Thomas M. Keck
@tmksyracuse.bsky.social
Mostly free speech and democratic backsliding. Also Syracuse politics and Baltimore sports.
Pinned
My kingdom for a chief justice who doesn’t inspire grateful backslapping from convicted felons
I’ve read a lot of takes on the shutdown cave, but this one is really important
What’s the difference between compromise and capitulation? Compromise trades concessions. Capitulation pays ransom to stop deliberate suffering, and teaches your opponent that coercion works. There are effective responses to coercive bargaining. What we saw was not one of them.
The Compassion Trap: How the Shutdown Weaponized Democratic Values Against Democracy Itself
When Opposition Parties Stop Fighting Because the Cruelty Becomes Unbearable. And Why They Shouldn't.
open.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:23 AM
I’ve read a lot of takes on the shutdown cave, but this one is really important
“DO NOT REPEAT THIS INSIGHT”
November 12, 2025 at 4:48 PM
“DO NOT REPEAT THIS INSIGHT”
Reposted by Thomas M. Keck
Great @mashagessen.bsky.social on the true purpose of Trump's cruel passport gender marker rules: exerting social control. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/o...
Opinion | The Ruling About Passports Isn’t About ID. It’s About Social Control.
www.nytimes.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Great @mashagessen.bsky.social on the true purpose of Trump's cruel passport gender marker rules: exerting social control. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/o...
Reposted by Thomas M. Keck
You know who else refused to swear in democratically elected members of congress?
Nicolas Maduro (2015)
Just saying…
Nicolas Maduro (2015)
Just saying…
Speaker Johnson is officially keeping the House in recess again next week. This will be the eighth consecutive week the House has been out of session. The chamber hasn't met since Sept. 19. Adelita Grijalva, who was elected on Sept. 23, has not been sworn in.
November 7, 2025 at 9:54 PM
You know who else refused to swear in democratically elected members of congress?
Nicolas Maduro (2015)
Just saying…
Nicolas Maduro (2015)
Just saying…
Thread
A family friend was telling us about what her husband shared about his experience in Broadview before he was deported back to Mexico. She's been sharing to friends and family because she's just in disbelief & horror what her husband told her. She wasn't able to talk to him until he was in Mexico.
November 7, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Thread
ffs
BREAKING: The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to enforce its anti-trans and anti-nonbinary passport policy during litigation.
The unsigned, four-paragraph order effectively reverses two lower-court decisions. The Democratic appointees dissent.
More to come: www.lawdork.com
The unsigned, four-paragraph order effectively reverses two lower-court decisions. The Democratic appointees dissent.
More to come: www.lawdork.com
![SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
No. 25A319
DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, ET AL. v. ASHTON ORR, ET AL.
ON APPLICATION FOR STAY
[November 6, 2025]
This case concerns an Executive Branch policy requiring
all new passports to display an individual’s biological sex at
birth. The United States District Court for the District of
Massachusetts preliminarily enjoined the Government
from enforcing the policy, and the First Circuit declined to
stay the injunction pending appeal. The Government then
filed this stay application. Applying our familiar stay fac-
tors at this preliminary stage, we grant the application.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:36eqtmzysqf7wsslczw4uxcd/bafkreievxyvqikl7wmrg5jkqhsrta5l5xfq272x7caunvxka7vtuzp7hoa@jpeg)
November 6, 2025 at 9:15 PM
ffs
This whole thread
Ellis rules that the Trump administration impermissibly prevented the free exercise of religion, in violation of the First Amendment.
Those engaged in prayer have been shot, without warning, with pepper balls and tear gas, Ellis says.
Those engaged in prayer have been shot, without warning, with pepper balls and tear gas, Ellis says.
November 6, 2025 at 5:15 PM
This whole thread
Please tell me this was a rogue headline writer trolling Douthat
November 6, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Please tell me this was a rogue headline writer trolling Douthat
Reposted by Thomas M. Keck
Here’s a fun fact: More than 1000 people have signed up at runforwhat.net to run for office since last night. 😈😈😈
November 5, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Here’s a fun fact: More than 1000 people have signed up at runforwhat.net to run for office since last night. 😈😈😈
17th century pamphleteer who’s been scrolling Bluesky for 400 years with the ancestors: Finally!
utterly OBSESSED with this song rn
'Dominion of the Sword' English Folk Song - Nastee Chapel
YouTube video by Nastee Chapel
youtu.be
November 5, 2025 at 1:31 PM
17th century pamphleteer who’s been scrolling Bluesky for 400 years with the ancestors: Finally!
Good grief, I just remembered we’ve got SCOTUS arguments this morning
November 5, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Good grief, I just remembered we’ve got SCOTUS arguments this morning
CNY peeps, @taniel.bsky.social is shouting us out
the sort of headline we're seeing all over: www.syracuse.com/politics/cny...
