Economic Meltdown 101

I consider myself someone who tries to be informed about current events but sometimes the issues get so complex and events happen so quickly that it is all but impossible to keep up and still keep things in proper context and have a full understanding of what is going on. This is true, for me, of the economic meltdown and the after effects it has had in the worlds of politics and culture.

That is why I am sharing these resources for ordinary laypeople like me who are trying to get a grip on the economic issues. Here are three links that I discovered this morning that I feel are excellent primers on the economic meltdown and the chain of events that led up to it. Hat tip to the Common Cause blog for this information.

Common Cause Blog: The Economic Downfall for Dummies

The economic crisis exposed the myriad ways in which our financial institutions are interconnected in an intricate web of relationships. When one element of this intricate web turns toxic the rest of the web get infected and the whole thing starts falling down like dominoes. For me, the best look at each domino and how its toppling led to the next.

PBS Frontline: Inside the Meltdown (VIDEO SERIES)

Time Magazine: 25 People to Blame for the Financial Crisis