Harvard has long been accused of fostering an anti-free speech environment and quelching viewpoint diversity. That was the subject of my recent debate with Law Professor Randall Kennedy at Harvard. A new report confirms many of the objections raised in that debate, including a chilling environment where only a third of Harvard’s most recent graduating class expressed comfort in discussing controversial subjects.
Some 89 percent of the graduating class responded to the survey. The study of the Classroom Social Compact Committee, co-chaired by Economics professor David I. Laibson ’88 and History professor Maya R. Jasanoff ’96, found that, with an overwhelmingly liberal faculty and student body, even liberal Harvard students still found a chilling environment for free expression at the school. And it is getting worse. The results show a 13 percent decrease from the Class of 2023.
This year, Harvard found itself in a familiar spot on the annual ranking of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE): dead last among 251 universities and colleges.
What is most striking is the fact that Harvard has created this hostile environment while maintaining an overwhelmingly liberal student body and faculty. Only 9 percent of the class identified as conservative or very conservative.
Yet, even liberals feel stifled at Harvard. Only 41 percent of liberal students reported being comfortable discussing controversial topics, and only 25 percent of moderates and 17 percent of conservatives felt comfortable in doing so.
During the Harvard debate, I raised the gradual reduction of conservatives and libertarians in the student body and the faculty.
The Harvard Crimson has documented how the school’s departments have virtually eliminated Republicans. In one study of multiple departments last year, they found that more than 75 percent of the faculty self-identified as “liberal” or “very liberal.”
Only 5 percent identified as “conservative,” and only 0.4% as “very conservative.”
According to Gallup, the U.S. population is roughly equally divided among conservatives (36%), moderates (35%), and liberals (26%).
So Harvard has three times the number of liberals as the nation at large, and less than three percent identify as “conservative” rather than 35 percent nationally.
Among law school faculty who donated more than $200 to a political party, 91 percent of the Harvard faculty gave to Democrats.
While Professor Kennedy dismissed the notion that Harvard should look more like America, the problem is that it does not even look like Massachusetts. Even as one of the most liberal states in the country, roughly one-third of the voters still identify as Republican.
The student body shows the same bias of selection. Harvard Crimson previously found that only 7 percent of incoming students identified as conservative. The latest survey shows that level at 9 percent.
Some faculty members are wringing their hands over this continued hostile environment. However, the faculty as a whole is unwilling to restore free speech and intellectual diversity by adding conservative and libertarian faculty members and sponsoring events that reflect a broad array of viewpoints.
Given my respect for Professor Kennedy, I was surprised that he dismissed the sharp rise in students saying that they did not feel comfortable speaking in classes. Referring to them as “conservative snowflakes,” he insisted that they had to have the courage of their convictions.
This ignores the fact that they depend upon professors for recommendations, and challenging the school’s orthodoxy can threaten their standing. Moreover, a recent survey shows that even liberal students feel chilled in the environment created by Harvard faculty and administrators.
There was a hopeful aspect, however, to the debate. Before the debate, the large audience voted heavily in favor of Harvard’s position. However, after the debate, they overwhelmingly voted against Harvard’s position on free speech.
It is an example of how exposure to opposing views can change the bias or assumptions in higher education.
There is little likelihood that Harvard or higher education will change. It is like the old joke about how many psychiatrists it takes to change a light bulb. The answer is just one but the bulb really has to want to change.
At the end of the day, there is no real indication that Harvard faculty want any of this to change. They will continue to report the results of surveys and express deep angst and confusion over the results. What they will not do is meaningfully change their course in the hiring of faculty, admission of students, and sponsoring of debates.
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro professor of public interest law at George Washington University and the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.”
Federal judge McConnell is threatening Trump with criminal charged over his court order.
Go ahead halfwit. Don’t you know Trump can pardon himself?
https://dailycallernewsfoundation.org/2025/02/10/federal-judge-threatening-trump-admin-with-criminal-charges-over-spending-freeze-used-to-be-a-major-dem-dono
The federal courts are looking pretty shabby these days.
Somebody higher up should rein these robed tyrants in.
