypical bullshit pantomime”
A clown government elected on a seriousness ticket
People voted for Starmer because they wanted grown-up government. He should respect the mandate.
iandunt.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:00 PM
“it is unpardonable that Labour is spending time promoting hateful policies which it knows will not work, instead of doing the actual work of government which the country requires.
This is the classic Westminster madness, the prototypical bullshit pantomime”
This is the classic Westminster madness, the prototypical bullshit pantomime”
This piece is really good- on why rural hospitals close, why there are a lot more closures coming, and what happens next (accelerating economic and population decline)
When the hospital leaves town www.fiercehealthcare.com/hospitals/wh...
When the hospital leaves town
There are two kinds of Americans: those who live 12 minutes from an emergency department and those who live 72. | In large swaths of rural America, the basic expectation that an ambulance will reach a...
www.fiercehealthcare.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:23 AM
This piece is really good- on why rural hospitals close, why there are a lot more closures coming, and what happens next (accelerating economic and population decline)
“increasing overdose death rates are associated with an increase in Republican votes and a decline in Democratic votes and voter abstention. Additionally, the survey analyses reveal that this relationship is strongest among independents.”
November 25, 2025 at 2:08 AM
“increasing overdose death rates are associated with an increase in Republican votes and a decline in Democratic votes and voter abstention. Additionally, the survey analyses reveal that this relationship is strongest among independents.”
“We estimate that from the mid-2000s to 2022, exposure to the opioid epidemic continuously increased the Republican vote share in House, presidential, and gubernatorial elections.”
Recently accepted by #QJE, “Republican Support and Economic Hardship: The Enduring Effects of the Opioid Epidemic,” by Arteaga (@caroartc.bsky.social) and Barone (@vickybarone.bsky.social): doi.org/10.1093/qje/...
Republican Support and Economic Hardship: The Enduring Effects Of the Opioid Epidemic
Abstract. In this paper, we establish a causal connection between two of the most salient social developments in the United States over the past decades: t
doi.org
November 25, 2025 at 2:05 AM
“We estimate that from the mid-2000s to 2022, exposure to the opioid epidemic continuously increased the Republican vote share in House, presidential, and gubernatorial elections.”
Reposted by Scott L Greer
November 25, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Reposted by Scott L Greer
WOW! Autism Society of America, The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, the Autism Science Foundation, the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network and Autism Speaks put out a statement denouncing the CDC changing its website on vaccines
autisticadvocacy.org/2025/11/lead...
autisticadvocacy.org/2025/11/lead...
Leading Autism and Disability Organizations Statement on CDC's Vaccines and Autism Page
As national organizations dedicated to advancing the well-being of autistic individuals and partners across the disability and public health sectors, we are deeply disappointed by the latest update to...
autisticadvocacy.org
November 24, 2025 at 11:18 PM
WOW! Autism Society of America, The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, the Autism Science Foundation, the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network and Autism Speaks put out a statement denouncing the CDC changing its website on vaccines
autisticadvocacy.org/2025/11/lead...
autisticadvocacy.org/2025/11/lead...
Reposted by Scott L Greer
The notion that the political economy theory behind IRA failed because IRA did not prevent the election of Donald Trump is just an *insane* piece of backcasting. Insane.
November 24, 2025 at 10:58 PM
The notion that the political economy theory behind IRA failed because IRA did not prevent the election of Donald Trump is just an *insane* piece of backcasting. Insane.
Reposted by Scott L Greer
i just want to say that i wrote this exactly one year ago.
November 24, 2025 at 5:41 PM
i just want to say that i wrote this exactly one year ago.
Reposted by Scott L Greer
Sen. Mark Kelly has released a statement.
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
November 24, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Sen. Mark Kelly has released a statement.
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
"If this is meant to intimidate me and other members of Congress from doing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won't work. I've given too much to this country to be silenced by bullies..."
Reposted by Scott L Greer
We really do have two different kinds of law now: District Court law (aka the law), and Supreme Court "law" (aka the U.S. House of Lords upholding Trump's personalist regime)
I don’t know what the Supreme Court will do, but I am confident that at the District Court level it is still the case that the Pentagon cannot recall a sitting US Senator to active duty in order to court martial him for something he said. Article 1, Section 6, among other constitutional provisions.
November 24, 2025 at 6:04 PM
We really do have two different kinds of law now: District Court law (aka the law), and Supreme Court "law" (aka the U.S. House of Lords upholding Trump's personalist regime)
Aaand think about what any member might think they can get with the threat of leaving
PUNCHBOWL: “.. GOP members messaged us over the weekend saying that they, too, are considering retiring in the middle of the term. Here’s one particularly exercised senior House Republican:
@punchbowlnews.bsky.social
@punchbowlnews.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Aaand think about what any member might think they can get with the threat of leaving
Reposted by Scott L Greer
News coverage of DOGE’s creation earlier this year was practically wall-to-wall — for weeks. “$2 trillion in savings, $5000 dividend checks, an entirely new model of government.” And now that it’s gone, it’s like eh.
@techcrunch.com
techcrunch.com/2025/11/24/d...
@techcrunch.com
techcrunch.com/2025/11/24/d...
DOGE days are over as Trump disbands Elon Musk's team of federal cost-cutters | TechCrunch
DOGE members are reportedly worried that they could face prosecution for some of their activities conducted while under the leadership of Elon Musk.
techcrunch.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:27 PM
News coverage of DOGE’s creation earlier this year was practically wall-to-wall — for weeks. “$2 trillion in savings, $5000 dividend checks, an entirely new model of government.” And now that it’s gone, it’s like eh.
@techcrunch.com
techcrunch.com/2025/11/24/d...
@techcrunch.com
techcrunch.com/2025/11/24/d...
‘Offit continued: “If he has data showing he’s right, then fucking publish it. He can’t, because he doesn’t have those data.”’
NEW: When RFK Jr. first told Trump that Tylenol might cause autism, the president wanted to tweet out a warning. Kennedy told him not to do that. There was nuance, and the drug companies would push back. “I don’t give a shit about that,” Trump responded. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
The Most Powerful Man in Science
Why is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. so convinced he’s right?
www.theatlantic.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:03 AM
‘Offit continued: “If he has data showing he’s right, then fucking publish it. He can’t, because he doesn’t have those data.”’
Reposted by Scott L Greer
just learned we won an award for our blog post about Tom Holland and stormwater management.
remember, when you see an article about stormwater management, you repost it. i don’t make the rules.
remember, when you see an article about stormwater management, you repost it. i don’t make the rules.
What Tom Holland’s historic lip-sync showcase taught us about stormwater management
Grab your umbrella and your tights.
neorsd.medium.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:22 AM
just learned we won an award for our blog post about Tom Holland and stormwater management.
remember, when you see an article about stormwater management, you repost it. i don’t make the rules.
remember, when you see an article about stormwater management, you repost it. i don’t make the rules.