So, is the United States in a recession? Fresh economic data out today shows gross domestic product contracting 0.9% in the second quarter. That's on top of the more than 1.5% decline in the previous quarter. Two consecutive quarters of the economy shrinking has traditionally been defined as a recession. But many say that's overly simplistic and point to other data suggesting otherwise. We explore both sides of this crucial debate. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices