Econ Blog

your daily dose of economic commentary

Evaluating We Have Never Been Woke Part 2: Bootleggers and Baptists

2461. Evaluating We Have Never Been Woke Part 2: Bootleggers and Baptists

An argument that modern progressives advocate policies benefiting themselves under the guise of social justice, reflecting a complex interplay of motivations reminiscent of historical progressivism.

Week 3, days 5 and 6, plus a story about whale watching

2462. Week 3, days 5 and 6, plus a story about whale watching

The author shares personal experiences of whale watching and attending an NFL game with his son, reflecting on family dynamics and emotional connections to new experiences.

Women, Men and Jobs

2463. Women, Men and Jobs

Paul Krugman discusses gender politics, the labor force participation of men, and the implications of traditional gender norms in relation to economic and social issues.

Indians and Koreans not welcome

2464. Indians and Koreans not welcome

Noah Smith discusses the Trump administration's harsh immigration policies, particularly targeting H-1B visas and the impact on skilled workers and the tech industry.

A simple metric for choosing immigrants for America

2465. A simple metric for choosing immigrants for America

An argument that suggests a new metric for selecting immigrants based on cognitive variance and geographic distance to enhance America's talent pool.

EJ Antoni: “factor in the millions of people missing from the labor market (don’t have jobs but are excluded from official unemployment calculation)”

2466. EJ Antoni: “factor in the millions of people missing from the labor market (don’t have jobs but are excluded from official unemployment calculation)”

An argument that highlights the importance of considering broader unemployment metrics, specifically the U6 rate, to understand the labor market's true state.

Trump's new $100K fee on H-1B visas will hurt the tech companies trying to woo him

2467. Trump's new $100K fee on H-1B visas will hurt the tech companies trying to woo him

Maria Aspan discusses how Trump's new $100K fee on H-1B visas will negatively impact tech companies that seek his support.

Karen Attiah

2468. Karen Attiah

The discussion centers on the firing of a prominent editor for her social media comments following a controversial murder, highlighting issues of free speech and media accountability.

Schedule for Week of September 21, 2025

2469. Schedule for Week of September 21, 2025

Bill McBride outlines key economic reports and data releases scheduled for the week of September 21, 2025, focusing on housing, GDP, and manufacturing.

Lawyers vs. engineers: Dan Wang sees U.S.-China dynamics in a new paradigm

2470. Lawyers vs. engineers: Dan Wang sees U.S.-China dynamics in a new paradigm

An argument that contrasts China's engineering-focused approach with America's lawyer-centric society to explain their differing economic trajectories.

Defense Secretary Hegseth requires new 'pledge' for reporters at the Pentagon

2471. Defense Secretary Hegseth requires new 'pledge' for reporters at the Pentagon

Quil Lawrence discusses the Pentagon's new requirement for journalists to sign a pledge to report only approved information.

From the comments

2472. From the comments

An argument that banning smartphones in schools may harm high-performing students by limiting their access to knowledge and learning resources, while also neglecting potential benefits.

Trump adds $100,000 fee for high-skilled foreign workers in major visa overhaul

2473. Trump adds $100,000 fee for high-skilled foreign workers in major visa overhaul

An argument that the president's executive orders impose a $100,000 fee for H1-B visa workers and create a pathway for wealthy foreigners to obtain visas.

50 Years Ago: When the US Encouraged Coal Use

2474. 50 Years Ago: When the US Encouraged Coal Use

Timothy Taylor discusses the historical shift in U.S. energy policy 50 years ago, promoting coal use in response to oil crises and energy independence concerns.

The new Derek Parfit volume

2475. The new Derek Parfit volume

The discussion centers on personal anecdotes about Derek Parfit, his struggles with insomnia, and reflections on his philosophical impact and relationships.

The political mood feels like 9/11 again

2476. The political mood feels like 9/11 again

The post reflects on the political climate post-9/11, drawing parallels to current events and discussing the implications of cancel culture in contemporary politics.

'We are all Jimmy Kimmel': What late night hosts are saying about Kimmel's suspension

2477. 'We are all Jimmy Kimmel': What late night hosts are saying about Kimmel's suspension

Clare Lombardo discusses late night hosts expressing concerns about free speech following Jimmy Kimmel's suspension.

Jimmy Kimmel's suspension shows power of FCC's Brendan Carr

2478. Jimmy Kimmel's suspension shows power of FCC's Brendan Carr

David Folkenflik discusses Brendan Carr's actions as FCC chair in relation to media criticism of the Trump administration.

AI Won’t Kill Work – It Will Reinvent It

2479. AI Won’t Kill Work – It Will Reinvent It

An argument that AI will transform the workforce by creating new jobs rather than solely eliminating existing ones, drawing parallels to past technological changes.

Trump says talk with China's Xi yielded progress, including on TikTok

2480. Trump says talk with China's Xi yielded progress, including on TikTok

Progress in discussions between Trump and Xi includes potential U.S. ownership of TikTok to prevent its shutdown in the U.S.