Jesse Rothstein
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jrothst.bsky.social
Jesse Rothstein
@jrothst.bsky.social
21K followers 1.1K following 240 posts

Economist, public policy wonk, professor at UC Berkeley, faculty director of California Policy Lab & Center for Studies in Higher Education

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Jesse Rothstein is an economist, and currently professor of public policy and economics at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2010, he was chief economist at the US Department of Labor. He is the founding director of the California Policy Lab, a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, and is a member of the editorial boards of Education Finance and Policy, The Review of Economics and Statistics, American Economic Review, and Industrial Relations. .. more

Education 35%
Economics 31%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Jesse Rothstein

benzipperer.org
Ben Zipperer @benzipperer.org · 5h
Want to explore the EPI State of Working America Data Library in #RStats?

The 🐣 swadlr 🐣 package lets you search available datasets and pull time series directly

economic.github.io/swadlr/
swadlr swadlr provides access to the EPI State of Working America Data Library (SWADL) API. Examples Use swadlr if you need to programmatically retrieve a time series from SWADL:

jrothst.bsky.social
Jesse Rothstein @jrothst.bsky.social · 8h
📢 Predoc Opportunity

I'm hiring a full-time predoc to work with me at UC Berkeley, supporting my research on labor economics, the economics of education, and public policy.

jesse-rothstein.com/rothstein_pr...

Please pass on to anyone who might be interested.

#econsky #econ_ra
jesse-rothstein.com

jrothst.bsky.social
Jesse Rothstein @jrothst.bsky.social · 9h
Agree.

In addition (changing the subject), I really like the concept of “clarity trap.” It might be the best summary I’ve seen of what is wrong with Econ 101ism.

Reposted by Jesse Rothstein

sbagen.bsky.social
Sam Bagenstos @sbagen.bsky.social · 9h
I really like this point from @himself.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/programm...
The Median Voter Theorem is a Clarity Trap
What the Democratic party needs - what it demands - is bold, persistent experimentation
open.substack.com

Reposted by Aaron Sojourner, Kristina McElheran

jrothst.bsky.social
Jesse Rothstein @jrothst.bsky.social · 3d
These people are ghouls.
mikehixenbaugh.com Mike Hixenbaugh @mikehixenbaugh.com · 3d
On Thanksgiving, the immigrant children held at the Dilley detention center gathered in the gym for what they thought was a holiday feast.

The kids salivated over a spread of turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, a family told me.

But the food wasn’t for detainees — it was for the staff.
On Nov. 16, a mental health counselor recorded in Kamilla’s medical records that her mother reported the girl had lost her appetite after being “served food that contained worms.” A week later, the couple said, children were told to gather in the gym for what they believed would be a Thanksgiving celebration. Excitement spread as families saw tables set with turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, they said. The children waited expectantly. But when a parent asked when the celebration would begin, Oksana said, staff told them the holiday meal was for employees, not detainees. The children, she said, watched despondently as the feast was packed away.

Reposted by Ben H. Ansell, Elizabeth Saunders, Rebecca Solnit , and 27 more

mikehixenbaugh.com
Mike Hixenbaugh @mikehixenbaugh.com · 3d
On Thanksgiving, the immigrant children held at the Dilley detention center gathered in the gym for what they thought was a holiday feast.

The kids salivated over a spread of turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, a family told me.

But the food wasn’t for detainees — it was for the staff.
On Nov. 16, a mental health counselor recorded in Kamilla’s medical records that her mother reported the girl had lost her appetite after being “served food that contained worms.” A week later, the couple said, children were told to gather in the gym for what they believed would be a Thanksgiving celebration. Excitement spread as families saw tables set with turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, they said. The children waited expectantly. But when a parent asked when the celebration would begin, Oksana said, staff told them the holiday meal was for employees, not detainees. The children, she said, watched despondently as the feast was packed away.

jrothst.bsky.social
Jesse Rothstein @jrothst.bsky.social · Jan 15
Great thread.
socio-steve.bsky.social Stephen Nuñez @socio-steve.bsky.social · Jan 15
You may have heard that "social security is going to go bankrupt." Many younger people assume social security will not be there for them when they retire. In my latest paper I correct the record. SS is not going bankrupt but we'll need to revisit it soon 🧵

rooseveltinstitute.org/publications...
“Will Social Security Run Out?” Is the Wrong Question: How Lawmakers Can Protect Beneficiaries and Strengthen OASI
Is Social Security really in crisis? This report examines the OASI Trust Fund, lessons from 1983, and policy options to secure benefits for the future.
rooseveltinstitute.org

