Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · 23h

Bit of personal and professional news: I recently moved from DC to Los Angeles, where I'll be covering the California (and West Coast, and still U.S.) economy for @wsj.com.

My first story:

www.wsj.com/economy/hous...

California Wants to Make It Easier to Build Housing. Los Angeles Objects.

Gov. Newsom Friday signed a bill that will make it easier to build apartment buildings. Cities like Los Angeles fear a loss of control.

www.wsj.com

1 5

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · 4d

Thousands of federal agents once tasked with investigating drug smuggling, sexual exploitation and organized crime have been redirected to immigration enforcement

www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

Trump’s Immigration Push Diverts U.S. Agents From Drug, Money and Sex-Crime Cases

Federal investigators are resigning, and morale is low, as they juggle complex cases and detain migrants.

www.wsj.com

1 1 3

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · 6d

During a recent event about autism, Trump waved off questions from reporters about the economy. “I’d rather not talk about some nonsense on the economy. I will say this: The economy is unbelievable.”

www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

Trump’s Team Hones Message on Economy: Just Wait Until 2026

Advisers are privately assuring the president that his policies will pay off.

www.wsj.com

1 4 5

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · 6d

A college friend of Donald Trump Jr., has left a trail of confusion as he courts foreign officials and businesses to lock up investments in mining, oil pipelines and real estate.

www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

He Drops Trump Jr.’s Name in Pursuit of Billion-Dollar Deals. It’s Getting Awkward.

Gentry Beach, a college friend of the president’s firstborn, has left a trail of confusion abroad as he courts foreign officials and business leaders to lock up investments in mining, oil pipelines an...

www.wsj.com

1 1 3

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · 9d

An interesting thing about Brazil’s democracy is that Congress often responds to protests in the street. One example in The Economist:

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · 10d

The Supreme Court declined to immediately allow President Trump to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and instead scheduled oral arguments on the case for January

www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...

Supreme Court Allows Lisa Cook to Keep Her Job for Now

The justices will hear arguments in January on President Trump’s bid to fire the Fed Governor.

www.wsj.com

1 1 2

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · 11d

Many car companies, faced with softening EV sales and a Trump administration hostile to green-energy initiatives, have called for looser regulations. None has backtracked as quickly and dramatically as GM.

www.wsj.com/business/aut...

Why General Motors Boss Mary Barra Is Slamming the Brakes on Lofty EV Ambitions

Falling consumer demand and shriveling government support undermine GM’s all-electric plans.

www.wsj.com

1 2

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · 24d

From American Airlines to Nasdaq, employers have ousted or suspended staff for contentious posts about the conservative activist’s killing

www.wsj.com/business/cha...

Workers Are Getting Fired Over Posts Mocking Charlie Kirk’s Death

Campaigns to alert employers to contentious posts are posing new challenges for bosses; ‘This is very different’ from past political controversies at work.

www.wsj.com

1

Reposted by Paul Kiernan

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 29d

“I have no idea why he did this.” A young man's descent from model student to suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk. on.wsj.com/48gbtoN

1.4K 35 170

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 10

U.S. population growth will slow to a crawl over the next few decades as fertility rates decline and net immigration shrinks because of stricter enforcement, the Congressional Budget Office said

www.wsj.com/us-news/u-s-...

U.S. Population Growth Will Slow Even More, CBO Says

Deaths are now forecast to exceed births in 2031, two years faster than thought.

www.wsj.com

1 5

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 10

Shots fired

www.wsj.com/politics/ele...

Harris Calls Decision to Let Biden Run Again Reckless in New Memoir

The former vice president defends Biden’s mental acuity but says the choice to run shouldn’t have been ‘left to an individual’s ego.’

www.wsj.com

1 4 6

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 10

“This is the worst I’ve seen,” said Pam Kehaly, CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona. “It’s happening so fast, it’s happening so broadly.” She points to more aggressive billing by some healthcare providers, potentially powered by artificial-intelligence tools.

www.wsj.com/health/healt...

Exclusive | Health Insurance Costs for Businesses to Rise by Most in 15 Years

Insurers say that the rising premiums are driven by growing healthcare costs.

www.wsj.com

7 7

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 10

Judge Blocks Trump From Removing Fed Governor Lisa Cook

www.wsj.com/economy/cent...

