Chirag Lala
@cthelala.bsky.social
Indian-American. VP of Research & Chief Economist at Center for Public Enterprise. PhD Candidate at UMass Economics. Macro + Finance + Industrial Policy + Decarbonization + Grids + Investment
https://publicenterprise.org/author/chirag/
https://publicenterprise.org/author/chirag/
Pinned
Chirag Lala
@cthelala.bsky.social
· Nov 12
Made what I believe to be the first "Macroeconomics and Finance" starter pack! Do send me recommendations or requests to join.
It's a broad umbrella - so not just for economists! Practitioners, industry, and adjacent policy folks are all welcome.
go.bsky.app/PF8LBMv
It's a broad umbrella - so not just for economists! Practitioners, industry, and adjacent policy folks are all welcome.
go.bsky.app/PF8LBMv
Reposted by Chirag Lala
Gopinath doesn't give a source for this number, but it's consistent with other evidence. It's a real puzzle why more tariff costs havne't been passed on, but the fact that they haven't been suggests that the net effect is more likely to be deflationary than inflationary. www.ft.com/content/9c82...
January 7, 2026 at 1:46 PM
Gopinath doesn't give a source for this number, but it's consistent with other evidence. It's a real puzzle why more tariff costs havne't been passed on, but the fact that they haven't been suggests that the net effect is more likely to be deflationary than inflationary. www.ft.com/content/9c82...
The Biden admin had great domestic picks across the Fed, WH policy staff, NEC, Treasury, CHIPs Office, DOE & LPO. Contrary to many criticisms on its industrial policy especially, the bureaucrats largely share the desire for more authority to plan, transact, permit, finance, and build state capacity.
it's funny how Bidenworld's good picks were mostly because of the merger with Warrenworld on econ stuff
Barack Obama had exceptionally bad judgment around key staff, certain picks were quite good (McDonough, Donilon, etc.), but his lack of experience really came through in selecting a team to understand the environment & advance the party's interests.
Joe Biden had no excuse in hiring them all again.
Joe Biden had no excuse in hiring them all again.
January 7, 2026 at 2:51 PM
The Biden admin had great domestic picks across the Fed, WH policy staff, NEC, Treasury, CHIPs Office, DOE & LPO. Contrary to many criticisms on its industrial policy especially, the bureaucrats largely share the desire for more authority to plan, transact, permit, finance, and build state capacity.
Reposted by Chirag Lala
it's funny how Bidenworld's good picks were mostly because of the merger with Warrenworld on econ stuff
Barack Obama had exceptionally bad judgment around key staff, certain picks were quite good (McDonough, Donilon, etc.), but his lack of experience really came through in selecting a team to understand the environment & advance the party's interests.
Joe Biden had no excuse in hiring them all again.
Joe Biden had no excuse in hiring them all again.
January 7, 2026 at 2:10 PM
it's funny how Bidenworld's good picks were mostly because of the merger with Warrenworld on econ stuff
Reposted by Chirag Lala
good rundown of how many democrats are, in fact, coming out against this shit
www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2026/01/the-...
www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2026/01/the-...
The Dem Reaction - Lawyers, Guns & Money
Where are the Democrats right now? Friend of the blog Jamie Mayerfeld has done the research: I saw someone write on Facebook: “Only a short matter of time before we see establishment liberals falling ...
www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com
January 3, 2026 at 9:43 PM
good rundown of how many democrats are, in fact, coming out against this shit
www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2026/01/the-...
www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2026/01/the-...
Reposted by Chirag Lala
Excellent analysis from @crampell.bsky.social, but again, we need prominent economists to stop making the category error that 🇺🇸 runs the risk of of sudden drop debt/currency crisis like developing countries with fixed exchange rates that borrow in foreign currency.
January 4, 2026 at 3:34 PM
Excellent analysis from @crampell.bsky.social, but again, we need prominent economists to stop making the category error that 🇺🇸 runs the risk of of sudden drop debt/currency crisis like developing countries with fixed exchange rates that borrow in foreign currency.
Reposted by Chirag Lala
Would like to take this moment for us to appreciate the contrast with Biden admin Latin America policy which at least featured attempts to make things more democratic and helped ensure a smooth transition of power in Brazil.
January 4, 2026 at 5:25 AM
Would like to take this moment for us to appreciate the contrast with Biden admin Latin America policy which at least featured attempts to make things more democratic and helped ensure a smooth transition of power in Brazil.
Reposted by Chirag Lala
(Semafor) - The New York Times and Washington Post learned of a secret US raid on Venezuela soon before it was scheduled to begin Friday night — but held off publishing what they knew to avoid endangering US troops ..