The judge is an unusually partisan left winger. He:
donated hundreds of thousands to Democratic campaigns and political action committees, including 2008 presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Barack Obama, according to Federal Election Commission records. He also donated over $8,000 to Democratic Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s 2006 senate campaign.
He also ran a branch of Planned Parenthood.
It looks as if some of the judges aren’t meant to be judges but are meant to be bad actors for the Deep State. They are certainly acting that way and unless some courts of appeal body slam these tyrants the judicial system is going to lose what is left of its reputation.
I am at the point where I don’t care if Trump basically tells them to shove their orders up their behinds with hot sauce for lubrication.
Much of the rest of the country is likely coming to the same opinion.
I’m not sure if the First Circuit would want to remedy the problem. It might require Scotus.
Scotus should jump in. The potential damage arising from a confrontation between the executive and the judiciary is very serious.
I have already picked my side. No executive can function when micromanaged by judges.
On the faculty and student body, the brightest people at universities like Harvard are not liberals. But they are vastly outnumbered.
Maybe, just maybe, Harvard students are uncomfortable discussing controversial subjects because these students don’t have the skill set to do so. Most received their primary and secondary education in government schools staffed by government educators who fed these students the propaganda of needing spaces “safe” from controversial speech. To do otherwise would likely have increased these teacher’s workload. Don’t doubt that admissions committees at Harvard (and other colleges) can easily distinguish these group-think students from the more well-rounded student comfortable with discussing controversial topics and then using their inferences to reject these student’s college acceptance. A classroom echo chamber of pliant students that agree consistently with the professor makes the professor’s job much, much easier than having to deal with college students who may voice a position contrary to the all-knowing professor. I know from personal experience as a college student (science major) many years ago who (correctly) challenged the “facts” espoused by a social science college professor. And it got ugly.
Places like Harvard once believed in Socratic dialog (which needs a moderator if the topic is high-stakes for the learners). The moderator has exceptional skill in facilitating thought that is focused while free from closed-minded, defensive posturing.
Do you know what derailed this tradition? It was the uptake of militant tactics, including militant (premeditated, manipulative) verbal tactics. An example: In conversing about policy for dealing with illegal immigration, one side adopts a tactic refusing and distinction between legal and illegal immigrants.
A more recent example: In discussing birthright citizenship and birth tourism, one side digs in with the claim “that can’t be changed”, thus hoping to close down meritocratic debate which might lead to building consensus for specific reform.
A skilled moderator detects these rehearsed slights-of-tongue, and challenges the speaker to put down the defensive shield, e.g., “Let’s assume there were no pre-existing Constitutional restraints, and that Congress had a blank slate. Make an argument for the least popular use of birthright citizenship, selling these for $50K overseas as a commodity — Where would you as a lawmaker come down on birth tourism?”
The problem we’re facing is closed-mindedness and defensive dialog styles. Harvard reinforces these styles by failing to disallow militant thought and tactics. Socrates would barf.
Liberal students are afraid to speak out because they’ve seen how even the tiniest step from ideological liberal conformity makes you a target for the rabid leftists…you know, the tolerant ones who want to protect democracy by eliminating free speech.
They also want to shut down any news site that makes editorial cuts in stories. CBS is under attack from such leftists.
What exactly does Turley mean by a hostile environment? He appears to be suggesting that the absence of Republicans or conservatives is problematic. It seems he implies there should be a greater presence of them, or that they have been somehow “excluded” from the faculty or student body, although he provides no evidence to support this claim.
Perhaps because the overwhelming majority of students who apply are liberal and a few are conservative. Remember, it’s conservatives who are the anti-intellectuals those against the elite or the better educated. It would make sense that few conservatives apply or even seek to go to the school.This situation is not due to a hostile environment. Instead, it stems from the fact that conservatives often hold some unconventional and frequently discredited ideas that don’t resonate with the majority of people. If they are too afraid to express their opinions, that is their responsibility. They fear being mocked or ridiculed for their views, which is a risk that comes with exercising free speech.
Free speech does not guarantee a right to be heard, respected, or even considered. The First Amendment only protects individuals from government punishment or censorship for expressing their views or ideas. Private institutions, such as Harvard, are not necessarily bound by First Amendment principles, similar to any other private organization. conservative school is not required to have a certain number of liberals and have their views accepted and heard.
