willemsas.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

The technical geniuses at DOGE strike again

submitted 23 hours ago • 61 comments

Seems like saving Democracy is going to come down to a handful of GOP representatives more afraid of a mob of angry seniors in their district than one angry senior in the White House.

submitted 1 day ago • 53 comments

Prof Wim Marneffe over regeldruk en administratieve vereenvoudiging in @tijd.be

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Something is shifting. They are still breaking things and stealing things. And they will keep trying to break and to steal. But the propaganda magic around the oligarchical coup is fading. (1/2)

submitted 1 day ago • 1534 comments

“Effectively, China has always been stymied, in terms of competition with the U.S., by the fact that America is strongly allied with Europe.” www.axios.com/2025/02/20/t...

submitted 2 days ago • 3 comments

As it happens, Trump has gone so far off the cliff that Europe isn’t divided but closing ranks. I figured that it’ll become politically difficult for European politicians to try and suck up to him because electorates see what Trump is doing and are very angry. But it’s even better than expected:

submitted 1 day ago • 36 comments

Starlink should be banned from European markets on national security grounds. Anything requiring Starlink should be shut out of the European market, and sanctions should be considered against all relevant actors. kyivindependent.com/us-threatens...

submitted 1 day ago • 139 comments

Meanwhile, in a functioning democracy far far away…

submitted 4 days ago • 3 comments

What Europe should do RIGHT NOW: Make it extremely easy for US scientists to get long-term visa, create as many additional research jobs in key areas as possible, create new, generous science and research funds. People are losing their jobs over there NOW. Let‘s welcome them.

submitted 6 days ago • 30 comments

“DOGE apparently didn’t understand the workers’ role”—in other words, that the “National Nuclear Security Agency” was an agency having something to do with national nuclear security

submitted 6 days ago • 434 comments

Wow, I’m sure JD Vance is shocked to see the American Vice President call for jailing journalists he dislikes and will condemn this threat to free speech as forcefully as he did to European leaders this week

submitted 6 days ago • 6 comments

Portuguese editorial cartoonist Zez Vaz reaches back to Tiananmen Square to call on American defiance.

submitted 8 days ago • 540 comments

You don't need to be a coder to figure this out. Simply type: tab age You'll discover a smattering of 99 year olds, a few 100 year olds, a couple of 101 year olds, and a pileup of 150 year olds, but no-one in their 130s or 140s. That's a clear sign you've discovered a coding issue rather than fraud

submitted 8 days ago • 23 comments

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

The Department of Government Efficiency isn't interested in efficiency. Or transparency, or cutting costs. It's real goal is to destroy the federal civil service. In other words, regime change. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

submitted 9 days ago • 166 comments

Our article 'A Crisis of Political Trust?' led by @viktorv.bsky.social is now out in @bjpols.bsky.social! We use >3,000 surveys in 143 countries between 1958 and 2019, finding that trust in representative institutions has generally been declining in recent decades. www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

submitted 11 days ago • 6 comments

Iedereen middenklasser! Laten we vooral niet vergeten dat 79% van de beursgenoteerde aandelen in handen zijn van de top 10% rijkste Belgen. Meest ongelijk verdeelde deel van het totale vermogen. De sterkste schouders dragen wel degelijk een meerwaardebelasting. Als ze er ooit komt. 🥲

submitted 12 days ago • 3 comments

👏 to 200K lovers of democracy and freeedom

submitted 15 days ago • 0 comments

Elon Musk's recent interventions in the UK and Germany have gone down poorly in both countries - 69-73% say Musk trying to influence national politics is unacceptable - 63% say Musk knows little to nothing about issues in their country - Musk net favourability: -52/-53 yougov.co.uk/politics/art...

submitted 37 days ago • 6 comments

Political trust is likely in global decline. What are the consequences? Our experiment suggests low-trusters more often accept info saying immigration threatens the welfare state. Trust matters more than most economic, cultural, and contextual factors - with @finseraas.bsky.social & Atle Haugsgjerd

submitted 17 days ago • 1 comment

Welfare States and Moral Character: Lost Wallet Edition journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

submitted 17 days ago • 1 comment

When democracy fails, there’s always voting with your Tesla.. I wonder if Hirschman would call this exit or voice :) on.ft.com/3WLFcQ0

submitted 17 days ago • 0 comments

Stel je CBS of RIVM voor, die van de ene op de andere dag al hun data over gezondheid van het web halen. Data die maatschappelijk relevant onderzoek mogelijk maakt en nodig is om effecten van beleid transparant te maken voor het publiek.

submitted 22 days ago • 0 comments

Food for thought (Uit nieuwsbrief van Noah Smith)

submitted 22 days ago • 2 comments

De nieuwe armoedecijfers zijn er. In 2023 leefde nog 12,3% van de bevolking met een inkomen onder de armoedegrens, vandaag is dat verder gezakt naar 11,5%. In 2019 was dat nog 14,8%. Een daling met 3,3 procentpunt of 22 procent: goed nieuws! Maar er is een maar. 🧵 statbel.fgov.be/nl/themas/hu...

submitted 25 days ago • 2 comments

Opinie van Prof @willemsas.bsky.social in @detijd.bsky.social: "Als onze politici blijven falen, kiezen jongeren nog meer voor de extremen"

submitted 27 days ago • 0 comments

An incredible photo from Berlin this evening. An estimated 100,000 have been on the streets in the German capital today to protest against the Far Right and fascism in Europe. #Resist (📸 Ricarda Lang)

submitted 29 days ago • 76 comments