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Justin Wolfers

@justinwolfers.bsky.social

95K followers 370 following 1.7K posts

Econ professor at Michigan ● Senior fellow, Brookings and PIIE ● Intro econ textbook author ● Think Like An Economist podcast ● An economist willing to admit that the glass really is half full.

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Justin James Michael Wolfers is an Australian economist and public policy scholar. He is professor of economics and public policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, and a Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. .. more

Economics 62%

Psychology 14%

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Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 13h

Trade war update (Taylor's version)

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · Apr 24

The White House says negotiations with China are/aren't happening, that they do/don't expect to cut/raise tariffs soon/in a bit/never, and they intend to play hardball/softball with China. Trump and Xi have/haven't spoken, and they do/don't expect a breakthrough sooner/later.

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Reposted by James S. Shortle

Reposted by Aaron Sojourner, Scott A. Imberman

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 1d

Here's the reality: On any given day the President might impose an effective embargo on trade with China. This is the second time he's done it *this year*. They may patch it up again, but the pattern has been set, and it will shape expectations for the rest of his term.

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Reposted by Nicola Giocoli

Reposted by Jonathan A. Parker, Nicola Giocoli

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 1d

Just a reminder that the Constitution gives Congress the power to set tariffs. It could end this madness any day they chose to discover their power.

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Reposted by James S. Shortle, Nicola Giocoli, Simon Schama

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 1d

Sorta feels like American trade policy is being set by the Nobel Committee.

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Reposted by Colin F. Camerer

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 4d

I sat down for a nice long chat on the Nick Standlea Show
about the economics of AI: How it's changing our labor market, who it's going to help and hurt, how policy can help, and what each of us can do to stay relevant.

Posted to my (fledgling) youtube channel here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oful...

The AI Revolution Is an Ownership Problem, Not a Tech Problem — Economist Justin Wolfers

YouTube video by The Nick Standlea Show

www.youtube.com

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Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 5d

Every one of them deserves my care, respect, and the best education I can give them.

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Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 5d

If you tax trucks 🚛, trucking in your inputs gets pricier.

That means flying ✈️ or shipping 🚢 looks better.

Where do planes and boats come from?

Yes, this just made transporting inputs from abroad *more* competitive.

It's like taxing bikes to reduce road congestion.

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Reposted by Dean Baker

Reposted by Nathan P. Kalmoe

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 5d

It had been hours since the President had announced a tariff change, and all of this stability was killing the economy. He had to act to provide the American people with the uncertainty they deserve.

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Reposted by Steven Pressman

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 5d

Anyway, just wanted to share, in case other faculty are thinking about this. #teachecon

It's particularly resonant for me because so many of my students are freshmen, and they're trying to navigate choices that have gotten more treacherous than they need to be.

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Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 5d

Took a moment in class to remind my undergrads to get their flu and covid jabs. Not my usual role as an econ prof, but right now they have too few trusted voices. And if others are trying to avoid political strife (this ISN'T political!!!), my students may not be hearing it elsewhere.

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Reposted by James S. Shortle

Reposted by Michael A. Clemens

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 5d

For folks looking for some of the studies on high-skill immigration that I referenced, you can't go past this review by @mclem.org: www.piie.com/blogs/realti...

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Reposted by James S. Shortle

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 5d

For all of the (manufactured) passion about the quality of labor statistics, Trump administration has left the BLS leaderless for months, is no closer to a replacement, and has left many of the leadership posts within the organization empty. And no-one is allowed to come to work right now, either.

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