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profhicks.bsky.social
Father of three marvels, lucky husband, parent lottery winner. Retired infantry soldier, George & Frances Ball Professor of Economics at Ball State’ Center for Business and Economic Research. https://www.bsu.edu/cber
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Call it by its name: Trumpcession

#NumbersDay

Imagine that. 💰

RFK Jr’s top spokesman at HHS resigns after just 2 weeks after reporting clashing with him about his response to the measles epidemic in Texas. www.politico.com/news/2025/03...

why can’t universities buy ads like this?

US Commerce Secretary Lutnick says he's going to "take government spending out of GDP." Great news! Anyone can already do that. No change in official stats required. Thanks, BEA!

Latest Atlanta Fed GDP Now: -2.8% annualized growth in Q1. And BTW, if you look at "private GDP" it would be even worse at -3.8% (my calculations based on their component details).

Spitting truth. 🇺🇸

President Trump campaigned on a promise to bring down interest rates. And he has fulfilled that pledge in one key way, with U.S. government bond yields falling sharply. But the reason for the drop is an unnerving one: Investors appear to be more on edge about the outlook for the economy.

Mexico has issued a warning to its citizens advising them not to travel to Texas and seven other states in the U.S. due to measles outbreaks. The states of Alaska, California, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Rhode Island and nine counties throughout Texas are cited in the…

This was posted as a full page paid advertisement in today’s New York Times

Another strong woman speaks the TRUTH…

Great news for money launderers!

Looking beautiful Time Square. 🇺🇦

I predict Zelensky far outlasts Johnson. www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

About 30% of federal emoyees are veterans. Federal positions are often viewed by veterans as a way to continue their service to the country in a new capacity. ourpublicservice.org/fed-figures/...

Tonight:

#goodtrouble from last week #evergreen

Brutal.

UK Prime Minister Starmer hugs Zelensky as he welcomes him to 10 Downing Street. This is how you welcome the leader of the free world.

🇬🇧🇺🇦 "Did you hear people cheering you on the street? You can see the support. And we will support as long as it takes. We want long-term peace," — Starmer to Zelensky

"Ukraine as the gravedigger of both Putinism and Trumpism sounds like a feel-good fantasy. But history has known even stranger twists." ICYMI @cathyyoung63.bsky.social: www.thebulwark.com/p/betrayal-a...

Remember March 1 folks, it will be an important date for the Business Cycle Selection Committee.

This is by far the least bad economic news . . .

JD Vance is still the E-4 barracks lawyer holding court w the fresh from basic E-2s behind a connex in the back of the motor pool while he’s supposed to be sweeping up oil drip stains

If you can accept that Ukraine caused this war and that Russia is a victim, you will now believe anything. You have discarded free will and liberty. You have sacrificed Christian discernment and the ability to assess truth. You are a slave of tyranny.

Who will be the first to write the history of that short-lived period that began in 1989 and ended in 2025? So much hope and opportunity, so much short-sighted and incompetent leadership on all sides, and such an ugly, tragic ending.

NEW: I am hearing from multiple sources that Lt General Telita Crosland, Director of the Defense Health Agency, has been pushed out in an on-going purge. Official internal agency news said "retired" but I'm told relieved of duty or at least forced into retirement. www.defense.gov/About/Biogra...

You can tell this is a big deal because Jesse Watters is uncomfortable with people talking about it.

Tesla lost enough value today that it could have fully funded USAID for a year.

This is my rough estimate of the House GOP Medicaid cuts and their effect on Indiana (assuming proportional cuts). This would bump about 220,000 people off Medicaid and reduce federal spending by about 0.25% of state GDP per year. That is a 4.5% reduction in healthcare GDP.

I need the help of an evolutionary biologist. Is it true that technological innovation is the Homo Sapiens evolutionary super power, and that the choice to adapt or ignore it (from fire, and stone tools to vaccines) is itself an obvious form of natural selection?

Well that's my cue. ✨NEW WP✨ What happens when SSA downsizes field office staff, even if the offices stay open? Fewer people end up enrolled for benefits. 🧵

dornsife.usc.edu/paulina-oliv..., Paulina Oliva and I are hiring a predoc to work with us!

1/ Since late 2019, the Indiana General Assembly has pressured hospital monopolists to reduce price growth. This included some legislation in each of the past four sessions. How has the hospital industry responded to good faith efforts led by the Indiana legislature?

Just heard from a friend who is a true hero veteran. His company was destroyed in 30 days by the VA when they canceled 5 contracts without notice. 23 Americans mostly veterans out of work and a veteran owned small business destroyed. For nothing. They're dismantling the VA not "reforming" it.