The Vital Importance of Good Economic Statistics

Erica Groshen, former Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) uses the acronym AORTA to characterize good data; Accurate, Objective, Relevant, Trustworthy, and Accessible. This is apt since good data are the lifeblood of economic decision-making. But what happens if statistics are compromised by reduced staffing and resources, or by politically motivated manipulation? Erica joins EconoFact Chats to discuss the history and the role of the BLS, the importance of good data for decision-making by government, businesses, and families, and her concerns about political interference degrading the integrity of government statistics. Erica served as the Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2013 to 2017. She is currently Senior Economics Advisor at the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations, and a Research Fellow at the Upjohn Institute.