Simon Lester
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simonlester.com
Simon Lester
@simonlester.com
7K followers 710 following 7K posts

Founded WorldTradeLaw.net & ChinaTradeMonitor.com Non-Resident Fellow @bakerinstitute.bsky.social

Trade Policy feed: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:xqzu2eazvxb5fohoc4nap33y/feed/aaab5ctu4u4fc

Videos
Political science 43%
Economics 28%
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simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · Apr 3
I see lots of new followers popping up today. I assume you are here for the trade policy, in which case you might like my custom trade policy feed: bsky.app/profile/did:...

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 2h
"When the Americans demanded $100 billion to be used as they wished, as in the deal with Japan, they said Switzerland would never accept such a thing"

Reposted by Simon Lester

reuters.com
Reuters @reuters.com · 2h
US Commerce Department pushed for control of Swiss investment in trade talks, sources say reut.rs/4rrA7Kp
US Commerce Department pushed for control of Swiss investment in trade talks, sources say
The U.S. Commerce Department pressed Switzerland during recent trade talks to commit billions of dollars in investments that Washington could allocate at its discretion, but Swiss officials refused, according to two people familiar with the matter.
reut.rs

Reposted by Simon Lester

armineyalnizyan.bsky.social
Armine Yalnizyan @armineyalnizyan.bsky.social · 2h
Canada ducks a recession, barely, thanks to Keynesianism.
In particular military Keynesianism.

Households spending less
Businesses spending unchanged (overall, big changes under the hood)
Governments spending more, especially on "weapon systems"

Imports down a lot, exports barely up.
Breakdown 🧵

Reposted by Simon Lester

jamiedupree.bsky.social
Jamie Dupree @jamiedupree.bsky.social · 2h
If you are counting on tariffs to help dramatically cut the deficit - then you're going to need much higher tariffs.

Uncle Sam brought in $31 billion in import duties in October - while the overall budget deficit was $284 billion.

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 3h
What Dems need here is a good spokesperson to make the case for fighting climate change. Of course, more broadly they just need some good spokespeople to make the case for all of their policies.

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 3h
"Decarbonization, in other words, became an all-purpose vehicle for delivering on a wide range of party priorities, including geopolitics."

I understand the logic of why people thought this would work, but it didn't. Time to move on from that approach.

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 3h
The politics of all this are obviously hard to read, but I'd like to see a push for a revenue-neutral carbon tax. Lay out the case for the dangers of climate change and put forward a narrow policy to address it. In my view, trying to bring in other policies has undermined efforts here.
jonathancohn.bsky.social Jonathan Cohn @jonathancohn.bsky.social · 4h
"The IRA’s survival was premised on the logic that a loose alignment of corporations would support climate policies in exchange for subsidies and convince Republicans to get on their side. That didn’t work." newrepublic.com/article/2027...
The Quick and Shameful Death of Biden’s Biggest Policy
It was far too easy for Republicans to kill the Inflation Reduction Act. Where did those who crafted it go wrong?
newrepublic.com

Reposted by Simon Lester

bernd-lange.bsky.social
Bernd Lange MdEP @bernd-lange.bsky.social · 3h
It’s good @EUCouncil is not simply waving through COM 🇪🇺🇺🇸proposal.Debate is gaining momentum again.We are pulling in same direction f. safeguards&monitoring.However also US tariffs on steel &alum. derivatives after Turnberry&a sunset clause need to be addressed
www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/pre...
EU-US trade relations: Council moves forward in implementing the tariff elements of the Joint Statement
The Council agreed its negotiating mandate on two regulations to implement the EU-US Joint Statement, eliminating or reducing import tariffs on certain US goods.
www.consilium.europa.eu

