Steve Cicala
@stevecicala.bsky.social
Associate Professor
Tufts University Department of Economics
https://www.stevecicala.com
http://goingelectric.substack.com
Tufts University Department of Economics
https://www.stevecicala.com
http://goingelectric.substack.com
🚨 Call for Papers: 🚨
The 5th NBER Regulation Conference will be in Cambridge on April 24, 2026.
This is a great opportunity to talk to people in different fields about shared regulatory issues!
Submissions are due Feb 10.
conference.nber.org/confsubmit/b...
The 5th NBER Regulation Conference will be in Cambridge on April 24, 2026.
This is a great opportunity to talk to people in different fields about shared regulatory issues!
Submissions are due Feb 10.
conference.nber.org/confsubmit/b...
January 12, 2026 at 6:57 PM
🚨 Call for Papers: 🚨
The 5th NBER Regulation Conference will be in Cambridge on April 24, 2026.
This is a great opportunity to talk to people in different fields about shared regulatory issues!
Submissions are due Feb 10.
conference.nber.org/confsubmit/b...
The 5th NBER Regulation Conference will be in Cambridge on April 24, 2026.
This is a great opportunity to talk to people in different fields about shared regulatory issues!
Submissions are due Feb 10.
conference.nber.org/confsubmit/b...
The administration's survival demands an ever-escalating series of scandals to prevent accountability itself from becoming the story.
Does anyone think this is going to level off or settle down for the next 3 years?
There's just no way this lasts until 2029.
Does anyone think this is going to level off or settle down for the next 3 years?
There's just no way this lasts until 2029.
January 12, 2026 at 4:35 PM
The administration's survival demands an ever-escalating series of scandals to prevent accountability itself from becoming the story.
Does anyone think this is going to level off or settle down for the next 3 years?
There's just no way this lasts until 2029.
Does anyone think this is going to level off or settle down for the next 3 years?
There's just no way this lasts until 2029.
It's a mug's game to take the administration's claims at face value and attempt to negotiate on those terms in good faith. It embodies weakness.
This has nothing to do with cost-sharing (or security for that matter), and everything to do with ego-stroking by planting flags on maps.
This has nothing to do with cost-sharing (or security for that matter), and everything to do with ego-stroking by planting flags on maps.
January 7, 2026 at 8:01 PM
It's a mug's game to take the administration's claims at face value and attempt to negotiate on those terms in good faith. It embodies weakness.
This has nothing to do with cost-sharing (or security for that matter), and everything to do with ego-stroking by planting flags on maps.
This has nothing to do with cost-sharing (or security for that matter), and everything to do with ego-stroking by planting flags on maps.
11 out of 15 papers in the last issue just completely erased the contribution of authors!
But at least they share the formatting editor of NBER Working papers. What’s that tab indent? How about another for no reason! Just keeping you in your toes, freestyling in the table of contents.
But at least they share the formatting editor of NBER Working papers. What’s that tab indent? How about another for no reason! Just keeping you in your toes, freestyling in the table of contents.
December 3, 2025 at 6:51 PM
11 out of 15 papers in the last issue just completely erased the contribution of authors!
But at least they share the formatting editor of NBER Working papers. What’s that tab indent? How about another for no reason! Just keeping you in your toes, freestyling in the table of contents.
But at least they share the formatting editor of NBER Working papers. What’s that tab indent? How about another for no reason! Just keeping you in your toes, freestyling in the table of contents.
Witkoff sounds a lot like Harry Ellis in Die Hard.
“Vlady baby, I love you, and the world should love you! I think we have a real chance here to do something amazing!”
“Vlady baby, I love you, and the world should love you! I think we have a real chance here to do something amazing!”
November 26, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Witkoff sounds a lot like Harry Ellis in Die Hard.
“Vlady baby, I love you, and the world should love you! I think we have a real chance here to do something amazing!”
“Vlady baby, I love you, and the world should love you! I think we have a real chance here to do something amazing!”
Boston-area petting zoos know their clientele.
November 8, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Boston-area petting zoos know their clientele.
A very interesting JMP on how insurers use their vertical integration with pharmacy benefit managers to tunnel profits around regulations on medical loss ratios:
www.ydeeric.com
Reminder to JMCs: Don't post your paper via dropbox or drive. Many organizations can't access them.
www.ydeeric.com
Reminder to JMCs: Don't post your paper via dropbox or drive. Many organizations can't access them.
