Econ Blog

your daily dose of economic commentary

The Bluesky-ization of the American left

1221. The Bluesky-ization of the American left

The discussion centers on the impact of cancel culture on American society, exploring its origins, effects, and the perception of its power over individuals and organizations.

Schedule for Week of September 14, 2025

1222. Schedule for Week of September 14, 2025

Key economic reports and Federal Reserve meetings scheduled for the week, including retail sales, housing starts, and industrial production updates.

1223. Better Permitting and More Building: Possible?

The discussion centers on improving the permitting process for infrastructure projects to balance environmental concerns and construction needs, proposing reforms to enhance efficiency and public involvement.

Wisconsin Employment in the Context of the Preliminary Benchmark Revision

1224. Wisconsin Employment in the Context of the Preliminary Benchmark Revision

Menzie Chinn discusses the downward revision of Wisconsin's employment data and its implications based on various datasets and analyses.

What's costing you more lately, and how is it affecting you? NPR wants to hear

1225. What's costing you more lately, and how is it affecting you? NPR wants to hear

The post invites readers to share their experiences with rising living costs and how these changes impact their daily lives.

Good Foundations

1226. Good Foundations

Jon Murphy emphasizes the importance of foundational economic principles for understanding complex economic concepts and making informed decisions.

Day 4 of Teaching Gov 50 at Harvard

1227. Day 4 of Teaching Gov 50 at Harvard

The post discusses innovative teaching methods for causal inference, emphasizing counterfactual narratives, physical actions, and numerical examples to enhance student understanding.

Incentives Matter, Math History Edition

1228. Incentives Matter, Math History Edition

Kevin Corcoran discusses how historical incentives in academia affected mathematicians' willingness to share breakthroughs, illustrating economic principles through the lens of math history.

Tipper Gore, Twisted Sister and the fight to put warning labels on music

1229. Tipper Gore, Twisted Sister and the fight to put warning labels on music

The post discusses the historical conflict between musicians and government over implementing warning labels for explicit music lyrics.

Part 2: Current State of the Housing Market; Overview for mid-September 2025

1230. Part 2: Current State of the Housing Market; Overview for mid-September 2025

An overview of the housing market highlights increasing inventory, declining sales, and contrasting influences on house prices from mortgage rates and unemployment.

Waving the Bloody Shirt

1231. Waving the Bloody Shirt

Paul Krugman discusses the implications of Charlie Kirk's assassination and critiques Trump's response, emphasizing the political context and the dangers of inciting violence.

Early Look at 2026 Cost-Of-Living Adjustments and Maximum Contribution Base

1232. Early Look at 2026 Cost-Of-Living Adjustments and Maximum Contribution Base

The post discusses projected cost-of-living adjustments and changes to the contribution base based on recent Consumer Price Index data and wage trends.

CBS shifts to appease the right under new owner

1233. CBS shifts to appease the right under new owner

David Folkenflik discusses CBS's new owner, David Ellison, making changes to appease critics, especially those aligned with President Trump.

Health care costs are soaring. Blame insurers, drug companies — and your employer

1234. Health care costs are soaring. Blame insurers, drug companies — and your employer

Rising health care costs are attributed to insurers, drug companies, and employers, impacting millions of Americans reliant on employer-sponsored plans.

QBERT NFL quarterback ratings

1235. QBERT NFL quarterback ratings

Nate Silver discusses the QBERT NFL quarterback rating system, highlighting its methodology and early season performance of various quarterbacks.

Rethinking Triffin: The Fiscal Dimension of the Dollar Dilemma

1236. Rethinking Triffin: The Fiscal Dimension of the Dollar Dilemma

Leonidas Zelmanovitz discusses the fiscal implications of the dollar's reserve status, arguing that U.S. fiscal deficits, not the dollar's role, create economic challenges.

1237. Predistribution, Not Redistribution, in the Nordic Countries

An argument that the Nordic model achieves lower income inequality primarily through predistribution mechanisms rather than post-tax redistribution policies.

Are hotel rooms accessible for people who use wheelchairs? NPR wants to hear from you

1238. Are hotel rooms accessible for people who use wheelchairs? NPR wants to hear from you

Accessible hotel rooms for wheelchair users are discussed, inviting experiences of those who faced issues with such accommodations.

Charlie Kirk's assassination sparks grief and rage online

1239. Charlie Kirk's assassination sparks grief and rage online

The post discusses the mixed reactions online following the assassination of a conservative figure, highlighting both grief and political blame directed at the left.

The State Power to Discriminate

1240. The State Power to Discriminate

An argument that state discrimination undermines the rule of law and individual liberty, emphasizing the importance of non-discrimination principles in governance and society.