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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Consumer Spending and Economic Recovery

    Consumer spending is 70 percent of the US economy, so what did Black Friday and Cyber Monday reveal about this year's holiday season? The 90 percent who are still employed are beginning to spend again. If Americans spent their way into the Great Recession, can we spend our way out of it?

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    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    Consumer spending is 70 percent of the US economy, so what did Black Friday and Cyber Monday reveal about this year's holiday season? The 90 percent who are still employed are beginning to spend again. If Americans spent their way into the Great Recession, can we spend our way out of it? President Obama said today the US needs to get back to what it used to be famous for: inventing, building and exporting goods that say Made in America. Does the US need to become more like China is now, and does China need to be more like America used to be?

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Holiday Shopping, China and Economic Recovery
    1. 0:00GOP Winning on Tax Cut Deal, Blocking Everything Else
    2. 7:47Consumer Spending and Economic RecoveryYou’re reading this
    3. 42:16Utah Considers Alternative Approach to Immigration Reform
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • Sonya Geis with wavy brown hair wearing a black dress with red accents and decorative earrings against a white background.

      Sonya Geis

      Senior Managing Editor

    • KCRW placeholder

      Christian Bordal

      Managing Producer, Greater LA

    • KCRW placeholder

      Katie Cooper

      Producer, 'One year Later'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Kelli Grant

      Senior Consumer Reporter, SmartMoney.com

    • KCRW placeholder

      Derek Thompson

      Staff writer, The Atlantic

    • KCRW placeholder

      Karen Dynan

      Co-Director of the Economic Studies Program, Brookings Institution

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Holiday Shopping, China and Economic Recovery
    1. 0:00GOP Winning on Tax Cut Deal, Blocking Everything Else
    2. 7:47Consumer Spending and Economic RecoveryYou’re reading this
    3. 42:16Utah Considers Alternative Approach to Immigration Reform
    Back to To the Point