Tennessee and the U.S. are in the midst of the third-longest period of economic expansion since the end of World War II. At the same time, many of the economic benefits haven't ended up in the paychecks of lower- and middle-class workers. That could affect the way people feel about the economy on a personal level.
While economic growth is still forecast for 2018, that growth is expected to slow down, despite Republican predictions of rapid expansion under their recently-approved tax overhaul plan. Despite President Trump's frequent declamations of a languishing national economy, the country's economic engine is revving at near-capacity.
The economics of 2018 are behaving in new and interesting ways, some of which economists don't fully understand. To learn more, WUOT's Brandon Hollingsworth recently spoke with Matt Murray, associate director of the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research, and the lead author of the 2018 Economic Report to the Governor of the State of Tennessee (PDF copy of the report).