James Medlock
@jdcmedlock.bsky.social
More good things for everyone. Public sector appreciator. Tax and welfare policy knower. Hyperinflation doubter.
Conservatives love doing the opposite of occam's razor. "Over 10% of people are on food stamps because over 10% of people are in poverty" is too simple. It has to mean there are actually half a billion people in America.
October 26, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Conservatives love doing the opposite of occam's razor. "Over 10% of people are on food stamps because over 10% of people are in poverty" is too simple. It has to mean there are actually half a billion people in America.
October 26, 2025 at 6:28 PM
In areas with increased SNAP take-up rates, grocery prices increased *less*
October 26, 2025 at 2:07 AM
In areas with increased SNAP take-up rates, grocery prices increased *less*
“I’ll declare war on you if you don’t give me the peace prize” is an incredible bit
October 9, 2025 at 10:16 PM
“I’ll declare war on you if you don’t give me the peace prize” is an incredible bit
More than anything, they want to be patted on the head and told they're a good boy by the liberal elites
September 26, 2025 at 7:57 PM
More than anything, they want to be patted on the head and told they're a good boy by the liberal elites
Goldbugs are so insane
September 24, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Goldbugs are so insane
How it started // How it’s going
September 23, 2025 at 2:15 PM
How it started // How it’s going
In conclusion, the human lifecycle is a land of contrasts
August 24, 2025 at 3:19 AM
In conclusion, the human lifecycle is a land of contrasts
The case against worrying about pre-transfer poverty
August 24, 2025 at 3:18 AM
The case against worrying about pre-transfer poverty
It’s funny that Cuomo used “unhoused” in his big callout post, while Zohran uses “homeless”
August 22, 2025 at 4:39 PM
It’s funny that Cuomo used “unhoused” in his big callout post, while Zohran uses “homeless”
Conversely, I had dinner with a bunch of professors the other day and I don't think the right is prepared for the radicalization of formerly centrist types against them
August 17, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Conversely, I had dinner with a bunch of professors the other day and I don't think the right is prepared for the radicalization of formerly centrist types against them
The plan? Make vegetables substantially more expensive and give candy and soda makers low-impact PR wins
August 15, 2025 at 3:12 AM
The plan? Make vegetables substantially more expensive and give candy and soda makers low-impact PR wins
To the question of if SNAP is a subsidy to low wage employers, this puts it very clearly (read the whole post for other interesting discussion)
bsky.app/profile/arin...
bsky.app/profile/arin...
August 12, 2025 at 5:17 AM
To the question of if SNAP is a subsidy to low wage employers, this puts it very clearly (read the whole post for other interesting discussion)
bsky.app/profile/arin...
bsky.app/profile/arin...
The real low-wage-employer subsidy is work requirements/EITC. If you remove the ability to survive without the boss, then you lower bargaining power and wages (though this analysis is complicated by work requirements not actually raising labor force participation)
www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=...
www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=...
August 12, 2025 at 3:54 AM
The real low-wage-employer subsidy is work requirements/EITC. If you remove the ability to survive without the boss, then you lower bargaining power and wages (though this analysis is complicated by work requirements not actually raising labor force participation)
www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=...
www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=...
So either companies discriminate against parents, companies face fewer incentives to do things we want them to do via the tax code, or, most likely, they just decide to avoid the whole mess and subcontract. None of these outcomes are desirable!
www.fissuredworkplace.net/the-book.php
www.fissuredworkplace.net/the-book.php
August 12, 2025 at 3:48 AM
So either companies discriminate against parents, companies face fewer incentives to do things we want them to do via the tax code, or, most likely, they just decide to avoid the whole mess and subcontract. None of these outcomes are desirable!
www.fissuredworkplace.net/the-book.php
www.fissuredworkplace.net/the-book.php
These people can only conceive of win-lose situations, and so they forgo win-win arrangements in favor of lose-lose arrangements
August 6, 2025 at 12:54 AM
These people can only conceive of win-lose situations, and so they forgo win-win arrangements in favor of lose-lose arrangements
I love this, but it may conflict with Long Chile’s annexation of Missouri paired with Long’lahoma’s panhandle extending to the pacific.
August 1, 2025 at 11:05 PM
I love this, but it may conflict with Long Chile’s annexation of Missouri paired with Long’lahoma’s panhandle extending to the pacific.
Ultimately I think long chile should expand east up to the continental Great Divide, which helpfully divides the great from the non-great
August 1, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Ultimately I think long chile should expand east up to the continental Great Divide, which helpfully divides the great from the non-great
So what states would you like to see rise from the fallen ashes of the US empire? I, for one, am a Long Chile guy.
August 1, 2025 at 10:57 PM
So what states would you like to see rise from the fallen ashes of the US empire? I, for one, am a Long Chile guy.
Ok that time may have just arrived
August 1, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Ok that time may have just arrived
This is true, and I do think we should take more credit for this
August 1, 2025 at 4:43 PM
This is true, and I do think we should take more credit for this