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What Do We Know, And How Do We Measure It???

At the blog, Verifrank, there is post reflecting on the disconnect between what people think about the United States and immigration trends. The former says, basically, we stink, yet the latter indicates millions of people risking their lives to come and start a new life here. Do we stink, really? I mean, the sewer really really stinks, and as a result, there are few people lining up to hang curtains from the grates (Christo did, but he’s an artist and all artists are a bit “off”, so “The Gates” don’t count). So what gives? The blooger ponders….

I wonder if theres a sort of ‘natural reflex’ to just tell the pollsters what they want to hear, rather than tell them what you actually think.

What about the Consumer Confidence Index? How often do we hear that the figure is low, and it shows the average consumer believes their economic situation is bad, yet at the same time retail profits, as are most economic indicators, are up. I have never been much of a believer in the concept of “talking down the economy“. If that worked, then the economy would be in the pits, judging from all the negative leaning reporting on all things economic (Democrats, Krugman, I’m looking your way). Consumers perceptions on economic reality are betrayed by their spending habits; their flapping wallets tell us what we want to know about the health of the economy, not their flapping lips.

Hat Tip: Insta-P.