Mike Cline
@mecline6.bsky.social
Comments here are my personal opinions and do not reflect official statements of my employer. Personal web at bluerondoresearch.com
I have been going back home frequently to take care of my aging mother. Every time I am home, I get nauseated from the smell out in the air. When I was growing up in west Texas, I remember certain places where there was, what the old timers called, "the smell of money," but now it is everywhere...
January 23, 2026 at 10:34 AM
I have been going back home frequently to take care of my aging mother. Every time I am home, I get nauseated from the smell out in the air. When I was growing up in west Texas, I remember certain places where there was, what the old timers called, "the smell of money," but now it is everywhere...
Reposted by Mike Cline
When I lecture to students about how the apparently thriving economy of the 1920s was really a house of cards just waiting to be knocked down, one of the points I stress is how much a small number of the very rich were essentially propping up consumer spending in unsustainable ways
The top 10% now account for nearly half of all consumer spending.
January 17, 2026 at 6:50 PM
When I lecture to students about how the apparently thriving economy of the 1920s was really a house of cards just waiting to be knocked down, one of the points I stress is how much a small number of the very rich were essentially propping up consumer spending in unsustainable ways
Reposted by Mike Cline
Reposted by Mike Cline
For First Time in Decades, Child Deaths Will Rise This Year
Thanks in no small part to DOGE cuts to USAID
www.wsj.com/health/for-f...
Thanks in no small part to DOGE cuts to USAID
www.wsj.com/health/for-f...
For First Time in Decades, Child Deaths Will Rise This Year
Almost a quarter of a million more children around the world are projected to die in 2025 than in 2024.
www.wsj.com
December 4, 2025 at 4:04 PM
For First Time in Decades, Child Deaths Will Rise This Year
Thanks in no small part to DOGE cuts to USAID
www.wsj.com/health/for-f...
Thanks in no small part to DOGE cuts to USAID
www.wsj.com/health/for-f...
And I don't recall Texas Tech (my Alma mater) being ranked in the top 10.
Pretty amazing. Texas, Penn State, and Clemson were ranked 1, 2, and 4 respectively at the start of the season.
Now none of them are even ranked.
Now none of them are even ranked.
October 5, 2025 at 6:40 PM
And I don't recall Texas Tech (my Alma mater) being ranked in the top 10.
Reposted by Mike Cline
Demography is science, but it's not rocket science. Journalists and related professionals could understand crude birth rate, general fertility rate, and total fertility rate - and use the terms consistently. So I made this annotated table: familyinequality.wordpress.com/2025/10/03/l...
October 4, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Demography is science, but it's not rocket science. Journalists and related professionals could understand crude birth rate, general fertility rate, and total fertility rate - and use the terms consistently. So I made this annotated table: familyinequality.wordpress.com/2025/10/03/l...
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Happy Constitution Day.
September 18, 2025 at 8:23 AM
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Happy Constitution Day.
Reposted by Mike Cline
Wow, that was fast!
Don't underestimate how valuable trustworthy data from the US government underpinned big decisions and how that is being rapidly undermined.
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Don't underestimate how valuable trustworthy data from the US government underpinned big decisions and how that is being rapidly undermined.
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Wall Street Leaning Harder on Private Data After Trump BLS Spat
Philip Petursson has relied on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for decades to inform his investing recommendations at IG Wealth Management. Not solely, but as a key input, he said.
www.bloomberg.com
August 23, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Wow, that was fast!
Don't underestimate how valuable trustworthy data from the US government underpinned big decisions and how that is being rapidly undermined.
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Don't underestimate how valuable trustworthy data from the US government underpinned big decisions and how that is being rapidly undermined.
Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Mike Cline
“It’s just completely disheartening. It’s a sign that norms that have long existed are shattered,” says APDU President @amy-ohara.bsky.social about the firing of BLS Commissioner McEnfarfer
fedscoop.com/statistics-p...
fedscoop.com/statistics-p...
Statistics, public data leaders condemn Trump’s order to fire BLS commissioner
One group, whose leadership includes two former BLS commissioners, called on Congress to respond immediately and investigate her removal.
fedscoop.com
August 3, 2025 at 6:05 PM
“It’s just completely disheartening. It’s a sign that norms that have long existed are shattered,” says APDU President @amy-ohara.bsky.social about the firing of BLS Commissioner McEnfarfer
fedscoop.com/statistics-p...
fedscoop.com/statistics-p...