Judge Blocks Trump From Removing Fed Governor Lisa Cook

The order allows Cook to remain on the central bank’s board for now while her legal challenge proceeds.

www.wsj.com

1

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 9

Census Bureau data show that average U.S. households haven’t gained ground economically since the Covid-19 pandemic struck

www.wsj.com/economy/cons...

Inflation Erased U.S. Income Gains Last Year

High-income households fared better than others, while women lost ground to men, according to Census Bureau data.

www.wsj.com

2

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 9

American high-school seniors’ scores on major math and reading tests fell to their lowest levels on record, according to the U.S. Education Department

www.wsj.com/us-news/educ...

Twelfth-Grade Math and Reading Scores in U.S. Hit New Low

The declines deepen slides that began before the pandemic.

www.wsj.com

1

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 8

The letter
www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...

Exclusive | Epstein Birthday Letter With Trump’s Signature Revealed

Lawyers for Epstein’s estate have given Congress a copy of the 2003 birthday book.

www.wsj.com

1 2 5

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 6

A $5 billion wind farm project off the New England coast was 80% complete when it got the stop-work from the Trump administration. A small army of workers and suppliers are in limbo. “They didn’t vote for this,” says a union official.

www.wsj.com/us-news/trum...

Trump’s War on Wind Has This Construction Crew Stuck 15 Miles Out at Sea

A $5 billion wind farm project off the New England coast was 80% complete when it got the stop-work from the Trump administration. A small army of workers and suppliers are in limbo.

www.wsj.com

4 3 13

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 5

Weakest jobs report we've seen since 2020. Payrolls for August came in at just +22k, while the number for June was revised into the negative. Unemployment rises to 4.3% from 4.2%.

8 14

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 5

President Trump on Thursday led leaders of the world’s biggest technology companies in a version of his cabinet meetings, in which each participant takes a turn thanking and praising him

www.wsj.com/politics/tru...

Tech CEOs Take Turns Praising Trump at White House Dinner

Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai and Sam Altman saluted the president’s leadership on innovation at an event that underscored the industry’s desire for his favor.

www.wsj.com

1 3

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 4

Assuming this is representative, it’s consistent with a steady cooling of the labor market as the supply of workers (esp. immigrants) slows alongside demand. Not a disaster but a very different economy than we had eight months ago.

1

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 4

ADP estimates private employers added 54,000 jobs in August.

“The year started with strong job growth, but that momentum has been whipsawed by uncertainty,” chief economist Nela Richardson says.

adp-ri-nrip-static.adp.com/artifacts/us...

adp-ri-nrip-static.adp.com

3 2

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 4

Even though the Fed’s preferred inflation gauges are running slightly higher than they were at this time last year, Miran has said he no longer thinks inflation is a worry.

www.wsj.com/economy/cent...

Three Things to Watch for at the Confirmation Hearing for Trump’s Fed Nominee

President Trump has picked one of his top advisers to fill an empty seat on the Fed board. Stephen Miran will appear before a Senate committee on Thursday.

www.wsj.com

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 4

“Not exactly a judge’s forte.” Light penalties on Google highlights the fundamental challenges antitrust enforcers face.

www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...

Google Ruling Shows Antitrust Tools Struggle to Keep Up With Tech Markets

The marketplace moves faster than the legal system, and judges are skittish about crafting industry rules.

www.wsj.com

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 3

“You don’t know if there are drugs on board until after you board,” said John Feeley, a former U.S. ambassador to Panama with experience in antidrug operations in Latin America.

www.wsj.com/politics/nat...

U.S. Military Strikes Drug Vessel From Venezuela, Killing 11

President Trump disclosed the attack on a small boat, which occurred after the Pentagon deployed warships to the Caribbean to halt the flow of cocaine.

www.wsj.com

Paul Kiernan @pkwsj.bsky.social · Sep 2

This has been a persistent concern for workplaces, especially in occupations in the construction, mining and transportation industries.

www.wsj.com/business/fen...

Exclusive | More Fentanyl Shows Up in Random Workplace Tests

More Americans are testing positive for fentanyl use, highlighting a persistent challenge for employers.

www.wsj.com