Kathryn Anne Edwards
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kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards
@kedseconomist.com
11K followers 790 following 450 posts

Labor economist, opinion writer, policy consultant, podcaster

https://linktr.ee/keds_economist
https://linktr.ee/optimisteconomy

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History 29%
Economics 17%
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kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · Nov 20
Reminder: the $600 billion per year that the IRS doesn't collect in taxes owed is enough to pay for universal school meals (~$50 billion) and the child care /preschool (~$40 billion) and paid family leave (~$20 billion) provisions of build back better...six times over!

www.crfb.org/blogs/irs-es...
IRS Estimates a $606 Billion Tax Gap for 2022 | Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
2024-10-24-The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently published its p
www.crfb.org

Reposted by Kathryn A. Edwards

dash-notheactualworddash.com
Al @dash-notheactualworddash.com · 4d
Even though @kedseconomist.com and @rauzi.bsky.social are on a break they did a PSA podcast to arm yourself with counterpoints to the dumb things your drunk uncle, Fox News watching aunt and cryptobro cousin are going to say when you’re over for Thanksgiving

rss.com/podcasts/opt...
Thanksgiving Prep: An Optimist’s Guide to Dinner Table Debate | Podcast Episode on RSS.com
Your drunk uncle calls Social Security a Ponzi scheme. Your crypto-bro cousin thinks tariffs make China pay. Your grandfather blames working women for tanking wage growth. Economist Kathryn Edwards ta...
rss.com

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · 5d
Going to argue with conservative family members at Christmas? The Optimists have you covered!

Enjoy this special bonus episode where we pass the proverbial potatoes and I hit back on range of economic issues.

optimisteconomy.com/episodes/tha...
Thanksgiving Prep: An Optimist’s Guide to Dinner Table Debate | Optimist Economy
Your drunk uncle calls Social Security a Ponzi scheme. Your crypto-bro cousin thinks tariffs make China pay. Your grandfather blames working women for tanking wage growth. Economist Kathryn Edwards ta
optimisteconomy.com

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · 6d
The code name Summers used in exchanges with Epstein for the mentee he was trying to have sex with was “peril.”

Pure speculation: the economist in question, according to the Harvard Crimson, was an Asian woman. My guess is peril is short for “yellow peril.” Offensive and arrogant at the same time.
aeacswep.bsky.social CSWEP @aeacswep.bsky.social · 6d
CSWEP strongly condemns Larry Summers’ behavior as revealed in the email correspondence with the late Jeffrey Epstein. While abuse of power in the economics profession is not new, rarely has the intent behind such abuse been so clearly stated.

Reposted by Heather Boushey, Steven N. Durlauf, Yana van der Meulen Rodgers , and 10 more

aeacswep.bsky.social
CSWEP @aeacswep.bsky.social · 6d
CSWEP strongly condemns Larry Summers’ behavior as revealed in the email correspondence with the late Jeffrey Epstein. While abuse of power in the economics profession is not new, rarely has the intent behind such abuse been so clearly stated.

Reposted by Kathryn A. Edwards

lmcgaughy.bsky.social
Lauren McGaughy @lmcgaughy.bsky.social · 6d
NEW: Remember that story we broke a few months ago with
@propublica.org @texastribune.org?

We reported Texas Gov. Greg Abbott did not want to release his office's emails with #Elon #Musk. Well, we have an update. www.kut.org/politics/202... #txlege #FOIA #transparency #Texas
Gov. Abbott released 1,400 pages of emails about Elon Musk. Most are blacked out.
Abbott fought for months to keep secret emails between his office and Elon Musk. Now, hundreds of pages have been released.
www.kut.org

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · 7d
"She is doomed to be with you."

It's an almost unbelievable exchange.

www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...
As Summers Sought Clandestine Relationship With Woman He Called a Mentee, Epstein Was His ‘Wing Man’ | News | The Harvard Crimson
When former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers was pursuing a romantic relationship with a woman he described as a mentee, he turned to a longtime associate for guidance: convicted sex offender Jef...
www.thecrimson.com

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · 20d
The One Big Beautiful Bill dedicates $170 billion to immigration enforcement, or $12,142 per unauthorized immigrant. By comparison, the federal government spends $8,990 per child each year.

Money talks; Congress is saying kids aren't as important.

www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...
That Extra ICE Funding Could Buy a Lot of School Meals
Whatever their views on America’s immigration laws, most Americans probably have no idea how much the US is spending to enforce them. That’s in part because congressional Republicans and President Don...
www.bloomberg.com

Reposted by Kathryn A. Edwards

thrace.bsky.social
Steph Yang @thrace.bsky.social · 28d
when my doctor asks me if i'm getting enough sleep drinking enough water getting exercise or taking a multivitamin

Reposted by Kathryn A. Edwards

washingtonpost.com
The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 28d
Hours-long wait times. Endless looping music. Useless robot messages.

