Michael Coon
@mikecoonomics.bsky.social
Migration Economist. Associate Professor at UTampa. Editorial Board member at Eastern Economic Journal. Contributor to econeveryday.com. www.michael-coon.com. Usual disclaimers apply.
The last time we had 15% GDP growth we were a) coming out of the Great Depression, and b) fighting WWII.
Not exactly a "Golden Era"
Not exactly a "Golden Era"
TRUMP: We can grow at 15 percent. I think more than that!
KUDLOW: Well, 15 is a big number sir
TRUMP: But Larry, you can do it. We used to grow at 15 percent because we had spirit. Today we have a lot of communism
KUDLOW: Well, 15 is a big number sir
TRUMP: But Larry, you can do it. We used to grow at 15 percent because we had spirit. Today we have a lot of communism
February 11, 2026 at 2:30 AM
The last time we had 15% GDP growth we were a) coming out of the Great Depression, and b) fighting WWII.
Not exactly a "Golden Era"
Not exactly a "Golden Era"
They do know that "Mar-a-lago" is Spanish, right?
February 9, 2026 at 7:09 PM
They do know that "Mar-a-lago" is Spanish, right?
I worked at a hotel when I was in college. Many of my colleagues were Muslim. They asked the owner for a room where they could pray (5 times a day). He obliged and gave them a space to practice their religion. I only met the owner in passing, but I appreciate his kindness
February 1, 2026 at 3:18 PM
I worked at a hotel when I was in college. Many of my colleagues were Muslim. They asked the owner for a room where they could pray (5 times a day). He obliged and gave them a space to practice their religion. I only met the owner in passing, but I appreciate his kindness
Is it weird, that as a homeowner, I really don't care whether the market value of my home goes up or down? When I bought it, I bought it because I wanted to live in it. If other people want to pay more than I paid to live where I live, fine. I'm not selling, so good luck. But that's not why I bought
February 1, 2026 at 2:46 PM
Is it weird, that as a homeowner, I really don't care whether the market value of my home goes up or down? When I bought it, I bought it because I wanted to live in it. If other people want to pay more than I paid to live where I live, fine. I'm not selling, so good luck. But that's not why I bought
Sometimes bad weather brings nice things...
January 31, 2026 at 10:54 PM
Sometimes bad weather brings nice things...
Never mind the jobs you had, tell me five classes you took in college:
1) World Literature
2) Imperialism and Revolution
3) Statistics
4) Linear Algebra
5) Spanish
1) World Literature
2) Imperialism and Revolution
3) Statistics
4) Linear Algebra
5) Spanish
Never mind the jobs you had, tell me five classes you took in college:
1. Creative Writing - Poetry
2. Modern Art
3. Shakespeare
4. Contemporary Fiction
5. Topics in Religious Studies
1. Creative Writing - Poetry
2. Modern Art
3. Shakespeare
4. Contemporary Fiction
5. Topics in Religious Studies
Never mind the jobs you had, tell me five classes you took in college:
1. Marine Biology (we got to go out on a boat!)
2. The History of the Holocaust
3. Logic and Critical Thinking
4. Eastern Religions
5. The French Revolution
1. Marine Biology (we got to go out on a boat!)
2. The History of the Holocaust
3. Logic and Critical Thinking
4. Eastern Religions
5. The French Revolution
January 31, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Never mind the jobs you had, tell me five classes you took in college:
1) World Literature
2) Imperialism and Revolution
3) Statistics
4) Linear Algebra
5) Spanish
1) World Literature
2) Imperialism and Revolution
3) Statistics
4) Linear Algebra
5) Spanish
If paying your workers a living wage will cause your business to go bankrupt, then maybe you don't have a good business model, and you should close your business and get a job working for someone who can pay their workers a living wage.
January 25, 2026 at 12:08 AM
If paying your workers a living wage will cause your business to go bankrupt, then maybe you don't have a good business model, and you should close your business and get a job working for someone who can pay their workers a living wage.
Just realized classes start back in one week. Gotta finish updating the syllabus. Good times!
youtu.be/fasDJe837WA?...
youtu.be/fasDJe837WA?...
NFL Copyright Disclaimers(1998-2023)
YouTube video by Tyler Barney
youtu.be
January 14, 2026 at 3:51 AM
Just realized classes start back in one week. Gotta finish updating the syllabus. Good times!
youtu.be/fasDJe837WA?...
youtu.be/fasDJe837WA?...
Deleted this post because it occurred to me that I can't be reasonably confident that posts from the White House and other govt agencies that show up on my social media timelines are actually really from them and not some bot farm in who knows where.
What a time to be alive.
What a time to be alive.
January 13, 2026 at 4:46 AM
Deleted this post because it occurred to me that I can't be reasonably confident that posts from the White House and other govt agencies that show up on my social media timelines are actually really from them and not some bot farm in who knows where.
What a time to be alive.
What a time to be alive.
Ah yes, helping struggling families by pushing people with lower credit scores out of the credit card market and into the hands of predatory payday lenders. Brilliant strategy for addressing affordability.
January 10, 2026 at 3:05 PM
Ah yes, helping struggling families by pushing people with lower credit scores out of the credit card market and into the hands of predatory payday lenders. Brilliant strategy for addressing affordability.
