Thomas Herndon
@thomasherndon.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Economics, John Jay College, CUNY. Bass player for Light Sweet Crude and Minaxi. All thoughts my own.
Pinned
Come hang this sunday if you're in the East Ridgewood/Bushwick area! Got a lot of cool bands on the bill 👊👊👊 @weisenthal.bsky.social @pewilliams.bsky.social @mattlindauer.bsky.social
Come hang this sunday if you're in the East Ridgewood/Bushwick area! Got a lot of cool bands on the bill 👊👊👊 @weisenthal.bsky.social @pewilliams.bsky.social @mattlindauer.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Come hang this sunday if you're in the East Ridgewood/Bushwick area! Got a lot of cool bands on the bill 👊👊👊 @weisenthal.bsky.social @pewilliams.bsky.social @mattlindauer.bsky.social
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
I think this touches a deep, often-overlooked point. In my labour law days, I saw some employers spend MORE money fighting unionization than they would have paid accepting it. Loss of control was driving them at least as much as profits! Control is vital – with environmental policy as well.
I should write the argument up properly somewhere, but I think this is fundamentally wrong. A decisive fraction of the capitalist class does oppose addressing the climate crisis, but *not* because it would be bad for profits. If anything, a green New Deal type program would raise aggregate profits.
Yes, this is correct. And the reason is because our capitalist classes have decided that it is not sufficiently profitable, so they're not going to do it.
We must understand this reality. Capital *cannot* be relied upon to address the climate crisis.
We must understand this reality. Capital *cannot* be relied upon to address the climate crisis.
November 10, 2025 at 4:37 PM
I think this touches a deep, often-overlooked point. In my labour law days, I saw some employers spend MORE money fighting unionization than they would have paid accepting it. Loss of control was driving them at least as much as profits! Control is vital – with environmental policy as well.
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
On the collapse of COP30 and general climate inaction. I think this is correct and important: there are plenty of profits available in a full-scale green transition. But it won't happen without public orchestration and *that* is what threatens holders of capital.
The problem from their point of view is that rapid decarbonization requires public, collective decisions about the organization of production, in a way that threaten capital-owners' authority over both the production process and the political system.
November 10, 2025 at 4:40 PM
On the collapse of COP30 and general climate inaction. I think this is correct and important: there are plenty of profits available in a full-scale green transition. But it won't happen without public orchestration and *that* is what threatens holders of capital.
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
@jwmason.bsky.social as Green New Kalecki.
(i think he’s right. @schwarz.bsky.social’s “iron law of institutions” applies to particular capitalists and the economy at large. they’d accept economic collapse and catastrophe if that’s what preserves their own capacity to control.)
(i think he’s right. @schwarz.bsky.social’s “iron law of institutions” applies to particular capitalists and the economy at large. they’d accept economic collapse and catastrophe if that’s what preserves their own capacity to control.)
The problem from their point of view is that rapid decarbonization requires public, collective decisions about the organization of production, in a way that threaten capital-owners' authority over both the production process and the political system.
November 10, 2025 at 4:36 PM
@jwmason.bsky.social as Green New Kalecki.
(i think he’s right. @schwarz.bsky.social’s “iron law of institutions” applies to particular capitalists and the economy at large. they’d accept economic collapse and catastrophe if that’s what preserves their own capacity to control.)
(i think he’s right. @schwarz.bsky.social’s “iron law of institutions” applies to particular capitalists and the economy at large. they’d accept economic collapse and catastrophe if that’s what preserves their own capacity to control.)
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
Fascist on Fascist violence
Here we go. Tyler no longer Groyper adjacent. Leaked Police interview with his family, Tyler Robinson hated Charlie Kirk because Kirk wasn't conservative enough+ Robinson admired/followed neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes. The entire GOP talking head-a-verse will be exploding and unwriting every narrative now.
