Former political director, AFL-CIO. Senior fellow, CAP. My Substack: www.weekendreading.nethttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mlqrbudnss2cThis is in 10 minutes! Join me and Anat for some fresh insights on the Callais ruling: https://open.substack.com/live-stream/200320 [contains quote post or other embedded content]13 May 2026 16:52 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlqrbudnss2chttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mldvt7c5rk2cWhen I heard Shaun Ossei-Owusu on the "Strict Scrutiny" podcast recently, I knew I needed to talk to him. His new book exposes the many ways that law school education and the legal profession actually perpetuate the injustices that people become lawyers to try to fix. Many valuable insights here: https://www.weekendreading.net/p/law-on-trial08 May 2026 14:09 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mldvt7c5rk2chttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mla7qvmqis2cDid someone say politicians in robes? https://www.weekendreading.net/p/politicians-in-robes-part-i [contains quote post or other embedded content]07 May 2026 02:56 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mla7qvmqis2chttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3ml4oshbcls2cI'm live now with Shaun Ossei Owusu, author of "Law on Trial: An Unlikely Insider Reckons with Our Legal System," to talk about the Callais ruling on the VRA: https://open.substack.com/live-stream/19001805 May 2026 17:15 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml4oshbcls2chttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mksl7divgk2cICYMI: For #MayDay, an extremely thorough roundup of research on why unions are good for all of us, not just their members: https://www.weekendreading.net/p/more-than-the-weekend-unions-the01 May 2026 16:44 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mksl7divgk2chttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mkshaqmi2k2cToday's May Day actions (no school, no work, no shopping) are a way to flex our collective economic power, and a way to build our organizing muscles for bigger actions down the road. https://www.weekendreading.net/p/tax-day-and-may-day01 May 2026 15:33 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkshaqmi2k2chttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mkqgkgkucc2cI was lucky to have Amy Walter of @cookpolitical.com as my guest on "Weekend Reading Live" yesterday after the Roberts Court VRA decision (Louisiana v. Callais) to help make sense of what it will mean for the midterms and beyond: https://www.weekendreading.net/p/rip-vra-and-whats-next-with-amy-walter30 Apr 2026 20:15 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkqgkgkucc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mkqbfpsx6k2cBlack voter participation soared right after the VRA passed in 1965. But not until 1992, after Congress strengthened the VRA to require majority-minority districts, did we start getting closer to proportional Black representation in Congress. Because Black votes finally counted more in the South.30 Apr 2026 18:43 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkqbfpsx6k2chttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mknxdgykvc2cRIP VRA, 1965-2026. John Roberts’s life's work has been dismantling what these civil rights leaders gave their lives to build. And if the public doesn't like that, as he told us in 2009, that's just "too bad." https://www.weekendreading.net/p/americas-second-redemption29 Apr 2026 20:37 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mknxdgykvc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mknlwmgiyc2cLive right now with Amy Walter of @cookpolitical.com https://open.substack.com/live-stream/18122829 Apr 2026 17:13 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mknlwmgiyc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mknibzdnak2cRIP VRA, 1968-2026. RIP all of the civil rights leaders who were murdered while fighting for the rights it secured. https://www.weekendreading.net/p/americas-second-redemption29 Apr 2026 16:08 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mknibzdnak2chttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mknhpn4le22cMajorities of Democrats and independents are concerned about politicians drawing maps "to protect their own political party, at the direct expense of minority voters" and about Republicans "making it very difficult for Democrats to ever hold a majority in Congress." [contains quote post or other embedded content]29 Apr 2026 15:58 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mknhpn4le22chttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mkngaz6r322cThe Roberts Court continues the work of the Second "Redemption" to undo the work of the Second Reconstruction. https://www.weekendreading.net/p/americas-second-redemption29 Apr 2026 15:32 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkngaz6r322chttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mkneuqjwok2lReminder that without section 2 of the VRA, Republicans could create as many as 19 new safe GOP House seats: https://blackvotersmatterfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Fair-Fight-Action-x-Black-Voters-Matter-Report.pdf And about 191 state legislative seats currently held by Democrats: https://blackvotersmatterfund.