Interestingly, Turley appears to be advocating for DEI—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion—specifically emphasizing the need for a greater representation of conservative and Republican viewpoints. Unfortunately, during the Trump administration, efforts to promote this inclusion were made illegal. Schools are not allowed to consider conservatives or Republicans as “minorities.” Instead, they must demonstrate their worth based on merit. Correct?
“Remember, it’s conservatives who are the anti-intellectuals those against the elite or the better educated”
Somehow I think that the likes of William Buckley and Milton Friedman might disagree with your overtly hostile interpretation of Turley’s column and conservative thought.
Excellent point, although I don’t think it’s necessarily a good idea to acknowledge Georgie’s superciliousness. I suspect that this would just be validating for himself and his meager, putrid ego.
You are obsolete
That was a good episode. Burgess was in a couple of those IIRC.
# Prof Turley answers the question. After the debate pupils changed their minds. It’s the reason it’s not permitted. There’s no debate. Harvard exists to train.
Safe? Unsafe indicates physical violence. Someone has physically abused them. Do Harvard pupils have physical exams before admission? Look for broken bones.
“Unsafe indicates physical violence.” Not necessarily true. Unsafe could very well mean exactly what Turley said it means i.e., poor grades and/or recommendations.
.
# It didn’t occur to him. Look for old cigarette burn scars. Include the oppressors of course. Have faculty examined before hiring and psych eval.
# All people should be taught to recognize emotional blackmail. Two recent examples are Selena Gomez and the Pope using it as standard practice.
All people should be taught about sociopaths.
Emotional blackmail leaves mental scars.
# personal note– freedom of speech is an ideal based on a fundamental human right like breathing and life.
Apparently Harvard doesn’t think the Constitution is worth anything. Harvard doesn’t hold the belief of free speech. Maybe it’s future is vocational training. That’s ok, too, as long as it’s rid of ideals.
It is the rare intellectual contrarian who is persuaded by logical argument rather than the gregariousness that defines our species. Faculty are also members of a grex (I speak from experience) and the herd instinct is as overpowering for great intellects as it is for common folk. The effect of group think in the university is to shelter the insecure and to enlarge the group. The larger the group, the weaker the individual and the greater the pressure to conform.
An intresting sidelight: The universities have learned to take advantage of endemic anti-intellectualism among young and old, by limiting what must be learned to left-wing bromides. This makes it even easier to despise learning, and to be comfortable in conforming. At the same time, it should be obvious that enforced conformity, and the consequent lack of speech freedoms, would hardly be necessary if the left professed a rationally defensible ideology. Slogans will have to do.
# Group think is also known as hysteria. There’s an emotional content.
In other news, 1/3 of Harvard students are woke zealots.
Squelching, not quelching. The latter is not a work.
Must have been thinking of “quashing.”
# They seek their roots, the natural man. Fatherless children are natural. Murder during an argument is natural. Stealing is natural. Lying is natural. Self interest and gain is natural. Women are inferior is natural. It’s just training that man believes otherwise. The instincts of natural man as a mammalian evolutionary temporary organism is truth.
Give us a half time show.
Once again Turley tries to equate MAGA with conservatism. MAGA is a cult of personality surrounding a narcissistic sociopath who is a chronic, habitual liar who panders to the resentment of non college educated whites who feel they have been displaced by college educated people, especially women and minorities. The candidacy of the object of the cult was supported by recently created media outlets, established by billionaires to promote their own interests, that spreads lies, conspiracy theories, and culture wars nonsense, and which attacks mainstream media and Democrats. Turley tries to defend the MAGA media and the lies it spreads by claiming that it is speech protected by the First Amendment—but it is still lies. So Turley tries to make the case that Harvard is biased— which is all part of the show for the MAGAs who are indoctrinated into believing that they are smarter than educated people because they believe the conspiracy theories and lies.
Turley— instead of attacking Harvard, why don’t you address the numerous injunctions issued against Trump— or, better still, address whether the richest person in the world who donated over a quarter of a billion dollars to purchase power, and who doesn’t have security clearance, can be handed the authority to demand that public employees either quit, retire or be fired and whether that person can send his own employees to lock out public employees so they can paw through the records of the Treasury Department, The Veterans Administration, the Office of Personnel Management, and whether they can just shut down USAID and the Department of Education.