@semafor.com
www.semafor.com/article/01/0...
@semafor.com
www.semafor.com/article/01/0...
January 4, 2026 at 1:45 AM
(Semafor) - The New York Times and Washington Post learned of a secret US raid on Venezuela soon before it was scheduled to begin Friday night — but held off publishing what they knew to avoid endangering US troops ..
@semafor.com
www.semafor.com/article/01/0...
@semafor.com
www.semafor.com/article/01/0...
It would still be wrong! And we would be able to say so.
The CCP claiming hypocrisy on our part won’t mean squat if we have an administration determined to respond anyway.
The CCP claiming hypocrisy on our part won’t mean squat if we have an administration determined to respond anyway.
If Xi Jinping invaded Taiwan right now, and toppled the president there, on what grounds would the United States object? Or have any credibility to say anything?
January 4, 2026 at 3:28 PM
It would still be wrong! And we would be able to say so.
The CCP claiming hypocrisy on our part won’t mean squat if we have an administration determined to respond anyway.
The CCP claiming hypocrisy on our part won’t mean squat if we have an administration determined to respond anyway.
Reposted by Chirag Lala
imo a part of it comes down to people mixing up power politics with morality
I literally had an argument with someone who thought that deterrence doesn’t exist, and that war is simply a fail-state that is a result of insufficient ‘international solidarity’.
January 4, 2026 at 1:01 PM
imo a part of it comes down to people mixing up power politics with morality
Crucially, this doesn’t mean O&G consumption is about to disappear. But the potential for building a ton of new capacity that isn’t eating market share from something *worse* is low. This is a strategic asset to clean energy advocates.
This is part of a bigger trend of the political valence of oil disconnecting from the actual economics of O and G. I keep telling people to do a little humorous anthropology and read the industry sub Reddit. Half the posts are joking that the industry boosters are morons or old and out of touch.
The amount of “this is clearly about oil” posting across all platforms as story after story comes out where the oil industry is saying that the oil isn’t worth extracting is making me feel a little insane
January 4, 2026 at 3:11 PM
Crucially, this doesn’t mean O&G consumption is about to disappear. But the potential for building a ton of new capacity that isn’t eating market share from something *worse* is low. This is a strategic asset to clean energy advocates.
Reposted by Chirag Lala
This is part of a bigger trend of the political valence of oil disconnecting from the actual economics of O and G. I keep telling people to do a little humorous anthropology and read the industry sub Reddit. Half the posts are joking that the industry boosters are morons or old and out of touch.
The amount of “this is clearly about oil” posting across all platforms as story after story comes out where the oil industry is saying that the oil isn’t worth extracting is making me feel a little insane
January 4, 2026 at 2:59 PM
This is part of a bigger trend of the political valence of oil disconnecting from the actual economics of O and G. I keep telling people to do a little humorous anthropology and read the industry sub Reddit. Half the posts are joking that the industry boosters are morons or old and out of touch.
Also. Overbuilding will always be a concern. It’s well to dismiss it when deployment is due. But it will bite us without complementary resources. Tougher if excess capacity [curtailment] is the reliability strategy. Cheap panels aren’t sufficient for cost mitigation. Nor is storage yet.
Obviously I do not need to climate-splain to Bill McKibben, of all people, but I really find the collapsing of almost all climate into "do solar" to be disconcerting.
There is a theory for doing it this way, but I think that theory is incomplete.
There is a theory for doing it this way, but I think that theory is incomplete.
International law won't constrain Trump's thirst for oil. But every solar panel that goes up makes crude reserves that much less valuable
billmckibben.substack.com/p/just-possi...
billmckibben.substack.com/p/just-possi...
January 4, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Also. Overbuilding will always be a concern. It’s well to dismiss it when deployment is due. But it will bite us without complementary resources. Tougher if excess capacity [curtailment] is the reliability strategy. Cheap panels aren’t sufficient for cost mitigation. Nor is storage yet.
This. David mentions oil and transport. I’ll highlight decarbonizing heat - particularly the buildout of thermal networks. (Possibly something we can do with / to gas utilities).
Obviously I do not need to climate-splain to Bill McKibben, of all people, but I really find the collapsing of almost all climate into "do solar" to be disconcerting.
There is a theory for doing it this way, but I think that theory is incomplete.
There is a theory for doing it this way, but I think that theory is incomplete.
International law won't constrain Trump's thirst for oil. But every solar panel that goes up makes crude reserves that much less valuable
billmckibben.substack.com/p/just-possi...
billmckibben.substack.com/p/just-possi...
