People keep talking about a “soft landing,” but the state-level data is saying something very different. Here’s what the map shows: • 23 states have negative GDP growth right now • That’s nearly half the entire country contracting • The Midwest is getting hit the hardest • Energy-heavy and manufacturing states are slowing fast • Only about a dozen states are actually growing • And this is the largest cluster of state recessions since 2008 National numbers make everything look calm... but state numbers are where recessions actually start. When almost half the country slips into contraction at the same time, that’s not a “soft landing.” That’s the runway cracking while the plane is still in the air.