John Fee
LightNews LightNews
john-fee.bsky.social
John Fee
@john-fee.bsky.social
49 followers 420 following 15 posts
Just a statistician
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by John Fee
duncanweldon.bsky.social
I know this is obvious. And I know we all know this.
But if the President can raise taxes because an advert annoyed him, without even consulting Congress, then the US constitution is simply not functioning as intended.
October 26, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Reposted by John Fee
atherton.bsky.social
Bad that the president is turning the White House into a personal palace while keeping the government closed so that he can deny people healthcare and take away SNAP. He's doing this while his administration serves as a jobs program for goons and criminals, and the military kills civilians for him
October 23, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Reposted by John Fee
bretdevereaux.bsky.social
We're not at war with Venezuela, these boats are many hundreds of lines from our waters, much less our shores, there is no threat, this is just murder.

I really do think everyone from the SecDef to the guy who pushed the button should be tried for murder on this.
jameeljaffer.bsky.social Jameel Jaffer @jameeljaffer.bsky.social · Oct 3
Don’t believe anyone who tells you that intelligence shows anything “without a doubt,” but even if the intelligence was water-tight, this strike was still murder. No law permits the deliberate, premeditated killing of civilians.
October 3, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Reposted by John Fee
johnbrownstan.bsky.social
Do I believe this? Doesn't matter. What matters is that you have a fucking RIGHT to say it
September 17, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Reposted by John Fee
johnbrownstan.bsky.social
Charlie Kirk deserved it
September 17, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Reposted by John Fee
dynarski.bsky.social
Statement from the largest economics association about the BLS firing

As context: AEA approximately never makes such public statements

This is a big deal
August 1, 2025 AMERICAN ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION Committee on Economic Statistics and Committee on Government Relations Statement from the American Economic Association on the Dismissal of the BLS Commissioner Leaders of the American Economic Association express their grave concern over the dismissal of the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) earlier today. The independence of the federal statistical agencies is essential to the proper functioning of a modern economy. Accurate, timely, and impartial statistics are the foundation upon which households, businesses, and policymakers make critical decisions. Undermining the independence or credibility of these agencies threatens the integrity of the information that markets, institutions, and the public rely on every day. Measuring the vast and dynamic U.S. economy in real time is inherently challenging. It is standard practice for statistical estimates to be revised as more complete and higher-quality data become available. These revisions reflect the commitment of statistical agencies to accuracy, transparency, and methodological rigor-not failure or bias. The BLS has long had a well-deserved reputation for professional excellence and nonpartisan integrity. Safeguarding this tradition is vital for the continued health of the U.S. economy and public trust in our institutions. We call upon elected officials to respect and preserve the independence of the nation's statistical infrastructure. Lawrence Katz President, American Economic Association Katharine Abraham President-Elect, American Economic Association Karen Dynan Chair, American Economic Association Committee on Economic Statistics Kenneth Troske Chair, American Economic Association Committee on Government Relations
August 2, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Reposted by John Fee
cadaverformosus.bsky.social
Trump's brain is cooked. braised. broasted. Check what he said at the 2020 West Point graduation and the way he rephrased it today.
2020: This premier military academy produces only the best of the best, the strongest of the strong, and the bravest of the brave. West Point is a universal symbol of American gallantry, loyalty, devotion, discipline, and great skill. 2025: I want to thank you very much. This is a beautiful place. I have been here many times. I went to high school not so far away. A good place. Also a military academy. Not quite of this distinction but it was a lot of fun for me. 2020: Every graduate on this field could have gone to virtually any top rank university that you wanted, you chose to devote your life to the defense of America. 2025: You could have gone anywhere. You could’ve gone to any school. This is one of the hardest schools to get into. Writing your own ticket to top jobs on Wall Street or Silicon Valley would not be bad. I think what you are doing is better. Instead of sports teams and spreadsheets and software, you chose a life of surface. Very important service. Instead of stock options. I do that stuff. It is so boring. Honestly, compared to what you are doing it is real boring. 2020: We are building new ships, bombers, jet fighters, and helicopters by the hundreds, new tanks, military satellites, rockets, and missiles, even a hypersonic missile that goes 17 times faster than the fastest missile currently available in the world and can hit a target 1000 miles away within 14 inches from the center point. 2025: We are buying you new airplanes, brand new beautiful planes. Totally stealth planes. I hope they are stealth. I’m sort of wondering. We shape a wing this way, they doubt the other when they see it. I’m not so sure. That’s what they tell me. 2020: Our destiny will never be denied and the United States of America will never be defeated. With the grace of God and the heroes of West Point, America will always prevail. Nothing will stand in your way. Nothing will slow you down and nothing will stop the West Point Class of 2020 from achieving a true and lasting victory. 2025: Never give up. Through every challenge and every battle you will stand strong, you will work hard, you will stay tough, and you will fight fight fight, win win win. So I want to congratulate you all on going back down to deal with Russia, to deal with China—what’s that all about? And to get you lots of victories.
May 25, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Reposted by John Fee
carlbergstrom.com
tl;dr — this EO co-opts the language of open science to implement a system of political control wherein presidential appointees are given broad latitude to designate any number of reasonable scientific activities and inferences as scientific misconduct, and to penalize those involved accordingly.
Restoring Gold Standard Science
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 7301 of title 5, United
www.whitehouse.gov
May 24, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Reposted by John Fee
ericagroshen.bsky.social
#DOGE arrival poses new threat to #federalstatistics

