Disability Insurance: The Problem of Contagion in the Media

Economists are used to talking about contagion, the idea that a financial crisis can spread from one country to another. Unfortunately it appears to be at least as serious a problem in news reporting.

Last week This American Life ran a full hour long segment on the Social Security disability program. While the piece was well-done and provided much useful information about the difficulties facing people on the program, it fundamentally misrepresented the economic context. The piece implied tha...