Blogging the economy

Posted by: Tim Catts on May 02

Big numbers have a way of dominating the conversation about the economy. Take today’s announcement that companies slashed 20,000 jobs in April. The news pleased investors, who had been expected a sharper decline, and it’s easy to see it as just another data point floating in a sea of information. But what does it mean?

With home values falling, employers cutting jobs and fuel and food prices climbing, America’s economic troubles are anything but an abstraction. The real story isn’t just in the numbers. It’s in the way real people are coping with the strain of making ends meet. To tell it, I’m going to spend the next few months on the road, seeking out everyone from economists to farmers to college students as we try to paint a picture of the true face of the recession.

This blog is one of the places we’ll tell these stories. Here, we’ll jump into the conversation about where the economy is and where it’s going. Yes, sometimes we’ll look at the latest data. Sometimes we’ll share observations from the road. The goal is to give readers real stories about how the downturn is affecting individuals, businesses, and communities. And if you want to share your story of how the recession is affecting you, please leave a comment with your contact information.

See you on the road.