September 12, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Fascist on Fascist violence
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
Bonus points for being one of the best Warhammer posts ever
September 11, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Bonus points for being one of the best Warhammer posts ever
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
Fanone gets it: Opposition to political assassinations includes people whose views have no redeeming qualities, like Charlie Kirk.
Sugarcoating his views not only is dishonest in itself, it conveys that maybe you wouldn't oppose assassination of people whose views you don't sugarcoat.
Sugarcoating his views not only is dishonest in itself, it conveys that maybe you wouldn't oppose assassination of people whose views you don't sugarcoat.
Thank you Michael Fanone. For those who do not recognize the name, Michael is one of the officers who defended America on January 6th and was left permanently injured as a result. He is a true hero of our Democracy.
September 11, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Fanone gets it: Opposition to political assassinations includes people whose views have no redeeming qualities, like Charlie Kirk.
Sugarcoating his views not only is dishonest in itself, it conveys that maybe you wouldn't oppose assassination of people whose views you don't sugarcoat.
Sugarcoating his views not only is dishonest in itself, it conveys that maybe you wouldn't oppose assassination of people whose views you don't sugarcoat.
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
1) going to keep saying: a society that wants to keep functioning must discourage baldfaced lying, especially by authorities
2) calling a lie a lie seems like it could help
www.newsweek.com/robert-f-ken...
2) calling a lie a lie seems like it could help
www.newsweek.com/robert-f-ken...
RFK Jr caught in lie about Jeffrey Epstein flight
"I was on Jeffrey Epstein's jet two times," Robert F. Kennedy told Fox News on Tuesday, weeks after conflicting information was shared with Newsweek.
www.newsweek.com
September 7, 2025 at 2:46 AM
1) going to keep saying: a society that wants to keep functioning must discourage baldfaced lying, especially by authorities
2) calling a lie a lie seems like it could help
www.newsweek.com/robert-f-ken...
2) calling a lie a lie seems like it could help
www.newsweek.com/robert-f-ken...
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
i find this image so fascinating. it is both a literal example of authoritarianism but also a second-hand reproduction of the aesthetics of other authoritarian states. it's like a simulacra of authoritarianism whose purpose is to attempt to make the simulacra real.
This is a real photograph of Washington, DC this week, where the United States president has ordered military occupation in peacetime, and ordered the display of colossal portraits of himself.
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
August 28, 2025 at 1:38 PM
i find this image so fascinating. it is both a literal example of authoritarianism but also a second-hand reproduction of the aesthetics of other authoritarian states. it's like a simulacra of authoritarianism whose purpose is to attempt to make the simulacra real.
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
New ICE deportation data just dropped: on average ICE deported 1100 people every day last month, a huge escalation
Although less than half the pace needed for Trump's goal of one million annual deportations, Congress gave them their funding, and we should expect this rate to rise
Although less than half the pace needed for Trump's goal of one million annual deportations, Congress gave them their funding, and we should expect this rate to rise
July 8, 2025 at 3:03 AM
New ICE deportation data just dropped: on average ICE deported 1100 people every day last month, a huge escalation
Although less than half the pace needed for Trump's goal of one million annual deportations, Congress gave them their funding, and we should expect this rate to rise
Although less than half the pace needed for Trump's goal of one million annual deportations, Congress gave them their funding, and we should expect this rate to rise
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
A global minimum tax on the ultrarich could change planetary politics. Right now South Africa, Chile, France, and Spain are pushing for it
France could raise around €20 billion per year from this tax
That’s half of the €40B the government is looking for this year
Globally? $302–377 billion could be raised—every year
From the ultra-rich. Who currently pay very little.
gabriel-zucman.eu/files/report...
That’s half of the €40B the government is looking for this year
Globally? $302–377 billion could be raised—every year
From the ultra-rich. Who currently pay very little.
gabriel-zucman.eu/files/report...