My Goodness, Girlfriend, but you are a trip! A very boring trip, where you look out the window and see the same thing for like 8 hours straight. You deserve an Irish Poem!
Gigi-flop???
An Irish Poem by Squeeky Fromm, Girl Reporter
There once was a poster named GiGi –
Who was shrill, and she shrieked like a Banshee!
But her thinking was blurry –
Just all Sound and Fury,
‘Cause mentally, she was a peewee!
Squeeky,
Yeah, most of the time I just scroll past Gigi. Not worth reading. The usual MSM, MSNBC, Rachel Maddow mindless blather.
But hey! Thank you for the poem and laugh!! Oh, and Hail to the Cheap??? was pretty good!
@UpstateFarmer
Were you around for the original Squeeky, years ago? She essentially WAS Gigi; someone else has adopted their screen name.
Upstate – Gigi is not even close to the level of Rachel Maddow.
she does not even know her own arguments very well.
Hi UpstateFarmer!!!
Thank you for liking my Internet Article! James, below, is a little bit correct. The original “me” back in 2011(???), wasn’t me, but a relative of mine. When he told me about “me” I started helping him, and then within a year or so, I just started doing “me” all by myself. Whatevah – but by 2012 or so, I was 100% me. I mostly did The Birther Think Tank where, after Obama coughed up his long form, I stopped being a Birther. Way prior to that, I was a PUMA, me and Penelope Dreadful both, so we both hated Obama for usurping Hillary. In fact, I was for Hillary in 2016 before Trump stepped in, and then it was game over for my Democratic Party Days. Anyway, after the Long Form, I started attacking the Two Citizen Parent Birthers who I pretty much always thought were nutzo.
I used to post here a lot, and I began to get more political. There used to be a group of nutty people here, who were pretty Left-Wing, and they even used to post articles, as guest writers. They kind of left, or got run off, and started their own website. In June 2015, Penny and me started our competing Parody Blog, Pansies for Plato. I say this without ego, I think it was one of the best blogs out there, in an artistic and creative sense. We discovered lost poems by Maya Angelou, and James Dickey! We had children’s poems! (One of the people who left was a nice old lady who wrote kid poems, but she left-wing as all get out.)
We had a whole host of articles there, liberal and conservative, but the problem was, no matter how nutty we were, we could not keep up with the real nuttiness going on by the Left. So, the blog just kind of sits there. But there is still some pretty good stuff there. We may start writing there again, if time permits.
One of my favorites was a multi-story one, where Mick “Spin” Dumdell, the site Liberal, was beaten senseless, and put in a mental facility.
https://pansiesforplato.wordpress.com/2015/06/29/breaking-white-pansies-for-plato-authors-beaten-senseless-by-black-mob/
The ending is:
https://pansiesforplato.wordpress.com/2015/07/06/pansies-author-mick-dumdell-released-from-mental-health-institution-a-surprise-ending/
There are links to the other stories in the saga, on the “released from mental health” link, including the female poet, who was assaulted because of a conflict of laws issue.
Girly-Girl has just two forensic skills–copy and paste.
Liked. I am truly envious of your ability with poems.
Why don’t you wait until those judicial orders are appealed – most will be overturned I’d bet
Did Turley mention MAGA even once in his article ?
Did anyone Survey Harvard for MAGA voices ?
I would imagine those are virtually non existant at harvard or any of the ivy’s.
MAGA is not exactly equal to conservatism. Just as liberal and democrat are not synonyms.
I do not recall Turley or anyone else proposing that Conservative and MAGA are identical.
There are many who support Trump on this site that are NOT MAGA.
I would be surprised if there is a single Trump supported here that is lock step with Trump on every issue.
Nor are we lockstep with each other – if there is some cult of personality here that would ONLY be on the left.
There are a plethora of left wing nuts on this site whose only significant distinguishing feature is how low their IQ is.
That is a huge sign of a cult.
I would note that you and the left are currently attacking Trump,. Musk Trump supporters, Trumps appointment for …..
actually doing what they promissed – isn’t that at odds with the “habitual liar” nonsense ?
