The NYT has a column today reporting that people's assessment of the economy is heavily influenced by their view of the situtaion in Iraq. While I am open to this view, the chart (sorry not linkable) accompanying the column left me unconvinced.
Eyeballing the numbers, we start in May '03 with more than 70 percent of the public thinking that the situation in Iraq is going well. At that time, just over 20 percent report believing that the economy is getting better. Over the next year, the share of the public who think that things in Iraq are going well falls below 40 percent, while the share who think the economy is getting better rises to 30 percent. In the subsequent two years the share of the public who think that things are going well in Iraq hovers near 40 percent, while the sahre who think that the economy is getting better falls below 20 percent. Maybe there's a problem with my eyesight, but I'm afraid that I don't see the correlation.
I’m writing to you today with a sense of urgency that I haven’t felt since I began my journalism career. As executive editor of The American Prospect, I’ve witnessed firsthand how independent journalism serves as a crucial bulwark against the erosion of our democratic institutions. Today, that role is more vital than ever. Can you step up today and show your support?
The winds of authoritarianism are blowing stronger. We’re seeing alarming signs of a coordinated effort to silence critical voices and undermine the very foundations that support progressive causes. As Bob Kuttner presciently wrote in our August 2024 issue, a weaponized IRS could attack the very foundations of the progressive movement. We need readers to step up and help us dig in for the long haul.
We’re falling behind in our spring fundraising campaign, and with so much at stake we can’t afford to come up short. If you value fearless, independent journalism that holds the powerful accountable and defends democracy, now is the time to step up. The American Prospect depends on reader support to stay in the fight. Pitch in today and help us close the gap. Please consider making a donation today.
–David Dayen, Executive Editor
Copyright 2025 | The American Prospect, Inc. | All Rights Reserved