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Read related » Greenspan: A ‘Quasi-Recession’
[Reading this related article in its entirety is recommended.]
“Alan Greenspan, famous for his murky pronouncements on the U.S. economy when he was Fed chairman, did not disappoint on Sunday. The U.S. is in the midst of “a pause” in a “modest recovery” that feels like a “quasi-recession,” Greenspan said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” television program.” [emphasis added]
— By Jessica Holzer, AUGUST 1, 2010 (blogs.wsj.com)
There is nothing “murky” about Alan Greenspan’s saying that we are in the midst of “a pause” in a “modest recovery”. That seems to me to be a very specific characterization. A “pause”, specifically, is neither increase nor decrease; it means the recovery is temporarily flat. And “modest” means neither robust nor “weak”. And, by inference, “quasi-recession” means “a pause in a modest recovery”, which see above.
If one must color one's reporting to fit some preconceived notion of someone’s reputation, at least one should take the trouble to check if the specific instance of coloration is appropriate to the general notion. What passes for mainstream reporting these days is a slapped-together collection of tired clichés, appealing to that lowest common denominator of online-intellect that gets off on anonymous sniping.
Perhaps this is a minor point in the larger scheme of things. But when we consider the general breakdown of reason-based discourse in our society, it seems to me that we must strive to call 'em as we see 'em. For, as god made little green apples, the myriad of minor points is what our "larger scheme of things" comprises.
Post 1,374 Just spin it!
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