July 8, 2025 at 1:12 AM
A global minimum tax on the ultrarich could change planetary politics. Right now South Africa, Chile, France, and Spain are pushing for it
Absolutely. One often missed aspect of bi/multi racial identity is we usually don’t fit into the categories that make us up. I’m 1/2 chinese, 1/2 white, checked both boxes on my apps, but have never been considered chinese or white by those communities, and don’t consider myself that either.
just saying: if you didn't grow up crafting a default answer to "what are you/where are you from?" with some version of "what do you mean?" you may want to consult people who did about what's going on here
July 7, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Absolutely. One often missed aspect of bi/multi racial identity is we usually don’t fit into the categories that make us up. I’m 1/2 chinese, 1/2 white, checked both boxes on my apps, but have never been considered chinese or white by those communities, and don’t consider myself that either.
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
Yeah I help kids fill out their demographic information for, like, PSAT tests and when Latino is not a race because that’s separate question and kids are like what do I put I just gotta say I don’t know man, vibe it out I guess.
maybe more obvious to me as a child of immigrants socialized around other such people but categories here are not even used consistently by people who were socialized here - possibly because they don't actually make sense. it's quite possible that people from elsewhere just actually don't understand
July 4, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Yeah I help kids fill out their demographic information for, like, PSAT tests and when Latino is not a race because that’s separate question and kids are like what do I put I just gotta say I don’t know man, vibe it out I guess.
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
Reporters are responsible for doing their own fact checking. This is true for most non magazine newsrooms. They killed the copy desk in 2017. The only part that gets external fact checking is NYT magazine. Also, interestingly books.
The point here isn't to beat up on Jordan Lasker. It's to ask how the NYT called a white supremacist hack an "academic" when his only academic work of note was so awful that its ethical and scientific awfulness was a national scandal. No one even Googled. No one fact-checked this story AT ALL. 5/
July 4, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Reporters are responsible for doing their own fact checking. This is true for most non magazine newsrooms. They killed the copy desk in 2017. The only part that gets external fact checking is NYT magazine. Also, interestingly books.
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
Something beautiful about Miami-Dade is “what are you/where are you from” is the usual first order of business.
Alongside vast Latino diversity are Black, African, and/or West Indian heritages, too, ranging from Black Americans “from here” to Bahamians, Haitians, Dominicans, Jamaicans and Cubans.
Alongside vast Latino diversity are Black, African, and/or West Indian heritages, too, ranging from Black Americans “from here” to Bahamians, Haitians, Dominicans, Jamaicans and Cubans.
just saying: if you didn't grow up crafting a default answer to "what are you/where are you from?" with some version of "what do you mean?" you may want to consult people who did about what's going on here
July 4, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Something beautiful about Miami-Dade is “what are you/where are you from” is the usual first order of business.
Alongside vast Latino diversity are Black, African, and/or West Indian heritages, too, ranging from Black Americans “from here” to Bahamians, Haitians, Dominicans, Jamaicans and Cubans.
Alongside vast Latino diversity are Black, African, and/or West Indian heritages, too, ranging from Black Americans “from here” to Bahamians, Haitians, Dominicans, Jamaicans and Cubans.
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
"how is it that someone could fail to realize that 'African-American' here does not necessarily refer to an American person from Africa, and that 'African' also does not necessarily refer to a person from Africa?"
no idea man, the world's a strange place
no idea man, the world's a strange place
July 4, 2025 at 11:44 AM
"how is it that someone could fail to realize that 'African-American' here does not necessarily refer to an American person from Africa, and that 'African' also does not necessarily refer to a person from Africa?"