Did Trump lie about the collusion delusion – no that was you.
Did Trump lie about the Hunter Biden laptop – no that was you.
Has Trump lied about the Mess Biden created – no that is you.
Here we are – Trump is president.
The first item on his platform is:
“Seal the border and stop the migrant invasion”
Promise kept.
“Carry out the largest deportation operation in american history”
So far Trumps deportation rate – though being higlighted by the left is NOT statistically that high,
atleast not yet. But he is certainly working to acheive the largest deportation operation ever.
So it seems Trump is making good on that promise.
“End inflation, and make america affordable again”
The inflation rate has not started to drop yet. But we are only 3 weeks into Trump’s presidency.
Many prices will drop as a result of lower energy prices. But AGAIN inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomena
and lowering prices related to energy will NOT lower inflation.
Reducing inflation requires monetary changes – the only one of those under control of the President would be reducing
Government spending. And given how hard you are fighting efforts to audit the federal government and cut spending – that may take some time.
So long as the deficit is large and there is no sign of efforts to reign it in it will be difficult to bring inflation any lower.
In fact it could go higher.
“Make america the dominant energy producer in the world, by far!”
Trump’s EOs certainly are leading the US rapidly in that direction.
Promise Kept.
“Stop Outsourcing, and Turn the US into a manufacturing Superpower”
So far MOST of Trumps tariff threats have been related to immigration and national security.
But several of Trump’s EO’s and his legislative agenda reflect efforts to return manufacturing to the US.
So that promise is a work in progress.
“large tax cuts for workers, and no tax on tips!”
That is certainly in progress.
“Defend our constitution, our bill of rights, and our fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to keep and bear arms”
Trump EOs are undoing Biden/Obama infringements on First Amendment Freedoms. Trump EO’s and Bondi directives are further undoing Obama/Biden efforts to restrict the 2nd amendment.
I think that can be called a Promise Kept.
“Prevent world war three, restore peace in europe and in the middle east, and build a great iron dome missile defense shield over our entire country — all made in america”
Certainly lots of progress is being made on that.
We are making progress in the mideast.
Trump has issued an EO to create an “iron Dome” for the US.
That is either a promise kept or a work in progress.
“End the weaponization of government against the american people”
That is being further investigated, when they are found -those involved are being fired and may be prosecuted.
While there is alot more to go.
That certainly is a work in progress.
“Stop the migrant crime epidemic, demolish the foreign drug cartels, crush gang violence, and lock up violent offenders”
Again a work in progress, But there is no doubt at all that Trump has prioritized finding and deporting violent immigrants.
And the president of El Salvador has agreed to take any US deportees – even to lock up deported criminals.
Promise kept.
“Rebuild our cities, including washington dc, making them safe, clean, and beautiful again.”
Thus far I have seen little on that – though much of that will require authorization from congress.
“Strengthen and modernize our military, making it, without question, the strongest and most powerful in the world”
Certainly progress being made on that – Recruitment is way up. We will have to see if Hegseth can rapidly bring readiness up.
WIP.
“Keep the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency”
Trump does not have to do anything except prevent global economic collapse to keep that.
That is just a freebie.
“Fight for and protect social security and medicare with no cuts, including no changes to the retirement age”
So far despite left wing nut whining, there has been no effort to do anything to SS or HI – except root out fraud.
Promise Kept.
“Cancel the electric vehicle mandate and cut costly and burdensome regulations”
Promise Kept.
“Cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, radical gender ideology, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children”
Promise Kept.
“Keep men out of women’s sports”
To the extent that the president can do this – Trump has done so.
Promise kept.
“Deport pro-hamas radicals and make our college campuses safe and patriotic again”
Trump EO’s are implimenting that
Promise kept.
“Secure our elections, including same day voting, voter identification, paper ballots, and proof of citizenship”
Little has been done on this – it is only 3 weeks in, and congress would have to do this
WIP
“Unite our country by bringing it to new and record levels of success”
The far left is still out in lala land fighting everything. The press is still stupidly supporting them.
But much of what Trump has done has the support of 80% of the people.
WIP
The above addresses Trump efforts to keep the promises in his campaign platform – that is his promise to the american people.
