Perhaps unpopular opinion — if you’ve been covering business and the economy for 25 years, you don’t have to cite “economists say” to state the truth — that firing the commissioner of the BLS is a bad thing.
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Since most economists are entirely clueless about economics, let me go ahead and say all tax-funded workers should be fired.
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Not unpopular here. Just with the cult and mainstream media.
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Several piano players are now worried about being shot.
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Good work Kai, keep it up. Economics shouldn't have to be a political front, but our paths are thrust upon us far too often unfortunately.
P.s. Your show is the best economics show.
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We're living in a time when journalists stating the obvious is an act of courage. #LongLivePublicMedia
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It’s FASCISM
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The American people are under attack from a partisan, authoritarian-led Republican Congress, presidency, and Supreme Court as well as from a complicit press who seem incapable of speaking facts and truth regarding the financial and democratic collapse of our nation under racist-leading fascism.
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Yeah, it's like they held a light up to him and his policies, or lack thereof, and saw he was naked. But rather than put on some pants, he clubbed the person holding the lantern.
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100% agree
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What's bad is that you can't lie about the economy because the job losses don't stop, and the higher prices are still there
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Sherpiegate III - BLS. Why trust the experts? Why trust math? bsky.app/profile/opsa...
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Economist also say taking business advice from someone who has multiple bankruptcies is not a good idea.
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That kind of thing worked better before trust in expertise was eroded to shreds 😬
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It’s as bad as firing the Fed chair imo.
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That’s a CYA strategy not humility.
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Can also ask political scientists and historians in a pinch.
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Dear Kai, we love and trust you more than the fickle dickhead elected to lead U.S. into the black hole 🕳️
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That's more of a "my corporate bosses don't want to get sued" thing than a knowledge and confidence thing, I believe.
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I mean… can they handle the truth? I think not
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That was exactly my thought.
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“Facts are stubborn things.”
- John Adams in his defense of the British soldiers after the Boston massacre
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Can you write an op-ed about how to develop a journalistic backbone. Sp many of your peers could benefit.
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Yes, yes, quite. It turns out however, and I think you'll find this interesting, that everyone is a coward and an idiot.
Everyone... all of us. Right down to the very last rube. Fascinating stuff, right?
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Can also ask political scientists and historians in a pinch.
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Yeah, you might think that, but what about the opinions of the folks in the local diner?
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And that Trump lies, that Linda McMahon is unqualified for her post, that Stephen Miller is a fascist. Do not get me started.
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And it’s always cited with an attitude of “oh, those pointy-headed economists, who don’t live in the real world, say…”
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I was just reading up about it
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Sometimes the facts are clear enough without needing to hide behind ‘economists say.’ Firing the BLS commissioner undermines data integrity.
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As a economist, I remind you all that US economists failed to understand the importance of regulation which caused the Great Recession. You DON´T have to cite us to make evidence-supported comments about the US economy. Ever.
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But if you’re trying to distract from your pedophile protection, scandal…
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That is not an unpopular opinion. You could run for damn president on that opinion.
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It doesn't change a gd thing but it does keep us from knowing. Mission accomplished. Corp America uses those numbers. I'm surprised they didn't call him out on that little gig. R 💙 ✌️ PS we already know the truth don old.
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This is a constant fight with traditional editors: If you trust me to cover the beat, trust me to say that certain things in that beat are true or false without bogging down the story with cliche attribution.
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Agree. Things that are simply the truth can be stated as such.
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As the fight to save democracy gets more desperate too many journalists are still reporting what is happening in a way that would be like meteorologists describing a thunderstorm as “some people are saying it’s raining”.
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Its not just a "bad" thing ... Its really just a "stupid" thing, that's typical of a "weak" leader showing his insecurity.
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Not unpopular at all.
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Jesus h Christ, do they KNOW you?
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I mean, they say the current one—who is simply reporting numbers gathered by hundreds of people—is skewing things but a person personally picked by the president….isn’t?
