8/ You don't have to make the panels to get that security; you can import them, and the cheapest are Chinese. Making them is a separate, costlier bet—owning the industry, worth it where you can win. In solar you perhaps can't: China holds 80% of every stage. Buy and deploy.

7/ The advantage comes in two forms. The first is energy security. LNG has to keep arriving through straits a rival can close. A solar panel, once built, runs 25–30 years on sunlight no one can cut off. Cut the fuel and the power stops; cut the panels and the lights stay on.

🧵In Washington, analysts and politicians alike seem increasingly resigned to the idea that the only way the government will engage in fiscal consolidation is in the aftermath of a bond market crisis. #econsky #policysky www.ft.com/content/5ade...

Wanted to draw your attention to GAO's audit of the accuracy of the BLS "Jobs Report": in short, a valued resource that is at risk due to the steady drop in response rates for key surveys. We made three recommendations to BLS and highlight some additional reform options www.gao.gov/products/gao...

Federal Statistics: Stakeholders Said Jobs Report Generally Meets Their Needs, but Opportunities Exist to Improve Data Quality https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-26-107538?utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky&utm_campaign=usgao

The monthly Jobs Report provides employment information that can help businesses, financial institutions, and the government make important decisions. Today’s blog looks at how this report is made and what challenges this effort faces: https://ow.ly/kCfU50Z4TFX

📸 Great Falls is roaring — water in the "action" range this morning. Great Falls Park was packed. 💧 Track river levels in our new Forecast Lab 🌤️ June opens beautifully. Clouds build late tonight, lows 50s–60. Monday: Mostly sunny, highs mid-70s to 80. 📸 Kevin Ambrose

New Census Working Paper: "The Microstructure of AI Diffusion: Evidence from Firms, Business Functions, and Worker Tasks" by Kathryn Bonney, Cory Breaux, Emin Dinlersoz, Lucia Foster, John Haltiwanger, and Aditya Pande www.census.gov/library/work...

WatchBlog post: GAO Follows the Money—Everything You Should Know About Our Audits of Federal Financial Statements https://www.gao.gov/blog/gao-follows-money-everything-you-should-know-about-our-audits-federal-financial-statements?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=usgao

This is what I was referring to about people being negatively misinformed www.ft.com/content/9c79...

Go Blue! What a Final Four match. Team rising to the occasion.

Homeowners Insurance: Premiums Generally Tracked Inflation but Rose More in Disaster-Prone Areas https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-26-107867?utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky&utm_campaign=usgao

Federal Debt Management: Treasury Is Meeting Borrowing Needs but the Deteriorating Fiscal Outlook Poses Risks https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-26-107529?utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky&utm_campaign=usgao

Announcing the Economic Inquiry 2025 Best Article Award! This year’s standout, chosen by our editors: “Is economics self-correcting? Replications in the American Economic Review.” from Jörg Ankel-Peters, Nathan Fiala & Florian Neubauer. Read the open access article here: https://ow.ly/Getp50YAXAk

Spring is in the air and so are record numbers. Thursday marked the busiest day since 2020 at four stations, with NoMa-Gallaudet U setting a new all-time record! 🌸

Great discussion here that expertly illustrates the key trade-offs. No easy answers and many goals are in tension. But these kinds of discussions help us make more informed decisions amongst the tough trade-offs.

Senior BIS economist Hyun Song Shin has been named by South Korea’s president to run the Bank of Korea www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

The reason the Dollar isn't stronger is because markets price a much more hawkish policy shift by central banks in the G10 compared to the Fed. That's moving rate differentials against the Dollar and tempering what otherwise would be an even bigger rise... robinjbrooks.substack.com/p/what-this-...

This new report examines economic shocks in the United States, providing insights that can help anticipate recessions and develop appropriate policy responses.