Your claim that Trump is a “habitual liar” – does not pass the smelltest.
Obviously you left wing nut disagree with many of Trump’s platform points.
But your distaste for those promises does not make them a lie.
And if those are the promises of a cult leader – then 80% of the country is part of that Cult.
Gigi, non-college educated whites are NOT being replaced by college educated minorities.
The left has lost Blue collar workers – of all stripes. I would further note that Blue collar work is becoming ever more demanding
and more skilled, These are the people who produce your food, your cars, build our roads and bridges and homes,
Alot of them are immigrants – and they are opposed to YOUR idiocy.
These are people who live in the real world – not ivory towers – who are ultimately judged on what they have built and whether it works. They do not live in the ivory towers of academia where complete and total garbage is sold as science. And idiotic theories are never tested – and should thy be and fail that is covered over.
“supported by recently created media outlets”
Those outlets were NOT created by Billionaires – with few exceptions it is the left outlets that are the product of billionaires.
The growing alternate media market is the product of entrepreneurship their own time, limited funds, and effort on their own success.
This is the american way. The non-traditional media is widely varied and far from Pro Trump.
What distinguishes them from the MSM is that they are trutly independent and KNOW that integrity and truth are their life blood.
“established by billionaires to promote their own interests”
That would be the MSM not the alternate media.
” which attacks mainstream media and Democrats.”
The exit polls for the last election EXPLICITLY said that Democrats had LOST connection with the mainstream.
It is the so called MSM that is out on the fringe today.
“So Turley tries to make the case that Harvard is biased”
That is self evident – Turley’s argument is Harvard is damaging itself and its stupdents by supressing anythng outside of left wing nut orthodoxy.
And the polls of students are showing that is the case – even in a near homogenous woke topia – an enormous percent of students – including the woke are scared to speak their mind. That is a disaster at any university. That is FAR WORSE at Harvard.
You can not produce the leaders of tomorow if what you are producing is cowering maoists afraid to challenge anything.
“they are smarter than educated people”
Thus far that appears to be the case.
Your “better educated people” have been wrong by the numbers.
Ordinary people have been right about most things.
If this is all “conspiracy theories” – they are nearly all TRUE conspiracy theories.
“why don’t you address the numerous injunctions issued against Trump”
I expect he will – he has actually spoken on these if you listen to interviews – and like in 2017 he has siad most will ultimately fail.
BTW Musk as well as all those in DOGE have security clearances.
If you were not brain dead you would know that.
SpaceX launches most of DoD and NSA’s payloads. You can not even get to know how much they weigh or how large they are without a TS/SCI.
Separately – the president can clear anyone for anything in the federal govenrment – including hostile foreign leaders merely by directing that they have access to it.
This issue has been debated to death. You have not been paying any attention .
Trump is busy revoking secutity clearances of those who have demonstrated the REAL inability to handle classified information properly.
He has done so EVIDENCE based.
That alone should demonstrate to you that the President has unlimited power to grant or deny secuity clearances.
“can be handed the authority to demand that public employees either quit, retire or be fired and whether that person can send his own employees to lock out public employees so they can paw through the records of the Treasury Department, The Veterans Administration, the Office of Personnel Management, and whether they can just shut down USAID and the Department of Education.”
Yes, ANY president can do exactly that.
BTW the OFFER to allow federal employees who resign to have a severance package that lasts through September was from Trump.
I am sure Muck and many others suggested it. It is perfectly legal – businesses do it all the time.
You do not have to say yes. But Trump has a mandate to downsize the federal govenrment can cut spending, and labor is likely 50% of the cost of the executive branch. There will be all kinds of complexities to downsizing the federal workforce. Contracts must be honored, civil service laws complied with for those covered by civil service. But generally eliminating an office or department allows laying off all or most workers – even those with civil service protection or labor contracts.
I beleive Trump’s goal is a 10% reduction in the federal workforce – that is pretty tame. Must cut twitter by 90% and contra left wing nuts is actually making money today. Instead of Twitter failing – the rest of Social media is not following Musks lead and cutting their staff dramatically.
Further releasing 10% of the federal workforce to private employment – assuming they are still capable of productive work is a win win.