datafoundation.org/news/press-r...
#econsky #data #economicdata @copafs.bsky.social @asa-scipol.bsky.social @apduorg.bsky.social @aaronsojourner.org @bencasselman.bsky.social @crampell.bsky.social @samsutton.bsky.social @chrisrugaber.bsky.social
Statement about Reported DOGE Activities Affecting Federal Statistics
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 21, 2025 – The following is a statement from Nick Hart, President and CEO of the Data Foundation
datafoundation.org
May 22, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Reposted by John Fee
paulgp.com
Time for the rest of the senate to step up
jodyavirgan.com Jody Avirgan @jodyavirgan.com · Apr 1
cc: Cory Booker. 24 hours in, 13921 more and you make it to the midterms.
April 1, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Reposted by John Fee
rmkubinec.bsky.social
New 🧵:

A Brief History of Coups

What do we mean when we talk about a coup? Is what Trump doing a coup? Has the coup already occurred?

In this thread I'll provide some insight from research in comparative politics. (1/9)
shows the proportion of democracies classified as "eroding" over time by the Varieties of Democracy project. plot shows that the proportion of eroding democracies has increased noticeably since 2000. plot shows the level of democracy as classified by the Economist Intelligence Unit in 2023. Plot shows that European and North American countries tend to be the most democratic, although the United States is already classified as less democratic than Canada and Western Europe.
February 18, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Reposted by John Fee
jayrosen.bsky.social
This is a list I post from time to time. My answer to a reader who asked me: what could journalists do NOW to break with some of their more corrosive habits. You would think it would grow out-of-date, but...
The list reads: Defense of democracy seen as basic to the job. Symmetrical accounts of asymmetrical realities seen as malpractice. “Politics as strategic game” frame seen as low quality, downmarket, amateurish— and overmatched. Bad actors with a history of misinforming the public seen as unsuitable sources and unwelcome guests. Internalizing of the “liberal bias” critique seen as self-crippling, a historic mistake in need of correction.
December 13, 2024 at 1:43 PM
Reposted by John Fee
aaronsojourner.org
Former BLS commissioner Erica Groshen on how the policy change to Schedule F that Trump & #Project2025 advocate would destroy the credibility of the federal statistical system.

Her comment on LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/posts/erica-...
...
October 7, 2024 at 12:13 AM