Reposted by Mike Cline
August 2, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Reposted by Mike Cline
US economic data quality a worry, authorities not acting urgently enough, experts say (Reuters poll)
www.reuters.com/business/us-...
www.reuters.com/business/us-...
US economic data quality a worry, authorities not acting urgently enough, experts say
Risks to the quality of official U.S. economic data - long seen as the gold standard - are worrying 89 of 100 top policy experts polled by Reuters, with most also concerned that the authorities are not addressing the issue urgently enough.
www.reuters.com
July 28, 2025 at 6:29 PM
US economic data quality a worry, authorities not acting urgently enough, experts say (Reuters poll)
www.reuters.com/business/us-...
www.reuters.com/business/us-...
Reposted by Mike Cline
Today's AEI panel discussion on privacy is worth watching
www.youtube.com/live/9urPOLC...
www.youtube.com/live/9urPOLC...
Federal Data Consolidation: Protecting Civil Liberties in the Digital Age
YouTube video by American Enterprise Institute
www.youtube.com
July 16, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Today's AEI panel discussion on privacy is worth watching
www.youtube.com/live/9urPOLC...
www.youtube.com/live/9urPOLC...
Reposted by Mike Cline
Data Rescue Project Portal is live!!!
The Data Rescue Project has launched the Data Rescue Project Portal (www.datarescueproject.org/data-rescue-...). It is a dashboard for our tracker and provide more visibility for data rescues across the DR community. It is still in beta & we welcome any feedback. We hope that you find it useful. ❤️🛟
Data Rescue Project Launches New Portal
The Data Rescue Project (DRP) is excited to announce the launch of the DRP Portal—a milestone in our collective effort to protect and preserve at-risk public information. As of June 2025, DRP voluntee...
www.datarescueproject.org
June 23, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Data Rescue Project Portal is live!!!
Reposted by Mike Cline
“Historically, no one lived past age 35”
"I’ve heard *so* many versions of this claim, including recently from a menopause doctor (implying menopause is not “natural” because noone lived long enough to go through it). Every time someone states this “fact,” a demographer loses a piece of their soul"
"I’ve heard *so* many versions of this claim, including recently from a menopause doctor (implying menopause is not “natural” because noone lived long enough to go through it). Every time someone states this “fact,” a demographer loses a piece of their soul"
There Were Still Old People When Life Expectancy Was 35.
A demography myth that won't die
jenndowd.substack.com
June 16, 2025 at 10:16 AM
“Historically, no one lived past age 35”
"I’ve heard *so* many versions of this claim, including recently from a menopause doctor (implying menopause is not “natural” because noone lived long enough to go through it). Every time someone states this “fact,” a demographer loses a piece of their soul"
"I’ve heard *so* many versions of this claim, including recently from a menopause doctor (implying menopause is not “natural” because noone lived long enough to go through it). Every time someone states this “fact,” a demographer loses a piece of their soul"
Reposted by Mike Cline
NEW: Census Bureau lost over 1,000 employees through early retirement and voluntary separation offers in recent months and plans to cut some statistical work, acting Director Ron Jarmin says. "It feels a little bit like Thanos snapped his finger and a lot of your friends and colleagues went away..."
May 29, 2025 at 2:37 PM
NEW: Census Bureau lost over 1,000 employees through early retirement and voluntary separation offers in recent months and plans to cut some statistical work, acting Director Ron Jarmin says. "It feels a little bit like Thanos snapped his finger and a lot of your friends and colleagues went away..."
I can't believe I am enraptured by the spelling bee. Cheering on our NC representative!
May 30, 2025 at 1:33 AM
I can't believe I am enraptured by the spelling bee. Cheering on our NC representative!
Reposted by Mike Cline
Even obscure data still matters
Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency
www.planetizen.com/news/2025/05...
HT @planetizen.bsky.social
Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency
www.planetizen.com/news/2025/05...
HT @planetizen.bsky.social
Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency
The National Geodetic Survey maintains and updates critical spatial reference systems used extensively in both the public and private sectors.
www.planetizen.com
May 28, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Even obscure data still matters
Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency
www.planetizen.com/news/2025/05...
