by Susan Tompor
Detroit Free Press
More often than not, I’m asking economists about things like the Federal Reserve, the jobless rate and the outlook for auto sales. Typically, I’m not bringing up second-hand conversations with hairdressers.
But lately, such conversations can matter when you consider whether, somehow, Vice President Kamala Harris might be able to put 10,000 miles between her and the shocking 40-year high for inflation that hit in June 2022.
It turns out, everyday conversations can tell you a great deal about economic angst and why some people think the U.S. economy stinks. The economy is lousy, you say, even when the U.S. unemployment rate was a mere 4.1% in June?