November 7, 2025 at 5:52 PM
A very interesting JMP on how insurers use their vertical integration with pharmacy benefit managers to tunnel profits around regulations on medical loss ratios:
www.ydeeric.com
Reminder to JMCs: Don't post your paper via dropbox or drive. Many organizations can't access them.
www.ydeeric.com
Reminder to JMCs: Don't post your paper via dropbox or drive. Many organizations can't access them.
You know who else faces severe restrictions on access to the most up-to-date releases of automobiles?
October 29, 2025 at 5:32 PM
You know who else faces severe restrictions on access to the most up-to-date releases of automobiles?
The "hollowing out" of US manufacturing used to justify IEEPA authority is a fiction. Output is within a few % of all-time highs.
Since 1989 output is ⬆️ 67% while employment is ⬇️ 28%. Their claim is false and their solution is nonsense.
Thanks to @stanveuger.bsky.social for organizing this brief!
Since 1989 output is ⬆️ 67% while employment is ⬇️ 28%. Their claim is false and their solution is nonsense.
Thanks to @stanveuger.bsky.social for organizing this brief!
October 27, 2025 at 2:04 PM
The "hollowing out" of US manufacturing used to justify IEEPA authority is a fiction. Output is within a few % of all-time highs.
Since 1989 output is ⬆️ 67% while employment is ⬇️ 28%. Their claim is false and their solution is nonsense.
Thanks to @stanveuger.bsky.social for organizing this brief!
Since 1989 output is ⬆️ 67% while employment is ⬇️ 28%. Their claim is false and their solution is nonsense.
Thanks to @stanveuger.bsky.social for organizing this brief!
*all of the White House.
Is there something protecting the rest of the campus from which the East Wing was exempt?
This has been so easy, I would be surprised if he doesn't `update' his plans and tear even more down.
"That's how construction goes...you get started and find a problem..."
Is there something protecting the rest of the campus from which the East Wing was exempt?
This has been so easy, I would be surprised if he doesn't `update' his plans and tear even more down.
"That's how construction goes...you get started and find a problem..."
October 23, 2025 at 6:44 PM
*all of the White House.
Is there something protecting the rest of the campus from which the East Wing was exempt?
This has been so easy, I would be surprised if he doesn't `update' his plans and tear even more down.
"That's how construction goes...you get started and find a problem..."
Is there something protecting the rest of the campus from which the East Wing was exempt?
This has been so easy, I would be surprised if he doesn't `update' his plans and tear even more down.
"That's how construction goes...you get started and find a problem..."
This is a real test, especially as CBAM implementation advances, of whether or not the EU is chickenshit, in the words of @adamserwer.bsky.social
Find that spine, friends.
Find that spine, friends.
October 17, 2025 at 3:20 PM
This is a real test, especially as CBAM implementation advances, of whether or not the EU is chickenshit, in the words of @adamserwer.bsky.social
Find that spine, friends.
Find that spine, friends.
Gita Gopinath is no Nouriel Roubini, always predicting doom.
In any case, there goes Fama's subscription, again.
In any case, there goes Fama's subscription, again.
October 15, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Gita Gopinath is no Nouriel Roubini, always predicting doom.
In any case, there goes Fama's subscription, again.
In any case, there goes Fama's subscription, again.
I really can't think of anything in economics that compares to the tectonic shift of Duflo & Banerjee moving to @econ.uzh.ch
The closest event has got to be Einstein resigning from the Prussian academy in 1933 and moving to the US.
mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Extras/Einst...
The closest event has got to be Einstein resigning from the Prussian academy in 1933 and moving to the US.
mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Extras/Einst...
October 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
I really can't think of anything in economics that compares to the tectonic shift of Duflo & Banerjee moving to @econ.uzh.ch
The closest event has got to be Einstein resigning from the Prussian academy in 1933 and moving to the US.
mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Extras/Einst...
The closest event has got to be Einstein resigning from the Prussian academy in 1933 and moving to the US.
mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Extras/Einst...
Again?
I thought the LAST WARNING was on Sept 7.
Or March 5th.
It's hard to keep track of his final offers. He's very good at this negotiation thing.