A 10% reduction in the cost to operate the federal govenment and hundreds of thousands of people moving to productive jobs that raise standard of living.
Finally – you have ranted about the purported MAGA dufus’s that make and fix your cars. that build your highways, and bridges, and homes. That grow your food.
Do you really think any of them care that a 6 figure governemnt employee who has NEVER been of the slightest help to them is losing a job ?
Do you really think that people for whom getting laid off is pretty routine, care about federal layoffs ?
These are not poor people at risk of layoffs. Federal workers on average make 100% more than the average american and have far better benefits.
Only left woke topians are crying for them.
Nor should anyone – unless these released federal workers are morons – they will find productive jobs in the private economy.
I know that YOU beleive that govenrment creates jobs – that is false.
The economy creates jobs.
The law of supply and demand says that supply creates its own demand.
If there are 200,000 laid off federal workers available – the economy will find a way to make use of them.
John, you almost always make good points, cogent points, intelligent points, but try to keep it under 1000 words, this isn’t your column.
Such a boorish and pathetic screed. Sorry , but your CORRUPT party’s gravy train is OPVER !.
# Those “pawing” people are employees of the Treasury. Secretary Bessent personally hired two of them. Musk isn’t pawing through anything.
Bessent is gay so he’s okay.
It seems to me that the term “controversial subject” might trivialize the underlying problem a bit.
It appears that the fundamental debate is between empirical evidence and logical reasoning versus emotional wish-fulfillment idealism.
I recall once in college responding in a debate, “It would be great if the world actually worked the way you want it to. How does that compare with empirical data on how the world actually does work?”
Needless to say, that question was not well received. and that was several decades ago, the situation has become more acute since then.
I have a solution…End Federal Aid and loan backing to colleges
Any non-profit where anyone gets more than $100k…is a FOR profit and pay TAXES
STOP allowing the MONEY GAME of Democats!
Just get the federal govenrment out of education.
I *might* be OK with the Dept of Ed being reduced to a small office under HHS with the sole job of gathering info and putting together reports on education in the US. Done apolitically it could be of some use to the President, Congress, and We the People in understanding the state of the union.
# must I teach political science?
How will I teach the political science of Iran? Certainly don’t want to teach anything except bad stuff about those Americans.
# yes, gee, private property is my fave, too. Keep your hands off my money, my stuff, and me.
My fave.
😂 one shocking revelation in private property is 3rd worlds have none. The idea of theft as defined by the US doesn’t exist.
Perfect training…for LIFE in government or Wall Street or big corp
Where any deviation from liberal orthodoxy would END your Career!
Fascists have to be MADE!
you mean the 1/3 of Democrats who wish to BASH the silent minority?
if there was republican student at Harvard and he opened his mouth…the 100% leftist teachers and administrators would DESTROY THEM!
The biased administration and faculty guarantees that new hires will be chosen based on incestuous criteria rather than intellectual standards. The steady decline into idiocracy is underway
Under the D brand cult in DC this was a given. Under the Trump 2.0 resurrection this is unmistakingly being eradicated. .
“Harvard has created this hostile environment. . .” This intellectual softening and lack of curiosity has been created by grammar and high schools for years, teaching students to expect “safe spaces” and giving them “trigger warnings” if anything that may be construed as uncomfortable might be discussed. It parallels the military shutting our journalists by insisting they be embedded, so no Americans get upset at dead bodies emerging from war, and censorship eliminating words like “suic^de” and “r@pe” from social media platforms. One professor told me he rec’d a call from a furious mother whose junior college student came home sobbing after hearing about the holocaust, she hadn’t known. We see cop cam videos of students telling police officers that “they don’t feel safe” after being pulled over, and outraged when the cops don’t just leave.
Mind what your children are being taught, audit their classes now and then, parents!
Harvard is trash.
Joe Scarborough? Wasn’t it Joe Scarborough who recently said that one of his kids was afraid to speak his mind? I will try to find that.
People are cowards, and I just bet you that many of the professors ARE smart (conservative) but are too chicken to say so. They got families to support too, so there is that. Here is an image I did years ago, which applies, because guess where all the justices come from???
https://squeekyfrommgr.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/scrotum.jpg?w=660