Barbara F Walter

I’ve left this platform but democracy’s decline hasn’t. Follow me on Bluesky @barbarafwalter.com for real-time analysis and what's happening and how we fight back. Bluesky is more thoughtful and better for honest debate. Join me there.

A month ago I pitched an article about what we know about elections and violence. Today it was the lead article in my favorite magazine of all time. newyorker.com/news/the-weeke…

Thank you @freedomhouse!

The people targeted first for killing are people within the shooters own party who are believed to be too moderate. Shooters see these people as traitors to the cause. This is why the Jan 6th attackers wanted to target Mike Pence first.

(5) Why would a registered Republican try to kill Trump? Right now we don't know. But one thing we know historically is that when a group turns to violence, the people they target first are not people on the opposing side...

(3) The US has all of those features and a candidate for President who is priming his supporters to believe the election will be stolen. (4) This is a recipe for more violence not less...

(2) But...the countries most at risk of violence are democracies with winner-take-all elections, deeply divided by race, religion, or ethnicity, and distrust of the election process...

Some thoughts on Saturday's attempted assassination of Donald Trump: (1) Violence surrounding elections have been common throughout the world, just not in advanced industrialized countries like the US...

My latest ⁦@thetimes⁩ podcast with ⁦@ManveenRana⁩ and ⁦@bfwalter⁩: How America could descend into civil war 👀 scary stuff The Story | Acast shows.acast.com/storiesofourti…

So this happened yesterday.

Merry Christmas from my family to yours.

With mounting casualties, an expanding humanitarian crisis, and rising global political tensions, the question of how the Israel-Hamas war might end is on everyone’s mind. Listen now: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how…

@weekendcapehart @davidfrum @CapehartJ See you all tomorrow!

TOMORROW: Trump says he won't be a dictator in his second term, except on "Day One." @davidfrum, @bfwalter & @CapehartJ discuss the dangers of Trump's possible return to the Oval Office and his unprecedented plot to expand presidential authority. 9am ET on #MSNBC #saturdayshow

Some interviews I love more than others. I particularly liked this one. npr.org/2023/11/24/121…

NPR invited me on its most recent episode: "What Topples Democracies". I loved this interview. npr.org/programs/ted-r…

I love Thanksgiving but I think I love Leslie Jones more.

Had a special day yesterday at the Global Women’s Forum at WaPo.

@rmcclellan1303 Thank you. ❤️

@bfwalter just caught your TedTalk, beautiful!

The Supreme Court will soon hear what could be the most important tax case in decades. Moore v. US could permanently shield billionaires from a wealth tax. This is why billionaires give luxury gifts to Supreme Court justices. For this exact moment.

@Sevenofnine4087 Vielen dank!

Freu mich so sehr - endlich und sofort gekauft!🌏📚🥰 Das Buch von @bfwalter im Deal des Monats als Angebot: Bürgerkriege: Warum immer mehr Staaten am Abgrund stehen amzn.eu/d/9Oiw296