November 5, 2025 at 11:05 AM
CNY peeps, @taniel.bsky.social is shouting us out
‼️
Re-upping the dedication of Mahmood Mamdani's 2020 book, 'Neither Settler nor Native'.
November 5, 2025 at 10:46 AM
‼️
Reposted by Thomas M. Keck
University of Virginia AAUP calls to immediately rescind the standstill agreement with Trump admin!
It poses these threats to academic freedom:
❌Divergence from Existing Civil Rights Law
❌Unconstitutional Coercion
❌Conflict with Virginia Law
❌Lack of Due Process
❌Preventing Legal Challenges
It poses these threats to academic freedom:
❌Divergence from Existing Civil Rights Law
❌Unconstitutional Coercion
❌Conflict with Virginia Law
❌Lack of Due Process
❌Preventing Legal Challenges
aaup-uva.org
November 4, 2025 at 5:30 PM
University of Virginia AAUP calls to immediately rescind the standstill agreement with Trump admin!
It poses these threats to academic freedom:
❌Divergence from Existing Civil Rights Law
❌Unconstitutional Coercion
❌Conflict with Virginia Law
❌Lack of Due Process
❌Preventing Legal Challenges
It poses these threats to academic freedom:
❌Divergence from Existing Civil Rights Law
❌Unconstitutional Coercion
❌Conflict with Virginia Law
❌Lack of Due Process
❌Preventing Legal Challenges
Reposted by Thomas M. Keck
Earth shaking is confirmed by local media (gift link):
www.syracuse.com/politics/cny...
www.syracuse.com/politics/cny...
November 5, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Earth shaking is confirmed by local media (gift link):
www.syracuse.com/politics/cny...
www.syracuse.com/politics/cny...
Zohran opens with quote from Eugene Debs! I was just teaching Debs’ Canton speech this morning. I hope some of my students are watching
November 5, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Zohran opens with quote from Eugene Debs! I was just teaching Debs’ Canton speech this morning. I hope some of my students are watching
If these results hold, this will be _wild_ earth-shaking result for local politics here in Central New York
The Onondaga County Legislature has been a GOP-gerrymandered mess for as long as any of us can remember.
Don't want to jinx anything, and votes still being counted, but Dem and/or WFP candidates are currently leading in 10 of the 17 seats.
Don't want to jinx anything, and votes still being counted, but Dem and/or WFP candidates are currently leading in 10 of the 17 seats.
100% reporting and longtime @cnysolidarity.bsky.social member @elainemichele.bsky.social is up 10 points in her race for county legislator
November 5, 2025 at 3:57 AM
If these results hold, this will be _wild_ earth-shaking result for local politics here in Central New York
Looks like we’re finally getting our first Black mayor in Syracuse
November 5, 2025 at 3:34 AM
Looks like we’re finally getting our first Black mayor in Syracuse
Whoa yay!
NBC calls it! bsky.app/profile/lawr...
Pennsylvania voters retain three state Supreme Court justices, preserving Democrats' 5-2 majority
👇
www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...
👇
www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...
November 5, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Whoa yay!
So sorry to hear this
I was laid off from Teen Vogue today along with multiple other staffers, and today is my last day.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
November 3, 2025 at 9:40 PM
So sorry to hear this
Just donated! CNY peeps, please spread the word
With our partners @cnysolidarity.bsky.social, we're trying to raise $20k for the Food Bank of CNY. Please donate if you can, and spread the word actionnetwork.org/fundraising/...
Turning Outrage into Action: Fundraiser to Benefit Food Bank of CNY
Imagine suddenly facing the choice of buying food, paying the rent or keeping the heat on. One in seven households in NY are facing this financial cliff. As of November 1, federal government funding ...
actionnetwork.org
November 3, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Just donated! CNY peeps, please spread the word
I’ll be there
Our next joint meeting with @cnysolidarity.bsky.social is Nov. 9. All are welcome. Please sign up and spread the word mobilize.us/s/UmTGOf
CNY Solidarity & Indivisible Onondaga County November Meeting · Indivisible Onondaga County
Please join us for a joint meeting of CNY Solidarity Coalition and Indivisible Onondaga County.
This month we will have a panel discussion about the impacts of the Republican Budget Bill on education...
mobilize.us
November 1, 2025 at 9:20 PM
I’ll be there
Federal appellate courts kneecapping federal district courts’ efforts to rein in executive lawlessness, exhibit one million
JUST IN: Anonymous 3-judge 7th Circuit panel permanently blocks Judge Sara Ellis' order, in anti-ICE protest litigation, that required Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino to provide daily, in-person report to court. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26... Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2025/10...
October 31, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Federal appellate courts kneecapping federal district courts’ efforts to rein in executive lawlessness, exhibit one million