January 4, 2026 at 2:52 PM
This. David mentions oil and transport. I’ll highlight decarbonizing heat - particularly the buildout of thermal networks. (Possibly something we can do with / to gas utilities).
Reposted by Chirag Lala
Despite headwinds, over 20 new EVs are coming to the US market in 2026, including several more affordable vehicles. Can any thrive without federal tax credits? insideevs.com/news/782572/... 🔌💡 🔌🚗
Over 20 New EVs Are Coming In 2026. These Are The Seven I'm Most Excited About
We’ve been waiting for the next generation of EVs to arrive—cheaper, faster, better. Next year, they’ll finally be here.
insideevs.com
January 4, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Despite headwinds, over 20 new EVs are coming to the US market in 2026, including several more affordable vehicles. Can any thrive without federal tax credits? insideevs.com/news/782572/... 🔌💡 🔌🚗
Reposted by Chirag Lala
Putin has been famously reticient about targeting Zelensky or breaking international law till now of course.
What a great day for Vladimir Putin! I can picture him in the Kremlin, watching the EU & the UK play dumb while Trump trashes Int. Law, their media reporting Maduro's abduction as an 'arrest'. I bet he's thinking: Should I also detain Zelensky and subject him to Russian justice?
January 4, 2026 at 9:39 AM
Putin has been famously reticient about targeting Zelensky or breaking international law till now of course.
Reposted by Chirag Lala
It would be so cool if the United States Congress still existed.
January 4, 2026 at 5:04 AM
It would be so cool if the United States Congress still existed.
Reposted by Chirag Lala
my own basic take is that, for basic economic-demographic-geographic reasons, american power isn't going anywhere. the next democratic president is going to confront the fact of american power. you can wish it away... but wishing won't do much.
the question is, how do we do better?
the question is, how do we do better?
idk man maybe there's a chance for us to be better and self-flagellation is very dumb right now
January 4, 2026 at 2:45 AM
my own basic take is that, for basic economic-demographic-geographic reasons, american power isn't going anywhere. the next democratic president is going to confront the fact of american power. you can wish it away... but wishing won't do much.
the question is, how do we do better?
the question is, how do we do better?
Reposted by Chirag Lala
Congress could, and should, impeach, remove, and convict by the end of the day.
January 3, 2026 at 1:52 PM
Congress could, and should, impeach, remove, and convict by the end of the day.
Reposted by Chirag Lala
on the other hand if this is something more like the cold war--or, as i prefer, more like the interwar period--then any settlement will be at best uneasy, since there are fundamental ideological tensions that drive the sides to conflict
January 3, 2026 at 2:39 AM
on the other hand if this is something more like the cold war--or, as i prefer, more like the interwar period--then any settlement will be at best uneasy, since there are fundamental ideological tensions that drive the sides to conflict
Reposted by Chirag Lala
I don't think it's much of an exaggeration to say that being the world's safest place for members of the [insert literally any ethnicity or religion] diaspora is the point of New York City's existence
i think it should be a point of pride for nyc that the safest place for a member of either the jewish or the palestinian diaspora (or anyone else) is the five boroughs and the mayor should be a steward of building and continuing that legacy
January 3, 2026 at 3:27 AM
I don't think it's much of an exaggeration to say that being the world's safest place for members of the [insert literally any ethnicity or religion] diaspora is the point of New York City's existence
Reposted by Chirag Lala
i don't think kamala harris would have kidnapped maduro in the middle of the night without informing congress
January 3, 2026 at 7:33 PM
i don't think kamala harris would have kidnapped maduro in the middle of the night without informing congress
Reposted by Chirag Lala
It’s cool to know we could have done a no fly zone over Ukraine with like 2 F-35’s lol
High-end Russian air defense trying to stop an air assault that was telegraphed three months ago.
soldiers are walking down a street with a tire in the middle of the street
Alt: Soldiers comically and unsuccessfully trying to stop a rolling tire
media.tenor.com
January 3, 2026 at 4:56 PM
It’s cool to know we could have done a no fly zone over Ukraine with like 2 F-35’s lol
They’re not even play acting Civ correctly.
Don't you usually have to traditionally...defeat and occupy a country before you announce that you're occupying that country?
January 3, 2026 at 4:49 PM
They’re not even play acting Civ correctly.
With what army?
TRUMP on Venezuela: "We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition."
January 3, 2026 at 4:47 PM
With what army?
Reposted by Chirag Lala
Correct, it's obviously and immediately impeachable
They didn’t even bother to ask for an AUMF, impeachment
January 3, 2026 at 7:11 AM
Correct, it's obviously and immediately impeachable