WatchBlog post: What Are The Lowest-Performing Schools Doing to Improve? https://www.gao.gov/blog/what-are-lowest-performing-schools-doing-improve?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=usgao

I have a Substack up that encourages us to look past the illusion of scarcity to see the remarkable ability of the economy to create jobs, universities, housing and more. See how long run data and empirical research make the case for adaptation and innovation as the solution to scarcity. #Econsky

WatchBlog post: Why Fewer Insurers in Dental and Vision Markets Could Matter to You https://www.gao.gov/blog/why-fewer-insurers-dental-and-vision-markets-could-matter-you?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=usgao

Depending on where you live in the U.S., a small number of companies may control large portions of the dental and vision insurance markets. Today’s WatchBlog post looks at what this market concentration could mean for you: https://ow.ly/ZVK750YoQqI

I have a Substack up that encourages us to look past the illusion of scarcity to see the remarkable ability of the economy to create jobs, universities, housing and more. See how long run data and empirical research make the case for adaptation and innovation as the solution to scarcity. #Econsky

Very thoughtful overview of what is becoming a nuanced literature cataloging disparate effects.

"Happy Birthday, Wealth of Nations" www.econlib.org/econlog/happ...

Love this concept and hoping for robust participation by federal economists.

🚨 Please share widely! 🚨 I'm hiring a postdoc (from Aug 1) to help build a new research program on politically sustainable immigration policies at Notre Dame. Looking for a social scientist with strong quant skills, familiarity with new computational tools, and interest in public-facing research.

Wolverines in Columbus tonight is absolutely epic. If you are not watching this game you are missing out. Tied in OT with 8.5 seconds left.

Chris Hughes & Josh Younger criticize the Fed’s ample reserves framework, see IORB as a subsidy to the banks. Don Kohn and Bill English disagree. via @brookings.edu Hutchins Center www.brookings.edu/articles/the...

Looking for a way to get more involved with the Society of Government Economists? Nominations for the board of directors are being accepted through March 3rd. It’s a great group! www.sge-econ.org/about/electi...

The economics journal and working paper Starter Pack has expanded considerably! Many thanks to those who have shared or provided suggestions, especially @sorentsvendsen.bsky.social and @o.simardcasanova.net with many good suggestions.

Friends, I have created a Starter Pack of economics journals (and working paper series) active on Bluesky. Hope this is useful for academic, policy, and industry economists alike. #Econsky Please let me know if there are any that I missed!

WatchBlog post: When Members of Congress Need Answers to Complex Questions—They Come to GAO https://www.gao.gov/blog/when-members-congress-need-answers-complex-questions-they-come-gao?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=usgao

When members of Congress need answers to complex, difficult questions, they come to GAO. How do we get them these answers? Find out in our new blog post and podcast: https://ow.ly/bpMj50YclSF

Major, documented, and validated good governance impacts.

What makes creating policy in a democracy challenging? We asked Congressman David Price, who helped start Duke’s public policy program and represented North Carolina’s Fourth District in the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years. 📹 Watch his response: youtube.com/shorts/1TRMy...

Medicare pays hospitals to help offset on-the-job training costs for a capped number of resident physicians. In 2023, that cap was raised. GAO’s Leslie Gordon discusses how this new funding was allocated to hospitals across the country on Federal News Network: https://ow.ly/bzrf50XYaTj

Good morning all: GAO is now on Bluesky, follow here! bsky.app/profile/usga...

Co-sign!

"The ethos of the liberal international order represented genuine progress over the destructive anarchy of trade war and military conflict, and the pernicious ideologies that gave rise to them." (from 2019) www.liberalcurrents.com/economic-coo...

Nice, data-oriented background on AI firm market valuations.

End this year’s reading with the best articles we published in 2025, as selected by our editors: https://fam.ag/3MWVHqn

In my latest Substack I argue that the economic security that people and policymakers desire is best achieved through economic diversification. I describe the types of economic diversification, the empirical evidence on their benefits, and the policy strategies for encouraging diversification.

In my latest Substack I argue that the economic security that people and policymakers desire is best achieved through economic diversification. I describe the types of economic diversification, the empirical evidence on their benefits, and the policy strategies for encouraging diversification.

Dear Econ friends. Looking for material for a case study teaching diff-in-diffs. It should be (1) interesting beyond health/development policy (2) come with available data to use/replicate (3) not super complicated setup. Any suggestions?

A great opportunity--highly recommend interested researchers to consider.

What can Japan's high public debt and low government bond interest rates tell us about U.S. debt sustainability? In my new Substack I argue this is a cautionary tale for the United States.

What can Japan's high public debt and low government bond interest rates tell us about U.S. debt sustainability? In my new Substack I argue this is a cautionary tale for the United States.

My thoughts on how to get the most insight out of the September CPI report. macroeconomicdiscipline.substack.com/p/the-septem...