I'm always really skeptical of people who are labeled "expert". My skepticism goes off the charts when those so labeled have either applied it themselves or they accept the labeling without comment.
Economists in my opinion are the worst about this. For all their accuracy they might as well take up weather forecasting on the nightly news, they have better odds of getting it right.
So I read this a post by Dan Drezner that sort of explained a lot for me. The title is "My countercyclical specialty". It struck me: of course! We don't really pay attention to economists when things are good. All they ever have to say is "we're about to enter a recession". They always say that. GDP can be growing 10% per month and they'll tell you that. Thing is, they are always right. Just like geologists are always right when they tell us we're about to enter another ice age. It's always just a matter of time.
So now that the news media is on board and is screaming about how we are all going to hell and entering a new "great" depression we are actually listening to economists. Only problem in my point of view is: we shouldn't be listening to them. What are they saying? Yes, it is no longer "we're about to enter a recession". Nope they beat that drum long enough to get their reward of being right. No, now it is the more profound "we are in a recession!". Thanks bud, good investment in the PhD there. Got something useful for me?
Something along the lines of "quit borrowing money, quit building crap, quit trying to outsource your way to profitability, let crap companies die (GM!), quit thinking you can just vote yourself to a better economy" and "build valuable stuff, build real companies that make real profits with real employees, vote for smaller government with easier to understand regulations and lower taxes".
Even so, I believe the wisest bit of economic truth came from the bad guy in RoboCop - "Good business is where you find it". They say the economy sucks, maybe it does, but there is a ton of opportunity out there to be developed profitably. Listening to the gray beards that live in their ivory towers won't help you. Roll up your sleeves and get to work!
Worst case: go read "Atlas Shrugged". Then you won't be able to help it. You will roll up your sleeves and get to work.