would shrink to negative growth, -0.2%, in the first quarter. (NPR, Goldman Sachs via AP)
If that negative growth continues for two quarters, it would officially mark a recession. With recession comes job loss, multiplying the job losses from shortages caused by tariffs.
And with prices still rising, economists have warned of stagflation — an ugly combination of inflation and economic slowdown that can take years to fix. (Brookings, Reuters)
“Recession is bad. Recession plus inflation is worse. That’s where we’re headed,” one analyst warned. (Reuters)
Supporters have argued that short-term pain is necessary to rebuild American strength.
But for young Americans just trying to get started — finding jobs, paying rent, building a future — the pain feels immediate.
Redefining Presidential Power — and Silencing Science
Trump didn’t just move to consolidate political power.
He also took aim at the parts of government that produce independent research — including science agencies that track the environment, public health, and technology.
One of his first executive orders had cut funding for federal research into climate change, clean energy, pandemic preparedness, and diversity in public health outcomes.
Key climate datasets maintained by NASA and NOAA were flagged for “review.”
Grants for renewable energy and DEI-related academic research were frozen.
Research centers were warned to clear any public statements through political appointees.
Inside agencies like the EPA, NOAA, NIH, and the Department of Education, information began to quietly disappear.
Entire pages on climate change, civil rights in healthcare, and extreme weather forecasting were taken offline or heavily edited.
Citations of peer-reviewed science vanished from government websites.
Forecast models tracking flood risk, wildfire spread, and hurricane strength were quietly “archived” — effectively cutting off public access unless citizens already knew exactly where to look.
At the same time, Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) gained broad access to internal databases across Social Security, Medicare, the IRS — and key scientific and economic data streams. (Democracy2025.org, Washington Post)
Supporters framed it as cutting red tape.