Millions of seniors and disabled people call Social Security every month. What they experience is often maddening.
Callers to Social Security wait for hours to get help. Hear their ordeals.
Millions of seniors and disabled people call Social Security’s 1-800 number every month. What they experience is often maddening.
www.washingtonpost.com

Reposted by Robert W. Wallace

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · 29d
Policymakers are stuck in a 1960s view of economic hardship, where poverty (and program eligibility) comes from lack of employment. We have 70 years of evidence: bad jobs with unpredictable schedules and variable earnings are a larger source of hardship.
www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...
The Tyranny of the Low-Quality Job
For decades, a job has been seen as the key to escaping poverty. A major new study turns the question on its head: What if hardship is the result of employment, as opposed to the absence of it?
www.bloomberg.com

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · Oct 21
I lol’ed!!!!

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · Oct 21
It's so true.

Reposted by Aaron Sojourner

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · Oct 21
An incredible day! I officially have a deal for my first book.

I write to inform and empower, to convince Americans that the best economy in US history is ahead of us, and we can build it.

Excited and grateful for this opportunity!!! Thank you MBW, Merry, and Norton!

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · Oct 16
First had this thought during the LIBOR email release, but I think it would be really instructive if every leak of scandalous text/email exchanges was accompanied by actors reading through them aloud.

www.politico.com/news/2025/10/14/private-chat-among-young-gop-club-members-00592146
‘I love Hitler’: Leaked messages expose Young Republicans’ racist chat
Thousands of private messages reveal young GOP leaders joking about gas chambers, slavery and rape.
www.politico.com

Reposted by Aaron Sojourner, Kathryn A. Edwards

upjohninstitute.bsky.social
Upjohn Institute @upjohninstitute.bsky.social · Oct 16
Less than half of U.S. workers hold a quality job with predictable schedules, safety & respect, a voice at work, and room for advancement. The Upjohn Institute partnered on a new survey revealing critical gaps in job quality and why they matter.

Read more:
#Jobs #Workforce #econsky #JobQuality
Landmark study shows less than half of U.S. workers have a quality job
www.upjohn.org

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · Oct 14
Will a continued shutdown mean that we will miss the October jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics? I explain in my latest column: that's a choice the administration is making. And it's a terrible one for the economy and the agency.

www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...
The Shutdown’s Consequences for the BLS Are Dire
With the US government shutdown approaching its third week, the costs and consequences are steadily accumulating: for citizens who rely on federal services, for the employees who serve them, and for t...
www.bloomberg.com

Reposted by Aaron Sojourner, Kathryn A. Edwards

econreporter.bsky.social
EconReporter @econreporter.bsky.social · Oct 14
What the “birth-death” model can tell us about the economy

A good @marketplace.org report

www.marketplace.org/story/2025/1...
What the “birth-death” model can tell us about the economy
Its underperformance in recent years could be a sign of weakness in the labor market
www.marketplace.org

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · Oct 13
Last week I went back on Prof G Markets. It was a really fun conversation, covering everything from BLS data collection, the economic prospects of boys and men, immigration spending to trad wives and labor law. Listen wherever, or watch here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSnO...
How Policy is Failing the American Workforce — ft. Kathryn Anne Edwards | Prof G Markets
YouTube video by The Prof G Pod – Scott Galloway
www.youtube.com

Reposted by Kathryn A. Edwards

beccagsdipo.bsky.social
Kunai’s Mom @beccagsdipo.bsky.social · Oct 11
I ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ @kedseconomist.com ! I really enjoyed this interview even though I’m not a huge fan of Prof G (I just skip the first 10 min) but great questions were asked and Kathryn explains it all so perfectly!
P.s. Optimist Economy podcast is 🤌!

youtu.be/qSnOSSP8lOE?...
How Policy is Failing the American Workforce — ft. Kathryn Anne Edwards | Prof G Markets
YouTube video by The Prof G Pod – Scott Galloway
youtu.be

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · Oct 10
It is! We just don't have fully produced videos yet. Just getting started and don't have the funds.
www.youtube.com/@optimist_ec...
Optimist Economy
At Optimist Economy, we believe the U.S. economy can be better, and we talk about how to get there, one problem and solution at a time. A weekly podcast featuring economist Kathryn Anne Edwards, a.k.a...
www.youtube.com

Reposted by Kathryn A. Edwards

gabe339.bsky.social
Gabe339Esq @gabe339.bsky.social · Oct 10
Fantastic @profgalloway.com Markets podcast today with @kedseconomist.com doing an excellent job highlighting the exploitation of undocumented workers by employers and the erosion of labor law enforcement. So refreshing to hear this language in a markets podcast.