Reposted by Simon Lester, Nathan P. Kalmoe

jonathancohn.bsky.social
Jonathan Cohn @jonathancohn.bsky.social · 4h
"The IRA’s survival was premised on the logic that a loose alignment of corporations would support climate policies in exchange for subsidies and convince Republicans to get on their side. That didn’t work." newrepublic.com/article/2027...
The Quick and Shameful Death of Biden’s Biggest Policy
It was far too easy for Republicans to kill the Inflation Reduction Act. Where did those who crafted it go wrong?
newrepublic.com

Reposted by Simon Lester

stevepeers.bsky.social
Steve Peers @stevepeers.bsky.social · 6h
EU Member States agree on law to give effect to EU/US tariff agreement - www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/pre...
Must still be negotiated with European Parliament
EU-US trade relations: Council moves forward in implementing the tariff elements of the Joint Statement
The Council agreed its negotiating mandate on two regulations to implement the EU-US Joint Statement, eliminating or reducing import tariffs on certain US goods.
www.consilium.europa.eu

Reposted by Daniel W. Drezner, Alan Richardson, Simon Lester

reuters.com
Reuters @reuters.com · 10h
Trump says he may cut income tax 'completely' because of tariff income reut.rs/4p65j0l
Trump says he may cut income tax 'completely' because of tariff income
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday his administration may slash income tax completely over the next couple of years because of government revenue generated from tariffs.
reut.rs

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Richard S.J. Tol, Brian A. Nosek , and 32 more

publius24.bsky.social
John Q. Public @publius24.bsky.social · 12h
Stephen Miller is now arguing that assimilation is fundamentally impossible and that certain cultures are not compatible with Western civilization

Reposted by Trevon D. Logan, Simon Lester

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 17h
Trump refuses to directly admit his administration granted the DC shooter asylum and then wraps up the press availability

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 17h
I'm really looking forward to eating leftover turkey tomorrow.

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 20h
Make Bluesky profile name a required field on applications!

Reposted by Simon Lester

tradediversion.bsky.social
Trade Diversion (Jonathan Dingel) @tradediversion.bsky.social · 20h
Spatial economics JMPs (2025-2026)
tradediversion.net/2025/11/27/s...
Spatial economics JMPs (2025-2026)
Here’s a list of job-market candidates whose job-market papers fall within spatial economics, as defined by me quickly skimming webpages and two dozen candidates who responded on Twitter. I’m sure …
tradediversion.net

Reposted by Simon Lester

aaronrosspowell.com
Aaron Ross Powell ☸️ @aaronrosspowell.com · 21h
If you want to sneak away today and hide in some headphones, you won't do better than my conversation with @andycraig.bsky.social and @shikhadalmia.bsky.social of @theunpopulist.net about what comes after Trumpism. pod.link/1614436300/e...
094: A New American Reconstruction (w/ Andy Craig and Shikha Dalmia)
Listen to 094: A New American Reconstruction (w/ Andy Craig and Shikha Dalmia) from ReImagining Liberty wherever you get your podcasts!
pod.link

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 22h
Came here to say exactly this!

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 22h
May be too late for some of you, but I learned this trick by accident last year and it worked out well:

"Why You Should Cook Your Thanksgiving Turkey Upside Down—and How to Do It"
Why You Should Cook Your Thanksgiving Turkey Upside Down—and How to Do It
We make the case for cooking your turkey breast-side down and explain how to use this method, step by step.
www.marthastewart.com

Reposted by Simon Lester

financialtimes.com
Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 1d
Suspect in US National Guard shooting worked with US military in Afghanistan on.ft.com/49O6Sv7
Suspect in US National Guard shooting worked with US military in Afghanistan
Two victims remain in critical condition with nationwide investigation into the gunman under way
on.ft.com

Reposted by Simon Lester

petedempsey.bsky.social
Pete Dempsey @petedempsey.bsky.social · 1d
peterdempseywrites.com/gpt-chats-pa...
GPT Chat’s Path to Profit: Advertising
Advertising is coming for GenAI consumer chatbots. In part 1, we looked at the parallels between web search and information retrieval with chatbots. Chatbots already have a rich collection of user dat...
peterdempseywrites.com

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 1d
Should check on how the long snappers feel too.
justinwolfers.bsky.social Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 1d
Turns out that when you describe how "the punters" feel about the economy, Americans think you're talking about blokes who kick footballs, rather than "the people." (Hilarity ensued.)