I thought the LAST WARNING was on Sept 7.
Or March 5th.
It's hard to keep track of his final offers. He's very good at this negotiation thing.
October 3, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Again?
I thought the LAST WARNING was on Sept 7.
Or March 5th.
It's hard to keep track of his final offers. He's very good at this negotiation thing.
I thought the LAST WARNING was on Sept 7.
Or March 5th.
It's hard to keep track of his final offers. He's very good at this negotiation thing.
September 21, 2025 at 11:30 PM
* 2 economists, 1 investor, and 1 self-important lawyer.
This discussion is an example of credentials mattering. Cass has to be corrected multiple times. In bad faith, he refuses to acknowledge the corrections.
His participation is not informing readers.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/o...
This discussion is an example of credentials mattering. Cass has to be corrected multiple times. In bad faith, he refuses to acknowledge the corrections.
His participation is not informing readers.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/o...
September 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM
* 2 economists, 1 investor, and 1 self-important lawyer.
This discussion is an example of credentials mattering. Cass has to be corrected multiple times. In bad faith, he refuses to acknowledge the corrections.
His participation is not informing readers.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/o...
This discussion is an example of credentials mattering. Cass has to be corrected multiple times. In bad faith, he refuses to acknowledge the corrections.
His participation is not informing readers.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/o...
1958: "within the next two decades," or by about 1975.
September 15, 2025 at 5:08 PM
1958: "within the next two decades," or by about 1975.
Truly excellent throughout.
September 7, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Truly excellent throughout.
Me, reading V.O.S. SELECTIONS, INC. v. TRUMP:
I don't think we should empower glorified college debaters who believe their superior intelligence can overrule specialized expertise to make consequential decisions for the country.
I don't think we should empower glorified college debaters who believe their superior intelligence can overrule specialized expertise to make consequential decisions for the country.
August 30, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Me, reading V.O.S. SELECTIONS, INC. v. TRUMP:
I don't think we should empower glorified college debaters who believe their superior intelligence can overrule specialized expertise to make consequential decisions for the country.
I don't think we should empower glorified college debaters who believe their superior intelligence can overrule specialized expertise to make consequential decisions for the country.
It would be a real shame if more people read the report that triggered Marzulla law to threaten academics and undergrads for the crime of simply studying the suits they file.
drive.google.com/file/d/1nrMS...
drive.google.com/file/d/1nrMS...
August 25, 2025 at 2:44 PM
It would be a real shame if more people read the report that triggered Marzulla law to threaten academics and undergrads for the crime of simply studying the suits they file.
drive.google.com/file/d/1nrMS...
drive.google.com/file/d/1nrMS...
"Things have changed dramatically" is going to be carved on John Roberts' tombstone whether he likes it or not.
![Nearly 50 years later, things have changed dramatically. Largely because of the Voting Rights Act, “[v]oter turnout and registration rates” in covered jurisdictions “now approach parity. Blatantly discriminatory evasions of federal decrees are rare. And minority candidates hold office at unprecedented levels.” Northwest Austin, supra, at 202. The tests and devices that blocked ballot access have been forbidden nationwide for over 40 years. Yet the Act has not eased §5’s restrictions or narrowed the scope of §4’s coverage formula along the way. Instead those extraordinary and unprecedented features have been reauthorized as if nothing has changed, and they have grown even stronger. Because §5 applies only to those jurisdictions singled out by §4, the Court turns to consider that provision. Pp. 13–17.
(b) Section 4’s formula is unconstitutional in light of current conditions. Pp. 17–25.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:6dz3ci2p6ojv633run467izc/bafkreihkefqxddeeklvbwfqo3nzm3aexr3qjvyc5i7s3tgmndmk3hc3jge@jpeg)
August 23, 2025 at 8:07 AM
"Things have changed dramatically" is going to be carved on John Roberts' tombstone whether he likes it or not.
And now the question has been answered:
All it took was a little 2020 election flattery. He's the easiest mark on the planet.
All it took was a little 2020 election flattery. He's the easiest mark on the planet.
August 16, 2025 at 5:18 PM
And now the question has been answered:
All it took was a little 2020 election flattery. He's the easiest mark on the planet.
All it took was a little 2020 election flattery. He's the easiest mark on the planet.