I don’t think that’s the mindset we’re dealing with tho 😑
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Thank you, Kai. WTF has happened to hard hitting journalism? The articles about Trump and his toadies are so full of conditional statements and disclaimers they read more like a home insurance policy than the News. Such writing results in many readers coming away thinking that maybe Trump is right.”
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Popular opinion. State facts as facts, we are begging the media; "some unnamed people say..." waters down the most basic truths, and we desperately need them to do better
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*A nonpartisan bureau But because trump won’t take responsibility for the utter chaos he’s caused, he fires the commish to set the stage for “it was rigged” like he does with every fcuking thing😡
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Not to mention, it's simple logic that the unemployment numbers will rise since the DOGE bros flooded the market with fired government employees. DUH!
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I wonder how Terry Moran feels about that.
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Symptom of a larger issue with the media--that they view their job as transcribing what people say, instead of actually looking around and saying what the truth is.
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"Kai Ryssdal says..." is plenty good enough for me.
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I love that you keep calling out this kind of cowardly journalism. Be better, folks.
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Thank you Kai. Just like you didn't have to be a rocket scientist to say that the Challenger Explosion was a tragedy.
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Don't disagree. Less qualified people on other channels just pontificate yet legacy media continue to provide fact-based reporting. Not a level playing field, but people deserve the truth.
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From little confidence to none at all!
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Any good things in MAGA?
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Cue the sad music…
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I’d guess that it depends on who is making the claim (Larry Kudlow, anyone?) and who they’re citing (Larry Kudlow, anyone?)
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It’s a fascist thing. A dictator thing.
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If you've been writing about a topic for 25 years and don't consider yourself an expert, you really are not that bright.
Sadly, guess why a lot of people went into journalism?
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🎯🎯🎯
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you mean it's a "very very not good thing"?
Dangerous thing? A stupid thing?
Something an insane dictator does?
Oh for a few reporters to say it like it is! In times as this can't we have the plain truth spoken?
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I saw that too. It also opens the door to saying, well, which economists? The ones I like or the ones you like?...
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I don't expect journalists to get everything right and I don't expect to agree all the time with how they report a story, but I do expect informed honesty. If your experience tells you something is bad, then say it! Don't both sides it and don't neutralize it with soft speak.
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"Well the markets are up on the news, so who is to say if it is a good or bad thing?"
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If you been covering them for 15 minutes the same applies - it’s pretty obvious case of killing the messenger
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He already fixed it.
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I don't need an economist to tell me there is inflation and unemployment is increased. Just a trip to the grocery store. Higher prices, fewer employees and plenty of parking spots.
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I’m calling my doctor today to see if I can get some new prescriptions since Trump announced the pharmaceutical companies are going to pay me to take them.
He is truly a math genius.
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Exactly. My dad said something similar.
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We all know the reason why-so obvious
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We all knew what she reported to us, everybody but maga and wall street.
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Except yeah, you do. You’re a reporter, not a source.
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And you shouldn't have to cite "economists" to say why
Reliable stats (kinda like having the world reserve currency) have positive spillovers
Also, Trump just showed again that he doesn't acknowledge the validity or reality of mutually beneficial economic exchanges
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I'll grant you that.
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Likewise, journalists who use the word "may" when they KNOW something WILL happen.
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I love that after hearing you on Marketplace for a very long time only now do I discover how your name is spelled.
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THe lesson taught over & over is you cannot believe a fucking thing this administration says. I suspect they didn't JUST start lying when they got it, they stole this election with the help of Project 2025 $ bc those guys wanted to win NO MATTER WHAT. If he didn't win-EVERYTHING he's done goes poof!
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We're dealing with true believers Kai. We all need to understand we're facing down fanatics, and have to argue and act accordingly.
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Doing that implies that it may be dismissed as an opinion on one side of the arguement. When the experts on an issue are clearly in consensus.
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You have the cred to say it AND be heard. Keep on doing/saying posting as you are.
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The man who gave an oath to uphold the constitution who defys the constitution on every move won't be doing the right thing ever!!!
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Shoot the messenger is a perennial self-own.
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You want to hear the truth? Or do you want to hear a lie?
