Last night I had the pleasure of interviewing @mikegeruso.bsky.social at a Zoom event about his phenomenal book, AFTER THE SPIKE: POPULATION, PROGRESS, AND THE CASE FOR PEOPLE (a.co/d/if8wE7u). This is a thread on my key takeaways from the conversation 🧵

My piece today in Briefing Book: "The Economic Case for Higher Birth Rates Is Bigger than You Think" The fiscal challenges of an aging population matter, but the innovation and progress that could be lost in a shrinking world matter even more.

Very much looking forward to this conversation with Katy!

A new paper by Vincent Rollet at MIT replicates Li's 2022 finding that new construction reduces rents within a 500-foot radius in NYC vrollet.github.io/files/city_s...

New substack by ‪@hannahritchie.bsky.social‬ explaining why population decline isn’t a bright spot in our climate future. “Large demographic changes happen over longer timescales than we have to get emissions down.” She reviews findings from our recent NBER working paper. Links in the thread:

🎉📚 Exciting news! My new book — Clearing the Air — will be published in the UK in September. 50 of the most common questions I get about how we tackle climate change. 50 short, data-driven answers. www.penguin.co.uk/books/462676...

I really enjoyed this. Separate from how you feel about population, I repeatedly had assumptions overturned by their really deep stats. Maybe my favorite pop sci read during the last year. This is one of those "most of your intuitions are wrong" books.

So excited that this will be out in the world tomorrow! And grateful to everyone who helped make it happen.

Good article (based on their forthcoming book!) by my former CEA colleague @mikegeruso.bsky.social The Population Bust Won’t Solve the Climate Crisis www.nytimes.com/2025/06/29/o...

Mike Johnson spent the wknd talking up his Medicaid cuts Once, Medicaid cuts might have been an easy sell to Rs Today, it’s tougher New in @briefingbook.bsky.social w @mikegeruso.bsky.social and Daniel Posthumus on the rise of Medicaid in red districts 🧵 👇 www.briefingbook.info/p/cutting-me...

The idea you could cut almost a trillion dollars from Medicaid without affecting benefits is… really something.

Researchers, have you applied to the #NIHCMAwards? There is only one week left to submit an application. Submit today to be recognized for your excellence in health care research. Deadline: March 28, 2025 Prize: $20,000 Apply now: bit.ly/3ieivm3 @asacarny.bsky.social @mikegeruso.bsky.social

Thrilled that this is now 75 miles from my doorstep. Vaccines are a miracle of modern medicine and turning our back on them is madness.

Tim Layton and I talk Medicare Advantage upcoding with Derek.

The DOJ has just opened an investigation in wasteful billing practices, including diagnostic upcoding, at UnitedHealth's Medicare Advantage program. What's upcoding? When does makes a medical billing practice fraudulent? All answered on this week's ep —> open.spotify.com/episode/1lTP...

New ep: The Trump-Musk doctrine of "fuck around and find out" has already demolished global aid programs, collapsed essential govt data collection services, and nearly caused a nuclear security crisis via accidental firings. This is no way to run a government. open.spotify.com/episode/1lTP...

Govt efficiency would be a worthy goal, even if interest payments didn't exceed defense spending. But understanding efficiency means understanding tradeoffs. So I talk to health policy profs Michael Geruso and Tim Layton about the art of finding real waste in govt. open.spotify.com/episode/1lTP...

We have a great group of PhD students on the job market this year! Check them out, and contact placement director @mikegeruso.bsky.social with any questions. liberalarts.utexas.edu/economics/ph...

Calling all CEA alums! Launching a starter pack. Not sure of everyone’s handles; raise your hand if you want in! 🤚 📈📉#econsky go.bsky.app/4oFf9kT