The effects of a recent executive order purging advisory boards working with federal agencies include dismantling the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Technical Advisory Council, and Data Users Advisory Committee. Boards advising Census and the Bureau of Economic Analysis were also dismissed. These advisors are experts in their fields, with broad understanding of the BLS’s different series, and their strengths and idiosyncrasies. They have significant experience in sample design, modeling, analysis and interpretation of large structured and unstructured data sets, formulating survey questions, and accessibility. In addition, they advise on technicalities, and on changes in what data users need, and on new series that would be more relevant in our changing economy, and less relevant series that could be trimmed, especially […]