Reposted by Kathryn A. Edwards

dash-notheactualworddash.com
Al @dash-notheactualworddash.com · Oct 9
I feel like there’s a conflict of interest talking up this episode of @kedseconomist.com’s podcast since they answered my question right off the bat but it’s a really good podcast that harkens back to the heyday of NPR podcasts. UBI! Minimum wage! Hardly any f-bombs!

rss.com/podcasts/opt...
Optimist Q&A: Evidence for UBI, What to Do About Billionaires, and Where Will the U.S. Economy Be After Trump? | Podcast Episode on RSS.com
In the final Q&A of the season, economist Kathryn Edwards answers listener questions on recent universal basic income experiments, legislative budgeting tricks, and the value of more aggressive IR...
rss.com

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · Oct 7
Ever had a question for an economist? Send them to the Optimists! Our latest episode is based on listener-submitted questions about the economy: billionaires, Social Security tax rates, child care, the minimum wage, cash welfare, innovation, and more.

It's a fun ride!

rss.com/podcasts/opt...
Optimist Q&A: Evidence for UBI, What to Do About Billionaires, and Where Will the U.S. Economy Be After Trump? | Podcast Episode on RSS.com
In the final Q&A of the season, economist Kathryn Edwards answers listener questions on recent universal basic income experiments, legislative budgeting tricks, and the value of more aggressive IR...
rss.com

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · Oct 3
I went on Here and Now to talk about the gender pay gap and news that it has widened over the past two years. We went on to talk about family friendly work policy, the focus on boys and men, and why I remain steadfastly optimistic.

www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2...
Gender pay gap grows as wages of women backslide
Women's' wages aren't keeping pace with what men earn on average, and at the same time, women are increasingly leaving the workforce.
www.wbur.org

Reposted by Kathryn A. Edwards

moniquemorrissey.bsky.social
Monique Morrissey @moniquemorrissey.bsky.social · Oct 3
Just caught @kedseconomist.com discussing the gender pay gap on @hereandnow.bsky.social! She connects the dots—well worth a listen. www.wbur.org/radio/progra...
Here & Now
NPR and WBUR's live midday news program.
www.wbur.org

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · Oct 1
Also best take on this so far is my friend who said "Wow she puts Veep writers to shame."
joelsiegel.bsky.social Joel Siegel @joelsiegel.bsky.social · Oct 1
Rep. Lisa McClain, on CNN, praising President Trump for deploying the National Guard to Washington:

"My daughter could actually ride the Metro for the first time since she has been in DC."

[Her daughter is 22]

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · Oct 1
Chiming in like many DC parents to say a metro ride through DC delights young children. Our favorite red line day was to go from Brookland to Union Station. The train passes where city construction equipment, school buses, and snowplows are parked, then all the commuter trains heading into town.
joelsiegel.bsky.social Joel Siegel @joelsiegel.bsky.social · Oct 1
Rep. Lisa McClain, on CNN, praising President Trump for deploying the National Guard to Washington:

"My daughter could actually ride the Metro for the first time since she has been in DC."

[Her daughter is 22]

Reposted by Anne Applebaum, Marc Lynch, Michael A. Clemens , and 6 more

joelsiegel.bsky.social
Joel Siegel @joelsiegel.bsky.social · Oct 1
Rep. Lisa McClain, on CNN, praising President Trump for deploying the National Guard to Washington:

"My daughter could actually ride the Metro for the first time since she has been in DC."

[Her daughter is 22]

Reposted by Kathryn A. Edwards

socio-steve.bsky.social
Stephen Nuñez @socio-steve.bsky.social · Oct 1
We got a paper on that! By @kedseconomist.com !

rooseveltinstitute.org/publications...
Whole Child, Whole Day, Whole Year: Assembling a Comprehensive Child Development System for America - Roosevelt Institute
In a new report, economist Kathryn Anne Edwards makes the case for a comprehensive Child Development System supported by federal funds that would provide every child the right to a safe environment wh...
rooseveltinstitute.org

kedseconomist.com
Kathryn Anne Edwards @kedseconomist.com · Sep 30
Can you get help when you lose your job?

A lot of Americans' introduction to Unemployment Insurance is anything but easy. Laid off, they have to navigate an application process that could result in not that much money.

Optimists, we can do better. Tune in:
rss.com/podcasts/opt...
Can We Fix America's Broken Unemployment Insurance System? | Podcast Episode on RSS.com
Just how broken is Unemployment Insurance? Consider this: During every recession since the 1950s, the federal government has had to step in and prop it up. Of people looking for work, only half qualif...
rss.com