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/The-Southern-State-Legislature-Effect.pdf29 Apr 2026 15:07 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkneuqjwok2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mkncmvwww22lThis conversation is worth a re-watch in light of the Callais decision. [contains quote post or other embedded content]29 Apr 2026 14:27 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkncmvwww22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mkkojqw4wk2lYou can't understand American politics without understanding religion. So why do we almost never hear about religion in political reporting? Excellent conversation with @robertpjones.bsky.social of @prri.org: https://www.weekendreading.net/p/the-real-third-rail-in-american-politics28 Apr 2026 13:22 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkkojqw4wk2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mkik4gfnyc2lJoin me at 1pm with @robertpjones.bsky.social to unpack Trump and Vance's latest dust-up with the Pope: https://open.substack.com/live-stream/179909?r=103bk&utm_medium=ios27 Apr 2026 16:58 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkik4gfnyc2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mk6ehkkrms2lOur neighbors are being held in concentration camps. Some might resist calling them that, but it's the historically correct term. Thousands of people abducted based on their identity and held without due process. Any other term whitewashes what's really happening. @anatosaurus.bsky.social https://www.weekendreading.net/p/yes-virginia-there-is-an-appetite23 Apr 2026 15:50 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk6ehkkrms2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mk6anmzrns2lWas it a good idea for Virginia voters to choose to redraw their maps? Of course! They were defending themselves (and all of us) from a fascist movement trying to seize an illegitimate House majority by doing the same thing. But Republicans would love you to think otherwise. https://www.weekendreading.net/p/yes-virginia-there-is-an-appetite23 Apr 2026 14:42 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk6anmzrns2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mk3py6bxyk2lAcross various conversations, we have explored what history and international experiences tell us about today’s horrors. Today at 1pm ET, @anatosaurus.bsky.social and I will discuss what they tell us about ourselves. https://open.substack.com/live-stream/171832?r=103bk&utm_medium=ios22 Apr 2026 14:38 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk3py6bxyk2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mk3py6bxyk2lAcross various conversations, we have explored what history and international experiences tell us about today’s horrors. Today at 1pm ET, @anatosaurus.bsky.social and I will discuss what they tell us about ourselves. https://open.substack.com/live-stream/171832?r=103bk&utm_medium=ios22 Apr 2026 14:38 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk3py6bxyk2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mjzh7cpt6k2lThe NYT exposé on the shadow docket reveals John Roberts as the partisan actor he’s always been — despite his reputation as a serious institutionalist that outlets like the Times have long helped him cultivate. The essential @thelisagraves.bsky.social helps me unpack the story: https://www.weekendreading.net/p/the-roberts-court-memos-fool-me-15021 Apr 2026 16:56 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjzh7cpt6k2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mjx5k5ytek2lLIVE SOON: Tune in at 3pm ET for @thelisagraves.bsky.social breaking down the NYT leak about the Roberts Court shadow docket: https://open.substack.com/live-stream/168227?r=103bk&utm_medium=ios20 Apr 2026 18:57 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjx5k5ytek2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mjhmk7izus2kHere's a thorough rundown on the rise and fall of Orbán, and what his defeat means for Hungary and the world, from @kimlanelaw.bsky.social, one of the foremost experts on Hungary and the collapse of constitutional democracies. https://www.weekendreading.net/p/orbans-defeat-and-lessons-for-america14 Apr 2026 14:43 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjhmk7izus2khttps://bsky.app/profile/mikepod.bsky.social/post/3mj3fsik3mc2kMany people are understandably wary of calling the Trump regime’s ICE detention camps “concentration camps,” for fear of minimizing the atrocities of the Nazi death camps. But @andreapitzer.bsky.social powerfully argues that camps like Auschwitz are exactly why we should use that term today. https://www.weekendreading.net/p/call-trumps-concentration-camps-what09 Apr 2026 18:11 +0000at://did:plc:jacwidtl4vthk6sahylit5nr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mj3fsik3mc2k