SUMMARY

There is a disconnect between seemingly solid economic numbers and the way people feel about this economy. Voters clearly were upset about the cost of living and that helped elect Donald Trump to a second term. Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports from Ohio on how Americans see this in the wake of the election.

View the transcript of the story.

News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.

WARM-UP QUESTIONS

1. What did voters report they were upset about around the 2024 election?
2. Why do economists and professors such as Adam Tooze see positive signs in trends in the U.S. economy?
3. Who are some of the people interviewed in this story that report negative feelings about the economy? What are their backgrounds?
4. How do those interviewed say the economy is failing them or making life difficult?
5. Where (in what segments of the economy) is inflation most notable, according to those interviewed?

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• Do you think the economy is as dire of a state as portrayed in the video?
• Do you believe that the economy will become better or worse on the coming year?
• What changes do you think could be made to prevent inflation from becoming a larger issue?

Media literacy: If you were to tell the story of the current economy, who would you want to interview? What questions would you ask them? Would you look at any particular area of the United States or any particular state?

Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?

FOR MORE

What students can do: Do you know how inflation is impacting you in areas of your life, such as local grocery stores? Do you know who is trying to address the problem? As a class, discuss —

• How can students find out more about how inflation affects them and their future?
• How do you predict the economy will look in your adult life?
• Do you think there are better ways to address national inflation? If so, what are they?

How might policy changes made by the Trump administration impact the economy? Watch the following segment and then discuss what the top changes might be.

This lesson was written by Payton Alfieri, a junior at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, with editing by Luke Gerwe.

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