2025 8-13 Matters of Democracy TX, BLS Baghdad Bob, UCLA, Voting rights, '26 US Senatate
Matters of Democracy podcast · THOMAS MARINO
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Show Notes
The "Redistricting War" describes the intense partisan conflict over electoral map drawing, particularly prominent in Texas, with California signaling its potential entry into the fray. Texas Quorum-Jumping and Political Theater: Texas Democratic quorum-jumping continues to draw vocal condemnation from Republican state officials, notably Texas AG Ken Paxton and Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX). Despite "threats of arrest warrants and FBI involvement," the lack of concrete action suggests these were "just a bunch of hot air."
the politicization of federal institutions and the executive branch's use of power. E.J. Antoni's Nomination to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): E.J. Antoni, Donald Trump's pick for BLS head, is widely criticized by economists across the political spectrum as "the Baghdad Bob of Labor Statistics" and "an unqualified stooge." His eX-Twitter feed and published papers are described as "political propaganda masquerading as serious economic analysis," containing "elementary errors or nonsensical choices that all bias his findings in the same partisan direction."
UCLA's Win Against Federal Grant Freezes: A federal judge has ruled in UCLA's favor, ordering the White House to "un-cancel at least 300 of the 800 grants it had frozen." The government's power to cancel contracts and grants has limits; it "cannot act in bad faith" and "must have a clear justification for its termination decisions."
The Supreme Court's current actions, particularly regarding Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), are raising significant alarms.
Candidate News: U.S. Senate 2026 Outlook