Natalie Letsa

I don't come on here much these days, but for all you survivors out there-- come read my new article about political socialization in electoral autocracies!

PEPFAR has enjoyed bipartisan support for decades because cheaply saving the lives of millions of children is good and the right thing to do. If Congress decided to end it, I'd be devastated. But that's not even what's happening. Congress authorized it! Our democratic government decided to spend money on this! The state department has ordered a stop-work on funding that Congress did authorize, because 'stop all foreign aid' sounded good to someone. It's not clear that anybody wanted to let tens of thousands of babies die of HIV/AIDS. My best guess is that they just, you know, didn't really know what all of the programs they were ordering halted did. I'm old enough (like...two years old...) to remember when Republicans considered themselves the party of saving babies' lives. I defended the pro-life movement against charges that they really just hate women, saying that I've been honored to know a lot of pro-lifers who sincerely want to save babies. But if you can't bring yourself to take a stand on this - that the state department should not abruptly halt a program half a million sick children depend on, which Congress authorized and paid for, with no justification, in a way that will make the problem much much worse when work on it starts again - then you aren't pro-life, and you never were.

Thrilled to share my interview on African publishing titled “Spears Media Press, Cameroon,” which follows extensive discussions with Stephanie Kitchen of @Afbkcollective in a special issue dedicated to Africa’s independent book publishers! Details here: brill.com/view/journals/…

@scottrw630 Congratulations Scott!!

Mexican President Sheinbaum fires back at Trump in a statement: "Seventy percent of the illegal weapons seized from criminals in Mexico come from your country. We do not produce these weapons, nor do we consume synthetic drugs. Tragically, it is in our country that lives are lost to the violence resulting from meeting the drug demand in yours."

The King Can Do No Wrong by Scott Williamson - @scottrw630 Examines why some autocrats are better at avoiding blame, and why today's ruling monarchies have been surprisingly resilient. 📚 cup.org/3UZ6n9j

Liberals have a hard time getting that a lot of people—especially minorities—think libs are ALSO racist. A lot of people don’t see the choice as racist Trump vs. non-racist Dems: the choice is people who do racism out loud vs. people whose kids attend segregated private school.

Two very frustrating things: (1) there is a deep bench of people who could run a more humane and successful foreign policy; (2) there is a deep bench of people who could win more elections for the Democrats. And both groups are frozen out of power by the current Dem establishment

@sleepydani @ProfDavidCortez I miss you guys too 💓 Not as fun making fun of stuff without you.

Help me rejoin the world. Where are you? How are you?

@dhdannychoi Thank you, Danny!

@NatalieLetsa This is fantastic news for such a cool paper. Huge congrats, Natalie!!

I don't come on here much these days, but for all you survivors out there-- come read my new article about political socialization in electoral autocracies!

@MarianaGiustiR Thanks, Mariana! Hope you've been well!

@jsteendavis Haha thanks, Justine! And thank you for MULTIPLE rounds of feedback on it-- very grateful 🙏

@Fromagehomme Thanks-- I couldn't agree with you more! As it happens, this article is a part of my book manuscript, which is currently under review. So hopefully more very soon!

@NatalieLetsa Just to say that this is super cool. 👏 Do you have other publications on socialisation in the pipeline? If so will be looking out for them, as it’s so important and under steadied (esp in Africa, as you know).

@elvisbisong Thank you, Elvis!

@NatalieLetsa Congrats Natalie!

@miwahman Thanks, Michael!

@NatalieLetsa Congratulations, looks fabulous!

@scottrw630 Thanks, Scott! And thanks for all of your feedback on the project!!

@kopalo Thanks, Ken!

@NatalieLetsa Congratulations Natalie!!