Author | Lightnews

Brad Smith

Brad Smith

@bradsmithtx.bsky.social

340 followers 250 following 490 posts

ATX 🌮 | Data Science 📊 | Progressive 🫎 Austin-based data scientist turning analytics into action. Turning insights into impact, because the numbers don’t lie, but they can tell a damn good story 📚

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Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · 6d

The giraffe, duh

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · 7d

Covfefe walked so South Carerddd could run.

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Oct 5

When a president’s party label matters more than inflation, jobs, or growth… that’s not economics.

That’s identity masquerading as analysis, grievance dressed up as data.

And that’s how we end up arguing about an imaginary economy while the real one moves on without us.
#EconSky

Composite chart showing partisan perceptions of U.S. economic conditions from 2016–2026. The top panel (Pew data) shows Democrats’ and Republicans’ ratings diverging after each presidential transition. The bottom panel overlays those perceptions with real GDP growth, illustrating that Democrats’ optimism follows actual growth trends while Republicans’ sharply diverges under Democratic presidents.

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Oct 5

Line up perception with real GDP though and pretty clear:

Democrats’ optimism rises and falls with actual growth; up in recoveries, down in recessions, no matter who’s president.

Republicans’ optimism collapses the moment a Democrat takes office, regardless of actual economic growth.

Same chart overlaid with real GDP growth, showing Democrats’ sentiment tracks growth while Republicans’ sentiment diverges.

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Oct 5

For the most part, both parties view the economy through partisan lenses. Which makes sense, right? When your team’s in charge, you like what they’re doing (at least you’d hope so).

But how does that line up with reality?
#PewResearch #Politics #Economics

Line chart of Americans rating the economy as excellent/good since 2016, split by party. Republicans rise sharply under Trump and collapse under Biden; Democrats show the reverse.

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Sep 23

His first impeachment was literally for selling out Ukraine.

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Sep 21

Can’t wait for the LinkedIn posts to start from this about how important networking is.

“I thought I was holding a clipboard. Turns out I was sending a connection request that brought me home years later.” - Josh McCown (probably)

Reposted by Brad Smith

Molly Knight @mollyknight.bsky.social · Sep 8

what a humiliating way for don jr. to find out his dad sends birthday cards.

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Sep 7

a man in a suit and tie is sitting at a table and pointing up with his finger .

ALT: a man in a suit and tie is sitting at a table and pointing up with his finger .

media.tenor.com

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Sep 6

Yes and no. A couple things worth flagging:

August:
- Full-time (35+ hrs): –357k
- Part-time (<35 hrs): +597k
- Invol part-time (economic reasons): +65k (+284k since June)

The risk isn’t vanishing jobs, it’s jobs hollowing out.

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Sep 6

America 2025: The Vice President doesn’t care if it’s a war crime.
Cool cool cool.

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Sep 6

Anytime!

a little girl in a pink shirt is saying you got it dude !

ALT: a little girl in a pink shirt is saying you got it dude !

media.tenor.com

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Sep 6

This comes from the BLS Household Survey (Current Population Survey), Table A-9: Selected Employment Indicators in the Employment Situation release:
- Full-time (35+ hrs): LNS12500000
- Part-time (<35 hrs): LNS12600000

You can see the full tables here: www.bls.gov/news.release...

Employment Situation Summary - 2025 M08 Results

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Sep 6

Full-time work: -357k
Part-time: +597k.

People aren’t finding jobs, they’re settling for hours.

#JobMarket #LaborReport #EconSky

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Sep 5

Bread and circuses for all!

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Sep 3

When hedge fund billionaires start sounding the alarm on inequality, you know the system is cooked.
www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Rising inequality is turning US into an autocratic state, billionaire warns

Ray Dalio says business leaders scared to criticise Donald Trump as he warns of debt-induced crisis for the economy

www.theguardian.com

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Sep 1

Fitting contrast on Labor Day:
- Roosevelt fought for shorter hours & better pay
- Trump said workers get too many holidays
#LaborDay

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Aug 30

Told y’all this wasn’t gonna go well.

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · May 7

Damnit… I’m gonna have to write a whole research paper and get this peer reviewed, aren’t I?

I spent a decade in dairy so I was only trying to figure out how bad the FDA’s recent decision to suspend Grade A milk could get and it’s… concerning.

#PublicHealth #EconSky #DataVisualization #EpiSky

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Aug 28

Not silent, just overshadowed. They made a public announcement, it just got buried because the Pope literally died the day before.

Definitely wasn’t quiet but wasn’t a focus for most.

bsky.app/profile/brad...

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Aug 27

Our kids deserve classrooms, not caskets.
www.cnn.com/us/live-news...

Live updates: Minneapolis police responding to Catholic school shooting, governor says | CNN

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he has been briefed on a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. Follow here for the latest.

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Aug 26

That total seems a little low for the public housing program according to HUD’s data.

5,600 × $45.44/person/day = $254,464/day.

Still, well below the $1.1M per day.

www.commondreams.org/news/trump-n...

Trump's DC Occupation Costs 4 Times More Than It Would Take to House City's Entire Homeless Population | Common Dreams

Trump's deployment of the National Guard to Washington, DC costs more than 4 times as much as it would cost to simply house every homeless person in the city, according to researcher Hanna Homestead.

www.commondreams.org

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Aug 26

If fair representation is the goal, why are we packing Congress so tight?

Congress could do this today.
No amendment.
No funky maps.
Just a vote.

Imagine a Congress that finally represents us all.
#FairRepresentation
youtu.be/moG7ZOUXHv0?...

Why Expanding Congress Would End Gerrymandering

YouTube video by The Recount

Brad Smith @bradsmithtx.bsky.social · Aug 25

Damnit Aaron, I’ve been telling you to check the tariff shelf…

Reposted by Brad Smith

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · Aug 25

Sending troops into US cities against their will.

Strong-arming corporations and extracting gifts in exchange for tariff exemptions.

Calling on state governments to gerrymander in his favor.

Trump is the "big government" nightmare conservatives have always warned us about.

Reposted by Brad Smith

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Aug 25

CNBC: So we should expect the US government to be taking more equity stakes in businesses around the country?

KEVIN HASSETT: It's possible, yeah. That's absolutely right.