Matt Iglesias

That's why he's having so much problems with these things. But there are now doubts, significant doubts in my mind based on the team that he's assembled. Because he has, to your point, gotten them to sort of say that they're for tariffs. But they kept enough... caveats in that analysis, right? Like they didn't act.

That's why he's having so much problems with these things. But there are now doubts, significant doubts in my mind based on the team that he's assembled. Because he has, to your point, gotten them to sort of say that they're for tariffs. But they kept enough... caveats in that analysis, right? Like they didn't act.

If you look at Besson's statements, Marin's statements, the things that they put on paper, they did not like burn their bridges with conventional neoclassical economic analysis, which is different from there was this Wilbur Ross paper where they were like net imports are subtracted from the GDP calculus. So therefore, if we balance trade, GDP will go up. And that's totally wrong.

If you look at Besson's statements, Marin's statements, the things that they put on paper, they did not like burn their bridges with conventional neoclassical economic analysis, which is different from there was this Wilbur Ross paper where they were like net imports are subtracted from the GDP calculus. So therefore, if we balance trade, GDP will go up. And that's totally wrong.

That's like really bad economics. And everybody wrote that, was like, these guys are numbskulls. And so that was this kind of bridge-burning movement, right, where if you're willing to make a statement like that, you are not going to be, like, welcomed back in the polite society of people who understand international trade.

That's like really bad economics. And everybody wrote that, was like, these guys are numbskulls. And so that was this kind of bridge-burning movement, right, where if you're willing to make a statement like that, you are not going to be, like, welcomed back in the polite society of people who understand international trade.

Whereas, like, this Marin thing, where it's like, well, it might generate some revenue and equilibrium price effects are not actually that large, that's like... I think not what most people think, but it's reasonable. All of this is unpredictable. My wife and I are thinking about buying a new car. We were asking ourselves, like, do we need to rush out and get it before the tariffs come in?

Whereas, like, this Marin thing, where it's like, well, it might generate some revenue and equilibrium price effects are not actually that large, that's like... I think not what most people think, but it's reasonable. All of this is unpredictable. My wife and I are thinking about buying a new car. We were asking ourselves, like, do we need to rush out and get it before the tariffs come in?

And we're like, I don't know. It's like exchange rate might adjust. Like, we don't know what's going to happen. There could be retaliation that actually makes things cheaper. The world is complicated. And, like, that level of tariff defense that they've come up with is respectable enough to that it just kind of makes me think, like, maybe this is just for show.

And we're like, I don't know. It's like exchange rate might adjust. Like, we don't know what's going to happen. There could be retaliation that actually makes things cheaper. The world is complicated. And, like, that level of tariff defense that they've come up with is respectable enough to that it just kind of makes me think, like, maybe this is just for show.

And, you know, I'll leave my words when imported fertilizer all has a 20% tax and nobody can buy bananas.

And, you know, I'll leave my words when imported fertilizer all has a 20% tax and nobody can buy bananas.

Yeah, it's happening.

Yeah, it's happening.

It's a little bit hard to say. I mean, so literally, right, it was the Obama administration created the United States Digital Service. Yes. Back when exciting Silicon Valley entrepreneurs were mostly Democrats with this idea that you could improve the efficiency of government by having an elite tech strike team. I know people who've worked there.

It's a little bit hard to say. I mean, so literally, right, it was the Obama administration created the United States Digital Service. Yes. Back when exciting Silicon Valley entrepreneurs were mostly Democrats with this idea that you could improve the efficiency of government by having an elite tech strike team. I know people who've worked there.

Doge is now going to be the new name of the USDS, which will be the United States Doge Service, so that they can reuse the logo, which I guess is efficient. And it is now zeroed in on changing IT procurement, which seems like a good idea from everything that I've heard about federal IT procurement. It is an area that is ripe for reform and some increased efficiency.

Doge is now going to be the new name of the USDS, which will be the United States Doge Service, so that they can reuse the logo, which I guess is efficient. And it is now zeroed in on changing IT procurement, which seems like a good idea from everything that I've heard about federal IT procurement. It is an area that is ripe for reform and some increased efficiency.

I mean, when all these Doge op-eds were flying around, I think if you looked at the more sober-minded people in conservative think tank land, they were all saying, like, guys, like, this isn't going to work. That's not how the government works. Like, you can't just come to the agency and say, ah, there aren't regulations anymore because— I mean, I don't know what to say.

I mean, when all these Doge op-eds were flying around, I think if you looked at the more sober-minded people in conservative think tank land, they were all saying, like, guys, like, this isn't going to work. That's not how the government works. Like, you can't just come to the agency and say, ah, there aren't regulations anymore because— I mean, I don't know what to say.