Democracy Dies in Darkness

Opinion Nearly everything Americans believe about the economy is wrong

But it’s not just journalists’ fault.

By
Columnist|
May 28, 2024 at 7:00 a.m. EDT
A sign displays the price of gas at a Shell station on May 15 in Miami. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
5 min

Nearly everything Americans believe about the economy is wrong, according to a recent Harris-Guardian poll. And that’s pretty much everyone’s fault.

The poll, conducted earlier this month, found that perceptions of the U.S. economy are often at odds with reality. For instance, most Americans (55 percent) think the economy is shrinking, with about the same share saying we’re in a recession.