I'd love to see a Venn diagram of people who thought charging ranchers to graze on Federal land was government overreach worthy of an armed rebellion, but now think masked storm troopers roaming cities, abducting people, and murdering citizens is totally cool and normal.
January 9, 2026 at 4:33 PM
I'd love to see a Venn diagram of people who thought charging ranchers to graze on Federal land was government overreach worthy of an armed rebellion, but now think masked storm troopers roaming cities, abducting people, and murdering citizens is totally cool and normal.
Once again, this is why they don't want kids to read books...
FYI:
In 1916 the U.S. signed an agreement for control of St. Thomas, St. John & St. Croix, known as the “Danish West Indies,” in exchange for $25 million & a declaration that the U.S. would “not object to the Danish Govt extending their political & economic interests to the whole of Greenland.
In 1916 the U.S. signed an agreement for control of St. Thomas, St. John & St. Croix, known as the “Danish West Indies,” in exchange for $25 million & a declaration that the U.S. would “not object to the Danish Govt extending their political & economic interests to the whole of Greenland.
January 7, 2026 at 7:40 PM
Once again, this is why they don't want kids to read books...
I rarely teach macro, but when I do, students often ask me about how to reduce the nationall debt. My standard response is, "tax more, spend less, or inflate your way out of it (i.e. print money)." I guess now I'll have to add, "Go on an international crime spree and steal all your neighbors stuff."
January 7, 2026 at 5:08 AM
I rarely teach macro, but when I do, students often ask me about how to reduce the nationall debt. My standard response is, "tax more, spend less, or inflate your way out of it (i.e. print money)." I guess now I'll have to add, "Go on an international crime spree and steal all your neighbors stuff."
Going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing the creators of BattleBots never imagined the winner would be a wall full of cell phones in a warehouse full of indentured servants in a country most people couldn't find on a map
January 6, 2026 at 6:52 AM
Going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing the creators of BattleBots never imagined the winner would be a wall full of cell phones in a warehouse full of indentured servants in a country most people couldn't find on a map
In case you aren't up to speed, Sen. Mark Kelly is facing sanction, demotion, and revocation of his retirement benefits for doing exactly what every local and state law enforcement agency does: reminding people about the laws. You'd think a sober Sec Def would make that connection. But, here we are.
January 6, 2026 at 5:20 AM
In case you aren't up to speed, Sen. Mark Kelly is facing sanction, demotion, and revocation of his retirement benefits for doing exactly what every local and state law enforcement agency does: reminding people about the laws. You'd think a sober Sec Def would make that connection. But, here we are.
And I wonder why they don't want kids to read books...
January 6, 2026 at 4:15 AM
And I wonder why they don't want kids to read books...
"The same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to take over the world."
January 6, 2026 at 3:43 AM
"The same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to take over the world."
I wonder how many of the 18-25yo males cheering on these military actions and provocation of our closest allies have heard of the Selective Service System, in which they will all now be automatically enrolled at the end of this year...
January 6, 2026 at 3:33 AM
I wonder how many of the 18-25yo males cheering on these military actions and provocation of our closest allies have heard of the Selective Service System, in which they will all now be automatically enrolled at the end of this year...
Yes, it's definitely college professors who are running indoctrination camps and turning out sheeple.
amazing how the entire machine can pivot within 24 hours. no need to slowly upsell the argument; just issue new marching orders
January 5, 2026 at 6:13 PM
Yes, it's definitely college professors who are running indoctrination camps and turning out sheeple.
It boggles my mind how some American voters are happy to topple a foreign government and risk destabilizing the entire western hemisphere to save about $500 per year in gasoline expenditures, yet consistently vote for people who want to make Healthcare so expensive they get priced out of the market.
January 5, 2026 at 5:30 PM
It boggles my mind how some American voters are happy to topple a foreign government and risk destabilizing the entire western hemisphere to save about $500 per year in gasoline expenditures, yet consistently vote for people who want to make Healthcare so expensive they get priced out of the market.
Just a thought... as part of trial discovery, could Maduro demand proof from the administration that he was emptying prisons and insane asylum and shipping the former inmates to the US? Then could he file a huge defamation suit if/when they don't produce any?
January 3, 2026 at 10:50 PM
Just a thought... as part of trial discovery, could Maduro demand proof from the administration that he was emptying prisons and insane asylum and shipping the former inmates to the US? Then could he file a huge defamation suit if/when they don't produce any?
If only all these immigration Hawks in the WH actually took a moment to read a book, rather than form their worldview around memes, they'd know that toppling govts in Latin America will definitely not slow migration.
January 3, 2026 at 9:52 PM
If only all these immigration Hawks in the WH actually took a moment to read a book, rather than form their worldview around memes, they'd know that toppling govts in Latin America will definitely not slow migration.
Crazy idea: Instead of refunding people $2000 of their tax money back to pay for Healthcare, what if we put that money into a big fund? We could use that money to pay for Healthcare for people who need it, and people who don't need will know that it's there when they do. What's that called again?
January 1, 2026 at 9:45 PM
Crazy idea: Instead of refunding people $2000 of their tax money back to pay for Healthcare, what if we put that money into a big fund? We could use that money to pay for Healthcare for people who need it, and people who don't need will know that it's there when they do. What's that called again?
