Jack Wells

Transportation economist; former Chief Economist USDOT; former congressional staff; think globally, act locally; promote equity and democracy

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

Wordle - The New York Timeshare https://t.co/7QGRXtcqrZ

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

@DCist Members of Potomac Boat Club, whose dock is just below the Aqueduct “cliff”, are happy to have it closed. People would throw glass bottles down to break on our dock.

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

This article on the West Coast dock slowdown by Greg Miller (⁦@GMJournalist⁩) is another great example of the quality reporting done by the nation’s trade press. If you want to know what’s really going on, look to the trade press. https://t.co/w6GzaDFfxd

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

Bill Spriggs was, most importantly, a terrific guy, friendly and supportive to all who knew him. He was also a terrific economist, consistently sensible in balancing the importance of various factors influencing economic outcomes, especially on the recent burst of inflation.

[AFL-CIO ✊ @AFLCIO]

We are extraordinarily saddened to report AFL-CIO Chief Economist Bill Spriggs @WSpriggs passed away peacefully last night.

His work has impacted a generation of economics and workers around the world and his legacy will live on for lifetimes to come.

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

@DeanBaker13 The truth of @deanbaker13’s argument is shown by the RR industry, where retirees are 3x the number of active workers. This industry covers its retirement costs through the RR Retirement Program. High prod growth has kept real wages rising, despite the large overhang of retirees.

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

@pbump has an excellent graphical depiction of the differences between the Trump classified documents case and the superficially similar cases of President Biden and former Vice President Pence.

https://t.co/zhm5bUwhWy

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

@PhillipsPOBrien During the winter, when there’s not much news, bi-weekly is fine. As things become more active, bi-weekly would represent more of a loss of currency. But, hey, it’s your newsletter; you should put it out as often as you like.

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

A love story for New Years between Connie Schultz and her husband, Senator Sherrod Brown.

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

A good thread by @ojblanchard1 on the role of market power in inflation. But, of course, the Washington Post’s @crampell knows much more about economics than the emeritus professor of economics at MIT and the former chief economist at the IMF.

[Olivier Blanchard @ojblanchard1]

1/8. A point which is often lost in discussions of inflation and central bank policy. Inflation is fundamentally the outcome of the distributional conflict, between firms, workers, and taxpayers. It stops only when the various players are forced to accept the outcome.

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

@PhillipsPOBrien Try the University of the West Indies. Classes in English!

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

Great to see @RepRaskin going into a harrowing time in his life with his sense of humor intact. Wishing you a full recovery.

[Jeff Zients Archived @WHCOS46Archive]

Wishing a fast recovery for an outstanding public servant and a long-time friend, @RepRaskin

https://t.co/kgI9yoTX91

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

@steve_vladeck The conservative #SCOTUS majority seems to be taking turns voting with the liberals so as to appear reasonable. One week it’s Kavanaugh; this week it’s Gorsuch. Just so long as it doesn’t actually change the decision.

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

@DeanBaker13 I was thinking more of your contributions over the last 30 years in framing the policy debate that led to the provisions that were incorporated in the bill.

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

@DeanBaker13 does a terrific job recapitulating the policy debate on improving retirement income over the last 30 years and showing how the retirement provisions in the Omnibus Bill are a big step forward. Dean deserves a lot of the credit for this progress.

[Dean Baker @DeanBaker13]

The retirement provisions in the omnibus bill are a big deal. Biden and the folks who pushed the policies for year deserve credit https://t.co/7Bk6c45pqT

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

@POTUS I have to say, the President looks pretty buff there in his short sleeves. He looks a lot less likely to fall off that ladder than I do.

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

@POTUS We were doing the same thing, but we didn’t have a photographer to catch us at work. Have a Merry Christmas tomorrow!

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

A good analysis of the pointlessness of the U.S. attempting to negotiate with Putin to end his war with Ukraine. Putin would view such an opening as a sign of U.S. weariness with the war, so he would refuse to offer any concessions. It would be tantamount to a capitulation.

[Dmitri Alperovitch @DAlperovitch]

I fundamentally disagree with @VladislavZubok1 @ForeignAffairs argument for a number of reasons, but most importantly on the basis that it's a very counterproductive negotiation strategy to offer Russia a roadmap out of the war at this time 🧵

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

@MerriamWebster @sdonnan Poor definition. An essential feature of the modern usage of “speculate” is that the ideas and theories are developed without any factual basis. As in “That’s pure speculation!”

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

@sdonnan Didn’t happen in DC. We had an hour of nasty, rainy weather in the morning, but then the sun came out and dried up all the rain before the temperature dropped enough to freeze the water on the roads. So it’s cold, but no ice, and little danger.

[Jack Wells @johnvarickwells]

@MatthewFrumin @ChmnMendelson Delighted to see Matt Frumin nominated for the Transportation and Environment Committee, and looking forward to working with you on Ward 3 and DC transportation issues.