Michael Hicks
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profhicks.bsky.social
Michael Hicks
@profhicks.bsky.social
1.3K followers 1.3K following 670 posts

Father of three marvels, lucky husband, parent lottery winner. Retired infantry soldier, George & Frances Ball Professor of Economics at Ball State’s Center for Business and Economic Research. https://www.bsu.edu/cber

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Michael J. Hicks is the George & Frances Ball Distinguished Professor of Economics and director of the Center for Business and Economic Research and Professor of Economics at Ball State University. .. more

Economics 63%
Business 14%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Aaron Sojourner

profhicks.bsky.social
Michael Hicks @profhicks.bsky.social · 1d
A new group -- Save Heritage Indiana -- is a warmed over KKK grift.

www.indystar.com/story/opinio...
New anti-immigration group is 1920s KKK racism, repackaged | Opinion
The 1920s Indiana KKK was an anti-immigrant grift. Now a new organization is using the same playbook.
www.indystar.com

Reposted by Michael J. Hicks

aaronsojourner.org
Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · 4d
www.minneapolisfed.org/article/2025...
Farm incomes decline amid strong harvests | Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Third quarter 2025 Ag Credit Survey
www.minneapolisfed.org

Reposted by Michael J. Hicks

andycraig.bsky.social
Andy Craig @andycraig.bsky.social · 5d
They won't do this of course, but in theory a reasonable deal would be to expel both Cory Mills (R) and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D) in a single resolution. Both deserve it and that would cancel out the partisan effect in a narrowly divided House.

Reposted by Michael J. Hicks

aaronsojourner.org
Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · 5d
If scaring 30,000 children in a school district into missing school is "the worst of the worst," then they nailed it.
tusk81.bsky.social Gabe Ortíz @tusk81.bsky.social · 5d
As @people.com reported yesterday, more than 30,000 children in just one North Carolina district alone skipped class on Monday due to immigration raids: people.com/more-than-30...

Reposted by Aaron Sojourner, Michael J. Hicks

tusk81.bsky.social
Gabe Ortíz @tusk81.bsky.social · 5d
As @people.com reported yesterday, more than 30,000 children in just one North Carolina district alone skipped class on Monday due to immigration raids: people.com/more-than-30...

profhicks.bsky.social
Michael Hicks @profhicks.bsky.social · 7d
If there is a growing shortage of "safe assets", because of macroeconomic conditions, would a trade war that depresses asset values/raises risks make a financial bubble more or less likely?

Great question, which we may answer the hard way.

dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721....
The Safe Assets Shortage Conundrum
dspace.mit.edu

Reposted by Anupam Chander, Will Jennings, Brendan Nyhan , and 5 more

unusualwhales.bsky.social
Unusual Whales @unusualwhales.bsky.social · 7d
BREAKING: Deputy White House Chief of Staff James Blair said the administration is eyeing ways to give millions of Americans $2,000 dividend checks from tariff revenue without congressional approval, per Bloomberg.

Reposted by Michael J. Hicks

boiler40.bsky.social
Brent Scales @boiler40.bsky.social · 7d
As @profhicks.bsky.social has repeatedly demonstrated with his work, services are a major factor in keeping and bringing people to towns/cities, not low taxes. Always exceptions, including bad use of funds, but it certainly holds true in this state. Latest: www.thestarpress.com/story/opinio...
Hicks: An anecdote on taxation
There’s an easy rule of thumb. If you are losing people, or your home values are declining, it is pretty likely that you have too few amenities for your current taxes.
www.thestarpress.com