Reposted by David Brady, Jesse Rothstein, Robert C. Richards

socio-steve.bsky.social
Stephen Nuñez @socio-steve.bsky.social · Jan 15
You may have heard that "social security is going to go bankrupt." Many younger people assume social security will not be there for them when they retire. In my latest paper I correct the record. SS is not going bankrupt but we'll need to revisit it soon 🧵

rooseveltinstitute.org/publications...
“Will Social Security Run Out?” Is the Wrong Question: How Lawmakers Can Protect Beneficiaries and Strengthen OASI
Is Social Security really in crisis? This report examines the OASI Trust Fund, lessons from 1983, and policy options to secure benefits for the future.
rooseveltinstitute.org

Reposted by Jesse Rothstein, Joshua Goodman, Jonathan Smith , and 1 more

andresbafer.bsky.social
Andrés Barrios-Fernández @andresbafer.bsky.social · Jan 14
🚨📢 Call for papers - IV Workshop on Economics of Education, Valle Nevado 🇨🇱⛷️

📅 August 18-21
📍Valle Nevado, Chile

Keynotes by Josh Goodman (
@buwheelock.bsky.social ) and Chris Neilson (Yale)

Submit by March 6 👇
bit.ly/49QSsd3

@joshua-goodman.com @christopherneilson.bsky.social

Reposted by Caroline Krafft, Jesse Rothstein, Christian E. Weller , and 1 more

upjohninstitute.bsky.social
Upjohn Institute @upjohninstitute.bsky.social · Dec 19
Funding Opportunity!

We are now taking applications for our Early Career Research Awards. These awards provide support to recent PhD earners researching policy and employment issues. Those working in economics, sociology, public policy, political science, and related fields may apply.

#Econsky

jrothst.bsky.social
Jesse Rothstein @jrothst.bsky.social · Dec 11
Please consider supporting the @capolicylab.bsky.social!
capolicylab.bsky.social The California Policy Lab @capolicylab.bsky.social · Dec 2
Looking for the perfect gift? A donation to the California Policy Lab for #GivingTuesday will help fuel research that leads to practical solutions — so that programs work better, dollars go further, and more Californians have access to stability and opportunity: capolicylab.org/donate/
Outlined map of the state of California, made up by headshots of California Policy Lab staff.

Reposted by Jesse Rothstein, Aaron Sojourner

upjohninstitute.bsky.social
Upjohn Institute @upjohninstitute.bsky.social · Dec 10
Help us welcome Dr. Monique E. Davis (@moniqueedavis-phd.bsky.social) as our newest economist! Dr. Davis holds a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis–St. Paul. Her work centers on examining structural inequalities between marginalized and privileged groups.

#Econsky

Reposted by Jesse Rothstein

capolicylab.bsky.social
The California Policy Lab @capolicylab.bsky.social · Dec 2
Looking for the perfect gift? A donation to the California Policy Lab for #GivingTuesday will help fuel research that leads to practical solutions — so that programs work better, dollars go further, and more Californians have access to stability and opportunity: capolicylab.org/donate/
Outlined map of the state of California, made up by headshots of California Policy Lab staff.

jrothst.bsky.social
Jesse Rothstein @jrothst.bsky.social · Nov 28
This article is well worth reading.
robertscotthorton.bsky.social Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · Nov 28
Since Stephen Miller is in the midst of another of his Aryans-only trantrums, we should note that his family are 20th century immigrants from the shtetl of Antopol (Антопаль) then in the Hrodna gubernia of Russia. Applying his immigration rules, they would all have perished in the Holocaust.
Stephen Miller Is an Immigration Hypocrite. I Know Because I’m His Uncle.
If my nephew’s ideas on immigration had been in force a century ago, our family would have been wiped out.
www.politico.com

Reposted by Steve Peers, Steven French, Jesse Rothstein , and 3 more

robertscotthorton.bsky.social
Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · Nov 28
Since Stephen Miller is in the midst of another of his Aryans-only trantrums, we should note that his family are 20th century immigrants from the shtetl of Antopol (Антопаль) then in the Hrodna gubernia of Russia. Applying his immigration rules, they would all have perished in the Holocaust.
Stephen Miller Is an Immigration Hypocrite. I Know Because I’m His Uncle.
If my nephew’s ideas on immigration had been in force a century ago, our family would have been wiped out.
www.politico.com

jrothst.bsky.social
Jesse Rothstein @jrothst.bsky.social · Nov 25
I love this languages map! Would love to see one for LA also.
rebeccasolnit.bsky.social Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · Nov 25
Also includes 25 other maps including these....

Reposted by Jesse Rothstein

rebeccasolnit.bsky.social
Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · Nov 25
Also includes 25 other maps including these....

Reposted by Jesse Rothstein

oiginstitute.bsky.social
Opportunity & Inclusive Growth Institute @oiginstitute.bsky.social · Nov 25
@assameeting.bsky.social attendees, join the Institute, LERA, & @neaecon.bsky.social in celebrating the many contributions of Bill Spriggs to econ profession & policy at a luncheon on Jan 4 and two paper sessions. Search “Spriggs" at https://bit.ly/4ohwkg4 for details 
American Economic Association
AREUEA Poster Session Poster Session Hosted By: American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association Chair: Lu Han, University of Wisconsin-Madison AEA Poster Session Poster Session Hosted By: American Economic Association AFA PhD Student Poster Session...
aeaweb.org

Reposted by Jesse Rothstein

berkeleycshe.bsky.social
Berkeley Center for Studies in Higher Education @berkeleycshe.bsky.social · Nov 24
Is the SAT serving the mission of public universities?

