When Business Coverage Misses the Big Picture

I want to give you two different numbers.

65 percent.

And 2 percent.

But they refer to the same story.

65 percent is how much foreclosure filings have increased over the last year.

2 percent is the actual number of homes in foreclosure.

Which is the more dramatic number?

The 65 percent, of course.

Which is the number you think most in the media have been pounding?

The 65 percent, again, of course.

I can understand reporting the big number.

I cannot understand ignoring the smaller number.

I made it a point of reporting both numbers.

Here's why: the surge in foreclosures is important.

But the overall small percentage of foreclosures is important too.

When you include one without the other, you're missing the big picture.

And I fear politicians are missing the point.

They're trying to tell you everyone's foreclosing.

And in the case of USA Today, everyone's having a mental breakdown as they're foreclosing.

Some are.

Most are not.

But we don't hear about the most. We hear about the few and say they are most.

But two percent isn't most. It's barely some.

But most will end up paying big time for some who cannot pay any of their mortgage any time.

And politicians think you're ok with that.

Because they think you don't know that.

They think that you think that everyone's foreclosing.

Because they've pounded that.

And now they're like the great wizard in Oz, hoping you pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

The man who knows another number, a much smaller number.

A number he hopes you never see.

Because if you did, you would see the wizard is a liar.

Watch Neil Cavuto weekdays at 4 p.m. ET on "Your World with Cavuto" and send your comments to cavuto@foxnews.com