Reposted by Gerald Friedman, Michael J. Hicks

aaronsojourner.org
Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · 8d
Thanks, BLS Staff!
#EconSky #NumbersDay
www.friendsofbls.org/updates/2025...
To the BLS Staff from the Leadership of the Friends of BLS Welcome back. On behalf of the Friends of BLS, we extend our deepest appreciation to each of you for your work this year. As you return from the recent government shutdown, we want to express this gratitude. We know how disruptive and stressful government shutdowns can be—to operations but also to your professional and personal lives. Time and again, BLS employees demonstrate remarkable dedication, professionalism, and resilience. Your commitment to providing accurate, objective, and trusted statistics is essential to the nation’s economic understanding and decision-making. You were missed. The work you do matters profoundly. Policymakers, businesses, researchers, communities, and millions of American families rely on BLS data every day, often without realizing the expertise, rigor, and care that make it possible. That value does not diminish during a shutdown; in fact, it becomes even more visible when your absence is felt. Thank you for your continued service, your integrity, and your steadfast pursuit of excellence. The Friends of BLS stands with you, celebrates your return, and remains committed to advocating for the resources, support, and recognition you deserve. We’re glad you’re back. The nation is stronger because of what you do. Friends of BLS Co-Chairs: William Beach, Erica Groshen, Paul Schroeder Friends of BLS Steering Committee Members: Tom Beers, Mary Jo Mitchell, Demetra Nightingale, Steve Pierson, Ken Poole, Aaron Sojourner

Reposted by Gerald Friedman, Michael J. Hicks, Timothy D. McBride

aaronsojourner.org
Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · 8d
Laws requiring pay listing on job openings "increased the fraction of postings with salary information by 30 percentage points. Across three datasets, we find consistent evidence of an increase in wages of 1.3-3.6%."
#EconSky
www.nber.org/papers/w3448...
The Impact of Pay Transparency in Job Postings on the Labor Market David Arnold, Simon Quach, Bledi Taska #34480 Abstract: This paper studies the labor market effects of recent state-level policies that require employers to disclose salary information in job postings. Leveraging a difference-in-differences design, we show that employers increased the fraction of postings with salary information by 30 percentage points. Across three datasets, we find consistent evidence of an increase in wages of 1.3-3.6%. We find no impacts on pay dispersion, employment, the number of postings, or skill and education requirements. Our evidence is consistent with pay transparency increasing competition in the labor market, leading to positive spillovers on incumbent workers and always-posting firms.

Reposted by Gerald Friedman, Michael J. Hicks

joncooper-us.bsky.social
Jon Cooper @joncooper-us.bsky.social · 9d
👇👇

Reposted by Aaron Sojourner, Gerald Friedman, Stacy D. VanDeveer , and 1 more

maddow.bsky.social
Rachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · 10d
"300 agents stormed the building, rappelled from a helicopter, knocked down doors and hurled flash-bang grenades. Agents ziptied and detained many US citizens for hours..."

Prosecutors have not filed a *single* criminal charge against anyone arrested that night:

www.propublica.org/article/chic...
“I Lost Everything”: Venezuelans Were Rounded Up in a Dramatic Midnight Raid but Never Charged With a Crime
Authorities said Tren de Aragua “terrorists” had taken over the building. A ProPublica investigation found little evidence to back up the government’s claims. For the first time, the Venezuelans arres...
www.propublica.org

Reposted by Will Jennings, Michael J. Hicks

profhicks.bsky.social
Michael Hicks @profhicks.bsky.social · 12d
My piece definately reports point estimates of declines in residential and utility construction (data centers picking up those workers).

Don’t know how big the price effect might be.

profhicks.bsky.social
Michael Hicks @profhicks.bsky.social · 13d
Don’t know

profhicks.bsky.social
Michael Hicks @profhicks.bsky.social · 14d
The best way to thank a veteran today is to honor the Constitution we swore to defend.

www.indystar.com/story/opinio...
What I learned in Desert Storm about being a true American | Opinion
The greatest thanks you can give a veteran is honoring the Constitution.
www.indystar.com

profhicks.bsky.social
Michael Hicks @profhicks.bsky.social · 15d
My newest post on the local labor market effects of Data Centers . . .

#DataCenters @profweinstein.bsky.social

michaeljhicks.substack.com/p/data-cente...

