Aaron Belkin

Chair (acting), Political Department, @SFSU. Tweets my own.

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

The forthcoming end of American democracy has almost nothing to do with Trump, and today's SCOTUS ruling that gives presidents dictatorial power is a massive nail in the coffin. Elaboration here... https://t.co/WlGbHP7Qzu

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

.@realDonaldTrump mention of Hitler's generals isn't a reference to Germany's regular military, but rather to Hitler's personal army, the Sturmabteilung (SA) or "Brown Shirts." Trump is saying he wants a private military of thugs, like Hitler had, to beat up & kill rivals.

[W. Kamau Bell @wkamaubell]

“Who’s Gonna Catch Your Kid?”

The party of “family values” continues to demonize families and their values.

On November 5, we all have choices to make at the ballot box, up & down the ballot. Make thoughtful and informed ones. I believe in you, & I’m proud of you.

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

Quantifying GOP's assault on freedom (past and future) https://t.co/yDJav7jcNC

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

Here's a coded message for @BillKristol who told @Timodc today that he and his colleagues in the Bush administration didn't "demonize minorities...whether cultural or racial or ethnic": Illie-way Orton-hay.

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

.@SarahLongwell25 @BulwarkOnline says Trump taught us political value of shamelessness. No. There's no difference between DJT & GWB's '04 anti-gay marriage push, Willie Horton ad, 50-yr GOP campaign to lie about voter fraud to tee up voter suppression, etc https://t.co/bMMlovP8VQ

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

.@realDonaldTrump mental decline will allow @JDVance and MAGA staffers to control his White House, as has been the case with many presidents who lost their mental and physical capacity to lead. Elaboration here: https://t.co/8tYoWCh28y

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

Tactically, @VP's message that DJT fights only for himself is perfect. But it's not accurate. More than anything else (even reducing inflation), MAGA voters want leaders to use gvt power to injure minorities. DJT promises to do just that = He's fighting for what his voters want

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

.@VP Harris should say, after each promise: "...but to make change, I need you to send me a Senate that will end the filibuster." Yes, D's need to win red seats and she needs to do whatever it takes to win WH. But long game depends on reviving faith in gvt that can deliver change

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

.@RepsForHarris are great,
but references to GOP as a party that's turned its back on its values are wrong. Since Nixon, GOP has been a vehicle for white voters to use gvt power to injure scapegoats. Nothing has changed, except MAGA is a bit less euphemistic about the quiet part.

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

To folks who disagree that US conservativism is quite simply about the use of gvt power to injure vulnerable scapegoats: I invite you to watch this 3-min video and then ask yourself: "why are these voters so exhilarated"? https://t.co/1g9nh839Np

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

.@stuartpstevens says on @GregTSargent Daily Blast podcast that "you can't really articulate with any credibility what American conservatism is." US conservatism is actually very simple. It's all about leveraging gvt power to injure vulnerable scapegoats. https://t.co/cWrymCWxHB

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

.@stuartpstevens says on @GregTSargent Daily Blast podcast that "you can't really articulate with any credibility what American conservatism is." US conservatism is actually very simple. It's all about leveraging gvt power to injure vulnerable scapegoats. https://t.co/cWrymCWxHB

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

I've criticized @POTUS many times for failing to embrace #SCOTUS reform & I do worry, with @ElieNYC, that term limits & code of conduct won't work. However, Biden's embrace of court reform is also a huge step that sets the bar for every D candidate, in every race, moving forward.

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

So much ❤️ to @jelani9 for this brilliant quote: "The past week has seen [Trump] awkwardly trying to figure out how to hate Harris from scratch."
https://t.co/OszgM3AJae

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

Prof. @OrinKerr Orrin Kerr says that the '24 elections won't be the last even if Trump wins. That is an incredibly stupid misdirect. Even Nazi Germany had elections. If/when democracy ends, we'll still have elections, but they'll be meaningless.

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I care a f*load more about Trump saying that if you vote for him, you won't have to vote ever again and GOP electeds, donors and voters being happy about that, than the Paris Olympics.

[Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦 @cmclymer]

Everyone should watch these two minutes. It's from the documentary "The Case Against 8" (2014, dir. Ben Cotner & Ryan White). As Attorney General of CA, Kamala Harris refused to defend the ban on same-sex marriage and personally ordered the issuing of marriage licenses to same-sex couples when the ban was struck down in 2013. This is our champion.

Donate to VP Harris here: https://t.co/5qvT7RIsbO

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

.@VP Harris will be the first major party nominee for President in modern American history to be open to #SCOTUS expansion.
https://t.co/DMjWKYQGbQ

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

.@VP Harris will be the first major party nominee for President in modern American history to be open to #SCOTUS expansion.
https://t.co/DMjWKYQGbQ

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

As someone who started campaigning for court expansion in 2018, I believe @VP should go bigger, and go straight for #SCOTUS jugular by calling for judicial disempowerment -- as explained by @samuelmoyn -- not court expansion or court reform https://t.co/4snlB8N6Tk

[Aaron Belkin @AaronBelkin]

As she crafts an aggressive policy to clip MAGA #SCOTUS wings, @VP should put together a Judicial Disempowerment Advisory Group with the 7 sharpest minds on court reform: @ElieNYC @samuelmoyn @Dahlialithwick @nikobowie @Mike_Podhorzer @LiptonLubet & @tribelaw