your daily dose of economic commentary
The post provides an overview of the housing market in mid-August 2025, highlighting increased inventory, slight sales declines, and challenges faced by new homebuilders.
An argument that corporate leaders face pressure from political demands, raising concerns about the implications for capitalism in America.
Tyler Cowen discusses various topics with Nate Silver, including risk theory, cultural differences, and political issues like immigration and electoral systems.
Wailin Wong discusses the trend of celebrities launching side businesses and explores the motivations behind this phenomenon.
Menzie Chinn critiques EJ Antoni's qualifications for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, highlighting widespread disapproval from economists across the political spectrum.
An argument that political systems are increasingly converging, blending elements of socialism and capitalism, particularly in the context of state capitalism in America and China.
An argument that historical social justice movements arise from elite overproduction, where frustrated elites ally with marginalized groups during times of societal hardship to challenge the established order.
An argument that stablecoins could enhance financial accessibility and efficiency, while drawing parallels to historical free banking systems and their potential impact on the economy.
The post examines the decline in summer employment among teenagers, highlighting trends in employment ratios and potential reasons for decreased participation in the labor force.
An argument that patients should have the freedom to choose physicians across state lines, advocating for competitive federalism in telemedicine without requiring interstate compacts or federal oversight.
The discussion centers on the incompetence of certain economists associated with Trump, highlighting attempts to manipulate economic data and the implications for transparency and legality.
Noah Smith argues that corporate power is not the primary cause of high rents, emphasizing other factors affecting the housing market in America.
Robert Vienneau discusses a model of production that combines intensive and extensive rent based on land use and profit levels in agriculture and industry.
Corey Bridges discusses how Trump's spending bill cuts to SNAP affect families and grocery stores, highlighting the economic implications of these policy changes.
Mortgage applications rose significantly, driven by lower interest rates, with a notable increase in refinance activity despite a modest uptick in purchase applications.
David Folkenflik discusses Kari Lake's claim of being the acting CEO of a federal agency, contrasting it with legal eligibility concerns.
Robert Smith discusses how markets can fail and the government's role in improving market efficiency through market design.
Robert Smith discusses the importance of market design in economics and how government intervention can help correct market failures.
An argument that critiques the notion of America being in recession since 2022, focusing on data and analysis from a specific paper.
Menzie Chinn discusses Dr. Antoni's suggestion to suspend monthly jobs reports due to data reliability concerns, advocating for reliance on more accurate quarterly data instead.