Reposted by Simon Lester

justinwolfers.bsky.social
Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 1d
Turns out that when you describe how "the punters" feel about the economy, Americans think you're talking about blokes who kick footballs, rather than "the people." (Hilarity ensued.)

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 1d
I feel compelled to point out Cato's contribution to this debate/title competition from years ago.
Reign of Terroir: How to Resist Europe's Efforts to Control Common Food Names as Geographical Indications
www.cato.org

Reposted by Simon Lester

awesomeaudrey.com
AwesomeAudrey @awesomeaudrey.com · 1d
Posting on Bluesky about my article about Bluesky in @techpolicypress.bsky.social

Composable Moderation decentralizes rule-setting, reducing pressure on any single platform and limiting attempts to “work the refs.” www.techpolicy.press/composable-m...
'Composable Moderation' May Protect Bluesky from Political Pressure | TechPolicy.Press
Shifting enforcement away from a single platform and into a distributed ecosystem should blunt interference by authoritarians, writes Audrey Hingle.
www.techpolicy.press

Reposted by Simon Lester

glanktree.bsky.social
Graham Lanktree @glanktree.bsky.social · 1d
Top EU official accuses US of ‘blackmail’ in trade talks

www.politico.eu/article/top-...
Top EU official accuses US of ‘blackmail’ in trade talks
Renewed U.S. pressure for the EU to recalibrate its digital rules is unacceptable, says Teresa Ribera.
www.politico.eu

Reposted by Simon Lester

openfuture.bsky.social
Open Future @openfuture.bsky.social · 1d
🇪🇺 Eurosky is building EU-hosted social media infrastructure on ATProtocol. Priorities: Commons for Content Moderation (CoCoMo), decentralized architecture, and reducing Big Tech dependency.
Public funding + civil society collaboration = digital sovereignty. openfuture.eu/blog/eurosky...
Eurosky dawns: Building Infrastructure for Sovereign Social Media – Open Future
The Eurosky initiative is building European social media infrastructure on the ATProtocol, representing a new step in Europe's digital sovereignty agenda as policymakers seek alternatives to Big Tech ...
openfuture.eu

Reposted by Simon Lester

pgeddington.com
Patrick G. Eddington @pgeddington.com · 1d
The #NationalGuardShooting suspect has been identified as an Afghan male national named Rahmanullah Lakanwal,who entered the U.S. in 2021 according to multiple media outlets.

simonlester.com
Simon Lester @simonlester.com · 1d
"The Trump administration often uses the term 'sovereignty' to describe its efforts to get other countries to allow in fewer foreign citizens and harden their borders — even as it tries to impose policies on sovereign nations."

[You keep using that word.gif]
jacobtlevy.bsky.social Jacob T. Levy @jacobtlevy.bsky.social · 1d
It's not just that the United States has stopped trying to promote liberal democratic ideas internationally. It's that the United States is actively trying to promote the contrary. It's trying to turn more countries into Hungary.

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
U.S. to Press Europe and Other Allies on ‘Mass Migration,’ Document Says
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Mark D. White, Daniel W. Drezner, Robert C. Richards , and 6 more

jacobtlevy.bsky.social
Jacob T. Levy @jacobtlevy.bsky.social · 1d
It's not just that the United States has stopped trying to promote liberal democratic ideas internationally. It's that the United States is actively trying to promote the contrary. It's trying to turn more countries into Hungary.

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/u...
U.S. to Press Europe and Other Allies on ‘Mass Migration,’ Document Says
www.nytimes.com