CSHE Senior Associate Saul Geiser tackles this question in an op-ed for Inside Higher Ed. Drawing on his ROPS paper, Geiser argues that "treating the test as a neutral measure of merit is an illusion."

www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2025/11/24/why-sat-poor-fit-public-universities-opinion]

Reposted by Jesse Rothstein

capolicylab.bsky.social
The California Policy Lab @capolicylab.bsky.social · Nov 21
The California Policy Lab provides independent, practical research that helps our government make better decisions and improve more lives. In this interview, Prof. Till von Wachter explains CPL's research showing the LA wildfires impacted people both inside and outside the directly impacted areas.

Reposted by Jesse Rothstein

capolicylab.bsky.social
The California Policy Lab @capolicylab.bsky.social · Nov 4
Tomorrow on @kqedforum.bsky.social: CPL's @evanbwhite.bsky.social will join with @millennialdebt.bsky.social and @jmargetta.bsky.social to discuss the latest on student loans - including a sharp increase in delinquencies: www.kqed.org/forum/201010...
Is The Student Loan Safety Net Unraveling? | KQED
We talk about why California’s student loan delinquency rate is soaring, and how a broken repayment system is pushing borrowers deeper into financial distress.
www.kqed.org

Reposted by Jesse Rothstein

wendyedelberg.bsky.social
Wendy Edelberg @wendyedelberg.bsky.social · Oct 30
@jrothst.bsky.social makes excellent points & language is important. I'm estimating "full employment" ~given~ cruel immigration policy. To measure slack, Fed compares actual labor mkt to estimate of current "full emp" (also dicey language as that estimate generally means UR is high for some groups).

jrothst.bsky.social
Jesse Rothstein @jrothst.bsky.social · Oct 30
Final note: Of course, this all presumes we know what employment growth has been. We don’t. The Republican failure to pass a budget means that the data aren’t being collected or reported. That makes it much harder to ensure that policy matches to conditions. The Fed can only go on vibes. 7/7

jrothst.bsky.social
Jesse Rothstein @jrothst.bsky.social · Oct 30
So yes, the Fed should take account of this, and not interpret job growth in the low 5 digits as a sign of a catastrophic collapse in demand. But it is nevertheless bad, not good, news and a sign of policy that is not only illegal and inhumane but also bad economics.

jrothst.bsky.social
Jesse Rothstein @jrothst.bsky.social · Oct 30
That is, the slowdown in job growth consistent with full employment is direct evidence that immigrants take jobs that otherwise wouldn’t exist in this country, not jobs that natives would otherwise get. And that our (lawless, inhumane) immigration policy is making us all poorer.

jrothst.bsky.social
Jesse Rothstein @jrothst.bsky.social · Oct 30
To the extent there is an economic justification for the immigration crackdown, it has to be that immigrants take jobs that would otherwise be held by native workers. The evidence has long made clear that isn’t true. But if it were, a reduction in immigration wouldn’t reduce employment growth.

jrothst.bsky.social
Jesse Rothstein @jrothst.bsky.social · Oct 30
But the low employment growth is not good - it is bad. It means that our economy isn’t growing as fast as it otherwise would, and we aren’t getting wealthier the way we otherwise would. It is a sign that the administration’s (lawless, inhumane) immigration policies are making us all poorer.

jrothst.bsky.social
Jesse Rothstein @jrothst.bsky.social · Oct 30
@wendyedelberg.bsky.social is (of course) right that we need to recalibrate expectations of what employment growth we can expect in an economy where demand matches supply. If the Fed tried to maintain previous employment growth via monetary policy, it would just create inflation.

jrothst.bsky.social
Jesse Rothstein @jrothst.bsky.social · Oct 30
This is a good thread. But I want to take exception to the naming of low unemployment and low employment growth as “good.” A thread of my own: 1/7
wendyedelberg.bsky.social Wendy Edelberg @wendyedelberg.bsky.social · Oct 30
There's a lot of uncertainty about whether the labor market is healthy. Everyone agrees the unemployment rate is low—that's good. But there's disagreement on what good employment growth looks like right now, stemming from wild swings in population due to immigration policy. 🧵of 5

Reposted by Jesse Rothstein

wendyedelberg.bsky.social
Wendy Edelberg @wendyedelberg.bsky.social · Oct 30
There's a lot of uncertainty about whether the labor market is healthy. Everyone agrees the unemployment rate is low—that's good. But there's disagreement on what good employment growth looks like right now, stemming from wild swings in population due to immigration policy. 🧵of 5