Reposted by Michael J. Hicks

aaronsojourner.org
Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · 15d
GOP's One Big Beautiful Bill tax law will increase U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio from 154% three decades after without it to 183% with it, per Auerbach & @billgale.bsky.social.
www.nber.org/papers/w34455

Reposted by Michael J. Hicks

carlquintanilla.bsky.social
Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 16d
A $2000 tariff “dividend” would be negative for bonds — if the bond market actually believed it would ever happen. 🤡

Reposted by Michael J. Hicks

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 16d
Comer on why he thinks Biden's pardons were worse than Trump saying he knows nothing about people he's pardoning: "Nobody is accusing Donald Trump of not knowing what day it is, what year it is, the pardon process and things like that, so I think there's a big difference."

Reposted by Michael J. Hicks

deanbaker13.bsky.social
Dean Baker @deanbaker13.bsky.social · 17d
Forget affordability, Republicans got shellacked on Tuesday because the labor market sucks deanbaker22.substack.com/p/the-cult-o...
The Cult of Affordability and the Labor Market
The weakening labor market played a central role in the Republicans' shellacking
deanbaker22.substack.com

Reposted by Michael J. Hicks, Greg Linden

aaronsojourner.org
Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · 18d
I admire his honesty in this case but I do not love it when the president's closest economic adviser fails to predict the massive negative impact of the administration's policy choices
newsguy.bsky.social Steve Herman @newsguy.bsky.social · 18d
White House economic ‌adviser Kevin Hassett tells Fox Business that the impact of the government shutdown is far ​worse than expected.

Reposted by Michael J. Hicks

adamkinzinger.substack.com
Adam Kinzinger @adamkinzinger.substack.com · 20d
Important read from @drmoore.bsky.social on the defense of corruption of the church:

www.christianitytoday.com/2025/11/nazi...
The Church Better Start Taking Nazification Seriously - Christianity Today
Tucker Carlson hosted neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes on his podcast. The stakes are high for American Christians.
www.christianitytoday.com

Reposted by Michael J. Hicks

aaronsojourner.org
Aaron Sojourner @aaronsojourner.org · 21d
share.google/t6YOgsSvRSn5...
US Manufacturing Shrinks for Eighth Month on Sluggish Demand
The group’s production index slid 2.8 points to 48.2, marking the second month in the last three that output has contracted. The ISM’s employment gauge shrank for a ninth straight month, albeit at a ...
share.google

Reposted by Michael J. Hicks

boiler40.bsky.social
Brent Scales @boiler40.bsky.social · 29d
Nothing to see here, just a couple of B-1s passing within 20 miles of Venezuela’s coastline.
B-1 flight path near Venezuela

profhicks.bsky.social
Michael Hicks @profhicks.bsky.social · Oct 25
I wish there was at least the honesty for folks to simply say: "Daddy is gonna get what Daddy wants, and I'm a gonna give it to him. After all, this is prison, and he's my Daddy."

Just that much honesty would be refreshing.

Reposted by Alan Richardson, Michael J. Hicks, Henry Jones

junlper.beer
onion person @junlper.beer · Oct 24
every passing day, rightwingers are inventing new and unexpected ways to signal to the world they may be the dumbest iteration of humans so far

Reposted by Michael J. Hicks

acyn.bsky.social
Acyn @acyn.bsky.social · Oct 21
Raskin: I heard speaker Mike Johnson refer to a hate America rally, but that one already happened on January 6th, 2021

Reposted by Colin F. Camerer, Will Jennings, Robert W. Wallace , and 8 more

atrupar.com
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Oct 20
Q: What does it say that president released a video of him pooping on the American people?

MIKE JOHNSON: You can argue he's probably the most effective person who has ever used social media. He's using satire to make a point. He's not calling for the murder of his political opponents.

Reposted by Elizabeth Saunders, Joseph Schafer, Michael J. Hicks , and 1 more

prchovanec.bsky.social
Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · Oct 16
Whether he jumped or was pushed, this seems like a big deal. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/u...
Head of the U.S. Military’s Southern Command Is Stepping Down, Officials Say
www.nytimes.com