HT @planetizen.bsky.social
Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency
www.planetizen.com/news/2025/05...
HT @planetizen.bsky.social
Reposted by Mike Cline
No, half the decline in the US TFR since 2007 isn't b/c of declining teen births. It's about 29%.
But, most of the decline (~80%) is due to declines in births to people<=24.
B/w 50-75% of births to people<=24 are unintended.
It's good news when people can avoid births they don't want to have.
But, most of the decline (~80%) is due to declines in births to people<=24.
B/w 50-75% of births to people<=24 are unintended.
It's good news when people can avoid births they don't want to have.
peter griffin from family guy is standing on a stage in front of a large red ted talk sign .
ALT: peter griffin from family guy is standing on a stage in front of a large red ted talk sign .
media.tenor.com
May 28, 2025 at 8:44 PM
No, half the decline in the US TFR since 2007 isn't b/c of declining teen births. It's about 29%.
But, most of the decline (~80%) is due to declines in births to people<=24.
B/w 50-75% of births to people<=24 are unintended.
It's good news when people can avoid births they don't want to have.
But, most of the decline (~80%) is due to declines in births to people<=24.
B/w 50-75% of births to people<=24 are unintended.
It's good news when people can avoid births they don't want to have.
Reposted by Mike Cline
DOGE targets Census Bureau, worrying data users about health of US data infrastructure
apnews.com/article/cens...
apnews.com/article/cens...
DOGE targets Census Bureau, worrying data users about health of US data infrastructure
The group run by Elon Musk that aims to cut federal spending in the second Trump administration is targeting U.S. Census Bureau surveys it claims are “wasteful."
apnews.com
May 24, 2025 at 11:14 AM
DOGE targets Census Bureau, worrying data users about health of US data infrastructure
apnews.com/article/cens...
apnews.com/article/cens...
Reposted by Mike Cline
DOGE started a ‘survey of surveys’ to end some federal data www.npr.org/2025/05/23/n...
DOGE created a 'survey of surveys' for a push to cut some government data collection
DOGE's push to cut some federal surveys conducted by the Census Bureau may be duplicating a White House agency's oversight work and weaken U.S. data infrastructure, experts warn.
www.npr.org
May 24, 2025 at 11:16 AM
DOGE started a ‘survey of surveys’ to end some federal data www.npr.org/2025/05/23/n...
Reposted by Mike Cline
Budget cuts mean data cuts.
BLS is suspending many producer price indexes:
www.bls.gov/ppi/notices/...
#econsky
BLS is suspending many producer price indexes:
www.bls.gov/ppi/notices/...
#econsky
BLS to Discontinue Selected PPIs
BLS to Discontinue Selected PPIs
www.bls.gov
May 23, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Budget cuts mean data cuts.
BLS is suspending many producer price indexes:
www.bls.gov/ppi/notices/...
#econsky
BLS is suspending many producer price indexes:
www.bls.gov/ppi/notices/...
#econsky
Reposted by Mike Cline
Re-sharing this piece b/c one of the problems with pronatalism is that it sees women's reproductive labor as the only possible solution to issues related to population size and structure.
Too many people? Too few people? The intervention point is always women's reproductive labor.
Too many people? Too few people? The intervention point is always women's reproductive labor.
"I am curious to know why an economic dilemma, the kind you might expect to be tackled by corporations or governments or NGOs, is instead presented as a dilemma to be solved by uteruses." wapo.st/4cEcfeg
Perspective | Don’t pin the birth rate problem on the birth givers
A lot of women don’t want 2.1 kids. We need an economic model in which that’s okay.
wapo.st
May 21, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Re-sharing this piece b/c one of the problems with pronatalism is that it sees women's reproductive labor as the only possible solution to issues related to population size and structure.
Too many people? Too few people? The intervention point is always women's reproductive labor.
Too many people? Too few people? The intervention point is always women's reproductive labor.
80 years ago today, we and our European Allies declared victory over fascism/nazism.
a crowd of people holding a sign that says the war is over
ALT: a crowd of people holding a sign that says the war is over
media.tenor.com
May 8, 2025 at 11:45 AM
80 years ago today, we and our European Allies declared victory over fascism/nazism.