Alex Mechanick
@apmechan.bsky.social
Currently @niskanencenter.bsky.social. Previously OIRA front office in
OMB, Judiciary Committee for @blumenthal.senate.gov, and Global Modeling Studies at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve.
OMB, Judiciary Committee for @blumenthal.senate.gov, and Global Modeling Studies at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve.
The Paperwork Reduction Act is broken. Some say scrap it—but we've tried something like that before, and it backfired. The good news? There's a better solution. In my new paper, I explain how we can fix the PRA. 🧵1/9
April 16, 2025 at 2:37 PM
The Paperwork Reduction Act is broken. Some say scrap it—but we've tried something like that before, and it backfired. The good news? There's a better solution. In my new paper, I explain how we can fix the PRA. 🧵1/9
This is the best discussion of the current political environment that I've read - *strongly* encourage a read.
For me, the critical takeaway: "I think it’s important to resist nihilism ... what people care about and trust us on really is responsive to concrete events that happen in the world."
For me, the critical takeaway: "I think it’s important to resist nihilism ... what people care about and trust us on really is responsive to concrete events that happen in the world."
1) I spoke with @davidshor about his autopsy of the 2024 campaign. Based on voter file data, 26 million voter interviews, and precinct returns, he reaches a few conclusions.
One is that if all registered voters had turned out, Trump would have won a landslide: www.vox.com/politics/403...
One is that if all registered voters had turned out, Trump would have won a landslide: www.vox.com/politics/403...
March 18, 2025 at 2:03 PM
This is the best discussion of the current political environment that I've read - *strongly* encourage a read.
For me, the critical takeaway: "I think it’s important to resist nihilism ... what people care about and trust us on really is responsive to concrete events that happen in the world."
For me, the critical takeaway: "I think it’s important to resist nihilism ... what people care about and trust us on really is responsive to concrete events that happen in the world."
Administrator Zeldin has announced that EPA analyses will now ignore how pollution makes natural disasters worse.
The Trump Administration's rejection of rigorous and complete cost-benefit analysis is shameful. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/c...
The Trump Administration's rejection of rigorous and complete cost-benefit analysis is shameful. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/c...
March 13, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Administrator Zeldin has announced that EPA analyses will now ignore how pollution makes natural disasters worse.
The Trump Administration's rejection of rigorous and complete cost-benefit analysis is shameful. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/c...
The Trump Administration's rejection of rigorous and complete cost-benefit analysis is shameful. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/c...
Excellent piece by @zliscow.bsky.social! Two points I'll pull out:
1) "the paperwork to submit a bid for a basic repaving project is often hundreds of pages long, making it hard to enter the market"
2) policy should be countercyclical: spend quickly in busts (recessions at ZLB), but slowly in booms
1) "the paperwork to submit a bid for a basic repaving project is often hundreds of pages long, making it hard to enter the market"
2) policy should be countercyclical: spend quickly in busts (recessions at ZLB), but slowly in booms
Highway investment probably didn’t go up under Biden - this matters for future policy design www.briefingbook.info/p/highway-in...
Highway investment probably didn’t go up under Biden – this matters for future policy design
Data sources vary, but the most relevant data source suggests that highway spending, adjusted for inflation, declined. If true, we should rethink federal infrastructure funding in times of distress.
www.briefingbook.info
March 4, 2025 at 4:27 AM
Excellent piece by @zliscow.bsky.social! Two points I'll pull out:
1) "the paperwork to submit a bid for a basic repaving project is often hundreds of pages long, making it hard to enter the market"
2) policy should be countercyclical: spend quickly in busts (recessions at ZLB), but slowly in booms
1) "the paperwork to submit a bid for a basic repaving project is often hundreds of pages long, making it hard to enter the market"
2) policy should be countercyclical: spend quickly in busts (recessions at ZLB), but slowly in booms
A great piece on Governor Shapiro's success speeding PA permit approvals by @donmoyn.bsky.social.
Highlighting something I saw in government too: usually, career staff already know fixes. Change requires political leadership who prioritize and enable reform. responsivegov.org/wp-content/u...
Highlighting something I saw in government too: usually, career staff already know fixes. Change requires political leadership who prioritize and enable reform. responsivegov.org/wp-content/u...
March 4, 2025 at 4:26 AM
A great piece on Governor Shapiro's success speeding PA permit approvals by @donmoyn.bsky.social.
Highlighting something I saw in government too: usually, career staff already know fixes. Change requires political leadership who prioritize and enable reform. responsivegov.org/wp-content/u...
Highlighting something I saw in government too: usually, career staff already know fixes. Change requires political leadership who prioritize and enable reform. responsivegov.org/wp-content/u...