Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

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.

Videos

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%

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 2d

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

13 61 240

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 2d

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

1 1 14

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 2d

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.

24 130 510

— Reposted by Dean Baker

Reposted by Nathan P. Kalmoe

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 2d

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.

28 180 700

— Reposted by Steven Pressman

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 2d

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.

5 15 310

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 2d

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.

36 100 830

— Reposted by James S. Shortle

Reposted by Michael A. Clemens

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 2d

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...

9 65 220

— Reposted by James S. Shortle

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 3d

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.

11 120 350

— Reposted by James S. Shortle

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 3d

I did a bit of reporting (aka talking to my better half, Betsy Stevenson—ex-Labor chief economist & Obama CEA). Her read from the last shutdown: some senior officials saw the jobs number even as the public waited. This time may rhyme.

7 67 300

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 3d

Economics isn’t about jumping at every data point. It’s about weighing evidence — especially when some of it’s noisy. The ADP jobs number is one clue, not the whole case.

4 35 230

Reposted by Paul Nightingale

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 3d

My favorite gig in the world is this "Professor Is In" segment I do with @anacabrera.bsky.social , where we step back from the news cycle to do what I really love: Teach economics.

Our latest: The economics of high-skill immigration, and the H-1B visa program.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sxg...

The Professor Is In—Justin Wolfers on H-1B Visas: H-1B Talent Lifts U.S. Wages and Innovation

In this episode of "The Professor Is In," economist Justin Wolfers explores the economics of high-skill immigration. Do high-skill immigrants take jobs—or help build more of them? Economist Justin…

www.youtube.com

7 70 320

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 3d

Ever wanted to hear two middle-aged blokes talk macro and meow? [email protected] and me as we race from BLS to the Fed to tariffs to competence (still not a dirty word) to immigration to shutdowns, and finish up purring about kittens. #dadcore
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-qo...

The Terrible Cost of the Trump Economy with Economics Professor Justin Wolfers

Economist Justin Wolfers joins The Left Hook to explain how Trump's reckless incompetence is weakening America's reputation, alliances, and the economy. In this conversation, we discuss the cost of…

www.youtube.com

12 58 260

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 4d

The expected duration of this shutdown keeps rising.

32 61 270

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 4d

Hey, that's my Econ 101 students! Talking econ! In the public square! With the great @svaneksmith.bsky.social!

Love you guys.

5 43 270