no idea man, the world's a strange place
no idea man, the world's a strange place
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
maybe more obvious to me as a child of immigrants socialized around other such people but categories here are not even used consistently by people who were socialized here - possibly because they don't actually make sense. it's quite possible that people from elsewhere just actually don't understand
July 4, 2025 at 11:39 AM
maybe more obvious to me as a child of immigrants socialized around other such people but categories here are not even used consistently by people who were socialized here - possibly because they don't actually make sense. it's quite possible that people from elsewhere just actually don't understand
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
I would guess that 17 year olds in Uganda and South Africa could probably tell you about as much about the nuances of US demographic categorizations as 17 year olds in the US could tell you about social categories in Uganda or South Africa and it's weird that people apparently think otherwise
July 4, 2025 at 11:35 AM
I would guess that 17 year olds in Uganda and South Africa could probably tell you about as much about the nuances of US demographic categorizations as 17 year olds in the US could tell you about social categories in Uganda or South Africa and it's weird that people apparently think otherwise
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
just saying: if you didn't grow up crafting a default answer to "what are you/where are you from?" with some version of "what do you mean?" you may want to consult people who did about what's going on here
July 4, 2025 at 5:17 PM
just saying: if you didn't grow up crafting a default answer to "what are you/where are you from?" with some version of "what do you mean?" you may want to consult people who did about what's going on here
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
bring back shame
June 19, 2025 at 12:13 PM
bring back shame
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
I generally correct people when they call me an economist but I also sign stuff like this when people insist I "count". So what do people think, have I done enough econ writing to accept the label economist even though I have no such credential?
www.thenation.com/article/econ...
www.thenation.com/article/econ...
Economists Support Zohran Mamdani’s Plan for New York City
Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral platform is a practical blueprint to tackle some of New York City’s most pressing problems.
www.thenation.com
June 20, 2025 at 3:39 PM
I generally correct people when they call me an economist but I also sign stuff like this when people insist I "count". So what do people think, have I done enough econ writing to accept the label economist even though I have no such credential?
www.thenation.com/article/econ...
www.thenation.com/article/econ...
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
A Virginia guy hunted a Latino man, cornered him, questioned him, and then shot him and his friend, because he assumed the guy was an undocumented immigrant. He was radicalized by Fox News etc. and, of course, Trump. www.wric.com/news/local-n...
![“[Cornett] then described his anger at illegal immigration, telling the detective that he was ‘pissed’ about undocumented migrants receiving welfare funds, phones and health insurance, and that he had ‘driven around before with the same thought,'” court documents state. “[He] later asked the detective whether he could be ‘charged for [his] thoughts,’ and went on to explain that he fantasized about flying an Apache helicopter gunship to the border and firing on undocumented migrants traveling into the United States in order ‘to deter’ other undocumented migrants from attempting to cross the border.”
Cornett’s housemates also told detectives that he was “kind of obsessed” with cable news stories about undocumented immigrants entering the United States.
Notably, neither victim was identified as an undocumented immigrant within court documents.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:7vmqlqtvqkkmuegzp7efeptu/bafkreigkmknd4ea23irjxqw2l6kdma7jloi73fzrnenhnq4fkqohzkijwa@jpeg)
June 20, 2025 at 2:44 PM
A Virginia guy hunted a Latino man, cornered him, questioned him, and then shot him and his friend, because he assumed the guy was an undocumented immigrant. He was radicalized by Fox News etc. and, of course, Trump. www.wric.com/news/local-n...
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
historians is it good when the robe Nobles are able to buy the positions and honors typically reserved for the sword Nobles?
Silicon Valley Execs Join the Army as Officers (But Won't Have to Attend Boot Camp)
Silicon Valley Execs Join the Army as Officers (But Won't Have to Attend Boot Camp)
The tech industry is fully on board, but the rank and file won't have to do time as grunts.
gizmodo.com
June 18, 2025 at 12:45 PM
historians is it good when the robe Nobles are able to buy the positions and honors typically reserved for the sword Nobles?
Reposted by Thomas Herndon
Let them buy into an enlisted rank and immediately get berated by an NCO with several TBIs then assigned to dig latrines until their shovels get tired
historians is it good when the robe Nobles are able to buy the positions and honors typically reserved for the sword Nobles?
Silicon Valley Execs Join the Army as Officers (But Won't Have to Attend Boot Camp)
June 18, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Let them buy into an enlisted rank and immediately get berated by an NCO with several TBIs then assigned to dig latrines until their shovels get tired